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Traditional schlager music combined with new stars – schlager draws many Finns to Viking Line cruises

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Lining up its entertainment options, Viking Line has focused on traditional Finnish schlager and dance music, which now also attract a young audience. As one example, we can mention Komiat, rising stars from Finland’s Eurovision selection UMK, who will have audiences cheering on board for the third time this April.


The new wave of schlager – catchy pop music that is a favourite genre for many Europeans – has become a big draw in Viking Line’s entertainment offering along with more traditional schlager music. For example, the cruise with Viking Cinderella from Helsinki on April 24 will feature Komiat on its outbound journey and Portion Boys on its return.

“A new type schlager that also works as party music is now offered on our cruises. It’s exactly this kind of wide-ranging offering that draws people of all ages and new audiences on board. We see clearly that the new wave of European schlager has made a young audience enthusiastic about this traditional musical genre,” says Viking Line’s Entertainment Manager, Mikael Panelius.

At Viking Line, 230 performances featuring schlager singers and dance bands have been arranged for this year. When a popular schlager artist performs on board, the number of passengers may double or triple compared to a normal departure. This year’s artists include Saija Tuupanen, Lasse Hoikka & Souvarit and Kyösti Mäkimattila. For Komiat, the concert on Cinderella this spring is already their third cruise on Viking Line’s vessels.

“In the past, the big break for new schlager stars was closely linked to competitions such as Finland’s Tangomarkkinat tango festival. Now schlager is being driven by a new, young and talented generation of artists who use social media, with Komiat being an excellent example. Musicians in their 30s take the schlager tradition seriously but make the genre interesting and cool to young people,” Panelius adds.

Live music every day

Each day, a wide range of artists, from troubadours to live bands, perform on board Viking Line’s vessels. Viking Line actually provides one of Finland’s biggest venues for music in terms of the number of performances and is one of the country’s biggest employers of musicians.

“The ship is a special venue, since live music is offered every day, and music is an important part of the cruise experience. Concerts are included in the cost of the journey and do not require the same coat check and ticket purchase procedures as on shore. Artists also like to play with us because we give them a big stage to perform on that is easy for people to get to and can be enjoyed by a large audience,” says Panelius.

Schlager music on board this spring: 7 favourites

  • April 24–26, 2026 on Viking Cinderella: Komiat and Portion Boys
  • May 4 on Viking Cinderella: Lasse Hoikka & Souvarit
  • May 8 on Viking Grace: Eurovision hits through the years with Nina Tapio, Jussu Pöyhönen and Antti Ketonen
  • May 9 on Viking XPRS: Antti Ketonen
  • May 11 on Gabriella: Kyösti Mäkimattila
  • May 19 on Viking XPRS: Saija Tuupanen
  • May 25 on Viking Grace: Kanava

For further information:

Mikael Panelius, Entertainment Manager

mikael.panelius@vikingline.com, tel +358 400 533 303

Johanna Boijer-Svahnström, Director of Communications

johanna.boijer@vikingline.com, tel +358 18 270 00

Christa Grönlund, Press and PR Manager

christa.gronlund@vikingline.com, tel +358 9 123 51

Tags:

Baltic Sea Eurovision entertainment Viking Line Viking Grace Viking Cinderella Gabriella viking xprs Viking Glory

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“A new type schlager that also works as party music is now offered on our cruises. It’s exactly this kind of wide-ranging offering that draws people of all ages and new audiences on board. We see clearly that the new wave of European schlager has made a young audience enthusiastic about this traditional musical genre.”
Mikael Panelius, Entertainment Manager, Viking Line
“In the past, the big break for new schlager stars was closely linked to competitions such as Finland’s Tangomarkkinat tango festival. Now schlager is being driven by a new, young and talented generation of artists who use social media, with Komiat being an excellent example. Musicians in their 30s take the schlager tradition seriously but make the genre interesting and cool to young people.”
Mikael Panelius, Entertainment Manager, Viking Line
“The ship is a special venue, since live music is offered every day, and music is an important part of the cruise experience. Concerts are included in the cost of the journey and do not require the same coat check and ticket purchase procedures as on shore. Artists also like to play with us because we give them a big stage to perform on that is easy for people to get to and can be enjoyed by a large audience.”
Mikael Panelius, Entertainment Manager, Viking Line