PEARL SEAWAYS
July 17, 2022 | Copenhagen, Denmark to Oslo, Norway
Pearl Seaways offered a scenic overnight connection from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Oslo, Norway, on July 17, 2022. Operating for DFDS Seaways, the cruise ferry brought together comfortable passenger accommodations, onboard entertainment, and the changing coastal scenery of a Scandinavian sea journey.
Built in Finland in 1989 as Athena, Pearl Seaways has had a varied career spanning Baltic cruise-ferry service, Asian cruising, and the overnight connection between Copenhagen and Oslo. Her changes of operator and purpose brought substantial alterations before she settled into more than two decades of DFDS service. We sailed aboard her during that chapter of her career, before her later renaming as Nordic Pearl.
Information List
Name During Our July 2022 Voyage: Pearl Seaways
Operator in July 2022: DFDS Seaways
Year Entered Service: 1989
Former Names: Athena, Star Aquarius, Langkapuri Star Aquarius, Aquarius, and Pearl of Scandinavia
Later Name: Nordic Pearl
Shipyard: Wärtsilä Marine, Turku, Finland
Ship Type: Passenger and vehicle cruise ferry
Length: Approximately 178.4 meters
Tonnage: Approximately 40,000 GT
Country of Registry During DFDS Service: Denmark
Port of Registry: Copenhagen
IMO Number: 8701674
Route in 2022: Copenhagen–Frederikshavn–Oslo
Major Conversion: Return from cruise-ship configuration to vehicle-ferry service in 2001
Current Published Passenger Capacity: Approximately 1,852 as Nordic Pearl
Current Published Cabins: Approximately 705
Current Published Vehicle Capacity: Approximately 320 cars
History and Features
Construction and Entry Into Service:
The ship was built for Rederi AB Slite and entered Viking Line service in 1989 as Athena.
Her early employment included cruise service between Stockholm and Mariehamn.
She belonged to a generation of large Baltic cruise ferries that placed increasing emphasis on dining, entertainment, and passenger accommodations.
Changes of Operator and Design:
Following Rederi AB Slite’s bankruptcy, she was sold to Star Cruises in 1993.
Renamed Star Aquarius and subsequently Langkapuri Star Aquarius, she moved to Asia and was converted for cruising.
DFDS acquired her in 2001 and restored vehicle-carrying facilities for her return to Scandinavian ferry service.
The conversion also included changes to improve stability, including additions to the aft hull.
She entered DFDS service as Pearl of Scandinavia and became Pearl Seaways in 2011.
Service:
Under DFDS, she operated between Copenhagen and Oslo, initially with an intermediate call at Helsingborg.
Frederikshavn was added to the route in summer 2020.
Gotlandsbolaget took over the route and its two ships in November 2024.
A 2025 refurbishment updated cabins and public spaces, and she adopted the name Nordic Pearl.
As of October 2026, she continues on the Copenhagen–Oslo service under Go Nordic Cruiseline.
Our Voyage – July 17, 2022:
We boarded Pearl Seaways in Copenhagen for our journey to Oslo.
The overnight crossing formed part of our travels through Scandinavia, combining transportation between the capitals with time aboard the ship.
The route crossed the Kattegat and continued through the Oslofjord toward Oslo.
The photographs belong to her DFDS years, when she still carried the name Pearl Seaways.
Legacy:
Her career demonstrates how a passenger ship can be adapted for different markets and purposes.
From Baltic cruise ferry to Asian cruise ship and back to Scandinavian ferry service, she has undergone significant changes while remaining in passenger operation.
More than 35 years after her debut, she continues the tradition of overnight sea travel between the Scandinavian capitals.
OLP Social: Our overnight voyage crossed the Kattegat and continued through the Oslofjord aboard a ship whose earlier career included Baltic ferry service and Asian cruising before her return to Scandinavian passenger and vehicle transport.
