I took an overnight ferry to Finland in a premium cabin for $333. I'd do this trip again, but ideally on a nicer ship.

• My husband and I traveled from Stockholm to Helsinki on the Viking Cinderella overnight ferry.

• We paid about $239 to upgrade to a seaside premium cabin, which had a bed, couch, and window. 

• The trip went by quickly and I'd take it again. Next time, I'd look for a more modern ship. 

To visit Finland — named the happiest country for many years in a row — my husband and I traveled by ferry.

We boarded the Viking Cinderella in Stockholm, which departed at 4:30 p.m. and arrived in Helsinki at 10 a.m. the next day.

We could've booked a nonstop flight for around $100 a person, which would've taken way less time (about an hour), but we wanted to enjoy sea views and experience something new.

For our trip, we reserved a seaside premium cabin, the second-most luxurious cabin available, for about $333.

Here's how it went.

We arrived at the Stockholm port two hours before departure.

As foot passengers, we needed to check in 45 minutes before the sailing time, but we could arrive two hours before.

As the ferry accommodates 2,560 passengers, we decided to get on it early to avoid the crowds and explore the 10-deck ship.

Checking in was a breeze.

Fortunately, the terminal had self-service check-in machines that were easy to use. The machine issued our room key and dining vouchers.

When we got there, the ferry was waiting, and there were no queues, so we carried our luggage right on board.

It was easy to find our room, too.

The first digits of the room are the deck number, so as we were in room 10201, we headed straight to deck 10.

Our premium seaside cabin was pretty spacious.

The economy cabin didn't come with a window, so we paid 222 euros (about $243) to upgrade to the larger seaside premium cabin

It was the second-most luxurious cabin, which felt worth the price. It had a lot more space — about 269 to 322 square feet — compared to the economy rooms, which are about 90 square feet.

Because we were in the bow of the ship, our slanted window had especially great views.

The glass looked a bit murky, but we still had superb views out to the Stockholm archipelago and the Baltic Sea.

We had space to work, sleep, and relax.

We had a double bed, a comfortable sofa area, a bathroom (with soap, shower gel, and towels), a TV, and a complimentary mini-bar.

The ship had several dining options, including a buffet.

There were several eateries on the ship including a buffet, the fine-dining Seaview restaurant, and the more casual Ocean Grill.

We chose to eat at the buffet for dinner, which cost 46 euros a person (around $50). The price included unlimited soft drinks, basic beers, and wines.

We were able to reserve our buffet table in advance.

We booked our seats two months in advance and managed to secure the last sea-view table. The view was lovely, but the buffet was OK.

Options included hot and cold seafood, chicken, and vegetarian options complemented by salad, fries, and vegetables.

For dessert, there were a variety of cakes, ice cream, and cheese.

The food quality wasn't my favorite, and the buffet was very busy. Next time, I'd pay to upgrade to one of the fine-dining options for a more relaxed experience.

The ship had some other special spots, too.

There was also a prosecco bar, coffee shop, and a British-themed pub on board.

Étage nigtclub offered live performances and dance music for those seeking after-dinner entertainment. However, the music wasn't to our taste, so we skipped it.

There's also an onboard spa.

While exploring, we passed the Archipelago spa, which has treatments, special baths, pools, a sauna, and a cosmetics shop.

The onboard duty-free shop was also well-stocked.

The ferry had a large duty-free shop stocked with everything from clothes to alcohol.

Once we'd explored the ferry, done some shopping, and had dinner, it was almost time for bed.

Our premium room came with premium breakfast.

Premium rooms included a premium breakfast — the next morning, we ate in the lovely Seaview restaurant rather than at the buffet.

We chose from a great range of hot and cold breakfast options like eggs Benedict, avocado toast, and granola — each accompanied by a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.

Before we knew it, we'd arrived.

After a leisurely breakfast, we had time to pack and prepare to leave.

We went back to the top deck to take some photos and then enjoyed our first glimpse of Helsinki from the window in our cabin.

Although boarding had been a pleasure, disembarking was less pleasant.

With everyone leaving at the same time, there was a surge of passengers with suitcases, prams, and dogs, all jostling to get off.

However, once we got out of the terminal, there were plenty of taxis available.

The ship felt dated, but I'd take this trip again.

Our journey was just over 17 hours, but because we were traveling overnight and the weather was good, it didn't feel onerous at all.

The Cinderella was built in 1989, and unfortunately, it shows. Although I had no complaints, I think everything on board could use a refresh.

I'm certainly glad I paid to upgrade to a premium cabin, and I would recommend it. I'd definitely travel by ship again instead of flying, but next time I'd look for a more modern vessel with nicer, more updated facilities.

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