Viking XPRS will resume service on the Helsinki–Tallinn route on February 7 after three weeks at the shipyard and will now offer passengers what is in many ways a new cruise experience. 

The vessel has sailed under the Finnish flag for almost two years and has increased its popularity on this highly competitive route. Viking XPRS offers 15 weekly departures from the two ports and serves the most passengers of all of Viking Line vessels. Last year, the total number of passengers on Viking XPRS was more than 1.6 million.

“There is great demand for trips to Tallinn, and it’s easy and advantageous to make a spontaneous trip with XPRS. More than a third of passengers take their car along on the journey. There are many families that sail, especially in peak season and during the holidays. XPRS is also a popular conference vessel, and the percentage of group and conference passengers has increased in recent years,” says Ninna Suominen, Head of Marketing at Viking Line.

During those weeks at the shipyard, the biggest change made was in the vessel’s tax-free shop, which was enlarged during the renovation and provided with more functional spaces. The shop also has a new area for tastings.

“We rebuilt the original shop from floor to ceiling. Trends have changed a lot over the past 17 years. Now more space and visibility are given to cosmetics and fragrances, among other things. Almost every perfume house launches seasonal fragrances, and new products are presented more often than before. As for beverages, we’ve made sure that the most sought-after products, like the flavoured long drinks that are now popular, don’t sell out,” says Viking XPRS’s intendant, Ronny Hagelberg.

The restaurant world on board Viking XPRS also has something brand-new on offer. Bistro Coffee serves quality coffee products, specialty coffees and hot dishes. Adjacent to the buffet restaurant, a private dining room has been built for large groups of up to 34 people.

At the shipyard, the vessel’s interiors were updated in a bright, modern, fresh style. The entrance was completely overhauled, carpets were replaced and cabin interiors were updated, with reupholstered sofas and new curtains.

Technogical updates reduce fuel consumption

Viking XPRS, which was delivered in 2008 from what was then the Aker Yards shipyard in Helsinki, was dry-docked this time at Oresund Dry Docks in Landskrona, in southern Sweden. The biggest and most costly job involved maintenance work to update the vessel’s technology.

The most significant technological update is the installation of flow-control mechanisms, which reduces the vessel’s resistance. This flow-control technology, supplied by the Finnish engineering company Elomatic, reduces fuel consumption and improves travel comfort through reduced vibration. The vertical sections of the vessel’s bottom were also sand-blasted and painted. With these updates, Viking Line aims to reduce fuel consumption on the vessel’s service to Tallinn by about five per cent. Technology upgrades and maintenance over the vessel’s entire life cycle are a crucial factor in reducing total emissions. 

Viking Line’s vessels are dry-docked twice within a five-year period, in accordance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations. Smaller-scale maintenance work is carried out on a regular basis while the vessels are in service.

“The dry-docking and planning for this are a major joint project that involves a large number of our shipboard and land-based staff as well as specialists in various fields. During the planning phase, we listen very closely to the requests of staff members and customers. I can hardly wait until we get to enjoy the end result together with our passengers – an even more pleasant and more functional Viking XPRS,” says Ronny Hagelberg.