Please help with suggestions for Baltic cruise

[aruruz]

Hello Everyone,

 

We are seeking the help of seasoned travelers to help us figure out if any of the ports on our honeymoon cruise can be done DIY. Also, what are the absolute don’t miss things to see in these ports?

 

We are on a tight budget and the ship excursions are very expensive. We’re nervous about using private tour companies, but will do so if we see a history of satisfied cruise customers. We’re very last minute since our trip is this August.

 

Our stops are: Copenhagen, Warnemunde, Tallin, St. Petersburgh, Helsinki, Stockholm, and back to Copenhagen. We have a full extra day before and after the cruise in Copenhagen.

 

Thank you very much!

[Carolla5501]

All of them can be done on your own. However, depending on where you live you may need a visa for Russia

 

Have you done a lot of touring in Europe? If not, I would recommend a tour group for St Petersburg. Read on here and you can find several with satisfied customers. I would not do a ship tour . Just this week I read a report from a cruiser who said she spent half her time seeing the inside of the bus

 

 

For the other ports go buy the Rick Steves Northern Europe cruise guidebook. Start reading it, read threads on here and poke around on trip advisor. No one can really tell you what is a must see for you.

Edited June 20, 2015 by Carolla5501

[aruruz]

Thank you for the suggestions. We've actually been doing all of those things, but we are finding ourselves a little overwhelmed! We are looking for some insight for those who may have been in this position themselves or know the area well.

 

 

Thanks!

[Carolla5501]

I have done some of the cities which is why I feel comfortable saying you can do them on your own.

 

Here are my thoughts.

 

Tallin. Easy just see the city. I would just plan to walk around There are several self-guided walking tours you can find on here and other locations

 

For your German port personally if it was me I would not go to Berlin. I think it's too long on the bus but others will disagree

 

Stockholm. We are doing the vasa museum and hopefully the old part of the city

 

St Petersburg. If I was not doing the visa route, I would go with probably one of the main tour groups and just do their basic tour. They seem to cover most of the must sees

Edited June 20, 2015 by Carolla5501

[aruruz]

Okay thank you, we will definitely keep that in mind.

 

We are considering private tours right now and it looks like they give discounts for multiple ports. Right now we're thinking St. Petersburg and Berlin for their grand tours. Definitely more affordable than what the ship is offering.

 

Edited to remove the company name

Edited June 20, 2015 by aruruz

[kathynorth]

A Baltics cruise is on our bucket list. We haven't been to these ports yet. From what I've read it will make sense to have balance in what you do so you don't, as Carolla5051 reported, feel like you spent your trip inside a bus.

[John Bull]

Copenhagen. Depending on where you port you may need transport to get into Copenhagen, but once you are there it's easy to DIY on foot.

 

Tallinn. Take the shuttlebus to the old city, or you can walk there from the ship - the nearest part, a squat tower with the unflattering name of Fat Margaret, takes about 15 minutes then another 10 mins to the main part.

Nothing iconic to see, just a very pleasant & very relaxed day.

 

Helsinki. Take the shuttlebus to town, or I believe the ho-ho has a stop at the port. Consider a boat trip from Market Square ( Kauppaton) to the fortress island of Suomnlinnen if the weather's fine, or the circular tram route from the same place.

 

Stockholm. Again, depends where you port. If your ship goes to Nynashamn you'll need to take the train to Stockholm, an hour or more away. If you port in the city at Frihamnen you'll need a local bus or short taxi ride. If you port in the city at Stadsgardsladen you'll be right by a ho-ho boat stop. The ho-ho boat is a pleasant & simple way to get around the city (Gamla Stan, the Royal Palace, the Vasa Museum, Skansen, etc) regardless of how you get to the city.

 

Other than any transportation that you may need to get to any of the above destinations, they're all cheap and easy to DIY.

 

St Petersburg. You'll need to purchase a visa in advance if you want to explore on your own. Only a few cruisers do this. Most take an organised tour, either via the ship or one of the accredited local tour operators - they all have visa-free status. You do have to pre-book local operators' tours in order to be e-mailed a tour ticket which gets you thro' Russian immigration without a visa, but payment is on the day. You need only browse the St Petersburg threads on this forum to see that all are highly recommended.

 

Warnemunde. Ships are normally here for a very long day, to allow excursions to Berlin, some 3 hours away. There are plenty of local attractions, so if you're going to have the opportunity to visit Berlin at some time in the future, put it on the back-burner until then so you can give the city the 3 or 4 days that it warrants. But if you want to visit Berlin from Warnemunde, its best to book a tour - travel by train leaves you in Berlin without transport and although it has a ho-ho route and excellent surface (A-bahn) and underground (U-bahn) rail systems, using them will cost valuable time.

Alla Tours and SPB Tours (and mebbe others) in St Petersburg also offer cruise ship tours Warnemunde-Berlin, and may discount for taking both tours. They are as well-respected as the other St Petersburg operators.

 

Great itinerary, very varied.

 

JB :)

Edited June 20, 2015 by John Bull

[Donna_In_India]

Hi - we are doing a Baltic cruise next summer but I've been to most places on land vacations. We like walking tours and there are plenty of options including free tours. In St. Petersburg it makes sense to go with a tour group since the visa may cost more than the tour! Some walking tours...

 

http://freetourstockholm.com/

http://happyguidehelsinki.com/

http://www.traveller.ee/tour/tallinn-free-tour/

http://www.copenhagenfreewalkingtours.dk/

[GradUT]

I have just finished planning for the port visits on our upcoming Baltic cruise and all of them are DIY except for St. Petersburg. So, based on my EXTENSIVE research, it's entirely possible to visit these places on your own.

 

I think John Bull gave you some excellent basic information, but you are going to need to know a lot more details to have an organized plan to visit these places. (You don't want to be wondering where to go and how to get there when you arrive in the city. Those details should be worked out well in advance if you don't want to end up wasting a lot of time.)

 

I have found the best resource for my trip planning was the Rick Steves "Northern European Cruise Ports". He describes the highlights of all those ports-of-call. He tells you how to get from the port to the city; what to see once you get there; and some worthwhile things to do. He provides a walking tour in most of those places, so you can see the main sights without having to pay for an expensive tour or HO/HO bus. Some of those ports have free (tip-based) walking tours, so check those out online.

 

The one place I would not attempt a DIY excursion is St. Petersburg because there are just too many hoops to jump through to get a visa and because I don't want to have to deal with the language barrier. That's the place you should be willing to spend the $300 per person for a 2-day tour.

 

In addition to the Rick Steves book, you will find some useful information from Danish Viking, Travelanni and Desdichado62 on this forum.

 

While you don't have a great deal of time to plan your DIY excursions, it's possible if you get cracking. I would go to your local library or local bookstore to get a copy of the Rick Steves book today. If you can't find it locally, order it from Amazon immediately. If you want to do the Baltics on a DIY basis, you won't regret getting the Rick Steves book.

[Giantfan13]

Hello Everyone,

 

We are seeking the help of seasoned travelers to help us figure out if any of the ports on our honeymoon cruise can be done DIY. Also, what are the absolute don’t miss things to see in these ports?

 

We are on a tight budget and the ship excursions are very expensive. We’re nervous about using private tour companies, but will do so if we see a history of satisfied cruise customers. We’re very last minute since our trip is this August.

 

Our stops are: Copenhagen, Warnemunde, Tallin, St. Petersburgh, Helsinki, Stockholm, and back to Copenhagen. We have a full extra day before and after the cruise in Copenhagen.

 

Thank you very much!

 

First of all welcome to our corner of Cruise Critic and Mazel Tov on your upcoming wedding. :D:D:D

 

This board is just a wealth of info, with several great posters living in many of the cities you will be visiting, so any particular questions, they are the experts.

 

As has been said several times, ALL the ports are fairly easy to do on your own, except St Petersburg. Good advice about Rick Steve's and his books but also, do yourself a favor and email the tourist offices of several of these cities and they will send you a wealth of info, including maps, walking tours etc. We got just a terrific walking tour from Copenhagen from their tourist office. It was just what we were looking for.

If you scroll around a page or two you will see a link for a great walking tour of Tallinn. Many of us have used it and it is wonderful for this jewel of a city.

Some cities, like Helsinki and Stockholm, you will need some sort of public transportation to get you from A to B, but that is very simple and there are several threads on this.

 

As for Berlin, book a tour in St Petersburg with any of the few great private tour companies and most also do tours to Berlin. I would use them if that is what you want to do. Even though it will be a long day, if this is your one chance to see Berlin, go for it. I happen to use SPB tours and they are just wonderful.

 

The Baltics are a marvelous place for anyone specially honeymooners. You will simple love these cities that most have only read about or seen in movies.

 

Have a ball

 

Cheers

 

Len

[kitkat343]

Planning this trip on top of a wedding can seem overwhelming, but all of these cities (with the exception of getting to Berlin and St. Petersburg) are logistically easy to navigate.

 

You can start with Rick Steves or you can simply look at the ship's tours and duplicate them by yourself much more cheaply. The ship will offer tours to almost all of the major attraction in each city, so you can google them and look at pictures and see what appears to be the most interesting to you and your future spouse.

 

The only attraction that seems to be a little under the radar is the Seaplane Harbor museum in Tallinn, which had excellent reviews on trip advisor but isn't in Rick Steve's book or on the shore excursions for my ship last year. The highlight of Tallinn is walking the beautiful historic district, but after that if you still have time you might like the hands on Seaplane museum (especially if it is raining).

 

All of the major private tour companies will include the major attractions in St. Petersburg, so you just need to pick a company unless you are doing a private tour for just you and your spouse.

 

It might also be helpful to look at reviews from others who sailed the same ship as you on the Baltics last summer or early this season. Please let us know which ship you are sailing and we can help you find those reviews. And Len (who is the comment above me) has a lot of amazing pictures from their trip to the Baltics; seeing photographs may help you narrow down which attractions are most interesting to you) I think a link to their pictures are in the signature line.

Edited June 22, 2015 by kitkat343

[sunsetbeachgal]

We just did a wonderful Baltic cruise, some of the same ports you visited, we did not go to St. Petersburg or Tallinn. As others said, many are DIY and we also used Rick Steves Northern Europe Cruise Ports book. Order it on Amazon!

 

One suggestion, if you need an easier paced day (we don't tour ourselves to death!) then consider just walking into the cute town of Warnemunde, as the ship is docked maybe ten minutes away. It is a cute seaside resort with a lovely wide sandy beach, cafes, shops, etc. we just did not feel like we wanted the three hour plus ride to Berlin, and did not realize how cute Warnemunde is until we got there!

Edited June 22, 2015 by sunsetbeachgal

[Cornishpastyman1]

Hello Everyone,

 

We are seeking the help of seasoned travelers to help us figure out if any of the ports on our honeymoon cruise can be done DIY. Also, what are the absolute don’t miss things to see in these ports?

 

We are on a tight budget and the ship excursions are very expensive. We’re nervous about using private tour companies, but will do so if we see a history of satisfied cruise customers. We’re very last minute since our trip is this August.

 

Our stops are: Copenhagen, Warnemunde, Tallin, St. Petersburgh, Helsinki, Stockholm, and back to Copenhagen. We have a full extra day before and after the cruise in Copenhagen.

 

Thank you very much!

Among the links in my signature below is one with vids of what I did at those ports. All are easy and much cheaper to do on your own except, as has been said, St Petersburg and Berlin. All the best, Tony

Edited June 22, 2015 by Cornishpastyman1

[aruruz]

Hi Everyone,

 

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions! We are going through each one now and looking through your book suggestions.

 

We are definitely thinking of doing the same tour company for Berlin/St. Petersburg, so these suggestions were super helpful.

 

The walking tours all look very simple, and we're feeling confident on being able to navigate those stops.

 

We will let you know what we ended up doing!

 

Thanks!

[aruruz]

Planning this trip on top of a wedding can seem overwhelming, but all of these cities (with the exception of getting to Berlin and St. Petersburg) are logistically easy to navigate.

 

You can start with Rick Steves or you can simply look at the ship's tours and duplicate them by yourself much more cheaply. The ship will offer tours to almost all of the major attraction in each city, so you can google them and look at pictures and see what appears to be the most interesting to you and your future spouse.

 

The only attraction that seems to be a little under the radar is the Seaplane Harbor museum in Tallinn, which had excellent reviews on trip advisor but isn't in Rick Steve's book or on the shore excursions for my ship last year. The highlight of Tallinn is walking the beautiful historic district, but after that if you still have time you might like the hands on Seaplane museum (especially if it is raining).

 

All of the major private tour companies will include the major attractions in St. Petersburg, so you just need to pick a company unless you are doing a private tour for just you and your spouse.

 

It might also be helpful to look at reviews from others who sailed the same ship as you on the Baltics last summer or early this season. Please let us know which ship you are sailing and we can help you find those reviews. And Len (who is the comment above me) has a lot of amazing pictures from their trip to the Baltics; seeing photographs may help you narrow down which attractions are most interesting to you) I think a link to their pictures are in the signature line.

 

Hi Kitkat, thank you for the Seaplane Harbor museum suggestion. That seems different!

 

We will be on the NCL star that leaves in August, and that was a good suggestion. I'll check out previous sailings and those threads.

 

We are also in Reykjavik and Copenhagen for extra days, so I'm excited to be able to explore a little more deeply in those areas!

[classicmovies]

We leave tomorrow on the Regal Princess but arrived in Copenhagen a couple of days early.

Today we did the 3 hr Copenhagen free walking tour. The tour guides just ask you at the end of the tour for tips if possible if you liked their tour. Everyone tipped (whatever change we had). Our guide was terrific and we saw so much. Wear comfortable walking shoes as they take you from one end of town to the other so be prepared to walk quite a distance to get back to your starting point. Well worth your while!

[aruruz]

We leave tomorrow on the Regal Princess but arrived in Copenhagen a couple of days early.

Today we did the 3 hr Copenhagen free walking tour. The tour guides just ask you at the end of the tour for tips if possible if you liked their tour. Everyone tipped (whatever change we had). Our guide was terrific and we saw so much. Wear comfortable walking shoes as they take you from one end of town to the other so be prepared to walk quite a distance to get back to your starting point. Well worth your while!

 

cool, thanks for the suggestion!

[Rosethorn40]

St. Petersburg, Russia you are just going to have to bite the bullet and pay the $300 or so for a 2-day tour (That's per person). As far as I know, St. Petersburg doesn't have a HOHO bus, and remember the fee you pay includes admission fees to the various sites. Go to Trip Advisor and read the reviews of several companies you are considering. I read both good and bad, and picked the tour company I ended up with because the owner responded to each review (Both good & bad) with either a thank you, or in the case of a poor review, her side of the story. With one exception I found most of the complaints to be petty. Our experience was very good, with no complaints. Don't worry about them getting you back to the ship on time. Their reputation would be in ruins in they ever got anyone back late, and the ship was missed. Also, I know the company we used, and I am sure the larger ones offer a next port guarantee.

 

I personally don't think Tallinn is as walkable as everyone says it is. I found the old town to be quite a hike. The HOHO bus was very easy and close by, and was only 15 euro. Helsinki's HOHO bus was close by and easy to use, as was the HOHO boat in Stockholm. In Warnemunde we took a tour to Rostock & Schwerin, where we saw the most romantic, fairytale castle (Look up Schwerin Castle, it's breathtaking). Yes, you could do this on your own, but I would suggest a tour. We had to take the train to Rostock, and from there get on another train to Schwerin. Then it was a walk to the castle (Not visible from the station, so you need a map or ask someone for directions). It was a long day, but not nearly as long as those that went to Berlin. In Copenhagen we took another tour to see the Castles of North Zeeland, and saw a few more breathtaking castles (I like castles), but you can do a HOHO there as well.

[Blunkly]

Hello Everyone,

 

We are seeking the help of seasoned travelers to help us figure out if any of the ports on our honeymoon cruise can be done DIY. Also, what are the absolute don’t miss things to see in these ports?

 

We are on a tight budget and the ship excursions are very expensive. We’re nervous about using private tour companies, but will do so if we see a history of satisfied cruise customers. We’re very last minute since our trip is this August.

 

Our stops are: Copenhagen, Warnemunde, Tallin, St. Petersburgh, Helsinki, Stockholm, and back to Copenhagen. We have a full extra day before and after the cruise in Copenhagen.

 

Thank you very much!

 

I posted the following on another thread so reposting here as it might be of interest to you

Going on Baltic Cruise Sept 4, 2016 that includes Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Gdansk, Berlin, Copenhagen, Alborg, Stavanger, Flam and Bergen. Would like to hear reviews on excursions that you have taken in these cities or things that you have done on your own. Very excited for this trip. I appreciate your help with this.

Just back from Baltic trip on Celebrity Eclipse (sailed June 14th 2015).

On tour front:

Copenhagen: HoHo bus. We were there overnight but the same ticket covered up to 24 hours.

Stockholm: Also used HoHo however it was a very wet day and to make things worse it was their mid summer festival and city largely closed down except for very wet tourists!

Talinn: Short walk from port terminal to old town. Don't bother with shuttle unless a bit infirm. A daily FREE tour starts from outside the main tourist office. Enquire there re time. Think it was 11:00 AM. Excellent guide. Duration 1 hour 45 mins and you just tip guide at end. We gave 5 euro each. Great value.

St Petersburg: Tons of tour companies and all do more or less the same trip. Think we counted over 60 white 16 seater mini busses returning one of the days to the cruise terminal and it looks as if both the drivers and guides are self employed and simply hired by the tour companies. Thus you can get same bus and/or guide working for different companies on different days.

We used Tickets & Tours as our company after much research before we got there. Also had corresponded with them. They weren't even listed on the Tripadvisor list of tour companies!

We were delighted with them. Small group pf 10 on Day 1 & 8 on Day 2 and we saw all the sights etc. To make matters even better they were 50% cheaper than most of the other companies I looked up $199 each for the 2 days compared with $299 with the others.

From talking to others afterwards we did the same or better than everyone else at a cost of $460 incl. gratuities for the 2 of us.

Warenmunde: 10 minute walk to the town. Pretty but won't occupy you for a day as its a seaside resort and no sights of consequence.

In the afternoon we went into Rostock. Train station is near the cruise terminal and trains every 15 minutes, or so. Tickets are €2 each way so just €8 for us both to take the return trip. Ticket brings to the main station called Rostock Hbf

and you then change to either the Number 5 or 6 tram than both go to the centre about 3 or 4 stops away from the station. Your ticket includes both train & tram journey

IMPORTANT: You need to activate your ticket before you board or risk being fined. The machines that stamps your ticket are on the platform in the station and on the tram for return. So activate just as you start your trip

[aruruz]

So we ended up booking with a tour company for Russia and Germany, and I think we are going to book a tour in Tallinn as well. We are currently looking for information to do the remaining ports on our own.

 

A huge thank you to everyone that offered advice, it was very appreciated.

[Blunkly]

So we ended up booking with a tour company for Russia and Germany, and I think we are going to book a tour in Tallinn as well. We are currently looking for information to do the remaining ports on our own.

 

A huge thank you to everyone that offered advice, it was very appreciated.

 

Wouldn't bother booking a tour for Tallinn. Port is very close to the town so only a 10 or 15 minute walk

There is also a free tour that starts at the main tourist office ( not sure of the time but think it was around 11:00

Excellent guide and tour took about 1 hour 45 minutes

Only cost us a tip (gave 10 euro for the 2 of us). If each person gave 5 euro the guide would have done very, very well

[TLCOhio]

Thank you for the suggestions. We've actually been doing all of those things, but we are finding ourselves a little overwhelmed! We are looking for some insight for those who may have been in this position themselves or know the area well. Thanks!

 

You have received lots of good suggestions from Tony, Blunkly, Len, John Bull, etc. BUT, let me approach your good questions in another direction. What do you most enjoy and like to see/experience? How much importance for history, food, shopping, culture, nature, museums, music, wildlife, etc.???? There are lots of great options and potentials in the Baltics. Give us more ideas on what you seek and desire. Below in visual form through my pictures are certain personal favorites to consider. Sorry to those vets of these boards who have seen these earlier. But, you are new here and it is important how "world-class" are these various sights and sites.

 

As noted, for some ports such as Copenhagen, Tallinn, Stockholm, etc, you can see and enjoy much by just "walking around"!! BUT, for other needs/interests, the many options are so many that you might need a ship tour to help solve some of the "logistical challenges" in approaching and getting to certain of these varied locations, to see and do more, etc.

 

Tell us more!! Keep researching and planning. Happy to share more!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 201,236 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Helsinki’s Church of Rock, or Temppeliaukion Kirkko, is carved out of solid stone with a unique contemporary design. This Lutheran church was opened in September 1969. For economic reasons, its suggested plan was scaled back and the interior space reduced to about one-quarter of the original, pre-WWII plan. The interior was excavated and built directly out of solid rock and is bathed in natural light which enters through the glazed dome. The church is used frequently as a concert venue with its excellent acoustics. The acoustic quality is created by the rough, virtually unworked rock surfaces. The Temppeliaukio church is one of the most popular tourist attractions in this city with half a million people visiting annually. :

 

 

 

Dancers marching in Tallinn’s festival parade near the stone towers of the famous Viru Gate:

 

 

 

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, here is just one of the many, many great galleries with so many different and great architecture details, soaring ceilings, dramatic floors, etc., in areas where the Czars entertained and impressed other Royals and nobility. Even without the art items, these five palaces are so spectacular! This room is adorned with 19th-century Russian lapidary works and feature Italian and Spanish canvases of the 16th-18th centuries, including Veronese, Tintoretto, Velázquez and Murillo.:

 

 

 

Copenhagen’s Nyhavn or “new” Harbor is actually old and charming. This waterfront entertainment district is lined by brightly colored 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. Serving as a "heritage harbor", the canal also has many historical wooden ships. Lots of people and fun activity!!:

 

 

 

At Stockholm’s Royal Palace, the changing of the guard is one of the key highlights and is handy, close to the next-door historic old town area. And it’s free! No charge or tickets required.:

 

 

 

Here are some of the fountains and water at the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg. The greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. This elevation difference creates the pressure driving most of the fountains for the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade.:

 

[Rosethorn40]

TLCOhio, you took some great photos! I especially like your one of Helsinki's Church in the Rock. I thought it a remarkable building, with a unique beauty.

[aruruz]

Fantastic pictures, TLCOhio, and good info. You are definitely getting us excited!

 

I'm actually a high school history teacher, so I have obvious interests, but this is also our honeymoon trip. My husband was excited by a tour he found in Tallinn, so I'm glad we can balance those interests out.

 

Not going to Berlin was a tough decision for me, but we decided it would be better to do Schwerin and Rostock as opposed to spending 10 hours in a bus, and just driving by those sites. We will have to make it back to Berlin at another time.

 

Right now we have to decide on how we are going to deal with Stockholm and Helsinki for the day on our own. We are considering doing the Vasa and ferry ride to Gamla Stan in Stockholm, and have not yet started looking into Helsinki.

 

We are also in Reykjavik and Copenhagen a few extra days, so we have a little more flexibility there.

 

Again huge thanks to all who have chimed in.