Very Nice Finnish

If you’re looking for some sheer indulgence, cruise along, says Inder Raj Ahluwalia

In 1959, when Gunnar Eklund, founder of Viking Line, a cruise company, saw an opportunity to create a ferry service between Finland and Sweden, it was to cater to Finnish emigrants on their way to Sweden. Eklund therefore bought an old vessel which had served as a hospital ship during the World War II Normandy landings and had a car deck plus a few cabins built into it. On the first ferry route between Naantali in Finland and Kapellskär in Sweden, most passengers slept in deckchairs. The service was bare and basic, functional, to say the least.

However, if you are in that part of the world and expect a couple of decrepit ships to service you, you will most certainly be in for a shock. What awaits you are 'luxury leviathans' or super-liners and before too long, it will become clear that in cold, gray Scandinavia, the hottest way to travel is by ferry cruises that crisscross the region, linking Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Germany. Several cruise companies, including the two major names, Silja Line and Viking Line, operate daily cruises that welcome and pamper up to 2,000 passengers, providing a perfect getaway with fun and fiesta and the very best of Scandinavian luxury.

It was two hours to sunset when we boarded the ferry at Helsinki harbour, bound for Stockholm some 400 km away, ready for the twelve-hour run through the Baltic's icy waters. The sun was still bright enough to set the sea aflame, and the sunlight glinted on the soft-coloured concrete that is the city's hallmark. Two blasts of the hooter and we were off. As the Finnish capital's magnificent skyline faded behind us, the buildings lit as if by a thousand candles. We were summoned for an informal press briefing below-deck that gave a run-down of the ship's and the cruise's salient features, and a list of dos and don'ts. A welcome drink with a suitably unpronounceable name, and we were on our way.

"Our salient feature and USP is non-stop fun," said our gracious hostess, setting the tone for this celebrated trip across the deltas and archipelagos of the Baltic Sea. We duly took her on her word, and got ourselves a drink. To say that these cruises define upscale elegance is to state the obvious in these parts.

Heading west, we'd seemed to be chasing the setting sun. Ahead, the ocean had become a pale orange, but behind us it was a deep gray, fast becoming inky black. Within minutes, night had fallen, with not a light to be seen in any direction as the ferry raced through the dark waters, its flaky white wake starkly visible in the black pit that was the sea.

It becomes a sort of true-life fantasy as one slices one's way through the island-studded archipelago between these two pretty Scandinavian capitals, each a magical Nordic tourist centre in its own right, combining the flavour of old Europe with a dash of the contemporary. While Helsinki excels in its beautiful architecture and old-world hospitality, Stockholm literally brims over with galleries, boutiques and restaurants, boasting the most eateries of all European cities on a per-capita basis.

One fundamental principle guides the working of the cruise companies. Build and operate a floating five-star hotel, and then throw in some more ‘stars’ for good effect. The result! The ships are entertainment, comfort, and luxury rolled into one. Carrying a maximum of 3,000 passengers, they feature a complete infrastructure designed to cater to all whims and fancies. Cabin categories include lower-priced C-Cabins, more upscale ones, and luxury suites with exclusive staff and catering. There are also specially furnished meeting and conference rooms, assembly rooms, and business centres for corporate guests.

An hour out, a couple of drinks downed, and it was time for some serious gourmandising, which turned out to be an adventure by itself. On offer was a vast and difficult choice of cuisine, served in several outlets like dance restaurants, gourmet eateries featuring a la carte menus, buffets, and specialty food, and casual cafes. Depending on one's appetite, one can try the full drill of nouvelle cuisine from different countries. Layer after layer of salads, meat-stuffs, and confectionery items line the cold shelves, and the wine list takes ten minutes to read.

I started off with a plate full of salad, skipped the soup, and settled down with a main course of lamb chops and hash brown fries. A chance meeting with a group of Scandinavians was all the excuse needed for me to down two schnapps with my meal. But I found that ocean-trotting goes far beyond trivial pursuits like eating, drinking and dancing. One can jog on the outdoor deck or relax in a recreation spa with whirlpools, water slides, and steam and sauna baths. One can try one's luck in glittering casinos with a selection of gaming tables, or jive to star entertainment, or rock on special dance floors. For late-night owls there are intimate bars, discos and nightclubs that sparkle into the night and early mornings. Bars are on all floors, their tables spilling into the corridors, affording fine views through large bay windows.

Luxury is the operative word. Name the facility, it’s there and in-plenty. Families with children enjoy special playrooms with items like a 'sea of balls', toys and games, and swimming facilities.

Being an avid duty-free window shopper saw me rather gainfully occupied for an hour in this harmless pursuit. The shopping area was a bit smaller than a football field, but only just, and stocked from floor to ceiling, and packed with shoppers, both of the serious and non-serious variety. Jewellery, cosmetics, toys, souvenirs, alcohol! The rush was on till the shutters came down.

All right! I'm only human! I must confess I didn't see much of my cabin. The night had been fulsome and all too short, but it was a one-night cruise, so a little over-indulgence could be forgiven.

Sunrise in the Scandinavian seas is an experience by itself, and the best way to appreciate the night gone by: the star-gazing, dancing, eating, and the sheer delight of being on the high seas. Morning brought a strong urge for black coffee, and it was thus that we sailed into the Swedish mainland with its beautiful backdrop of lush scenery, before docking at Stockholm at 6 am as advertised.

It was the morning after the night before, and it was Scandinavian flavour at its best as we toured the city, dwarfed by the magnitude of its architecture. In the shadow of the stately old buildings built on the cluster of islands that form the base and platform of the Swedish capital, we absorbed the distinct local atmosphere, so enriched by exclusive dialect. We visited the city's landmarks like the Vassa Museum and the famous Nobel Prize Hall. Somewhere behind us was the bustle of the harbour, and the hooting of the departing ferries on their return trip to Helsinki.

For a while it had seemed like a night without an end. But it had ended. Too quickly...