July 2015 Baltic on Eclipse - Photos

[texasgirl29]

Day 9

Helsinki, Finland

 

After two exciting, informative and chock-full days in St. Petersburg, we took it a bit easier in Helsinki.

 

My research on the Helsinki Ports of Call board showed there was a #9 tram just outside the cruise center, but for whatever reason, it wasn't all that close to us. There appeared to be some construction going on as well. Buses were lined up outside the ship and for 10 euros (cash) you could buy a ticket that took you into town. Paul, Stephanie and I took the bus (Rachel was hanging out with her grandparents) and it left us close to Stockman's Department Store.

 

 

We followed the crowd to the Esplanade, past the cafes, parks and shops.

 

 

 

 

[upwarduk]

Great to see Peterhof in the sun, our visit on July 31st was in the rain!

[texasgirl29]

Day 9 Helsinki

 

We found out way down to the market by the harbor.

 

 

 

 

Stall after stall of beautiful strawberries and blueberries. Fish. Soup and hot coffee.

 

 

 

[texasgirl29]

Day 9

Helsinki

 

We walked around and tasted things but decided to buy crepes. The lady selling the crepes was pretty awesome. She simultaneously was talking to passersby about her crepes, making them and asking what filling and toppings you wanted. We had strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

 

 

We took a ferry out to Suomenolina island for 7 euros but it was windy and cold so we stayed on the boat and came back.

 

 

The view was nice as we pulled out of the harbor.

 

[texasgirl29]

We spent some more time in the harbor area. I thought initially we would take the free walking tour that met on the church steps but after two days of intense touring, we were happy just to walk around a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It began to rain as we walked back toward the bus stop. We stopped in at a small mall to use the bathroom and as Stephanie and I were waiting in the center of the mall, a young man came up to her, "Stephanie!" Since we didn't know a soul in Helsinki we were sort of taken aback, but he said, "It's me, Pedro, from the ship!" He was one of the staff in the stores.

[texasgirl29]

Day 9

Helsinki, back on the ship

 

We walked through the shops set up in a tent outside of the ship. I got my favorite t-shirt of the trip, The Colours of Scandinavia with flags in the shape of reindeer. I also got my favorite -- salty black licorice (OK, it's an acquired taste.)

 

We watched a movie on demand, the Imitation Game with Benedict Cumberbatch, then it was time for dinner:

 

 

Poached pear in puff pastry

 

 

 

Onion soup

 

 

Pasta with dried tomatoes and spinach in a Gorgonzola cream sauce

 

Bananas foster

 

 

After dinner Stephanie and I saw Peter Mathew, the juggler and comedian. So funny I had tears in my eyes. Then Stephanie and I stopped by Cafe al Bacio for some tea before bedtime.

[texasgirl29]

Day 10

Stockholm

 

I wanted to be sure I didn't miss a thing, so I was up by 5 to witness the sailing through the archipelago. OK, it was nice, really it was, but similar in many ways to the Panama Canal and to Alaska. Smooth, slow sail with lots of trees and greenery on either side.

 

It does make you wonder what it would be like to actually live here, with your own boat and ferries to take you where you need to go.

 

 

 

 

[texasgirl29]

Day 10

Stockholm

 

We approached the city.

 

 

After breakfast, we exited the ship and got into line at a kiosk just outside the ship where we could buy tickets for the Hop On Hop Off boat. The line didn't seem to move at all, and I recalled something about following a line to the HOHO boat. So, like Dorothy following the yellow brick road, we got out of line and followed the stripes on the pavement. Just across the street was a young man urging us on to the HOHO boat, point to our left. It was a very short half block or so to two more kiosks, no lines, one for each of the rival HOHO companies.

 

It was really a toss up, so we went with this one:

 

 

The rate was $15 each, family rate. (Disclaimer: my notes say dollars, but that could have been my translation of whatever we paid in.)

 

Paul and the girls were very excited that there was Wifi on the boat.

 

We got off first at Old Town and walked up the cobblestone street. It was raining, but hey, makes for a good photo, right?

 

 

I wanted to go into the Nobel Museum since I saw it on Rick Steves video, but I got outvoted.

 

 

The square is very picturesque and there were lots of little souvenir shops.

 

 

[texasgirl29]

Day 10

Stockholm

 

After walking around in the rain for a bit, we got back on board to go to the Vasa Museum.

 

***** DO NOT DO THIS!!! GO FIRST!!!! **********

 

There was a huge line. I heard it moved fast but we didn't even try. We had lunch instead at this restaurant next to a canal or river. Lunch was not great but again, there's that free wifi.

 

 

 

 

And you can't beat this view:

 

 

 

I was disappointed. I felt we could have gotten a lot more out of our trip to Stockholm if we had used a guide and I'm a pretty good DIYer. Maybe if we had been successful in visiting Vasa I could have felt differently.

 

The girls wanted to go on the amusement park but we said no because it was raining and also we planned to go to Tivoli in Copenhagen.

 

 

We finished up our HOHO around the harbor area (really, it's not that far) and the girls opted to get off while Paul and I went around one more time (it took about an hour without getting off).

 

So, here we are, back at the Eclipse.

 

[texasgirl29]

Day 10

Stockholm

 

The ship sailed away at 4 p.m, another day where we felt we really had to watch the clock. As we slipped through the archipelago again (The commedian last night said, why get up at 5 a.m. when you can see it when you leave at 4 p.m.? He had a point.) we watched the birds, the sailboats, the ferries taking people home. Again I wondered what life would be like to live there.

 

Dinner that night was "Top Chef" inspired. I wasn't all that impressed.

 

Shrimp cocktail

 

Minestrone soup

 

 

Veal

 

Strawberries and cream (more like custard)

 

 

Tres leeches cake

 

Our sommelier poured me Chandon champagne (I had been drinking Proseco from the Classic category). I think he likes us.

 

The show tonight was "Mercury Rising" a tribute to Queen's Freddie Mercury by Steve Larkin. Great voice and piano playing, sort of a cabaret performance. He obviously has a big following as people seemed to know this routine. Not much resemblance to Freddie, but he did seem to be sort of tongue in cheek.

[upwarduk]

We got back on board to go to the Vasa Museum.

 

DO THIS!!! GO FIRST!!!! **********

 

There was a huge line. I heard it moved fast but we didn't even try.

 

The line went amazingly quickly if you were prepared to use your Credit Card( chip and pin) to buy your ticket.

Edited August 28, 2015 by upwarduk

[texasgirl29]

The line went amazingly quickly if you were prepared to use your Credit Card( chip and pin) to buy your ticket.

 

Well, yes, we have a chip and pin card, just didn't look like the line would move that fast.

 

Oh well.... hopefully there will be a next time.

 

(The line reminds me of Target last weekend on Move-in day at my daughter's university. It wrapped halfway through the store but it moved quickly. I was ready to bail, then, too.)

 

JoAnn

[texasgirl29]

Day 11

At Sea

 

After five port days, it was good to relax and hang out on the ship. Well, except for the sore throat that was starting to rear its ugly head. I spent some time reading in the Solarium and napping.

 

 

This is obviously early in the morning, but I never had any problem finding a lounge chair.

 

 

There were family hours, too.

 

One my favorite places for early morning was Cafe al Bacio. The food is included, of course, and a latte was available with my Classic package.

 

 

 

Come early, never a crowd:

 

[texasgirl29]

Day 11

Sea Day

 

After a relaxing day at sea, here's what's for dinner:

 

 

Spinach turnover

 

Tuscan vegetable minestrone

 

 

Turkey

 

 

 

Chocolate soufflé

 

 

The evening show was "Ovation" which was Broadway and West End musical numbers. I enjoyed it -- Very good, very loud.

[texasgirl29]

Day 12

Copenhagen

 

We had breakfast and then left the ship. It docks very close to town, very easy to walk off and start your adventure. There are HOHO buses, and charter buses, but really, you can easily walk to the Little Mermaid Statue.

 

 

Everyone must pay homage to the Little Mermaid.

 

 

Seriously. Everyone.

 

 

So, once you've got that out of the way, continue walking.

 

We ran across these whimsical sculptures.

 

 

The path lead to his Anglican church, St. Alban's, with a nifty fountain in front. (By coincidence, my church back home in Texas is also St. Alban's and I think we need a fountain like this, too.)

 

 

Inside, volunteers asked where we were from and gave us language-appropriate information sheets and let us view the sanctuary.

 

[NewWestwardbound]

Great review. We were on the same cruise. You didn't miss anything in the Nobel Museum; if I recall correctly it wasn't open the day we visited Stockholm.

[maggieq]

We completed a mini Baltic on rccl. We had terrific weather everyday. Missed not doing Norway. You can keep Russia though....not my cup of tea.

Your pics of Estonia are almost the same as ours.

[30scruiser]

Thanks for doing this review. I definitely want to do a Baltic cruise when we can take off for that long. Your family is beautiful.

[texasgirl29]

Thanks for doing this review. I definitely want to do a Baltic cruise when we can take off for that long. Your family is beautiful.

 

Thanks! I'll get around the rest of it once I get more photos transferred to photobucket.

 

I sure wish Cruise Critic would let you upload photos directly.

 

JoAnn

[warm47]

Thanks! I'll get around the rest of it once I get more photos transferred to photobucket.

 

I sure wish Cruise Critic would let you upload photos directly.

 

JoAnn

 

Would you mind giving me a little info on photobucket, if it is not too complicated for this space. I could see no way to upload pictures on CC, perhaps I did not search hard enough to learn, but I have one review I might consider sharing of a river cruise if I knew how to do so in the future. Thanks!

[texasgirl29]

Would you mind giving me a little info on photobucket, if it is not too complicated for this space. I could see no way to upload pictures on CC, perhaps I did not search hard enough to learn, but I have one review I might consider sharing of a river cruise if I knew how to do so in the future. Thanks!

 

In order for photos to show up here, you have to have a url. When you upload photos to photobucket.com, click on the photo, and to the right you will see several choices with html coding. Chose "image" -- put your cursor in the field and click -- it will say copied.

 

Come back to your CC message and paste. It posts two lines of code -- I just delete the first line and keep the second. Preview your post to make sure it worked. Then submit.

 

I think you can use other photosharing sites (but not Shutterfly) but I've always used photobucket.

 

JoAnn

[texasgirl29]

Day 12

Copenhagen

 

After leaving the church, we continued to walk toward Nyhavn, the touristy part of town. This is, as many tourist spots are, a revamped and repurposed area once frequented by working men and women as they set out in their boats. Shops and cafes on both sides of the water, but a bit grimy still, I thought. We were tired from our walk and decided to take a canal boat ride.

 

 

 

It was a great choice as we saw both the new and the old Copenhagen from the water.

 

Some of the bridges were really low -- you had to watch your head.

 

 

[texasgirl29]

Day 12

Copenhagen

 

I really recommend the canal trip -- it takes about an hour.

 

 

 

This was a ship facility renovated to living spaces.

 

 

The new opera house:

 

 

Beautiful statues, spires, bridges -- what more could you ask for?

 

 

[texasgirl29]

Day 12

Copenhagen

 

After the canal tour, we continued walking, looking for Tivoli.

 

We stopped at a large department store.

 

 

In the basement was a kind of food court where we had sandwiches. The girls went upstairs to look at clothes while Paul and I had a look around the chocolate shop. We could not pass up the fondue-like chocolate treats.

 

First we chose three things to put on a stick:

 

 

Then she coated them in our choice of chocolate:

 

 

Then she rolled them in a topping of nuts or coconut and froze them for a few minutes. Yumm!

[texasgirl29]

Day 12

Copenhagen

 

After resting and eating, we continued walking in the direction of Tivoli. Soon, we found it.

 

 

In case I didn't mention it before, there are a lot of bicycles in Copenhagen:

 

 

The bike lanes are well marked, but busy, so be careful.

 

While you're looking out for bikes, take a look at these beautiful works of art mascarading as manhole covers.

 

 

 

 

(I particularly like manhole covers and lamps, don't ask me why.)