Baltic Sea Cruise - Questions on Ports

[ans678]

Hi Fellow Cruisers,

 

We are going on a Baltic Sea Cruise in June with Royal Caribbean. This is our first time going to that area. We have previously done a Mediterranean cruise that we loved.

 

I just have some general questions about the ports we will be visiting.

I would just like to hear some tips or important information I might not be aware of for these ports.

 

We are doing shore excursions for all of the ports except Tallinn.

 

Oslo, Norway - All the shore excursions are super short for this port. Are we missing something? Is it possible to explore the area around the port on our own? Is that what most people do?

 

Copenhagen, Denmark - We are visiting some of the palaces/castles. The excursions say something about bags/cameras not being allowed inside. Are there safe places to store these there or are we going to be forced to leave them on the tour bus?

 

Tallinn, Estonia - Is it safe/easy to find transportation to Old/New town from the port? Is it within walking distance of the port?

 

St. Petersburg, Russia - We are doing a fairly intensive tour to Moscow the first day and then St.Petersburg the next day. Anyone know if it will be easy to find souvenir shops during the ship tours? Are their souvenir shops in the port?

 

Helsinki, Finland - We are excited about visiting the market. What are the best things to buy there?

 

Brussels, Belgium - We are doing an "Own Your Own" excursion that drops us off at Walplein Square. Any places that you recommend we visit? Places to eat?

 

Any tips are appreciated from those who have been to these ports.

Thank you!:)

[kitkat343]

Helsinki, Tallinn and Copenhagen are all cities that can easily be toured by yourself (the others, with the exception of St. Petersburg, may also be, but my cruise had a different itinerary).

 

Tallinn's port is a short walk to the Old Town. Tallinn is usually the day before St. Petersburg, so if anyone in your family has limited stamina, you might want to either take a cab from the port to the top of Toompea Hill and walk down through the old town, or there may be pedicabs in the port. The pedicabs can give you a short 20 minute tour, or a longer ride around the city - just negotiate what you want before you go. The pedicab tour was really nice.

 

There were souvenir stands right after you clear customs in St. Petersburg. When we were there, a lady tried to leave the ship to the souvenir stands. Unfortunately, she had thrown away her ship tour ticket and you won't be allowed to pass through Russian customs without a tour ticket (which serves as a visa waiver) or a visa. She wanted to borrow my tour ticket, but I explained the customs officials were quite likely to check the names and this wasn't likely to end well for her.

[GradUT]

I highly recommend reading Rick Steves' Northern European Cruise Ports. I found it to be an invaluable resource on what to see in each port and how to get around on your own. (You may discover you can do without the shore excursions you have booked--especially if you have booked those pricey ones that the ship offers.)

 

1. Copenhagen--If you are touring Rosenborg Castle, there are small lockers there where you can leave your bags,etc. The lockers are coin-operated, so have some DKK on hand.

 

2. Tallinn is an easy 15 minute walk from the port. Rick Steves has a map and walking directions, but basically you head for the big round gate tower known as "Fat Margaret".

 

3. Helsinki-- We are not shoppers but we did walk through the Market Square stalls. There were a lot of sweaters and woolen items for sale.

 

4. St. Petersburg--This is the only port where I would say a shore excursion is a necessity for a first-time visitor, but I would go with a private tour company, not on a ship's excursion. As mentioned above, there are souvenir shops at the port. Your tour may also include a stop of 30-45 minutes in a local souvenir store on your final day (ours did). But unless your tour includes a stop like this or free time on Nevsky Prospeck, you are unlikely to have any time to souvenir shop. The tours in St. Petersburg are pretty regimented and you do not have time to wander on your own, visit museum gift shops or ask the guide to make unscheduled stops.

Edited April 28, 2016 by GradUT

[Pet Nit Noy]

Tallinn, Estonia - Is it safe/easy to find transportation to Old/New town from the port? Is it within walking distance of the port?

 

Our cruise ship provided a shuttle bus to the bottom of the hill. Old Town is on the hill. There are several routes to the Tourist Office which is close to the top of the hill.

 

St. Petersburg, Russia - We are doing a fairly intensive tour to Moscow the first day and then St.Petersburg the next day. Anyone know if it will be easy to find souvenir shops during the ship tours? Are their souvenir shops in the port?

 

Most cruisers head to Moscow for the day only if they will be doing a three-day port call in St Petersburg or if they have visited St. Petersburg before.

 

I've spent four days in Moscow prior to a Russian river cruise, and having seen Moscow, I recommend you reconsider your plans. You may leave SPB with a more satisfied feeling having spent both days there than commuting to/from Moscow, short-changing both cities.

 

Helsinki, Finland - We are excited about visiting the market. What are the best things to buy there?

 

Helsinki Market offers shoppers lots of variety -- stalls that are selling obviously touristy things (possibly made in Asia) all the way to stalls with true artisan work.

 

I found a stall selling amber beautiful jewelry that was more stylish than the average. Many jewelers simply take a chunk of polished amber, set it in a prong-style mount and than hang it on a chain. This particular artist formed beautiful sterling "frames" around the chunk of amber.

 

Something else distinctive to look for -- antler bottle openers. I wanted to buy our son a bottle opener that was attached to a small fragment of an antler, but, even looking at the smaller examples, we thought it took up too much space.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Pet Nit Noy