Scandinavia cruise experts only please

I was wondering if there were a few of you experts that have done these cruises to tell me what there is to do near and around the ports that you come to. I really don't want to take a tour everywhere we are going, so I am hoping that you can provide some insight as to anything to do near the ports. We are planning on doing a tour in St. Petersburg, but here are the rest of the stops:

Copenhagen

Stockholm

Helsinki

Tallinn

Klaipeda, Lithuania

Any helpful hints as to how to do some things on our own is greatly appreciated.

thanks a lot!!!

Have you tried Rick Steves' book on Scandinavia. It does walking tours in almost every port as well as how to get around if you want to travel outside of the city. I'm finding it helpful. Also you can buy a CD by John Lawrence who is the cruie director on Princess. We're cruising in august and both have given me great suggestions. Edna

The following three threads are a good starting point for your research:

Bollinge's review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=186310

Scott Cyn's review: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberre...?EntryID=26453

Boo'sMom's review: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=380651

Here is a link to another thread that may be helpful. It is not a review but the research John and Betty did before their Baltic cruise in 2005. Click on ”Photos” in one of their posts and you will find maps for the ports they visited, with the main sights marked. Also the links to more information on each sight. Some links may be out of date by now, I haven’t tried them. But I think the maps are very helpful when you want to plan what to do in each port.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=97421

Thank you so much everyone! I will check out the links!:)

Copenhagen

Stockholm

Helsinki

Tallinn

Klaipeda, Lithuania

Any helpful hints as to how to do some things on our own is greatly appreciated.

We've been to Copenhagen a couple of times for multiple days (one pre-cruise and one port stop with overnight)...I love the canal boats...the ships offer them, but you can also pick them up on your own at very reasonable prices at Nyhavn or Gammel Stam...Stroll down the Stroget (Shopping/walking street) on your own...We went on our own to the Glyptotek Museum--a surprisingly good art museum...Don't bother with Tivoli (crowded and boring)...All is walking distance from the port, though there may be free shuttles as well, depending on the cruise line...

Stockholm...Grab a cab over to the Vasa Museum--don't miss it...Then come back and wander the old town area...

Helsinki...we grabbed the rather cheap hop-on, hop-off tour--there is a kiosk on the Esplinade where you can buy tickets...spend some time at the three "top" churches--the Lutheran Cathedral, the Russian Cathedral and the "Rock" Church...

Tallinn...There is a very good "walking tour" outlined in Rick Steve's Scandinavia book...We did it and found we were visiting the same places as the ship's walking tour...but without the crowd and at our own pace...and we were able to stop for a coffee at "Bar Havana" and stop in shops along the route as well...

I haven't been to Klapeida yet...

Good luck...