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Sailing far north during Norway’s winter, witness snow-covered landscapes dotted with rugged mountains and steep fjords, and seek out the brilliant aurora borealis dancing in the night sky. Delve into Sami legends and World War II history, and pilot a dog sled or snowmobile to further immerse yourself in the Norwegian Arctic as you join us on this illuminating voyage. Most notable is The Hangar, an enclosed marina that allows passengers to transfer to two of each ship's exploratory vessels while still in the protected interior of the ship. A first for an expedition ship, it's something that is significantly improving the experience for passengers heading out on Antarctica exploration.
Post-Extension: The Best of Norway & Scenic Train
Each suite also has an outdoor balcony with seating for two — something you don't always see on Nile ships. The trips include voyages focused specifically on the Western Mediterranean or Eastern Mediterranean and some that include stops across both areas. In Northern Europe, Viking ships mostly sail out of Bergen, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen and London as well as Reykjavik.
Feel the spirit of the north
Admire the tranquil old fishing village of Skagen, Denmark’s northernmost town. Browse the fish market and fortress of Kristiansand, stroll among Stavanger’s remarkably preserved wooden buildings and marvel at the magnificent fjord setting of tiny Flåm. Join us on this richly rewarding journey into Scandinavia’s most scenic and fascinating corners.
Iceland & Norway’s Arctic Explorer
Travelers from these countries notoriously love to escape to warmer climates for their holidays, but the chance to see the Northern Lights on a cruise proved enticing, many of them said. Viking also offers complimentary self-service launderettes on each cabin deck. These became a necessity for most passengers, who wore multiple layers every day, often seeing them soaked through or dirty from interaction with wildlife, like reindeer.
Antarctica
Temps throughout our cruise typically ranged from 10 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. It was unseasonably sunny and warm by the time we got back down south into Stavanger. Itinerary and shore excursions are subject to change and may vary by departure. To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. Viking Osiris is the first of four sister ships that Viking plans to launch on the Nile by 2025 as it doubles its footprint in Egypt. The vessels offer a clean-lined, Scandinavian-influenced design that mimics the look of Viking's Europe-based vessels.
Scandinavia and Northern Europe
Some of Viking's most interesting itineraries are around Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea, with many beginning or ending in Norway — the homeland of the company's founder and chairman, Torstein Hagen. This was why most of us had taken this voyage, and special moments like this made it worthwhile to cruise in Norway in the dead of winter. In Alta, we enjoyed a sunset session of cross-country skiing in the wilderness. The temps were chilly, but we quickly heated up in our warm gear provided by the excursion company Paekastun as we skied a well-groomed track in a forest. We had a great time learning the proper techniques to get up and down the gentle hills. Well, Viking Ocean Cruises offers a new kind of adventure that really appeals to those of us seeking to go to new places and check a few items off our lifetime wish list.
Viking is a newcomer to cruises to Antarctica, but the destination is a big growth area for the line. Viking recently added two new, 378-passenger expedition cruise vessels specifically built to travel to the White Continent. Among the rivers in Europe where Viking has a major presence are the Rhine, Main and Danube in Central Europe; the Seine, Rhone, Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde in France; the Douro in Portugal; and the Moselle and Elbe in Germany. Until recently, Viking also offered cruises on the Dnieper River in Ukraine.
Destination-focused journeys on all seven continents
Viking offers some of the most intimate and elegant cruises on the Nile, with three ships including the recently unveiled, 82-passenger Viking Osiris — one of our favorite vessels on the river. Among 10 different itineraries on the Rhine River alone, offerings range from a seven-night "Rhine Getaway" from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, to a 22-night "European Sojourn" from Amsterdam to Bucharest, Romania. The latter adds travel on the Main and Danube rivers to days on the Rhine. During summers, in particular, Viking devotes an unusually large number of its ships to itineraries around Scandinavia, the Baltic Sea and other Northern Europe destinations such as Iceland.
GRAND EUROPEAN & VIKING FJORDS
Fast-growing Viking has one of the most diverse arrays of itineraries of any cruise line. We also toured an ice hotel in Alta and had an amazing time dog sledding with a team of huskies in Tromso, where we also went cod fishing during a fjord cruise. During our visit with the Sami family in Narvik, we learned about the tradition of working with reindeer (husbandry) and how they raise the animals and utilize them for food, clothing, crafts and transportation. We bundled up and enjoyed the true sense of a Norwegian winter and what the residents in these frosty parts like to do for a bit of fun. Admire the scenery and sail along the network of Holland’s waterways.
(Our cruise featured mostly Americans along with a healthy dose of Brits and fun-loving Aussies.) Viking has already committed to more sailings in 2020 and is looking ahead to 2021 and beyond. The 2019 sailings sold quickly, so Viking is offering the same itineraries from January through March 2020, onboard Viking Star. If you're thinking of booking one of these cruises, be aware there is no guarantee you'll actually see the northern lights. We were thrilled to have seen them, especially after reports that people on the previous cruise hadn't been so lucky. Earlier cruises (which we followed on Cruise Critic's Roll Call pages) had seemingly countless sightings. The lights are unpredictable, but we booked knowing a sailing at this time of year would offer our best shot to see them.
Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority Issues Viking Sky Report - Cruise Industry News
Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority Issues Viking Sky Report.
Posted: Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Through it all, Viking crew provided narration when necessary and prompted passengers where to go to see the best vistas. Dubbed Viking Octantis, the first of these vessels began sailings to Antarctica in February 2022. The second ship in the series, Viking Polaris, has just joined its sister in Antarctica this year. Together, the two ships are already making waves in the market for Antarctica cruises, in part because they have several new and unusual features.
Everyone we spoke with was happy with their excursions, whether they booked premium selections or opted for the included panoramic city tours. Air fare offer applies to select gateways; air fare offer may vary across gateways and itineraries; call for details. Stroll Europe’s northernmost capital, admire views from “The Pearl” or visit the Blue Lagoon.
Viking Octantis, notably, also operated Viking's first sailings around the Great Lakes this year. In 2023, both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris will spend their summers in the Great Lakes. In another first for polar expedition cruise vessels, every cabin on both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide partially open from the top to create a balcony-like feel. Notably, the ship features an entire deck of sprawling suites that rival anything else found on the Nile for luxury and comfort. Each comes with two full-size rooms — a large living room with a residential feel and an adjacent bedroom with a walk-in closet and bathroom.
Many, notably, use the relatively small but famously scenic Norwegian city of Bergen (population 286,000) as a gateway, something no other line is doing. That allows for unusual variations on the typical Baltic Sea or Norwegian fjords cruise. Cruisers on Viking’s “In Search of the Northern Lights” itineraries are treated to breathtaking views all along the way. During times of sailing and on sea days, you can see snow capped cliffs and mountains from the comfort of the ship’s Explorers’ Lounge at the top bow area. (Sadly, our scheduled stop at Bodo was canceled because of high winds, so we got a bonus day at sea.) We overnighted in Bergen, Alta and Tromso, which gave us the chance to explore these cities on our own in addition to booking multiple excursions.
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