Help me choose a Baltic cruise

[Korimako]

I would like to do a Baltic cruise next year, but have no idea where to start looking! Which cruise lines should I be looking at? I'm thinking only Baltic, not Norwegian fjords, coastline or midnight sun. We have only cruised once before on a repositioning cruise San Diego to Auckland with (the now defunct) Crystal, and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Any suggestions gratefully received.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Most Baltic cruises have a very similar itinerary.  You don't get western fjords or midnight sun anyway, because you're the wrong side of Norway.

 

Traditionally, a Baltic cruise lasts about a fortnight, possibly less if anyone does fly cruises out there, and would cover 2 days in St Petersburg, plus Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, Copenhagen, and a few other places.  Maybe Berlin (or rather the port 80 miles away!), Amsterdam, or perhaps Kristiansand in Norway, or Visby on Gotland, os Skagen in Denmark.

 

I'd concentrate more on the ship and the price, perhaps.  There can be a vast range of prices between different ships.  (I find the difference in facilities between the cheapest and the most expensive is worth nothing like the cost difference.  Others would disagree.  Personal preference.)

 

Companies I know about that sail out of the UK are Fred Olsen, P&O, Ambassador, Saga.  Others are available.

[Korimako]

Thank you for the speedy response! I have read somewhere that St Petersburg is no longer on any itinerary?

I wouldn't need a UK departure, as I'll be flying to Europe (anywhere, but hopefully a Baltic port) from NZ.

I suppose what I ought to say is my preference for a smaller ship - Crystal had just over 800 and that was lovely - and without all the facilities I would never use, like ziplines, climbing walls etc.

And tipping included!!

[hallasm]

Do not expect St. Petersburg to be included due to the war in Ukraine (sanctions against Russia). Hence many cruise lines has reduced activities in Baltic.

Departure ports can be Copenhagen or Stockholm.

[kaisatsu]

St. Petersburg is typically considered the star of a Baltic cruise so keep that in consideration if you choose to go now. The other Baltic ports still have a lot to offer though!

 

One of the big advantages of a Baltic cruise is that the cities tend to have maritime histories and are often right on the water. With the exception of Warnemunde being marketed as Berlin, the Baltics don’t really suffer from having ships berth huge distances from the cities you’re planning to visit. In some places the ships can even dock downtown due to deep harbors. (One thing that’s difficult to investigate but worth considering in planning is whether a call to Stockholm is actually based out at Nynashamn.)

 

In terms of choosing a cruiseline and ship, consider size and amenities as well as whether you would prefer a North American cruiseline, a British line, or a European line. There are differences between them in how things are organized as well as the passenger makeup and onboard activities, but they still share a lot of similarities. Most people I know who come from North American cruiselines (especially higher-end choices like Crystal) don’t love the standard and style of MSC or Costa. If this is only your second cruise, I would suggest either reading up here on CruiseCritic about the differences between the lines, or contacting a cruise-focused travel agency that can help you find a good fit.

[Desdichado62]

15 minutes ago, kaisatsu said:

St. Petersburg is typically considered the star of a Baltic cruise so keep that in consideration if you choose to go now. The other Baltic ports still have a lot to offer though!

 

One of the big advantages of a Baltic cruise is that the cities tend to have maritime histories and are often right on the water. With the exception of Warnemunde being marketed as Berlin, the Baltics don’t really suffer from having ships berth huge distances from the cities you’re planning to visit. In some places the ships can even dock downtown due to deep harbors. (One thing that’s difficult to investigate but worth considering in planning is whether a call to Stockholm is actually based out at Nynashamn.)

 

In terms of choosing a cruiseline and ship, consider size and amenities as well as whether you would prefer a North American cruiseline, a British line, or a European line. There are differences between them in how things are organized as well as the passenger makeup and onboard activities, but they still share a lot of similarities. Most people I know who come from North American cruiselines (especially higher-end choices like Crystal) don’t love the standard and style of MSC or Costa. If this is only your second cruise, I would suggest either reading up here on CruiseCritic about the differences between the lines, or contacting a cruise-focused travel agency that can help you find a good fit.

 

As a rule of thumbs expect Princes cruises to berth at Nynäshamn even if they claim it's Stockholm.

I also believe that Norwegian Cruises often goes to Nynäshamn. Most other usually go into Stockholm proper. Sometimes they go into Stockholm but at the cost of several hours less time in port.

 

One can look at this page https://www.portsofstockholm.com/vessel-calls/ (choose cruise calls and change time period to end of September) ti get an idea of which ships/cruise lines that goes to Nynäshamn. If Berth says SEAW SEAWALK then itäs Nynäshamn.

Frihamnen, Skeppsbron and Stadsgården are Central Stockholm, se linked map below for cruise berths.
 

https://www.portsofstockholm.com/siteassets/stockholm/kartor/map_of_cruise_berths_2022.pdf

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We just returned from a Baltic cruise on the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas.  I had booked this before the pandemic began, so it was "lifted and shifted" to a different ship and date twice.  Then the war began, and St Petersburg was removed and the itinerary was changed quite a bit.  The reason I mention this is because the various cruise lines have St Petersburg back in their itineraries for 2023.  While I do not have a crystal ball, I seriously doubt the geopolitical situation will improve to such an extent that cruise ships will call there.  So, your carefully selected itinerary will be reworked--and likely very last minute.  

 

If it were me and I was younger I would wait a year or two.  We continued with our cruise because DH has some mobility issues and we felt it was now or never. There is a great deal of walking involved in a Baltic itinerary.  Many of the cities have cobblestones, stairs and lots of elevation changes.  

 

I had an excellent cruise.  All of the cruise ports were new to me.  Stockholm and Visby in Sweden and Tallin, Estonia were my favorites and Ronne, Demark my least favorite.  Aarhus was a late addition and was very interesting. Riga, Latvia and Helsinki, Finland were just OK. We disembarked in Copenhagen and spent one night.  We did not know it, but we likely had Covid by then. [just super tired] So, we saw little of Copenhagen.  But, there is so much to see and do there.  This is JMHO regarding these ports. 

 

There is a fair amount of variation on the itineraries of the various cruise lines. I want to mention that I do not see any Royal Caribbean Baltic cruises next year.  They are not in the same category as your previous cruise. [So, likely not the line you would choose] However, I feel they lost money on the Baltic this year.  We had a little over 1300 passengers on our ship that usually carries 3600.  The cruise after ours had 2400.  Other cruise lines may leave the region if sales do not meet their expectations.  

 

Just a few of my thoughts.  Not trying to be a downer.  If you are willing to take the itinerary as it is finalized, you will have a good trip. 😁 However, it may not be what you originally sign up for 

 

 

[dsrdsrdsr]

20 hours ago, Korimako said:

Thank you for the speedy response! I have read somewhere that St Petersburg is no longer on any itinerary?

You're quite right.  I should have emphasised that while normally St Petersburg is a 2 day stop, it's off limits for the foreseeable future.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I looked on a travel website that list cruises "to go." It still had St Petersburg list for some cruise. [not all]  

[VMax1700]

I have a Baltic cruise booked for next year.  When I booked it (two weeks ago) St Petersburg was on the itinerary, but I received an email 48 hours later with a revised itinerary. 

We are sailing out of Amsterdam.

[hallasm]

While some cruise lines still have St. Petersburg included in its Baltic cruises in 2023, it is my expectation that the situation in Ukraine will not improve and that there will still be sanctions against Russia next year and therefore no cruises to St. Petersburg.  Some cruise lines have already reduced the number of Baltic cruises for 2023.

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

I looked on a travel website that list cruises "to go." It still had St Petersburg list for some cruise. [not all]  

That's known as wishful thinking. I don't expect cruises to embark in St. Petersburg for a long,long time.

[Mrs.Dukes]

We are doing a Baltic cruise soon on Azamara. Their ships are fairly small, about 700 passengers. I know the itineraries for next year have St. Petersburg on them, although doubtful they will actually go there.

[caripoo]

St. Petersburg is the GEM of any Baltic cruise......That being said, I would maybe wait until they are back on the Baltic schedule. Most of the smaller more exclusive lines have a 3 day in St Petersburg. If you loved Crystal (as we did) look at Azamara, Regent, Silversea and Seabourn...Smaller ships, less people. I hear Crystal is rising from the Phoenix...and will be with us soon again.

[Azulann]

Look at Viking Ocean Cruise line : Scenic Scandinavia, 11 day cruise from Stockholm to Copenhagen both are overnights, also includes  ports in Sweden, Poland , Germany and Denmark.

This is in  June 2023, only two sailings on the Viking Jupiter.

We are booked.  

[Korimako]

On 8/27/2022 at 4:50 AM, Azulann said:

Look at Viking Ocean Cruise line : Scenic Scandinavia, 11 day cruise from Stockholm to Copenhagen both are overnights, also includes  ports in Sweden, Poland , Germany and Denmark.

This is in  June 2023, only two sailings on the Viking Jupiter.

We are booked.  

This sounds like my sort of thing. I'm interested in the historic ports of the Baltic and don't have St Petersburg as a 'must-see'. I also note that Viking ships are smaller and are European-based, which also appeals to me.

[SDPadreFan]

We are doing the Baltic Sea next July on Carnival Pride (July 2023). They (Carnival) replaced St. Petersburg with Stockholm (Nynäshamn) and Kiel (Hamburg) if memory serves. I'm fine with those replacement choices. I figure we will probably try to do another Baltic cruise in a couple years (I'm 65, wife 66) as long as our health holds up. We'll hopefully get St Petersburg on the next one. Will try to a B2B on the second trip as we will both be in full retirement at that point. Perhaps a typical Baltic mixed in with a Norway Fjords or British Isles itinerary on the second cruise. Also possible would be a Iceland/Greenland itinerary but not sure if it would be as interesting. But I do think with even a typical Baltic itinerary, there is enough to see/do to make a repeat visit to most ports worthwhile.

[hallasm]

2 hours ago, SDPadreFan said:

They (Carnival) replaced St. Petersburg with Stockholm (Nynäshamn) and Kiel (Hamburg)

Just for information Nynäshamn is 60 km (38 miles) from Stockholm and not navigating the Stockholm archipelago.

Likely Kiel - Hamburg is 100 km (82 miles) from Kiel.

[SDPadreFan]

1 hour ago, hallasm said:

Just for information Nynäshamn is 60 km (38 miles) from Stockholm and not navigating the Stockholm archipelago.

Likely Kiel - Hamburg is 100 km (82 miles) from Kiel.

Not a biggie for us. Just a little more trip planning. We've done Livorno (Pisa/Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome), Pireas (Athens), Kusadasi (Selcuk/Ephesus), and Villefranche-sur-Mer (Monaco, Nice, Cannes).

[Desdichado62]

5 hours ago, SDPadreFan said:

Not a biggie for us. Just a little more trip planning. We've done Livorno (Pisa/Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome), Pireas (Athens), Kusadasi (Selcuk/Ephesus), and Villefranche-sur-Mer (Monaco, Nice, Cannes).

 

Actually going to Nynäshamn instead of Stockholm is not just a little more trip planning. It is missing out on one of the highlights of a Baltic cruise.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Desdichado62

[SDPadreFan]

10 hours ago, Desdichado62 said:

 

Actually going to Nynäshamn instead of Stockholm is not just a little more trip planning. It is missing out on one of the highlights of a Baltic cruise.

Are you saying a visit to Stockholm (the city) is not a highlight, only cruising past hundreds of tiny islands. Granted, I'm sure it's a beautiful journey, but it's not on my cruise itinerary so I'm not going to worry about it. Nor would I choose a specific cruise itinerary just because it sails that specific route past all those little islands. I choose Cruise Line, cruise ship, and then itinerary in that order. When you consider that in almost all cases, you will spend over 75% of your time on your cruise ship - it matters.

 

About me: I spent over 24 years in the U.S. Navy. I've completed almost a full circumnavigation of the globe with a repositioning cruise on the USS Kitty Hawk, starting in San Diego, CA and ending in Philadelphia, PA. I've been as far north as Anchorage, AK and as far south as Hobart, Tasmania. I have one common longitude line left to cross at sea and that is 90 Degrees West and I will do that when we complete a Panama Canal Cruise probably in 2024/2025. There are just a few latitude lines that I probably will never cross.  During my time in the U.S. Navy - I've cruised past many, many small islands. Areas like the Sea of Japan, the South China Sea, the Philippine Islands, the Singapore Strait, in and around the islands of Malaysia and Indonesia. I'm sure you are rightly proud of the archipelago surrounding Stockholm and no doubt, it is a truly a beautiful area, but it is only one small slice of this big blue ball we all call home.

 

We are really looking forward to seeing some of the great cities of the Baltic region, enjoying some local food and meeting some of the wonderful people in that region.

[Maria63]

On 8/21/2022 at 5:00 AM, Korimako said:

Thank you for the speedy response! I have read somewhere that St Petersburg is no longer on any itinerary?

I wouldn't need a UK departure, as I'll be flying to Europe (anywhere, but hopefully a Baltic port) from NZ.

I suppose what I ought to say is my preference for a smaller ship - Crystal had just over 800 and that was lovely - and without all the facilities I would never use, like ziplines, climbing walls etc.

And tipping included!!

As a rule of thumb, the smaller ships can make it into the ports right next to the city centers in for instance Helsinki and Stockholm. This is a plus esp. if you like to DYI, which is generally easy to do in Scandinavia. Some smaller ships also include lesser visited ports like Turku, Bornholm and Visby. If you enjoyed Crystal, Regent has an interesting Baltic itinerary for 2023 and the general experience should be similar.

[kitkat343]

On 9/6/2022 at 11:49 AM, SDPadreFan said:

Are you saying a visit to Stockholm (the city) is not a highlight, only cruising past hundreds of tiny islands. Granted, I'm sure it's a beautiful journey, but it's not on my cruise itinerary so I'm not going to worry about it. Nor would I choose a specific cruise itinerary just because it sails that specific route past all those little islands. I choose Cruise Line, cruise ship, and then itinerary in that order. When you consider that in almost all cases, you will spend over 75% of your time on your cruise ship - it matters.

 

About me: I spent over 24 years in the U.S. Navy. I've completed almost a full circumnavigation of the globe with a repositioning cruise on the USS Kitty Hawk, starting in San Diego, CA and ending in Philadelphia, PA. I've been as far north as Anchorage, AK and as far south as Hobart, Tasmania. I have one common longitude line left to cross at sea and that is 90 Degrees West and I will do that when we complete a Panama Canal Cruise probably in 2024/2025. There are just a few latitude lines that I probably will never cross.  During my time in the U.S. Navy - I've cruised past many, many small islands. Areas like the Sea of Japan, the South China Sea, the Philippine Islands, the Singapore Strait, in and around the islands of Malaysia and Indonesia. I'm sure you are rightly proud of the archipelago surrounding Stockholm and no doubt, it is a truly a beautiful area, but it is only one small slice of this big blue ball we all call home.

 

We are really looking forward to seeing some of the great cities of the Baltic region, enjoying some local food and meeting some of the wonderful people in that region.

 

I didn't research this, because I did the Baltic cruise with my 3 year old son, so we absolutely had to choose an older, smaller ship (NCL Star) instead of the nicer Regal Princess, which back then was not cleared to dock directly in Stockholm (I believe they later got clearance, although I have no idea where Princess docks now).  But I did want to point out that the sail through the archipelago was wonderful, but the day in Stockholm was relatively short.  Stockholm is really an amazing city, with a lot to see, so you might want to consider which option would get you more time in Stockholm (or perhaps now that St. Petersburg is off the table, some cruises may do two days in Stockholm).  I think its about a 1 hour train ride into Stockholm, so you'd have to subtract 2-3 hours from port time if you dock at Nynäshamn.  I don't actually know if you have a longer day in port generally depending where you dock, but wanted to point out that if possible please try to pick a cruise that will give you as much time as possible in Stockholm because its an amazing city with lots to see.

Edited October 14, 2022 by kitkat343

[SDPadreFan]

We will have 9 hours in port. With our 7 city itinerary, the minimum time in each city will be 9 hours.

[Desdichado62]

On 9/14/2022 at 9:23 AM, Maria63 said:

As a rule of thumb, the smaller ships can make it into the ports right next to the city centers in for instance Helsinki and Stockholm. This is a plus esp. if you like to DYI, which is generally easy to do in Scandinavia. Some smaller ships also include lesser visited ports like Turku, Bornholm and Visby. If you enjoyed Crystal, Regent has an interesting Baltic itinerary for 2023 and the general experience should be similar.

Actually for Stockholm only the absolute largest ships have some difficulties getting all the way in but even ships like Regal Princess, Britannica, Norwegian Breakaway are cleared to go into Stockholm, but for some reason the cruise lines operating them decides not to for most of the cases and when they do they leave much earlier then other cruise ships.

Edited October 15, 2022 by Desdichado62