Kristina Brahe's charm is in the atmosphere of "the good old days". In spite of several changes, the original style of the ship has been kept by choosing genuine materials. The ship’s restaurant is proud to provide exellent culinary experiences while the atmosphere in the bar and the large sun deck area offers passengers unforgettable cruise memories.
Kristina Brahe was named after Ristiina, the home port of the vessel at that time. Ristiina, on the other hand, was named after Christina Catarina Stenbock, who was the wife of Peter Brahe, a regent in Finland.
Interesting history of the ship
Kristina Brahe was built to be a military vessel in Chicago, USA in 1943. She is known to have crossed the Atlantic Ocean once during the war under the flag of USA. The vessel was called HMS Kilchernan when she served under the Union Jack as a submarine destroyer at the western coast of Africa and the Gibraltar area.
In 1948 the ship was sold to Norway and rebuilt to become a passenger ferry. Named Sunnhordland, the vessel operated as a mail steamer between Bergen and Stavanger up to the year 1973. At that time the vessel's capacity was 600 passengers and 13 cars.
The ship was sold to Finland in 1971 and was named Kristina Brahe after Ristiina, the vessel's that time home port. The ship was turned into a cruise vessel by building more cabins and restaurant facilities.
Kristina Brahe's maiden voyage took place on 15th May, 1975. At first the ship cruised mainly on Lake Saimaa making two- to five-day cruises. In the following years the cruising area was expanded, first to Vyborg and to the Gulf of Finland. In 1982 Kristina Brahe made the first cruise across the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki to Tallinn and in the next year to Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg.
In 1985 Rannikkolinjat Ltd. bought the shipping company who owned Kristina Brahe and Kotka became the vessel's new home port. More cabins were built and the restaurant improved. At the same time more cruises were made abroad.
Last reconstruction on board have made in spring 2008.
Today Kristina Brahe's cruise “The Czars’ Route” takes her to the Lake Saimaa, the Saimaa Canal, Gulf of Finland and the Archipelago Sea. Passengers can enjoy Finnish inland waters and Archipelago in the wake of the Czars’ until the end of August. The cruise season however continues until September.
The vessel is an excellent choice for a charter cruise, operating from Kotka or Helsinki.
M/S Kristina Brahe has been sold to Saimaan Matkaverkko Ltd. (Saimaa Travel) in August 2010. The vessel will be operated by the new owner as M/S Brahe and continue cruising in the Gulf of Finland and on Lake Saimaa. www.saimaatravel.fi
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