What is so special about a Baltics Cruise

[Grumpy100]

We are thinking about booking the Celebrity Constellation for May, 2014.

I have read some of the must do's for the Baltic Cruises but still don't understand what is so great about the Baltics.

I love to see nature and the mountains and snow vs. cities. I have my choice of doing Iceland and Amsterdam OR Amsterdam and the Baltics cruise. Am I the only one that does not understand why it does not really appeal that much to me to do a Baltics cruise. We have already done the British Isles, Norway to include Oslo and Copenhagen. Would it be worth going on a Baltics cruise to see Estonia, Russia, Finland and some of Sweeden. HELP..............WHICH DO I CHOOSE.............:eek::eek::eek:

[aquilegia]

While I would normally recommend anyone to do a Baltics cruise, if you really don't care much for cities and have already visited Oslo, Copenhagen and at least some ports in Norway, I would suggest you do something else. Baltics cruises are about cities, not scenery. If you haven't done a fjords cruise I would recommend that or Alaska.

[LHT28]

If you do not like cities or historical buildings/sites do NOT do a Baltics cruise

 

Some people think the Baltics are great we like to see the historical sites & going to Russia was the highlight for us even though it was only 2 days of organized tours ..I would not trade the experience for a walk in the park ;)

 

Different strokes

You have to do what works best for you & your wants/needs

 

Enjoy

 

Lyn

[Grumpy100]

While I would normally recommend anyone to do a Baltics cruise, if you really don't care much for cities and have already visited Oslo, Copenhagen and at least some ports in Norway, I would suggest you do something else. Baltics cruises are about cities, not scenery. If you haven't done a fjords cruise I would recommend that or Alaska.

 

We have already done the fjords cruise in Norway also and been to Alaska 5 times so I guess I will go for the fly/drive tour in Iceland.

Thanks for your input.

[LondonTowner]

We did a Baltic cruise in September. I had already been to Amsterdam and Copenhagen, but didn't mind going again. I love cities and found those on the Baltic steeped with history.

 

SPB was the highlight of the trip, but we also had a stop in Gdansk, which we didn't know much about. It was the only port where we booked a ship's excursion as the port is quite a distance from the city.

 

We were very pleasantly surprised at how pretty it is and has very interesting (recent) history.

 

As already mentioned, if these type of things are of no interest to you, then don't go. If I were to go to Iceland it would also depend upon the other ports of call.

[Grumpy100]

If we go to Iceland it will not be on a cruise. We will rent a car and drive around the country with hotels already booked for us. It would be a fly/drive tour. Either 7 or 10 days. I think I am leaning towards Iceland and then before we go there we will hit Amsterdam for 3-4 days. Not much more expensive for airfare when you use Icelandair Air. They allow a stopover.

Thanks. :):):)

[CruiserBruce]

If, after some reading here on what other people like, do and see on a Baltic cruise, it doesn't interest you, don't go on a Baltic cruise. No one is claiming it is for everyone. It may not be for you.

 

Many people have a curiosity about things they haven't seen. Perhaps you don't. No big deal. If it doesn't interest you, don't go.

[Grumpy100]

If, after some reading here on what other people like, do and see on a Baltic cruise, it doesn't interest you, don't go on a Baltic cruise. No one is claiming it is for everyone. It may not be for you.

 

Many people have a curiosity about things they haven't seen. Perhaps you don't. No big deal. If it doesn't interest you, don't go.

 

 

Probably won't.........................:p:p:p

[Giantfan13]

Obviously most people on this board have done a Baltic Cruise and loved it. I will not try and talk you into it, from what I've read so far, you really don't want to do it and are just looking for an excuse not to do it.

 

My DW and myself are not into museums, not really into way back history, but the Baltics excited us to no end. It was the thought, and the actual going to cities that we always heard and dreamed about, Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Berlin and, of course, St Petersburg, Russia. We are seniors and in our lifetime growing up, who would have thought we would be visiting Russia. For us, it was a dream come true. Sure you only get a very small taste of what these places are like, but again, for us, it was enough. I watch movies with settings in these European cities and we say, Hey, we were there, and we dream about it all over again.

Yes, this cruise is about cities, but in all the ports, we just did our own thing, not really caring if we saw everything there is to see, just trying to experience the fact that we are in these wonderful places, sampling their food, speaking to the people. It was truly fascinating.

 

The Baltics are more than just museums, history and culture, it was about the excitement of vising places , as a younger person, I only dreamed about.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[kaisatsu]

If we go to Iceland it will not be on a cruise. We will rent a car and drive around the country with hotels already booked for us. It would be a fly/drive tour. Either 7 or 10 days. I think I am leaning towards Iceland and then before we go there we will hit Amsterdam for 3-4 days. Not much more expensive for airfare when you use Icelandair Air. They allow a stopover.

Thanks. :):):)

 

I've done both a fly/drive tour of Iceland and a Baltic cruise, and I really enjoyed them both. If you enjoyed your port days in Oslo and Copenhagen, I think you would enjoy a Baltic cruise, because most of the Baltic capitals are similar port experiences (slightly different cultures and attractions, but a generally similar vibe). If you were fairly indifferent about those ports, then I would skip the Baltics cruise.

 

That said, I loved our trip to Iceland. We drove most of Ring 1, cutting overland across the Kjölur Route. Driving the south coast was gorgeous with all the waterfalls and glaciers, and Jökulsárlón was spectacular. We took a zodiac cruise on the lake, and the ice formations were very similar to my experiences in Antarctica but vastly more accessible. I spent days crossing the Drake Passage, and this is right off a major national highway!

 

If you do choose driving around Iceland, I would recommend renting a 4WD. While a lot of the roads can be managed with a 2WD, a 4WD with a bit more ground clearance just makes things so much easier in some places. If you're sticking to the south coast, it might not be worth it, but further afield for a lot of places off Ring 1, it was definitely nice to have. Also, book accommodations well in advance, because there aren't a lot of rooms and those closest to the major attractions (national parks, etc) fill up quickly during tourist season. We stayed at a lot of farmstays that we booked through the national farm stay registry. They were hit or miss, but always interesting!

[OCruisers]

Sometimes people just want to do a Baltic Cruise to take them to a place they thought they would never be able to go (Russia) and to see other places they've never been.

 

No desire to return ... but glad we've done this. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[Grumpy100]

I've done both a fly/drive tour of Iceland and a Baltic cruise, and I really enjoyed them both. If you enjoyed your port days in Oslo and Copenhagen, I think you would enjoy a Baltic cruise, because most of the Baltic capitals are similar port experiences (slightly different cultures and attractions, but a generally similar vibe). If you were fairly indifferent about those ports, then I would skip the Baltics cruise.

 

That said, I loved our trip to Iceland. We drove most of Ring 1, cutting overland across the Kjölur Route. Driving the south coast was gorgeous with all the waterfalls and glaciers, and Jökulsárlón was spectacular. We took a zodiac cruise on the lake, and the ice formations were very similar to my experiences in Antarctica but vastly more accessible. I spent days crossing the Drake Passage, and this is right off a major national highway!

 

If you do choose driving around Iceland, I would recommend renting a 4WD. While a lot of the roads can be managed with a 2WD, a 4WD with a bit more ground clearance just makes things so much easier in some places. If you're sticking to the south coast, it might not be worth it, but further afield for a lot of places off Ring 1, it was definitely nice to have. Also, book accommodations well in advance, because there aren't a lot of rooms and those closest to the major attractions (national parks, etc) fill up quickly during tourist season. We stayed at a lot of farmstays that we booked through the national farm stay registry. They were hit or miss, but always interesting!

 

We started and ended our cruise in Copenhagen so have already seen that city or as much as I want to see of it. Oslo was nice but we just walked around the city on our own and it was very nice but I have no desire to go back to either of those ports. That said I think we will go to Iceland. We are looking at Nordic Visitor Tour company where you go for a certain tour and they prebook your hotel stays and rent you the car so you don't have to worry about where you are going to stay. I know that there are not a lot of places to stay in Iceland once you get away from the capital. You pick your comfort lever, ie. regular, comfort or luxury and then your car also. Everyone says to get the 4 x 4 car so we will do that and go for the comfort hotels so we can have our own bathrooms. Thanks for your input.

[dsrdsrdsr]

I think we will go to Iceland. We are looking at Nordic Visitor Tour company where you go for a certain tour and they prebook your hotel stays and rent you the car so you don't have to worry about where you are going to stay. I know that there are not a lot of places to stay in Iceland once you get away from the capital. You pick your comfort lever, ie. regular, comfort or luxury and then your car also. Everyone says to get the 4 x 4 car so we will do that and go for the comfort hotels so we can have our own bathrooms. Thanks for your input.

Many of the roads in the interior are covered with ice in winter and have to be relaid in Spring/early Summer. They're dirt roads, not paved. You definitely need 4 wheel drive for them.

 

Still off topic a bit, why "Baltics"? The only place I've ever heard the expression "the Baltics" is on this message board - it's the Baltic Sea, the Baltic states, the Baltic capitals, but there's only a single Baltic and it isn't pluralised in English English. Not being critical, just interested. Is it just one of the differences between American and English usage?

[Talisker92]

We did a Baltic cruise a few years ago and enjoyed it thoroughly. Here are my thoughts about what to see

Oslo- Frogner Park, Viking ship museum, Hollenkommen Ski Jump

Stockholm-The hall where the Nobel Prizes are given out

Gdansk-the monument to the Solidarity movement

St. Petersburg- Hermitage, Peter and Paul fortress

The story and pictures are on our website under:European River Cruise

[Desdichado62]

@Talisker92

 

Regarding the Nobel prize.

 

The actual prize ceremony takes place at the Stockholm Concert Hall while the banquet takes place at the Stockholm City Hall.

Edited December 15, 2013 by Desdichado62

[kaisatsu]

Still off topic a bit, why "Baltics"? The only place I've ever heard the expression "the Baltics" is on this message board - it's the Baltic Sea, the Baltic states, the Baltic capitals, but there's only a single Baltic and it isn't pluralised in English English. Not being critical, just interested. Is it just one of the differences between American and English usage?

 

I've certainly heard the Baltic states referred to as "The Baltics" for short in other places besides this board. In fact, it's the first alternative term mentioned on the Wikipedia page:

The Baltic states (also known as the Baltics, Baltic nations or Baltic countries) are three countries east of the Baltic Sea – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

I've heard the term from both British and American people on both sides of the Atlantic as well as plenty of non-native English speakers, so I don't think it's a particularly regional term (aside from being a term for a region ;) ).

 

I do agree that the term is often misused, both here on the board and in other places, to refer to more than just the Baltic states. It is technically incorrect to use the term "Baltics" to refer to all of the countries bordering the Baltic Sea, which would more correctly be considered the "Baltic region" or "Baltic Rim countries."

Edited December 15, 2013 by kaisatsu

[kaisatsu]

@Talisker92

 

Regarding the Nobel prize.

 

The actual prize ceremony takes place at the Stockholm Concert Hall while the banquet takes place at the Stockholm City Hall.

 

And don't forget the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in the Oslo city hall, another favorite on this board.

[LiftLockCouple]

We did the Baltic cruise you are considering this past May. The sail in to Stockholm through the archipelago was one of the hi-lites not to mention the sail away that afternoon. St. Petersburg was THE highlite. Like others have said, don't go if you are not into history, palaces, and royal gardens.

 

For our part, we made a visit to London a pre-cruise activity, then 2 nights in Amsterdam, then the cruise. It was over-all a fantastic trip, history, historic buildings, the canals of Amsterdam, unbelievable palaces and gardens in Russia, and the Tulip gardens of Keukenhof The Netherlands. We LOVED St. Petersburg, and came to appreciate Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Tallinn. Our visit to London was a first ever and we LOVED it as well. The Gardens of Keukenhof were stunning.

 

Not for you I guess, but certainly was fantastic for us. In your case, take the Iceland cruise. You are unlikely to be disappointed.

 

The disappointment for us was the ship you are considering. Not the ship specifically but the crew that was on board for that cruise. The crew were doing their best but they seemed to be short handed and in many cases, just beginning to learn what they were expected to do. Hopefully, if you decide to board the Constellation, your experience will be significantly better than ours.

 

Enjoy Iceland!!

[Desdichado62]

And don't forget the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in the Oslo city hall, another favorite on this board.

 

Yeah right sorry I did forget. ;)

[snowyboy]

We are thinking about booking the Celebrity Constellation for May, 2014.

I have read some of the must do's for the Baltic Cruises but still don't understand what is so great about the Baltics.

I love to see nature and the mountains and snow vs. cities. I have my choice of doing Iceland and Amsterdam OR Amsterdam and the Baltics cruise. Am I the only one that does not understand why it does not really appeal that much to me to do a Baltics cruise. We have already done the British Isles, Norway to include Oslo and Copenhagen. Would it be worth going on a Baltics cruise to see Estonia, Russia, Finland and some of Sweeden. HELP..............WHICH DO I CHOOSE.............:eek::eek::eek:

 

Think you need to do Alaska we did it this year great

[Grumpy100]

Think you need to do Alaska we did it this year great

 

We have been on 3 Alaskian cruises and one 2 week trip by car to Alaska.

So I think I have seen pretty much of everything in Alaska. Not saying I would not go back but I think it is already off my bucket list. My bucket list of still pretty full so I want to do Amsterdam to see the tulips, windmills and canals and then off to Iceland for my other country that is on my bucket list.

Plus my husband is full Dutch and he wants to see his Heritage so 3-4 days will be good there. He is from US but all relatives came over in the early days from Netherlands.

Thanks for everyone's input. Helps greatly. :p:p:p