In 6 weeks Tallink will finish for the first time after more than 60 years with 2-ferry-operation on the most important route between Sweden and Finland, from Stockholm to Turku !
The GALAXY is also chartered out then as accomodation-ship (the swedish crew is laid off) and only the BALTIC PRINCESS will continue parallel to Viking Lines GRACE.
The new Viking GLORY is then the only "evening-ferry" from Stockholm to Turku.
Then only in operation for Tallink-Silja:
- SERENADE and SYMPHONY daily on Stockholm-Helsinki
- BALTIC PRINCESS on Turku-Stockholm (only "evening-ferry")
- BALTIC QUEEN on Stockholm-Tallin ca. every 2nd day.
- STAR and MEGASTAR on Tallin-Helsinki
- Route Stockholm-Riga is closed for long time
So 1 route totally closed and 2 routes only with 1 ship and no 23 hours-cruises anymore possible from Stockholm and Helsinki !
I am sure that in the offices from Viking Line they are drinking now a lot of Champagner !
Compare of daily afternoon-evening-departures in Stockholm between Viking Line and TallinkSilja:
VL 3 big ferries: Cinderella, Amorella OR Gabriella and Glory
TS 1 big ferry only: Serenade OR Symphony
5 (!) big cruise-ferries from TallinkSilja are chartered out:
Silja Europa, Isabelle, Galaxy, Victoria I, Romantika
Delayed planned for this autumn/winter (nov./dec./jan. ? There have been no sea-trials yet...) 2022: Replacement of STAR with the new bigger MYSTAR
So in Sweden and Finland are a lot of speculations now that Tallink needs "fresh garanteed money" from the chartered ships for to pay the invoice for the new MYSTAR soon to the yard... .
But what a very big image-damage in longterm for the half-closing of the most important ferry-line between Sweden and Finland !
Already now many fullbooked departures in autumn ! Will the freight-customers accept this ? To wait up to 12 hours longer for the next departure than with Viking Line (or Finnlines) ?
And what will be the next steps ? And is there any long-term strategy ?
Charter out more ferries soon (BALTIC QUEEN, SYMPHONY) ? "Floating hotels" with around 1000 small rooms and restaurant-space are popular in actually times of crisis.
Or / And maybe replace 1 big cruise-ferry in winter with the smaller STAR for to hold the freight-customers and some travellers with cars ?
Stockholm Ferry-Capacity 2019 - winter 2022/2023: to/from Riga minus 100%, to/from Tallin minus 50%, to/from Turku minus 25% - so maybe for often travelling workers, commuter, students etc. it could be a big problem to find a place on a ferry each weekend or especially around christmas and new year... .
The GALAXY is also chartered out then as accomodation-ship (the swedish crew is laid off) and only the BALTIC PRINCESS will continue parallel to Viking Lines GRACE.
The new Viking GLORY is then the only "evening-ferry" from Stockholm to Turku.
Then only in operation for Tallink-Silja:
- SERENADE and SYMPHONY daily on Stockholm-Helsinki
- BALTIC PRINCESS on Turku-Stockholm (only "evening-ferry")
- BALTIC QUEEN on Stockholm-Tallin ca. every 2nd day.
- STAR and MEGASTAR on Tallin-Helsinki
- Route Stockholm-Riga is closed for long time
So 1 route totally closed and 2 routes only with 1 ship and no 23 hours-cruises anymore possible from Stockholm and Helsinki !
I am sure that in the offices from Viking Line they are drinking now a lot of Champagner !
Compare of daily afternoon-evening-departures in Stockholm between Viking Line and TallinkSilja:
VL 3 big ferries: Cinderella, Amorella OR Gabriella and Glory
TS 1 big ferry only: Serenade OR Symphony
5 (!) big cruise-ferries from TallinkSilja are chartered out:
Silja Europa, Isabelle, Galaxy, Victoria I, Romantika
Delayed planned for this autumn/winter (nov./dec./jan. ? There have been no sea-trials yet...) 2022: Replacement of STAR with the new bigger MYSTAR
So in Sweden and Finland are a lot of speculations now that Tallink needs "fresh garanteed money" from the chartered ships for to pay the invoice for the new MYSTAR soon to the yard... .
But what a very big image-damage in longterm for the half-closing of the most important ferry-line between Sweden and Finland !
Already now many fullbooked departures in autumn ! Will the freight-customers accept this ? To wait up to 12 hours longer for the next departure than with Viking Line (or Finnlines) ?
And what will be the next steps ? And is there any long-term strategy ?
Charter out more ferries soon (BALTIC QUEEN, SYMPHONY) ? "Floating hotels" with around 1000 small rooms and restaurant-space are popular in actually times of crisis.
Or / And maybe replace 1 big cruise-ferry in winter with the smaller STAR for to hold the freight-customers and some travellers with cars ?
Stockholm Ferry-Capacity 2019 - winter 2022/2023: to/from Riga minus 100%, to/from Tallin minus 50%, to/from Turku minus 25% - so maybe for often travelling workers, commuter, students etc. it could be a big problem to find a place on a ferry each weekend or especially around christmas and new year... .
