Viking Line and Gotlandsbolaget join forces for Baltic Sea cruises

Viking Line and Gotlandsbolaget are entering into a partnership and will offer joint cruises on the M/S Birka Stockholm. The two renowned Scandinavian shipping companies are planning a cruise service from Stockholm to Mariehamn and Visby, which is scheduled to start in spring 2024.

Viking Line and Gotlandsbolaget are establishing a joint venture with the aim of developing cruises between Stockholm-Mariehamn and Stockholm-Mariehamn-Visby. Gotlandsbolaget acquired the M/S Birka Stockholm in March 2023 for 38 million euros and has now sold 50 percent of the ship to Viking Line for 19 million euros.

Both companies are contributing their expertise to the project. The M/S Viking Cinderella, which currently operates between Stockholm and Mariehamn, will be transferred to the Helsinki-Mariehamn-Stockholm route in spring 2024.

Jan Hanses, CEO of Viking Line, is looking forward to the cooperation with Gotlandsbolaget and sees it as an opportunity to improve the cruise offering from Stockholm. Håkan Johansson, CEO of Gotlandsbolaget, emphasizes the experience and competence of both companies as the basis for a successful partnership.

The new company represents a significant investment in the cruise sector in the Baltic Sea and is expected to start operations in spring 2024. The partnership agreement has an initial term of five years with an option to extend.

The closing of the transaction and the launch of the new joint venture are subject to approval by the Swedish Competition Authority. The new company will be based in Stockholm and headed by CEO Susanne Kaarnimo-Knight.