The Viking Grace is celebrating its first anniversary in January. To honour the occasion, January will be dedicated to champagne aboard.

M/S Viking Grace will be offering plenty of program activities on champagne themes – from tasting occasions to creative bubbly beverages, not to mention impressive combinations of food and champagne.

The popularity of champagne is growing – at Viking Line, the sales of champagne have grown by 85% in five years, said a statement.

In order to meet the customer expectations, Viking Line wants to provide the customers with new information and positive experiences linked with this splendid beverage. These bubbly weeks of champagne will bring both new taste adventures and a wide range of things to do on board M/S Viking Grace. For instance, passengers can participate in lectures on champagne, take part in a crochet session by a glass of champagne as well as a knowledge quiz on the subject and see how a champagne bottle can be opened with a sabre.

Champagne is a brilliant beverage with food, according to the line, which will be combined during the theme month on M/S Viking Grace with a comprehensive variety of dishes – even some surprising choices.

Gastronomists and others who appreciate the very best in food will be treated well at the Seamore champagne bar, where there will be the opportunity to get acquainted with the new trend that has charmed London, Bubbles & Dogs: in other words, gourmet hot dogs and champagne. Hot dogs will be available in both meaty and vegetable-based versions, accompanied by various tasty side dishes.

“Champagne accompanied by a hot dog sounds, on the face of it, like a rather wild idea. But this combination, developed in London, has brought about a recent culinary boom that Viking Line now wants to introduce on the waves of the Baltic Sea – offering completely new kinds of food adventure to our passengers,” explained Viking Grace’s restaurant manager Sari Launonen.

At the Oscar à la carte restaurant, the passengers can enjoy a special five-course champagne menu designed by Viking Grace’s chef Robert Salmi. Suitable beverages for the menu have been chosen in cooperation with Essi Avellan.

For instance, oysters au gratin with Parmesan cheese and champagne served as a starter, and for dessert, moist chocolate cake topped off with liquorice crème and champagne sorbet. The most suitable champagne is selected for pairing with the starter and main course.

Viking Line’s unique range of champagne has been planned by a real expert in bubbly beverages, Essi Avellan, Master of Wine.

“Breadth and depth are found in Viking Line’s champagne selection,” wine master Essi Avellan said.