Le Boréal in Helsinki, 9 & 11 June 2011

Le Boréal

IMO 9502506
Built 2010, Fincantieri Ancona, Italy
Tonnage 10 700 GT
Length 142,00 m
Width 18,00 m
Draught 4,70 m
Ice class 1C
264 passengers
264 berths
Diesels, combined 6 400 kW
2 propellers
1 bow thruster
Speed 16 knots

There's really nothing much new to say about Le Boréal  that I wouldn't already have said in the previous entry about her. She's still a magnificient yatch-like cruise ship with superbly attractive stylings both inside and out, with the white-grey-red exterior colour scheme also carried over to the inside in a most tasteful manner. This is one ship I would not mind sailing on... not that I would have the money to do so in the foreseeable future.

Le Boréal called in Helsinki twice within three days in early June this year, first on 9 June. On this day she departed early, at 14.00, and the photo opportunities were less than ideal, but below are two images from that day. Click on the image(s) to view larger size.

At the Katajanokka cruise quay, with the ship and the sun for once positioned so that a nicely lit photo of the ship's rear was possible.

On Kruunuvuorenselkä, bound for the Kustaanmiekka strait.

The same ship again in Helsinki on 11 June 2011. This time she left at the more practical time of half past four, which yielded nice photo opportunities at the Kustaanmiekka strait. Click on the individual images to see larger size.

From the point of view of the history of ship design it's interesting to note that two funnels located on the sides of the ship, which once was the sign of a workmanlike ferry, have now become increasingly common on luxury cruise ships.

You wouldn't nescessarily think a predominantly grey livery makes for a good-looking ship, but it does work amazingly well on the Le Boréal and her sister.

Through the strait. The warm day attracted a lot of people to Suomenlinna and surprisingly many were taking photographs of the ships passing by, as the two people visible here.

18th-century military architecture and 21st-century maritime architecture in the same image.

Proudly flying the French flag... even if the ship is actually registered at Mata-Utu in the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna in the Pacific.

Off she goes for more cruising around the Baltic.