Day 304: Leaving for Turku

Travel to Date: 36,367.98 km

Morning Departure: Setting Off in the Rain

I woke to rain, but that wasn’t going to dampen my spirits. I hopped on a scooter bound for the river and caught the Orange Ferry towards the port. Being outside the high season has its perks—the ship was half empty, and you could sit anywhere you liked. Every seat promised a great view.

Earlier, I ventured up top, but the wind whipped so fiercely around the corners that even under shelter it felt like a storm. I quickly ducked back inside.

Viking Glory Ferry

The MS Viking Grace is a Ro-Ro passenger vessel operated by the Finland-based Viking Line. It has a capacity of 2,800 passengers, 500 cars, and 75 trucks. Launched in 2013, it runs the Sweden–Finland route between Stockholm and Turku (about 10 hours), with a stop at Åland (Mariehamn).

It’s funny how the ship’s movement reminded me of a car. As it turned out, I found myself leaning with it, giving the odd sensation of sliding across the seat. From my panoramic window, I watched as the morning gloom lifted, the rain eased, and then returned a few hours later. The sea swelled, but a ship this size cruised through.

Life Onboard

With 11+ hours ahead, I settled into routine: finished yesterday’s blog, posted it, and began writing today’s.

The Viking Grace has 11 decks and 880 cabins. All are air-conditioned with en-suites, HDTVs, and phones. Suites and premium cabins come with extras like double beds, sofas, refrigerators, and toiletries. Some rooms are wheelchair-accessible, while allergy-friendly cabins use non-allergenic materials.

Entertainment

Onboard life resembled what I imagine a cruise ship to be: restaurants, cafés, bars, duty-free shops, a casino, children’s play areas, an arcade, dancing, and more.

Lunch was classic Scandinavian fare—meatballs with mash, mustard sauce, red currant, and pickles—washed down with a beer (📸 photo attached).

Cruise Ship Trivia

I once read about a couple who lived on a cruise ship for three years because it was cheaper than maintaining a home. More recently, in August 2025, someone from America purchased a 15-year cabin lease, planning to live permanently at sea. Mario Salcedo, who has spent 25 years living on cruise ships, admitted he’s lost his “land legs”—his body sways so much he can’t walk straight anymore.

Stops Along the Way

We paused at Mariehamn, in the Åland Islands. Some passengers disembarked, and for a moment I wondered if I should too. Staff quickly assured me I was to stay on board. Soon, new passengers boarded, and we were back out on open water.

The further we sailed, the more the rocking grew more noticeable. At times, the horizon tilted right across the deck, only to vanish again. Not extreme, but enough to feel. By the time we neared Sweden, the waters had calmed. Passing Furusund, a large island off the coast, reminded me that Stockholm was just a few hours away.

Arrival in Stockholm

We docked around 6:50 pm. I bought a bus ticket on board for the ride into the city. At first, the route seemed to head away from my hostel. A small panic bubbled—I almost asked the driver to stop—but then realised we were bound for the central station. From there, I could retrace my steps. Relief.

Driving into Stockholm felt dazzling. The city glowed like Disneyland—bright lights, neon signs, and video screens flashing everywhere. My priorities were simple: a SIM card, a scooter, and then the 3.9 km trip to the hostel.

But the SIM card came without a number, which meant no scooter (the app sends codes by SMS). So, I pressed on foot.

I reached the hostel around 9:30 pm, checked in, watched a little TV, and finally drifted off—until 1:25 am, when two new guests arrived. The downside of 24-hour check-in.

Reflections

The day started smoothly, stumbled a bit at the end, but as the saying goes, all’s well that ends well.

Andrew - inspireseniorstravel.com