What it’s like sailing an expedition ship on the Great Lakes - Viking Octantis Ship Review

[Music] in a market where cruise lines are focusing on building ships that are literally huge viking went a totally different way they went small sleek and versatile to go places that no major cruise line has ever gone to before ever since the announcement of a cruise ship on the great lakes i've been so excited because frankly i've always been jealous of people who lived in miami or fort lauderdale because they always get to see cruise ships in their backyard something that i had never experienced living in toronto until now welcome aboard viking octantus let me just point out that this is an expedition ship not a cruise ship she is designed to analyze the places that she visits and features a unique set of equipment including two yellow submarines fittingly named john and paul she's got a chief scientist in addition to an entire expedition team that really gets you involved with where you're going on this voyage we're heading from milwaukee to thunder bay starting off with our first port in mackinac island michigan and then to perry sound killarney fraser bay the soo locks silver islet and then an overnight in thunder bay now i had actually ended up missing the whole welcome dinner they had scheduled for us on the evening before that's just due to my flight being cancelled because of the terrible travel situation happening at pearson airport but i'm glad that i made it in time for the ship to sail what was different on this ship is that our departure also coincided with a mandatory briefing that took place in the owla the ship's theater which is on the aft end of the ship now this was about the different equipment that we had on board and what we needed to know there were a lot of briefings and in fact right after this we had a kayak briefing as well as a submarine briefing so i did miss most of the sail away from milwaukee that evening i ended up making friends which always helps make the cruise more exciting we ended up going to one of the ship's main restaurants man freddy's which was italian themed now they had great veggie and fish options since i only eat fish and i have this great tuna dish as well as eggplant parmesan but nothing could beat these sunset views as we sailed through lake michigan after dinner we quickly found what was to become my favorite place on board the hide think of this as a speakeasy kind of the ship's basement it's an unconventional spot and it's also the only venue located on deck 1. it features these gorgeous windows that peek down on the port and starboard sides and they're actually angled down they offer stunning views especially when the ship is in the polar regions then it was time for my first night on board as we sail toward our first port of call mackinaw island michigan [Music] the following morning we were still sailing due to arrive into mackinac island around 11 o'clock am now i was up around 9am since i had to attend a submarine briefing in the owla the end of which involved asking guests if they were able to swing into the submarine or not also fun fact they went over what to do if the submarine pilot became unconscious which was basically to sit and wait because if the submarine didn't receive any pilot commands for 10 minutes it would automatically return to the surface the timing of the briefing also caused me to miss seeing a sail under the mackinaw bridge that was followed by a workout and a legendary massage from the nordic spa i just had the most amazing massage ever from the nordic spa here on viking octanus we're in mackinac island i am just making my way downstairs so i can find where they are there they are and uh yeah time to go explore this island fun fact about it there are no cars on the island except for two the fire truck as well as the ambulance everybody else gets around by bicycle and you can get a speeding ticket if you're going over 20 miles an hour because the police are also on bicycles getting off the ship in this port required a tender which was always a smooth experience seeing as there were only 400 guests on board to begin with now viking includes one shore excursion per day so i opted for a walking tour of the island i was so impressed with the use of bicycles because check out this guy he was literally using his bike as a minivan viking tries to give every single one of their guests a listening device known as a quiet box in fact they include them in your cabin and they're always charged now i didn't actually realize i needed mine and luckily they always had extras now if you ever get to mackinaw island be sure to try and check out the grand hotel because it is a spectacle the interesting thing was that as i was about to leave on the tour i was actually stopped by the ship's kayak guide who told me that i had missed the kayak test meaning i couldn't go on any kayak excursions until i had completed the test the ironic thing was that i had missed the kayak test because i was attending the submarine briefing now as i walked through the island i was amazed at their use of bicycles and just how beautiful and quaint this place is when i got back on board i was excited to see this massive piece of fudge on my bed something that mackinaw island was known for it was a present courtesy of viking that every single guest received a really nice touch that night i had dinner in the ship's main restaurant aptly named the restaurant where the menu changed every single night after hitting the hide for a night cap i called it an early night because the following day was a big one i'd be heading out on a zodiac and on a tour of the ship's bridge [Music] harry sound is located in georgian bay and it's only about two and a half hours from toronto my day began with a workout and it was just nice to see water bottles readily available at the gym about to head out on one of the zodiacs that are actually used for expeditions and the way to get there is going to be relatively easy i have to remember but we're going out here in parry sound we're back in canada today here i am going back to my cabin because i wasn't told i needed to bring my own life jacket that's in my cabin down to the embarkation area so i gotta go back and get it [Music] soon enough i was on a zodiac and the ship actually comes with a whole fleet of zodiacs operated by the expeditions team the way it works is that in the morning when the ship arrives the expedition leader will sail around scouting good spots to sail through that also comply with local regulations i feel like this resulted in feeling like you're actually on an expedition it was raw in a way i felt like i was seeing my country in a whole different way and i was so proud of it [Music] soon enough it was time to make my way back on board because now i was heading up to see the ship's bridge and to meet the captain now the bridge is also the central command center of the ship and it's where the ship's officers maneuver and steer the vessel it's got all the bells and whistles of any modern ship including a safety center as well as azipods which make the ship incredibly maneuverable interestingly the ship's bridge doesn't have overhangs on the sides like a conventional cruise ship this is because they need to keep the width consistent in order to make the ship fit through the various locks located in the great lakes it's also what gives viking octantus such versatility in the ports she visits [Music] by this point it was lunchtime so i headed to the explorers lounge which incredibly spans two full decks on this ship it's a staple of vikings ocean ships as well and it's amazing that they fit it into this ship so beautifully [Music] and then it was lunch time at the world cafe and this is truly the best buffet style restaurant i've ever eaten that my favorite is the sushi bar which never failed to impress now since i'd already done the day's activities i decided it was five o'clock somewhere and i tried out the aquavit terrace where there's three pools warm medium and just cold very gold the medium one stretches into the inside with the three of them all on the outside portion of the deck then i headed to the nordic spa which is something i really wanted to highlight everything in the spa is there for you to use no membership or anything needed you just walk in grab a robe and enjoy the experience shower has a series of jets and it really was an experience i enjoyed it the bucket shower is essentially a bucket that dunks cold water on you and then there is the snow grotto so i'm currently inside this nobrado here on viking octanus um this is freaking cold it's legitimately snowing right now and that is very very very very cold i'm leaving and then there's the bata stamp which is essentially a semi outdoor hot tub and viking just did an amazing job with making this outdoor but also protected [Music] out of all the ships i've been on this spa facility is amazing topped off with being able to sit in an outdoor hot tub so close to the water it's kind of epic by the time i was done i needed dessert which is where i found the cold stone in the world cafe the chef breaks down a fruit like berries or a banana mixes it with some ice cream and the result is a fantastic relatively healthy dessert dinner was back at men freddy's and a nice brandy to finish off the night before going into one of the most exciting days yet the day i got to ride the submarine and the special operations boat [Applause] the morning of killarney i woke up a little bit later than i would have wanted and it turned out that i missed breakfast by just a few minutes as soon as i sat down at my table a waiter came by and asked if there was anything they could get me so i told them i was sad that i missed getting my regular omelet a moment later they came out with an omelette that had all of my favorite toppings i was just blown away and then it was time for adventure today we're in killarney part of the georgian bay and i am wearing my life jacket because i'm about to go on the special operations boat which belongs to viking off tannis we're going to be launched from near the hangar at the back of the ship and hopefully get some really high speeds and go exploring i made my way down to the hangar which is where most of the expedition equipment is stored the special operations boats are the exact same models that are used by the norwegian special forces capable of reaching speeds of over 60 knots or 100 kilometers an hour you bore the special operations boats or as they call them on board octanus the sobs from right within the hangar and the boats are actually loaded off by a hydraulic launch system directly from the hangar into the water once we were out we headed for some gorgeous sightseeing catching some rare birds and overall just beautiful scenery [Music] each individual seat on the sops have their own independent suspension so the ride itself is incredibly smooth despite there being a lot of movement especially at higher speeds soon enough we arrive back into the hangar and i headed straight to the submarine meeting point for my adventure it's an exciting day because on top of the sob i get to go into a submarine just got my boots on i've got my my seat number ready to go so it's going to the surface every single guest that wants to travel on a submarine needs to be weighed beforehand then you're assigned a seat number for a specific day on a specific trip it's actually so strict that if someone doesn't show up they need to add the equivalent weight of that individual to ensure that the submarine is properly balanced on this day the water was quite choppy which made boarding the submarine a bit of a challenge in fact a lot of submarine trips were cancelled due to weather but it was understandable given the safety aspect of it all once inside it was pretty choppy and there was a lot of movement but this was just for the boarding process once we actually dove down everything was pretty calm now i would suggest taking a gravel or a dramamine beforehand the interior of the submarine overall is tight but comfortable the bubbles on either side of the sub are actually made of thick plastic as opposed to glass which allows it to be flexible it's important given the change in pressure because these submarines are rated to reach depths well over 300 feet diving below the surface of the great lakes talk about once in a lifetime [Music] they also operate these submarine expeditions in antarctica they're constantly helping the local areas that they sail to by mapping these somewhat remote areas most of which haven't ever been visited by submarines this was by far the coolest thing i have ever done on a ship that evening i was invited to a really nice exclusive dinner with the ship's general manager and after i ended up on the finceteris just outside of the owla it's a really underutilized space and actually has outdoor heating and the sunset rewarded us for being out there on this particular night [Music] the following morning was the earliest that i had woken up because it was also the morning of our weather balloon launch fraser bay is located very close to killarney in fact we had arrived just two hours after setting sail the previous evening the weather balloon launch was conducted by the onboard science team led by chief scientist dr daniel moore the science team inflates the balloon with helium and deploys it from deck 7. the gps tracker is biodegradable and as the balloon climbs the wire unwinds and drops lower and lower beneath the balloon so that the balloon itself doesn't interfere with the data that's being collected now after the balloon launches you can actually see the data live in real time from expedition central that's also sent to the national weather service now this balloon was the highest ever recorded from viking octanus reaching over 30 kilometers or almost 100 000 feet into the atmosphere quite a few guests came out to see this it's actually very unique because viking octantus is one of very few ships that's designated as an official weather balloon launch station by the national weather service now since the ship visits relatively remote areas it's allowing for data to be collected that otherwise wouldn't be since i was already up i decided it was time for breakfast i headed back to my cabin after that and the type of room that i had was a nordic penthouse now this is a couple of categories higher than a regular balcony featuring a slightly larger sitting area and overall the room was slightly wider than a regular balcony as well i love this cabin especially the nordic balcony a window that opens up it was remarkable the details in this room were impeccable including fabric on the walls and heated floors in the bathroom a feature that you don't know you need until you've had it plus built-in usb ports and built-in wireless charging to the nightstands now something i thought that was hilarious was the included price list of various items that were in the cabin so should you decide to take anything you know exactly how much you're going to be charged i'll be posting a separate video with an in-depth cabin tour so be sure to watch out for that having been to fraser bay before i decided to stay on board and enjoy the spa as well as getting some laundry done right across from my room was a laundrette super easy to use so you basically select your corresponding washing machine then the detergent is automatically deposited all of this is included of course and i love it because it means you don't have to go home with any dirty clothes no laundry when you get back since i had the time i ventured down to the hangar to get up close and personal with the ship's expedition equipment this is where the chromos experience meets the expedition experience you've got these incredible vessels capable of going over 40 knots mixed in with the science lab that's clearly visible here as the scientists are working hard so it's mixing that luxury experience with some pretty exclusive ways to travel and see very remote places while it was down there you can see here some of the submarines preparing to dive now this is a submarine actually that i was on john complete with a robotic arm and everything when viking octanis's sister ship polaris comes out later this year she's going to have two submarines aboard her as well fittingly named george and ringo these are the massive hoists that transfer the submarines into the water right below the ship's science lab is the microplastics system it's constantly analyzing the water and sending the data back to neva the norwegian institute for water research you've got a great view of the science lab here from the hangar and i've actually got more on the science lab and what the science team is doing coming up here in just a couple of minutes so make sure to stay tuned and i headed up to the world cafe for a bit of an early dinner seared ahi tuna impeccable and then made my way down to man freddy's for my actual dinner for a great bowl of gnocchi [Music] the following morning was in my opinion the most scenic sailing i've ever done outside of the baltic sea it reminded me of the entry into stockholm sweden we were approaching the sioux locks which we needed to pass through in order to enter lake superior for our final two ports silver islet and thunder bay everyone was out on the ship's forward decks to watch the ship transition viking octanus is the largest passenger vessel to ever pass through these locks and apparently the soo locks are known as the linchpin of the great lakes and they have history dating back to the 1800s about 7 000 ships pass through these locks every single year and they're raised and lowered by about 21 feet which is the difference between lake superior and lake huron [Music] there are four locks in total of which two are operational the one we were in was the polock and it was rebuilt in 1968 then the macarthur lock was constructed in 1943 there are also two other locks davis and saban locks which have been inactive since 1989 [Music] this was a full day out on the lake after we transitioned through the locks now despite every single guest and crew member being on board the ship it never felt busy at any point a great place for a snack that i discovered was called momsens just off of the world cafe it's a small self-service restaurant with feel-good norwegian waffles and snacks also a great spot for afternoon tea that evening in the restaurant i'd managed to become friends with the head chef and had some awesome dosa after that we headed out to see the ship's entertainment manager iran perform in the outlaw i decided to head to the hide and call it a relatively early night because for our final day on board we were visiting two ports and getting a tour of the microplastics lab the following morning we were anchored in silver island ontario now viking includes one shore excursion per port and our walking tour gave us some awesome information about this little community silver island refers to both a small rocky island and a small community located in northwestern ontario near thunder bay silver was discovered on this small island in 1868 by the montreal mining company and then it became a small mining community many of the residents actually still have a connection to the mining origins of silver islet as i got back on board i headed straight down to the science lab for something i had been waiting for since i boarded viking octantus a tour of the science lab with dr daniel moore the ship's chief scientist to showcase exactly what this ship was all about most science labs run into issues of funding and that's something that this lab doesn't have a lack of since revenue is generated through the ship's operation itself it's a concept that a few companies are looking at but to answer why the lab is there in the first place let's try and understand what microplastics actually are as larger plastic pieces are exposed to uv light it causes smaller plastic to be broken up and then get eaten by the smallest things in the ocean plastic breaks up as opposed to down one of the many things the onboard science team does is to constantly analyze the waters in which they sail it's also how they get guests involved in the process dr moore walked us through what it's like to try and identify microplastics first it needs to be continuous in length and opaque throughout second it needs to be a continuous strip color wise it needs to be relatively unnatural for example blue is rare in nature which increases the chance that it's a microplastic also if it's a dark deep red or black there's a higher chance that it's a microplastic then they walk through how to set up a microscope and start analyzing from there the samples that are flagged by guests get analyzed by a fourier transformed infrared spectrometer try saying that five times fast after my tour we had already set sail and this time for the final time arriving in thunder bay a few short hours later the ship would be overnighting here for our final night on board viking octantus is the most interesting ship i have ever sailed upon her sleek design makes her beautiful inside and out and her purpose isn't just to go from one place to another it's to create a positive impact and offer something to every single port that she visits it's inspiring to see a major cruise line like viking integrate sustainability science and a top-notch experience so seamlessly viking is a very enrichment heavy cruise line and octantus complements that very well thank you so much to viking for having me aboard your truly remarkable ship the crew were so amazing and made the whole trip on this iconic vessel so special and just like that my time here on viking architantus is complete and what an amazing voyage it was i can't wait to sail aboard her sister viking polaris or of course aboard octantus again very very soon would you sail the great lakes tell me what you think in the comments below and of course be sure to subscribe thanks so much for watching and i'll see you in the next one [Music]

Channel: Travel With Kabir

Views: 13,421

Keywords: cruise, cruise ship, viking, viking cruises, cruise review, viking octantis, viking mars, viking sea, viking sky, carnival cruise, royal caribbean, caribbean, great lakes, ship, travel, travel blog, viking orion, viking jupiter, carnival, carnival horizon, carnival mardi gras, wonder of the seas, allure of the seas, harmony of the seas, celebrity cruises, cruise travel, cruise director, expedition, expedition cruise, antarctica, symphony of the seas, norwegian, Norwegian cruise

Id: SRlIH-ncKBo

Length: 24min 43sec (1483 seconds)

Published: Fri Jul 22 2022