Submarines in the Hangar, 378 guests, and the Nordic spa after the Zodiac.
Viking Expeditions brings the Viking formula to the ice: Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris carry 378 adults in Nordic balcony staterooms, launch Zodiacs, kayaks and Special Operations Boats from an enclosed Hangar, and carry two six-guest submarines, a science lab run with Cambridge University and a Nordic spa with a snow grotto. It suits travelers who want a real expedition with landings but also a proper restaurant, a pool and a bed they could live in: Antarctica from Buenos Aires or Ushuaia, November to March, with Falklands and South Georgia options; the Great Lakes from Milwaukee, Toronto and Thunder Bay in summer; and Arctic Norway, Iceland and Greenland in between. SmartCruiser shows every Viking Expeditions sailing with taxes and fees included, and a specialist who knows both ships helps you pick the season, the stateroom and the air.
Three ways to sail with Viking Expeditions
Pick one and the list below filters to it; the same two ships do the ice, the lakes and the Arctic, so the month decides the trip.
Antarctica from Buenos Aires
- 12 nights with the charter flight to Ushuaia included, or 17 to 20 with the Falklands and South Georgia
- Zodiac landings, kayaks, Special Operations Boats and submarine dives on a sign-up basis
- The science lab, the Aula lecture theater and the Finse Terrace with heated lava-rock seats
Best for: comfort-first expedition travelers, couples, Viking loyalists
The Great Lakes
- 7 nights between Milwaukee, Toronto and Thunder Bay through all five lakes, May to September
- Mackinac Island, Georgian Bay and the Soo Locks with the expedition team and the submarines along for the ride
- Niagara Falls and Montreal on the Canadian Discovery itineraries
Best for: no flights abroad, a first expedition, fall color in September
Arctic Norway, Iceland and Greenland
- Svalbard, the Lofoten Islands and the North Cape from Tromsø and Bergen, June to August
- Iceland circumnavigations and crossings to Greenland’s fjords on the way to or from the lakes
- The same included excursions, Wi-Fi and Nordic spa
Best for: northern lights and midnight sun, Scandinavia fans
Every Viking Expeditions departure, priced live
Every Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris departure, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included, with full sorting by region, date, length and price. Viking’s own offers, such as air deals and included charter flights, show on each card as the line publishes them.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Viking Expeditions sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Where Viking Expeditions sails
Pick a region and the list above filters to it.
Lines you may also like
If Viking’s style appeals, these lines offer the ocean version or the same ice with different ships.
When to go
Octantis and Polaris spend the northern winter in Antarctica and the northern summer on the lakes and in the Arctic.
Viking Expeditions questions we answer every day
What is included on Viking Expeditions?
Every landing and Zodiac cruise, a guided excursion in every port, kayaks and Special Operations Boat outings, Wi-Fi, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, specialty dining, the Nordic spa and the thermal suite, 24-hour room service, and expedition gear: a Viking jacket to keep plus boots, trekking poles and binoculars to borrow. Submarine dives are on a sign-up basis at no charge, weather and demand permitting. Gratuities and flights are extra unless your fare says otherwise.
How bad is the Drake Passage?
Two days each way from Ushuaia, from flat to rough. Octantis and Polaris are the largest and most stable ships doing landings in Antarctica, with a straight bow, fin stabilizers and U-tank stabilization built for this, and most guests find the crossing easier than on smaller expedition ships. The onboard doctor has patches, and the Explorers’ Lounge at the bow is the place to watch it.
How big are the ships and the cabins?
378 guests, adults only, in staterooms from 222 square feet with the Nordic balcony: a floor-to-ceiling window that drops halfway to make the room an open-air viewing platform without losing floor space. Every cabin has a heated drying closet for your gear. Antarctica allows 100 people ashore at a time, so landings rotate by group; expect a landing or Zodiac cruise most days rather than two every day.
Are flights included?
The charter between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia is included on Antarctica voyages. Viking sells air from the US on every itinerary, often with a deviation option, and the Great Lakes voyages need only a domestic flight to Milwaukee, Toronto or Thunder Bay. We compare Viking’s air against booking your own before you pay.
Do I need a passport or visa?
A passport valid six months beyond your trip for Antarctica, the Arctic and any voyage that touches Canada; US citizens need no visa for Argentina, Chile, Canada, Norway, Iceland or Greenland. Antarctica itself has no border control; the ship holds the permit.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels and gratuities are extra unless the fare you choose says otherwise.
Talk to a Viking Expeditions specialist
Tell us whether you want the ice, the lakes or the midnight sun, and we match the ship, the stateroom and the date, and compare Viking’s air against booking your own before you pay. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.