The Superstar has arrived in Naantali

Finnsirius was handed over to Finnlines at the end of July. Now, after a little over a month-long sea journey, the first of the Superstar ships has docked in Naantali, Finland.

The final leg from Antwerp to Naantali proceeded in beautiful late summer weather. The crew and everyone at Finnlines are excited to welcome passengers on board starting Friday, September 15, 2023.

In the previous post, we shared how Finnsirius sailed past Gibraltar, continuing its route meandering through the English Channel en route to the port of Antwerp. Image: MarineTraffic

Antwerp Stopover: Continuing the Journey to the North Sea

The last time Finnsirius had docked was in Italy. It was time once again for provisioning, i.e., replenishing supplies. In the vast cargo port of Antwerp, cargo was also unloaded, which had been transported on Finnsirius’ massive 5200-meter cargo decks all the way from Yantai, China. Planned crew changes were also carried out. Several different tradesmen and experts boarded the ship.

In Antwerp, award-winning sommelier Samuil Angelov also arrived to conduct wine training for restaurant and kitchen key personnel on Finnsirius. Samuil has designed Micke’s wine list to perfectly complement the menu crafted by top chef Henri Alén.

View from Finnsirius’ mess deck outdoor terrace overlooking Antwerp’s massive cargo port.

As evening fell, several newcomers strolled on Finnsirius’ outer decks, marveling at the beautiful ship and the bustling Antwerp port until nightfall.

The next day in the North Sea, one of Finnlines’ Finneco cargo ships, which are the latest vessels preceding the Superstars in Finnlines’ fleet, was encountered.

Capturing a Scenic Moment in the Kattegat Strait

On Thursday, Finnsirius arrived at the Kattegat Strait, which runs between Sweden and Denmark. The Superstar passed by one of Finnlines’ home ports, Malmo, from where the iconic Öresund Bridge, familiar from TV series, stretches towards Copenhagen. Much of the crew gathered on deck in sunny, almost sweltering weather, to witness the passage beneath this colossal bridge.

Finnsirius passed under the iconic Öresund Bridge in beautiful weather. Several pleasure boats were on the scene, capturing images of the new arrival in the Baltic Sea.

Stellar Encounter: Finnsirius and the Swan

On Friday afternoon in the Archipelago Sea, there was an exhilarating moment as the Finnswan, en route to Kapellskär, encountered the newest Baltic Sea vessel, the Finnsirius. Finnswan let out a deep, resonating greeting, to which the Finnsirius responded with an impressive blast.

Later, as the sun was setting, the Baltic Princess welcomed the Finnsirius with the same exchange of blasts. Once again, the older ship greeted first, and the Finnsirius responded in kind.

Finnsirius and Finnswan met in the Archipelago Sea. Waves were exchanged from both ships’ decks. For some of Finnsirius’ crew, Finnswan was a former home vessel.

On Friday afternoon, the Finnswan (lower blue arrow) passed its future operating partner, the Finnsirius (upper blue arrow). Image: MarineTraffic.

For the first time, the Finnish archipelago came into view through the panoramic windows of the Finnsirius’ arcade.

As the evening darkened, Finnsirius approached Naantali. The picture is taken from Deck 12, just outside the cozy Stellar Lounge.

Finnsirius approached Naantali after the sun had set.

Regular Service Begins Next Week

Finnsirius arrived in Naantali after sunset, on a calm and beautiful autumn evening.

Starting from September 15, 2023, Finnsirius will depart from Naantali to Långnäs every day with a morning departure. It can accommodate up to 1,100 passengers and 5.2 kilometers of cargo at a time. Finnsirius serves as a complete package for cargo, cruise, and route passengers — how convenient!

Do you want to join the unique maiden voyage? There’s still time. Book your trip on the Finnlines website.