Help with itinerary please

We are currently booked on a 12nt Northern Europe cruise on RCCL Navigator of the Seas for June 2017. Our stops are Oslo Norway, St Petersburg Russia (overnight), Tallin Estonia, Bruges Belgium, Helsinki Finland, Copenhagen Denmark

We are trying to get an idea of what to do in port. We are not big into museums we prefer to spend our time "seeing" the cities and not spending the whole day in museums. Not that we don't visit them when traveling but with one day in port we prefer not to. We love to walk around city centers, visit local food markets, visit quaint towns / areas.

We have never been to any of these cities. Would love to get some idea of what others that have visited would recommend.

Suggestions for starting your research:

1. Use TripAdvisor and read reviews and website links under "things to do."

2. Google your ports and go to "images" to view photos. This is a fun way to research.

3. Some of your ports may be available in Toms' Port Guides. This website has great info on port highlights and logistics, especially if you enjoy exploring the fascinating "old towns." (Bruges is listed.)

4. Use the Cruise Critic forums. Do a thread search. Cruise critic members are often generous with their knowledge and have posted photos, suggestions and experiences.

5. The port cities you have mentioned often have their own websites with tourist information.

6. Don't be afraid to ask locals for their recommendations. Our experience is that they are helpful and willing to share information about their city.

You've selected a great itinerary!

Thank you the information on Copenhagen and Brugge was great

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Be aware that SPB is different from any of the other cities on your list or most places you have otherwise visited on cruises. You cannot just wander off the ship on your own as you would in other ports. You must have either a Visa or you must be with an organized tour group under whose visa you are covered. That being said there are a number of agencies you will come across on this board, Allan, SPB, etc that offer a variety of tour options from private to group. You should thus look for something that then fits your needs. Also look at your roll call for what others are doing.

Tallin should be perfect for you as you literally walk off the ship and into the old town. Oslo is also a compact city with most ships porting right in town. In Helsinki we bought a one day tourist pass which included all the transit so touring was a breeze. Do a search on these boards.

Be aware that SPB is different from any of the other cities on your .

Yes, we are aware. Thank you for the additional information

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Are you really sure that your cruise doesn't call in Stockholm? RCCL website itinerary seems to indicate that it does call at Stockholm.

Are you really sure that your cruise doesn't call in Stockholm? RCCL website itinerary seems to indicate that it does call at Stockholm.

Not the itinerary we are on I have the printed confirmation in front of me. We sail June 2,2017

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The full day tour with half a day in Ypres, Paschendaele, Tyne Cot, Menin Gate etc followed by half a day in Brugges was the most humbling experience I have ever had.

The guide was outstanding.

Tallinn was one of our favorite stops, and we really loved exploring its spectacularly preserved medieval center. You can walk, take a cab or take a pedicab to the top of Toompea Hill (this is where the lovely Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is located) and then walked down. Our son was able to climb the city walls (although the passage is very narrow and steep), and there were gorgeous views. We ate a delicious lunch at Gloria ( http://www.gloria.ee) , a charming historic restaurant with excellent duck and fish. This is a perfect town to wander around and explore the city center, and everything is charming. Rick Steve's Northern Europe guidebook has a walking tour, or you can easily find one online.

In Helsinki, we took a cab to the Market Square. The seafood in the stalls near market square is excellent (there are also supposed to be very good marketplaces in other parts of Helsinki, and you might want to research those if you enjoy market stalls with food and locally crafted goods). The stalls in Market Square are a bit touristy, although it was still a very nice stop. The lovely Lutheran Cathedral, the charming Esplanade park and the ferris wheel are also near Market Square, making this a highly manageable city once you reach the city center.

If you are interested in visiting the fortress/park island of Suomenlinna, the public HKL ferries leave from Kauppatori (market square) 3 times per hour. JT lines runs ferries from Kauppatori to Kings Gate, and their schedule is available at http://www.jt-line.fi. The JT lines cost 7 euros round trip, and 4.5 euros one way. The distance between the drop off point for the public ferry and King's gate (JT lines drop off point) is approximately 1.5 km, so some tourists will take the public ferry to Suomenlinna, walk across the island to King's gate and then take JT lines back to save time. Or you can save money by taking the public ferry both ways.

In St. Petersburg, you should probably research the destinations that are normally covered by private tours. There are a lot of museums on the standard tours, and if that doesn't look like what you'd want to do your options are either to get your own visas and tour the city alone, or explain exactly where you want to go on a roll call to try to put together a larger private tour, or hire one of the private tour companies to give your family a private tour. I generally recommend that everyone take a private tour of just their family in St. Petersburg if you can afford it, since there is so much to see, and you really want to maximize your time and be able to set the entire itinerary for this incredible city, especially if you prefer doing things that are different than the standard tours. The ruble has fallen substantially, so you might want to email the private tour companies to see how much they would charge for a tour for just your party (you pay for the tour in dollars so the ruble falling is good for them).

Get a copy of Rick Steves' Northern European Cruise Ports. He gives great info on how to see these ports on your own and tells you which sites, including museums, are worth visiting.

We did a wonderful food walking tour of Tallinn, arranged DIY. It was a great way to see the city center, hear about Estonia's fascinating history, and taste the local culture.

In Helsinki, half our group did a speedboat tour. Not very educational, but they had a blast. The other half went to see and feed reindeer at a park. Both of these were ship excursions.

We spent 3 days pre-trip in Copenhagen. The free walking tour is very good. Tivoli is quite pretty, with good restaurants. We saw a ballet at the Opera House.

The only time we set foot in a museum was the Hermitage in SPB and the Vasa in Stockholm (which isn't an option for you anyways.)

Thank you all, wonderful information. I do normally like the Rick Steves books but his books are always very museum heavy.

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We did a wonderful food walking tour of Tallinn, arranged DIY. It was a great way to see the city center, hear about Estonia's fascinating history, and taste the local culture.

 

Very interested in how you did this if you don't mind sharing. Thanks so much!!

We are currently booked on a 12nt Northern Europe cruise on RCCL Navigator of the Seas for June 2017. Our stops are Oslo, St Petersburg (overnight), Tallin, Bruges, Helsinki, Copenhagen. We are not big into museums we prefer to spend our time "seeing" the cities and not spending the whole day in museums. We love to walk around city centers, visit local food markets, visit quaint towns / areas. We have never been to any of these cities. Would love to get some idea of what others that have visited would recommend.

You have already received many good and worthy suggestions. BUT, tell us more for a few other aspects/details. Clearly, museums are not your favorite. BUT, how much interest do you have for history, culture, waterfalls, shopping, architecture, historic amusement park, nature, gardens, churches, etc.?

Why am I asking? As an example, there is the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Yes, it is thought of as an art museum. BUT, it is also a massive series of spectacular palaces in five buildings with so much interesting architecture, design and style. The interiors, floors, furnishing, etc., are very special and unique. Is that of some interest? Below are a few of my visual examples for that structure, plus at some other locations in Russia and nearby. This includes Bruges that is so wonderful to explore on foot.

Yes, in towns such as Oslo, Tallinn, Bruges, Helsinki and Copenhagen, we loved walking around and "soaking" up the charm and character. Unless you get a Russian visa, however, such roaming around is not as easy and safe in St. Petersburg.

Reactions and added questions? Look forward to learning more on your detailed interests, added loves, etc.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 199,904 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Helsinki’s City Hall in the main downtown overlooking the interesting and varied market area that is a must-see for walking around. Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland with a metropolitan population of 1.4 million. Ranked as one of the most livable city in the world, Helsinki is also highly ranked as a top design and tech location. During part of its more modern history, Finland was caught in “battles” between Sweden and Russia for control. Helsinki was never a strong, independent Royal city with the depth of architecture and history seen in Stockholm, Copenhagen or St. Petersburg.:

Dancers are shown marching in Tallinn’s festival parade near the stone towers of the famous Viru Gate during our visit. Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia with a population of 440,000. About a third of the country’s population lives here. Tallinn’s Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers some nice shopping options/values here. There is so much charm, character and history in this somewhat hidden treasure of a town!! Its history goes back to the 1100's and it was an important port for trade between Russia and Scandinavia. In 1285, the city became the northern-most member of the Hanseatic League, a famed trading and military alliance of German-dominated cities.:

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, here is just one of the many, many great galleries with so many different and great architecture details, soaring ceilings, dramatic floors, etc., in areas where the Czars entertained and impressed other Royals and nobility. Even without the art items, these five palaces are so spectacular! This room is adorned with 19th-century Russian lapidary works and feature Italian and Spanish canvases of the 16th-18th centuries, including Veronese, Tintoretto, Velázquez and Murillo.:

Copenhagen’s Nyhavn or “new” Harbor is actually old and charming. This waterfront entertainment district is lined by brightly colored 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. Serving as a "heritage harbor", the canal also has many historical wooden ships. Lots of people and fun activity!!:

Here is a unique angle for the spectacular fountains and water from the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg. The greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. This elevation difference creates the pressure driving most of the fountains for the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade.:

The historic and scenic main town square in Bruges is super scenic and has lots of outdoor dining options, activities, etc. When Bruges was at its peak, it was considered the top commercial city in the world! Like Amsterdam, Bruges is sometimes referred to as the “Venice of the North". Bruges was already included in the circuit of the Flemish cloth fairs at the beginning of the 13th century. The city's entrepreneurs reached out to make economic colonies of England and Scotland's wool-producing districts. The statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, the leaders of the uprising against the French in 1302, can be seen on the central market square. Starting around 1500, the ship channel, which had given the city its prosperity, started silting. The city soon fell behind Antwerp as the economic flagship of the Low Countries. Its power and wealth faded after that point until tourism came to revive and bring back its past glories. The historic center of Bruges has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.:

Get a copy of Rick Steves' Northern European Cruise Ports. He gives great info on how to see these ports on your own and tells you which sites, including museums, are worth visiting.

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I have to agree, walking tours in almost every port.

Planning that cruise was when I found cruise critics in 2008.

your roll call will be a lot of help too.

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port intensive but great cruise. For us, last port was Oslo and I keep saying " Oslo did not get the best of me".