MS Viking XPRS  MS "Viking XPRS" is a fast cruiseferry owned by the Finland-based Viking Line and operated on their service between Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia. Her keel was laid on 16 April 2007 and launching took place on 19 September 2007. "Viking XPRS" entered service on 28 April 2008. "Viking XPRS" is Viking Line's first new building for the Helsinki–Tallinn route. She is the first newbuilding delivered to the company since MS "Kalypso" in 1990 and also Viking Line's first fast cruiseferry, with a building contract worth approximately 120–130 million euros. The "Viking XPRS" makes the crossing between the two capitals in about two and a half hours, with two daily departures from each port. The ship is designed with separate cardecks for freight and for passengers cars, and with a limited passenger cabin capacity as she only does daytime crossings. The interiors of the "Viking XPRS" were designed by Tillberg Design, like those of several of the company's earlier newbuildings. In April 2009 the "Viking XPRS" won the award for Outstanding Ferry Exterior in ShipPax Awards 2009, held as a part of the Shipping 2009 conference in France. The order of the "Viking XPRS" included an option for two sister vessels. On 2 October 2006, Viking Line announced that this option would not be exercised. The name "Viking XPRS" was originally only a concept name for the new ship. A naming competition was held on Viking Line website in May and June 2007, which resulted in over 16,000 name proposals. The concept name "Viking XPRS" was suggested by many entrants to the competition, and in the end it was chosen as the ship's final name due to it already being well known by the public. The naming ceremony took place on 14 September 2007. The ship was originally planned to be registered in Finland, with Mariehamn painted on the hull as the home port when the ship was floated out of dry dock. Due to difficulties in negotiations with the Finnish Seamen's Union and the generally higher personnel expenses under Finnish flag, the company decided to move the ship under Swedish flag in January 2008. In March 2008 Norrtälje in Sweden was revealed as the port of registry. But from 24 January 2014 Viking XPRS started sailing under Estonian flag, as it cuts costs for Viking Line.