Grand Mistral on the Gulf of Finland, 30 May 2013

Grand Mistral

IMO 9172777
Name history: Mistral, Grand Mistral
Built 1999, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France
Tonnage 48 200 GT
Length 216 m
Width 28,80 m
Draught 6,90 m
1 715 passengers
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 31 680 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 22,5 knots

The Grand Mistral was one of the early ships to be featured in this blog. For a short history of the ship, see the first entry on her.

The photographs below show the Grand Mistral on the Gulf of Finland outside Kronstadt. After sailing out of the channel from St. Petersburg the Grand Mistral slowed down to drop off the pilot, giving our ship (the Princess Anastasia) the chance to overtake her. The Grand Mistral re-overtook us later in the evening, but the photographs of that will be the subject of a later entry.

In case you missed my trip report from the Princess Anastasia over at MaritimeMatters, you can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

As always, click on the images to see them in larger size.

The weather had been perfect during our entire Princess Anastasia cruise... until the departure from St. Petersburg. And even that turned out to be a good thing, as it made these dramatic photos of the Grand Mistral possible.

Not one of my favourite ships in the terms of exterior design, but the dramatic lighting more than makes up for it.

I love the way the sky looks in this one.

Here I should have used a larger apperture or higher ISO level as the image is slightly out of focus. Still good though.

Next time: MSC Musica and Grand Mistral sailing into the sunset.

Galaxy in Stockholm, 28 May 2013

Galaxy

IMO 9333694
Built 2006, Aker Finnyards Rauma, Finland
Tonnage 48 915 GT
Length 212,10 m
Width 29,00 m
Draught 6,40 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 800 passengers
2 138 berths
420 cars
1 130 lanemeters
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 26 240 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 22 knots

For a short history of the Galaxy, see this entry. The photographs below show the Galaxy arriving at Stockholm's Värtanhamnen on the evening of 28 May 2013, photographed from onboard St. Peter Line's Princess Anastasia. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

I wouldn't mind living in Lidingö - at least not the highbuildings visible here. Imagine the photo opportunities during the morning arrivals! Okay, it might cost a bit.

The photogenic local ferry wreck in the foreground again.

Starting to turn in order to reverse to the terminal...

...which also leads to the ship being positioned rubbishly for the lighting.

Next time: Grand Mistral

Baltic Queen in Stockholm, 28 May 2013

Baltic Queen

IMO 9443255
Built 2009, STX Europe Rauma, Finland
Tonnage 48 915 GT
Length 212,10 m
Width 29,00 m
Draught 6,42 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 800 passengers
2 500 berths
600 cars
1 130 lanemeters
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 32 000 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 24,5 knots

I don't remember if there has been a history entry for the Baltic Queen before. There probably hasn't, because there's so little to say. The ship was built in 2009 by STX Europe in Rauma as the third and last unit of Tallink's Galaxy-class. On delivery in April 2009 she was placed on the Tallinn-Mariehamn-Stockholm route. In November-December 2009 and again in October-November 2010 she briefly moved to Silja Line's Turku-Långnäs-Stockholm -run, allowing the Silja Europa to move to the Helsinki-Mariehamn-Stockholm run to cover for the docking periods of the Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony. Apart from these occasions, Tallink's newest ship has stayed exclusively on the Tallinn-Stockholm run.

The photographs below show the Baltic Queen departing from Stockholm Värtahamnen in the afternoon of 28 May 2013, photographed from onboard St. Peter Line's Princess Anastasia. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

The lighting obviously wasn't ideal when approaching from this direction, but on the other hand it's not every day you can even photograph the ship from this particular point of view in this place.

As fashionable as it is to dislike the Tallink ship artworks, I must say I quite like the one on the BQ. It's not overdone and the colours used work surprisingly well together. I wouldn't mind seeing Tallink repaint some of their ships, but this one should stay exactly as it is.

The remains of a double-ended local Stockholm ferry in the foreground.

Departing view framed by harbour buildings. Notice the map of the Baltic Sea on the warehouse on the left.

Next time: Galaxy