The Baltic (Scandinavia & Russia, Northern Europe)

Visiting the Baltic region on a Scandinavia/Russia cruise is truly an experience like no other, as this region is truly fascinating. These sailings will take you back in time to history-filled cities that are also modern and vibrant, with excellent dining, cafés, shopping, palaces, museums and endless culture.

Some of the cultures of the Baltic region date back thousands of years, with some of the world’s oldest monarchies to some of the youngest democracies. A cruise in the Baltic region will offer you a diverse destination at each port and beautiful scenery. If you have always dreamed about visiting the Hermitage museum or seeing the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, or visiting the famous Rock Church of Helsinki or the Royal Opera House in Stockholm, the best way is by cruise ship.

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Baltic Cruises

Baltic cruises have grown in popularity over the years as more ships have added more cruise ships to do these itineraries. It is no surprise that more cruise passengers than ever before are selecting these Baltic (sometimes called Northern Europe or Scandinavia/Russia) itineraries, as they can take you to those “faraway lands” of magnificent palaces, onion-domed buildings, romantic bridges, pillared-cathedrals, fine restaurants, museums and some of the prettiest scenery found anywhere. There is something for everyone’s taste. And a Baltic cruise is a wonderful way to see several fascinating cities and go from one diverse culture to another without the hassles of airports, buses or trains. You simply cruise in comfort from one port to another.

Due to the cooler climes found in this part of the world, the Baltic cruising season typically begins in May and continues through part of September. These sailings usually originate and end in Copenhagen, with port calls at Rotterdam, Hamburg and St. Petersburg. However, they may also call at Stockholm, Helsinki, Finland, Oslo, Norway as well as Riga (Latvia) and Tallinn, Estonia, and are often combined with Scandinavia cruises, which may include the Norwegian fjords.

A Baltic cruise is the perfect vacation choice for the summer, due to the cooler weather. It is also far more cost-effective than a land-based choice, as dining and hotels are quite expensive in this region, so there can be a great savings on an all-inclusive cruise.

Cruise Lines in Baltic/Northern Europe

Typically, Baltic cruises are of a longer duration, from 12- to 14-days, but some are now offered that shorter, for those who cannot get away for so long a time. Regent Seven Seas Cruises is one of the lines offering these weeklong cruises. Other lines that offer Baltic cruises of varying duration include Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Yachts of Seabourn and Fred.Olsen in the U.K.