MS Birka Gotland

The 2004-built MS Birka Gotland (fka Birka Stockholm) was a cruise ship owned by Eckero Line (Finland-based ferry company) via the brand Birka Line and operated by Eckero's fully-owned subsidiary company and travel brand "Birka Cruises".

The vessel was constructed by Aker Finnyards (in Rauma Finland).

Eckero acquired Birka in 2007.

The vessel (IMO number 9273727) is currently Sweden-flagged (MMSI 266314000) and registered in Stockholm.

In late March 2023, the ferry company Gotlandsbolaget/Destination Gotland, acquired the 19-year-old Birka Stockholm from Rederiaktiebolaget Eckero (via its subsidiary Shipping Ab Ltd) for EUR 38 million (~USD 41,2M / ~GBP 33,4M).

Gotlandsbolaget's current plans are to introduce Baltic cruises from Stockholm to Mariehamn (Aland Islands Finland) and Visby, starting in spring 2024.

After the laying up of the liner (due to the COVID crisis) for years in Mariehamn, Rederiaktiebolaget Eckero explored the possibility of converting the 1800-passenger vessel to an ~600-passenger expedition ship, but these plans didn't materialize.

Birka Gotland started revenue operations for the new travel brand Gotland Alandia Cruises on March 31, 2024.

History - construction and ownership

Birka Cruises (1971-founded as "Birka Line", 2020-defunct) was a Mariehamn (Aland Finland)-headquartered subsidiary company fully-owned by Rederiaktiebolaget Eckero (Finnish holding company) via its subsidiary Eckero Line Oy. The shipowner Eckero Line (Rederi Ab Eckero) is a Helsinki-based cargo and passenger shipping company founded in 1995. Birka Cruises operated only the cruiseferry Birka Stockholm, which was deployed year-round in the Baltic Sea. Birka offered regularly scheduled crossings between homeports Stockholm (Sweden) and Mariehamn (Finland)

After 49 years of operation, on July 3, 2020, Eckero Line announced that Birka Cruises is permanently shut down (effectively defunct) and that the vessel Birka Stockholm (16-year-old at the time) is planned for drydock conversion into a cruise ferry. According to Eckero's announcement, the company's closure was due to the financial impact of the Coronavirus crisis. All bookings were fully refunded. More than 500 Birka employees (including the ship's crew) lost their jobs.

In August 2023, the passenger shipping companies Viking Line and Gotlandsbolaget/Destination Gotland announced a joint venture cruise company to serve the Sweden-Finland route Stockholm-Mariehamn Aland-Visby. The new company is managed by Susanne Kaarnimo-Knight (CEO).

The 1800-passenger ship Birka Stockholm was unofficially dubbed just "MS Birka". The boat's interior design was a joint project of Birka Line, Aker Finnyards Oy (shipbuilder, 1989-2014), and Deltamarin Ltd (1990-founded company specializing in ship design, construction support, offshore engineering).

The vessel was originally designed/planned as a typical cruise ship, without the car deck available on similar cruiseferries. Birka is considered environmentally friendly, with the new innovations used in her construction (exhaust and closed sewage treatment systems).

The vessel's hull was specifically designed to optimize the environmental impact on the Aland Archipelago routes.

The vessel (Birka Paradise) was officially delivered to Birka Line on November 8, 2004. The naming ceremony was held on November 10, 2004, in Port Stockholm. The godmother was Arja Enni Helena Saijonmaa - 1944-born Finnish singer, actress, political activist. Birka's maiden voyage/inaugural cruise departed on November 11th. The ship was renamed "Birka Stockholm" in January 2013, when its colors were also changed - from blue-yellow-red to just blue-yellow.

Decks and Cabins

MS Birka Stockholm has a total of 900 staterooms (Outside and Inside) in 11 cabin categories. Many passenger cabins are marine-style decorated. All cabins are located above the waterline. All passenger accommodations are equipped with HDTV, dressing table with chair, wardrobe, phone, electronic safe box (in the closet), en-suite bathroom (washbasin-WC-shower, hairdryer), individually controlled air-conditioning.

Most cabins are doubles, each fitted with two fixed lower beds (non-convertible to a double bed). The largest stateroom is the Two-Deck Duplex Suite (each level is sized 18 m2 / 195 ft2) which has a separate living room (sofa bed, coffee table, armchairs), en-suite bathroom (toilet, separate shower, whirlpool bath), separate guest toilet (WC-washbasin).

The boat has 11 decks, of which 9 are passenger-accessible and 5 with cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

Shipboard dining options include 3 restaurants - Grand Buffé (self-service Buffet Restaurant), Four Seasons Restaurant, Café Brazil - and 8 bars including a whisky bar that serves 90+ single malts.

MS Birka Stockholm is among the cruise ships offering comfort and safety during a voyage. The ship's relaxation area includes a swimming pool, two Jacuzzis, poolside bars, a sundeck with palm trees, beach loungers and deckchairs.

Paradise Relax & SPA has a Sauna Room and offers spa treatments that include body massages and skin therapies using algae, chocolate, and volcanic mud. The onboard entertainment program is planned for each day of the week and includes live piano performances (at Yacht Club Bar) and orchestral performances (at Club Copacabana). The ship also has a Paradise Lounge, Paradise Beach, Paradise Sundeck (with dance area), Jogging Track, Promenade, Duty-Free Shop (Freeport Shopping), a Betting Shop (run by licensed bookmakers), Casino (gambling lounge), Birka Konferens (Conference Rooms), Helipad (helicopter landing area used in cases of emergency).

The Birka cruise ship remains the world's only passenger liner to have a sand beach complete with artificial sunlight.

Drydock refurbishment 2024

The refurb project in 2024 (by Gotland Alandia Cruises/USD 6+ million investment) included updates to all passenger staterooms, adding new cabin categories (bow-facing suites), redesign of some public areas, renovations to the wellness complex (Archipelago Spa was updated and new treatments were added to its menu), also the sundeck was redone.

Now the ship has a total of 9 dining and beverage venues (bar lounges, coffee shops, restaurants).

Itineraries

Following an extensive drydock refurbishment, the former Birka Stockholm (now Birka Gotland) was scheduled to debut its Sweden-Finland cruises with the Maiden Voyage at the end of March (around Easter 2024) roundtrip from Stockholm to Aland/Mariehamn. The inaugural cruise left from Stockholm on March 1st (2024).

During spring and summer, the ship operates 1-2-3-night voyages visiting Mariehamn and Visby. In peak summer, the itineraries expand to include popular vacation destinations in Sweden (Harnosand, Ystad), Denmark (Bornholm) and Latvia (Riga).

Birka Stockholm's itinerary program was based on Baltic Sea mini-cruises leaving roundtrip from homeport Stockholm Sweden to Mariehamn (Finland).

Birka Stockholm operated 22-hour cruise crossings between Stockholm and Mariehamn Aland. In addition to these 7 weekly crossings, Birka also planned special weekend voyages (during summer) and holiday voyages (for Christmas and New Year's Eve).