Viking has taken delivery of its second purpose-built expedition ship.
The 378-passenger Viking Polaris is to be named in Amsterdam on September 30 by godmother, polar explorer Ann Bancroft.
The delivery ceremony of the ice-strengthened Polar Class 6 vessel took place on Tuesday at Fincantieri’s Vard shipyard in Alesund, Norway, where sister ship Viking Octantis was delivered in December 2021.
Viking Octantis, currently sailing in the Great Lakes, will be named on the same day by Norwegian explorer Liv Arnesen.
Viking Polaris will then reposition to South America, where both ships will spend the southern hemisphere summer in Antarctica, before travelling north to the Great Lakes for a series of voyages during spring and summer.
Viking chairman Torstein Hagen said: “Today is a proud day for the Viking family as we welcome the Viking Polaristo our fleet.
“These are phenomenal ships, and we are very pleased with the positive reception from guests during the first season of our new expeditions.
“The great explorer Ann Bancroft has honoured us by serving as godmother to the Viking Polaris, and we look forward to welcoming her first guests on board laterthis week.”