Reviewed by: Grant Blake

Sailing: Milwaukee to Toronto

Date: September 2026

Cruise line and ship: Viking Cruises – Viking Octantis – Small-sized expedition ship

Size: 30,150 tonnage. 665 feet long

Passenger capacity: Approximately 378 guests

Year built: 2022 for 230 million Euros

Currency onboard: US dollars

Where the ship cruises: USA Great Lakes, Arctic and Antarctica

Why I chose this sailing:
I have travelled through the USA and Canada extensively by land but had driven north and south of the Great Lakes, so I thought it was time to “fill in the gap”.

I had been keen to experience Viking and especially an expedition ship, so when I saw an 8-day itinerary on Viking Octantis from Milwaukee to Toronto, the decision was made.

I had never visited Chicago, a city on my bucket list so it made it easy to fly there and spend a few days in this city of iconic buildings and architecture – now one of my favourite North American cities.

Embarkation/De-embarkation Process:
A pleasant two-hour train trip had me in Milwaukee and after a very easy embarkation process was ensconced in my Nordic Balcony stateroom.

Atmosphere:
Public rooms were appealing and once again featured lots of glass so were light and bright and enabled you to see the outdoors from within the ship.

The multi-national staff on board were both efficient and friendly, and at the farewell presentation, a first for me – the Captain sang in a duet and he wasn’t too bad either!!

Staterooms:
My stateroom was airy and bright with wall-to-ceiling glass, the top panel of which retracts, giving you a “French balcony.” The bathroom was a good size and there was plenty of hanging and storage in the main cabin. A couple of “extras” that I appreciated were two sets of binoculars, a Nespresso machine and a heated closet where you could dry wet clothes from being ashore in inclement weather.

One thing I did notice was the quietness within the stateroom – no plumbing noises from adjacent cabins and no sound from them either.

Dining Options & Service:
Quality and variety of food were excellent and there was a choice of dining venues with no reservations required, with the exception of two speciality venues which need to be pre-booked but in keeping with Viking’s policy, there were no charges for dining at any venue and comprehensive room service was also included.

Onboard Activities:
There was also a Nordic spa with hot pools, sauna, steam room etc which was included in your fare and also featured large windows so you could see the world go by as you indulged. A fitness centre was adjacent.

Ports and Excursions:
I must admit I did not know very much about the places to be visited on my itinerary but was not disappointed at all. I booked the Viking-included tours, which i enjoyed and included highlights such as the Harley-Davidson Museum, the Henry Ford Museum of Innovation, a maritime museum featuring the history of the Great Lakes, Niagara Falls and the charming and time-warped carless Mackinac Island.

 

Uniqueness:
We travelled on lakes so vast it was like being at sea with no land visible, then through canals and rivers and locks linking the lakes and sometimes reminiscent of being on a European river cruise.

All in all, a cruise that totally exceeded my expectations in every aspect.