Baltic Cruise August 2013

[cadreamer]

This guide sounds wonderful. On the other hand I would strongly advise avoiding a guide service in Amstedam called Private Holland Travel. Our tour with him was less than satisfactory.

[cbb]

CTKATH, if for some reason your plans fall through for August, please know that September is also a great month. Every place is less crowded because everyone is back in school or at work! The weather is great, too.

[CTKath]

CTKATH, if for some reason your plans fall through for August, please know that September is also a great month. Every place is less crowded because everyone is back in school or at work! The weather is great, too.

 

Thanks cbb for the info, unfortunately Uncle Sam has more of a say of when we get to travel! Being the owner of a CPA firm (dh is) we have to travel between deadlines!

[Bruin Steve]

What cruise line did you use for this Baltic cruise as it looks wonderful.

 

That one was on Celebrity Eclipse...

[Mexfolkart]

We did Azamara Baltic cruise last year from Stockholm and chose it specifically becuase it did have 3 days in St. petersburg. This year Azamara only has 2 days there but Oceainia now has 3 days in St. Pete..last year only 2 days! We were VERY glad we had the 3 days..we went end of July. We had a rainy morning one day and great weather the rest. Used SPB tours and they knew what to do on which days and in the rain or not..3 days were not even enough in that fabulous city.

Enjoy..just choose one with THREE days in St. petersburg if that is whay you are going.

Sherry

[BPCruiser]

That one was on Celebrity Eclipse...

 

Thanks Steve, Were you very happy with the Celebrity Eclipse? We have never sailed with Celebrity. I have also read on these Boards that is is better to go with a smaller ship that sails closer in to an important location is St Petersburg as opposed to the larger cruise liners that must have to tender in or dock at a further location from the prime tourist area in this port. Something about commute time ? Are you familiar with what I am trying to explain:confused:

 

Thanks Again for all your good info! :)

[BPCruiser]

We did Azamara Baltic cruise last year from Stockholm and chose it specifically becuase it did have 3 days in St. petersburg. This year Azamara only has 2 days there but Oceainia now has 3 days in St. Pete..last year only 2 days! We were VERY glad we had the 3 days..we went end of July. We had a rainy morning one day and great weather the rest. Used SPB tours and they knew what to do on which days and in the rain or not..3 days were not even enough in that fabulous city.

Enjoy..just choose one with THREE days in St. petersburg if that is whay you are going.

Sherry

 

Sherry thanks for the info. I plan to look seriously at O for Summer 2013 except their current Summer 2012 itineraries do not have many Sea days and we look forward to those. I have read great reviews about SPB Tours from others as well. Celebrity will probably be a very good cruise line for us to consider because as of now, they seem to shave the most Sea days incorporated into their Baltic cruise. :)

[Bruin Steve]

Thanks Steve, Were you very happy with the Celebrity Eclipse? We have never sailed with Celebrity. I have also read on these Boards that is is better to go with a smaller ship that sails closer in to an important location is St Petersburg as opposed to the larger cruise liners that must have to tender in or dock at a further location from the prime tourist area in this port. Something about commute time ? Are you familiar with what I am trying to explain:confused:

 

Thanks Again for all your good info! :)

 

First of all, yes, I loved the Eclipse...and I have booked her again to cruise to Iceland and Norway this July...It is a beautiful ship, fairly uncrowded with large, spacious public areas...The food is good...though I think the food on Oceania is a bit better...service is outstanding...Celebrity is easily my favorite "big ship" line...

 

I think the smaller ship/closer to the center thing is a bit overblown...

The Eclipse, like most ships, docks in the industrial port...no tendering, you walk right off the ship...

But, in St. Petersburg, NO ONE is allowed to merely walk off the ship, no matter where you dock...It is pretty much a necessity to have a tour--whether a shore excursion or a private tour...To get off and wander on your own, you must have pre-arranged an expensive visa...The visas are arranged for you on a group basis by the shore excursion providers and major tour operators...

So, chances are, no matter where you dock, you will need to be escorted from the ship. So, it is only a case of where your guide meets you...You may save about 10-15 minutes in each direction if you dock right in the center, but it is not that big a deal. If your tour starts in the industrial port, your guide likely makes good use of that time...and it's actually interesting to see the industrial port...sort of an homage to Communist era drab industrial architecture...

 

More important in St. Petersburg is to hire a good tour company and guide and to design a good itinerary...We pinpointed things we wanted to see and customized an itinerary...It was important to me to include a visit to the Grand Choral Synagogue...I wanted to make sure to take in Catherine's Palace on this last tour...We had missed both sites on our first visit...Our guide was able to squeeze in a ride on the Subway--another thing we hadn't been able to do the first visit...We saved time by using the Hydrofoil to return from the Peterhof...Of course, the Hermitage is a must to include in any tour...

 

This was our itinerary with SPB:

 

DAY 1 July, 17th (Sa) 7.00AM-6.30PM

7.00-7.30am Meet at the ship

7.30-9.00am City orientation drive

9.00-10.00am Drive to the Tsars’ Village. Subway ride

10.15-12.00pm A visit to the Catherine's palace with the Amber

room and a walk in the park

12.00-12.30pm Lunch at a local blinis’ place (optional)

12.30-1.30pm Drive to Peterhof

1.30-4.00pm Walk in the Peterhof Lower fountain park and the

Upper gardens. A visit to the Monplaisire palace OR the

Catherine's Block

4.00-4.30pm Hydrofoil ride back to the city

5.00-5.30pm Excursion in the Church of Our Saviour on the

Spilled Blood

6.30pm Return to the ship

Night time Four-hour FUN tour including a boat ride

07.00 pm Pick-up at the ship for the evening "Relax and Have Fun" - tour.

During this tour you'll taste Russian Vodka, do some shopping and have a canal boat ride on a private boat!

Your guide will be entertaining you all the time with queezes, stories and jokes. You will listen to some Russian Folkloric Music,

will learn a few Russian words (YELLOW BLUE BUS - Ja ljublju vas - I love you) and you'll do other "crazy" things... Let us

surprise you!

08.00-09.00 pm Stroll along the main street Nevsky prospect for shopping (shops are open till 10.00 pm)

09.00-10.00 pm Canal boat ride including Vodka and assortment of the Russian chokolate/sweets

10.00-11.00 pm Brief city tour though the city of the WHITE NIGHTS.

11.00 pm “Drunk” but happy - return to the ship

DAY 2 July, 18th (Su) 8.30AM-5.00PM

8.30am Meet at the ship

8.30-10.00am City sightseeing tour covering the major

sights and stops. A visit to the Grand Choral Sanagogue

10.00-10.40am A visit to Peter and Paul's fortress and

cathedral

11.00-12.15pm Excursion in the Yusupov’s Palace

12.30-1.15pm Lunch: traditional Russian meal at “Stolle”

piroggi place (optional)

1.45-4.15pm The Hermitage museum

5.00pm Return to the ship

Tour price includes the following services:

1. all port fees for two days

2. english-speaking guide for two days

3. A/C vehicle for two days with this timing (every extra hour costs $30)

4. admission tickets to the museums shown on the itinerary

5. pass for using the camera in the museums (one per couple)

6. subway ride

7. hydrofoil ride

Tour price does not include the following services:

1. cost of lunches (can be $10-$15 per person per day)

 

The price for our group of 8 came out to $315 per person for the two-day tour plus another $35 per person for the night "fun" tour (which was shared in a larger group with some from other groups from our ship).

 

I don't think that docking any closer to the city would have changed things much...

[BPCruiser]

First of all, yes, I loved the Eclipse...and I have booked her again to cruise to Iceland and Norway this July...It is a beautiful ship, fairly uncrowded with large, spacious public areas...The food is good...though I think the food on Oceania is a bit better...service is outstanding...Celebrity is easily my favorite "big ship" line...

 

I think the smaller ship/closer to the center thing is a bit overblown...

The Eclipse, like most ships, docks in the industrial port...no tendering, you walk right off the ship...

But, in St. Petersburg, NO ONE is allowed to merely walk off the ship, no matter where you dock...It is pretty much a necessity to have a tour--whether a shore excursion or a private tour...To get off and wander on your own, you must have pre-arranged an expensive visa...The visas are arranged for you on a group basis by the shore excursion providers and major tour operators...

So, chances are, no matter where you dock, you will need to be escorted from the ship. So, it is only a case of where your guide meets you...You may save about 10-15 minutes in each direction if you dock right in the center, but it is not that big a deal. If your tour starts in the industrial port, your guide likely makes good use of that time...and it's actually interesting to see the industrial port...sort of an homage to Communist era drab industrial architecture...

 

More important in St. Petersburg is to hire a good tour company and guide and to design a good itinerary...We pinpointed things we wanted to see and customized an itinerary...It was important to me to include a visit to the Grand Choral Synagogue...I wanted to make sure to take in Catherine's Palace on this last tour...We had missed both sites on our first visit...Our guide was able to squeeze in a ride on the Subway--another thing we hadn't been able to do the first visit...We saved time by using the Hydrofoil to return from the Peterhof...Of course, the Hermitage is a must to include in any tour...

 

This was our itinerary with SPB:

 

DAY 1 July, 17th (Sa) 7.00AM-6.30PM

7.00-7.30am Meet at the ship

7.30-9.00am City orientation drive

9.00-10.00am Drive to the Tsars’ Village. Subway ride

10.15-12.00pm A visit to the Catherine's palace with the Amber

room and a walk in the park

12.00-12.30pm Lunch at a local blinis’ place (optional)

12.30-1.30pm Drive to Peterhof

1.30-4.00pm Walk in the Peterhof Lower fountain park and the

Upper gardens. A visit to the Monplaisire palace OR the

Catherine's Block

4.00-4.30pm Hydrofoil ride back to the city

5.00-5.30pm Excursion in the Church of Our Saviour on the

Spilled Blood

6.30pm Return to the ship

Night time Four-hour FUN tour including a boat ride

07.00 pm Pick-up at the ship for the evening "Relax and Have Fun" - tour.

During this tour you'll taste Russian Vodka, do some shopping and have a canal boat ride on a private boat!

Your guide will be entertaining you all the time with queezes, stories and jokes. You will listen to some Russian Folkloric Music,

will learn a few Russian words (YELLOW BLUE BUS - Ja ljublju vas - I love you) and you'll do other "crazy" things... Let us

surprise you!

08.00-09.00 pm Stroll along the main street Nevsky prospect for shopping (shops are open till 10.00 pm)

09.00-10.00 pm Canal boat ride including Vodka and assortment of the Russian chokolate/sweets

10.00-11.00 pm Brief city tour though the city of the WHITE NIGHTS.

11.00 pm “Drunk” but happy - return to the ship

DAY 2 July, 18th (Su) 8.30AM-5.00PM

8.30am Meet at the ship

8.30-10.00am City sightseeing tour covering the major

sights and stops. A visit to the Grand Choral Sanagogue

10.00-10.40am A visit to Peter and Paul's fortress and

cathedral

11.00-12.15pm Excursion in the Yusupov’s Palace

12.30-1.15pm Lunch: traditional Russian meal at “Stolle”

piroggi place (optional)

1.45-4.15pm The Hermitage museum

5.00pm Return to the ship

Tour price includes the following services:

1. all port fees for two days

2. english-speaking guide for two days

3. A/C vehicle for two days with this timing (every extra hour costs $30)

4. admission tickets to the museums shown on the itinerary

5. pass for using the camera in the museums (one per couple)

6. subway ride

7. hydrofoil ride

Tour price does not include the following services:

1. cost of lunches (can be $10-$15 per person per day)

 

The price for our group of 8 came out to $315 per person for the two-day tour plus another $35 per person for the night "fun" tour (which was shared in a larger group with some from other groups from our ship).

 

I don't think that docking any closer to the city would have changed things much...

 

Thanks Again. I have saved this itinerary for Tours and will reference it when planning. Brenda

[pacheco18]

First of all, yes, I loved the Eclipse...and I have booked her again to cruise to Iceland and Norway this July...It is a beautiful ship, fairly uncrowded with large, spacious public areas...The food is good...though I think the food on Oceania is a bit better...service is outstanding...Celebrity is easily my favorite "big ship" line...

 

I think the smaller ship/closer to the center thing is a bit overblown...

The Eclipse, like most ships, docks in the industrial port...no tendering, you walk right off the ship...

But, in St. Petersburg, NO ONE is allowed to merely walk off the ship, no matter where you dock...It is pretty much a necessity to have a tour--whether a shore excursion or a private tour...To get off and wander on your own, you must have pre-arranged an expensive visa...The visas are arranged for you on a group basis by the shore excursion providers and major tour operators...

So, chances are, no matter where you dock, you will need to be escorted from the ship. So, it is only a case of where your guide meets you...You may save about 10-15 minutes in each direction if you dock right in the center, but it is not that big a deal. If your tour starts in the industrial port, your guide likely makes good use of that time...and it's actually interesting to see the industrial port...sort of an homage to Communist era drab industrial architecture...

 

More important in St. Petersburg is to hire a good tour company and guide and to design a good itinerary...We pinpointed things we wanted to see and customized an itinerary...It was important to me to include a visit to the Grand Choral Synagogue...I wanted to make sure to take in Catherine's Palace on this last tour...We had missed both sites on our first visit...Our guide was able to squeeze in a ride on the Subway--another thing we hadn't been able to do the first visit...We saved time by using the Hydrofoil to return from the Peterhof...Of course, the Hermitage is a must to include in any tour...

 

This was our itinerary with SPB:

 

DAY 1 July, 17th (Sa) 7.00AM-6.30PM

7.00-7.30am Meet at the ship

7.30-9.00am City orientation drive

9.00-10.00am Drive to the Tsars’ Village. Subway ride

10.15-12.00pm A visit to the Catherine's palace with the Amber

room and a walk in the park

12.00-12.30pm Lunch at a local blinis’ place (optional)

12.30-1.30pm Drive to Peterhof

1.30-4.00pm Walk in the Peterhof Lower fountain park and the

Upper gardens. A visit to the Monplaisire palace OR the

Catherine's Block

4.00-4.30pm Hydrofoil ride back to the city

5.00-5.30pm Excursion in the Church of Our Saviour on the

Spilled Blood

6.30pm Return to the ship

Night time Four-hour FUN tour including a boat ride

07.00 pm Pick-up at the ship for the evening "Relax and Have Fun" - tour.

During this tour you'll taste Russian Vodka, do some shopping and have a canal boat ride on a private boat!

Your guide will be entertaining you all the time with queezes, stories and jokes. You will listen to some Russian Folkloric Music,

will learn a few Russian words (YELLOW BLUE BUS - Ja ljublju vas - I love you) and you'll do other "crazy" things... Let us

surprise you!

08.00-09.00 pm Stroll along the main street Nevsky prospect for shopping (shops are open till 10.00 pm)

09.00-10.00 pm Canal boat ride including Vodka and assortment of the Russian chokolate/sweets

10.00-11.00 pm Brief city tour though the city of the WHITE NIGHTS.

11.00 pm “Drunk” but happy - return to the ship

DAY 2 July, 18th (Su) 8.30AM-5.00PM

8.30am Meet at the ship

8.30-10.00am City sightseeing tour covering the major

sights and stops. A visit to the Grand Choral Sanagogue

10.00-10.40am A visit to Peter and Paul's fortress and

cathedral

11.00-12.15pm Excursion in the Yusupov’s Palace

12.30-1.15pm Lunch: traditional Russian meal at “Stolle”

piroggi place (optional)

1.45-4.15pm The Hermitage museum

5.00pm Return to the ship

Tour price includes the following services:

1. all port fees for two days

2. english-speaking guide for two days

3. A/C vehicle for two days with this timing (every extra hour costs $30)

4. admission tickets to the museums shown on the itinerary

5. pass for using the camera in the museums (one per couple)

6. subway ride

7. hydrofoil ride

Tour price does not include the following services:

1. cost of lunches (can be $10-$15 per person per day)

 

The price for our group of 8 came out to $315 per person for the two-day tour plus another $35 per person for the night "fun" tour (which was shared in a larger group with some from other groups from our ship).

 

I don't think that docking any closer to the city would have changed things much...

 

 

We also sailed the Eclipse to the Baltics and did the identical tour with the same guide with SPG. Absolutely fabulous!!

[BPCruiser]

First of all, yes, I loved the Eclipse...and I have booked her again to cruise to Iceland and Norway this July...It is a beautiful ship, fairly uncrowded with large, spacious public areas...The food is good...though I think the food on Oceania is a bit better...service is outstanding...Celebrity is easily my favorite "big ship" line...

 

I think the smaller ship/closer to the center thing is a bit overblown...

The Eclipse, like most ships, docks in the industrial port...no tendering, you walk right off the ship...

But, in St. Petersburg, NO ONE is allowed to merely walk off the ship, no matter where you dock...It is pretty much a necessity to have a tour--whether a shore excursion or a private tour...To get off and wander on your own, you must have pre-arranged an expensive visa...The visas are arranged for you on a group basis by the shore excursion providers and major tour operators...

So, chances are, no matter where you dock, you will need to be escorted from the ship. So, it is only a case of where your guide meets you...You may save about 10-15 minutes in each direction if you dock right in the center, but it is not that big a deal. If your tour starts in the industrial port, your guide likely makes good use of that time...and it's actually interesting to see the industrial port...sort of an homage to Communist era drab industrial architecture...

 

More important in St. Petersburg is to hire a good tour company and guide and to design a good itinerary...We pinpointed things we wanted to see and customized an itinerary...It was important to me to include a visit to the Grand Choral Synagogue...I wanted to make sure to take in Catherine's Palace on this last tour...We had missed both sites on our first visit...Our guide was able to squeeze in a ride on the Subway--another thing we hadn't been able to do the first visit...We saved time by using the Hydrofoil to return from the Peterhof...Of course, the Hermitage is a must to include in any tour...

 

This was our itinerary with SPB:

 

DAY 1 July, 17th (Sa) 7.00AM-6.30PM

7.00-7.30am Meet at the ship

7.30-9.00am City orientation drive

9.00-10.00am Drive to the Tsars’ Village. Subway ride

10.15-12.00pm A visit to the Catherine's palace with the Amber

room and a walk in the park

12.00-12.30pm Lunch at a local blinis’ place (optional)

12.30-1.30pm Drive to Peterhof

1.30-4.00pm Walk in the Peterhof Lower fountain park and the

Upper gardens. A visit to the Monplaisire palace OR the

Catherine's Block

4.00-4.30pm Hydrofoil ride back to the city

5.00-5.30pm Excursion in the Church of Our Saviour on the

Spilled Blood

6.30pm Return to the ship

Night time Four-hour FUN tour including a boat ride

07.00 pm Pick-up at the ship for the evening "Relax and Have Fun" - tour.

During this tour you'll taste Russian Vodka, do some shopping and have a canal boat ride on a private boat!

Your guide will be entertaining you all the time with queezes, stories and jokes. You will listen to some Russian Folkloric Music,

will learn a few Russian words (YELLOW BLUE BUS - Ja ljublju vas - I love you) and you'll do other "crazy" things... Let us

surprise you!

08.00-09.00 pm Stroll along the main street Nevsky prospect for shopping (shops are open till 10.00 pm)

09.00-10.00 pm Canal boat ride including Vodka and assortment of the Russian chokolate/sweets

10.00-11.00 pm Brief city tour though the city of the WHITE NIGHTS.

11.00 pm “Drunk” but happy - return to the ship

DAY 2 July, 18th (Su) 8.30AM-5.00PM

8.30am Meet at the ship

8.30-10.00am City sightseeing tour covering the major

sights and stops. A visit to the Grand Choral Sanagogue

10.00-10.40am A visit to Peter and Paul's fortress and

cathedral

11.00-12.15pm Excursion in the Yusupov’s Palace

12.30-1.15pm Lunch: traditional Russian meal at “Stolle”

piroggi place (optional)

1.45-4.15pm The Hermitage museum

5.00pm Return to the ship

Tour price includes the following services:

1. all port fees for two days

2. english-speaking guide for two days

3. A/C vehicle for two days with this timing (every extra hour costs $30)

4. admission tickets to the museums shown on the itinerary

5. pass for using the camera in the museums (one per couple)

6. subway ride

7. hydrofoil ride

Tour price does not include the following services:

1. cost of lunches (can be $10-$15 per person per day)

 

The price for our group of 8 came out to $315 per person for the two-day tour plus another $35 per person for the night "fun" tour (which was shared in a larger group with some from other groups from our ship).

 

I don't think that docking any closer to the city would have changed things much...

 

Steve, I just looked at HAL and they have a 14 day Kiel Canal and Baltic Treasures tour going RT trip from Amsterdam on 7/1/13 on the Prisendam as well as a 14 days, Jewel of the Baltics going RT from Dover on the Ryndam on 6/29/13. Which Baltics itinerary of ports seems better??

 

If anyone else has done these Baltics cruises previously, please feel free to comment. We know no one personally who has sailed either of these itineraries or with HAL to get advice from yet I know many people on this Board really like O as well as Celebrity. I plan to research about the Kiel canal to see if it is a good recommendation. Thanks! Prisendam carries 835 passengers and the Ryndam 1260 passengers. Several Sea days on both itineraries!!

[silkman]

Personally, one of the reasons we like Oceania is the port intensity. I am one of "those" who like to see as much as possible because it might be the only time I visit a particular port. Also, i get a little "antsy" being on the ship for an entire day.

 

That being said , it seems to me that if you like an itinerary , but there are no sea days , it is not obligatory to get off the ship and tour EVERY day. You can make your own "sea" day(s).

[Bruin Steve]

Steve, I just looked at HAL and they have a 14 day Kiel Canal and Baltic Treasures tour going RT trip from Amsterdam on 7/1/13 on the Prisendam as well as a 14 days, Jewel of the Baltics going RT from Dover on the Ryndam on 6/29/13. Which Baltics itinerary of ports seems better??

 

If anyone else has done these Baltics cruises previously, please feel free to comment. We know no one personally who has sailed either of these itineraries or with HAL to get advice from yet I know many people on this Board really like O as well as Celebrity. I plan to research about the Kiel canal to see if it is a good recommendation. Thanks! Prisendam carries 835 passengers and the Ryndam 1260 passengers. Several Sea days on both itineraries!!

 

Prisendam:

0 01 Jul 2013 Amsterdam, The Netherlands 05:00 PM

1 02 Jul 2013 Kiel Canal 10:00 AM 08:00 PM

2 03 Jul 2013 Ystad, Sweden 08:00 AM 03:00 PM

3 04 Jul 2013 Gdynia (Gdansk), Poland 08:00 AM 05:00 PM

4 05 Jul 2013 Klaipeda, Lithuania 08:00 AM 05:00 PM

5 06 Jul 2013 At Sea

6 07 Jul 2013 St. Petersburg, Russia 07:00 AM

7 08 Jul 2013 St. Petersburg, Russia 06:00 PM

8 09 Jul 2013 Helsinki, Finland 06:00 AM 05:00 PM

9 10 Jul 2013 At Sea

10 11 Jul 2013 Warnemunde (Berlin) Germany 06:00 AM 10:00 PM

11 12 Jul 2013 Copenhagen, Denmark 08:00 AM 04:00 PM

12 13 Jul 2013 Scenic cruising Oslo Fjord 08:00 AM 09:00 AM

12 13 Jul 2013 Oslo, Norway 10:00 AM 06:00 PM

13 14 Jul 2013 At Sea

14 15 Jul 2013 Amsterdam, The Netherlands 07:00 AM

Ryndam:

0 29 Jun 2013 Dover (London), England 05:00 PM

1 30 Jun 2013 At Sea

2 01 Jul 2013 Copenhagen, Denmark 10:00 AM 08:00 PM

3 02 Jul 2013 At Sea

4 03 Jul 2013 Tallinn, Estonia 09:00 AM 05:00 PM

5 04 Jul 2013 St. Petersburg, Russia 07:00 AM

6 05 Jul 2013 St. Petersburg, Russia 06:00 PM

7 06 Jul 2013 Helsinki, Finland 06:00 AM 04:00 PM

8 07 Jul 2013 Stockholm, Sweden 06:45 AM

9 08 Jul 2013 Stockholm, Sweden 05:00 PM

9 08 Jul 2013 Cruising Stockholm Archipelago

10 09 Jul 2013 Visby, Sweden 07:00 AM 02:00 PM

11 10 Jul 2013 Warnemunde (Berlin) Germany 08:00 AM 11:59 PM

12 11 Jul 2013 At Sea

13 12 Jul 2013 At Sea

14 13 Jul 2013 Dover (London), England 06:15 AM

Prisendam starts/ends in Amsterdam, Ryndam in Dover. I would prefer Amsterdam to Dover since the ride to port is shorter…although, this past August sailing from Dover on Marina, we bypassed London and spent 4 great nights in Canterbury—leaving us with only a 30 minute drive to port the morning of the cruise…

Both cruises have an identical two days in St. Petersburg, both have Helsinki, both have Warnemunde…though the hours are slightly better on Ryndam IF you want to go all the way into Berlin…Both have Copenhagen, though, again, the hours are better on Ryndam…

The differences:

Prisendam: Kiel Canal, Ystad, Klapeida, Gdansk, Oslo

Ryndam: Tallinn, Stockholm (overnight), Visby

Some people seem to enjoy passing through the Kiel Canal…but it’s really another at sea day with some interesting scenery…of course, so is the transit in and out of Stcokholm through the Archipelago, so there are some trade-offs there.

Personally, I don’t find Oslo that enchanting…but I absolutely LOVE Stockholm. Gdansk is very charming…but so is Tallinn…

I haven’t been to Ystad, Visby or Klapeida…Visby has a little more allure for me since it’s on the Island of Gotland rather than on the mainland (Visby is a short drive from Copenhagen and Malmo.)…

So, it’s a matter of trade-offs…My personal pick would be to include Stockholm and Tallinn…Both of those ports are fantastic…

But, I’d still wait and see what Oceania, Azamara and Celebrity include in their offerings for 2013…

Our 2008 Baltic cruise had the advantage of being a “one-way” from Stockholm to Harwich—which allowed us to plan two distinct pre- and post-cruise stays and to avoid some backtracking…The other lines might be more likely to have some itineraries like that…

[BPCruiser]

I plan to see what O has for Baltics and I think that is released in March!

 

Steve, Thanks for your imput about the various ports!

[BPCruiser]

Well, the Summer 2013 Cruise schedule is out with O and there are some nice looking itineraries. I esp. like the Nordic Explorer on the Marina for 7/15/13 or 9/13/13. Can any of you past Baltic cruisers with O comment on your opinion of weather, rough seas, crowds etc. of booking a July vs. September cruise? Very little difference in cruise price as we will probably do our own air so cost is not a factor in deciding which month, more concerned about crowds and weather.

 

Itinerary is from Stockholm to London for 14 days with 2 sea days and 3 days in St. Petersburg. Unfortunately only 1 day in Copenhagen but there is a port stop in Brugee which makes me happy:)

 

Thoughts?:confused: