By
Jon Ingleton |
Viking Line has become a custodian of the Baltic Sea in recent years, taking some responsibility for elevating environmental standards and promoting stewardship to protect it for future generations.
“To fulfil our mission of safeguarding this unique maritime environment, we’re using all of the green innovations available to us,” says Michaela Lindström, project manager at Viking Line. “Priority is given to the environment and to passenger comfort as the travel experience of tomorrow takes shape today.”
Viking Line put its environmental principles into practice when developing its newest cruise ferry, Viking Glory, which will start service on the Baltic Sea in 2021. “Viking Glory will be one of the most climate-smart passenger vessels in the world when she’s launched next year,” says Lindström. “She will introduce passengers to a greener, more comfortable world.”
According to Lindström, Viking Line’s goal was for Viking Glory to give passengers the gift of being able to experience the full glory of the sea it is protecting.
“Whenever we ask our travellers what they think is important, they tell us that the view and a closeness to the archipelago play a crucial role – we feel the same way at Viking Line,” she explains. “Consequently, we want Viking Glory to show guests the archipelago in a way they’ve never seen before, so we put great focus on creating large panoramic vistas on all sides of the ship. There will be nothing obstructing guests’ views – the sea will be everywhere. The ship will enable guests to enjoy a slow cruise in comfort with a panoramic view of the environment.”
Viking Glory’s interiors were designed in partnership with Koncept Stockholm. “The company started the interior design process by analysing our core values and brand positioning,” says Lindström. “By doing this, we were able to outline which feelings we wanted guests to experience while they are onboard Viking Glory, as well as what forms and functions we could use to cultivate and support these emotions.”
Providing guests with the comfortable surroundings to view the spectacle of nature was a central pillar for the whole design approach. “Guests will be able to enjoy a slow cruise experience that helps them to focus on the good things in life when sailing onboard Viking Glory,” explains Lindström. “They’ll be able to appreciate the majestic scenery of the archipelago and great food, while improving their well-being.”
Viking Line has been teasing the industry by slowly releasing renderings of the interior spaces, and Lindström says future guests have much to look forward to. “The ship will have a classy interior, inspired by Nordic maritime traditions (archipelagos, local heritage and sustainability), Viking Line’s timeless pioneering spirit (reflected in the mix of modern styles with an overall contemporary feeling that will last a long period of time) and a somewhat folksy flavour with a silver lining (warm, welcoming, caring and playful).”
One onboard highlight will be a piazza named Torget. “This will be a very social place where people will meet up before dinner or have a cup of coffee during the day, perhaps with a freshly baked pastry from the onboard bakery,” says Lindström.
As shown in renderings, Torget’s design encourages guests to enjoy their time onboard at a leisurely pace and take a more reflective view of the world. Viking Line and Koncept Stockholm took a similar approach in the restaurants, where casual dining is heightened by amazing sights across the archipelago.
“When it comes to these interior spaces, we want to transport people in and to a better future,” explains Lindström. “There’s a red thread throughout the whole ship´s design and it’s inspired by the best, modern bar and restaurant classics around the Baltic sea,” she adds, noting that there is a happy link with Viking Line’s insignia too.
Connections are a strong theme throughout the ship – connections between passengers, with the local environment and with bygone times. Lindström says: “The ship is full of signature spaces that are Instagram-friendly, she’ll reconnect people with nature in spaces that are named to honour local history.” Thanks to her innovative design, Lindström predicts that Viking Glory will be a big hit with future passengers. “We’ve not yet revealed details about all the spaces onboard, so it’s hard to determine which spaces will be their favourites. However, we know Viking Glory will be a wonderous and unique ship that will delight passengers for many years to come.”
This article was first published in the 2020 issue of Cruise & Ferry Interiors. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
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