Anyone doing a Baltic cruise NEXT summer (2019)?

We are considering a Baltic cruise June-Sept 2019. We live in the south of England and prefer smaller ships. So far Oceania's Marina looks best. Stockholm to Copenhagen with extra days in both of those cities.

We booked a two week cruise to the Baltics on Sapphire Princess in June 2019. Can't wait for this trip.

We are doing Cunard Queen Elizabeth- Baltic Highlights August 11, 2019. It is part of a longer trip for us and we are excited about St Petersburg and the other ports. Has anyone started thinking about excursions yet?

Pat

Ocala, FL

Has anyone started thinking about excursions yet?

Pat

Ocala, FL

I have, nothing too specific yet, but I think I'm going to "wing it" in Helsinki, Estonia and Stockholm, and then sign up for excursions for the rest of the ports.

We are thinking of excursions in St. Petersburg and Helsinki and DIYing for the other ports but I have some time to think about it. We are not planning to go to Berlin on the Warnemunde day but rather go after the cruise so we can spend more time there. By this time next year we will have it all figured out!

We're going this August 2018 on Azamara from Copenhagen to Stockholm. I've been doing a lot of planning, so I understand how excited you all must be feeling.

We will be in St. Petersburg for 3 days and are going with Alla Tours, rather than a ship excursion. You will find a lot of info about Alla, SPB, TJ and other companies on these boards, and how Russian visas are handled by the private tour companies. We are also stopping in Warnemunde and doing a tour with Alla there as well. For our other ports - Copenhagen, Gdansk, Tallin, Helsinki and Stockholm, we are doing DIY. I've been consulting guidebooks, TripAdvisor and various city websites, as well as these boards, for planning purposes.

The new Rick Steves guidebook, "Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern European Cruise Ports" will be released on August 2ist this year (right after my cruise!). It is a great source for the ports you will visit, and can help you decide where DIY is easy to do.

Happy Cruising to all of you.

I have the older version of the book, it is great. It's perfect for figuring how to DIY at the ports.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

The new Rick Steves guidebook, "Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern European Cruise Ports" will be

released on August 2ist this year (right after my cruise!). It is a great source for the ports you will visit, and

can help you decide where DIY is easy to do.

Happy Cruising to all of you.

I have the older version of the book, it is great. It's perfect

for figuring how to DIY at the ports.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

It is a good tool I would assume, just don't forget to check his website for updates.

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/guidebook-updates-north-cruise

I have a deposit with Royal Caribbean for Serenade of the Seas from Stockholm, embarking June 30, 2019.

Looking at a couple. Leaning toward Holland American in May out of Copenhagen. Cruises the Mediterranean last year but first trip to Baltic. Any suggestions or feedback would be appreciated. Jim

We are thinking of excursions in St. Petersburg and Helsinki and DIYing for the other ports but I have some time to think about it. We are not planning to go to Berlin on the Warnemunde day but rather go after the cruise so we can spend more time there. By this time next year we will have it all figured out!

We will probably do very intensive private tours in St Petersburg and possibly Helsinki and pick one or two things at most to see in the other ports. Every one of my prior travel journals says: note to self: book less intensive tours and relax and enjoy some of the ports. We are not doing Berlin either, but might make it to Rostock.

We will probably do very intensive private tours in St Petersburg and possibly Helsinki and pick one or two things at most to see in the other ports. Every one of my prior travel journals says: note to self: book less intensive tours and relax and enjoy some of the ports. We are not doing Berlin either, but might make it to Rostock.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Going on the same cruise as asebastian

Has anyone started thinking about excursions yet?

Pat

Ocala, FL

Our plans are as follows for port trips:

• Amsterdam (pre-cruise) - 4 days on our own, public transport everywhere.
  
• Copenhagen - DIY public transport into city
  
• Warnemunde - DIY trains to Bad Doberan (Molli steam train), Rostock
  
• Tallinn - DIY walk to Old Town
  
• St Petersburg - book private tour (DENRUS, ALLA or SBP - undecided)
  
• Helsinki - DIY tram into town
  
• Stockholm - DIY ferry/train into town
  
• Kiel - DIY into town
  
• Aarhus - DIY into town
  
• Amsterdam - looking to take fast train to London before returning (new non-stop service)
  

We’ve booked Norwegian for July 2019. There are two days in Stockholm to make up for docking so far from town. Our son will be 8.

Fyi, Rick Steve's is updating his northern Europe Cruise ports book this summer so for anyone thinking of buying this, might as well wait for the updated version in August. :)

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Good to know. Thank you!

We are booked on Holland America's 10 day cruise RT from Copenhagen July 19 on the Zuiderdam to celebrate our daughter's high school graduation. My extended family is from Denmark, so we plan to spend a few days in Copenhagen and surrounding areas before the cruise visiting many of them in person.

Fyi, Rick Steve's is updating his northern Europe Cruise ports book this summer so for anyone thinking of buying this, might as well wait for the updated version in August. :)

The new Rick Steves guidebook, "Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern European Cruise Ports" will be released on August 21st this year (right after my cruise!). It is a great source for the ports you will visit, and can help you decide where DIY is easy to do.

Happy Cruising to all of you.

The release date per Amazon is August 21. You can pre-order it if you wish.

We are booked on Holland America's 10 day cruise RT from Copenhagen July 19 on the Zuiderdam to celebrate our daughter's high school graduation. My extended family is from Denmark, so we plan to spend a few days in Copenhagen and surrounding areas before the cruise visiting many of them in person.

I have it narrowed down to this cruise or a Princess out of Southampton. Have you cruises the Zuiderdam previously? The reviews have been very good all the way to shop is not in good shape. Leaning toward HAL as the size of the ship just seems better. Big decision. Keep us posted on hotel in Copenhagen, what you plan, etc. Never too early!! Thanks Jim

I have it narrowed down to this cruise or a Princess out of Southampton. Have you cruises the Zuiderdam previously? The reviews have been very good all the way to shop is not in good shape. Leaning toward HAL as the size of the ship just seems better. Big decision. Keep us posted on hotel in Copenhagen, what you plan, etc. Never too early!! Thanks Jim

We have not sailed Holland or the Zuiderdam previously. We are big RCL and Carnival cruisers. I have read good things though about the Zuiderdam and agree with you that the size of the ship seems good for the ports we are visiting. We also liked the itinerary, although there are others that are quite similar.

I booked the Norwegian Getaway 9 day out of Copenhagen on June 7th. They had the free 3rd and 4th passenger available,so I could not let that one pass me by!!

I know it's a bit early for roll call threads for next summer to get going. I figure those won't really start being active 'til probably this summer. But I am anxious to chat with others who are planning the same/similar trip! My kids are already sick of hearing me talk about it, and I have over a year to go. ;p:eek:

 

 

 

This will be our first trip to Europe and our first NON-Disney cruise. I had originally booked a 9 night on the NCL Getaway, but then this 14 night on RCI popped up which includes 2 days in Norway, and we were *really* dying to get to Norway. It will be myself and my almost-16 year old son and almost-12 year old daughter (at the time of sailing). We will be on the Explorer of the Seas on 7/7/19. I am super anxious to start planning all our excursions, BUT, I don't want to go too crazy and leave myself with nothing to do for the entire 12 months before the cruise. So I'm trying to hold off until this summer to start planning in earnest.

 

 

 

So, anyone have any Baltic cruise plans they want to chat about?

OMG! I have no idea how I missed this thread! We are the same person! My family is sooo sick of listening to me and our Baltic cruise isn't until end of summer 2019! So long to go. We are sailing with Celebrity and i am also eager to plan excursions. I called the cruise line to inquire about the popular excursions and must see sites. I'm super excited too!!! I'll read the rest of the thread and tell you more asap.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

OMG! I have no idea how I missed this thread! We are the same person! My family is sooo sick of listening to me and our Baltic cruise isn't until end of summer 2019! So long to go. We are sailing with Celebrity and i am also eager to plan excursions. I called the cruise line to inquire about the popular excursions and must see sites. I'm super excited too!!! I'll read the rest of the thread and tell you more asap.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Sent from my SM-J727T1 using Tapatalk

We're booked on the Ultimate Baltic cruise on the Norwegian Spirit next August, from Stockholm to Southampton. All of the main Baltic ports are covered, plus out of the ordinary stops in Riga, Klaipeda and Gdansk, PLUS three western European ports following Oslo. 14 countries total on a 15-day cruise. The trip will be super hectic, but we couldn't let an itinerary like that go by.