Which cruise line for the Baltic?

We are looking at a Baltic cruise for 2015 or more likely 2016. Which cruiseline do you prefer for this itinerary-Celebrity, Princess, NCL-- and why?

I choose the ship that has the itinerary I like best. For 2014 - it's Legend of the Seas 11-night (I am on this) or 14-night cruise.

Pick one that has no set dining times, as you will want to spend the most time in the port not on the ship. Also you'll be tired, take into consideration if you would dress for dinner or rather have a more casual dress code.

As the previous poster said, pick the one that goes to where YOU WANT and make sure you check how long the ship is in port as well, the longer the better.

For the Baltic ports, I'd go with itinerary then price, the ship is really secondary in consideration.

I prefer a small ship ..less line ups getting off/on

Open dining as well no rushing back for set dinner time

Where have you been in Europe? Where would you like to embark and disembark?

Among the mass markets, the RCCL cruise (it is only once a season) that does three days in St. Petersburg and starts in Copenhagen and ends in Stockholm (think that is the one the second poster is referring) is a great itinerary, if Scandinavia is also important to you. Wish I could have fit it into my work schedule. It appears to be a book early cruise also.

If Stockholm is important - HAL does an overnight on their R/T Copenhagen. Royal Princess's port is far from city.

Also, look at Oceania. If the included airfare works for you, it was priced very competitively to MM for lower end cabins this year, given there is more included in the base fare (port charges, taxes, soda, specialty dining etc.). Actually that is where I found my best "personal" value (lowest price - no, value for what was important to us - yes).

If Amsterdam is important - look to Celebrity.

I chose Princess because of the combo of a good price, amazing ports, beautiful ship, fabulous food. The only bummer is Nynasham port for Stockholm. otherwise I think it's perfect.

A Baltic cruise is all about the ports, so go by the itineraries.

Avoid any cruise which ports in St Petersburg only for a day.

And I'd be inclined to avoid one which ports at Nynasham rather than Stockholm - not only is it an hour's travel from the city, you also miss the long & amazing sail-in/out through the archipelago of islands - so close you can almost reach out & touch them.

Berthing in Stockholm at Stadsgarten rather than Frihamnen is more attractive & convenient. But both are in Stockholm, whereas Nynasham is "Stockholm" only in the eyes of the cruise lines which port there.:rolleyes:

In Copenhagen, berthing along Langelinie is better than in Nordhavn dock because it's right by the little mermaid & a pleasant waterfront walk into town.

Nordhavn is only a little further out, but it means a short but boring bus ride into town.

A one-way cruise, such as the RCI one mentioned by buggins, gives you the opportunity to spend pre-cruise and post-cruise time in two different cities though that's going to depend on flights.

As Sauer-kraut's post, do check time in port - the Italian ships especially may include half-days.

And if open dining isn't an option, go for traditional second-sitting.

Key ports are Copenhagen, Stockholm, St Petersburg, Tallinn, mebbe Helsinki & Warnemunde.

Just MHO as always.

JB :)

Echo JB - the smaller ships berth nearer the city centres which can make a big difference to your days in port.

Noticed that Celebrity is doing point to point Amsterdam - Stockholm's (and reverse) in May next year - with overnights in Copenhagen with an S class. Another interesting twist on the standard Baltic itinerary.

Anyone considering those cruises should perhaps make doubly sure she is not porting in Nynasham, particularly if the Archipelago is important to them.

Noticed that Celebrity is doing point to point Amsterdam - Stockholm's (and reverse) in May next year - with overnights in Copenhagen with an S class. Another interesting twist on the standard Baltic itinerary.

 

Anyone considering those cruises should perhaps make doubly sure she is not porting in Nynasham, particularly if the Archipelago is important to them.

Tomy knowledge the cruises that starts/ends in Stockholm all dock at a berth in central Stockholm.

This is because Nynäshamn means mooring at a buoy and not at a proper berth.

NCL is the least expensive. More money left over for the expensive tours and spending money. Baltic states very expensive.

NCL is the least expensive. More money left over for the expensive tours and spending money. Baltic states very expensive.

SPB is the only city where a tour is needed. The rest of the ports are easy to DIY.

SPB is the only city where a tour is needed. The rest of the ports are easy to DIY.

Do you think Berlin is easy?

Do you think Berlin is easy?

Easy if you stay in Warnemunde and the area not the 3 hour trip to Berlin. :p

Do you think Berlin is easy?

Tbh I don't consider Berlin a city in the Baltic area, Berlin is a city in central Germany some 240km south from Warnermünde.

I think Berlin is easy, however due to the short timeframe and logistics of this stop it does make sense to use a tour group.

Morgans-you say the smaller ships berth near the city centres. How small is small enough?

Is it difficult to find out which dock a particular ship berths at?

I have to admit that when I booked Princess last Sept they listed Stockholm as their destination and only changed it later and I was disappointed but could not really change to a different cruise line as all my other bookings for hotels and flights had already been done by time I found out.

Morgans-you say the smaller ships berth near the city centres. How small is small enough?

 

Is it difficult to find out which dock a particular ship berths at?

Ours was 76,000 tonnes, 1800 passengers, excellent berths throughout on this itinerary. Turning round at Stadsgarten (Stockholm) was delicate so I suspect it wouldn't handle much bigger, but Frihamnen may accept larger ships & isn't desperately inconvenient.

I've frequently found it difficult to research at which quays, even in which cities, ships berth worldwide.

And experience has taught me that cruise line head offices are the worst possible place for inaccurate info., not necessarily because they're dishonest (which they are) but also because they're clueless - for instance Azamara head office was insistent that for Saigon they ported in Phu My along with the leviathons & about a 90 minute bus ride from the city - even though I knew they actually sail up the Saigon River & berth right in the city, which is actually a great selling point for Azamara.

Sadly, CC members who've been there, done that, are probably your best source of such information.

But things do change, as cdnphotogirl found, and some decisions are made last-minute depending on traffic, weather, tides, etc.

JB :)

Noticed that Celebrity is doing point to point Amsterdam - Stockholm's (and reverse) in May next year - with overnights in Copenhagen with an S class. Another interesting twist on the standard Baltic itinerary.

 

Anyone considering those cruises should perhaps make doubly sure she is not porting in Nynasham, particularly if the Archipelago is important to them.

We're booked on the Stockholm-Amsterdam sailing on the Silhouette, with overnights in Stockholm and Copenhagen in addition to St. Petersburg, really liked this itinerary, despite one of the ports being Fredericia. And we do dock in Stockholm, not Nynasham, so that's good:)

Ours was 76,000 tonnes, 1800 passengers, excellent berths throughout on this itinerary. Turning round at Stadsgarten (Stockholm) was delicate so I suspect it wouldn't handle much bigger, but Frihamnen may accept larger ships & isn't desperately inconvenient.

 

I've frequently found it difficult to research at which quays, even in which cities, ships berth worldwide.

And experience has taught me that cruise line head offices are the worst possible place for inaccurate info., not necessarily because they're dishonest (which they are) but also because they're clueless - for instance Azamara head office was insistent that for Saigon they ported in Phu My along with the leviathons & about a 90 minute bus ride from the city - even though I knew they actually sail up the Saigon River & berth right in the city, which is actually a great selling point for Azamara.

Sadly, CC members who've been there, done that, are probably your best source of such information.

But things do change, as cdnphotogirl found, and some decisions are made last-minute depending on traffic, weather, tides, etc.

 

JB :)

Stadsgården can handle all cruise ships that can enter Stockholm harbour..

I know that (among others), Celebrity eclipse, Queen Victoria, Brilliance of the Seas, Norwegian Star have docked/will dock at Stadsgården.

Stadsgården can handle all cruise ships that can enter Stockholm harbour..

 

I know that (among others), Celebrity eclipse, Queen Victoria, Brilliance of the Seas, Norwegian Star have docked/will dock at Stadsgården.

.......... which kinda suggests that Princess' berthing at Nynasham is for other reasons. Possibly financial?

JB :)

We're booked on the Stockholm-Amsterdam sailing on the Silhouette, with overnights in Stockholm and Copenhagen in addition to St. Petersburg, really liked this itinerary, despite one of the ports being Fredericia. And we do dock in Stockholm, not Nynasham, so that's good:)

It seems a lovely Northern European itinerary for those that want to spend at least a few days in four major cities and have enough vacation time for the nights on each end. Every itineray will have it's plus and minus - it's just a matter of finding the best match to what one feels important - weighed against cost and time frame. The Princess cruise short changes Stockholm, but gives Oslo, I believe - so if that is what one wants - it's a good choice. Who knows - there are those that might have spent a week in Stockholm on a previous trip.

Choices are good.

.......... which kinda suggests that Princess' berthing at Nynasham is for other reasons. Possibly financial?

 

JB :)

I don't think so, I think the Royal Princess is too big.

I think the Eclipse is close to the limit while the Royal Princess is sligthly above the limit.

The issue is not the berths themselves but the sail-in through the archipelago where some passages are too narrow for the new Royal Princess.

Here is the approximative route for the biggest ships: http://kartor.eniro.se/m/vChxM

There is a few intersections along the way at which I am not certain about which alternative they use but the biggest ships will have to use Furusundsleden (the fairway via Furusund)

You can check where the ship dock at

http://www.stockholmshamnar.se/en/Map/Vessel-traffic/

It is no guarantee that you will dock there as it is up to the Harbour Master things may change