viking cruise ship in milwaukee

First cruise ship of 2023 arrives in Milwaukee, Viking Octantis

MILWAUKEE — The first cruise ship to enter Milwaukee's port in 2023 has arrived.

Viking Octantis carries 378 passengers on voyages throughout the Great Lakes, according to a news release from the mayor's office.

VIDEO : City hold news conference after cruise ship lands

An identical ship operated by Viking cruises, the Viking Polaris, will also be sailing on the Great Lakes starting in 2023.

31 port calls by various cruise ships are planned for the Port of Milwaukee in 2023, carrying about 12,000 passengers.

The Viking Octantis! pic.twitter.com/G4OA11FyDV — Bruce Harrison (@HarrisonMKE) May 4, 2023

Read the city's news release about the ship below:

MILWAUKEE, WI – Thursday, May 4, at 1:15pm (CT), Mayor Cavalier Johnson and local leaders will welcome the Viking Octantis, the first cruise ship to visit Port Milwaukee as part of the 2023 season. The Viking Octantis’ arrival in Milwaukee will begin a 2023 summer season where 31 port calls by various cruise ships are planned, bringing an estimated 12,000 passengers to the city. Operated by Viking, the Viking Octantis can carry up to 378 passengers on voyages throughout the Great Lakes. This will be the second season where Viking will designate Milwaukee as an embarkation and debarkation port for the company’s Great Lakes itineraries. Viking will also be introducing a second, identical ship, the Viking Polaris, to the Great Lakes in 2023, doubling this cruise line company’s capacity in the region and creating more recreational tourism opportunities in the City of Milwaukee. Following two years of pandemic-related cancellations, Milwaukee’s Great Lakes cruise season returned with significant momentum and success in 2022. An unprecedented number of international passengers and cruise vessels traveled to-or-from Milwaukee last year. Learn more about the 2022 Great Lakes cruise season through Port Milwaukee’s Annual Report [portmilwaukee.com].

It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip

Report a typo

Sign up for our new TMJ4 Morning Headlines Newsletter and get the latest news and weather delivered straight to your inbox.

Now signed up to receive the morning headlines newsletter..

Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with TMJ4 News

Great Lakes cruising season kicks off in Milwaukee with Viking Octantis, the largest cruise ship to sail the lakes

Great Lakes cruising is back in Milwaukee. 

The Viking Octantis docked at the Port of Milwaukee May 6, marking not only the first cruise ship to visit since 2019, but also the first Viking ship and the largest cruise ship to ever dock in the city.  

Polka music from an accordion player greeted 307 passengers as they disembarked for various excursions around the city, from tours of local breweries to birdwatching at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.

"These international cruises are offering more freshwater tourists a glimpse into what makes the city of Milwaukee so special," Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said at a press conference after welcoming the ship with other local politicians and tourism representatives. 

"It's our scenic beauty, it's our amenities, it's our businesses, it's our popular destinations, it's our art, our music, our culture, it's our history," he said. "It's our commitment to stewardship, and it's our commitment to environmental sustainability of the Great Lakes."

Viking has made efforts to make its ships more sustainable, too. The Octantis exceeds the International Maritime Organization Energy Efficiency Design Index requirements by almost 38%, according to Viking.  

This is the first year the cruise line most known for its European river cruises is offering Great Lakes itineraries, including three eight-day trips that start or end in Milwaukee. One of those, Undiscovered Great Lakes, will make an additional Wisconsin stop at the Apostle Islands in Bayfield. Another tour, the 15-day Great Lakes Collection tour from Duluth, Minn., to Toronto, skips Milwaukee but makes a stop in Algoma.  

The 665-foot Octantis is the largest cruise ship to sail the Great Lakes and dock in Milwaukee, which is becoming a more popular cruise destination. Fourteen ships were scheduled to dock in the city before the pandemic struck in 2020, up from 10 the previous year and two to four ships in the years prior. This year, 33 ships are scheduled to bring 10,000 passengers to the city, up from 1,000 in 2018.

In December Conde Nast Traveler magazine named the Great Lakes one of the 22 best places to go in 2022 , with a specific mention of cruises and Milwaukee as a port city. 

Other cruise lines that sail on the Great Lakes with stops in Milwaukee include Ponant, Plantours and Pearl Seas. Hapag-Lloyd, which previously docked in the city, will not be cruising the Great Lakes this year but is scheduled to return in 2023. 

In 2020 Pearl inked a deal with the Port of Milwaukee to make it a turnaround location for ships through at least 2030. The lease provides priority docking rights at Pier Wisconsin, the dock immediately east of Discovery World downtown, with a guarantee the Pearl Mist will use the turnaround point — i.e. beginning or ending cruises in Milwaukee — at least five times per year. This year Pearl is offering seven-day and 11-day cruises between Milwaukee and Toronto. 

The additional benefit of being a turnaround point is the potential for passengers to extend their trips with extra nights in the city, which could mean additional business for local hotels, restaurants and other tourist destinations.

"We're anticipating that cruise passengers will have a growing impact on Milwaukee's economy for many, many years to come," Johnson said. 

That impact is estimated to be between $2.8 million and $4 million annually, according to Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of Visit Milwaukee. 

"As we all know, travel plans have changed drastically these past two years, but we are back with a strong demand, and cruises are leading the way for us today, proving passengers and tourists are eager to set sail once again," she said at the press conference. "With multiple experiences just minutes from our vibrant, walkable downtown, Milwaukee is an ideal destination for a stop for Great Lakes cruises."

Inside the Octantis 

The Octantis, which gets its name from the South Star, Sigma Octantis, took its maiden voyage with passengers in Antarctica in January. The ship then made its way up to New York City, where it was officially christened by its ceremonial godmother, Norwegian explorer Liv Arnesen, who in 1994 became the first woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. Finally the ship cruised through the St. Lawrence Seaway for this cruise, its maiden voyage on the Great Lakes.

While bigger than other Great Lakes vessels, the 378-passenger Octantis is still smaller than other cruise ships that can carry thousands of passengers. Most passengers are from North America, either the U.S. or Canada, with some Brits and Australians, according to the cruise line. And its target clientele is clearly older and less rowdy than some other cruise lines.

Quiet comfort is the theme on all Viking ships, including the Octantis. You won’t find any water slides or rock climbing walls here.

But you will find other familiar cruise ship amenities, on a smaller, quieter scale, designed for colder destinations like the Great Lakes and Antarctica. That includes three small pools of different temperatures (hot, warm and cold), accessible via a swim-through from an indoor sunning deck with a retractable glass roof. There’s also an outdoor terrace with heated, sunken couches around gas-powered lava rock fire pits. 

Inside, the seven-deck ship features multiple restaurants and bars, one in a two-deck lounge at the bow of the ship with double-height windows dubbed the Explorers' Lounge. There's also an auditorium with walls of windows overlooking the stern of the ship, and a Nordic spa with a small pool lined by windows and chairs for relaxing and taking in the scenery. 

Stateroom décor — along with the rest of the ship’s décor — reflects Viking’s Nordic heritage, with simple, elegant lines, and lots of wood and neutral tones. Bathrooms feature glass-wall showers and heated floors. All staterooms are on the exterior of the ship, and each has a Nordic balcony, essentially a window that opens halfway with a small ledge for wildlife viewing; binoculars are provided in-suite. 

Wildlife is a theme throughout the ship, with digital displays changing based on where the ship is sailing. In Milwaukee, that meant a hallway lined with images of white-tailed deer. A display of fake stuffed birds also changes with the ship's location to match the native wildlife; for the Great Lakes, that means a bald eagle, loon, sandhill crane and other native birds.

The cruise line's Norwegian roots shine throughout, too, including the theme of hot and cold, a staple of Nordic saunas where you follow a hot sauna session with an icy cold dunk, either in a lake or snow. The Octantis' Snow Grotto , a small room in the spa where manmade snow literally falls from the ceiling, provides a spot for that dunk. The ship's three pools of varying temperatures continue the hot-cold theme.

More touches of Norway throughout include a rock art display that resembles a Norwegian knitting pattern, and traditional Norwegian Marius-weave blankets in staterooms. The ceiling in the two-deck Explorers' Lounge features constellations, a nod to the Viking explorers who used the stars to navigate. There's also Norwegian cuisine, of course, in Mamsen's restaurant, named for the cruise line founder's mother, Ragnhild “Mamsen” Hagen, and serving things like waffles, open-faced sandwiches and split pea soup.  

Guests will also find Italian, sushi, and other global cuisine options, but there are no black-tie dinners or white-gloved waiters. Viking cruises are as well known for what they  aren't  as what they  are , laid out in a section of "no's" in the 2022 brochure: no children under age 18, no casinos, no umbrella drinks, no "nickel and diming," i.e. additional charges for certain amenities.

Great Lakes excursions

That includes at least one complimentary excursion at each port of call. In Milwaukee, three excursions are available for no extra charge: a four-hour tour of the city, a tour of the Grohmann Museum, and a tour of three historic churches finished off with a stop for a chocolate treat. Other excursions with an additional charge include Bikes & Beer, with visits to the Harley-Davidson Museum, a brewery and a brat house; a kayak tour on the city's rivers; two excursions to Schlitz Audubon; a guided art walk through the city; and an excursion to two breweries and a distillery.

A local business helped organize the excursions, along with those at other ports of call. For the past three years, Theresa Nemetz, owner of Milwaukee Food & City Tours, has worked with Viking to plan excursions for its Great Lakes cruises as part of a new business venture called Great Lakes Shore Excursions. 

"I'm just so honored and thrilled that Viking has put not only Milwaukee but the Great Lakes, and the beauty of the Great Lakes and its wonderful nature opportunities as well as the many attractions and restaurants, on the map," Nemetz said at the Octantis press conference.

In Bayfield, a stop on Viking's Undiscovered Great Lakes cruise from Thunder Bay to Milwaukee, that beauty is on full display on various excursions through the Apostle Islands, from a complimentary kayak tour of the world famous sea caves to a sailing adventure through the archipelago. 

Bayfield was not part of this cruise, Niagara & the Great Lakes. Milwaukee was the final port of call for this trip, which began in Toronto and stopped in Port Colborne, near Niagara Falls; Point Pelee, Ontario, the southernmost point in mainland Canada; Detroit, with a complimentary excursion to the Henry Ford Museum of Innovation; Alpena, Mich., near the Thunder Bay National Maritime Sanctuary that protects 200 shipwrecks; and Mackinac Island, the no-motor-vehicles island between Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas. 

From Milwaukee, the Octantis turned around and headed back to Mackinac Island for the first leg of the Great Lakes Explorer cruise, which travels to Georgian Bay, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Ontario; the Soo Locks between Lake Huron and Lake Superior; Silver Islet near Sleeping Giant Provincial Park in Ontario; and ends in Thunder Bay, Ontario. 

Next year, another new Viking ship, the Polaris (named for the North Star), will join the Octantis on the Great Lakes.

More information : Viking requires all guests be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, receive a negative test prior to leaving their home country, and take another PCR test aboard the ship on the day of embarkation. 

Prices for Niagara & the Great Lakes cruise offered by Viking start at $5,995 per person. The cruise is sold out for the rest of this season. Staterooms are available for all 2023 cruises, with the first one departing April 28, 2023, from Toronto. 

There is still availability this year aboard other Viking Great Lakes cruises, including Great Lakes Explorer, which starts in Milwaukee, and Undiscovered Great Lakes, which ends in Milwaukee. Prices for those cruises start at $6,495 and $6,995 respectively. 

For more on Great Lakes cruises from Viking, see  vikingcruises.com/expeditions . 

Contact Chelsey Lewis at  [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at @chelseylew and  @TravelMJS and Facebook at Journal Sentinel Travel .

• Arts & Culture
• Banking & Finance
• Energy & Environment
• Health Care
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Manufacturing
• Marketing & Media
• Real Estate
• Restaurants
• Sports & Entertainment
• Transportation & Logistics
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Economic Development
• Education & Workforce Development
• Entrepreneurship & Small Business
• Family Business
• Financial Management
• Government & Politics
• Human Resources & Management

Sponsored Content

• Wealth Management
• Around Town Galleries
• People in the News
• Rising Stars
• Women In Business
• BizTimes Milwaukee
• Giving Guide
• Wisconsin 275
• Custom Publications
• Annual BizTimes Events
• Community Events
• Award Nominations
• Business Cares
• Submit an Event
• Event Speaker Application
• Event Photos
• Feature Me Request
• News Tip / Story Idea
• Notable Series
• Nonprofit Directory Submission
• BizTimes Insider Membership
• Email Newsletters
• Print & Digital Advertising
• BT360 Content Solutions
• BizTimes Insider FAQ

Viking cruise ship arrives in Milwaukee for the first time

The 2022 cruise season officially kicked off Friday with the first-ever arrival of the Viking Octantis cruise ship at Port Milwaukee. The newly constructed 665-foot-long ship can hold up to 634 people — 378 guests and 256 crew members.

The ship’s arrival was the first of 33 expected cruise ship port calls that will bring more than 10,000 passengers to Milwaukee this summer. That is compared to the 10 stops made by cruise ships in Milwaukee during the 2019 season, before Great Lakes cruising halted for two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Viking is now offering three Great Lakes cruises that include Milwaukee, one from Toronto to Milwaukee starting at $5,995, one from Thunder Bay, Canada to Milwaukee starting at $6,695 and one from Milwaukee to Thunder Bay starting at $6,495. A few of the Thunder Bay to Milwaukee cruises are already sold out.

Adam Tindall-Schlicht, director of Port Milwaukee, previously told BizTimes Media passenger cruise traffic will generate upwards of $1.8 million in direct revenue to the local economy this year “and every year going forward as the industry continues to grow.”

Viking Cruises will utilize the Port’s City Heavy Lift Dock this season as their port-of-call location. The South Shore Cruise Dock, located immediately east of the Lake Express High Speed Ferry terminal, will serve as the future port-of-call for vessels the size of the Viking Octantis . Port Milwaukee recently received $3.5 million in Capital Tourism grant funding from the state to build new Seawaymax infrastructure at South Shore Cruise Dock.

“Port Milwaukee continues to capitalize on increased interest in passenger cruising on the Great Lakes and increased interest in Milwaukee as the turnaround hub for passengers to start or end their voyages,” said Tindall-Schlicht. “In the coming years, thousands of passengers will visit our city, stay in local hotels, dine in our restaurants, and enjoy all the great things Milwaukee offers.”

Several organizations are helping promote the passenger cruise business in Milwaukee and throughout the Great Lakes. Port Milwaukee founded the Milwaukee Cruise Collaborative, which promotes the city as a cruise destination. The Collaborative, which includes a cross section of the local hospitality industry, has planned, promoted and prepared for increased Great Lakes cruising passengers. VISIT Milwaukee is also assisting with promotion efforts.

Sign up for the BizTimes email newsletter

Stay up-to-date on the people, companies and issues that impact business in Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin

What's New

Sheboygan paint co. names new chairman, townhome, apartment project proposed in west allis, wctc partners with gener8tor to launch applied ai..., campbell soup co. to invest $8 million in..., peter van ermen, cpa, kristin taormina, submit a bizpeople.

Share new hires, promotions and employee accolades with the region's business leaders.

Unleashing the power of AI with 7Rivers: Pioneering...

Celebrating 5 years as your community flooring partner, celebrating 5 years of providing residential and commercial..., transforming milwaukee for 15 years.

Up-to-the-minute business news, thoughtful analysis and valuable strategic insights for Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin business leaders.

Copyright © 2024 BizTimes - Milwaukee Business News. All Rights Reserved.

• Notice at Collection

Stay up-to-date with our free email newsletter

Keep up with the issues, companies and people that matter most to business in the Milwaukee metro area.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy .

• Expeditions
• Complimentary Brochures

Great Lakes Explorer

• From $6,995
• 2 Countries
• Dates & Pricing

Please call for availability. To find another option, begin your search here.

For current fares, please call a viking expert: 1-800-381-4596 or request a quote today., spring sale.

*All prices are per person based on double occupancy and reflect our Special Cruise Fare. Strikeout fares reflect our Standard Cruise Fare.

*All prices are per person based on double occupancy and reflect our Special Cruise Fare.

DEPARTURE GATEWAYS

Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft Worth, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C. Many additional gateways available, air fares may vary; call for details.

Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle. Many additional gateways available, air fares may vary; call for details.

Departure dates and room type filter

Viking Inclusive Value

More features, services and excursions included.

One complimentary landing or shore excursion in every port of call

Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary)

Beer, wine & soft drinks with onboard lunch & dinner

24-hour specialty coffees, teas  & bottled water

Port taxes & fees

Ground transfers with Viking Air purchase

Visits to UNESCO Sites

Enrichment lectures & Destination Performances

Complimentary access to The Nordic Spa & Fitness Center.

Self-service launderettes

Alternative restaurant dining at no extra charge

24-hour room service

Kayaks, Zodiacs & Special Operations Boats — A Viking Expedition Kit with a variety of equipment to explore at no extra charge

Keepsake Viking expedition jacket (on polar itineraries)

All Viking excursion gear needed for any relevant excursions

Your Stateroom Includes:

King-size bed (optional twin-bed configuration) with luxury linens & pillows

55" OLED flat-screen TV featuring CNN, CBC, MBC2, beIN Sports

Interactive TV with complimentary movies and documentaries, as well as Viking.TV proprietary content, lectures and expert interviews

Personal coffee machine with premium coffee & tea selections

Floor-to-ceiling heated drying closets for expeditions gear

Spacious glass-enclosed shower

Heated bathroom floor

Anti-fog mirrors

Premium Freyja® toiletries

110/220 volt outlets & USB ports

Meopta Optika MeoPro 8x42 binoculars

Booking Terms & Conditions >

Booking Terms & Conditions

2024-2026 EXPEDITION CRUISE AND AIR FARES:  Offer applies to bookings made from May 1-31, 2024. Terms & conditions for select promotions may vary. $25 deposit is applicable to all itineraries except World Cruise products. Special fares plus FREE airfare valid on select departures of Antarctic Explorer, Antarctic Explorer & the Americas, Antarctica & South Georgia Island, Argentina & the Chilean Fjords, Canada & East Coast Explorer, Canada & the Atlantic Coastline, Canadian Discovery, Chilean Fjords & Patagonia Explorer, Chilean Fjords & Scenic Shores, Great Lakes Collection, Great Lakes Explorer, Niagara & the Great Lakes, Panama & Scenic South America, Panama Canal & the Americas, Patagonia, Fjords & Panama Canal, Patagonian Shores & Chilean Fjords, The Americas & Antarctic Explorer, Undiscovered Great Lakes . Airfares may vary on other gateways & departures. Airfare does not have to be purchased to get cruise\cruisetour offer. All prices are in US dollars and for US residents only. Additional restrictions may apply. 2024: Pay in full by May 31, 2024 or at time of booking if within 120 days of departure. 2025: Pay in full by August 31, 2024. 2026: Pay in full by February 15, 2025. Offer may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Offers Expires May 31, 2024.

*$25 DEPOSIT:  For itineraries 35 days or less, a $25 deposit applies to October 2024 & onward departures; for itineraries greater than 35 days, a $25 deposit applies to December 2024 & onward departures; World Cruise products excluded; call for details.

GENERAL RESTRICTIONS Cruise fares listed are cruise only in U.S. dollars, per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement savings are off applicable rates. Cruise fares listed are valid for U.S. residents only. Cruise ship fuel surcharge may apply. All fares and offers are for new bookings only and are subject to availability, may not combinable with other offers except Viking Explorer Society Travel Credits and Viking Referral Rewards, are capacity-controlled and may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Special fares are based upon published full brochure fares; cruise fares do not include pre-paid charges, optional facilities and service fees, and personal charges, as defined in the terms and conditions of the Passenger Ticket Contract which may be viewed elsewhere on this website. Full brochure fares may not have resulted in actual sales in all stateroom categories and may not have been in effect during the last 90 days. Promotional fares may remain in effect after the expiration date. Air promotion applies to roundtrip flights only from select Viking Cruises U.S. gateways and includes airport-to-ship or hotel transfers, air taxes and air fuel surcharges. Roundtrip airport transfers are included when air is purchased with a cruise or cruisetour package; if air is not purchased from Viking, transfers may be purchased separately. All transfers must be in conjunction with a Viking-purchased cruise, cruisetour, land extension or extra hotel nights. Viking reserves the right to correct errors or omissions and to change any and all fares, fees and surcharges at any time. For up-to-date prices, please call Viking or your Travel Agent. The cruise ship fuel surcharge is additional revenue to Viking Cruises, as are any additional charges relating to currency fluctuation other than for fully paid cruise fares and full fares, which fluctuations are beyond our control. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Complete terms and conditions may be found in the Passenger Ticket Contract.

AIR UPGRADE:  Upgrade to Premium Economy air from $999 per person addon or Business Class air from $3,499 per person addon based on select itineraries, gateways, and dates. Additional airline-imposed baggage charges may apply; for more information visit  Airline Luggage Restrictions  . Air prices are per person based on cruise/cruisetour check-in date and include transfers plus all government taxes/fees of approximately $160 and air fuel surcharges. Air seats are limited; airfares are subject to change and are not guaranteed until full payment of air is received.

Sign up to receive updates from Viking

Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content.

Company Information

• Order a Brochure
• Travel Advisors
• FAQ: Expeditions
• Media Center
• Investor Relations
• Health & Safety Program
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Manage Cookies

Viking River Cruises

• Mississippi

Viking Ocean Cruises

• Scandinavia
• British Isles & Ireland
• North America
• Caribbean & Central America
• South America
• Mediterranean
• Quiet Season Mediterranean
• Australia & New Zealand
• World Cruises
• Grand Journeys

Viking Expeditions

• Great Lakes
• Longitudinal World Cruises

Cruise ship Milwaukee arrival; Viking Octantis, 1st vessel of 2023 season

Milwaukee welcomed on Thursday, May 4, the Viking Octantis -- the first cruise ship to visit Port Milwaukee as part of the 2023 season.

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee welcomed on Thursday, May 4, the Viking Octantis -- the first cruise ship to visit Port Milwaukee as part of the 2023 season.

The Viking Octantis arrived at the Port’s City Heavy Lift Dock around 11:30 a.m. Thursday. 

Sixty-five days after Shelli Marquardt and Cathy Priem set sail, they arrived at Port Milwaukee. 

SKYFOX: Viking cruise ship Octantis arrives in Port Milwaukee

"It’s really surreal to be back here in Wisconsin, our hometown," Marquardt said. 

The two began cruising with the Viking Octantis in Antarctica. Nine counties and thousands of miles later, they stepped off the ship greeted by the sounds of polka music. 

"It’s nice to be home and put our feet back on the Wisconsin soil, but also share it with the rest of the people on the cruise ship," Marquardt said.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

"People don’t realize how many great local restaurants Milwaukee and Wisconsin has; you have to leave it to appreciate it," said Cathy Randall, another Octantis passenger. 

Hundreds of passengers on board the Viking cruise ship spent the day seeing and appreciating everything Milwaukee has to offer. 

Cruise ship Viking Octantis arrives in Milwaukee for start of 2023 season

"We're getting ready we are going to do a beer tour today," Randall said. 

But while Brew City marks the final destination for the Octantis, it is just the beginning of the cruising season at Port Milwaukee. 

"I’m here to show off our city to the thousands and thousands of cruise ship passengers who will pass through Port Milwaukee," said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

The Viking vessel is the first of 31 ships to visit Milwaukee this season. City leaders say it not only opens a door to the Midwest's hidden gem, but also is a driver for the economy.

"When these beautiful vessels dock in Milwaukee, the dollars don’t just stay on the ship. Instead, they are spread around the community," said Peggy Williams-Smith, VISIT Milwaukee President and CEO. 

Milwaukee leaders speak about arrival of cruise ship Viking Octantis

Milwaukee welcomes the Viking Octantis -- the first cruise ship to visit Port Milwaukee as part of the 2023 season.

The Viking Octantis can carry up to 378 passengers on voyages throughout the Great Lakes. Also this year, Viking will also be introducing a second ship, the Viking Polaris, to the Great Lakes. It is identical to the Octantis.

The public can stay up-to-date on cruise ship arrivals and departures through Port Milwaukee’s virtual vessel tracker .