Costa Voyager in Helsinki, 15 June 2012

Costa Voyager

IMO 9183506
Name history: Olympic Voyager, Olympia Voyager, Voyager, Grand Voyager, Costa Voyager
Built 2000, Blohm & Voss Hamburg, Germany
Tonnage 24 391 GT
Length 180,40 m
Width 25,50 m
Draugth 7,30 m
840 passengers (lower berths), 920 passengers (maximum)
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 37 800 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 28 knots

The Costa Voyager made her maiden visit to Helsinki a month ago. She was not originally slated to visit the area this year, but following the fire of the Costa Allegra, the Costa Voayger was moved to take over the Allgera's itineraries. The Costa Voyager was built in 2000 as the Olympic Voyager, the first newbuilt ship for Royal Olympic Cruises (formed in 1997 in a merger of Epirotiki Lines and Sun Line). The Olympic Committee objected to the use of the term "olympic" in the name and the company was rebranded as Royal Olympia Cruises in 2002. In 2004 the Olympic Voyager became the Olympia Voyager to match the rebranding.

However, Royal Olympia Cruises went bankrupt already in 2004. The Olympia Voyager passed on to V-Ships and was chartered to Iberojet Cruceros of Spain as the Voyager (although marketed as the Grand Voyager). In the end of 2005 the ship was renamed Grand Voyager. In 2007 Iberojet Cruceros became Iberocruceros, a joint venture between Carnival Corporation & plc and Orizonia Corporation. In 2011 the Grand Voyager was tranferred within the Carnival group to Costa Cruises, becoming the Costa Voyager.

The photographs below show the Costa Voyager passing through the Kustaanmiekka Strait in Helsinki on the afternoon of 15 June 2012. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

According to my friend Bruce Peter, this is another one of those Knud E. Hansen -designed things. Quite sleek, but then again it is designed to run at 28 knots.

Based on the markings on the superstructure, the ship seemed to be doing this cruise under charter to Taaj Cruises - whoever they are.

In the strait, with JT Line's local ferry Amiraali in the foreground.

Outbound, following in the wake of the Azamara Journey.