The 378-guest newbuild was then relocated to a nearby outfitting dock for further construction and interior build-out following the float out.

Viking Octantis will be shipped to the Vard shipyard of Fincantieri in Søviknes, Norway, after final outfitting. This vessel project is the responsibility of both Vard shipyards in Tulcea, Romania, and Søviknes.

The 30,150 GT Viking Octantis is expected to debut in early 2022 and will spend its maiden season sailing voyages to Antarctica and the Great Lakes of North America.

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with Fincantieri’s VARD and celebrate this important milestone in the construction of our first expedition vessel. In creating ‘the thinking person’s expedition,’ we are perfecting polar expedition cruising, and we will usher in a new era of comfortable exploration in the heart of North America," stated Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.

The ships are optimally sized and designed for expeditions, according to Viking, small enough to traverse remote polar regions and the St Lawrence River, yet large enough to provide the roughest seas with stability.

Maritime Business World