Viking has taken delivery of the Viking Polaris, the company's second purpose-built 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 toward Amsterdam, where she will be named on September 30 by her ceremonial godmother, Ann Bancroft, one of the world's preeminent polar explorers.
Currently sailing in the Great Lakes, the Viking Octantis will also be named on September 30 by her ceremonial godmother, Liv Arnesen, a Norwegian explorer, lecturer, author and educator. From Amsterdam, the Viking Polaris will make her way to South America, and both ships will spend the Austral summer in Antarctica, before travelling north to the Great Lakes for a series of voyages during spring and summer.
"Today is a proud day for the Viking family as we welcome the Viking Polaris to our fleet. These are phenomenal ships, and we are very pleased with the positive reception from guests during the first season of our new expeditions," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. "The great explorer, Ann Bancroft, has honored us by serving as godmother to the Viking Polaris, and we look forward to welcoming her first guests on board later this week."
The new Polar Class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris host 378 guests in 189 staterooms. The vessels are purpose-built for expeditions. With more indoor and outdoor viewing areas than other expedition vessels, Viking says guests are as close as possible to some of the most magnificent scenery on earth.
Guests can choose from six stateroom categories that range from 222 sq. ft. to 1,223 sq. ft. -- all with a Nordic Balcony, as well as a king-size bed and large bathroom with spacious glass-enclosed shower, heated bathroom floor and anti-fog mirror. Every stateroom is also equipped with a unique floor-to-ceiling drying closet that circulates warm air to dry and store clothing and expedition gear.
Enrichment On Board and On Shore: Viking has what it calls the world's leading scientific enrichment environment in an expedition setting. Thirty-six experts accompany each journey 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, higher predator biology and history).
On board, guests will enjoy daily briefings and lectures about their destination. On shore, they can assist in fieldwork or interact through experiential activities during landings -- such as monitoring birds to help identify migratory patterns; accompanying scientists to collect samples; or taking their cameras ashore alongside a professional photographer to learn how best to capture scenic landscapes.
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