Viking Line : Stable passenger volumes in 2018 for Viking Line

January 9, 2019

Stable passenger volumes in 2018 for Viking Line

The number of passengers who travelled with Viking Line in 2018 was 6,411,537. Last year, the corresponding figure was 6,881,149 and is attributable to increased capacity in the form of the leased catamaran Viking FSTR on the Helsinki-Tallinn route. During 2018, the aim was to monitor the ticket price level, which together with dry-dockings and charter trips affected the volume trend. The number of cargo units during the year was 128,549 and the number of passenger cars was 704,799.

Traffic on the routes

On the Turku-Åland Islands-Stockholm route, passenger volume on Viking Grace and Amorella was 1,858,880 (1,885,643). Both vessels were dry-docked in January 2018.

On the Helsinki-Mariehamn-Stockholm route, which is served by Mariella and Gabriella, there were 969,307 (1,036,559) passengers during the year. In January, Gabriella served the Turku-Stockholm route during Viking Grace's and Amorella's dry-dockings and had its own dry-docking for 14 days in April.

A total of 1,947,952 (2,341,440) passengers travelled between Helsinki and Tallinn. The higher passenger volume last year is explained by the leased catamaran Viking FSTR, which served the route during the period April 10 to October 15, 2017. Viking Line offered 38 per cent fewer departures on this route in 2018 compared to 2017. Along with Viking XPRS, the route was served between June 6 and August 12, 2018 by Mariella and Gabriella. Capacity utilization on the two vessels was the best since summer traffic on these vessels was launched in 2014.

On the short route across the Sea of Åland, Mariehamn-Kapellskär, the number of passengers on Rosella increased to 732,965 (722,269). Rosella set in 2018 a record for the number of passengers, only in 2009 more passengers traveled with Rosella, but then there were nearly 40 more departures offered. A favourable trend is discernible among people travelling with cars and Swedish cruise passengers.

Passenger volume on Viking Cinderella's cruises from Stockholm was 894,520 (890,689). These figures are stable, with an increased market share. We should be pleased with the passenger figures for 2018. Our vessel dry-dockings have affected passenger volumes to some extent, but so has our aim to try to monitor the ticket price level. There has continued to be tough competition on prices, to the benefit of our passengers. In our main markets, traffic was stable. The number of Russian passengers increased slightly, which is good news, says Jan Hanses, President and CEO of Viking Line.

Notes: In January 2018, Rosella was dry-docked 14 days, Viking Grace 14 days, and Amorella 9 days. Gabriella was dry-docked 14 days in April. Gabriella replaced Viking Grace and Amorella in January on the Turku route.

For further information, please contact:

Jan Hanses, President and [e-mail],tel. [phone]

Peter Hellgren, Deputy CEO, Marketing and Sales,[e-mail],tel. [phone]

Kaj Takolander, VP, Marketing and Sales, (Finland, Estonia, Russia),[e-mail], tel. [phone]

Kenneth Gustavsson, VP, Marketing and Sales, (Sweden, International),[e-mail], tel. [phone]

Johanna Boijer-Svahnström, VP, Corporate Communications,[e-mail],tel. [phone]