A Signature Partner

Since 2022

Viking Expeditions: Thoughtful Exploration at the Edge of the World

Purpose-built expedition ships, Resident Scientists, inclusive shore excursions, and a more intelligent way to explore Antarctica, the Arctic, and beyond.

Explore Viking Expeditions Book with Your Advisor

Resident Scientists Onboard • Virtually All Excursions Included • Purpose-Built Expedition Ships

The Advisor's Edge

Expeditions for the
Inquisitive Traveler

Viking Expeditions is not about roughing it. It is about exploring extraordinary places with more context, more intention, and more comfort than traditional expedition travel often provides.

Purpose-built ships, onboard Resident Scientists, and a strong emphasis on enrichment make Viking a compelling fit for travelers who want polar and remote-region exploration framed by learning, design, and a more thoughtful onboard atmosphere.

Elevida helps determine whether Viking Expeditions is the right fit, and which ship, destination, and expedition style make the most sense for you.

Science

Resident Scientists and enrichment programming designed with respected academic institutions.

Access

Small expedition vessels, zodiac landings, and remote-area exploration built into the journey.

Style

A calm, Scandinavian-forward expedition experience with premium comfort and intelligent design.

The Experience

What Sets
Viking Expeditions Apart

Four distinctions that shape the Viking expedition experience, from shoreline to ship's library.

I.

Resident Scientists Onboard

Every voyage sails with Resident Scientists whose enrichment programming is developed in partnership with Cambridge University and other respected academic institutions. Lectures, labs, and field interpretation turn transit days into learning days.

II.

Virtually All Excursions Included

Zodiac landings, kayak outings, guided hikes, and expert-led shoreside access included in the fare. Less decision fatigue, more time spent in the places you came to see.

III.

Citizen Science in the Field

Guests contribute to active research through zodiac sampling, Special Operations Boat missions, and submarine journeys beneath the surface. Science as participation, not spectator sport.

IV.

Purpose-Built Expedition Ships

Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris were engineered from the keel up for expedition work in Antarctica, the Arctic, and the Great Lakes. Polar Class hulls, science labs, two onboard submarines, and a hangar housing the expedition fleet.

Two guests in Viking expedition parkas return to Viking Octantis by zodiac in Antarctic waters

The Fleet

Meet the Viking
Expedition Ships

Two sister ships, identically sized and identically purposed. Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris each carry 378 guests across 189 staterooms, with Polar Class ice-strengthened hulls, onboard science labs, and an aft hangar that houses the expedition fleet of zodiacs, kayaks, Special Operations Boats, and two yellow submarines per ship.

The scale was chosen deliberately: large enough to house the science infrastructure, small enough to run simultaneous landings and keep the ratio of guest to guide comfortable in remote waters.

The Flagship

Viking Octantis

The first of Viking's purpose-built expedition ships, designed for deep exploration of Antarctica and the Great Lakes with premium comfort that traditional expedition travel rarely provides. Debuted 2022.

The Sister

Viking Polaris

A near-identical sister ship built for remote exploration, scientific learning, and immersive destination access across the polar regions and the Great Lakes. Launched 2022.

I.

Science at the Core

Dedicated wet and dry science labs onboard, Resident Scientists, and enrichment built with academic partners. The science program is not a side feature, it is structural.

II.

An Expedition Hangar

A full expedition fleet kept ship-ready: zodiacs, kayaks, Special Operations Boats, and two yellow submarines per ship capable of diving to 300 meters.

III.

Scandinavian Comfort

Understated Nordic interiors, Explorers' Lounge, multiple dining venues, and a design language that feels calm rather than rugged in the middle of remote waters.

Destinations

Where
Viking Expeditions Excels

Three regions where Viking's purpose-built fleet and thoughtful approach show up most vividly.

A gentoo penguin in foreground with two Viking expedition guests in red parkas in background, Antarctica

The Seventh Continent

Antarctica

Antarctic Explorer and Antarctic Circle itineraries aboard Octantis and Polaris. Polar Class hulls, full expedition fleet, and Resident Scientists who put the wildlife and ice into context rather than just pointing at it.

Aurora borealis over a snow-covered landscape in the high Arctic

Northern Reach

The Arctic

The Northwest Passage, Arctic Canada, and the high latitudes where thoughtful expedition travel rewards patience. Aurora, polar wildlife, and the cultural complexity of the North interpreted by onboard experts.

Aerial view of Georgian Bay on Lake Huron, rocky islands and lighthouse

Inland Waters

The Great Lakes

An expedition environment hiding in plain sight. Viking treats the Great Lakes as a serious destination: Thunder Bay to Milwaukee, Mackinac Island, Niagara, and submarine dives to the pristine Gunilda shipwreck off McGarvey Shoal.

Who It Suits

Who Viking Expeditions
Is Best For

Comfort

For travelers who want real expedition depth with a more thoughtful, less rugged onboard experience.

Learning

For guests who value science, education, and expert interpretation as part of the journey.

Design

For travelers drawn to Antarctica, the Arctic, or the Great Lakes but wanting comfort and design along with exploration.

If you are deciding between Viking Expeditions and other expedition lines, we can help narrow the right fit honestly.

Book with Your Advisor

The Elevida Difference

Viking Expeditions,
Personally Matched

The value of working with Elevida is not simply reserving an expedition cruise. It is helping determine whether Viking Expeditions is the right style of exploration for the traveler, and which ship, destination, and voyage configuration best align with the experience you want.

Elevida helps guests compare Viking Expeditions with other expedition options and identify the strongest fit for priorities like learning, comfort, scientific depth, destination access, and expedition pacing.

01

Guidance on whether Viking Expeditions is the right expedition line for your travel style.

02

Help comparing destinations, ships, and expedition experiences.

03

Personalized advisor support before and after booking.

Begin Your
Expedition

Viking Expeditions is for travelers who want extraordinary places to come with deeper context, elegant design, and a more thoughtful way of exploring.

Book with Your Advisor

(727) 592-5234 | paul@elevida.luxury

As a Signature Travel Network partner, Elevida Luxury Journeys provides exclusive amenities and VIP benefits when booking Viking Expeditions.