Silja ferry questions

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

We are thinking of going on a land tour which includes an overnight on the Silja line (I think the Symphony). We have the option of staying in Helsinki the final night or staying on the ferry another night back to Stockholm.

 

From other posts here and from pics I saw on their website, I get the idea that it's a nice ship, but is it worth a second night instead of the night in Helsinki?

 

There seems to be almost no outside open space (due to the cool weather?).

No real pool, except the spa. Do you have to pay to dip in the spa?

 

How is the food? The tour plan includes the buffet.

 

Entertainment good?

 

Anything else that can be advised to help in our decision making?

 

Thanks.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Well one advantage of staying on board for the second night is that you'll have all day in Helsinki to tour around while your luggage can remain safely behind in your cabin. If you only go with the single night on the ship then you'd have a small bit of inconvenience of having to transfer to a hotel, check-in and get situated. That can eat up close to half of your last day, assuming even that the hotel will let you check-in early in the morning.

 

The spa is probably an extra charge. If the food buffet is included that's great because the dinner buffet is very expensive! The food is top notch with both familiar items as well as Scandinavian specialties. Entertainment can include both live music as well as typical disco. Friday and Saturday nights can be crazy as it's a popular 2-night mini-cruise for locals out on "party weekends".

 

You'd be on the Silja Symphony or Silja Serenade, depending on which ship is operating from Stockholm the night you depart. Both are identical so it would not matter which one you get. They stop briefly enroute in the Aland Islands, an autonomous Swedish-speaking part of Finland. By doing so the ships go outside the EU which allows for duty-free shopping on board. Both ships have a huge duty-free supermarket on board. Prices are high by our standards but are bargains for Finns and Swedes who go crazy in there!

 

Since this is Cruise Critic and we're cruise fans here, my choice would be to end your great vacation with a 2-night cruise to Helsinki and back rather than another hotel night. Be sure to visit the Silja Line website at www.silja.com and then select the International site, not the U.S. site for more details about the ships.

 

BobK/Orlando

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

Bob,

 

Great info. We are going on an 11 night organized tour, so we won't have the baggage problems (except for the packing and unpacking). They have 2 versions which are identical, except for that last night. The definite 1 night is Thursdy, but the possible second night is Friday, so we may skip the second and over-night in Helsinki so as to avoid a "Carnival" experience.

 

Also, the extra night on the ship instead of in Helsinki is $130ppX4=$520. That difference alone was pushing us towards only the 1 night.

 

We are waiting to see if the air cost is any different between flying home from Helsinki or Stockholm, and that will be the end of the decision.

 

Thanks for all the info,

 

Gary

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Gary, didn't realize they were charging more for the two night option on the ship. That would definitely influence my decision as well. I would think that the airfare returning from Helsinki versus Stockholm should be the same as usually all the Scandinavian* cities are common-rated. At worst it would be a small bit more.

 

Have a great trip! Scandinavia is GREAT.

 

BobK/Orlando

 

*-I realize Finland is technically not Scandinavian but the fares to/from the U.S out of Oslo/Stockholm/Gothenburg/Copenhagen/Helsinki are usually the same which means returning from any of those cities should not change the fare.