Port Questions for our Scandinavia & Russia Cruise

My husband and I are taking the Scandinavia & Russia Cruise on the Celebrity Constellation in May. I have already booked a private tour in St. Petersburg, Russia. But what I would really like to do in all the other ports is just get off the ship and wonder around. Can someone tell me if there are things you can walk to in each of the ports or if I will need to take a bus or taxi to get to anything?

The Itinerary is:

Amsterdam, Holland

Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany

Tallinn, Estonia

St. Petersburg, Russia

Helsinki, Finland

Stockholm, Sweden

Copenhagen, Denmark

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Judy

There are plenty of advice in the various threads for the ports of call around the Baltic.

If you still need advice just ask and we'll try our best to help you.

Helsinki: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1606720

Copenhagen: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1772831

Stockholm: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1017275

Tallin: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1661563

Warnermünde: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1318728

Amsterdam info is probably available in the Western Europe forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=233

But what I would really like to do in all the other ports is just get off the ship and wonder around. Can someone tell me if there are things you can walk to in each of the ports or if I will need to take a bus or taxi to get to anything?

The Itinerary is:

Amsterdam, Holland Yes if you dock at the city centre short walk or tram to all the sights

Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany

Tallinn, Estonia yes short walk to the walled citty or I think they have a shuttle bus now

St. Petersburg, Russia

Helsinki, Finland depends on the dock some ships dock right in town & you can take the tram or walk

Stockholm, Sweden.

Copenhagen, Denmark yes a short walk to most places agian depending on the dock location or the bus will take you downtown

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Judy

Others you need some research on where & what you want to see/do & probably a tour or taxi to get there

Check each port stop for more information, there are many locals that have specific threads here that have good information on getting around

Thank you!

My husband and I are taking the Scandinavia & Russia Cruise on the Celebrity Constellation in May. I have already booked a private tour in St. Petersburg, Russia. But what I would really like to do in all the other ports is just get off the ship and wonder around. Can someone tell me if there are things you can walk to in each of the ports or if I will need to take a bus or taxi to get to anything?

The Itinerary is:

Amsterdam, Holland

Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany

Tallinn, Estonia

St. Petersburg, Russia

Helsinki, Finland

Stockholm, Sweden

Copenhagen, Denmark

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Judy

Judy

As has been said to you, a lot depends on where your ship docks on the day you will be in port. There is a site that tells you the specific place, if known now, but I forgot the web address, maybe some one else can supply it.

Most ships dock in the West harbor in Helsinki. If so, you will need some sort of transportation to get you to Market Square. That is usually the starting point for the tram or any of several places that are fairly close to Market Square. There is a bus that can take you there and there are taxi's. To walk it would be about 40 minutes or so.

Market Square section of Helsinki

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster1150.jpg

The Lutheran Cathedral in Senate Square

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1062.jpg

In Copenhagen, again, many ships dock near most of the attractions. If you dock at Langeline Pier, you are minutes away from the Little Mermaid, and from there most of the things you would want to see and do, Nyhavn, the Canal Cruise, The Stroget, Tivoli Gardens, Town Hall Square and Rosenborg

Castle are all within walking distance, usually around a 2 mile radius.

The Nyhavn section. A great place to wander about a bit

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe248_zps07b56845.jpg

Copenhagen from the Canal Boat Cruise

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe284_zpscc7bc696.jpg

Stockholm has several venues to dock, some right in the heart of the city, others a bit outside and then some dock at a town about an hour away. Even if you dock in the heart of the city, several of the attractions like Vasa and Gamal Stan and the Royal Palace are not next to each other so you will need some sort of transportation to get from one to the other.

A picturesque Bridge over the river to the Vasa Museum

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster1235.jpg

Gamla Stan

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1265.jpg

Obviously Berlin you need a 3 hour trip to get you to from Warnemunde. This town itself is OK, not that much to do except wander about for a bit or hit the beach there. Many opt to go to Rostock, or several other cities inh the surrounding around via the train that is right there. You would be hard pressed to find things to do in Warnemunde for an entire day. It is a quaint town, but just not much there.

Along the Canal in Warnemunde

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe363.jpg

Town Square in Rostock

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe407.jpg

Tallinn, all ships dock in the same place and it is about a 10 minute, easy walk to the entrance to the Old City. Once inside, there are several great walking tours you can download to be sure and see what there is to see. A lot of the fun of Tallinn is also to just wander about on your own, discovering many others likable things to see and do. There is a hill to walk up, some opt to take some sort of transportation up the hill and then walk down, but it isn't a steep walk and easily done if you are mobile.

Fat Margret Tower where you enter the old city

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe509.jpg

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe566.jpg

Hope this helps a bit

Cheers

Len

Judy

 

As has been said to you, a lot depends on where your ship docks on the day you will be in port. There is a site that tells you the specific place, if known now, but I forgot the web address, maybe some one else can supply it.

 

Most ships dock in the West harbor in Helsinki. If so, you will need some sort of transportation to get you to Market Square. That is usually the starting point for the tram or any of several places that are fairly close to Market Square. There is a bus that can take you there and there are taxi's. To walk it would be about 40 minutes or so.

 

Market Square section of Helsinki

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster1150.jpg

 

The Lutheran Cathedral in Senate Square

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1062.jpg

 

 

In Copenhagen, again, many ships dock near most of the attractions. If you dock at Langeline Pier, you are minutes away from the Little Mermaid, and from there most of the things you would want to see and do, Nyhavn, the Canal Cruise, The Stroget, Tivoli Gardens, Town Hall Square and Rosenborg

Castle are all within walking distance, usually around a 2 mile radius.

 

The Nyhavn section. A great place to wander about a bit

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe248_zps07b56845.jpg

 

Copenhagen from the Canal Boat Cruise

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe284_zpscc7bc696.jpg

 

Stockholm has several venues to dock, some right in the heart of the city, others a bit outside and then some dock at a town about an hour away. Even if you dock in the heart of the city, several of the attractions like Vasa and Gamal Stan and the Royal Palace are not next to each other so you will need some sort of transportation to get from one to the other.

 

A picturesque Bridge over the river to the Vasa Museum

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster1235.jpg

 

Gamla Stan

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1265.jpg

 

Obviously Berlin you need a 3 hour trip to get you to from Warnemunde. This town itself is OK, not that much to do except wander about for a bit or hit the beach there. Many opt to go to Rostock, or several other cities inh the surrounding around via the train that is right there. You would be hard pressed to find things to do in Warnemunde for an entire day. It is a quaint town, but just not much there.

 

Along the Canal in Warnemunde

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe363.jpg

 

Town Square in Rostock

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe407.jpg

 

Tallinn, all ships dock in the same place and it is about a 10 minute, easy walk to the entrance to the Old City. Once inside, there are several great walking tours you can download to be sure and see what there is to see. A lot of the fun of Tallinn is also to just wander about on your own, discovering many others likable things to see and do. There is a hill to walk up, some opt to take some sort of transportation up the hill and then walk down, but it isn't a steep walk and easily done if you are mobile.

 

Fat Margret Tower where you enter the old city

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe509.jpg

 

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe566.jpg

 

Hope this helps a bit

 

Cheers

 

Len

Thank you so very much. This was very helpful.

My husband has a medical issue that causes him to have good days and bad days, walking long distances can be dificult but if we are able to go slow should be ok. I do not want to plan a bunch of tours that he may or may not be able to go on.

So I really just wanted to be able to wander at our own pace. But I have been to ports that have nothing around them so I wanted to know if I should look at tours in those locations.

I have been able to find that we should be

At Hernesaari port in Helsinki, so we should be able to take bus 16 to Market Square. Should be doable.

We will be at S167 Stadsgarden in Stockholm so I am thinking Ho Ho Boat.

still researching the other ports to see where we will be.

Thanks again for your help.

Judy

If you are in Helsinki on May 14th, its quay LHB, 1.6 miles from the middle of the city and 1.85 miles from the Market Square.

If you are in Helsinki on May 28th its quay LHC, half a mile further away.

Sorry, local bus 16 doesn't do that route anymore so you have to use a bus 14 plus tram combination if you want to use local traffic. But as far as I know there is always shuttle bus service available from the major cruise ships to the city center and back. That's the easy way out and I recommend it even if it costs a little bit more.

If you are in Helsinki on May 14th, its quay LHB, 1.6 miles from the middle of the city and 1.85 miles from the Market Square.

If you are in Helsinki on May 28th its quay LHC, half a mile further away.

Celebrity Constellation will to my understanding be in Helsinki on May 16th and not the 14th. It seems that either Celebrity or their port agent had messed up with the Constellation doing the Baltic sometimes Stockholm - Helsinki - St. Petersburg - Tallinn and sometimes in the opposite direction. Currently the Port of Helsinki site shows duplicate calls for the times Constellation is really coming from St. Petersburg.

On May 16th Celebrity Constellation will be at LMA in Jätkäsaari. The surroundings are pretty boring the area being a former cargo port currently being developed to become part of the city. Last summer almost all ships docking there did have shuttles to downtown area. The closet public transit option is tram 9 at the West Terminal which is a little less than a half a mile from the quay. The walk is flat and easy, but the scenery is extremely boring.

We did a walking tour of Tallinn with the company we used for St. Petersburg. The bus picked us up at the port, drove to the top of the hill, and then we split into smaller groups. I found it useful to be going downhill and the guide added to the experience. The bus picked us up again at the bottom of the hill just outside the old city entrance. Well worth the cost.

Found this helpful

overview of the Baltic cities

http://savvyguides.com/baltic/

Found this helpful

overview of the Baltic cities

http://savvyguides.com/baltic/

That's a very useful website. Thanks for posting it!

Found this helpful

overview of the Baltic cities

http://savvyguides.com/baltic/

Dan

Excellent site. Thanks for posting it. Lots of great info there.

Cheers

Len

Thank you Everyone for the great information I really appreciate all of the help.

Judy

Found this helpful

overview of the Baltic cities

http://savvyguides.com/baltic/

Looks pretty good, but it seems that the info is a few years old. Just keep in mind that things that could change in say 5 years might have changed. For example ticket prices might not be that accurate, Tallinn has had euros since 2011, Helsinki has renumbered some tram routes etc.

Looks pretty good, but it seems that the info is a few years old. Just keep in mind that things that could change in say 5 years might have changed. For example ticket prices might not be that accurate, Tallinn has had euros since 2011, Helsinki has renumbered some tram routes etc.

I agree with Jonza here. I noticed the same about that page's info about Stockholm.

On our Baltic cruise ...other than a private tour we booked in St Petersburg we easily did the other ports on our own..either using the ship contracted shuttlebus into town or a HOHO boat...couldn't have been easier..no need for pre-booked tours.

The new Rick Steve's Baltic Ports guidebook has all the ports and then some that you'll be visiting on the Constellation (I'm going on the 7/8 cruise). Just my opinion, but I think Rick has the best European itineraries in the business and the guide is full of practical info such as best ATM, where to stop for a coffee or brewski and decent shops. The book is meant to be divided into individual booklets, too. I am finding it invaluable especially for transportation and currency issues.

The new Rick Steve's Baltic Ports guidebook has all the ports and then some that you'll be visiting on the Constellation (I'm going on the 7/8 cruise). Just my opinion, but I think Rick has the best European itineraries in the business and the guide is full of practical info such as best ATM, where to stop for a coffee or brewski and decent shops. The book is meant to be divided into individual booklets, too. I am finding it invaluable especially for transportation and currency issues.

I agree. I purchased Rick Steves' Scandinavia book. It's well worth the money - what to see, not see, maps, etc.