Changes to Baltic Cruise Itinerary

[PrincessLuver]

3 hours ago, Milaandra said:

It would likely affect other ports, too.  I'm guessing that it isn't as simple as a single port change, but an actual reshuffling of the itinerary.  I don't blame the cruise line for taking their time.  If I were eliminating the Russian port, I'd add another day in Stockholm, and maybe a new port at the beginning or end of the itinerary...or just add a couple of new ports, but geographically, it's a challenge.

Don't you wish you could email Princess with a list of potential ports you would like to see 😊

 

A port they could easily add is Kristansand, Norway.  Its old town, Posebyen, features traditional wooden houses. In the center, neo-Gothic Kristiansand Cathedral is near the Sørlandets Museum, which displays Norwegian art from 1800 to today. The southeastern shoreline includes the Bystranda city beach, the 17th-century Christiansholm Fortress rotunda and Fiskebrygga quay, lined with fishmongers selling their catch.  Also it is home to Dyreparken which is an incredible world class zoo and amusement park.  We visit family in Norway almost every year and have done this port on a Princess cruise and it is where many Norwegians go to vacation.  It was a great stop on one of the several Baltics cruises we have done with Princess.

[Milaandra]

5 minutes ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

A port they could easily add is Kristansand, Norway. <snip> It was a great stop on one of the several Baltics cruises we have done with Princess.

It is one of our stops already, but it's great to know more about it.  Thanks!

[PrincessLuver]

33 minutes ago, Milaandra said:

It is one of our stops already, but it's great to know more about it.  Thanks!

Good to know....I had not seen it on some of the itineraries.....

[judithzuz]

55 minutes ago, PrincessLuver said:

Good to know....I had not seen it on some of the itineraries.....

It's on my itinerary when I sail on the Enchanted in September coming back to the States. But hey, I'll go there twice.

[skynight]

Agree Krustansaad is a nice port. We stopped on a fall TA. Was not part of Princess' Baltic itinerary.

[SonomaMist]

6 hours ago, Milaandra said:

It would likely affect other ports, too.  I'm guessing that it isn't as simple as a single port change, but an actual reshuffling of the itinerary.  I don't blame the cruise line for taking their time.  If I were eliminating the Russian port, I'd add another day in Stockholm, and maybe a new port at the beginning or end of the itinerary...or just add a couple of new ports, but geographically, it's a challenge.

Don't you wish you could email Princess with a list of potential ports you would like to see 😊

SInce my 5-26-22 Copenhagen cruise to St. Petersburg has a first stop in Oslo, I would like to see Norwegian fjords included as an alternative.  

[Ulsteinvik]

I heard Sky Princess will get Berlin (Warnemunde) as replacement port on May.

[skynight]

5 minutes ago, Ulsteinvik said:

I heard Sky Princess will get Berlin (Warnemunde) as replacement port on May.

Great stop. Would be a nice two day stop with a tour that overnights in Berlin.

[BandBlady]

We are booked on a Baltic cruise in May ,my only thoughts at the moment are the innocent people suffering .

[NavArch64]

Norwegian Cruise Line has cancelled all of its calls into Saint Petersburg, Russia, this summer season. It impacts called aboard the Dawn, Getaway and new Prima on their Baltic itineraries, according to a statement sent to travel partners and booked guests. Replacement ports are set to be announced soon. - Cruise Industry News

Edited February 27, 2022 by NavArch64

[NavArch64]

This is old news but useful to repost for those just viewing this thread .... from Cruise Industry News

 

Carnival Corporation brands will drop calls into Russia's Saint Petersburg for the foreseeable future and replace them with alternative ports, according to a social media post from the company.

In addition, Carnival Chairman Micky Arison Tweeting: "We are in the process of securing alternate itineraries for our cruise ships before announcing our future plans. We will be advising our guests and travel partners shortly as plans become finalized." 

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, SonomaMist said:

SInce my 5-26-22 Copenhagen cruise to St. Petersburg has a first stop in Oslo, I would like to see Norwegian fjords included as an alternative.  

Norwegian fjords and a Baltic cruise in 14 days ? Seems pretty optimistic (ie impossible) to me.

Happy to be proved wrong.

[billco]

2 hours ago, NavArch64 said:

Norwegian Cruise Line has cancelled all of its calls into Saint Petersburg, Russia, this summer season. It impacts called aboard the Dawn, Getaway and new Prima on their Baltic itineraries, according to a statement sent to travel partners and booked guests. Replacement ports are set to be announced soon. - Cruise Industry News

Right now you can book the same cruises on NCL with two sea days vice SPB for the same price as before. 

[yamanid]

13 hours ago, Ulsteinvik said:

I heard Sky Princess will get Berlin (Warnemunde) as replacement port on May.

Where did you hear this?

[yamanid]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

Norwegian fjords and a Baltic cruise in 14 days ? Seems pretty optimistic (ie impossible) to me.

Happy to be proved wrong.

Agree with you  -  we are doing Fjords, Iceland & Baltic and that is over 28 days, this year   (well maybe, due to current situation)

[NavArch64]

The UK government has asked all port operators under its jurisdiction to block all Russian ships from docking as sanctions escalate in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Specifically the memo refers to ships registered in Russia, flying the Russian flag, or "owned, controlled, chartered, or operated by any person connected with Russia." A ban on Russian-owned vessels would add to the UK's — and now the EU's — prohibition on all Russian airlines and planes from operating in their airspace.

[NavArch64]

Clearly, P&O, Princess and Cunard ships will not be calling St Petersburg anytime soon. What will be interesting is to see whether such ships are harassed in any way by Russian naval vessels in the Baltic.

Then, of course, how would the Royal Navy respond.

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, NavArch64 said:

Clearly, P&O, Princess and Cunard ships will not be calling St Petersburg anytime soon. What will be interesting is to see whether such ships are harassed in any way by Russian naval vessels in the Baltic.

Then, of course, how would the Royal Navy respond.

The UK government has just advised British citizens not to travel to Russia,  therefore the decision has been taken out of the hands of the cruise lines.

As an aside, the Royal Navy is now so small that I'm not sure it is in a position to respond! 

[Milaandra]

26 minutes ago, wowzz said:

The UK government has just advised British citizens not to travel to Russia,  therefore the decision has been taken out of the hands of the cruise lines.

As an aside, the Royal Navy is now so small that I'm not sure it is in a position to respond! 

Thanks for letting us know.   At least we know now where we stand.

 

What is that little Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania?  On the map it shows as Kaliningrad, but I don't know if that's the name of the city or the area.  Anyone know about that?  Does Russia have rights in the Baltic near that?

 

I'm just wondering if the conflict could affect more of our scheduled ports.

 

At this point, I'd be perfectly happy with fjords...or Iceland & Ireland...

 

[NavArch64]

Kaliningrad is a Russian enclave ... it is legally part of Russia. It serves as the operational base for the Russian Baltic fleet ... up to 75 naval vessels, including a destroyer, a frigate and many corvettes.

[ontheweb]

57 minutes ago, NavArch64 said:

Kaliningrad is a Russian enclave ... it is legally part of Russia. It serves as the operational base for the Russian Baltic fleet ... up to 75 naval vessels, including a destroyer, a frigate and many corvettes.

Sounds like a place to avoid!

[Milaandra]

1 hour ago, NavArch64 said:

Kaliningrad is a Russian enclave ... it is legally part of Russia. It serves as the operational base for the Russian Baltic fleet ... up to 75 naval vessels, including a destroyer, a frigate and many corvettes.

Thanks...and EEK! 😨  

[Lakesregion]

1 hour ago, Milaandra said:

Thanks for letting us know.   At least we know now where we stand.

 

What is that little Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania?  On the map it shows as Kaliningrad, but I don't know if that's the name of the city or the area.  Anyone know about that?  Does Russia have rights in the Baltic near that?

 

I'm just wondering if the conflict could affect more of our scheduled ports.

 

At this point, I'd be perfectly happy with fjords...or Iceland & Ireland...

 

That small piece of geography is a left over from the fall of the USSR. It belongs to Russia and can be used by the Russian Fleet, Not sure if it has much in the way of port capabilities as the fleet was using the big naval port near St Pete. Depending on how the current war goes, it could well spill over into the Baltic sea and then I would not wish to be on any ship in the area during that time. Think Lusitania.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

 

We cancelled & moved our Baltic cruise to July 2023.

 

[aussiecruiser275]

We were supposed to call at SPB from the  sky on 15-16 Jul they could substitute other ports but as it’s in the middle of the cruise  any port substitute would require other ports to change their dates as well so is not as easy as it seems.

But yes would love to see warnemunde as a substitute