Norway vs Baltic cruise with a 6 year old

Hi- anyone have opinions on which itinerary would be better with a 6 year old (who is an experienced traveler)? Looking at an all-Norway itinerary vs the more traditional Copenhagen, Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Helsinki option. Thinking there might be more age-appropriate excursions available on the second itinerary although she could handle hiking a few miles and kayaking in Norway. We would most likely sail on Royal Caribbean (Independence for Norway, probably Serenade for the Baltic) although Disney has a few options too (Magic) if I want to pay almost double the fare!

Thanks for any input!

We did a Baltic Cruise a couple of years ago (with no kids) and I think it would have, for the most part, bored silly a six-year-old. Those cruises are very much about the history, art, and culture of the ports--except for Tivoli Gardens and Peterhof. I know some folks have written about taking tours in St. Petersburg with kids in which they arranged private tours that skipped (or did a cursory visit to) the Hermitage because it was "boring" for kids. IMO, skipping the Hermitage in St. Petersburg pretty much negates the entire reason of taking a Baltic cruise.

We did a Baltic Cruise a couple of years ago (with no kids) and I think it would have, for the most part, bored silly a six-year-old. Those cruises are very much about the history, art, and culture of the ports--except for Tivoli Gardens and Peterhof. I know some folks have written about taking tours in St. Petersburg with kids in which they arranged private tours that skipped (or did a cursory visit to) the Hermitage because it was "boring" for kids. IMO, skipping the Hermitage in St. Petersburg pretty much negates the entire reason of taking a Baltic cruise.

I think it very much depends on your kids: are they experienced travelers who are capable of enjoying themselves without somebody specifically catering to their every entertainment need? (For example, can they sit and enjoy a meal in a restaurant without being glued to a tablet or cellphone?) Are they patient and capable of going for the flow, or do they expect adults to stop whatever they're doing when they're "tired" or produce a snack on demand when they're "hungry"? Me, I'm a teacher and therefore raised my kids with a very "suck it up, buttercup" attitude, so I can take them pretty much anywhere. My 11-year-old can now out-museum me.

I took my 7-year-old (along with my 11-year-old) on a Baltic cruise last summer and she loved St. Petersburg, including the Hermitage. Kids experience the sights differently -- for example, they may not appreciate the art on the walls as much as they appreciate being in an imperial palace -- but they can still enjoy them. (Especially given the pace of the tours: there's not much standing-around time for them to get bored.) Some tour companies (for example, Best Guides) can cater specifically to family groups, and you can also perhaps find other parents with kids on your Roll Call and set up some private more kid-friendly tours.

We did the Baltic with my admittedly immature 9yo ds. He is a good traveler, but not a deep thinker. :) He had a great time overall. We try to do things that will appeal to the whole group, knowing that there will be parts that some may not love. Suck it up, buttercup is a good way to describe it.

Ds really liked Tivoli, train rides, the hydrofoil to Peterhof, the Peterhof fountains, food tours (he loves to eat), the Vasa, the Cat Museum in SPB (a cat rescue place), a speed boat ride in Helsinki, the pool on the ship despite the Baltic temps. He most decidedly did not love the Hermitage, but knew it was part of the day, so just dealt with it.

We haven't been to Norway yet, but my 3 year old loved our Baltic cruise. My signature line has a lot of information about that cruise for young children, so that review might be helpful. Good luck!

Thanks for the input! We're going to go with the Baltic route over Norway- more museums and big sights to see. My child is a pretty good traveler- prone to whining like any kid sometimes, but used to "grownup" restaurants (no electronics allowed at the table or actually anywhere except on long airplane/car trips) and she does great with museums and sightseeing. She loved all the museums and a bike tour of the monuments in DC, and she did really well on a walking tour of Mayan ruins that lasted most of the day. Appreciate the suggestions!