Viking Polaris

Viking Polaris is an expedition cruise ship operated by Viking Expeditions and sister ship to Viking Octantis. The vessel has a gross tonnage of 30,264 GT, measures 203 m (666 ft) in length, and accommodates 378 passengers in 189 all-veranda staterooms across 6 decks (4 passenger decks). Construction took place at VARD Søviknes, Norway and VARD Tulcea, Romania. The keel was laid on October 1, 2020, it was launched on July 27, 2021, delivered on September 27, 2022, and christened on September 30, 2022, in Amsterdam. The maiden voyage departed on October 3, 2022, for a 14-night transatlantic crossing from Cork, Ireland, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The ship is registered in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway, under IMO 9863209 and MMSI 259144000. Viking Polaris carries two 6-passenger submarines, 24 Zodiacs, Arctic-tested kayaks, a scientific laboratory, and the Aula panoramic auditorium. It has a beam of 24 m, a maximum speed of 18 knots, a service speed of 16 knots, and operates with a crew of 260, including expedition staff.