For six summer weeks, Finns have a unique chance to experience the legendary Viking Cinderella, which last visited Helsinki in early 2022.
Viking Cinderella was the world's largest car ferry when she was completed in 1989, and is still one of the beauties of the Baltic Sea with her white-painted sides and panoramic windows spanning three decks. The ship's arrival in Helsinki as a partner to M/S Gabriella is therefore a landmark event for many die-hard cruise enthusiasts. Viking Cinderella's 2,500 cabin seats also double Viking Line's passenger capacity on the Helsinki-Stockholm route during the summer season.
On Viking Cinderella, you can still admire the original interior’s elegant core elements – marble in various shapes, brass and dark wood surfaces – and the impressive atrium light shaft that stretches from deck five to deck eight. The original interior look has also been preserved in the à la carte restaurant Seaview Dining. However, many other spaces on board have been renewed over the years. Some of the cabins were recently renovated so that, in accordance with passengers’ wishes, the bunk beds were replaced with double beds.
”"Interest in Cinderella is high and travel sales have been brisk ever since we announced that the ship would be returning to Helsinki over the summer. For some of our customers, Cinderella is an old acquaintance, while for others, the ship is a new acquaintance that they absolutely want to experience," says Marketing Director Ninna Suominen at Viking Line.
”Stockholm is also very attractive this summer. The Swedish krona is cheap and Stockholm is literally overflowing with interesting events for the whole family. In the city this summer you can take part in royal festivities: Carl Gustaf was crowned 50 years ago and Gustav Vasa 500 years ago. The Gröna Lund amusement park is celebrating its 250th anniversary, and after a visit to the amusement park you can conveniently take the city boat Emelie from Djurgården into the city.”
On Viking Cinderella, as on all Viking Line ships, this summer there is a special focus on the well-being of the youngest children and young people. The ship's conference deck has been transformed into the Ville Viking Adventure Island playground, and this summer's new feature is the LEGO® Room, where you can build with new LEGO Ninjago products, among other things.
For more adult tastes, there are the ship's four restaurants as well as the elegant Bottega Prosecco Bar, the traditional British pub Admiral Hornblower's Pub and the Étage nightclub, which continues onto the terraces on the aft deck. Many who were young in the 1990s remember Viking Cinderella especially for the wild entertainment cruises.
”"No matter what day of the week it was, there was always a party on Cinderella. On the car deck there was the nightclub La Strada and the Red Square – a square set up in old train carriages and selling Estonian products: cheese, jam and, for example, crystal. Today it is hard to imagine anything like that. 'Sintserella' was the Love Boat, where many love stories and marriages have probably started," he says. Jamppe Haakana, former cruise host on Viking Cinderella, today duty-free manager on Viking Glory.
According to the press release.
5 facts about Viking Cinderella
- The ship, built in 1989 at Pernovarvet in Turku, was the world's largest car ferry during its first years.
- In the 1990s, Cinderella was the entertainment center of the Baltic Sea, where star artists were happy to perform. Several TV programs were also recorded on the ship: among others Passi ja hammasharja, Noppapotti and Joonas Hytönen Show.
- Cinderella has hosted many golden celebrations in Finnish sports over the years. F1 world champion Mika Häkkinen, who was voted Sportsman of the Year in 1998, almost caused chaos on board when he was surrounded by enthusiastic fans.
- In 2003, Cinderella began sailing under the Swedish flag and changed her name to Viking Cinderella, as the name Cinderella was already registered in the Swedish ship register. The red sides of the ship were painted white, unlike Viking Line's other ships.
- For the past 20 years, Viking Cinderella has mainly operated cruises between Stockholm and Mariehamn. In the summer of 2023, Viking Cinderella will operate the Helsinki-Stockholm route from 30 June to 6 August as a pair with M/S Gabriella and will also make day cruises to Tallinn.
