Cruises

These Brand-new Longitudinal World Cruises Sail From the Great Lakes to Antarctica — Here's How to Get on Board

Passengers aboard Viking's new cruises will sail to nine countries on three continents, stopping at up to 33 ports.

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Published on June 1, 2022

The Viking Octantis sailing past glaciers in Antarctica — Photo: Dennis Schmelz/Courtesy of Viking

Viking wants to show you a whole new world — or at least half of it — with two new sailings set to depart in 2023.

The cruise company just announced "longitudinal" world cruises — traveling north to south, or south to north. The itineraries will take guests between the Great Lakes all the way to Antarctica.

The first sailing, Longitudinal World Cruise I, will depart on March 2, 2023, and conclude on May 5, 2023, taking 65 days to visit 29 ports across nine countries on three continents.

Viking Octantis transiting the Welland Canal — Courtesy of Viking

The trip will take guests south to north aboard Viking Octantis. The trip begins in Buenos Aires, where guests are invited to explore the Argentine capital to take in the art, architecture, and food before setting off on the rest of the journey.

From there, guests onboard will make their way to Antarctica where they'll see penguins, seals, and whales. Then, they'll sail back to Argentina, up to Chile, Peru, Ecuador, through the Panama Canal, then up to Mexico and the United States. In the U.S., guests will sail along the coast of Florida, South Carolina, and up to New York City. From there, they'll cross into Canada, going through Nova Scotia and Quebec before making their way to the St. Lawrence River, onto Ontario, back through the U.S. to Detroit, and finally ending the journey in Milwaukee.

A lounge deck on the Viking Octantis sailing past glaciers in Antarctica — Courtesy of Viking

For the journey, guests can choose their room, from the Nordic Balcony stateroom, which has 215-square-feet of living space, floor-to-ceiling windows, a king-size bed, and a private bath, all the way to the Owner's Suite, which has 1,238 square feet, a private garden lounge area, separate dining area, a library, wine and music collections, and more.

On the other hand, the Longitudinal World Cruise II sails north to south aboard Viking Polaris. This journey is slightly longer — lasting 71 days and visiting 33 ports (still across nine countries and three continents). Polaris will sail from Duluth, Minnesota, to Ushuaia, Argentina from Sept. 12, 2023, to Nov. 21, 2023.