Viking Line’s cruise ferry Mariella is returning to service today after two weeks of dry docking and refit. “The vessel, which turns 30 this year, underwent a thorough renovation. This included modernisation of cabins, restaurants and the nightclub to meet the needs of today’s consumers,” the Finnish company said in a statement

During Mariella’s dry docking in Landskrona, Sweden, more than a hundred cabins received a facelift. “Passengers can now book a completely new Comfort Class cabin. The 72 Comfort Class cabins offer pleasant décor, a double bed and a wireless network. In addition, all of the vessel’s luxury cabins have been modernized,” Viking Line said.

More than one million people per year sail the Helsinki (Finland)–Stockholm (Sweden) route on  Mariella and its running mate, the 1994 built Gabriella.

“The cheapest cabin is no longer necessarily enough. Instead, people want a bit of luxury during their voyage. Traditional services such as playroom ball pools and buffet meals remain popular, but in addition people would like new kinds of experiences,” says Kaj Takolander, Viking Line’s Head of Sales and Marketing in Finland and the Baltics.

The wishes of many Mariella passengers are now being realised with the opening of a new restaurant called Plate – Social Dining. “The restaurant will focus on socialising in industrially inspired surroundings. Another new restaurant is Ocean Grill, where chefs will prepare grilled dishes in an open kitchen before the eyes of customers,” Viking Line continued.

The conference facilities on board Mariella have been expanded as part of the renovation. In addition to the existing auditorium seating 300, meeting capacity has been expanded with a conference room for 40 people. This room offers a sea view and is decorated with furniture created by Swedish designer Alexander Lervik.

Club Mar, the vessel’s nightclub, has been modernised in many ways − from décor to sound engineering − and now seats 430 guests. As for play areas, we now offer the youngest family members the PS4 Lounge and the KIDS playroom.

During 2015, Viking Line has invested extensively in on-board comfort. Besides modernizing the Mariella, the company has also renovated the Viking XPRS, which sails on the Helsinki–Tallinn (Estonia) route, including an expansion of the services on that vessel. In addition, several of  Gabriella's family cabins (B2L) have been renovated.