Tax-free cruise to Gotland? Shipping company Tallink Silja is opening a new route and starting to sail to Visby – via Mariehamn.
”We see that there is an extreme desire to travel,” says Erika Janson, communications manager at Tallink Silja.
Ferry traffic between Finland and Sweden was forced to drastically reduce when travel restrictions were introduced due to the corona pandemic. When Finland first opened its borders to several neighboring countries, Sweden was not included.
The situation has made Tallink Silja look for new ways to get the business going. Now the company is starting to compete for Gotland travelers. During July, Tallink Silja will operate the Stockholm-Visby route, via Mariehamn.
”It's the first time ever we've operated that route,” says Erika Janson.
The setup is a ”typical” cruise. The ferry leaves Stockholm in the afternoon, arrives in Mariehamn at midnight and arrives in Visby the following morning, for a one-day stop on Gotland. The stop in Mariehamn is made to offer tax-free shopping.
But at the same time, there are a lot of things that are different from how it usually is – fewer passengers than usual are allowed on board and many safety procedures have been introduced, including when boarding and disembarking. Regular announcements will remind travelers to wash their hands and keep their distance.
”"We will take a maximum of 1,000 people on board, normally it can be up to 2,500 people. This is to ensure that there is plenty of space and the possibility of social distancing," says Erika Janson.
The price for a cabin for four people will be 1,970 kronor. And those who want to bring their car on board will have to pay an additional 280 kronor. However, it is not possible to drive the car off in Visby. To begin with, cruises are offered on a few specific days.
”Then we'll see what the demand is,” says Erika Janson.
For Tallink Silja, the Gotland trips are a way to try to save some of the summer's revenue. Tallink Silja currently operates the Stockholm-Turku route with two ships, mainly for freight, but also for business travelers, commuting to work.
”"A ship that is moving is better than one that is standing still. So far, our luck is that we have a lot of cargo capacity and have received some help from the Finnish and Estonian governments to transport socially useful goods," says Erika Janson.
”"Now we are testing this. We see that there is an extreme desire to travel but people don't want to go long distances and Visby is one of Sweden's most beloved travel destinations.".
Source: TT
