Viking’a new expedition ship will sail one of the most fascinating and dramatic culture changes – from New York to Antarctica.
Sailing on the new Viking Octantis, the cruise sails two oceans and visits 10 countries in 41 days. Covering both tropical destinations before Antarctica, the voyage starts from $39,995 per person departing on October 13, 2022, and the line said the itinerary has been incredibly popular with Australians.
Viking says it is the robust itinerary, contrasting the warm-climate countries, with the voyage to remote regions like the Falkland Islands and Antarctica, which have made the itinerary so popular.
Jane Moggridge, Viking’s General Manager of marketing, told Cruise Passenger: “NYC to Antarctica and Bergen to NYC are both proving popular with Aussies, particularly the latter which only launched a couple of weeks ago as part of the Viking Saturn announcement.
“This continues to tap into the travelling for longer trend and making up for lost time with epic journeys.”
Sailing from New York, the Viking Octantis calls at San Juan in Puerto where the El Yunque National Forest can be explored by foot or horseback. The voyage then heads to the British Virgin Islands before calling at some luxury sports like St Bart’s and St Lucia.
The old Portugese town of Belém is known for its intricately painted azulejos on colonial buildings, the waterfront Ver-o-Peso market brimming with local products, and the soaring neoclassical baroque Cathedral of Sé.
While Salvador de Bahia, the former Brazilian capital has preserved many Renaissance buildings while retaining its unique blend of European, African and South American influences.
The ship then heads to Rio de Janeiro is a stunning metropolis dubbed as the Cidade Maravilhosa or “Marvelous City”. Gaze at the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue perched atop Corcovado mountain and admire the azure-blue waters as they lap against the iconic beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana.
Calling in Argentina and Uruguay, the Viking Octantis then heads to the remote Falkland Islands, home to some 60 distinct bird species breed on the islands, including five different species of penguins and some of the world’s biggest colonies of albatross.
The Falklands is the last stop before Antarctica.
Known as the Last Continent, it is home for penguins, seals, whales, and other wildlife. Watch glaciers calve into the sea while seals nap and penguins squabble as they tend to their stony nests. Stand within sight of Antarctica’s majestic mountains.
Curious passengers can study Antarctica further with onboard lectures and presentations, or relax in The Nordic Spa.
The expedition culminates in Ushuaia, Argentina that is often referred to as the ‘End of the Earth’, because it is the southernmost city of the world.
From this city, you can depart via a chartered flight to Buenos Aires and continue your journey home or choose to explore more with Viking’s post-cruise land extension packages.
