Baltic cruise without St Petersburg

[able58]

Hi, does anyone know of a cruise in the Baltic that doesn't include St Petersburg? I have started research but so far not found anything ... thanks.

[LondonTowner]

Funnily enough I saw one the other day, but can't remember which line. I know that's not very helpful, but they do exist. It may have been Cunard or P and O. The port I would like to leave out is Tallin, but they all seem to include it.

[Desdichado62]

A few older threads about the same subject:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2109733

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2197438

 

Also see this review : http://www.cruisecritic.com/holland-america-baltics-cruises/cr/

[able58]

Thanks for the replies ... still looking, and looking. I wish there was an app to do this sort of stuff.

[mskaufman]

Funnily enough I saw one the other day, but can't remember which line. I know that's not very helpful, but they do exist. It may have been Cunard or P and O. The port I would like to leave out is Tallin, but they all seem to include it.

 

Different strokes for different folks.

 

We did the Baltic last year and felt that Tallin was a pleasant surprise. Very quaint with lots of great views.

[hun]

Have you checked MSC?

[LondonTowner]

mskaufman

 

I had wanted to go to Tallin for ages and had considered going for a long weekend, but glad I hadn't bothered. I thought it was overrated and certainly overrun with tourists. I much prefer somewhere like Bruges, although that can be very touristy too.

[NanciEA]

National Geographic/Lindblad's Orion is doing two different cruise this August which do not stop in St. Petersburg. One starts in Tallinn and ends in Copenhagen and the other does the reverse.

[GradUT]

Just for curiosity's sake, Able85, why are you looking for a Baltic cruise that skips St. Petersburg? For most people, including myself, SPB is the highlight of a Baltic cruise.

 

(And add my name to the list of those that enjoyed Tallinn. It turned out to be one of our favorite ports--maybe because we found places to go where there weren't any crowds.)

[LondonTowner]

Yes, it was P and O from Southampton who do a couple of Baltic cruises without SPB.

[Globaliser]

I wish there was an app to do this sort of stuff.

Some of the big online cruise travel agents have powerful search tools that allow you to find such cruises. We can't mention agents' names here, but you can go looking for them by yourself.

Just for curiosity's sake, Able85, why are you looking for a Baltic cruise that skips St. Petersburg? For most people, including myself, SPB is the highlight of a Baltic cruise.

Some people might prefer not to go to Russia.

[able58]

Thanks all ... we have almost decided to skip the Baltic, Viking has a cruise out of Copenhagen up along Norway and on to the Arctic Circle and back ... we can then get a train to Stockholm for a few days.

As to why we don't want to go to Russia .. we are a gay male couple, the Russian government actively encourages violence against gays and the rate of crime related to that is quite high, gay tourists are often targets of the police ... I have no wish to visit or spend any of my money in that country or support them in any way.

[wheezedr]

Thanks all ... we have almost decided to skip the Baltic, Viking has a cruise out of Copenhagen up along Norway and on to the Arctic Circle and back ... we can then get a train to Stockholm for a few days.

As to why we don't want to go to Russia .. we are a gay male couple, the Russian government actively encourages violence against gays and the rate of crime related to that is quite high, gay tourists are often targets of the police ... I have no wish to visit or spend any of my money in that country or support them in any way.

 

Sounds like a good plan but depending on your schedule you could actually rent a car in Copenhagen and drive to Malmö and then through southern Sweden. We did that after our Baltic cruise and throughly enjoyed. Beautiful country, great roads and nice people. No matter how you get to Stockholm be sure to take a cruise out onto the archipelago for part of a day or evening, it is gorgeous. Undoubtedly you will hear about the Vasa but if not, I will throw in my two cents or kroners and encourage you to visit it.

[GradUT]

Thanks all ... we have almost decided to skip the Baltic, Viking has a cruise out of Copenhagen up along Norway and on to the Arctic Circle and back ... we can then get a train to Stockholm for a few days.

As to why we don't want to go to Russia .. we are a gay male couple, the Russian government actively encourages violence against gays and the rate of crime related to that is quite high, gay tourists are often targets of the police ... I have no wish to visit or spend any of my money in that country or support them in any way.

 

I figured there had to be a good reason to skip SPB.

[Desdichado62]

Thanks all ... we have almost decided to skip the Baltic, Viking has a cruise out of Copenhagen up along Norway and on to the Arctic Circle and back ... we can then get a train to Stockholm for a few days.

As to why we don't want to go to Russia .. we are a gay male couple, the Russian government actively encourages violence against gays and the rate of crime related to that is quite high, gay tourists are often targets of the police ... I have no wish to visit or spend any of my money in that country or support them in any way.

 

Once you make it to Stockholm and spent a few days there, you could always make a ferry trip to Helsinki and or Tallin.

Like STO-TLL-HEL and then fly home from Helsinki.

 

http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/web/int/book-a-cruise

http://www.sales.vikingline.com/

 

However only Tallink offers direct route from STO to TLL, with Viking Line you have to go via Helsinki.

[Pet Nit Noy]

Funnily enough I saw one the other day, but can't remember which line. I know that's not very helpful, but they do exist. It may have been Cunard or P and O. The port I would like to leave out is Tallin, but they all seem to include it.

 

I think London Towner is saying he/she wants to begin the cruise in Tallin, but every cruise embarking there includes St Petersburg which is not wanted.

[LondonTowner]

I said that when we did a Baltic cruise that for me Tallin was the most disappointing port and I would like to do another Baltic cruise which doesn't visit Tallin. Sorry if I made that unclear. However, the OP was looking for a Baltic cruise which doesn't visit SPB, but they have now decided to go to Norway and the Arctic Circle instead.

[Desdichado62]

Sounds like a good plan but depending on your schedule you could actually rent a car in Copenhagen and drive to Malmö and then through southern Sweden.

 

A few years ago, I made a quite extensive post a few years ago here on CC but I have been unable to find it.

 

Anyway if you want to drive from Copenhagen to Stockholm via Malmö, there are a few "main options".

 

1. Along the Swedish west coast via Helsingborg, Göteborg, Smögen, Strömstad then north in Dalsland along the Swedish/Norwegian border to Karlstad and then E18 or E20 freeways to Stockholm.

2. E4 freeway directly to Stockholm through central south Sweden. Fast but boring.

3. E20 via Göteborg to Stockholm, pretty much the same as nr2 just on the western side of lake Vättern.

4. East via Ystad (with Ale stenar and Kåseberga), Simrishamn, Karlskrona, Kalmar, Västervik to Norrköping,

At Norrköping you'll have to decide if you wanna drive direct to Stockholm on E4 freeway or north on route #56 and later E20 via Eskilstuna, Strängnäs and Mariefred to Stockholm.

[wheezedr]

A few years ago, I made a quite extensive post a few years ago here on CC but I have been unable to find it.

 

Anyway if you want to drive from Copenhagen to Stockholm via Malmö, there are a few "main options".

 

1. Along the Swedish west coast via Helsingborg, Göteborg, Smögen, Strömstad then north in Dalsland along the Swedish/Norwegian border to Karlstad and then E18 or E20 freeways to Stockholm.

2. E4 freeway directly to Stockholm through central south Sweden. Fast but boring.

3. E20 via Göteborg to Stockholm, pretty much the same as nr2 just on the western side of lake Vättern.

4. East via Ystad (with Ale stenar and Kåseberga), Simrishamn, Karlskrona, Kalmar, Västervik to Norrköping,

At Norrköping you'll have to decide if you wanna drive direct to Stockholm on E4 freeway or north on route #56 and later E20 via Eskilstuna, Strängnäs and Mariefred to Stockholm.

 

Thanks for the specifics of the route. I was just suggesting driving as an alternative because Sweden is such an enjoyable country to travel through. We spent most of our time in the south as my DW is into glass and that is where the World of Glass is located.

[able58]

Thanks for that info about Sweden ... this is all for next Summer so plenty of time to work it out, we are doing a cruise to Alaska this year.

The reason for the research so far in advance is coordinating with US friends who will cruise with us ... need to know in advance.

I love the idea of driving ... specifically to Malmo where I'd like to see the castle ... however if you'd ever been in a long drive with my other half you'd understand why I prefer the train. And yes we will do some ferry trips from Stockholm ... can't miss that.