A cruise to the Baltic will typically be for 12 – 14 nights from the UK or around a week if done as a fly cruise from somewhere like Copenhagen. They generally operate from May to September, but it is possible to go as late as December, and visit the Christmas markets.
If cruising from the UK you are most likely to embark in Southampton, Portsmouth or Harwich, although some other options are available.
There are a number of ports which can be included in a Baltic cruise, and not all the cruise lines will use all the same ports. The most popular one is of course St Petersburg, which almost always has an overnight stay in port, to give the maximum opportunity to go on excursions. It is worth noting that if you go on an excursion arranged by the cruise line, you will be covered by their group visa. However, if you wish to go ashore independently you must obtain a Russian Visa in advance of travelling.
Other ports of call on a Baltic cruise can include a selection from the following – Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn, Helsinki, Oslo, Warnemunde and Gothenburg, or a Transit of the Kiel Canal.
The main cruise lines offering Baltic cruises from the UK include: –
- P&O Cruises
- Cunard
- Celebrity Cruises
- Royal Caribbean International
- Fred Olsen Cruise Lines
- Cruise & Maritime Voyages
- Voyages of Discovery
- Swan Hellenic
- Holland America Line
- Princess Cruises
(Page updated April 2012)