The Hangar
In the fareAn enclosed in-ship marina. Craft launch through the slipway, and you board on a flat, sheltered surface.
Why it matters: drier, steadier boarding in cold water.
Viking’s expedition ships: a marina inside the hull
Octantis and Polaris are one design built twice — Polar Class 6, 378 guests, and an enclosed Hangar where the boats launch out of the weather. Two more are on order. The decision here is the stateroom, not the ship.
2Ships today, identical
17Zodiacs per ship, per Viking
85 ftSlipway inside the Hangar
2031Second new ship due
By Joey Boleslawski, founder & travel advisorFacts checked November 1, 2026
The short answer
There’s no wrong Viking expedition ship, because there’s only one design. Viking’s two ship pages carry the same figures line for line, so pick the voyage and the date first.
What sets the design apart is the hardware. The Hangar launches boats from inside the hull, each ship carries two six-guest submarines, and a 380 sq ft lab sits above the marina. The trade-off is size — 378 guests is a lot of people for one landing site.
Spend your attention on the stateroom. The jump from 215 to 322 sq ft, the Nordic Junior Suite, is where “suite” enters the name.
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Sort the fleet
Two ships today, two more by 2031
Sort by any spec. The meters redraw against the largest figure, and blank specs stay blank.
Guests, crew and length come from Viking’s ship pages. Gross tonnage is from a Baird Maritime vessel review, because Viking doesn’t publish it, and Baird lists 260 crew where Viking lists 256. We use Viking’s number.
The two newbuilds show “Not stated” on purpose. Viking ordered them in March 2026 without giving a size, so treat any figure you see elsewhere as a guess until Viking confirms it.
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Everything that leaves the ship
The Hangar and the kit inside it
Try “Optional” on its own. One card answers.
Where
Cost
Zodiacs
In the fareViking’s equipment page lists seventeen, with Yanmar Dtorque 111 engines.
Used for: landings and shoreline cruising.
Tandem kayaks
In the fareRotomolded polyethylene two-seaters with a large, open cockpit.
Used for: quiet water among the ice.
Special Operations Boats
In the fareMilitary-grade, 12-seat, ice-strengthened aluminum boats with twin 450 hp water jets.
Used for: faster, longer runs than a Zodiac.
Submarines
Optional, price not publishedSix guests and a pilot, revolving seats, nearly 270-degree spherical windows. DNV-classed, per Viking.
Used for: the sea floor, weather permitting.
The Science Lab
Supervised accessWet and dry labs, developed with the University of Cambridge and Akvaplan-niva, on a glass mezzanine above the Hangar.
Used for: samples, microscopes and the scientists’ own work.
Weather balloons
In the fareViking says both ships are official NOAA / National Weather Service weather balloon stations, with regular launches.
Used for: citizen science you can watch or join.
The Aula
In the fareA panoramic lecture hall at the stern that opens onto the Finse Terrace and its firepits.
Used for: daily briefings and talks.
Meopta binoculars
In the fareViking’s voyage pages list Meopta Optika MeoPro 8x42 binoculars in each stateroom.
Used for: wildlife from your own balcony.
Nothing matches that pair. Widen one filter.
Viking moved the boat launch indoors. Trade reports at delivery describe multiple shell doors and an 85-foot slipway.
The Special Operations Boats are the faster option — enclosed in early descriptions, 12 seats, and built to reach farther than a Zodiac.
All of it is in the fare except the submarine — an add-on you book, not a given. Viking’s experiences page calls the subs the only optional activity.
Read our Antarctica landing sites guide to see where the boats go.
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Two submarines per ship
Under the ice, six at a time
Tap a card for the detail. Each one comes from Viking’s pages or trade reports at delivery.
The subs are the reason many people look at Viking, and the part of the trip Viking promises least. Dives depend on weather, water and the pilot’s call.
Ask us for the dive price and how bookings open aboard your ship before you treat it as part of the trip.
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Six categories, one balcony style
Staterooms, by the square foot
Switch tabs for the small-craft counts. The highlighted bar is the smallest category Viking calls a suite.
Nordic Balcony to Deluxe
215 sq ft, every essential
King bed or twins, a 55-inch OLED TV, a heated bathroom floor, Freyja toiletries and Meopta binoculars. The top glass panel lowers, so the “balcony” is a sunroom, not a deck.
vs
The suites
322 to 1,960 sq ft, plus perks
Viking’s 2024 release lists welcome champagne, a minibar replenished daily, complimentary laundry and priority restaurant reservations for suites, without naming the categories. Every guest still has the self-service launderettes.
Trade press before launch quoted rooms from 222 sq ft; Viking now publishes 215 for the two Balcony grades. We use Viking’s current figure.
Ask us what separates Deluxe from standard on your sailing. Viking gives both the same size.
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The working ship
A lab, a team and a weather station
380sq ft Science Lab
36Expedition team
NOAABalloon station
Viking’s 36-person Expedition Team includes naturalists, scientists and submarine pilots, per its 2023 and 2024 season releases.
Guests get supervised access to the lab. Viking describes fieldwork you can join: bird counts, sample collection and landscape photography with a professional photographer.
The partners are named, not implied.
Viking lists the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and NOAA’s Great Lakes lab, with Scripps and the J. Craig Venter Institute supporting phytoplankton DNA work.
Ask which scientists sail your departure. The team is set per voyage, not per ship.
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Same routes, both hulls
Where the ships sail
One example per region. Both ships carry every route on Viking’s list.
| Region | Example voyage | Days | From | Ships listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antarctica | Antarctic Explorer, Buenos Aires to Ushuaia | 13 | $14,999 | Octantis, Polaris |
| Antarctic Circle | Into the Antarctic Circle | 15 | $18,499 | Octantis, Polaris |
| South Georgia | Antarctica & South Georgia Island | 19 | $28,999 | Octantis, Polaris |
| Arctic | Into the Northwest Passage, round trip Nuuk | 13 | $16,999 | Octantis, Polaris |
| Great Lakes | Great Lakes Collection, Toronto to Duluth | 15 | $15,999 | Octantis, Polaris |
| Canada | Canadian Discovery, New York to Toronto | 13 | $7,999 | Octantis, Polaris |
| Chile | Chilean Fjords & Scenic Shores | 13 | $9,999 | Octantis, Polaris |
| Pole to pole | Arctic to Antarctic Explorer, Nuuk to Ushuaia | 81 | $77,999 | Octantis, Polaris |
Viking lists these voyages on both ship pages, and its region pages don’t assign one ship to one route. Fares are cruise only, per person, as published on Viking’s ship and pricing pages on November 1, 2026, some of which still carried the expired October sale banner. Viking runs frequent sales, so ask us for the current fare.
The month-by-month calendar and the true-cost calculator live on our Viking Expeditions guide. For the regions, read Antarctica, Arctic, Greenland and Alaska expedition cruises — Alaska isn’t on Viking’s expedition list.
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Ten years, start to finish
How the fleet got here, and where it goes
We found no sales, charters or renames since launch — two ships, then an order for two more.
Jan 2020Revealed
The design goes public
Viking unveils two 378-guest Polar Class 6 ships with the Hangar, submarines and a lab, per Seatrade Cruise News.
Jan 2022First voyage
Viking Octantis
Sails south for Viking’s first Antarctic season. Liv Arnesen is godmother.
Sep 27, 2022Delivered
Viking Polaris
Hull from Vard Tulcea in Romania, finished in Norway. Viking calls it the identical sister.
Mar 3, 2026Ordered
Two more expedition ships
Viking orders a pair of sisters from Fincantieri’s Palermo yard alongside its fourth-quarter results.
May 2026On sale
2028–29 voyages open
Into the Antarctic Circle, the 81-day Arctic to Antarctic Explorer and new lake departures go on sale.
2030–31Due
The fleet doubles
One newbuild in 2030, one in 2031. Size, name and routes weren’t published as of November 1, 2026.
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Our picks
Which stateroom, for which trip
Our judgement, built on Viking’s published sizes and perks. Narrow to two categories, then compare fares for your date.
Most couples
Nordic Balcony or Deluxe
215 sq ft with the lowering glass panel. Spend the difference on days at sea, not square feet.
A little more room
Nordic Penthouse
269 sq ft, about a quarter more than the Balcony grades. Ask us which perks come with it on your sailing.
Long voyages
Junior Suite or Explorer Suite
322 or 548 sq ft. On a 62- to 81-day pole-to-pole voyage, the space earns its price.
The submarine is the point
Antarctic Explorer or the Antarctic Circle
Both list the optional dive. Antarctica & South Georgia Island doesn’t.
Look elsewhere if
You want a stronger ice class
Viking’s ships are PC6. Lindblad’s Endurance and Resolution are PC5; see the Lindblad fleet, and Quark’s.
Look elsewhere if
You want Svalbard or the Galápagos
Neither appears on Viking’s expedition list. Start with polar bear cruises or Galápagos visitor sites.
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Ship questions
Straight answers on Octantis and Polaris
How many expedition ships does Viking have?
Two: Viking Octantis, which entered service in January 2022, and Viking Polaris, delivered on September 27, 2022. Viking announced on March 3, 2026 that it had ordered two more expedition ships from Fincantieri's Palermo yard, for delivery in 2030 and 2031. Their guest count hasn't been published.
What is the difference between Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris?
On paper, nothing. Viking calls Polaris the identical sister of Octantis, and its two ship pages list the same 378 guests, 256 crew, 665-foot length, Polar Class 6 rating and six stateroom categories. Both sail Antarctica, the Great Lakes and the Arctic, so choose by itinerary and date rather than by ship.
What is The Hangar?
It's an enclosed marina inside the ship. Viking describes it as an industry first: small boats launch through the ship's slipway, and guests step aboard on a flat, sheltered surface instead of climbing down the hull. Trade press puts the slipway at 85 feet. The Special Operations Boats, Zodiacs and kayaks are stored and launched from it.
How do the Viking submarines work?
Each ship carries two submarines, according to trade reports at Octantis's delivery. Viking's equipment page says each one seats six guests and a pilot on revolving seats, behind nearly 270-degree spherical windows, and its Antarctica page calls the submarine DNV-classed. Viking's experiences page calls the dive optional, and Viking publishes no price.
What ice class are the Viking expedition ships?
Polar Class 6, on both ships, per Viking's ship pages. PC6 is a step below the PC5 rating that some newer expedition ships carry, such as Lindblad's National Geographic Endurance and Resolution. Both Viking ships sail the Antarctic Peninsula each austral summer, and Into the Antarctic Circle crosses 66 degrees 33 minutes south.
Which stateroom should I book on Viking Octantis or Polaris?
Start with the Nordic Balcony or Deluxe Nordic Balcony, both 215 square feet, unless you want suite perks. Viking's 2024 release lists welcome champagne, a daily-replenished minibar, complimentary laundry and priority restaurant reservations for suites, without naming the categories. The Nordic Penthouse adds space at 269 square feet, and the Nordic Junior Suite, the smallest category named a suite, runs 322.
Plan with Seabound Journeys
Choosing a stateroom? We’ll check what’s left on your date.
Send us the voyage, the month and who’s traveling. We’ll confirm which ship runs it, which categories are still open, and what the submarine dive costs on that departure.
- Open categories on both ships for your date
- The submarine price and how dives are booked
- Suite perks against the fare difference
No fee, no obligation. You pay the cruise line’s own fare. A real advisor replies, usually within one business day.
Ask about Viking’s ships
Answers come straight from this guide.
How many expedition ships does Viking have?What is the difference between Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris?What is The Hangar?How do the Viking submarines work?
Answers come from our guides and are general information. Confirm details with us before you book.
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Sources and verification
Where every spec came from
Viking Octantis and Polaris ship pagesGuests, crew, length, beam, Polar Class 6, stateroom sizes and itineraries.
Checked November 1, 2026Viking expedition equipment pageThe Hangar, 17 Zodiacs, 9 kayaks, 2 Special Operations Boats, submarine seating.
Checked November 1, 2026Viking expedition experiences pageSubmarine journeys as the only optional activity.
Checked November 1, 2026Viking Antarctica pageDNV-classed submarine and the voyages that list it.
Checked November 1, 2026Viking press releases, 2023–2026Science Lab, NOAA balloons, 36-person team, partners, suite perks, 189 staterooms.
Checked November 1, 2026Luxury Travel AdvisorOctantis delivery: 85-foot slipway, two subs per ship, Liv Arnesen as godmother.
Checked November 1, 2026Seatrade Cruise News, September 2022Polaris delivered September 27, 2022; hull from Vard Tulcea.
Checked November 1, 2026Seatrade Cruise News, March 2026Two expedition newbuilds from Fincantieri Palermo for 2030 and 2031.
Checked November 1, 2026Cruise Industry News, March 2026The order announced March 3, 2026; capacity TBD.
Checked November 1, 2026Baird Maritime vessel reviewGross tonnage 30,150; stabilizers; 16 knots.
Checked November 1, 2026Ship figures are Viking’s own where it publishes them. Gross tonnage and the submarine count come from trade press, and where trade press differs (Baird gives 260 crew), we use Viking’s figure. The dive-capacity arithmetic, the picks and the “look elsewhere” calls are our judgement.
Keep planning
Where to go next
The lineViking Expedition CruisesFares, the 18+ rule, the calendar and the true-cost calculator.Same companyViking Ocean CruisesThe ocean ships these hulls borrow their interiors from.Same companyViking River CruisesLongships, and how they differ from the ice.Start hereExpedition Cruises, DecodedIce classes, ship sizes and seasons, explained.DestinationAntarctica CruisesWhen to go and how the Drake works.Compare fleetsLindblad’s ShipsEleven smaller ships, including two PC5s.Compare fleetsQuark’s ShipsThe polar specialist’s fleet, side by side.CoverExpedition Cruise InsuranceThe evacuation number to check before you sail.
One advisor, the whole expedition
The voyage, the gateway night, and the cover that matters out there.
Expedition trips have more moving parts than a Caribbean week: a charter flight, a night in a gateway city, gear lists and an evacuation clause the line sets for you. We book them together and check that the dates and the fine print agree.
01The voyageMatched to the region, the season and the ship size that fit you, at the line’s own fare.Get a free quote →
02The region and the seasonAntarctica, the Arctic, Galápagos, the Kimberley: when to go, and what each season trades away.Expedition cruises, decoded →
03The coverMany expedition lines set their own minimum for evacuation cover. We check your plan against it before you sail.Expedition insurance →