MS Galaxy

Galaxy in the Stockholm archipelago, September 2008.
History
Name:	Galaxy
Owner:	Tallink Group[1]
Operator:	2006–08: Tallink 2008 onwards: Silja Line[2]
Port of registry:	2006–08: Tallinn,  Estonia 2008 onwards: Stockholm,  Sweden[2]
Route:	2006–08: Helsinki–Tallinn 2008 onwards: Stockholm–Mariehamn/Långnäs–Turku[2]
Ordered:	28 October 2004[2]
Builder:	Aker Finnyards, Rauma, Finland
Yard number:	435
Laid down:	21 April 2005[2]
Launched:	1 December 2005[2]
Christened:	1 December 2005 by Johanna-lisebel Järvelill[2]
Acquired:	18 April 2006[2]
Maiden voyage:	1 May 2006[2]
In service:	2 May 2006[2]
Identification:	Call sign: SFZQ IMO number: 9333694 MMSI number: 266301000
Status:	In service
General characteristics [2]
Type:	Cruiseferry
Tonnage:	48,915 GT 5,800 DWT
Length:	212.10 m (695 ft 10 in)
Beam:	29.00 m (95 ft 2 in)
Draught:	6.40 m (21 ft 0 in)
Depth:	15.40 m (50 ft 6 in)[3]
Decks:	12[4]
Ice class:	1 A Super[5]
Installed power:	4 × Wärtsilä 16V32 26,240 kW (combined)
Propulsion:	Two shafts; controllable pitch propellers[3]
Speed:	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity:	2,800 passengers 2,500 passenger berths 420 cars 1,130 lanemeters

MS Galaxy is a cruise ferry built in 2006 by Aker Finnyards, Rauma, Finland and was at the time the largest ship delivered to ferry operator Tallink. Between 2006–2008 she held the distinction of being the largest ship ever to be registered in Estonia; a title later held by her replacement the sister ship Baltic Princess.

Since July 2008, Galaxy has sailed on the Stockholm–Åland–Turku route under Tallink's Silja Line brand. She sails in pair with her sister ship Baltic Princess which replaced Silja Europa in February 2013.

History

The introduction of Tallink's first newbuilding, the cruiseferry Romantika, in 2002 on the cruise service between Tallinn and Helsinki was a success. One year after her entry into this service, Tallink's fiercest competitor Viking Line, announced that they would withdraw their flagship Cinderella from the same route, replacing her with the more freight-oriented Rosella.

This led Tallink to order a bigger ship to replace the Romantika on 28 October 2004. Romatika, in turn, was needed to join her newly delivered sister ship, the Victoria I, on the Tallinn–Stockholm route.

Design & construction

Building of the new ship commenced in early 2005 and her keel was laid on 21 April. The shipyard was Aker Finnyards, Rauma. The Rauma shipyard had previously built the Romantika and the Victoria I. On 1 December 2005, the new ship was launched and christened as Galaxy.^[2]

Designed as a carefully enlarged replica of the Romantika, the Galaxy is longer and has additional cabins and public areas. Leaving behind the external livery scheme introduced on the Romantika and her sister, the Galaxy sports a white hull with a cloud decorated blue superstructure, along with a number of different animals painted on her sides. The design of the livery was made by the Estonian artist Navitrolla.

Galaxy arriving in Helsinki in Tallink colours, April 2007.

Helsinki–Tallinn service

After performing her trials, the Galaxy entered service on the Tallinn–Helsinki route on 2 May 2006. The ship performed one round trip daily between the two capitals but spent most of her time moored in port—on her original route Galaxy was at sea for less than seven hours per day.^[6] In April 2007, less than a year after her introduction, Tallink announced that the Galaxy was to be transferred to the Stockholm–Mariehamn/Långnäs–Turku route during 2008.^[7] She was replaced by her sister ship Baltic Princess.

Stockholm–Turku service

Following the Baltic Princess replacing Galaxy on the Tallinn–Helsinki route,^[8] Galaxy replaced Silja Festival on the Stockholm–Turku route on 23 July 2008. Coinciding with the route change, Galaxy was re-registered to Sweden.^[9] The ships external livery, as well as her name, was left unchanged, despite an earlier statement made by Tallink that she would be re-painted in Silja livery.^[10] A "Silja Line" hull text did replace the "Tallink Cruise" text on her sides, but her Tallink funnel logo was left unaltered. Before beginning service, Galaxy was docked at Naantali for three days.^[11]

Decks

1. Engine room
2. Sauna, swimming pool
3. Car deck
4. Car platform, can be lowered hydraulically to divide the car deck in two giving space for two layers of passenger cars
5. Conference rooms, A- and B-class cabins
6. Moonlight dance bar, cafeteria, information desk, shops, Starlight Palace show lounge (lower level)
7. Buffet Galaxy, Grill House, Alex and Happy Lobster restaurants, cigar club, piano bar, whisky bar, Joe's place, games arcade, Starlight Palace show lounge (upper level)
8. Suites, de luxe-, A- and B-class cabins
9. Suites, de luxe-, A- and B-class cabins
10. Bridge, disco Zenith, crew accommodations, sundeck^[12][13]

See also

• Largest ferries of Europe

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Galaxy (ship, 2006).

• (Finnish) Tallink Silja official website for M/S Galaxy
• (Swedish) M/S Galaxy at Fakta om Fartyg