Want to combine a trip on a beautiful ship with sightseeing? And at the same time that everything was like in an all-inclusive hotel with a lot of entertainment on board? So that every day you are met by a new city, or so that impressive beauties of distant shores open up before you? All these pleasures are given to tourists by sea cruises. The B altic, in contrast to the southern seas, is also attractive for travelers with low prices. In this short essay, we will consider water travel in this area. When is the best time to hit the road? Which cruise do you prefer? How much is it? What can be seen during the trip? What do those tourists who have already cruised the B altic Sea recommend taking into account? These questions will be answered below.
Pros and cons of B altic cruises
Although this water area belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin, it belongs to the "internal"seas. From the north it is surrounded by the extended Scandinavian Peninsula, from the south by the coast of Poland and Germany. In the east of the sea, the territories of Russia and the B altic republics are located, and the Danish archipelago closes it from the west. This location inland makes the B altic quite a calm water area. There are no severe storms and strong currents. This circumstance makes cruises in the B altic completely safe and attractive even for those who cannot stand even the slightest rocking. Sea travel is not a round-the-clock stay on board. On the contrary, land excursions are included in the cruise program. But tourists don't spend many hours on the bus to get to an interesting city. And they spend the night in cabins on board their cruise ship. As for the disadvantages of traveling in the B altic, the reviews say only one thing: the northern weather is not conducive to sea swimming. Water in the water area in July-August warms up only to +17 degrees.
When to take a B altic cruise
There is no single established opinion on this issue. Some like to watch the white nights from the cruise ship, others like the northern lights. Many tourists recommend going on a sea voyage from May to September. But Christmas and New Year cruises in the B altic are also popular. The tourist season in this sea experiences only two recessions a year. This time is from mid-January to the end of April and from mid-October until the start of the Christmas holidays in Europe (December 20). When choosing a time for a sea voyage, it should be noted that some partsThe B altics freeze in winter. Therefore, the number of cruise routes is reduced. But the further to the west, the more you feel the breath of the warm current of the Gulf Stream. And the winter trip will be no less interesting than the summer one. After all, the New Year's excursion program includes a visit to the village of Santa Claus.
Popular routes
For Russians, the point of departure for a B altic cruise is reasonably St. Petersburg. After all, this city stands at the Gulf of Finland. But there may be options. For example, B altic cruises from Minsk. Ships depart from the port of Riga or Tallinn. Such sea voyages differ from each other not only in duration, but also in saturation. You can also choose combined tours, for example, a sea cruise + a beach holiday. Or with a trip deep into the mainland (swimming by liner to German Kiel and a two-day bus excursion to Berlin). There are also routes that are designed specifically for lovers of northern nature. Such cruises involve not only visiting cities, but also swimming in the Norwegian fjords or traveling through the countless islets of the Åland archipelago. There are many routes, the name of which includes the words "capitals of the B altic". Here it must be borne in mind that the port of departure (for Russians - St. Petersburg) is also considered. Thus, if the cruise is called "The Two Capitals of the B altic", then it will be a simple trip by ferry from St. Petersburg to Tallinn or Stockholm and back.
Amenities on board
All ships plying onlyon the B altic Sea and not going beyond its borders, are equated in class to ferries. Tourists from Russia are served by companies such as St. Peter Line, Viking Line, Talink, Silja Line. But don't think that a B altic ferry cruise will take place in spartan conditions. Modern cruise liners can be compared not even with hotels, but with entire floating resorts. Some of them have swimming pools, tennis courts, saunas and other infrastructure on board. Cabins, like hotel rooms, vary by category. There is an economy room for four people and without a window. These cabins are located on the lower decks in the middle. Facilities for budget passengers are located on the floor. There are cabins with a small round porthole. As in resort hotels, there are suites and suites on board the liner. They are located on the upper decks and are equipped not only with a window overlooking the water surface, but also with a terrace. These cabins are equipped with all the comforts of civilization.
Meals on board
This issue should be clarified immediately with the tour operator from whom you purchase a B altic cruise from St. Petersburg. Most often, sea travel involves meals on a "full board" or "all inclusive" basis, which is reasonable: where can a passenger get food on the high seas? But there are also small cruises. For example, "Two capitals". The ship arrives in Stockholm and stays in the port there for two or three days. Passengers are offered breakfast, after which they make independent or group trips around the city. If you are booking an all inclusive cruise, you should ask which bars and restaurants youyou can visit for free. As a rule, there are several such establishments on board a cruise ship. There is always a haute couture restaurant that serves à la carte. You can immediately book a table or do it at the reception of a floating hotel.
Inflight entertainment
You don't have to longingly look out for the land in anticipation of interesting excursions. After all, a ferry liner that cruises the B altic is not only a floating hotel, but a whole resort complex with shops, a casino and a spa complex. And, as in a five-star hotel, passengers can expect a variety of shows, discos and other entertainment. Some ships have two animation teams - for adults and children. On board an all-inclusive cruise ship, all passengers, regardless of cabin category, can visit the cinema, sauna, play billiards, swim in the pool and, if the weather is lucky, sunbathe on the solar deck. So you won't be bored. There are such cruises, and most of them, when the ship sails only at night, and from morning until evening it waits for its passengers in any port. But you can book a trip during which you can fully enjoy the view of the endless sea surface.
Cruise myths
Tourists tend to transfer to sea voyages the negative experience that they experienced in bus tours. Do not be afraid that cruises in the B altic to numerous countries are associated with long standing at the border and dreary passage of control. No, you go through all these formalities only when departing fromfirst port. Then you hand over your passport to the reception of the floating hotel. And every time when crossing the border (entering a new port), the country's migration service does not deal with each individual passenger, but with the responsible staff officer. When you descend from the gangway, you are given a special card, which serves as both a pass to board the ship and an identity card. Another myth concerns pitching. But, we repeat, the B altic Sea is quite calm compared to others. And modern liners are such that a storm is invisible on board. So you don't have to forego your All Inclusive meal due to seasickness.
Excursion program
Do you want to get better acquainted with the architecture and culture of the Nordic countries? This can be done by repeating the path of the Vikings along the Great Sea Route, going on a cruise in the B altic. Reviews report that there is always a Russian-speaking guide on board the ship leaving St. Petersburg. If you are more interested in the excursion program and less in sea travel, then you can choose the appropriate tour. For example, "Three capitals". The cruise lasts five days and six nights. During this time, the ship visits Tallinn and - on the way back - Kotka in Finland. And the third capital in this cruise is Stockholm. In the capital of Sweden, the cruise liner of the Costa Mediterranea company stays for a full three days. In any case, each cruise provides passengers with a walking tour of the coastal port city. Many tour operators include in the program of a sea voyage and visits to museums, thematicrestaurants with national cuisine, water parks, ethnographic "villages", etc. There are also such cruises, the cost of which includes bus excursions deep into the mainland. Such trips can take up to two days (with a stop at the hotel)
Itinerary description: 4 B altic capitals cruise
It seems that we have reported all the intricacies of sea travel. Let us now describe the itinerary of one such cruise. As we said, tours to the capitals and cities of the B altic can be of different duration, and the route can vary in length. Of course, you can go from St. Petersburg to Stockholm. But it will be more of a short trip than a cruise. "4 capitals of the B altic" - the most optimal tour. The ship leaves Petersburg in the evening and the next morning arrives in Helsinki. After a day in the capital of Finland, the liner goes to sea and arrives in Stockholm in the morning. Then passengers can take a break from a busy excursion and spend more than a day on board until the liner arrives in Copenhagen. The next day, tourists are already walking around Warnemünde (Germany). If you choose the 11-day 6 Capitals cruise, you can also see Oslo and Tallinn. Combined trips will give you the opportunity to sunbathe in the Polish Gdansk or on the German resort island of Rügen.
Cruise "Music of the Fjords and B altic Cities": description
Norway is the most distant coast of this water area from St. Petersburg. Therefore, on average, tours to the fjords last about a week. But you can sail the waves of the B altic for ten days or more. Therefore, cruise routes are different. But everythingthey include visits to the famous fjords of Norway: Hardangerger, Geiranger and Sogne. As a rule, the cruise liner also calls in the capital of the country, Oslo. Some tours include visits to cities such as Kirkenes and Bergen.
Finally
B altic cruises from St. Petersburg are a great opportunity to see the world and have a good rest at the same time. Such a voyage is a good (albeit expensive) alternative to tiring bus tours. Many tourists were satisfied with such a trip and would like to repeat it.
