[1] In July 2020 Eckerö Line announced that it was shutting down its Birka Cruises subsidiary after 49 years of operation.

In the late 1980s the company placed an order for a second cruise ship, to operate alongside the Birka Princess, from Wärtsilä Turku shipyard.

In November of the same year the company placed an order for a new cruise ship with Aker Finnyards, Rauma.

The ship was delivered in a time when there was a very strong competition for cruise and ferry passengers on the northern Baltic Sea.

Due to lack of passengers and because of financial problems, the Birka Princess was sold to Louis Cruise Lines in early 2006.

[3] On 24 May 2007 it was reported that a public offer made by Eckerö had increased their ownership in Birka Line to 57.9%.