For the last four years the tiny passenger vessel Brahe has operated for Saimaa Travel, being used largely on domestic cruises on the lakes and rivers and around the coast of Finland. Previously, she had been used on short international and coastal voyages by Kristina Cruises as Kristina Brahe. Now this 70-year old ship will start a new career, under charter to Danish-based Nordic Cruise Lines, with a programme of short cruises in the Baltic, calling at ports in Denmark, Germany and Sweden. Carrying around 110 passengers, she will commence operation in the spring of 2015 from her base in the Danish port of Faaborg.
Brahe is a real survivor, having been built in 1943 by the Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company in Chicago as US warship PCE (Patrol Craft Escort) 830. She later became HMS Kilchrenan when loaned to the Royal Navy between 1943 and 1946, during which time she was based at Gibraltar.
In 1947 the 1,105gt vessel was sold to Norwegian owners, converted into apassenger and car ferry, and renamed Sunnhordland. She was converted into a cruise ship in 1975 forcruising on the Finnish Lakes.
