Viking Glory

History
Finland
NameViking Glory
OwnerViking Line
Port of registryMariehamn,  Finland
RouteTurku–Mariehamn/Långnäs–Stockholm
Ordered05 April 2017
BuilderXiamen Shipbuilding Industry Fujian, China
Cost225 million euro (estimate)
Laid down3 June 2019
Launched26 January 2021
Completed23 December 2021
Maiden voyage1-2 March 2022
In service2022–Present
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
TypeCruiseferry
Tonnage65,211 GT
Length222.55 m (730 ft 2 in)
Beam35 m (114 ft 10 in)
Ice class1 A Super
Installed power6 × Wärtsilä 10V31DF (6 × 5500kW) (550 kW/Cylinder))
Propulsion
Speed22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity
  • 2,800 passengers
  • 1,500 lane meters for ro-ro cargo
  • 1,000 lane meters for cars
Crew200
Viking Glory docking in Mariehamn, Finland, in March 2022.

MS Viking Glory is a cruiseferry owned and operated by Viking Line. The ship was launched in January 2021 and entered service in March 2022. Viking Glory was built at the Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry shipyard in China. The order was worth 225 million euro. The ship operates the Turku-Åland-Stockholm route, where she replaced the Amorella.

Viking Glory was built on the foundation of Viking Grace, but her energy efficiency was sought to improve. The ship is slightly longer and wider than Viking Grace, making her nine percent larger. In terms of gross tonnage (GT) Viking Glory is the largest cruiseferry on the northern Baltic Sea.

Viking Glory leaves from Turku in the morning and arrives at Mariehamn together with its sister ship Viking Grace in the afternoon on the same day. The ship stops at Mariehamn for 15 minutes. In the evening the ship arrives in Stockholm and stays there for an hour, after which it continues back towards Turku via Långnäs. Because of this, a full cruise takes 23 hours. Viking Glory usually leaves Turku in the morning, but it has also made evening departures for several days or even a week on end.

Decks

Deck 11
Kobba Restaurant & Bar, Archipelago Spa & Wellness, Viking Terrace, sun deck
Deck 10
The Buffet, Mimmi's Restaurant, Market Restaurant, Bar & Bakery, Vista Room Club / Vista Lounge, Casino, Algoth's Bar, Vista Deck
Deck 9
Torget Café & Bar, Conference, Shopping World, Info, Kids' playroom, The Hangout, bridge
Deck 8
cabins, crew quarters
Deck 7
cabins, outer deck, crew quarters
Deck 6
cabins, outer deck, Drivers' club, crew quarters
Deck 5
cabins, car dek
Deck 4
car deck
Deck 3
car deck
Deck 2
engine room, kitchen, crew quarters
Deck 1
engine room

Services

Restaurants

Bars and nightclubs

Shops

Children and youth

Wellness

Others

Facts

Construction

The ship was ordered on April 5, 2017 and construction was started in China on September 3, 2018. The keel was landed on June 3, 2019. Nordic companion companies of the ship construction include Wärtsilä, Kone, Deltamarin and Almaco. Under construction, the working name for the ship was NB 488A.

The ship was launched on January 26, 2021 and delivered to Viking Line in December 2021. Viking Glory's first cruise was on March 1, 2022.

The contract included an option for another ship, but Viking Line has not made any announcement about a possible sister ship.

Naming contest

In spring 2019 a naming contest was held for the ship, where the public could suggest a name for the new ship. Viking Line picked ten finalists from the suggestions, where the public could vote for their favourite. The finalists included names Arielle, Estelle, Glory, Lady, Mary, Panorama, Rose, Sophia, Stelle and Vista. The name of the ship was published on May 27, 2019.

Lateness

Viking Glory was originally supposed to start traffic in spring 2020. This was later moved to autumn 2020 and then again to spring 2021. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic starting from spring 2020, the delivery of the ship was moved to summer 2021. As the pandemic worsened the delivery was moved again to autumn 2021. On 26 January 2021 the delivery was moved to spring 2022. In the end the delivery was made almost two years late.

Because of the lateness the budget for the ship increased from 194 million Euro to 225 million Euro.

Viking Line is planning to seek compensation from the Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry dockyards because of the late delivery and overflow of the budget.

According to Jan Hansen, CEO of Viking Line, Viking Glory was the longest and most difficult project in the history of the company.

Incidents

Home voyage to Finland and preparations

Home voyage

From 28 December 2021 to 6 February 2022 Viking Glory went on a 41-day-long voyage from Xiamen to Turku via Malesia, Sri Lanka, Djibouti, the Suez canal, Cyprus, the strait of Gibraltar and Copenhagen. In front of Sri Lanka the ship was caught in nets set out by local fishermen. By the time Viking Glory arrived at the Suez canal, it had not been registered for the passage list even though it had reserved a passage spot in advance. The ship also had to stay at the Gibraltar harbour for a longer time than expected because of storms on the Atlantic Ocean. Viking Glory arrived at the Port of Turku with celebrations ongoing on 6 February 2022 at about 11:00 in the morning.

Preparations for traffic

From 24 to 26 February 2022 Viking Glory tested docking at the piers in Långnäs, Mariehamn and Stockholm. Because of the large size of the ship, it had to test the conditions at the narrow harbours at Långnäs and Mariehamn.

Maiden voyage

The maiden voyage of Viking Glory was held on 1 March 2022. The cruise was sold out quickly, as were many subsequent cruises.

Inside pictures

References

  1. ↑ Ferrysite. "Viking Glory". Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  2. ↑ Marine Traffic. "VIKING GLORY". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  3. ↑ "31DF" (PDF). Wartsila. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  4. ↑ "Viking Gory". Viking Line. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  5. 1 2 Viking Glory laskettiin vesille Kiinassa ja tilaisuus lähetettiin netissä - tiedotusjohtaja: "Innokkaimmat haluavat kyytiin jopa Kiinasta saakka", Yle Uutiset 28 January 2021. Accessed on 26 January 2021.
  6. ↑ M/S Viking Glory luovutettu Viking Linelle, Viking Line 23 December 2021. Accessed on 7 January 2022.
  7. ↑ Brännare, Stina: Viking Linen uusi Turusta risteilevä alus oli halvempi tilata Kiinasta – "Suomessa lähes 100 miljoonaa kalliimpi", Yle Uutiset 17 October 2017. Accessed on 5 April 2018.
  8. ↑ Vastuullisuus 2017 (CEO review) 2018. Viking Line. Accessed on 20 June 2018.
  9. ↑ Uuden ajan viikinkilaiva Viking Glory - kunniallinen ja ilmastoviisas, Moottori magazine 9 November 2019. Accessed on 2 February 2022.
  10. ↑ https://www.vikingline.fi/valitse-matka/aikataulut-yhteydet-satamiin/poikkeusaikataulut/
  11. ↑ Viking Gloryn kansikartta, Viking Line. Accessed on 19 June 2022.
  12. 1 2 Pohjapiirros (alustava), Viking Line. Accessed on 2 February 2022.
  13. ↑ Viking Line on allekirjoittanut alusrakennussopimuksen Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co:n kanssa, 5 April 2017, Viking Line. Accessed on 27 May 2019.
  14. ↑ Viking Linen uutta matkustaja-alusta aletaan rakentaa tänään, 3 September 2018, Viking Line. Accessed on 3 September 2018.
  15. ↑ Viking Glory luovutettiin Viking Linelle - alus matkaa seuraavaksi Kiinasta Suomeen, Yle Uutiset 23 December 2021. Accessed on 23 December 2021.
  16. ↑ Viking Line on allekirjoittanut alusrakennussopimuksen Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co:n kanssa, Viking Line. Accessed on 29 March 2022.
  17. ↑ https://www.iltalehti.fi/matkajutut/a/887302e6-e6b4-410b-9202-f1d8f5a23617
  18. ↑ Nimikilpailun tulos, 27 May 2019, Viking Line. Accessed on 27 May 2019.
  19. ↑ ÅU: Viking Glory saapuu Turkuun vasta joulukuussa - varustamo vaatii kiinalaiselta telakalta korvauksia, Yle Uutiset 27 October 2021. Accessed on 14 January 2022.
  20. ↑ https://www.iltalehti.fi/matkajutut/a/bd03bb73-3444-4c25-b636-c2f9fba775fd
  21. ↑ Viking Glory kulkee myöhässä teknisen vian vuoksi, Turun Sanomat 3 August 2022. Accessed on 6 February 2026.
  22. ↑ Viking Glory myöhästyy hieman - saapuu Turkuun aikaisintaan sunnuntaina, Yle Uutiset 2 February 2022. Accessed on 2 February 2022.
  23. ↑ Rosvall, Minna: Kiinassa rakennettu Viking Glory saapui Turun satamaan, Yle Uutiset 6 February 2022. Accessed on 6 February 2022.
  24. ↑ Viking Glory saapuu Turkuun helmikuun alussa - kalastajien verkot pysäyttivät muuten hyvin edenneen matkan Sri Lankassa, Turun Sanomat 25 January 2022. Accessed on 7 February 2022.
  25. ↑ Viking Glory seilasi läpi Suezin kanavan - "Merimiesjutuissa oli kuin olikin perää", Viking Line. Accessed on 2 February 2022.
  26. ↑ Kiinassa rakennettu Viking Glory saapui Turun satamaan, takana viisi viikkoa maailman merillä - katso tallenteelta laivan tulo ja kiinnittyminen laituriin, Yle Uutiset 6 February 2022. Accessed on 6 February 2022.
  27. ↑ Turkuun saapunut jättialus kiinnostaa risteilymatkustajia - jo useita lähtöjä loppuunmyyty: "Edustaa jotain ihan uutta Itämerellä", MTV Uutiset 6 February 2022. Accessed on 6 February 2022.