Everything You Need to Know about Baltic Sea Cruises
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While still overshadowed by the popularity of Mediterranean sailings, cruises on the Baltic Sea through Northern Europe and Scandinavia have charms of their own. The region boasts a kaleidoscope of cultures, languages, artistic traditions and ancient histories -- and cruising is the ideal way to see it all at a reasonable price. (Sweden, Finland and Denmark are traditionally more expensive than other parts of Europe.)
St. Petersburg, Russia, was once the marquee attraction for Baltic cruises, but most lines cut the port and country from itineraries when Russia invaded Ukraine. Estonia's Tallinn is a staple of itineraries now, and Latvia's Riga is enjoying increasing popularity; some itineraries include Lithuania too. Other ports that are often included on a Baltic cruise are Poland's Gdansk and Germany's Warnemunde, which provides easy access to Berlin.
Note: Although some Baltic Sea cruises include Oslo, Norway, as a port of call, cruises to the Norwegian Fjords have become popular enough that we discuss them in a separate story. For information on other Northern Europe destinations, see our articles on Arctic cruising.
Best Time for Baltic Sea Cruises: Summer and Shoulder
The prime Baltic season was once pretty much limited to July and August, but voyages now begin in late April and run through September. Temperatures may be a bit more brisk at these times, but you'll avoid summer crowds, and cruise fares tend to be lower.
June is generally one of the best times to visit the region for the long summer hours and near-endless daylight. Summer temperatures, by the way, are generally a marked improvement over the sultry clime of the Mediterranean; expect 60s and 70s most days.
Baltic Sea Cruise Lines: There's Lots of Choice
Northern Europe cruises are great ways to hit several bucket list destinations, so nearly every mainstream cruise line offers Baltic Sea cruises. Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, Cunard, Costa, MSC, Fred. Olsen and P&O all offer seasonal sailings to this region.
Luxury lines are a staple of the region, with Crystal, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Oceania, Viking Ocean, Windstar, and Azamara all running itineraries. Some of the big pluses, beyond the expected amenities, are expanded enrichment programs about ports of call there, smaller tour groups and stops in more unusual, yet gorgeous places (such as Sweden's Gothenburg or Denmark's Bornholm).
Baltic Sea Cruise Itineraries: Choice of Short and Long
For most Baltic cruises, Stockholm and Copenhagen are popular ports of embarkation and debarkation. More options exist, however, from Southampton, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Expect all Baltic cruises to be port-intensive.
Short Cruises: Seven- and eight-night cruises are the exception rather than the norm with Baltic cruises. The majority are one-way between Stockholm and Copenhagen, with some exceptions, and ports of call are generally Helsinki and Tallinn.
Long Cruises: Nine- to 14-night voyages are the more common Baltic option. A typical Baltic cruise will stop in several of the following ports: Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn and Warnemunde (for Berlin). Longer itineraries may add Riga, Gdansk, Hamburg or ports that are part of a Norwegian Fjords cruise, such as Stavanger, Norway.
Baltic Sea Cruise Port Highlights: Lots of Capitals
Oslo, Norway: Home to the Nobel Peace Center, Oslo also has several can't-miss museums, including the Munch Museum, home to Edvard Munch's famous (and disturbing) masterpiece, "The Scream." The waterfront is a lively place with outdoor cafes, trendy shops, street musicians and other performers.
Stockholm, Sweden: Strikingly pretty, Sweden's capital is built on 14 islands, and sightseeing cruises are popular. There's a Nobel Museum, too, located within Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Old Town. You'll also find the Royal Palace there, along with small cafes frequented by locals and rare book dealers among the tourist shops.
Copenhagen, Denmark: A charming city of 17th- and 18th-century buildings, beautiful parks and gardens, Copenhagen features pretty promenades along canals and ancient winding streets made for walking and biking. During the longer days and warmer weather of summer, outdoor cafe-sitting and outings to the magical Tivoli Gardens are highlights. Don't miss The Little Mermaid, the sculpture dedicated to Hans Christian Andersen.
Helsinki, Finland: Historic Helsinki, founded in 1550 by Swedish King Gustavus Vasa, offers monuments like the Lutheran Cathedral, the onion-domed Uspenski Cathedral and the neo-classical buildings in and around Senate Square. Design-lovers won't want to miss the Design Museum or the avant-garde Museum of Contemporary Art.
In summer, Helsinki's waterfront is the liveliest place in Finland, whether you're soaking up the sun at a cafe, riding the ferry to the island housing the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress or taking a boat tour of surrounding waterways.
Tallinn, Estonia: Despite the tourist shops, Tallinn's remarkably restored Old Town still feels a part of the 1400s because of the cobblestone streets and medieval architecture that has remained largely unchanged for over 600 years. Walk the winding streets past ancient towers and the old city wall, and you'll feel like you're taking a step back into a medieval storybook. (The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site.)
Riga, Latvia: Old Riga is also on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its varied architecture, which ranges from Gothic and Baroque to Classical and Art Nouveau. You can spend hours exploring the twisting cobblestone streets and alleyways, and viewing historic buildings that have, for the most part, been restored from bombings during World War II. (They include the converted Jacob's Barracks, now home to trendy shops and cafes.)
Baltic Sea Cruise Tips for Your Trip
Watch out for currency changes. Currency can be an issue on a Baltic Sea cruise, as you could be dealing with the British pound, the Danish kroner, the Norwegian krone and the Swedish krona - as well as the euro (used by Finland, Germany, Latvia and Estonia).
Certain tourist-focused businesses might take euros or dollars, but you will get change in the local currency, which is completely useless once you've left port. This is a good time to get a credit card with no international fees if you don't already have one.
Pace yourself. A Baltic cruise can be very port intensive. Pace yourself with a mix of days that are tour intensive and others that center more on strolling, shopping and hanging out in cafes.
Try the food. Yes, the local food can be somewhat pricey. But with access to fresh seafood and local markets, the Baltic ports excel in their culinary traditions, particularly sandwiches and pastries. One of the best ways to experience it all? Take a food tour!
Dress for success. Bring sensible shoes and thick socks for the many cobblestoned streets found in historic old towns. Bring layers for the weather, which can be highly varied even in the summer months.
Don't miss the approach (or exit) from Stockholm. If you're entering or leaving from Stockholm, make sure you either get up early or stay outside for the sailaway through Stockholm's gorgeous collection of islands. You'll be glad you did.
Get outside. With St. Petersburg out of the picture, cruises have been adding stops in smaller ports, along with excursions that allow you to see the countryside. The Danish island of Bornholm is a great place to go biking, for example. And the long evening hours in the summer mean you can linger well into the evening, so go ahead and choose that late dining option.