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Viking Ocean Cruises

Viking Polaris

Small ship Bliss scored

The 378-passenger Viking Polaris debuts in August 2022 and will mostly feature trips to the Arctic and Antarctica.

  • 378guests
  • 30,150gross tons
  • 32cruises now
  • $7,499fares from

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 The 378-passenger Viking Polaris, the second expedition ship from Viking, will explore the Arctic and Antarctica after its summer 2022 launch.

At a glance

Viking Polaris is a small-size cruise ship operated by Viking Ocean Cruises, in service since 2022. It carries 378 guests and 260 crew (1.5 guests per crew member) at 30,150 gross tons. It ties with 1 other ship as the 16th largest of 17 Viking Ocean Cruises ships by guest capacity. On Cruiseable's Bliss scale it scores highest for active, adventure & nature and spa & fitness (10/10) and lowest for family friendly (2/10). It is rated 5 out of 5 by Cruiseable and 5 out of 5 by Cruise Critic. It has 32 cruises on sale, with lead fares from $7,499 to $112,999. 6 of its upcoming sailings dropped in price since the previous weekly fare check.

Builder's plate

Specs

Cruiseable
5 / 5
Cruise Critic
5 / 5
Guests
378
Crew
260
Gross tons
30,150
Decks
7
Length
665 ft
Beam
79 ft
Maiden voyage
2022
Launched
2021
Space ratio
1.5
Gross tons per guest
Guests per crew
1.5
Cabins
189
IMO
9863209

Bliss scores

What Viking Polaris is best at

Ten dimensions scored by our editors on a 10-point scale. The Cruiseable app ranks every cruise against the mix you care about.

  1. Active 10.0
  2. Adventure and nature 10.0
  3. Cultural 5.0
  4. Dining 7.0
  5. Entertainment 7.0
  6. Family friendly 2.0
  7. Party 6.0
  8. Romantic 8.0
  9. Spa and fitness 10.0
  10. Staterooms 7.0

Our review

Viking Polaris: Stylish expedition ship explores the arctic

Viking Polaris debuted in August 2022 with sailings from Norway to the Arctic. Polaris is the second expedition cruise ship introduced by Viking Cruises under its new Viking Expeditions brand, following Viking Octantis. 

Some of the most popular amenities of Viking's ocean ships carry over to Viking Polaris, including the forward-facing Explorers’ Lounge, the Aquavit Bar, the inviting Living Room theme throughout ship's lobby and interior atrium, the library and (our favorite) the Nordic Spa with a Thermal Suite, sauna, Snow Grotto, chaise lounges, hydrotherapy pool and fitness center.

Like its ocean-going forebears, Polaris has a modern Scandinavian design with light woods, tasteful furnishings and cheery, open public spaces. Also like the other Viking ocean ships, passengers must be age 18 or older. 

Who will like sailing on Viking Polaris

The ship will appeal to several different kinds of customers: those who like cruises without children; active, well-traveled, and affluent seniors who are looking for cultural enrichment rather than casinos or umbrella drinks, and those looking to visit a bucket list destination in safety and comfort.

Where Viking Polaris sails

Viking Polaris explores Antarctica, the Patagonia fjords, South America, Atlantic Canada and the Great Lakes. Polaris is designed to have a minimal environmental impact and to meet biosecurity standards and stringent emission norms.

Read the full review

Features of the ‘ice-class’ ship 

Viking Polaris sports a Polar Class 6 hull to ensure a safe voyage through polar regions and U-tank stabilizers that decrease rolling by up to 50% when the ship encouters icy waves. Its straight bows and long hulls will reduce fuel consumption while the dynamic positioning system on board will enable the ship to hover over the seabed without anchoring.

One innovative feature that debuted on sister ship Viking Octantis is the Hangar, an industry-first enclosed marina that enables the launch of small excursion craft through the ship's multiple shell doors. Its 85-foot slipway lets guests embark expedition boats from a flat, stable surface inside the ship, shielded from wind and waves. 

Expeditions

During voyages, guests have the opportunity to ride in one of the ship's six-person submarines (with revolving seats and spherical windows), which take off from The Hangar, an enclosed marina at the ship's aft. Expedition equipment — provided complimentary and to all passengers regardless of cabin category — includes Zodiacs (rigid inflatable high-speed boats), two-seater sea kayaks, two RIB boats (12 seats each) and Expedition Kit (cold-weather boots, jacket, waterproof pants, snowshoes, trekking poles, skis, binoculars). Each tour boat is fitted with safety equipment: satellite phone, VHF radio, ropes, life jackets and survival kits.

Inclusions in the base fare

Fares on Octantis follow the Viking tradition of including the following in the base fare:

  • shore excursions — including rides in one of the ship's six-person submarines
  • beer and wine at lunch and dinner
  • Wi-Fi
  • self-service laundry
  • 24-hour room service

Some Viking Expeditions guests will also receive charter flights for hard-to-reach places included in the fare.

Dining

Dining venues on Viking Octantis include:

  • The Restaurant, offering regional cuisine specialties and classic dishes with a rotating menu. All dishes feature locally sourced ingredients. 
  • The World Cafe, a market-style buffet restaurant with an open kitchen offering international food choices, bakery, grill stations and seafood bar with premium sushi
  • Manfredi's Italian Restaurant with upscale Italian cuisine
  • Mamsen's Restaurant, a great breakfast choice offering a mix of pastries and homey Scandinavian dishes
  • Room service that's complimentary and available 24 hours

Cocktails, beer and wine are available at The Bar, the Explorers’ Lounge and the Aquavit Terrace. Optional drink packages are available or included with specific room packages.

Staterooms

The ship offers six stateroom categories: Nordic Balcony, Deluxe Nordic Balcony, Nordic Penthouse, Nordic Junior Suite, Explorer Suite and Owner’s Suite.  All 189 cabins aboard Viking Polaris offer ocean views and what Viking terms a “Nordic balcony,” similar in some ways to a French balcony. It's a large window that can partially drop down and turn part of the room into an open-air space with the push of a button. Nordic Balcony and Deluxe Nordic Balcony cabins have a comfortable 222 square feet of living space and make up the majority of the staterooms on the ship. Other cabins range from 269 to 1,223 square feet.

Rooms come with a king-size bed and a bathroom with a glass-enclosed shower, heated bathroom floors and anti-fog mirrors. There will also be a floor-to-ceiling "drying closet" where circulating warm air dries clothes and expedition gear. 

Interested in a cruise on this ship?

For pricing, itinerary information and to reserve your spot on Viking Polaris, contact a Cruiseable travel consultant by email or call 1-877-322-3773.

SEE ALL VIKING POLARIS SAILINGS

On board highlights

Photos

Inside and out

On board 1

  • A look at the Nordic Spa planned for the expedition ship Viking Polaris.

More photos 1

  • The 378-passenger Viking Polaris, the second expedition ship from Viking, will explore the Arctic and Antarctica after its summer 2022 launch.

Sailing now

Cruises on Viking Polaris

Check price on CruiseDirect (opens in a new tab)
  1. 14 Night Canada and Greenland Explorer 14 nights · from Nuuk Next Sep 29, 2026 Fare on request
  2. 12 Night Canadian Discovery 12 nights · from Toronto Next Oct 13, 2026 4 dates from $9,999
  3. 19 Night Panama Canal and the Americas 19 nights · from New York Next Oct 25, 2026 3 dates from $9,999
  4. 12 Night Chilean Fjords and Scenic Shores 12 nights · from Santiago, Cape Verde Next Nov 13, 2026 4 dates from $9,999
  5. 18 Night Antarctica and South Georgia Island and Land Tour 18 nights · from Buenos Aires Next Nov 24, 2026 from $29,299
  6. 12 Night Antarctic Explorer and Land Tour 12 nights · from Buenos Aires Next Dec 11, 2026 25 dates from $14,999
  7. 41 Night Antarctic Explorer and the Americas and Land Tour 41 nights · from Buenos Aires Next Feb 26, 2027 from $36,897
  8. 13 Night Argentina and the Chilean Fjords and Land Tour 13 nights · from Buenos Aires Next Mar 9, 2027 3 dates from $9,999
  9. 17 Night Panama and Scenic South America 17 nights · from Santiago, Cape Verde Next Mar 22, 2027 from $10,999
  10. 14 Night Canada and East Coast Explorer 14 nights · from Ft. Lauderdale Next Apr 22, 2027 from $7,999
  11. 16 Night Niagara and Great Lakes Treasures 16 nights · from Toronto Next May 6, 2027 5 dates from $16,498
  12. 7 Night Niagara and the Great Lakes 7 nights · from Toronto Next May 6, 2027 10 dates from $7,499
Show 20 more
  1. 9 Night Great Lakes Treasures 9 nights · from Milwaukee Next May 13, 2027 10 dates from $8,999
  2. 16 Night Niagara and Great Lakes Treasures 16 nights · from Milwaukee Next May 22, 2027 5 dates from $17,098
  3. 7 Night Niagara and the Great Lakes 7 nights · from Milwaukee Next May 31, 2027 10 dates from $7,499
  4. 14 Night Great Lakes Collection 14 nights · from Toronto Next Jun 7, 2027 2 dates from $17,999
  5. 14 Night Great Lakes Collection 14 nights · from Duluth Next Jun 21, 2027 3 dates from $16,499
  6. 14 Night Into the Antarctic Circle and Land Tour 14 nights · from Buenos Aires Next Dec 4, 2027 3 dates from $18,499
  7. 62 Night Longitudinal World VII and Land Tour 62 nights · from Buenos Aires Next Mar 14, 2028 from $51,999
  8. 19 Night Panama Canal and the Americas 19 nights · from Santiago, Cape Verde Next Apr 7, 2028 2 dates from $10,999
  9. 12 Night Canadian Discovery 12 nights · from New York Next Apr 26, 2028 2 dates from $7,999
  10. 14 Night Great Lakes Collection 14 nights · from Toronto Next May 22, 2028 2 dates from $15,199
  11. 14 Night Canada and Greenland Explorer 14 nights · from Toronto Next Jul 3, 2028 from $17,499
  12. 26 Night Canada and the Northwest Passage 26 nights · from Toronto Next Jul 3, 2028 from $37,498
  13. 12 Night Into the Northwest Passage 12 nights · from Nuuk Next Jul 17, 2028 6 dates from $17,999
  14. 26 Night Canada and the Northwest Passage 26 nights · from Nuuk Next Sep 15, 2028 from $51,998
  15. 80 Night Arctic to Antarctic Explorer 80 nights · from Nuuk Next Sep 15, 2028 from $112,999
  16. 14 Night Canada and Greenland Explorer 14 nights · from Nuuk Next Sep 27, 2028 from $20,999
  17. 19 Night Panama Canal and the Americas 19 nights · from New York Next Oct 23, 2028 from $11,499
  18. 18 Night Antarctica and South Georgia Island and Land Tour 18 nights · from Buenos Aires Next Dec 3, 2028 2 dates from $30,999
  19. 14 Night Great Lakes Collection 14 nights · from Duluth Next Aug 29, 2029 from $15,999
  20. 61 Night Longitudinal World IV 61 nights · from Milwaukee Next Sep 19, 2029 from $54,999

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