Viking Glory, which sails between Turku and Stockholm, will celebrate its one-year anniversary on March 1. In less than a year, the vessel has already served more than one million passengers, boosting Viking Line’s market share on the Turku route to an all-time record. The vessel’s launch manager knows what attracts people to Viking Glory.

There was enormous interest when Viking Glory set out for Stockholm on its maiden voyage on March 1, 2022. The vessel’s millionth passenger was welcomed with flowers exactly eleven months later, on February 1.

“Finns like to take cruises, and a new vessel is always a big event. Now with one year of experience behind us, we can say that our new vessel has managed to exceed both our own and our passengers’ expectations. Our market share on the Turku route has climbed to a record 68 per cent, and Glory has also inspired Swedes to take a cruise to Turku. The focus on different kinds of experiences on our flagship, the proximity to nature in the archipelago and the chance to customize every journey have clearly shown that we have our finger on the pulse of the times,” says Viking Line’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Johanna Boijer-Svahnström.

Viking Glory was launched in service just as Covid restrictions started to be eased, and pent-up demand was given free rein. On the other hand, due to the war in Ukraine and its domino effects, these twelve months have been exceptional in many ways.

“Last year, Glory had a significant positive impact on all of Viking Line’s business operations. The new vessel was a real vitamin injection for both our customers and all of the company’s staff after the long years of Covid. In uncertain times, a cruise is a safe way to get away from everyday life for a bit, and good demand has offset the effect of more expensive fuel,” notes Johanna Boijer-Svahnström.

“For us, the new vessel is also a major investment in reducing our environmental impact in the long term and safeguarding our future business conditions. The EU is now setting much more stringent emission standards, so climate-smart vessels are key factors for our competitiveness. At the Finnish Travel Gala in November, we were named Sustainable Business of the Year and Transport Company of the Year, and our new flagship played a big role in this double victory.”

Glory’s year in the eyes of its launch manager

Launch manager Lotta Lindroos was involved in the planning of Viking Glory, and life for her was intense during the vessel’s first year. This is how she analyzes the new vessel’s popularity with cruise passengers:

Experiences and details that people want to share

“The fantastic sea views and archipelago landscape that open up in every direction have the lead role in Viking Glory’s interior furnishings. The architecture firm Koncept also succeeded in designing many spaces that are Instagram-worthy on their own – the glass floor in Vista Room, where people can look down into the sea, the illuminated columns there that change colour and capture the eye, the breath-taking panoramic sea views in the rotating dining venue Fyren, and the three-storey atrium in Torget – which is no doubt among the most frequently photographed interiors on the Baltic Sea right now. Other favourites that our passengers post on social media are the three sculptures by Stefan Lindfors that are located in different places on board.”

Relaxation and wellness instead of partying

“Whereas in the past a boat trip usually required some time to recover, people nowadays come on board to recharge their batteries – and Glory offers excellent opportunities for this. The spa facilities, with their sauna, pool and treatments, are by far one of the vessel’s biggest draws. The gym and yoga studio are also popular. In the bars and restaurants, there is ever-growing demand for non-alcoholic cocktails and beverages.”

Quality is appealing

“Passengers today want their cruise to be a complete experience – so the overall experience and every detail have been honed to perfection on Glory. After the spa facilities, the experience continues, for example, with our seafood platter, which has been a big hit, and in the buffet customers are ordering more often from the wine list. Passengers also notice the quality – we get a lot of praise for, among other things, the mattresses in our cabins, which were made by Hilding Anders in Närpes, Finland. And while the beds are top-quality in all the cabins on Glory, it’s always the suites and luxury cabins that sell out first.”

The chance to customize your journey

“Glory is a vessel that offers passengers many different options. Our second most popular food venue after The Buffet is the Market, where people travelling in groups can choose their own favourite dish from the menus offered by the different restaurants in the food market. Perhaps the best proof of the vessel’s versatility is that many people also travel with Glory to work remotely – either alone or with the whole team.”