Baltic Cruise Quandry

[xerxes5]

My wife and I are stationed in Italy, and scheduled to be heading back stateside soon. As a last hurrah-type deal, thinking about doing a Baltic cruise, but somewhat overwhelmed with the options as we've never taken a cruise. Looking to go in May timeframe, which works both timing wise and that it seems to be cheaper. We mainly want to do St. Petersburg and Tallinn, so happy with the list of port calls we've found. Mainly curious about which sites to buy from, and when would be a good time to buy for a May trip (and 5 months ago isn't a helpful answer :)). Also any feedback on the options below, in terms of both the ship and/or cabin would be appreciated. As noted, I don't really know what the hell I'm doing, so need all the help I can get.

 

Currently looking at:

 

Norwegian Star May 8 - 17

9 night / $1499 for balcony

Departing from: Copenhagen, Denmark

Ports of Call: Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany • Tallinn, Estonia • St. Petersburg, Russian Federation • Helsinki, Finland • Stockholm, Sweden

 

Princess Cruises May 15 - 16

11 night / $1399 for balcony

Departing from: Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany

Ports of Call: Tallinn, Estonia • St. Petersburg, Russian Federation • Helsinki, Finland • Stockholm, Sweden • Copenhagen, Denmark • Oslo, Norway

 

Serenade of the Seas (RCI) May 29 - June 5

7 night / $1348 for balcony

Departing from: Copenhagen, Denmark

Ports of Call: Stockholm, Sweden • Tallinn, Estonia • St. Petersburg, Russian Federation • Helsinki, Finland

 

Zuiderdam (Holland America) May 5 - 17

12 night / $1699 for balcony

Departing from: Copenhagen, Denmark

Ports of Call: Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany • Tallinn, Estonia • St. Petersburg, Russian Federation • Helsinki, Finland • Stockholm, Sweden • Kiel (Hamburg), Germany • Goteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden • Helsingborg, Sweden

 

Naturally if folks want to suggest others, have at it. Thanks again.

Edited March 23, 2016 by xerxes5

[Clarea]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Just looking at the options you listed, that Princess cruise seems to be an excellent deal.

[xerxes5]

As a note the Princess ship from 5 - 16 May is Regal Princess.

 

But yah that did seem to be a great deal. Just didn't know if there were other factors I should be considering.

 

Also, in addition to which ship/line to go on, as far as cabins, we kind of figured breakfast/dinner on the balcony would be good. On the flip side, seems like you save a ton of money being in an inside room, no? Just not sure how much time we'd spend inside (hopefully the less, the better).

Edited March 23, 2016 by xerxes5

[Clarea]

As a note the Princess ship from 5 - 16 May is Regal Princess.

 

But yah that did seem to be a great deal. Just didn't know if there were other factors I should be considering.

 

Also, in addition to which ship/line to go on, as far as cabins, we kind of figured breakfast/dinner on the balcony would be good. On the flip side, seems like you save a ton of money being in an inside room, no? Just not sure how much time we'd spend inside (hopefully the less, the better).

What you might want to do is post on the respective cruise line forums, so you can get opinions as to what they think of the ships.

 

I can tell you from a Royal Caribbean point of view that Serenade is a beautiful ship, and went through an extensive revitalization dry dock not that long ago.

Edited March 23, 2016 by clarea

[Keith1010]

If it was me I would narrow it down to the Princess and Hall Cruises.

 

Like the length of each cruise and the itineraries.

 

Keith

[jamessemaj]

You would also be eligible for up to $200 onboard credit on Princess for military service. The more time in St. Petersburg the better is also a consideration, although I think most cruises spend 2 days there.

[sail7seas]

I would definitely go with the HAL 12 day cruise sailing from Copenhagen. We have embarked there and love that charming city.

 

[DGREG0622]

We are on the regal starting may 1-12 out of copenhagen....doug

[CruiserBruce]

I would vote for the HAL cruise, as you don't have the logistical issues of getting to Warnemunde- 3 hours by train or bus from Berlin. Plus it is one day longer. Longer is always better!

[Barrheadlass]

We've done a Baltics cruise with Holland American and really enjoyed it. At that time of year, which is when we went, it'll be really cold on a balcony. We've never gotten an inside, but we spend so little time in the cabin, I think it is possible. If cost is a significant issue for you, you might consider an inside.

[Ashland]

We've done a Baltics cruise with Holland American and really enjoyed it. At that time of year, which is when we went, it'll be really cold on a balcony. We've never gotten an inside, but we spend so little time in the cabin, I think it is possible. If cost is a significant issue for you, you might consider an inside.

 

We've also done the Baltics and regardless of the time of year having that bit of personal outdoor space can make a big difference....at least to some...

 

I personally would never recommend a "first" time cruiser opt for an inside cabin...that might not work out so well ;)

[John Bull]

Two things to consider..........

 

You don't quote time in the ports.

You really need two days and an overnite in St Petersburg. Most cruises include two days, and a few are three days (primarily for folk who want to include a visit to Moscow).

But some only visit for the one day, and that's woefully short for St Petersburg.

I'd scratch any of those cruises which have only one port day in St Petersburg.

Check also whether you get a full day in the other ports.

 

Sailing to Stockholm through the archipelago is one of the world's best sail-ins. Check that your port is Stadsgarten or Frihamnen (both in the city) and not Nynashamn, which is on the coast - a tender port an hour from Stockholm by train & which doesn't include the archipelago. (my spelling suspect for all three).

Royal Princess has only recently been permitted to sail in to Stockholm, she was just a shade too big for the regs. Bear in mind that if the weather isn't good enough, any ship can be switched last-minute to Nynashamn but the bigger the ship the greater the likelihood.

 

Balcony cabins to the Baltic will be less popular than say, the Caribbean, because the weather is less reliable. And the cruises will be port-intensive, with usually just one or two sea days.

So in theory the premium for a balcony should be less.

 

The Baltic is a great part of the world to visit, and cruising is the best way to do it.

 

JB :)

[Mary Ellen]

John has brought up excellent points. I strongly suggest keeping those in mind. I also agree with Keith that HAL and Princess would be my top choices. Not only do we like both cruise lines, their itineraries are better.

 

About the need for a balcony. The Royal Princess has pretty darn small balconies. I sure wouldn't count on being able to enjoy breakfast or dinner out there, even if the weather permitted. Our recent Princess cruise was on a different ship and our balcony was larger than on the Royal. We still had to hold our plates in our hands while having breakfast going thru the Panama Canal. On a Baltic cruise the most scenic part is sailing through the Stockholm Archipelago. I would suggest being out on deck with a forward or aft view rather than a side view from a balcony. If you are lucky enough to snag an aft view balcony on the Royal Princess or Zuiderdam, that would be great. Those are more expensive though. If smoking matters to you, HAL allows smoking on balconies, Princess does not.

 

If you want to save money and go with an inside cabin, the Zuiderdam has some large, square ones that are very nice. They are larger than the other cabins onboard except the suites. Inside cabins on Princess are small (and definitely avoid any that can hold 4 passengers). On either HAL or Princess you can turn the TV to the channel with the 'View from the Bridge' to use as a window. At night it gives a soft glow that is great for middle of the night trips to the bathroom. In the morning it gets brighter as the sun comes up. The Zuiderdam has lots of deck chairs on the Promanade deck as well as lots of other open deck space for viewing. We've found that is generally better on HAL than on Princess.

 

No matter what cruise you take, I suggest going with a private tour in St. Petersburg than a big bus tour through the cruise line.

 

Hope you have a great time. We've cruised to all 7 continents and the Baltic is one of our favorite cruises.

[xerxes5]

Great stuff all, will take this all down.

 

Last question: any thoughts on where to buy for this? Not sure if that's kosher to ask on this board, but seems as if everywhere has the same prices. Normally in that case I'd buy through the company itself, but figured I'd double check.

[CruiserBruce]

Great stuff all, will take this all down.

 

Last question: any thoughts on where to buy for this? Not sure if that's kosher to ask on this board, but seems as if everywhere has the same prices. Normally in that case I'd buy through the company itself, but figured I'd double check.

 

We are not allowed to name or discuss travel agencies on Cruise Critic.

[Glaciers]

We did a Baltic cruise in May 2 years ago. Perfect weather. As mentioned, 2 days in St Petersburg, at least. We went with SPB Tours although it is competitive and most have top notch customer service. An organized tour may also allow you into venues early, like the Hermitage. We wanted to do it on our own but glad we went on a small organized tour, about 10 people. As soon as you book, check roll calls. We found others from our cruise and were able to book together.

 

Also, as John mentioned, sailing through the archipelago to Stockholm is a treat. Certainly worth getting up early as the sun rises over the islands.

[John Bull]

My wife and I are stationed in Italy, and scheduled to be heading back stateside soon.

 

You should check agencies in both Italy & the US.

I don't know about Italy & the rest of Europe, but for a cruise booked in the UK the prices are generally higher than for the self-same cruise booked in the US.

I'm assuming you have a residential address in the US - some US cruise lines accept bookings from US agents only for North American residents.

 

On the other hand, for late-booked cruises we get some great deals in the UK - mebbe it's the same in Italy, so try agents there too.

 

Since you've never cruised before, do contact cruise specialist travel agents in both countries. Google that phrase for names. You'll find a knowledgeable T/A to be a godsend for general advice about cruising - cabin grades & locations, dining choices, etc.

 

Assuming "stationed" means you're in the military, you may find some cruise lines offer military discounts - so do mention it.

 

Definitely worth dialling a few phone numbers, rather than relying only on websites ;)

 

JB :)