It's only been four years since Viking launched its first expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, and demand is strong enough that two more identical vessels are already on order for 2030 and 2031. Michelle Black, the line's Australia and New Zealand managing director, says the appetite for remote, science-forward voyages keeps growing — especially among Australian and New Zealand travellers.
Antarctica remains the star attraction. The 13-day Antarctic Explorer and the 19-day Antarctica & South Georgia Island itineraries are Viking's most popular, and Black rates the shorter voyage as her personal favourite — though she'd always add South Georgia. The Arctic is the rising star, having only been in the lineup for two years, with voyages such as 'Into the Northwest Passage' offering Inuit culture, polar bears and dramatically different scenery. At the ultra-end of the scale is an 81-plus-day 'From the Arctic to Antarctica' trip running from Nuuk in Greenland down to Ushuaia in Argentina, stitching together four or more itineraries into one longitudinal odyssey.
What's interesting is who books these trips. Viking's expedition guests average in their mid-60s — well-travelled, often retired or semi-retired, and keen on cultural depth over a packed itinerary. Longer voyages are a key growth area because, as Black puts it, the time onboard becomes as valuable as the destinations: lectures, chats with the expedition team, the Nordic Spa.
The ships themselves are part of the draw. Both carry up to 36 specialists — scientists, researchers, naturalists — and double as working research vessels, with a panoramic auditorium (The Aula) and a Science Lab built in. Floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive observation decks mean you're rarely out of sight of the scenery. The Hangar, an industry-first enclosed marina inside the ship, launches zodiacs, kayaks, ice-strengthened boats and even seven-person submarines. Black has dived in one in both Antarctica and the Great Lakes and says the appeal is less the descent than seeing an environment almost nobody gets to witness firsthand.
That Great Lakes itinerary is worth a closer look if you've already done the poles. The ships sail Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior on voyages of eight to 15 days — the world's largest freshwater system, taking in Mackinac Island, Georgian Bay and Flowerpot Island, with wildlife a frequent surprise highlight. It's an unexpected alternative for travellers who want the expedition format without the polar price tag or the Drake Passage.
Who is this for? Affluent, curious travellers in their late 50s and beyond who'd rather spend two weeks learning from a glaciologist than ticking off ports. If that sounds like you, book early — the fleet expansion suggests these voyages aren't getting any easier to get on.
Story via Karryon.
