Viking is celebrating the start of its second season in the Great Lakes with double capacity as the newly built Viking Polaris arrived in Toronto for its first port of call in the region, according to a press release.
The Viking Polaris joins its identical sister ship, the Viking Octantis, which started sailing in the Great Lakes in 2022, returning to the region in April 2023.
The two ships will sail in the Great Lakes until September 2023, exploring all five lakes and offering a range of itineraries that operate between Toronto and Duluth.
“We are proud to welcome both of our expedition ships to the Great Lakes. With historic canals that are engineering marvels, cities with thriving arts and culture and unmatched wilderness, this is a phenomenal region of North America that may be familiar to many—but few have had the opportunity to explore,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking. “After our first full season of Great Lakes voyages in 2022, we are grateful for the warm welcome we received from each destination and look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to the region this season and in the years to come.”
Additionally, Viking partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), which conducts research on the ecosystems of the Great Lakes and coastal regions to provide insights that will guide the brand’s management decisions.
Key itineraries include:
- 15-day Great Lakes Collection (between Toronto and Duluth):
- 16-day Canada and the Atlantic Coastline (between Toronto and Ft. Lauderdale) ;
- Eight-day Undiscovered Great Lakes (Thunder Bay to Milwaukee);
- Eight-day Great Lakes Explorer (Milwaukee to Thunder Bay);
- Eight-day Niagara and The Great Lakes (between Toronto and Milwaukee);
- 13-day Canadian Discovery (between New York and Toronto).
