Viking on Thursday announced its summer 2023 season of its expedition voyages, including a new two-week itinerary in the Great Lakes, as well as additional offerings in North and South America.
Debuting in June 2023, the new 15-day “Great Lakes Collection” itinerary will sail between Toronto and Duluth, MN, providing guests with a complete view of the region and ports of call in all five Great Lakes. As a result of strong demand, Viking has also announced 2023 sailing dates for four existing Great Lakes expedition voyages: The eight-day “Niagara & the Great Lakes,” “Great Lakes Explorer” and “Undiscovered Great Lakes” itineraries, as well as the 13-day “Canadian Discovery” itinerary.
Three additional expedition voyages in North and South America will also debut in summer 2023. The new, 16-day “Canada & the Atlantic Coastline” itinerary will expand offerings along the St. Lawrence River and Atlantic coastline, with destinations that include Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Norfolk, Charleston and more. Guests can discover Patagonia while sailing from Santiago to Ushuaia on the new 14-day “Patagonian Shores & Chilean Fjords” itinerary, and guests looking to explore destinations in North, Central and South America, can choose the new 18-day itinerary “Panama & Scenic South America.”
Highlights of the new itineraries include:
Great Lakes Collection: On this 15-day itinerary, guests sail the waterways of all five Great Lakes. Sailing between Toronto and Duluth, guests will experience culture-rich urban centers and admire Niagara Falls. Along the journey, guests can also explore the granite islands and sheltered inlets of Georgian Bay and traverse the famous Soo Locks. On Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, study the aquatic ecosystems of the lakes and venture into the dense boreal forests that line the shores.
Canada & the Atlantic Coastline: On this 16-day itinerary, guests sail along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Atlantic coast of the United States, combining scenic landscapes and storied cities between Toronto and Ft. Lauderdale. Led by a team of experts, explore the unspoiled wilderness near Trois-Rivières, Louisbourg and Lunenburg by land and water. Experience the metropolis of New York City and immerse yourself in the histories of Quebec City, Norfolk and Charleston.
Patagonian Shores & Chilean Fjords: This 14-day itinerary discovers the untamed natural beauty of Patagonia while sailing from Santiago to Ushuaia. Guests can admire peaks and ice shelves while navigating the iceberg-crowded channels of the Chilean Fjords. Follow your team of onboard experts for an up-close encounter with the blue-tinged glaciers that dominate the landscape and gain insight into Patagonian life during stops in the towns of Tortel and Castro.
Panama & Scenic South America: On this 18-day itinerary, guests will explore the cultures and landscapes of North, Central and South America. Between Santiago, Chile and Fort Lauderdale, FL, guests will discover the secrets of ancient civilizations of the Yucatán Peninsula and transit the Panama Canal. Immerse yourself in lively Lima and enjoy the charms of Iquique, located between the Atacama Desert and the Pacific.
Viking Expedition Ships
The new Polar Class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris will each host 378 guests in 189 staterooms. Designed by the same architects and engineers that designed Viking’s ocean ships, the ships are “optimally sized” and built for expeditions—small enough to navigate remote polar regions and the St. Lawrence River, while large enough to provide superior handling and stability in rough seas.
The ships will have public spaces that are familiar to Viking’s ocean voyage guests but that have been reimagined for expeditions, as well as new public spaces created specifically for expeditions. Straight bows, longer hulls and state-of-the-art fin stabilizers will allow the ships to glide over the waves for the calmest possible journey; ice-strengthened Polar Class hulls will provide the safest way to explore; and U-tank stabilizers will decrease rolling by up to 50 percent when the ships are stationary.
Visit www.vikingcruises.com.
This story originally appeared on www.luxurytraveladvisor.com.
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