The Baltic
Separated from the North Sea by Scandinavia and Germany, the Baltic looks east to Finland, Russia and the three Baltic States - Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Steeped in maritime tradition, the area offers not only 5000 miles of sparkling Summer coastline but cities awash with breathtaking architecture as well as an envied cultural heritage.
Virtually every capital city in Northern Europe is situated on the coast allowing the grandest palaces and museums to be no more than a stone's throw from the ship. The ports themselves are designed to receive the largest of vessels and so it is rare that passengers transfer by tender.
The long and light summer evenings in these Northern European waters lend themselves to Baltic cruising, especially when the ship docks overnight in St Petersburg, Copenhagen or Stockholm.
The Kiel Canal provides a short cut between the Baltic and North Sea and it offers a welcome restful day on board during transit, after the long excursion from Warnemunde to the German capital, Berlin.
Many of the Baltic capitals are easily discovered independently. Tallinn, Riga and Helsinki are relatively compact and easy to navigate. English is widely spoken and the local people are eager to share their culture and lifestyle.
The close proximity of each port to another avoids many days at sea and the waters of the Baltic are generally calm, especially in the summer months, between May and September when numerous ships frequent the area.
Cruising in the Baltic suits many people who are seeking to broaden the mind and visit cultural sights rather than spend time at beach resorts. Most of the ports of call, however, are close to splendid unspoilt beaches such as those near Helsinki, Warnemunde and Stockholm.
Although most itineraries operate from Harwich, Southampton or Dover, there are fly-cruises via Amsterdam and Copenhagen for those who prefer not to travel to an English port or cross the North Sea.
Ports of Call Include:
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Gdynia, Poland
- Helsinki, Finland
- Kiel, Germany
- Riga, Latvia
- Rostock, Germany
- St Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Visby, Sweden
Which cruise lines go there?
Operators with programmes to the Baltic include:
- Celebrity
- Cunard
- Fred Olsen
- Holland America
- P & O
- Princess
- Royal Caribbean
