Princess Maria in Helsinki, 18 November 2010

Princess Maria

IMO 7911533
Name history: Finlandia, Queen of Scandinavia, Princess Maria
Built 1981 Wärtsilä Turku, Finland
Tonnage 34 093 GT
Length 168,05 m
Width 29 m
Draught 6,72 m
Ice class 1 A Super
1638 passengers
395 cars
4 Wärtsilä-Pielstick diesels, combined 22 948 kW
2 controllable pitch propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 sterns thruster
Speed 21,2 knots

I was looking through old photographs I have on the computer (stuff since 2008) to see if there was anything that I could put up here. And sure enough, there was this forgotten gem from autumn 2010, the Princess Maria in a nocturnal setting at the Makasiiniterminaali. There are no less than five different variants of this individual photo saved. I suspect I was displeased with the way colours turned out in all of them (the original was heavile red-tinted) and that is why it was never featured here at the time. But better late then never, looking at it now I think it's a fantastic photo.

A shame you can't take a photo like this anymore in the South Harbour. Although come to think of it, something similar could be archieved in the West Harbour... I should try heading there some evening.

Next time: probably the Linda Line fast catamaran Karolin.

Mariella in Helsinki, 16 October 2012

The photographs in this entry are my last ship photos from 2012 (well, to date, but due to the poor lighting conditions in this part of the world for the rest of the year, it's very unlikely I will have a cance to take more). This is actually something of an accident. As I wrote in the previous entry, I was hoping to get some photos from my two-weeks-ago cruise to Stockholm on the Silja Symphony. Additionally, yesterday was supposed to be the date of last cruise call in Helsinki for 2012, with Fred. Olsen's Black Watch making a call during her Baltic Christmas Markets cruise. This was not to be, as the call was cancelled due to heavy winds (which have since developed into a still-continuing blizzard). For next entries after this one, we will probably move on to my archives. But now onwards to the point:

Mariella

IMO 8320573
Built 1985, Wärtsilä Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Tonnage 37 860 GT
Length 175,70 m
Width 28,40 m
Draugth 6,78 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 500 passengers
2 500 berths
400 cars
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 23 008 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 22 knots

Very little to say about the Mariella, really. She is the faithful servant, having sailed on between Helsinki and Stockholm almost with interruption since 1985. The photographs below show her sailing through the Kustaanmiekka strait after departing Helsinki on the afternoon of 16 October 201. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

The lighting might not be very good, but just look at the sky!

More of the sexy sky...

The sun did clearly still shine a bit, judging by the reflections on the windows.

Entering the narrowest part of the strait.

Also notice the wee bit of autumn foliage on the left.

Silja Symphony in Helsinki, 16 October 2012

Silja Symphony

IMO 8803769
Built 1991, Kvaerner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Tonnage 58 377 GT
Length 203,03 m
Width 31,93 m
Draught 7,12 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 852 passengers
3 001 berths
410 cars
1 600 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä-Vasa diesels, combined 32 580 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 21 knots

The Silja Symphony seems to be in fashion these days (so to say) . The previous entry was about her, this entry is about her, and yesterday I returned from a two-night ferry cruise to Stockholm with her. I had hoped that the said trip would have yielded some interesting photographs (as we are nearing the end of my photos taken during this year), but alas the weather was quite bad during the entire trip and hence very few photos worth of posting were taken.

But regardless of that, do enjoy thesephotos, which show the Silja Symphony in and departing from Helsinki on the afternoon of 16 October 2012. Click on the imaes to see them in larger size.

Hiding behind firey trees.

Pictoresque fishermen's huts right outside the harbour.

Some time later at the Kustaanmiekka strait, with impressively lit clouds in the background. Unfortunately the impressive lighting didn't really extended to the ship itself.

Dark cloud formations in a somewhat atypical Finnish autumn weather. Usually there's just a mat of completely even light grey which makes photographing predominantly white ships extremely difficult.

I admit to cheating with this one: the ship and the rest of the image were treated separately, as that was only way to light up the ship without losing the dramatic dark clouds in the background.

Out of the strait, with even a little bit of setting sun reflecting from the windows.

Stockholm awaits.

Next time: Mariella

Silja Symphony in Helsinki, 17 September 2012

Silja Symphony

IMO 8803769
Built 1991, Kvaerner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Tonnage 58 377 GT
Length 203,03 m
Width 31,93 m
Draught 7,12 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 852 passengers
3 001 berths
410 cars
1 600 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä-Vasa diesels, combined 32 580 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 21 knots

Nothing much new to say about the Silja Symphony. Still a fine ship. The photographs below show her after passing through the Kustaanmiekka strait on the afternoon of 17 September 2012, sailing outbound from Helsinki. Click on the images to see in larger size.

I presume the smoke is from firing up an additional engine after passing through the Kustaanmiekka strait out to the open sea.

The autumn wind created some very dramatic waves...

...and the ship's passing created some additional dramatic waves ashore.

Next time: probably some more Silja Symphony from later in the autumn.

Delphin in Helsinki, 17 September 2012

Delphin

IMO 7347536
Name history: Belorussiya, Kazakhstan II, Delphin
Built 1975, Wärtsilä Turku, Finland
Tonnage 16 214 GT
Length 156,27 m
Width 21,90 m
Draugth 6,20 m
556 passengers
2 Pielstick-Wärtsilä diesels, combined 13 240 kW
2 propellers
1 bow thruster
Speed 21 knots

The Delphin, or "my favourite cruise ship that I've never been on". She's been featured on this blog three times before, but it seems I can't get enough of the ship. Asssembling this entry I noticed that the ship's current operator, Passat Kreuzfahrten, have also issued an English-language catalogue - which means one could probably get by onboard even if one doesn't speak German terribly well. So perhaps the Delphin will have the chance to have the "that I've never been on" dropped from it's description.

My travel plans aside, the photographs below show the Delphin in Helsinki South Harbour and departing the city via the Kustaanmiekka strait on the afternoon of 17 September 2012 in beautiful autumn evening light. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

A former soviet ferryand the Uspensky Cathedral, that was often used to represent Leningrad or Moscow in Cold War -era Hollywood films.

Look at that light! Right now it's cold, wet and dark outside here, and it's a bit hard to believe this photo was taken less than two months ago.

I just think this ship looks superb. Right down to the little nautical details like the double stripe on the hull.

Kustaanmiekka strait, part 1...

...part 2...

...and part 3, with added panoramic effect.

Through the strait and that superb light!

It was actually quite windy and the sea was a bit choppy, as the spray from the ship's bow proves.

Onwards and outwards, to enjoy the Delphin's first winter programme with Passat Kreuzfahrten, that will take the ship to the Caribbean and Antarctica.

Next time: Silja Symphony.