Baffled by the options for Baltic Cruise 2013

[SLKB]

Beginning to plan for our 4th HAL cruise and would really like to do a Baltic Cruise. Itineraries and cabin options are my two main concerns on the Prisendam, Rotterdam or Ryndam. We are late 40s/early 50s and "city people"--museums, churches, art and architecture are our passions.

 

Prisendam--9 countries including the Kiel Canal and overnight in St Petersburg

Rotterdam-- 7 countries including overnights in St Petersburg and Stockholm

Ryndam--7 countries including overnights in St Petersburg and Stockholm

 

Is the price of the Prisendam and cruising the Kiel Canal preferable over the overnight in Stockholm? My initial thought is that the more ports we visit the better. This will be a first time visit to all countries with the exception of the UK--Ryndam's embarkation point.

 

Can I handle an inside or oceanview cabin to keep the cost down? First cruise was a VA on Westerdam then a SY on the Zuiderdam and last year, a SA on the Nieuw Amsterdam. The upgrade fairy has always blessed us, but I know better than to book lower than I can tolerate. Can you go "inside" after having had a balcony? :)

 

Opinions on ships, itineraries, cabins?

[CruiserBruce]

Curious why you aren't considering the Eurodam. It can't do the Kiel Canal, but it does the rest. 10 day route.

[dakrewser]

My choice would be Prinsendam - we did a 14-day Baltic on her some years ago and it was great! The Kiel canal was more fun than I imagined as crowds would gather an ins and pubs along side and serenade the ship as she passed.

 

An OV would be fine as the cruise is so port intensive there's very little time to relax on your verandah.

[SLKB]

I had only looked at 14 day itineraries. The Eurodam would be less expensive but with fewer ports. Any other reason why you'd suggest this ship over the others?

[canadarocks]

We did a 10 day Baltic cruise (followed by a 12 day North Sea Adventures) cruise on the Eurodam last summer. For the first time in 5 cruises we booked an inside cabin. I was very concerned about the lack of a balcony or even a window, but it was such a port intensive itinerary we decided to save money and forgo the "view" for better shore excursions.

 

Best decision ever! We were ashore almost every day all day, and our cabin was wonderfully dark and quiet. We slept like babies every night. :cool:

[CruiserBruce]

I had only looked at 14 day itineraries. The Eurodam would be less expensive but with fewer ports. Any other reason why you'd suggest this ship over the others?

 

No specific better reasons. Just didn't know your criteria. You mentioned being on Signature and Vista class ships, Eurodam is a Signature. The three ships you mentioned aren't Signature or Vistas.

[CtheW0rld]

We did a 10 day Baltic cruise (followed by a 12 day North Sea Adventures) cruise on the Eurodam last summer. For the first time in 5 cruises we booked an inside cabin. I was very concerned about the lack of a balcony or even a window, but it was such a port intensive itinerary we decided to save money and forgo the "view" for better shore excursions.

 

Best decision ever! We were ashore almost every day all day, and our cabin was wonderfully dark and quiet. We slept like babies every night. :cool:

 

precisely. on a port-intensive cruise i would book an inside.

[sue117]

We are on the June 2013 Celtic cruise on the Pdam... Right now the inside is the same price as the outside (at least last time I looked). We are also balcony people, but happy with the outside on this one be ause it's so port extensive! :)

[sansterre]

Did the Baltic tour on the Eurodam and enjoyed it. Also took the Prinsendam through the Kiel Canal and on to Norway and beyond. Really enjoyed that one.

I would do the Prinsendam - Kiel Canal will be a cruise highlight no doubt and if you are like us, you will love many things about the smaller ship.

[kazu]

Not sure which cruises you are looking at - but if you look at the Prinsendam on June 1st - she features three overnights - St. Petersburg, Copenhagen and Hamburg. Overnights are a big plus IMO. You can see and experience a lot more:)

 

My first choice is the Prinsendam (big surprise:rolleyes:) and yes, for us, she's worth the extra cash. I'll take this ship any day of the week and envy anyone who's on it.

 

Choose your room - tons of them with walk in closets - a wonderful ship and I always find her itineraries a bit more intriguing (trust me I look):)

 

There aren't too many ships like this out there in the mass market - the rooms are each individually done - it is not a cookie cut ship

 

More importantly - her itineraries are fantastic - and her crew is fabulous (ok, I'm prejudiced).

 

For me, the Best itinerary is the one leaving May 17th, 2013 - a 31 day collectors cruise which encompasses a TA, Bermuda, three ports in France, Belgium and then on to the Baltics:D

 

But if time is of the essence and the Baltics are your priority - I would definitely do her June 1st Baltic segment (plus easy round trip from Heathrow) Smooth seas:)

 

oops - sorry to edit and say there is also an Elbe river cruise on this one!

[Lisa63]

We are late 40s/early 50s and "city people"--museums, churches, art and architecture are our passions.

 

We are, too! We're booked on the July 1 sailing of Prinsendam. We've been on Prinsendam previously, and she's a wonderful ship. She will feel small after your experience on the Vista Class ships (we just got off Westerdam), yet these port-intensive itineraries really fill your days. The reason we picked Prinsendam is that she can transit the Kiel Canal.

 

As for the cabin...yes, it's possible to have an inside after a balcony or (in our case) even a suite. We were upsold to a suite on a Med cruise a couple of years ago on another line and we pretty much used it just to sleep! A Caribbean cruise might be different, yet the $ is better spent on tours ashore in Europe.

[RuthC]

Can you go "inside" after having had a balcony? :)

Absolutely. I was upgraded to an A-category cabin on the Prinsendam, and went right back to my usual inside cabins with no regrets. Now, I loved my little porch, don't get me wrong, but is not a requirement for me. I like to get out and enjoy the ship, which I did much less of when I had my private balcony.

 

The Kiel Canal ride is a fun day, even for those who love the cities. One thing to keep in mind, this is a port-intensive itinerary, so the "sea" day of the Kiel Canal is a welcome change of pace.

 

I'm a Prinsendam fan, with the Ryndam my next choice. I was on the Ryndam in May, and the ship and crew were top-notch.

[Alberta Quilter]

I recently returned from the Ryndam Baltic tour and enjoyed it very much. My review is here, if you choose to read it: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1659679.

 

I haven't been on the Prinsendam yet but have been on the Rotterdam. I understand that the Rotterdam now has The Retreat (I was on her pre-Retreat), which, I would think, would be of little use in the Baltic. This may or may not help sway your decision of which ship.

 

Frankly, I would make my choice based on the itinerary first, and then the flight arrangements second. The overnights do allow you much more flexibility in your plans for those ports. The evening tours can be wonderful.

 

In choosing our Baltic cruise, we took into consideration the fact that ours was a round trip from Dover. This can make it easier and less expensive to book your flights, rather than flying into one port and flying out of another.

 

It is a very port intensive cruise but I, and my mother, did enjoy our balcony. We got it as an upsell so you may be able to stay within your budget and still have a balcony. It did come in handy on the morning of cruising the Stockholm archipelago; I started watching at 5 am! We just wore our robes and ordered room service breakfast. Other sail ins were wonderful, too!

 

You may choose to book an inside if you need it dark for sleeping. The reason I woke up at 5 am, mentioned above, is because the sun hit my eyes at that time. There was no sleeping after that! We were there just before the longest day of the year. If you do get a balcony or an outside room, take clothes pins to keep the curtains shut. You'd be amazed at how much daylight gets through those quarter inch cracks in the curtains!

 

You may also want to check out any collector cruises; there can be some good deals, if your flights haven't been booked by the time you find out about them.

[chriscross]

I found having an inside cabin to be a great alternative, more economical, and more quiet. I think you can handle it! If you wanna get outside, there are places to sit on deck.

[travelinjones]

We are late 40s/early 50s and "city people"--museums, churches, art and architecture are our passions.

 

Prisendam--9 countries including the Kiel Canal and overnight in St Petersburg

Rotterdam-- 7 countries including overnights in St Petersburg and Stockholm

Ryndam--7 countries including overnights in St Petersburg and Stockholm

 

 

Opinions on ships, itineraries, cabins?

 

We are in your same age range and have cruised the Baltic both on the 14-day Prinsendam Kiel Canal itin as well as the 10-Day Gems of the Baltic on a Vista class ship. Here's our thoughts:

 

-If you like more unique ports, you can't beat the Prinsendam. Not only the day in the Kiel Canal, but unusual Baltic ports such as Ystad, Gdansk, and Klaipeda (Jul 1) sailing, plus you get Oslo which is a fabulous port and Helsinki which is great for architecture and the unique Stone Rock Church. The June 1 sailing includes the Elbe River and Hamburg, while the Aug 19 has Lubeck and Sassnitz (Maiden port??) in Germany.

-The Prinsendam is aged but elegant, has a terrific staff and service that seems a notch above the other ships. It doesn't have all of the onboard amenities like the Vista and Signature class ships (such as the hydro pool) but the Baltic itinerary is not about the ship as their are few days at sea.

-While we love suites and verandahs, we think the uniqueness of the Prinsendam and lack of crowds is worth downgrading to an oceanview or outside if that helps your budget. We don't recommend an inside --they are tiny for 2, and since there's not many of them, there's usually not a big cost difference between inside and outside. Try to get an Oceanview with a tub (most have one) rather than a shower.

 

The Eurodam 10-Day Gems of the Baltic is an excellent use of 10 days with only 1 day at sea and you get the bigger ship you are used too. All of the best of the Baltic ports are included, with Kiel for Hamburg. With the Rotterdam, 14-day Jewels of the Baltic, you are spending 2 extra days at sea to sail rdtrip Rotterdam rather than Copenhagen, although the overnight in Stockholm is great and Visby is a charming port but you miss Helsinki.

 

The Rydam 14-day Jewels of the Baltic also includes 2 extra days at sea to get from Dover to and from the Baltic. It includes Visby, Helsinki and the Stockholm overnight, but no Kiel or unusal port.

 

Whatever you choose, the Baltic is a fabulous destination!

[RuthC]

Try to get an Oceanview with a tub (most have one) rather than a shower.

Why do you recommend a tub vs a shower? I am curious what makes the tub better.

[travelinjones]

Why do you recommend a tub vs a shower? I am curious what makes the tub better.

 

We spent 70+ days on the Prinsendam in 2007 with the first 39 of them in Oceanview stateroom F425. It doesn't have a tub or a walk-in closet and the bathroom was much more cramped than those with the tub/shower and walk-in closet that we had on later sailings that summer and all of our other Prinsendam cruises since then.

 

However, if someone prefers a shower-only bathroom, then the issue is moot.

[RuthC]

Was that an unusual cabin? Except for the new cabins added to the stern, most cabins have a walk-in closet.

I know the cabins I have been in, both as my own and as a visitor, seemed almost the same whether tub or shower only. Now I know to take a better look at the deckplans, though, before booking on the Prinsendam again.

[canadarocks]

Why do you recommend a tub vs a shower? I am curious what makes the tub better.

 

Bubble baths! :D

[kazu]

Was that an unusual cabin? Except for the new cabins added to the stern, most cabins have a walk-in closet.

 

I know the cabins I have been in, both as my own and as a visitor, seemed almost the same whether tub or shower only. Now I know to take a better look at the deckplans, though, before booking on the Prinsendam again.

 

Ruth - definitely take a look at the deck plans before booking the Elegant Explorer again - not all the cabins (the original ones) have walk in closets!

 

There is a special little mark showing those that do not.

[SLKB]

Thanks all. I'm leaning towards the July 1st Prisendam sailing, but I needed some encouragement that both the ship and the itinerary were worth the $$. I'll quote a few "expert" cruise critic opinions when I break down the money for hubby tonight :)

[Lisa63]

I'm biased, as we will be on the July 1 sailing of Prinsendam next year.

 

The itinerary is amazing. The Kiel Canal is what sold us on it -- very few ships can do the transit given their size, and I figured this might be my last chance. She's a smaller ship, yet rides very well. We did a British Isles cruise a few years ago and encountered some rough weather typical of the area, and she rode it like a champ. Cabins are actually a decent size -- she was built as a luxury cruiser originally. We saved $ by booking the lowest category of outside cabin that could accommodate 3 (our teenaged son will be with us) -- we have a walk-in closet but portholes instead of windows, which is perfectly fine, and we plan to tour independently in most ports.

 

Let us know how it turns out. Hope to see you on board, but will understand if you select a different ship/sailing.

[PathfinderEss]

Beginning to plan for our 4th HAL cruise and would really like to do a Baltic Cruise. Itineraries and cabin options are my two main concerns on the Prisendam, Rotterdam or Ryndam. We are late 40s/early 50s and "city people"--museums, churches, art and architecture are our passions.

 

Prisendam--9 countries including the Kiel Canal and overnight in St Petersburg

Rotterdam-- 7 countries including overnights in St Petersburg and Stockholm

Ryndam--7 countries including overnights in St Petersburg and Stockholm

 

Is the price of the Prisendam and cruising the Kiel Canal preferable over the overnight in Stockholm? My initial thought is that the more ports we visit the better. This will be a first time visit to all countries with the exception of the UK--Ryndam's embarkation point.

 

Can I handle an inside or oceanview cabin to keep the cost down? First cruise was a VA on Westerdam then a SY on the Zuiderdam and last year, a SA on the Nieuw Amsterdam. The upgrade fairy has always blessed us, but I know better than to book lower than I can tolerate. Can you go "inside" after having had a balcony? :)

 

Opinions on ships, itineraries, cabins?

You want to see as much as possible, "the more ports the better" and "museums, churches, art and architecture are your passions", so it is obvious take the Prinsendam. It fits your criteria.

[RuthC]

Ruth - definitely take a look at the deck plans before booking the Elegant Explorer again - not all the cabins (the original ones) have walk in closets!

 

There is a special little mark showing those that do not.

I was not aware of that. I knew the added cabins were lacking in some respects, but did not know some of the original cabins didn't have walk-in closets, or tiny baths. Even the little single inside has a huge closet (although walking in to it would be difficult). And the bathroom (with shower only) in that cabin was more than adequate.

My veranda cabin w/tub was a little tight on maneuvering room, but the shower-only cabin across the private passage seemed roomier.