Viking Glory aims to set “a new standard” in the Baltic Sea

Passenger surveys showed that the views of the stunning Baltic archipelago were important factors for them. As a result, large panoramic windows are everywhere. “You’ll always feel you have a ringside seat no matter where you are onboard,” states the company. The main entertainment and socialising area called Torget with a capacity of 450, and an adjacent space called Vista Lounge, are good examples. Even in the centre of this deck, passengers are aware of the island archipelago outside.

Making an upscale entrance

Another highlight is the ship’s shopping space. The immediate impression entering the 1,350sq m tax & duty free store, called Shopping World – put together in a frantic three-week build – is the feeling of luxury. Beauty is the first category one encounters, fitted out by Finnish interior design contractor Piantek in matt black. The colour coding is important: as a nudge to shoppers telling them where they are, but also to emphasise luxury. The glossy shelving and backwalls – which can be seen well before entering the store – are clear indicators of a high-end environment. The black matt look together with LED lighting integrated into the shelving was chosen to put the focus on the products themselves. A good illustration of this lies in the first brands visible, Dior and Chanel, to the left and right of a central walkway. Given the focus on Nordic landscapes and seascapes in the ship design, Nordic brands are also prominent, particularly in beauty. From Björn Axén and Ida Warg, two haircare and beauty brands from Sweden, to Emma S. skincare founded by former Swedish supermodel and actress Emma S. Wiklund, niche labels enjoy excellent exposure.

Other names include brow and lash label Rapide, and make-up and skincare brand Hickap plus bigger names such as Finland’s Lumene and Malmö-based IsaDora colour cosmetics. “The Nordic touch is what we’re all about,” says Senior Purchasing and Sales Manager for Beauty Fashion and Spa Eva Rehnström. This is not Viking Line’s biggest store. Sister ship Viking Grace, launched in 2013, has one around +10% larger, but Viking Glory has some hidden capacity. Rehnström explains: “This shop is 1,350sq m but we have the possibility to make it bigger by almost +25% if we need to.” That optional extra area is behind the wines & spirits department and currently in use, but its availability is an example of the commercial flexibility built into the ship. If passenger shopping booms again, and more shopping space is needed, it is there.

Prior to the 2013 launch of Viking Grace – the first large-scale passenger ferry to be powered by LNG – Viking Line had already decided to create a walk-through style store – just like many airports. The company used a horseshoe shape so that shoppers had to pass every department before getting to the checkout and this helped to drive up spending in lower footfall departments such as fashion.

Viking Glory uses the same walk-through format, but that’s where the similarity ends. Whereas retail space is more open plan on Viking Grace, there is more focus for each department on Viking Glory. “Viking Grace was designed in a different way. Everything is white and light. On Viking Glory there is a play between light and dark as you move through departments. It feels like each category has its own space and it’s clear when you move from beauty into fashion and then onto wines & spirits,” says Rehnström.

Big animation ‘stoppers’

Viking Glory also offers more points to engage passengers as they move through the store. In the beauty area a central make-up consultation table can cater to a group of up to six, plus a styling and grooming activation point is in development. In wines & spirits, Rémy Cointreau and Bacardi-owned Patrón both have large, long-term promotional spaces for their respective Cognac and tequila lines. These act as shopper stoppers according to Rehnström. “People on the ships have more time to do that. At the airport, they have a few minutes at best, here they have hours. One of our most popular trips is a 23-hour overnight cruise,” she explains. These engagement points also signal to shoppers which liquor category they are in. Senior Category Manager for Retail Operations Carl Morn says: “Instead of making small impressions from individual suppliers we’ve tried to use a single brand to signpost the categories and make the category stand out. So for whisky we have Bruichladdich [with use of a large video screen-Ed] and for Cognac we have Rémy Martin.” The critical next step in this orientation exercise is to ensure passengers buy something. Staff training is essential for that. Viking Line Head of Retail Operations Mats Kotka tells us: “We have focused on customer service training and product training and this is ongoing through close cooperation with our suppliers. We also include our co-workers in the decision-making process.” If executed well this can drive both sales volumes and higher sales per passenger over time.

A good animation will also drive sales and Rémy Cointreau has installed its ‘Opulence Revealed’ animation to do just that. It is currently promoting Rémy Martin XO Cognac through representations of flowers, candied fruits and nuts in its promotional space. After spirits, shoppers enter the neatly-designed wine, sparkling wine and Champagne area, followed by the bulk-buy section where beers are stocked on pallets and where Heineken’s red star and green typeface stand out in a corner presentation. Exiting liquor, shoppers then move into the confectionery, foods and toys department, with Toblerone and Finnish brand Fazer prominent. This area also houses a discretely positioned tobacco sales area, barely visible to shoppers on first glance, and unlike the very open positioning the category has on Viking Grace. Commenting on the overall offer, Kotka says: “Our ambition is to exceed our customers’ expectations by offering a seamless shopping experience for everyone, but at the same time give them a touch of elegance – something unique that they are not used to on the Baltic Sea. A new standard.” For the first time, Viking has introduced about 15,000 digital shelf labels on Viking Glory which allows pricing and product details to be changed instantly. “Eva and I can make a price adjustment now, the label will blink and you will see the new price appear,” explains Morn. The system is handled centrally from a database which also allows suppliers to make instant ‘soft’ adjustments such as product descriptions.

Adaptable spaces everywhere

Elsewhere on Viking Glory, flexibility and comfort go hand in hand. That applies to the social spaces such as the Vista Lounge which can be hired for private groups and where, for example, the round bar can be popped up or down depending on need. The restaurants, too, can be flexed in terms of their seating areas. A private venue called Fyren, located on the top deck, comes complete with a revolving seating area for 12 and a 220-degree outlook. And conference spaces form another important element of the commercial business. In the latter, a variety of rooms are available that can seat upwards of ten people. Because all the walls are moveable, room sizes can be expanded easily to accommodate larger groups. The main auditorium will fit 150 people with tables. With standing only it will take 250. Morn says: “In the near future we will be able to connect a group of up to 450 people. The presentations in the main auditorium can be fed into all of the rooms simultaneously. This again is about flexibility and efficiency – we have planned this ship in a way that optimises all the available spaces onboard.” The timing of the Viking Glory launch has been good, going into service just as Covid restrictions in the Baltic region are easing. Bookings are strong, and better than were expected, but repeat bookings will be the key to ultimate success. With the services that have been introduced and the scale of the offer – from wellness to dining to retail – Viking Glory should see some early returns on its €225 million investment this summer.