SWEDEN/FINLAND. Leading cruise-ferry and travel retail company Tallink Grupp has transformed the shopping experience and food & beverage offer onboard the M/S Baltic Princess, which operates from Turku (Finland) to Stockholm (Sweden).
The cruise ship resumed operations on 19 March with an upgraded shopping area spanning 1,450sq m – up from 1,200sq m previously.
The Moodie Davitt Report Managing Editor Ameesha Raizada was on location at the Värtateminalen ferry terminal in Stockholm on Tuesday (27 May) to take a closer look at the €8 million upgrade.
The design renewal was led by Finnish agencies Franz Design, Aprocos Interior Design and Design Studio Marjut Nousiainen.
Tax-free shopping (led by liquor, tobacco & confectionery) occupies the largest retail space onboard at 600sq m, followed by perfumes and cosmetics at 350sq m, fashion at 300sq m, and gifts and children’s products at 200sq m.
Launched in 2008 as a €165 million cruise vessel, Baltic Princess has 927 cabins and can accommodate up to 2,800 cruise passengers.
Tallink Grupp Member of the Management Board Piret Mürk-Dubout said, “The retailing concepts were different when the ship was built. Now we wanted it to be spacious, airy and easy to approach.”
The shopping area has been redesigned to improve accessibility between stores. The tax-free shop now has self-service checkouts and a tasting area for products and promotions. The perfumes & cosmetics shop has two wider entrances and a more open layout connecting it to the gifts & kids store.
Mürk-Dubout told The Moodie Davitt Report: “As this was our largest investment of the year, we wanted to make the renovation a primary reason for choosing to cruise with us. Shopping isn’t usually a top motivator, but we wanted it to rank among the top three reasons to sail with Tallink Silja Line.”
Changing tides in cruise retail
As reported, Tallink Grupp said economic weakness and low consumer confidence in the Baltic region contributed to a -12% year-on-year decline in passenger traffic in the first three months of 2025.
Passenger volumes reached 970,359, with the numbers influenced by the removal from service of cruise ferries Silja Serenade and Baltic Princess for a period in the quarter.
As the summer travel season is underway, Tallink expects passenger numbers to grow onboard Baltic Princess following the revamp.
Travel also peaks onboard the vessel during Finnish school holidays, Christmas break and the ski season.
Tallink Duty Free Head of Business Development and Purchasing, Travel Retail Eve Purge said, “We are extremely happy that this renovation has attracted our customers. We have increased the receipts number by +10%. The sales units have grown +12% in total – in P&C it has increased +31% while spirits is up +30%.”
When it comes to passenger demographics, cruise has always been a strong part of Finnish culture. Tallink loyalty programme Club One has over 3.1 million customers, out of which 1.7 million are from Finland.
Tallink Duty Free Head Aimar Pärna said, “Asians are discovering the Nordics again, travelling with us more and more.”
“There has been a steady increase of travellers from South Korea, Japan, China and India,” added Purge. “USA and Canada are also growing as we adapt to long-haul flight schedules.”
Pärna continued, “These customers are not spending on the same categories, but they are really focused on premium perfume and cosmetics, as well as brands with a sense of place.”
Finnish passengers also showcase strong loyalty towards homegrown businesses, such as lifestyle brand Marimekko and clean beauty house Lumene.
Mürk-Dubout said, “Nordic origin brands are important for our customers from abroad, but also for customers from our home markets.”
The spirits category is popular among Nordic travellers, and Tallink offers tailored experiences to highlight the variety available onboard. These range from the Bubble Cruise, featuring Champagne and sparkling wine tastings, to the Draft & Craft Cruise, where guests can meet brewers and distillers and join guided tasting sessions.
However, Gen Z approaches the category differently. As Mürk-Dubout pointed out: “We can see that the younger generation does not have the same relationship with spirits as the older generation. They prefer milder spirits, enjoy wines and ready-to-drink spirits.
“They are very much into cosmetics and perfumes and of course the influence of TikTok on consumer behaviour in this segment is amazing.”
She highlighted that if something is trending, Tallink works with suppliers to get the listing onboard. Mürk-Dubout said, “Back in the old days, we had a very fixed assortment. But now, our customer is at the centre of everything we do – we strive to offer exactly what they are looking for. We closely follow social media trends to stay ahead.”
Digital storytelling
The company wants to elevate the Tallink Sijla mobile application, allowing passengers to stay in tune with the latest happenings onboard. Pärna said, “Our next step is to get closer to customers and engage them by highlighting key offers.”
Mürk-Dubout added, “We are making extensive developments on our application to create a more personalised offering.
“Travellers can use it for boarding cards and to view dining times. They can also explore pre-booked products or services, private shopping availability and new brands.
“We strive to stay relevant in our offerings, not just retail but also entertainment. The renovation has differentiated our maritime travel retail experience with more space, less stress.”
Mürk-Dubout told The Moodie Davitt Report that although renovation planning began two years ago, the technical work was completed within a condensed docking period of about six weeks.
Marketing for the Baltic Princess revamp included television adverts, social media outreach and direct newsletters to Tallink’s loyal customer base. A key part of the strategy was leveraging artificial intelligence to engage shoppers during the refurbishment process.
Mürk-Dubout explained, “When a renovation is underway, you do not have any real photos to show. So, we worked on the planned design using AI.
“We used gamification to engage consumers by asking how they would like to see the spaces changed. We always included a disclaimer that the changes were coming soon, and later invited them to experience the renovation in person.
“At the final stage, we shared real photos, effectively warming up our audience three to four months before operations resumed. Sometimes you just need to just find an anchor, especially to engage the younger generation and tell your story.”
Crafting a ‘culinary journey’
Baltic Princess features nine food & beverage outlets. One of the most popular, Grill House, was redesigned with natural materials and a modern look across a 400sq m space. The cocktail lounge, Piano Bar, has also received a sophisticated update.
Across all of its shuttle and cruise services, Tallink offers 42 F&B concepts. Passengers onboard Baltic Princess can explore several options ranging from Burger King to à la carte fine dining.
The ship’s main restaurant features a buffet-style menu with hot and cold dishes, including fresh salads, local specialities, international cuisine and desserts.
The onboard café and snack bars provide freshly prepared sandwiches, pastries, coffee and beverages, including alcoholic drinks such as local beers, wines and cocktails. The F&B concepts onboard Baltic Princess focus on fresh ingredients, seasonal menus and accommodate various dietary needs.
Mürk-Dubout said, “Fine-dining experiences with special menus are becoming more and more popular. On the Estonian flagships we are introducing a menu that incorporates raw material from the islands. Passengers really enjoy this culinary journey.”
Baltic Princess food experiences, such as build-your-own-waffle at breakfast or the British Afternoon Tea at Happy Lobster, allow cruise passengers to enjoy a casual dining break.
Tallink has responded to increasing interest in plant-based options by adding more vegetarian and vegan dishes, while also introducing experimental mocktails in step with the no- and low-alcohol trend.
Catering to dietary requirements, Tallink is rolling out a feature on its website and mobile app for passengers to easily view allergen details, complemented by universal icons displayed at buffet tables.
“It’s about making everything as easy, accessible and enjoyable as possible,” remarked Mürk-Dubout. ✈
