Viking has taken delivery of the Viking Polaris, the company's second expedition ship. The delivery ceremony took place at Fincantieri's VARD shipyard in Søviknes, Norway, where Viking's first expedition ship, the Viking Octantis, was delivered in December 2021.
The Viking Polaris immediately set sail for Amsterdam, where it will be christened on September 30 by its godmother, polar explorer Ann Bancroft. The Viking Octantis, currently cruising the Great Lakes, will also be christened on September 30 by its godmother, Norwegian explorer, lecturer, writer, and educator Liv Arnesen. From Amsterdam, the Viking Polaris will head to South America, and both ships will spend the austral summer in Antarctica before traveling north to the Great Lakes for a series of voyages during the spring and summer.
“Today is a proud day for the Viking family as we welcome the Viking Polaris to our fleet. We are very pleased with the positive reception from guests during the first season of our new expeditions,” said Torstein Hagen, President of Viking.
- The new polar-class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris ships accommodate 378 guests in 189 cabins. These expedition-ready vessels feature:
- The Classroom: a panoramic auditorium inspired by the ceremonial hall of the University of Oslo, the former venue for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. Used for lectures, daily briefings, documentaries, and films.
- Finse Terrace: an open-air lounge area designed for passengers to enjoy the ship's amenities outdoors and the spectacular scenery.
- The Hangar: a state-of-the-art marina that facilitates the embarkation and disembarkation of special operations boats and other equipment.
- The bow: a comfortable, partially enclosed platform and space for guests to warm up with a hot drink before heading back out into the open air.
- The Science Lab: Developed in collaboration with Cambridge University and Akvaplan-Niva, the 380-square-foot Science Lab is designed to support a wide range of research activities and is equipped with wet and dry laboratory facilities.
- Expedition Hub: a center for the expedition team to consult with guests about their expedition activities and share knowledge about destinations on an individual basis.
- Dining options: The Restaurant offers dinner with regional cuisine and classic dishes always available; the casual World Café offers an open kitchen, bakery, grill and premium seafood and sushi options, as well as a wide range of international flavors; Mamsen's serves Scandinavian-inspired food; and Manfredi's offers the best of Italian cuisine.
- The Nordic Spa: with an indoor heated pool with large windows and a bath (jacuzzi with wooden walls) open to the outside.
- Explorers' Lounge: Located high on the ship, with floor-to-ceiling windows, it offers guests an ideal space to contemplate the magnificent scenery, share discoveries with their fellow travelers, or enjoy a drink. - The Living Room: Positioned to maximize views of the surroundings through floor-to-ceiling windows and a library that will inform even the most well-read explorers.
- Nordic Balcony: All cabins aboard Viking expedition ships feature a Nordic Balcony, a sun deck that transforms into an open-air viewing platform with an elbow-height viewing shelf for stabilizing binoculars or a camera. All cabins are equipped with a floor-to-ceiling drying closet that circulates warm air for drying and storing clothing and expedition gear.
- Expedition Ship Suites: The Nordic Junior Suites and Explorer Suites feature wood accents and amenities including extra storage and seating, an enlarged bathroom with an extended shower and double sinks, and much more. The Explorer Suites have two separate bedrooms, a Nordic balcony, and a full outdoor veranda. In addition, each ship has an Owner's Suite with three rooms—a living room, a living/dining room, and a bedroom—as well as a private deck with a traditional Norwegian badestamp open to the invigorating fresh air.
- Enrichment onboard and ashore: Viking has created the world’s premier scientific enrichment environment within an expedition setting. Exclusive partnerships with the University of Cambridge’s Scott Polar Research Institute, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as well as other prestigious scientific institutions, match leading researchers and educators with each expedition. Thirty-six experts accompany each voyage as part of the Viking Expedition team, including an Expedition Leader and support staff, photographer, field research scientists, general naturalists, mountain guides, kayak guides, submarine pilots, and specialists (ornithology, geology, top predator biology, and history).
- Environmental considerations: Viking expedition ships have set a new standard for responsible travel with an energy-efficient design that exceeds Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) requirements by nearly 38%. In addition to an integrated bow that creates a longer waterline for the ships, engines with heat recovery systems, and Azipod® electric propulsion, the Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris have received one of the industry's first SILENT-E notations, the highest level certification for quiet ship propulsion, which minimizes underwater noise pollution.
