Viking Line has the best customer experience and sustainability image among ferry companies operating in the Baltic Sea, according to the latest Finnish Asiakkuusindeksi 2026 (Customer Experience Index 2026) study. The company’s customer experience score has improved over four consecutive years. One thousand customers invited to join Viking Line’s customer panel, Viikinkineuvosto, are also closely involved in the development of its products and services.
Viking Line is the only ferry company to rank among the TOP 10 for customer experience in the latest Asiakkuusindeksi 2026 study. With a score of 81 points, Viking Line placed fifth, just half a point behind Aurinkomatkat, which achieved the highest customer experience score in the entire travel sector.
“Our customer experience score in the Asiakkuusindeksi study has improved every year since 2023. This year, we are the only ferry company to have improved our score. A good customer experience is the result of many different factors and cannot be created through individual improvements alone. We have been systematically developing our services for years, and it is rewarding to see the results of our work reflected in independent comparisons. Our own customer surveys tell the same story,” says Mikael Paulinow, Head of CX & Loyalty at Viking Line.
Asiakkuusindeksi is an annual study conducted by the Finnish Customer Marketing Association (ASML). This year, the survey included 51 companies, which were evaluated by a total of 4,350 customers.
Smooth digital services and personal encounters on board
Customers play an active role in developing Viking Line’s services. The company has a customer panel of around 1,000 members, known as Viikinkineuvosto, whose members are involved in activities such as developing and evaluating new cruise concepts.
“Viikinkineuvosto enables us to explore our customers’ expectations and views already at the planning stage, rather than only collecting feedback after their journey. This allows us to respond even better to what our customers want,” says Mikael Paulinow.
In recent years, Viking Line has invested significantly in digital services designed to make travelling smoother and easier. At the same time, the company has continued to focus strongly on personal service on board and on special cruises that bring together people with shared interests.
“Digital channels are an integral part of the customer experience Viking Line offers, both before and during the journey. Customers can avoid queuing by checking in in advance using the Viking Line app, which can also be used as a mobile cabin key during the journey. Viking Line Club members also receive personalised offers through the app.”
Viking Line also ranks first among ferry companies for sustainability image
Viking Line is also the only ferry company to rank among the TOP 10 for sustainability image in the Asiakkuusindeksi 2026 study. Its score of 67 points placed it ninth. Of all companies in the travel sector, only VR ranked ahead of Viking Line, by 0.8 points, in sixth place.
“In the past, much of our work to reduce our environmental impact took place out of sight of our passengers, in ships’ engine rooms, in technical solutions and in ports. Today, our sustainability choices are visible in many different ways during the journey. Our buffets offer a wide selection of attractive ready-portioned dishes to reduce food waste, our menus feature locally sourced food, our coffee comes from our own coffee forest, and used coffee grounds are recycled into soil,” says Mikael Paulinow.
Viking Line will continue to enhance its customer experience by investing in digital services, involving customers in the development of its services and further developing its Viking Line Club loyalty programme.
“We are proud of the results, but we are not resting on our laurels. Every day, new passengers step on board our ships with high expectations that we need to meet and preferably exceed. Our friendly and service-minded staff are our greatest asset.”
The ASML Asiakkuusindeksi 2026 study included 51 companies and 4,350 customer respondents. The study measures customer experience, customer loyalty and perceptions of sustainability among Finnish companies. The data was collected in September and October 2026 in collaboration with nSight and market research company Dynata.
Further information:
Mikael Paulinow, Head of CX & Loyalty
mikael.paulinow@vikingline.com, tel. +358 40 500 3130
Johanna Boijer-Svahnström, Director, Corporate Communications
johanna.boijer@vikingline.com, tel. +358 18 270 00
Christa Grönlund, Communications Manager
christa.gronlund@vikingline.com, tel. +358 9 123 51