• Smithsonian Magazine: How Vacationers on Arctic Cruises Are Filling in Scientific Gaps

    March 7, 2023 — Cocooned inside a submarine, I held my breath in anticipation as the vessel slowly descended beneath the surface of the Southern Ocean off the coast of Antarctica. Looking out the bubble-shaped acrylic window of the small, seven-person submersible, I watched the water go from bright aquamarine to inky black as we dove deeper and deeper, leaving behind the bright white snow and the last rays of sunlight.

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  • MSN: Extremely rare phantom jellyfish caught on camera

    February 10, 2023 — In the ethereal blue glow of the water, a huge shape swept toward them. Around 30 feet long, with four billowing arms and a domed head, the creature was larger than the tourists’ personal submersible. This startling sight occurred hundreds of feet underwater off the coast of Antarctica’s Rongé Island. When they returned to their Viking Expeditions cruise ship and showed photos to Daniel M. Moore, a marine biologist with Exeter University in the U.K., he knew they’d seen “something incredibly rare.”

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  • Travel + Leisure: These New Viking Expedition Ships Will Sail Longitudinal World Cruises and to the Great Lakes — Submarine Excursions Included

    October 7, 2022 — “Go big or go home” isn’t the official Viking motto, but it sure feels like the company’s mantra. Long dominant in river cruising and now a major player (and Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards winner) in midsize-ship ocean cruising, the company has recently and definitively moved into a new market: expedition cruising. 

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  • Forbes: Viking’s Second Expedition Ship Sets Sail: Meet The Viking Polaris

    October 6, 2022 — The brand new expedition ship from Viking has set sail and is on her way to South America and then on to Antarctica, where she will join sister ship Viking Octantis for the southern hemisphere’s summer. 

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  • The Points Guy: Fast-growing Viking doubles down on adventure cruising with a second expedition cruise ship

    September 30, 2022 — With more than a hundred Viking executives, business partners, passengers and media looking on, the company officially welcomed the 378-passenger ship, Viking Polaris, with a short but upbeat naming ceremony along the waterfront of Amsterdam.

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  • Cruise Critic: Viking Christens Two New Expedition Ships at Ceremony in Amsterdam As Part of 25th Anniversary Celebrations

    September 30, 2022 — Viking christened both its new expedition ships -- Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris -- at a joint ceremony in Amsterdam today. The line chose the first two women to cross Antarctica -- Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft -- as godmothers to the Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, respectively. 

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  • Travel Weekly: Viking takes delivery of Polaris, its second expedition ship

    September 29, 2022 — The Viking Polaris has been delivered, It is the second expedition ship to join the Viking fleet in less than a year.  Vard Group delivered the ship on Sept. 27 in Soviknes, Norway. Polaris, named after the North Star, is Viking's second expedition ship, built for sailing in Antarctica and the Great Lakes. The ship joins the Viking Octantis, conversely named after the pole star in the southern hemisphere. That ship was delivered in December 2021. 

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  • Newsweek: America's Best Customer Service 2023

    August 31, 2022 — Viking ranked #1 on Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Customer Service Brands in the transportation and travel cruise category for the third consecutive year.
     

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  • Travel Weekly: Exploring the Great Lakes on Viking Octantis

    July 22, 2022 — The difference between expedition ships and large cruise vessels, said Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking, is that large ships are not welcome in nearly as many places. “We come here and we're welcome everywhere,” he said last month onboard the 378-passenger Octantis, then on its third Great Lakes voyage. “It's quite nice. Refreshing.”

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  • AFAR: The Hottest Cruise Destination of 2022 Isn’t Where You Might Think

    June 28, 2022 — This new, state-of-the-art, long and narrow expedition ship was built for Southern Hemisphere summers in Antarctica and is spending Northern Hemisphere summers in the Great Lakes.

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  • Cruise Critic: What It's Like Sailing the Great Lakes With Viking: Just back from Viking Octantis

    June 27, 2022 — The 665-foot-long, Polar Class 6 ship carries 378 guests and 256 crewmembers and sailed its inaugural in Antarctica before heading north. It is summering in the Great Lakes region before heading back to the Antarctic and other destinations.

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  • Travel Weekly: Viking Octantis well-equipped for luxury expeditions

    June 27, 2022 — As the submarine lowered itself about 50 feet below the surface, they got their first glimpse of the bottom of Lake Huron's Georgian Bay. Guests will find a series of toys like this while sailing the Octantis, Viking's first expedition ship, which will be followed by sister ship Viking Polaris, due out this fall.

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  • Travel Awaits: 6 Fascinating Facts About Viking’s New Expedition Ship Octantis

    June 25, 2022 — Viking recently launched the newest member of its fleet: the expedition ship Octantis. With its current itineraries focused on the Great Lakes and Antarctica, the gorgeous vessel seamlessly transitions between the serious science conducted on-board, and the high-end travel option Viking’s become recognized and lauded for during the past 25 years.

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  • TravelPulse: What’s Special About Great Lakes Cruises?

    May 18, 2022 — One such cruise line to expand into the Great Lakes is Viking Cruises. Known for luxurious river cruises, the cruise line launched its first expedition ship, the Viking Octantis, in Antarctica before making its way into the Great Lakes for its inaugural Great Lakes season earlier this month.

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  • Travel Weekly: Viking completes its first Great Lakes voyage

    May 9, 2022 — Viking on May 6 completed its inaugural Great Lakes voyage on the new Viking Octantis, the largest cruise ship to sail the Great Lakes. Viking is offering three Great Lakes itineraries this year on the 378-passenger expedition ship.

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  • Condé Nast Traveler: The Best New Cruises in the World: 2022 Hot List

    May 3, 2022 — This 378-passenger expedition ship, which just wrapped her first season in Antarctica, is an exciting departure from the European river cruising Viking has staked its reputation on.

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  • The Jet Set: The Thinking Persons Adventure

    April 25, 2022 — The Octantis, named for the southern star, is an extensive enrichment experience. Understated elegance and attention to detail, distinct Viking characteristics are around every corner.

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  • Cruise Critic: Viking Octantis Cruise - Ship Review

    April 25, 2022 — With the introduction of Viking Octantis, Viking Cruises has firmly planted its flag in the expedition cruising world. Octantis is the cruise line’s first ship dedicated to adventure cruising, and it is simply excellent. Viking has built a reputation on its river and ocean cruise ships for considering every detail, and on Viking Octantis, the company has taken this to the next level.

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  • Forbes: New Viking Octantis Carves Unique Niche In Expedition Cruising

    April 21, 2022 — This new Polar Class 6 expedition vessel is a product of Hagen’s visionary leadership as well as a testament to his moxie. Although the occasion was low-key, the excitement of the first guests, visitors, and crew on board was palpable.

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  • TODAY: Vacationing while protecting Earth is the new big draw for travelers

    April 19, 2022 — A growing number of tourists are looking for ways to travel sustainably, looking to see the sights and protect them—and that’s making cruise liners, car companies and the tourism agency readjust. NBC’s Jessie Kirsch reports for TODAY.

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  • AFAR: The Best Ships for Antarctica Sailings And When to Book

    April 7, 2022 — Viking Expeditions (part of the larger Viking cruise company that also operates a river and ocean line) is new in Antarctica with the 378-passenger, polar-class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, ships that combine the comforts of traditional cruising with expedition adventures.

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  • The Points Guy: The types of Viking cruise ships, explained

    April 3, 2022 — Viking is unusual among major cruise lines in that it operates both ocean ships and river ships. But despite this, it has one of the easiest-to-understand fleets.

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  • Condé Nast Traveler: What It's Like to Sail to Antarctica on Viking's Luxe New Expedition Ship

    March 16, 2022 — Just last week I sat in a Norwegian hot tub known as a badestamp, the steam rising to meet the crisp air of Antarctica that flushed my cheeks. As our ship sailed at a leisurely pace past brilliant blue icebergs, I kept an eye out for the occasional crabeater seal—usually perched on ice floes, they’d lazily lift their heads to glance over at us. I lived like that—in this delicate sweet spot where great adventure and comfort meet—for a full eleven days on board the brand-new Viking Octantis.

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  • Forbes: Celebrate World Whale Day With A Trip To One Of These Amazing Whale Watching Destinations

    February 17, 2022 — There’s a brand new way to spot whales in Antarctica: Officially launched February 16, 2022, Viking Cruises will visit Antarctica with its two new 378-passenger Viking Expeditions ships, Viking Octantis and, later this year, Viking Polaris.

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  • The Points Guy: The 7 most anticipated new cruise ships of 2022

    February 15, 2022 — Fast-growing Viking has rolled out more than 70 new river cruise ships and oceangoing vessels since its founding in 1997. But there’s never been one like this. Designed to hold just 378 passengers, Viking Octantis is the line’s first “expedition” cruise ship — a type of cruise ship specifically designed to take travelers to the most off-the-beaten-path parts of the world, including Antarctica and the Arctic.

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  • Toronto Star: Vacation ships on Great Lakes

    February 10, 2022 — Beginning in late May, the Thunder Bay cruise ship port will be bustling with travellers arriving on the Viking Expeditions’ Viking Octantis.

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  • Forbes: Viking Takes Delivery Of Viking Octantis, Line’s First Expedition Ship

    December 23, 2021 — Yearning to get away from it all? Viking just announced that it has taken delivery of the Viking Octantis, the first of two new purpose-built expedition cruise ships that will join the fleet in 2022. These additions will allow the line to transport its guests to all seven continents.

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  • Travel + Leisure: This New Viking Cruise Will Take You to All 5 Great Lakes in 15 Days

    November 8, 2021 — If ever you’ve wanted to experience all five of North America’s Great Lakes in a single trip, here’s your chance. Viking Expeditions is launching a new 15-day Great Lakes itinerary for summer 2023 starting in Toronto and sails to Duluth, Minn. — giving passengers the chance to experience each of the five Great Lakes — the cruise company announced recently.

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  • Cruise Critic: Viking Cruise News: Expedition Cruise Ships To Have COVID-19 Testing Labs

    August 30, 2021 — Viking's expedition ships, coming in late 2021 and 2022, will have onboard lab facilities so passengers can be tested for COVID-19, the cruise line's founder and chairman said. The move extends the health and safety practices that Viking instituted on its ocean cruise ships when cruising resumed in May. Viking is the only cruise line to have a full PCR testing labratory onboard.

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  • CNBC: Viking chairman on cruise demand: Bookings up 42% for 2022 over 2019

    August 10, 2021 — Chairman Torstein Hagen joins ‘Squawk on the Street’ to discuss the Viking Health & Safety Program and the path forward.

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  • CNN: Here’s how Viking Cruises plans to welcome back vaccinated guests

    April 28, 2021 — Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen talks to CNN’s Richard Quest on “Quest Means Business” to discuss our plans for welcoming vaccinated guests back on board our ocean ships in 2021.

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  • Viking.TV: Exploring the world in comfort…from home

    Forbes: Free Virtual Entertainment From Viking Cruises: Yes, You Can Enjoy Travel Fun At Home

    February 21, 2021 — Applause to travel companies that have gone the extra mile during the pandemic by creatively developing free virtual entertainment. One of the best and brightest roll-outs to build community and share positive experiences comes from Viking Cruises, which launched, in April 2020, a new digital platform called Viking.TV, available online. Now approaching its one year anniversary, Viking.TV has amassed an impressive collection of engaging original cultural content and live-stream video adventures.

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  • Condé Nast Traveler: 10 Memorable Cruises for Every Occasion

    February 9, 2021 — Ahhh, retirement—when you finally have enough time to embrace the good life. In 2022, Viking offers just the ticket to celebrate with its new Viking Expeditions arm, dubbed “the thinking person’s expedition.” Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are influenced by Scandinavian design and fit up to 378 passengers per ship. Each vessel includes a working laboratory for resident scientists, plus fun expedition toys like Zodiacs, kayaks, and twin submarines.

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  • Cruise Critic: Viking Octantis Launches, Begins Wave of New Expedition Cruise Vessels

    January 4, 2021 — Viking Cruises' foray into the exciting and growing world of expedition cruising came one step closer to reality in December, when the line successfully floated out its first purpose-built expedition vessel, Viking Octantis.

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