“As of March 2025, we’ve run the Birka Gotland for a year, so we are only at the beginning of our journey,” CEO of Gotland Alandia Cruises Kenneth Gustavsson told Cruise Industry News.
“Our aim is to create the best cruise experience in Sweden, and to do so, we will continue to develop the onboard concepts and destinations.”
2025 Highlights and Offerings
Gustavsson added that there are many highlights in 2025 that the company is looking forward to.
During most of the year, the Birka Gotland is set to offer daily departures from Stadsgårdskajen in Stockholm to Mariehamn on Åland.
On selected dates, the vessel is also set to offer three- and four-night cruises to Visby, Härnösand, Riga, Bornholm and Ystad.
Passengers are also able to embark in Mariehamn and Visby, and so a trip can be combined with longer visits to Gotland.
“Of course, we will cruise to all our beautiful Baltic Sea destinations. We are also arranging the very first Dance Band Week (Dansbandsveckan) on the Birka Gotland in January.”
Gustavsson specifically highlighted their appreciated Champagne and Wine Fair.
According to the CEO, the cruise line’s offerings fall into a category all their own.
“Of course, we are offering great entertainment, delicious food, a wonderful spa and excellent shopping at a truly charming ship. But the Birka Gotland is also the only vessel on the Baltic Sea purely offering cruises. We also offer several cruise destinations that other shipping companies do not operate from Stockholm,” he said.
The Birka Gotland’s four cornerstones are the entertainment, culinary experience, shopping and Baltic Sea destinations, Gustavsson explained.
“Our goal is to be the best in the Baltic Sea in these areas. We also have a clear conceptualization of the different days of the week, based on which target groups travel with us and when. This means that we adapt entertainment and other onboard concepts based on the guests’ preferences.”
To add to the offering’s flexibility, Gustavsson explained that the company is not bound by regular traffic or the pressured timetables of freight traffic.
“We have a certain flexibility in how we can create the cruise experience. We have the luxury of being completely focused on delivering an unforgettable cruise experience, and that’s what we do best,” he added.
Guests and Destinations
Gustavsson said that their source for guests is primarily the Swedish market, but they also have a lot of interest from international travelers, tour operators, as well as travelers eager to discover the Baltic Sea region.
As for their itinerary plans, he explained that the Åland Islands and the island of Gotland are the hub in their traffic and will continue to be so.
“Beyond that, we of course have other popular Baltic Sea destinations. In 2025, we will visit Höga Kusten and Ystad in Sweden, Bornholm in Denmark and Riga in Latvia. We are currently looking at new possible destinations for the future as well.”
Looking forward
When all is said and done, Gustavsson says that their mission is to get new target groups to discover cruises in their local region as a truly nice vacation option, a relaxed and accessible getaway from everyday life.
“We have all the opportunities to succeed in this, thanks to our combined skills and experience and, of course, with the incredibly talented crew we have on Birka Gotland,” he said.
