May 5 Baltic Cruise on HAL

[MeganReed]

Hi, we (me, husband and 2 teens)  just booked on the Jewels of the Baltic cruise and had a couple of questions for those that have been to Scandinavia in early May.  First, what is the weather like for packing purposes, the average highs look very cool, is it rainy?  Do we need coats or jackets?  Also, what excursions did you love? The only place I am not finding much to do is Bornholm.  Thank you

[kaisatsu]

The weather can vary wildly from day to day and from year to year. Norway's national day is 17 May, so I can recall the weather on that date for several recent years. There have been some when the temperature has been up around 20°C and people were out in short sleeves. There was also a year that it snowed. Usually it lands somewhere in between.

 

The key to packing is layers. You'll definitely need a jacket, and I'd strongly recommend something waterproof to deal with potential windy rainy weather. Additionally, a strong wind will drastically reduce the perceived temperature, and being out on deck comes with an artificial breeze due to the moving ship. As some of the ports have long scenic sail-in/sail-out, that windproof outer layer can be very nice to have.

 

You can skip a thick warm coat, even if the temperature drops to freezing, by layering a warm mid-layer under the outer shell. Think something like a mid- to heavy-weight fleece or a warm sweater. Pairing that thick mid-layer with a windproof/waterproof outer jacket (even if it's completely unlined) nets essentially the same result as a winter coat.

 

If you plan to be out on deck a lot, bring along a hat, scarf or neck gaiter, and gloves.

 

But also be sure that you have some pieces that will work in warm weather if you end up with temperatures above 20°C!