NCL Sun Baltic - Helsinki 8/3/2011

[Travlrgrrl]

Called NCL and they could not tell me where we would dock as it could change. According to Helsinki port we are docking at Hernasaari quay LMB. I am traveling with older parents. My dad will celebrate his 101st birthday in Helsinki.

 

Do I take bus 16 to Market Square. My parents can both walk but I wouldn't want them to walk 20 minutes (especially after St. Petersburg) to get to the bus. would you suggest a taxi for 4-5 people to market square and then what? Any input on how to make this as easy as possible for my parents would be greatly appreciated.

[Keith1010]

Called NCL and they could not tell me where we would dock as it could change. According to Helsinki port we are docking at Hernasaari quay LMB. I am traveling with older parents. My dad will celebrate his 101st birthday in Helsinki.

 

Do I take bus 16 to Market Square. My parents can both walk but I wouldn't want them to walk 20 minutes (especially after St. Petersburg) to get to the bus. would you suggest a taxi for 4-5 people to market square and then what? Any input on how to make this as easy as possible for my parents would be greatly appreciated.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

There is a ports of call board on Cruise Critic called Northern Europe and that is the perfect place to post this question.

 

Keith

[mombo222]

Congratulations on your father's upcoming 101st Birthday. What a blessings :)

 

We just return from this cruise here is our review of Happy Helsinki :o If you have any other questions just contact us at lynnmomboisse@gmail.com - Blessings and peace, Lynn

 

Helsinki Finland Norwegian Sun June 7, 2011

Weather – Sunny 74F

Sunrise 4:05AM – Sunset 10:32PM

Arrival 8AM – All Aboard 5PM

There are eight ports in Helsinki. NCL does not announce which port they will be coming into, but usually it is in Hernesaari. Here is the Port Map showing all of the ports http://www.discoverthebaltic.com/helsinki/berths.htm#url (click on MAP icon so see map). Here are Hernesaari http://www.discoverthebaltic.com/helsinki/herne.htm. . On June 7th we came into LHB at Hernesaari. The cruise prior to ours had come into LHC. We were touring the city on our own so proceeded to Deck 3 and the Gangway as soon as the ship clearance was announced and exited in a very timely manner. So timely that the first 3 places we arrived at in town were not open yet so had to skip them and move on.

Here was our very pleasant experience in Helsinki a lovely town full of very kind, English speaking Finns. As soon as you get off the boat, there were people (and a bus) from Hop On Hop Off Bus Sightseeing at the dock handing out their brochures and selling their tours. We took one for the map as we had a plan. Here is their tour and prices http://www.stromma.fi/en/SIGHTSEEING/SIGHTSEEING/?Activity=Bus. They have three tours. The Green Route, Yellow Route or a combination of both. The Yellow Route and combination route stop at Market Square.

We walked about ¾ mile from the port to Fabriksgatan (Street) to the Peramiehenkatu stop and picked up Tram 3B. We thought we were going to have to take the 1A to the 3B. But the 3B was at the 1A stop and since we ultimately wanted the 3B we paid the driver in the Euros (20 Euros for two all day tram tickets) we had brought from the states. We recommend figuring out approximately what you might need in local currencies (except for Rubles – they take US dollars gladly) it saves time on such a port intensive and time sensitive cruise.

Here is the site for the Trams http://www.hel.fi/hki/hkl/en/HKL+Tram. The 3T or the 3B does a figure 8 through the city. We started at Peramiehenkatu road this 45 minutes ¾ of the figure 8 and got off at stop Sammonkatu (for the Temppelaukio Church (Rock Church) then ultimately walked back to Market Square (2 miles). The 3T does stops at Kauppatori for Market Square.

We arrived at the Temppelaukio Church at 9:30AM the church didn’t open until 10:00. Continued walking to National Museum of Finland (it didn’t open until 11AM) so continued on to the Finnish Parliament which we had found out was in session that day. But when we arrived around 10:30AM we found that the session wasn’t until 2:45PM that day. So we continued walking and went to the Train Station, then Stockmann’s Department Store (it was open) down to the Esplanade – through the park, checked out the menu at Café Engel, continued walking to Senate Square walked up the steps of the Lutheran Cathedral for a beautiful view then back through the square across the street and had a great lunch at the restaurant Sunn Senaatintori with a fantastic view of Senate Square!!! http://www.ravintolasunn.fi/

After lunch we walked to the Uspenski Cathedral then to Market Square. Asked the very friendly tram operator which tram to take back to our port (stop Peramiehenkatu) from the Kauppatori Stop at Market Square. Were back on the ship by 2:30PM feeling as if we had seen most of what we had planned to see in Helsinki for the 20 Euros for the tram and the price of lunch. We also have a few hundred priceless digital photos.