Gabriella, 22 June 2010

Gabriella

IMO 8917601
Built 1992, Brodogradiliste Split, Croatia
Tonnage 35 492 GT
Length 171,50 m
Width 28,20 m
Draught 6,25 m
2 420 passengers
2 402 verths
400 cars
900 lane metres
4 Pielstick diesels, combined 23 760 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 21,5 knots

I've written about Gabriella's history in some detail in the previous entry about her. So this time I'll say a word or two about her design.

As said before, the Gabriella is of course a variation of the basic design of the Amorella, built at the same yard but adapted to the needs Euroway, her original owner, foresaw nescessary for their Malmö-Lübeck cruiseferry service. Resultingly the Gabriella shares the attractive basic design with a rounded bow, streamlined superstructure and a high-placed bridge, with masts raked forward for a more dynamic appearance. Externally the main difference from the Amorella & Isabella's design is that the Gabriella has additional cabins with balconies on deck 11 (this is open space in the other sisters' original design). Also on the forward section of deck 7, where the teo older sisters have a large cafeteria the Gabriella has additional luxury cabins.

In addition to structural differences, all of Viking's split sisters have slightly different liveries. Amorella has the basic Viking livery with a red hul land all-white superstructure. Isabella has an additional red band running along the windows of deck six. The Gabriella as you can see doesn't have Isabella's red band but she does have a black band running along the windows of deck 8. And of course, as noted in the previous Gabriella entry, she was originally painted with an all-red funnel when entering Viking service to further distinguish her from her sisters.

Other than that on the inside large portions of the Gabriella's decor draw from Swedish and German maritime history thanks to her original incarnation as the Frans Suell. For example the forward staircase has rather attractive paintings of Swedish age-of-sail warships, while the ceiling of the pub is decorated with backlit reproductions of old german ocean liner advertisement posters. I'm hoping to do a photographic coverage of the Gabriella's interiors at a later date.

Photographs below are of the Gabriella departing Helsinki on 22 June 2010, photographed from Kustaanmiekka. Click on the image(s) to view full size.

Entering the Kustaanmiekka strait... the most common point of view in any ship photograph taken in Suomenlinna.

And heading to open sea and on to Stockholm via Mariehamn after clearing the strait.