Viking Grace Celebrates Five Millionth Passenger

The Viking Line has announced that the M/S Viking Grace carried its five millionth passenger in the short history of the vessel.

On March 23, the five millionth passenger boarded the Viking Grace and was presented a bouquet of flowers by its master, the terminal manager and the cruise line’s mascot Ville Viking. The rest of the passengers onboard were treated to a glass of sparkling wine.

The Viking Grace was put into service in January 2013, sailing the route between Turku, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden.

“We are really pleased about Viking Grace's ever-growing popularity,” Viking Line regional manager Riikka Arola said in a statement. “Five million passengers in four years is a fine performance, and we would like to extend our warm thanks to all the passengers on our vessels.”

“It feels good that so many people have had great experiences on a cruise with us on the Baltic Sea's most elegant cruise vessel,” Arola continued. “Our investment in environmental sustainability, quality restaurants, unique shopping options and luxurious comfort has clearly been noted, and Viking Grace has found a place in people's hearts.”

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Viking Grace is the first cruise ship in the world to run on liquefied natural gas. It also has a new energy circulation system that converts waste heat from its engines into clean, emission-free electricity.

Viking Line also revealed future plans to make the ship more efficient, such as a rotary sail that is scheduled to be installed during April 2018, which will convert wind into propulsion for the vessel and reduce fuel consumption.

The cruise line also donated the ticket price of the five millionth passenger to the protection of the Baltic Sea, further emphasizing Viking Line’s long-term focus on environmental protection.

For more information on the Viking Grace, check out the official website of Viking Line.

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