Since the beginning of 2008, Finnlines’ Passenger Services have been a separate business segment. Routes are marketed to consumers on all ro-pax lines under the Finnlines name. In 2008, the company’s 14 ro-pax vessels transported 600,000 passengers and freight drivers; this was 20 per cent more than in the previous year.

For Passenger Services, the most profitable route is Helsinki–Travemünde. Passenger volumes grew by 10 per cent on the route. During the year, passenger services onboard were developed. The catering was revised, passenger services opening hours extended, and the look and feel of leisure areas were improved.

The Naantali–Kapellskär route is growing in popularity and thereby passenger volumes. There were over 40 per cent more passengers on the route than in the previous year. The peak month was July, when full passenger capacity was reached. The route’s marketing area was expanded in both Finland and Sweden. The fast and frequent service between Finland and Sweden was on display for the first time for instance at the TUR 2008 travel fair in Gothenburg in March, and the Ski-Expo fair in Helsinki in November.

Marketing and sales of the Malmö–Travemünde line had previously been on a very small scale. Marketing of the route began in full in the spring of 2008. Four daily departures were offered in each direction on the route. Two of the vessels were large Star-class vessels. As on the Naantali–Kapellskär route, passengers on this line travel with a vehicle. Between Finland and Germany, on the other hand, Finnlines offers travel for passengers also without a vehicle.

There was one ro-pax vessel on the Lübeck–St. Petersburg route, which offered one return departure a week.

The passenger marketing organisation was enhanced. During the year, Finnlines’ passenger traffic was advertised at diverse trade fairs in Finland, Sweden and Germany.

In early 2009, the marketing and sale of all routes were transferred entirely to Finnlines. Sales are now taken care of by call centers in Finland and Germany. The Nordic Ferry Center travel agency takes care of flight/ship and hotel packages to Finnlines’ passengers.