Photo Tour: An Inside Look at Viking Octantis, Viking’s New Expedition Ship
Introducing Viking Octantis: Viking Cruises’ First Expedition Ship
The Viking Octantis finished its first Great Lakes itinerary on May 6, settling into one of its embarkation and disembarkation ports, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The ship, which can accommodate up to 378 guests and 256 crew members, is a Polar Class 6 expedition vessel, between the size of a smaller river cruise ship and a larger ocean liner and can brave even the coldest climates in Antarctica. Designed with Viking’s signature Scandinavian style and with an expedition focus in mind, the luxury ship offers incredible comfort without skimping on the expedition experiences that guests love.
Scroll through to check out an inside look into the new Viking Octantis. While the slideshow doesn’t cover every aspect of the ship, more photos, deck plans and a virtual tour are available on Viking Cruises’ website.
The Restaurant
This modern restaurant features Scandinavian and regional dishes that change based on the destinations in an itinerary. The Restaurant is smaller than World Cafe, yet still retains a lot of natural light and ample windows.
Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant
Manfredi’s is another specialty restaurant onboard the Viking Octantis. Requiring reservations, the Italian restaurant serves the best in Italian cuisine and even features a pasta-making station that travelers can watch as they enter the restaurant.
The Studio
Despite being a smaller ship than an ocean liner, the Viking Octantis is filled with fun spaces for guests to enjoy, like The Studio. With a station for making your favorite hot drink and a few tables to sit, enjoy the view and discuss expeditions with new friends, the area is an intimate, modern space for guests to enjoy.
Regional Decor and Interactive Art
The birds in the picture above are part of a rotating installation that changes depending on the region. For example, the birds here are native to the Great Lakes; when the Viking Octantis visits Antarctica, they are swapped out with Antarctica-specific species. Throughout the ship, the use of rotating regional art and digital installations provide an introduction to the natural world of whatever itinerary a guest takes. Each guest is also provided with a listening device, which can be paired to nearly every piece of art on the ship for guests to learn more about animal species, historic expeditions and more.
Expedition Central
Located near The Studio, Expedition Central is where guests can come and interact with the expedition team and learn more about their expeditions and the region in which they are sailing. With the use of interactive screens, topographical maps and a spacial data visualization chart table, the Expedition Central is where guests can begin to understand the region they will be exploring.
The Aula
Featuring wall-to-ceiling windows that provide a breathtaking view of the back of the ship, comfortable lecture seats and a state-of-the-art screen that slides down onto the stage for viewing documentaries or movies, the Aula is the place for guests to come and listen to lectures by guest scientists or just to entertain themselves with a movie or watch the scenery roll by in comfort.
The Fitness Center
Viking Octantis is outfitted with incredible fitness machines like the two treadmills pictured above. It also boasts an exercise room for activities such as Pilates or yoga and offers classes by its very own personal trainer.
The Nordic Spa
Located near the Fitness Center, the Nordic Spa is so much more than a place to get a massage or enjoy some time in a sauna. It features a pool, steam room, sauna, snow room and its very own badestamp, a covered hot tub located out-of-doors.
The Warming Cave
One of the coolest features of the Viking Octantis’s Nordic Spa is the Warming Cave. Nestled within a cave-like alcove and featuring a modern fireplace and three perpetually warm ceramic loungers, the Warming Cave is the best place to warm up after a day spent exploring in Antarctica.
World Cafe
The World Cafe is the 24-hour dining area that doesn’t require reservations on the Octantis. With everything from self-serve breakfast and coffee to a grill and sushi bar, the World Cafe offers regional dishes as well as international cuisine in a modern, large area that includes beautiful views of the outside world.
The World Cafe’s Breakfast Area
For those wishing for coffee, tea or a variety of other beverages, as well as breakfast foods, this is an easy self-serve area of the World Cafe to enjoy any time of day.
The Sushi Bar
Located within the World Cafe is a fun area called the Sushi Bar; pictured here is a communal table for travel groups or sociable individuals to gather to enjoy fresh seafood.
The Hangar
The expedition continues in the Hangar, a massive space complete with Hobie Kayaks, Zodiacs, Special Operations Boats and even two submarines. This is where all of the expedition vehicles and gear are stored. The room itself features some incredible innovations to help save space and make launching an expedition a smooth and time-saving process.
The Submarine
Part scientific tool and part guest attraction, the Viking Octantis offers two yellow submarines, fondly called John and Paul. The submarines are manned by one pilot, a scientist, who can conduct research while piloting the craft as deep as 1,000 feet below sea level. Each submarine offers two bubble-like enclosed areas which can accommodate up to three people each, taking six guests in total at a time. The seats rotate to allow for ample viewing opportunities, while the submarine pilot can maneuver a robotic arm to take samples of the seafloor.
The Science Lab
The Viking Octantis isn’t just an expedition ship – it’s a working scientific research station. Employing a variety of scientists at a time, the ship’s laboratory can analyze everything from the smallest biological life forms in seawater to microplastics, down to what type of plastic they came from. Guests can help out the scientists during expeditions and after in the Science Lab. Viking Cruises has many scientific partners that they share their research with, including NOAA, the University of Cambridge and its Scott Polar Research Institute, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Akvaplan-Niva, the Norwegian Polar Institute and more. The Octantis is also the only cruise ship in the world to also be a NOAA/National Weather Service-certified weather balloon station.
Stateroom Hallway
Because there are only rooms and suites with Nordic balconies and no inside cabins onboard the Viking Octantis, the stateroom hallways are long and spacious. Along this hallway, rooms are on the right-hand side, while on the left are numerous expedition-themed art installations and photographs, all of which offer audio insights.
The Nordic Penthouse
The Nordic Penthouse offers a king-sized bed, ample storage for clothes and other items, as well as a cozy living space located near the Nordic balcony, a floor-to-ceiling window that features a sliding top half that opens the room to the rest of the world.
The Nordic Junior Suite
Based upon guest preferences, the Nordic Junior Suite (and some other suite styles) offer European-style twin beds that can be converted into a larger bed for couples to share. This suite style includes a desk, ample storage space, a cozy living area and, like all rooms on the Octantis, a Nordic balcony.
Special Room Details
Every room and suite is given fresh water daily, two audio devices for listening to lectures on the ship’s art and science installations, hand sanitizer and more. The covers on the beds have a Norwegian saying that translates to “Only one who wanders finds new paths.”
Nordic Junior Suite Bathroom
All guest bathrooms on the Viking Octantis feature modern designs and ample space for two to easily maneuver. The Nordic Junior Suite’s bathroom offers a double vanity, ample storage and an oversized shower.
Viking Octantis’ Oversized Showers
While showers can be the bane of many cruise experiences, the Viking Octantis boasts oversized showers that include little ledges to put soaps and sponges on, as well as grab bars and a showerhead that can be handheld, too.
The Living Room
One of the loveliest places on the ship that’s open 24-hours a day for guests to enjoy scenic views from the windows, lounge with a good book or spend time socializing is The Living Room. Blending seamlessly into The Library, The Living Room includes a bar and beautiful works of art.
The Living Room Bar
Located in the center of The Living Room is its bar, which is small and intimate. The Living Room also offers game tables for Mahjongg, cards and even puzzles!
The Library
A puzzle table and Scandinavian-style bookshelves accompany these comfortable lounge chairs in The Library, a smaller area at the back of The Living Room. The books in both areas are specially curated by Cambridge University’s Scott Polar Research Institute and London bookshop Heywood Hill to offer classics, expedition sagas, scientific treatises and more.
The Library’s Tapestry
Adjacent to The Library is one of Viking Octantis’ most stunning works of art: a Scandinavian-style tapestry that includes intricate weaving and watercolor art.
The Explorers’ Lounge
This small, cozy section of the large two-floor Explorers’ Lounge is only part of its charms. Surrounded by windows, the lounge includes a large bar area and plenty of seating for conversation or quiet contemplation of the beautiful surroundings: the choice is yours.
Aquavit Bar and Terrace
The Aquavit Bar offers a retractable roof for warmer climes and is enclosed in colder ones. Offering food and beverages, the area makes for a great place for a nice bite to eat in between laps in the nearby pool or around the deck.
The Pools
Located in the same area as the Aquavit Bar are the pools. Three pools offer cold, hot and mid-temperature plunges for travelers to take. Two of them are located outside, while the tepidarium (pictured above) can be enclosed during colder climes.
Public Restrooms
Lastly, but certainly not least, the Viking Octantis offers plenty of public restrooms for guests to use. They are a bit low-profile, which means they might not be as easy to find, but they are luxurious. Cloth towels to dry your hands, private stalls and custom Scandinavian-themed wood carvings add to the Viking charm.