Kloster cruise Limited has sold the Sunward to Birka Line of Finland for $76.1 million. The Sunward, formerly the Royal Viking Sky currently sails three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas and Key West. The ship will be delivered to its new owners on May 15, 1992.

Birka Line will operate the ship between Stockholm and St. Petersburg and Stockholm and Riga as the Birka Queen during the summer months. The Sunward will then be chartered back to Kloster for a seven-month period from October 15, 1992 to May 15, 1993 to enable Norwegian Cruise Line to resume its three- and four-day program for the winter season. On May 15, 1993, the ship will be re-delivered permanently to Birka Line.

Kloster will pay a day rate of $22,500 to Birka Line to charter the ship back. The rate is said to include crew, maintenance, and marine insurance.