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297 Reviews
Bow of Viking Expedition ship

About Viking Expeditions Cruises

With the debut of its first two dedicated polar expedition cruise ships in 2022, Viking will officially make the transition from offering river and ocean cruises to being able to provide passengers with dedicated expedition voyages to the Arctic and Antarctic.

Initially, the Viking Expeditions fleet will consist of two ships: the 378-passenger Viking Octantis and its sister ship, Viking Polaris. Though nearly the same size as the ships in Viking's current oceangoing fleet, Viking's expedition vessels will carry a fraction of the passengers, resulting in one of the industry's highest passenger-to-space ratios.

In addition to a full expedition program that includes adventures ashore by inflatable motorized Zodiac rafts and more durable rigid skiffs, Viking Expeditions also plans to offer a number of familiar creature comforts onboard Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris. These include the popular specialty restaurants Manfredi's (Italian cuisine) and Mamsen's (Norwegian comfort food), the Explorers' observation lounge and other niceties that passengers who have sailed on the line's existing ocean (and river) ships will come to appreciate.

Viking plans on starting its expedition operations in early 2022 aboard Viking Octantis in the Antarctic, followed by Viking Polaris, which will debut on sailings between Tromso, Norway, and Arctic Svalbard in summer 2022.

Further details regarding Viking Expeditions are expected to be unveiled in mid-January 2020.

  • More about Viking Expeditions

  • Who goes on Viking Expeditions cruise ships?

  • Do I have to dress up on a Viking Expeditions cruise?

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Viking Octantis
Viking Octantis in the Great Lakes (Photo/Harriet Baskas)

13 Night
Argentina & The Chilean Fjords

202 Reviews
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Viking Polaris
Viking Expeditons 25th Anniversary with Viking Venus, Viking Polaris and Viking Mani

12 Night
Canadian Discovery

83 Reviews
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Viking Octantis
Viking Octantis in the Great Lakes (Photo/Harriet Baskas)

14 Night
Canada & Greenland Explorer

202 Reviews
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Viking Octantis
Viking Octantis in the Great Lakes (Photo/Harriet Baskas)

12 Night
Antarctic Explorer

202 Reviews
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Regent Seven Seas Cruises

7 Night
Great Lakes Explorer

202 Reviews
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7 Night
Niagara & The Great Lakes

202 Reviews
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14 Night
Great Lakes Collection

202 Reviews
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Cruise Critic Favorite

17 Night
Panama & Scenic South America

83 Reviews
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18 Night
Antarctica & South Georgia Island

202 Reviews
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7 Night
Undiscovered Great Lakes

202 Reviews
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19 Night
Panama Canal & The Americas

202 Reviews
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Cruise Critic Favorite

17 Night
Panama & Scenic South America

83 Reviews
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14 Night
Canada & East Coast Explorer

202 Reviews
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9 Night
Great Lakes Treasures

83 Reviews
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12 Night
Canadian Discovery

202 Reviews
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Viking Expeditions Cruises Tips, Activities, and Overview

Who goes on Viking Expeditions cruise ships?

The Viking Expeditions passenger won't be so dissimilar to the Viking Oceans or Viking River passenger. Typically, Viking targets English-speaking cruisers who are mature and are curious about the world. Passengers are well-traveled, self-motivated, and don't need a lot of scheduled diversions or flashy features like onboard casinos.

In fact, Viking is, in many ways, defined by what it lacks onboard. Passengers won't find a casino, onboard photographers or pushy staff hawking drink packages. They also won't find children: They're just plain not allowed on Viking's ships, and that's OK too.

Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen once joked he does his market research every morning when he shaves. He's not far off, either: Viking attracts a mature, well-educated passenger. As the Viking brand grows in popularity though, the age range has come down dramatically onboard; it's not uncommon to find more and more couples in their 40s and 50s dipping their toes into Viking's waters.

Do I have to dress up on a Viking Expeditions cruise?

While the official dress code has yet to be released, it's a safe bet to say it won't stray far from Viking's existing causal dress code. While passengers do tend to dress nicely at dinner, there is no requirement for cocktail dresses, tuxedos or even ties to be worn during the evening. Instead, things could best be described as "country club casual."

During the daytime, particularly on expedition cruises to the Polar Regions, layered, multifunction clothing will be the order of the day.

Is everything free on Viking Expeditions cruises?

Those details haven't been released yet. Currently, Viking offers a great deal of inclusivity on its river and ocean cruises, including at least one shore excursion per day; beer, wine and soft drinks complimentary with lunch and dinner; complimentary specialty dining venues with guaranteed reservations determined by your suite category; and Wi-Fi internet connectivity free of charge. Expect the new Expedition vessels to offer at least these features as a minimum.

Exact details about Viking Expeditions' specific inclusions should be released in the New Year.

What are Viking Expeditions’s most popular activities?

Activities aboard Viking Expeditions vessels will primarily revolve around adventures ashore. These can include Zodiac or skiff cruises, guided hikes and other adventures ashore. Viking will also offer a dedicated team of expedition specialists who will lecture on a variety of destination-relevant topics.

Further details are expected to be announced in early 2020.

Why go with Viking Expeditions?

  • Viking's trademark brand of ocean cruising on a more adventurous scale
  • Semi-inclusiveness offers good value
  • Dedicated focus on history, exploration and culture

Best for: Cruisers seeking polar adventures who enjoy Viking's Scandinavian elegance and semi-inclusiveness

Not for: Travelers with kids

Viking Expeditions Cruises Cruiser Reviews

Too many passengers and free time

Told by sales staff before going you can sign up onboard as you can only sign up for 1 kayak and one SOB pre-cruise.Fought for a second kayak, first was last minute for just one of us (fought for 1st, last minute cancellation, I shared the kayak with a Viking employee.Read More
pjohn

many10+ Cruises

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Age 70s

Antarctica and Viking Octantis - a Perfect Combo!

This was really the only pain point of the entire 2 weeks, as it turned into a 6 hour debacle on Bondi Air (90 min delay for the bus to the plane, 90 min wait to get pushed back, and Spirit-like service on the flight).We had to cut our trip a bit short, leaving a day early to avoid 90 MPH winds and huge swells (aka a big shake) which gave us the chance to see Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego.Read More
JPM-XX

few6-10 Cruises

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Age 63s

Cruise of a lifetime

The service is impeccable as all the crew was always so personable and professional at every instance.I always saw crew members cleaning even when I didn’t see anything dirty.Read More
ROandKO

few6-10 Cruises

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Age 66s

Viking and Antarctica will change your life

The food, the atmosphere, the ship layout, crew and staff were fantastic.When the captain deemed the weather was too rough for boats in the water the crew and expedition staff found another location for us to travel to, still getting our excursions and landings in.Read More
Irish76

couple2-5 Cruises

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Age 70s

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