A cruise line known for its trips on European rivers is offering voyages on the Great Lakes.

Viking Cruises will begin sailing on the Great lakes in January 2022 to ports in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario, company officials said last week.

“We invented the concept of modern river cruising when we launched in 1997; then we reinvented ocean cruises and became the ‘World’s Best Ocean Cruise Line’ in our first year of operation, as well as every year since then," Torstein Hagen, the Basel, Switzerland-based company's chairman, said in a statement.

"Now, in creating ‘the thinking person’s expedition,’ we are perfecting polar expedition cruising, and we will usher in a new era of comfortable exploration in the heart of North America.”

The company offers three Great Lakes itineraries:

Undiscovered Great Lakes — The eight-day cruise sails from Thunder Bay, Ontario, to Milwaukee, including passage through the Soo Locks. Multiple sailing dates between May and September 2022 are available. Pricing starts at $6,695 per person with free airfare within North America.

Great Lakes Explorer — The eight-day cruise sails from Milwaukee to Thunder Bay, Ontario, including a stop at Mackinac Island. Multiple sailing dates between May and September 2022 are available. Pricing starts at $6,495 per person with free airfare within North America.

Niagara & The Great Lakes — The eight-days cruise sails from Toronto to Milwaukee. The trip includes a stop in Detroit. Multiple sailing dates in April, May, June, July and September 2022 are available. Inaugural pricing starts at $5,995 per person with free airfare within North America.

Officials said guests will travel on the cruise line's Octantis vessel. The ship is under construction, but will host 378 guests in 189 staterooms when completed.

Viking Cruises also announced it was offering expeditions to Antarctica, beginning January 2022, on the Octantis.

The company has 79 river and ocean vessels around the world and plans to launch seven new river ships this year.

For information, call Viking at 1-800-284-5464 or visit www.viking.com.