Does Princess offer shuttles at Baltic Ports?

I have noticed that some of the other cruise lines sailing the

Baltic/St. Petersburg, Russia/Oslo route offer shuttle buses into town.

Does (Star) Princess offer shuttles into town at any of the ports?

Thanks, J.

It is not offered by Princess but the local port authority had shuttles in Helsinki and Tallin.

itsjb1 is correct per my experience in 2005. In addition, Princess does offer buses (transportation only) to Stockholm, which is over an hour from the actual port of Nynashamn, and into Gdansk from the port of Gdynia. These were not cheap, but public transportation is readily available and reliable if you prefer to use it.

It is not offered by Princess but the local port authority had shuttles in Helsinki and Tallin.

Are these free of charge?

No they are not free of charge! These are actual excursions from the ship to Stockholm. Stockholm is the only port in which you tender. You are even charged a few buck to take the bus to the train station whichis easily walkable.

If you want to take the train to Stockholm, make sure you go to the explorer's lounge and have your whole party going with you there so you can get your tender tickets. If you are on the first or second tender, you will be able to make the 7:37 or 8:07 train to Stockholm. That will put you into Stockholm at around 9am. We got on the first tender, got off the tender, walked along the fence to the train station, and got tickets from the newspaper stand there for 60kr each for a full day transportation pass which is also good for ferry rides within stockholm.

Tip: if you decide to do this, after getting out of the fenced in port area, take a left and follow the sidewalk. Once the sidewalk takes a right turn, keep going straight toward the ferry terminal/boats. The rest of the people will take that right and follow the sidewalk and have to go up a hill and come back down it again but you just follow along on the low road and you will see a small path that leads back to the sidewalk where all the others will eventually be behind you! It just saves you from having to walk up and back down the little hill.

No they are not free of charge! These are actual excursions from the ship to Stockholm. Stockholm is the only port in which you tender. You are even charged a few buck to take the bus to the train station whichis easily walkable.

 

If you want to take the train to Stockholm, make sure you go to the explorer's lounge and have your whole party going with you there so you can get your tender tickets. If you are on the first or second tender, you will be able to make the 7:37 or 8:07 train to Stockholm. That will put you into Stockholm at around 9am. We got on the first tender, got off the tender, walked along the fence to the train station, and got tickets from the newspaper stand there for 60kr each for a full day transportation pass which is also good for ferry rides within stockholm.

 

Tip: if you decide to do this, after getting out of the fenced in port area, take a left and follow the sidewalk. Once the sidewalk takes a right turn, keep going straight toward the ferry terminal/boats. The rest of the people will take that right and follow the sidewalk and have to go up a hill and come back down it again but you just follow along on the low road and you will see a small path that leads back to the sidewalk where all the others will eventually be behind you! It just saves you from having to walk up and back down the little hill.

Thanks for the excellent tip! :) We already got the Stockholm Card. I'm hoping it will allow me to use it on the train as well.

In Helsinki the shuttle buses apparently cost around $6 for the two mile trip... For almost the same money you can buy a 24 hour ticket for all the public transport in Helsinki, and take the bus #16 some 100 yards from the pier.

You can also walk to the centre, but the first half of the trip (past the shipyard) doesn't really have anything worth mentioning to see. :D

The stockholm card is not good for the ferries though.

Is there any main attraction that is only accessible via the ferry?

Re: Helsinki. Is the same bus #16 that takes you into town, take you right back into the pier? I guess we could buy the bus ticket on the bus with the euros? Thanks.

Re: Helsinki. Is the same bus #16 that takes you into town, take you right back into the pier? I guess we could buy the bus ticket on the bus with the euros? Thanks.

Yes, the #16 bus from the pier will leave you next to the Swedish theatre (where the shuttlle buses also go), and you can go back to the pier from across the street.

Just remember to buy the 24 hour ticket for 6€, and you can use the trams and buses all day.

Regarding Transportation:

At Nynashamn, Star Princess social staff will have a table set up in the Explorer's lounge at around 6:30 am and your entire party must be there to get the tender ticket. They ask and only handed out the tickets one at a time to verify your party is all together. Then, you couldn't leave the lounge and they warned that anyone leaving the lounge need to give up their tender ticket. Within 15 minutes or so, they were passing out Tender #4 tickets. However, they called Tender #1 and #2 together for the first launches. One of the social staff walked the first group down to the gangway and within minutes, we were in the port area. You must have a tender ticket to get on the tenders (just showing up at the gangway without a tender ticket will not get you on the tenders).

Once off the tender, we saw a big yellow bus (like school bus) with a sign on the window "To the Train". We made a bee-line for the bus and the driver took $4 USD per person for the drive to the train station. This bus filled very quickly and we were off to the train station. This yellow bus is not a Princess shuttle but either a local or private individual operating it. There are two train stops in Nynashamn, and I think he drove the bus to the second station (end station is called Nynashamn (central terminal) and the second to last station is called Nynashamn). We had bought Stockholm cards earlier and just hopped on the train directly. My sister didn't have a ticket and went into the nearby store to purchase her ticket. She bought the 24 hours transport ticket (about $10 USD). The train conductor only sells one-way tickets. Our train left the station at 7:37 am.

This train DIDN'T go directly to Stockholm. We had to get off at the stop - Vasterhaninge. Walk off our train and into the other waiting train on the same platform on the other side. Not difficult but it did make us a little nervous and I asked the train conductor twice which station to get off for the transfer into Stockholm.

The Stockholm train station is pretty big with many exits. We sort of followed the masses out and asked for directions. We found ourselves on Klarabergsgatan Street. We caught our bus #47 to the Vasa Museum on this street directly across from the Ahlens Department Store (a short walk from the train station).

We came back the same way to Nynashamn. We were sort of concerned about which train stop to get off at Nynashamn because the local train sometimes ended at the Nynashamn stop and NOT go further to the Nynashamn central terminal stop. I think the Nynashamn central terminal stop is located closer to the dock where the tender drops off the The train staff who was checking tickets asked the conductor and told us that our train will go all the way to the Nynashamn central terminal stop. What should we do? Get off and walk if the yellow bus wasn't there. At the Nynashamn train stop, we poke our heads out and saw that big empty yellow bus with a sign "To the Harbor". We hopped off the train and paid the driver another $4 per person for the ride back to the dock. The bus dropped us off right at the end of the tender line. This train ride was pretty easy, and you can ask for help since everyone speaks very good English.

Surprisingly, the Vasa Museum was opened at 8:00 am and not very crowded yet when we arrived around 9:10 am. Shortly after, the Princess bus tours and other tours arrived at the Museum.

Hope this helps others for next year's Star Princess trip.

Regarding Transportation:

 

At Nynashamn, Star Princess social staff will have a table set up in the Explorer's lounge at around 6:30 am and your entire party must be there to get the tender ticket. They ask and only handed out the tickets one at a time to verify your party is all together. Then, you couldn't leave the lounge and they warned that anyone leaving the lounge need to give up their tender ticket. Within 15 minutes or so, they were passing out Tender #4 tickets. However, they called Tender #1 and #2 together for the first launches. One of the social staff walked the first group down to the gangway and within minutes, we were in the port area. You must have a tender ticket to get on the tenders (just showing up at the gangway without a tender ticket will not get you on the tenders).

 

Once off the tender, we saw a big yellow bus (like school bus) with a sign on the window "To the Train". We made a bee-line for the bus and the driver took $4 USD per person for the drive to the train station. This bus filled very quickly and we were off to the train station. This yellow bus is not a Princess shuttle but either a local or private individual operating it. There are two train stops in Nynashamn, and I think he drove the bus to the second station (end station is called Nynashamn (central terminal) and the second to last station is called Nynashamn). We had bought Stockholm cards earlier and just hopped on the train directly. My sister didn't have a ticket and went into the nearby store to purchase her ticket. She bought the 24 hours transport ticket (about $10 USD). The train conductor only sells one-way tickets. Our train left the station at 7:37 am.

 

This train DIDN'T go directly to Stockholm. We had to get off at the stop - Vasterhaninge. Walk off our train and into the other waiting train on the same platform on the other side. Not difficult but it did make us a little nervous and I asked the train conductor twice which station to get off for the transfer into Stockholm.

 

The Stockholm train station is pretty big with many exits. We sort of followed the masses out and asked for directions. We found ourselves on Klarabergsgatan Street. We caught our bus #47 to the Vasa Museum on this street directly across from the Ahlens Department Store (a short walk from the train station).

 

We came back the same way to Nynashamn. We were sort of concerned about which train stop to get off at Nynashamn because the local train sometimes ended at the Nynashamn stop and NOT go further to the Nynashamn central terminal stop. I think the Nynashamn central terminal stop is located closer to the dock where the tender drops off the The train staff who was checking tickets asked the conductor and told us that our train will go all the way to the Nynashamn central terminal stop. What should we do? Get off and walk if the yellow bus wasn't there. At the Nynashamn train stop, we poke our heads out and saw that big empty yellow bus with a sign "To the Harbor". We hopped off the train and paid the driver another $4 per person for the ride back to the dock. The bus dropped us off right at the end of the tender line. This train ride was pretty easy, and you can ask for help since everyone speaks very good English.

 

Surprisingly, the Vasa Museum was opened at 8:00 am and not very crowded yet when we arrived around 9:10 am. Shortly after, the Princess bus tours and other tours arrived at the Museum.

 

Hope this helps others for next year's Star Princess trip.

Hi, thanks for the description. I have a couple questions regarding your post.

1) On return, did the train go directly to Stockholm or was did you have to transfer like you did on your way to Stockholm?

2) You mentioned in the beginning that there were 2 stations when you were on the bus to the train station. Nynashamn followed by Nynashamn Central Station. And the bus driver let you off at the Nynashamn Central Station. So by that, I'm assuming the Nynashamn Central Station is the further station. But you also mention that at the end, you thought the Nynashamn Central Station is closer. Can you clarify. Basically, can you just tell me which station you hopped onto, on your way to Stockholm? Basically, I think we're going to walk it instead of bussing it. Thank you.

Sorry for the confusion. But both ways, we had to do the transfer at Vasterhaninge.

Plus, the yellow shuttle bus dropped us off at Nynashamn stop in the morning and we got off at the same train stop coming back and the same yellow bus was parked very close to the train platform. We never saw the Nynashamn Central Terminal and so only suspect that this central terminal stop may be closer to the dock vs. the train stop that the shuttle driver took us to.

Maybe others who have walked to the train station from the tenders can provide you with further details.

Happy Planning.

Sorry for the confusion. But both ways, we had to do the transfer at Vasterhaninge.

 

Plus, the yellow shuttle bus dropped us off at Nynashamn stop in the morning and we got off at the same train stop coming back and the same yellow bus was parked very close to the train platform. We never saw the Nynashamn Central Terminal and so only suspect that this central terminal stop may be closer to the dock vs. the train stop that the shuttle driver took us to.

 

Maybe others who have walked to the train station from the tenders can provide you with further details.

 

Happy Planning.

Thanks so much for clearing it up. Did you also remember if the train split on the way home?

That's funny because we took the 1:52 train back and we didn't have to switch trains on the return trip.

As far as which station to get off at Nynanshamn, it's the second one that drops you off down near the piers.

Is there any main attraction that is only accessible via the ferry?

Re: Helsinki. Is the same bus #16 that takes you into town, take you right back into the pier? I guess we could buy the bus ticket on the bus with the euros? Thanks.

When we did the Baltic cruise on Star Princess last year we took the Hop on Hop Off Bus in Helsinki. This was waiting right by the dock and we purchased a combined ticket for the bus and a boat cruise which cost us Euros29 each and was good value for money. We stopped of first at the Market Place and wandered around there (very interesting) until it was time to take the cruise around the islands. We then picked up the Open Top Tour Bus and got on and off at the various places of interest en route.

We also did the Open Top Tour Bus in Copenhagen.

If anyone is interested I posted a review of the cruise which can be found via the following link

www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=12469

which will give you, I hope, some useful tips for this trip.

Regards

Suron in Bristol, England

We just got back from the 8/23 sailing on Princess.

Shuttles were offered at:

Helsinki - US$5.00 pp or 5 euros one way or US$8.00 pp or 8 euros roundtrip ticket. It started around 9:00am and last transfer back was around 4:30pm. I would agree with suron on using the Hop On Hop Off bus which is right at the pier when you disembark. It didn't start until sometime between 10:00 - 10:30am. It was US$26pp.

Tallinn- US$4.00 pp each way

For Nynashamn/Stockholm they have now offer a bus transfer (no guide/no maps) for US$32 pp rountrip. It left the dock around 10:30am so it doesn't get into Stockholm until around 11:30am and the bus pickup time in Stockholm was around 2:30 or so. Not much time. We had taken the full day Stockholm On Your Own Tour at US$59 pp roundtrip. Left around 9:00am and was picked back up around 3:30pm. Our experience was the guide they had on the bus was not very informative and the map she gave out you needed a magnifying glass to read.

St.Petersburg - No service

Gdynia - There is a Gdansk On Your Own which costs around US$23.00 pp rountrip. From others we talked with on our sailing, they were dropped off in Gdansk and then picked up at a predetermined time. No guidance on where to go, etc.

Oslo - You don't need a shuttle. The ship docks right at Akerhus Castle.

Julia