Viking Cruises entered the expedition category market earlier this year with a new, sleek small ship—the Octantis, which debuted with an Antarctica voyage and then moved to the Great Lakes this past summer.
We sailed aboard the Octantis on one of the Great Lakes itineraries—setting off from Milwaukee to Thunder Bay, Ontario, and traversing Lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior. The design of the 665-ft., polar-class ship, which was built to reach remote areas, is impressive. Spanning over six decks and hosting an intimate 378 guests, the ship features amenity-filled Nordic Balcony staterooms and suites that offer floor-to-ceiling distortion-free windows made for taking in the views without allowing the elements in. That said, the top of the panoramic window can be lowered, thus transforming the space into an indoor balcony; there’s also an observation shelf at elbow level to stabilize binocular viewing or for taking those perfect photos.
A tour of the vessel offered a glimpse into the design innovations, such as the massive hangar, located at the stern of the ship, which houses the ship’s kayaks, zodiacs, convertible RIBs and a submarine—all used for the active guest programs. The cruise line describes the hangar as “an industry first; an enclosed in-ship marina that allows the launch of small excursion craft through the ship’s multiple shell doors, providing easy, comfortable and safe access to the water.”
That said, what was most impressive to us was the varied and unique array of guest opportunities. A trip on the Octantis can easily balance complete relaxation with very active excursions that include hiking, kayaking, zodiac exploration trips and submarine exploration. It’s ideal for Viking’s target 55-year-old-plus market.
According to Richard Marnell, Viking’s executive v.p. of marketing, “Our Great Lakes voyages are ideal for curious travelers—both experienced Viking guests, as well as those who have never sailed with Viking—who are interested in exploring a familiar part of the country from an entirely new perspective.”
You could attribute the “new perspective” in part to the scientific research that was being conducted aboard the Octantis in cooperation with Cambridge University, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association(NOAA) and other institutions. Guests have the opportunity to interact with resident scientists on shore, visit the ship’s various scientific laboratory sites, attend lectures on board or chat with the researchers.
The scientific personnel are part of a 19-member expedition team consisting of tour guides with expertise in the various activity programs.
When not participating in the scientific programs ashore or aboard, guests have access to a fitness center, an excellent spa and a unusual pool area with sections for experiencing hot, cold and standard water temperatures. In the evening, there are soothing musical interludes and the opportunity to enjoy a cocktail in the double-deck Explorer Lounge. One of our favorite spots is the outstanding library, offering luxurious seating interspersed between rows and rows of carefully selected fiction and non-fiction books.
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Top-Notch Culinary Experience
And then there is the unbelievable culinary experience. While we dined at the two reservation-only venues with creative menus, we found the casual buffet-style World Cafe to be exceptional and my choice for most of the cruise.
Let’s start with the variety of breads and a large pretzel baked daily. Entrees over the seven days can include beef Wellington, oysters Rockefeller, prime rib and osso bucco along with a variety of vegetables, salads, fruits and cheeses. But wait...that’s not all. There’s also a seafood station with Alaskan king crab legs, as well as an outstanding sushi bar and the Grill, offering prime steaks coupled with lobster tails. To top it all, there’s a sumptuous dessert display and a variety of ice cream flavors to construct a sundae. To further tantalize the taste buds, there’s the cozy Mansen’s offering Norwegian-style delicacies.
Viking’s reputation for outstanding service is evident at all the dining venues. Within moments of being seated at World Cafe, for example, there’s a server at the table, filling the water glass and inquiring what kind of beverage they could secure for you.
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Exploring, Expedition-Style
Octantis will resume its Great Lakes Explorer itinerary May 19, 2023. During the spring and summer, joined by a sister ship, the Polaris, there will be a variety of Great Lakes region itineraries. In early September 2023, the Octantis will begin a 70-day Longitudinal World Cruise back to the Antarctica region for January-February sailings until the spring of 2024.
Marnell believes that their strongest travel advisor partners are “those who are able to clearly articulate to their clients why a Viking expedition will offer enriching opportunities for exploration of unique regions such as the Great Lakes and Antarctica.” To that end, he states that Viking provides the tools to be successful. “Our online travel advisor portal,” Marnell says, “gives agents access to customizable marketing tools and an extensive library of trainings and webinars.”
“Additionally,” he concludes, “we maintain a broad network of Viking directors of business development (DBD) to be an extra resource for questions.”