For those of you who have cruised MSC's Northern Europe itineraries...

[no1talks]

Once our 2022 cruise is in the books, we will begin planning for 2023 and we hope to find a N. European round trip cruise to take.

Given the currently listed 2022 cruises, we will embark from either Hamburg, for British Isles or Iceland, or Kiel, for Scandinavia or Baltic/Russia. If the 2023 schedule from Rotterdam is more interesting than 2022's, we will consider it as well. A pre-cruise family visit will prevent us from embarking from other ports.

When can one expect the 2023 N. European schedule to be made available?
What are your experiences with any of these four itinerary categories? (British Isles, Iceland, Scandinavia, Baltic/Russia)
What, in your opinion, are the must-have ports? (There certainly are many Norwegian ports in the various Scandinavian itineraries.)
Do you feel any ports are not worth the stop?
Of the ships taken for your N. European cruises, what were the pros and cons?
Which months do you think are the most favorable?

As always, I thank you for sharing your experiences on these matters.

Cheers!

 

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, no1talks said:

Once our 2022 cruise is in the books, we will begin planning for 2023 and we hope to find a N. European round trip cruise to take.

Given the currently listed 2022 cruises, we will embark from either Hamburg, for British Isles or Iceland, or Kiel, for Scandinavia or Baltic/Russia. If the 2023 schedule from Rotterdam is more interesting than 2022's, we will consider it as well. A pre-cruise family visit will prevent us from embarking from other ports.

When can one expect the 2023 N. European schedule to be made available?
What are your experiences with any of these four itinerary categories? (British Isles, Iceland, Scandinavia, Baltic/Russia)
What, in your opinion, are the must-have ports? (There certainly are many Norwegian ports in the various Scandinavian itineraries.)
Do you feel any ports are not worth the stop?
Of the ships taken for your N. European cruises, what were the pros and cons?
Which months do you think are the most favorable?

As always, I thank you for sharing your experiences on these matters.

Cheers!

 

If you can swing it, do the Greenland/Iceland ports. There is also a cruise that combines that with Norway.

[vistaman]

I like those Northern Europe cruises but I dislike  St Petersburg  caused by the fact you cannot get a personal visa anymore ( what was given by the communist regime and before the actual "leaders") 

Embarkation is hamburg is a lot easieras Kiel - if MCS does not organise a transfer it is a train with limited space for luggage - the "regionalexpress" is also very busy  - ICE trains are better howver there are only a few between Hamburg and Kiel . 

despite Warnemunde is charming - a excursion to Berlin can be a nightmare 

Those Baltic capitals are usually crowded in summer 

If you have a choice between Amsterdam or Rotterdam , Rotterdam is a lot easier and not so crowded

British Isles is a great cruise but UK authorities can be VERY difficult  , and now since UK left the European Union  even more ... 

I cannot give advice on Iceland  - my bookings were cancelled by covid 

And if a cruise is calling in Zeebrugge - the port for Bruges - that is a desolate port for containers and cars  and you are  miles away from the village and there is not a good and easy transport to Bruges  - if 2 mega ships are there , you simply cannot walk in the small center of Bruges despite it is beautiful. 

[CruiseIreland]

1 hour ago, vistaman said:

 

And if a cruise is calling in Zeebrugge - the port for Bruges - that is a desolate port for containers and cars  and you are  miles away from the village and there is not a good and easy transport to Bruges  - if 2 mega ships are there , you simply cannot walk in the small center of Bruges despite it is beautiful. 

At the port in Zeebrugge, it is a short walk to the tram to the train station. There are regular trains into and out of Bruges. Bruges is worth the effort. 

[vistaman]

the tram is indeed a good way to go to some villages on the belgian seaside

however the train is not so frequent at all  :  one every hour and during weekends  - exception for july and august - one every  hours 

[vistaman]

1 minute ago, vistaman said:

the tram is indeed a good way to go to some villages on the belgian seaside

however the train is not so frequent at all  :  one every hour and during weekends  - exception for july and august - one every  hours 

one very 2 hours