Viking Grace in Turku, 1 June 2018

Apologies for the recent hiatus. Our family has been enjoying some well-deserved vacation time, so I left the blog on the sidelines during the past few weeks. But now we are back, and this entry will feature my first images of the Viking Grace with its new flettner rotor.

Viking Grace

IMO 9606900
Built 2013, STX Europe Turku, Finland
Tonnage 57 700 GT
Length 218,60 m
Width 31,80 m
Draught 6,80 m
Ice class 1 A Super
2 800 passengers
2 876 berths
530 lane metres of cars
1 275 lane metres of cargo
4 Wärtsilä dual fuel (LNG/diesel) engines, combined 30 400 kW
1 Norsepower flettner rotor
2 fixed-pitch propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Service speed 21,8 knots
Maximum speed 25,6 knots

The Viking Grace has been around for five years already, but it seems I haven't done a proper history article on the ship, so here goes.

The NB1376, as it was originally referred to in marketing materials, was contracted in December 2010 by Viking Line from what was then the STX Europe yard in Turku. The order materialised after prolonged negotiations. From the start, the new ship was designed to use liquidized natural gas (LNG) as fuel, becoming the first major passenger vessel in the world to do so. The ship's final name, chosen from 9 900 unique proposals from the public, was revealed in February 2012 (I was rather disappointed in both the eight finalists shortlisted as well as the final choice, and wrote about this in some detail).

The Viking Grace was launched in August 2012 and entered service in January 2013. The maiden voyage was a special all-inclusive two-night cruise, which was sold out, despite the prices being in the same range per person per night as upper end luxury cruise lines. For the first few months, the ship operated primarily with marine diesel fuel, until the delivery of the bespoke LNG fueling ferry Seagas in March.

In April 2018, the Viking Grace was fitted with a new flettner rotor provided by Norsepower, becoming the first major passenger vessel to be fitted with one (cargo carriers have been fitted with them before). The rotor is projected to decrease LNG fuel consumption by 300 tonnes per year, resulting in a 900 ton reduction of carbondioxide emissions yearly.

The photos below show the Viking Grace departing from Turku in the evening of 1 June 2018, photographed from the Kansanpuisto ferry quay in Ruissalo. For these particular images, special thanks go to Krzysztof Brzoza for making these shots possible by giving me a ride to and from central Turku to Ruissalo.

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

It does look more than slightly phallic, doesn't it?

The rotor doesn't quite match the stylings of the rest of the ship, but then again it's pretty hard to make a design that would do so. A different paintjob for the rotor might help though.

The lighting was not ideal this time around, but I think the photos turned out pretty good even so.

I do like that ship. Her only fault is that she sails from Turku, and the schedule is slightly problematic coming from Helsinki.

Also notice the "spoiler" added aft of the funnel to accommodate the various antennas which were originally located where the roto is now (the first renderings showed the rotor aft of the funnel, but I guess the central location is better).

I think the "spoiler" actually works quite well with the original design.

Next time we will probably look at the Megastar again.

Postscript: As you undoubtedly noticed, the photos in this entry introduced a new copyright watermark. I discovered earlier this year that Blogger, in its infinite wisdom, not only crops off a bit from the top and bottom of photos for previews on Facebook (and I presume elsewhere too), but these images also show up on Google searches. The old watermark was just small enough to be cropped off, resulting in an incident earlier this year where a company (who shall remain unnamed) used one of these preview images copied from a Google search on Facebook without asking for permission (they did remove it when I pointed out to them, although only after accusing me of lying first). This new watermark should solve this particular problem, although it of course doesn't solve the issue with more malicious image thieves of editing it out. But if one gets too paranoid there's really no way of putting up images on the internet...

Anyway, since I was changing the watermark anyway, I also wanted to change the font to match the one used in the blog header image, remove the year (it was really quite superfluous and added extra work as it needed to be updated yearly) , and add the url, just in case someone posts these somewhere else. So, yeah, here we are. I hope people don't find it too bothersome.

Viking Grace and Amorella in Mariehamn, 8 June 2014

Today's entry is brought to you by my discovering a previously unposted set of shots of the Viking Grace and Amorella in Mariehamn a few years back while working on today's issue of Ulkomatala (which, if you speak Finnish, you should totally check out). Featuring these two ships will also handily give me a chance to write about Viking Line's memorandum of agreement for the Amorella's replacement. But first, few words about this blog.

In the past month or so, inaddition to learning quite a lot about how to care for a newborn baby, I've also discovered how to maximise the number of blog views. Contrary to what I previously thought, the key is not regular updates. The key is making one entry a month about the interiors of the Silja Europa. December 2016's visitor numbers smashed the previous record by more than 50 percent, and while the Silja Europa interior entries have been the newest on the blog, daily visitor numbers have regularly been double or triple the normal numbers. It will be interesting to see what will happen after this entry is posted. Which brings us nicely back to the point.

Viking Grace

IMO 9606900
Built 2013, STX Europe Turku, Finland
Tonnage 57 700 GT
Length 218,60 m
Width 31,80 m
Draught 6,80 m
Ice class 1 A Super
2 800 passengers
2 876 berths
530 lane metres of cars
1 275 lane metres of cargo
4 Wärtsilä dual fuel (LNG/diesel) engines, combined 30 400 kW
2 fixed-pitch propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Service speed 21,8 knots
Maximum speed 25,6 knots

Amorella

IMO 8601915
Built 1988, Brodogradiliste Split, Yugoslavia
Tonnage 35 384 GT
Length 169,40 m
Width 27,60 m
Draught 6,35 m
2 480 passengers
2 046 berths
350 cars
900 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä-Pielstick diesels, combined 23 760 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 21,5 knots

The Amorella and Viking Grace have both enjoyed fairly uneventful careers, by the virtue of having both sailed (near-)exclusively on the Turku-Stockholm route (the Amorella has also had short stints on the Helsinki-Stockholm line). An end is in sight for the Amorella's time on the service, however, as Viking Line signed a memorandum of agreement to build a new ship for the Turku route - previously reported to be the Amorella's replacement - in November with the Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co. Ltd. in China. If the new ship is realised, she will be the largest on the Northern Baltic, with a projected gross tonnage of circa 63 000; this will be achieved by making the ship circa three metres wider than the Viking Grace, allowing the addition of one more lane of cargo on a ship with the same length.

The newbuilding is slated for delivery in 2020, and according to an interview with Viking's CEO Jan Hanses, on being replaced the Amorella will move to the Helsinki-Tallinn line as a running mate for the Viking XPRS. Also according to Hanses, Viking have been scouting the second-hand market for a suitable Helsinki-Tallinn ship for some time, without success. (This does, however, beg the question if it was smart to sell the Isabella back in 2013, if less than four years later Viking are in dire need of an additional ship).

The to-be-confirmed contract for the Chinese newbuilding also includes the option of a sister ship. If Viking are pleased with the new ship, surely the sensible thing would be to use the option and operate the Turku route with two identical sisters. This would also free the Viking Grace for use on other routes - rumours about transferring her to Helsinki-Stockholm have occasionally circulated. Of course, anything related to the optional sister is pure speculation.

The photos below, meanwhile, show the Viking Grace and Amorella arriving at Mariehamn for their simultaneous afternoon call, allowing for passengers to and from the Åland islands to disembark/embark, but - more importantly - allowing people making a 'picnic cruise' from Turku or Stockholm to change ships. Photographed from Västra Ytternäs, if I remember correctly. As always, click on the images to see them in larger size.

The weather and lighting were far from perfect - I fiddled with these quite a lot to make them less grey - but the synchronised arrival and turning is rather neat.

Interesting to compare the ship's looks; the same company, designed for the same route, but 25 years between them.

The dance of the (not so) little ferries.

Kships will return at latest at the end of this month with photos of the brand-new Megastar.

Viking Grace in Turku, 20 June 2016

Viking Grace

IMO 9606900
Built 2013, STX Europe Turku, Finland
Tonnage 57 700 GT
Length 218,60 m
Width 31,80 m
Draught 6,80 m
Ice class 1 A Super
2 800 passengers
2 876 berths
530 lane metres of cars
1 275 lane metres of cargo
4 Wärtsilä dual fuel (LNG/diesel) engines, combined 30 400 kW
2 fixed-pitch propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Service speed 21,8 knots
Maximum speed 25,6 knots

I haven't featured too many exterior photos of the Viking Grace here, so now is the time for a change.  This set was taken on the same trip as the shots of the Baltic Princess departing from Turku featured here about two months ago. So, as can be obvious from the previous sentence, the shots here show the Viking Grace departing from Turku on the afternoon of 20 June 2016, photographed from Ruissalo (albeit not the exact same location as on the Baltic Princess shots). As per the usual, click on the images to see them in larger size.

If I ever have the chance to write a book on the history of Viking Line, this could be a potential cover image.

Even after almost four years in service, the Viking Grace's exterior still looks nicely futuristic to my eyes.

The foreground reeds are a nice addition, as always.

She's really surprisingly sleek.

The colours radically changed with the light coming from the other direction.

LNG tanks prominently visible, as always. The soon-to-come Megastar, with the tanks hidden in a more conventional location, will be an interesting comparison.

Kships will return.

Viking Grace outside Mariehamn, 7 June 2014

Viking Grace

IMO 9606900
Built 2013, STX Europe Turku, Finland
Tonnage 57 700 GT
Length 218,60 m
Width 31,80 m
Draught 6,80 m
Ice class 1 A Super
2 800 passengers
2 876 berths
530 lane metres of cars
1 275 lane metres of cargo
4 Wärtsilä dual fuel (LNG/diesel) engines, combined 30 400 kW
2 fixed-pitch propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Service speed 21,8 knots
Maximum speed 25,6 knots

These are actually only my first set of daylight images of the Viking Grace, taken on 7 June 2014 while the ship is approaching Mariehamn for her mid-day visit. Taken from onboard the Amorella, also heading towards Mariehamn but sailing on the opposite direction. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

Viking Grace with the (now defunct) Kobba Klintar pilot station in the foreground.

More Grace + Kobba Klintar. Notice the statue of a painter below the Grace's bow.

Sea Wind in Turku, 15 February 2013

Sea Wind

IMO 7218332
Name history: Svealand, Saga Wind, Sea Wind
Built 1972, Helsingør Skibsværft og Maskinbyggeri, Denmark
Tonnage 15 879 GT
Length 154,41 m
Width 21,04 m
Draugth 5,02 m
Ice class 1B
12 passengers (as a cargo ship), 363 passengers (maximum)
363 berths
60 cars
1 270 lanemetres
4 MaK diesels, combined 7 356 kW
2 controllable pitch propellers
1 bow thruster
Speed 18 knots

For a history of the Sea Wind, see the first entry on her. The photographs in this entry show the Sea Wind departing from Turku on the evening of 15 February 2013, photographed from Ruissalo. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

Sea Wind leads while the brightly lit Viking Grace follows. The Grace is scheduled to depart before the Sea Wind, I think, but her arrival in Turku was delayed.

Onwards to the darkness.

Next time is archive time! We might be looking at old photos from my 2007 Canaries cruise to get some international colour to this blog again. Unless of course I feel inspired to go and take some new photos instead.

Viking Grace interiors, 14-15 February 2013 - Part 2

Following up Wednesday's Viking Grace interiors entry, here is the second and final installment of Grace interiors. For part 1, click here.

In the intervening days after part 1, two other things written by me have also seen the light of day on the internet: Part 2 of my english-language trip report from the Viking Grace is now up at MaritimeMatters, while for those fortunate enough to speak Finnish can read the latest issue of Ulkomatala, which includes a detailed article on the history of Viking Line's Turku-Stockholm services by yours truly.

Viking Grace

IMO 9606900
Built 2013, STX Europe Turku, Finland
Tonnage 57 700 GT
Length 218,60 m
Width 31,80 m
Draught 6,80 m
Ice class 1 A Super
2 800 passengers
2 876 berths
530 lane metres of cars
1 275 lane metres of cargo
4 Wärtsilä dual fuel (LNG/diesel) engines, combined 30 400 kW
2 fixed-pitch propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Service speed 21,8 knots
Maximum speed 25,6 knots

Last time we covered decks 9 and 10, today it's turn for decks 11 and 12.

Deck 11 houses the Oscar à la carte restaurant forward. Adjacent to Oscar is the Seamore Champagne Bar, and aft of these is the Frank's casual restaurant, Wellness Spa and right aft the second level of Club Vogue.

The decor in Oscar is quite restive - except for the gilded ceiling. And, unlike the Sweet & Salty cafeteria downstairs, it manages to look stylish rather than boring.

The restaurant continues aftward on the starboard side in a space with a slightly different styling that can be separated into a cabinet for groups.

Night-time Oscar, facing forward.

A more detailed look on the tables near the windows.

Aft and port of Oscar is the Seamore Champagne Bar (notice the column in the middle actually reads "champance", while the sign outside the space read "champange").

Seamore also functions as an aperitive bar for people dining at Oscar, though the Turku route's schedules are not particularly conductive for such an arrangement, particularly during the evening.

Oscar ceiling light detail.

More ceiling light details, this time from the forward staircase.

The Arcade on deck 11, facing aft from the forward staircase, towards the Atrium.

The three-deck high Atrium, facing forward.

The decorative fixtures of the atrium both move and change colour.

Aft of Oscar and off the Atrium is Frank's casual restaurant, finished in a bewildering array of styles. This central section really reminds me of a school cafeteria.

The service counters - multiple "action station" kitchens, each with it's own menu - are already slightly more adventurous.

The central area near the windows sees the return of the 50s-style space dividers from Buffet Aurora and the grey palette from Sweet & Salty...

...but the two wings of the room with sea views assume a fantastic palette, combined with fantastic modernist lamps.

Entrance to the Wellness Spa. Unfortunately I did not see anything else of the spa as it was fully booked when we tried to go there.

The aft staircase on deck 11. The stairs are colour-coded (by lighting): the forward one is turquise, the midship one yellow and the aft one purple, as seen here.

Aftmost on deck 11 is Club Vogue. All photos from there were included in part one of this series.

The sole passenger-accessible spaces on deck 12 are the extensive outer decks. Unfortunately, due there being windbreakers, the deck area is bloody cold during the wintertime.

To emphasise the environmental friendliness of the Viking Grace, Viking Line chose to alter their traditional funnel colours and paint the funnel all white. The result is less attractive than the original (the funnel is also quite small, probably also in an attempt to make it look more environmentally friendly).

During night-time the funnel is impressively lit though.

The big thing on the Grace: the LNG tanks on the aft deck. Although it whas been previously reported the ship would currently run entirely on diesel (due to the fueling infrastructure not being ready), there is always a small amount of gas carried and used, so that the LNG systems don't go "cold".

Next time: Baltic Princess (for real this time, I promise).

Viking Grace interiors, 14-15 February 2013 - Part 1

As some of you have perhaps noticed, the first part of my english-language travel report from onboard the Viking Grace is up at MaritimeMatters here. Since the trip report is up, I though it prodent to put up a more through collection of photos from the ship here. As there are almost 50 photos overall, I decided to break them into two separate entries. Today we will look at decks 9 and 10, while the next installment will deal with deck 11 and 12.

Viking Grace

IMO 9606900
Built 2013, STX Europe Turku, Finland
Tonnage 57 700 GT
Length 218,60 m
Width 31,80 m
Draught 6,80 m
Ice class 1 A Super
2 800 passengers
2 876 berths
530 lane metres of cars
1 275 lane metres of cargo
4 Wärtsilä dual fuel (LNG/diesel) engines, combined 30 400 kW
2 fixed-pitch propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Service speed 21,8 knots
Maximum speed 25,6 knots

The Viking Grace is notable, amongst other things, for her unusual interiors. They have been designed by the Finnish architecture firm dSign Vertti Kivi, who have also designed a horde of different things on dry land but never anything afloat before the Grace. The cabins and cabin corridors on the other hand have are the works of another Finnish architectural practice, Korpi & Gordon.

Deck 9 contains the navigation bridge forward, followed by cabins, the reception, conference rooms, a large tax-free supermarket and a teenagers' room.

The cabin corridors have extremely interesting carpeting. Apparently the carpets are identical on each deck with the exception that each deck has it's own identifying insect. On deck 9 this was a butterly, on one of the lower decks it's a ladybug.

An inside double cabin; not large but perfectly adequate for a 23-hour cruise. The floor may look like wood but it's ain fact a carpet patterned to look like wood.

On the port side there is a three-deck high atrium (spanning deck 9, 10 and 11), with a large panoramic window similar to that onboard the 1989 Viking Line ship Cinderella.

The lovely mrs Id demonstrated the functionability of the atrium sofas.

The Teens room is also on deck 9, located out of the way along the connecting corridor to the aft staircase, essentially inside the horseshow-shaped tax-free supermarket.

Deck 10 has, the following spaces, fore to aft: Aurora Buffet restaurant, Sweet & Salty cafeteria, Rockmore Bar, Retro Bar and Vogue night club.

The servery areas of Buffet Aurora have a fairly boring colour palette. It lets the foods stand out, for sure, but perhaps a little colour wouldn't have hurt.

The kids' table is somewhat more interesting. Also notice it's actually been designed for children, heightwise.

The actual eating areas of Aurora share similar patters but different sections have different colour schemes. Here were are looking aft on the starboard side.

Looking forward on the starboard side; notice the Alvar Aalto -style space dividers in the background.

Port side facing aft (towards the entrance), with yellow as the dominating colour.

Sprinkled amongst the more modernist chairs and tables are these odd retro things.

Totally random Buffet Aurora ceiling shot (with regards to Peter Knego).

The port side arcade aft of Aurora.

The Sweet & Salty cafeteria is located midships on deck 10. This also functions are a food outlet, with a self-serve buffet from which you pay according the weight of your portion.

The items served at Sweet & Salty are tasty but in terms of decor it is definately the most boring space onboard.

Aft of Sweet & Salty there are two different bars on either side of the funnel casing. On the port side is the Rockmore disco, which oddly lacks a dance floor.

Rockmore details. The space also functions as an access corridor to the Vogue night club aft and it gets irritatingly crowded easily.

On the starboard side from the Rockmore Bar is the Retro Bar, which features karaoke and the other forms of "traditional" cruise ferry culture. While these are not my favourite things onboard, Retro was clearly the most popular venue onboard.

Karaoke in full swing.

Club Vogue is a two-storey venue furthest aft. All of my Vogue photos are in fact from the upper level on deck 11, but I'm including them here for the sake of balancing the number of photos in the two entries,

It might be just me, but I think Vogue looks like a set from a 1970s science fiction movie.

During daytime Club Vogue is slightly less red and the ceiling lights look even more impressive.

Club Vogue's bar on deck 11.

At the very aft of Club Vogue there are large windows overlooking the ship's stern.

The dance floor in night-time mode...

...and day-time mode.

Next time: part 2 of the Viking Grace's interiors.