Cruises to the Baltic, Norwegian Coastal

Head North

• Most Britons in search of a close-to-home cruise head for the sun and sights of the Mediterranean.
  
  But there is a region just as easily accessible, equally rich in history and culture, and similarly blessed with sunny weather during the summer months.
  
  Head north instead of south from the UK and you'll find magnificent cities, tranquil fjords, unforgettable scenery and even some lovely beaches.
  
  And you'll have the added satisfaction of knowing you're taking a path less travelled, seeing sights and experiencing cultures still relatively undiscovered.
  
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  Why cruise?
  
• The joy of cruising these regions is that you'll see sights - like mist-shrouded fjords and spectacular waterfalls - that you simply couldn't view by land.
  
• You'll also find it easier on your budget; Baltic cities like Oslo in Norway and Denmark's Copenhagen are fascinating to visit but hotel and restaurant prices can be high.
  
• Visit them on a cruise ship and you're in control; try the local cuisine ashore, or return to your ‘floating hotel' for lunch - it's your call.
  
• And if you join a cruise ship, you get to enjoy health and beauty facilities, great evening entertainment and attentive service as you travel.
  
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  City Culture
  
• Baltic cruises tend to attract discriminating people with an interest in history and culture.
  
• The itineraries for Baltic cruises include the great cities of Northern Europe, and the majority of them will include the historic St Petersburg, and cruising is a hassle-free way of tour Russia's most beautiful city.
  
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  Famous Fjords
  
• Norway, the Land of the Midnight Sun, with 24-hour daylight during the summer - is a magnet for those who revel in natural beauty and unspoiled landscapes. Cruising is the only way to experience this scenic beauty at its best.
  
• Along the West coast, deep Fjords knife into steep mountain ranges with the stillness only broken by waterfalls. In older villages wooden houses spill down towards docks where Viking long ships and later, whaling vessels, were once moored.
  
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  Scenic Coasts
  
• Unlike many cruise voyages you will rarely be out of sight of land. The constantly changing backdrop of the cruise is provided by one of the world’s most dramatic coastlines, from the temperate climes of Bergen in the south, to the glacier-covered Svalbard Islands, on the edge of the Arctic.
  
• These ships tend to be smaller, providing a more intimate ambience, and could even be local working ships transporting goods and local people along the coast.
  
• The North Cape, barely 1,000 miles from the North Pole is featured in many coastal cruise itineraries. The landscape is a blend of the flat and sheer cliffs rising 300 metres out of the Arctic Ocean.
  
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  What to pack
  
• Summer temperatures in the Baltic can be high enough to put the likes of Rome to shame, but on tours of the coastal regions you should always be prepared for the possibility of rain. A sturdy umbrella is an essential travelling companion for Baltic and Norwegian cruising, though chances are you'll only need it as insurance.
  
• By day, light summer clothing will be fine, though it's always worth packing a slightly warmer jacket to combat the occasional sea breeze - and your ship's air conditioning.
  
• While ships will not impose particularly stringent dress codes you may feel more comfortable if you pack at least a couple of formal outfits (for Captain's Welcome and Farewell cocktail nights) and a few reasonably smart outfits for evening wear - after all, dressing for dinner is part of what makes cruising so special.
  
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  Ports of call
  Baltic - Cities which are part of Baltic cruise itineraries include:
  
  Amsterdam - a gloriously relaxed city of tall gabled houses, leafy canal walks, pavement cafes and excellent shops. Here you can visit the house of wartime diarist Anne Frank, the fascinating Vincent van Gogh Museum, or the Rijks museum, which has a large collection of works by Rembrandt.
  
  Copenhagen - home to the world famous sculpture of the Little Mermaid, this vibrant city is also famous for its shopping. This centres around the Stroget, Europe's longest pedestrianised shopping street, which offers plenty of pretty pavement cafes for those who want a break from torturing their credit cards. If historical sites interest you more than shops, you can explore the imposing Christiansborg Palace, stroll the battlements of Kronberg Castle (formerly Elsinore, the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet) or enjoy all the fun of the fair at the famous Tivoli Gardens.
  
  Helsinki - located on the Katajonkka peninsula, the elegant Finnish capital is built around a stylish esplanade, boasts lovely Art Nouveau buildings and is famous as the birthplace of composer, Jean Sibelius.
  
  Stockholm - a European city of culture, it is a jewel set among myriad small islands, has the wonderful medieval quarter of Gamla Stan to explore, as well as a museum housing the world's oldest identified warship, which sank in the harbour in 1628.
  
  Oslo - a city of beautiful parks and tranquil lakes, Oslo is a real charmer with its 18th and 19th Century frescoed houses. Make time here to visit The Viking House and view its fantastic display of Viking ships and their treasures.
  
  Tallinn - another medieval masterpiece, Estonia’s capital, is famous for its magnificent 15th Century domed church and its fabulous variety of architecture - legacy of Teutonic, Polish and Russian rule.
  
  Riga - capital of Latvia, it is one of the Baltic's most beautiful cities and is another architectural glory; Baroque, Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings compete for attention.
  
  St Petersburg - the jewel in the Baltic crown rates an overnight stay on many cruise itineraries, so passengers have time to take it all in. The world famous Hermitage Gallery, with its astonishing array of artistic treasures, merits at least a day on its own but you must find time to visit Aurora - the battleship whose gun signalled the start of the Russian revolution - and the city's magnificent palaces, which include the Versailles-like Peterhof.
  
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  Norwegian Fjords
  Fjord cruise itineraries include:
  
  Bergen - is the gateway to the fjords region, and despite numerous fires has preserved much of its medieval heart. It is the second largest city in Norway and also the country’s cultural centre.
  
  Trondheim - was the first Viking capital of Norway and became the country’s ecclesiastical centre following the death of St Olav in 1030 as pilgrims from all over Europe came to the town to be healed at his shrine. The city’s other main attraction is its numerous wooden buildings, including the Stiftsgården Palace.
  
  Ålesund - as so much of the town is surrounded by water it appears to be floating alongside the passing boats. Ålesund was destroyed by fire in 1904 and rebuilt in appealing Art Nouveau style.
  
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  Norwegian Coastal
  Itineraries can include:
  
  Tromsø - boasts of being both the Paris of the North and Gateway to the Arctic. It is familiar as the starting point of many Polar expeditions. Blessed with a girdle of peaks, Tromsø is one of the most pleasant of Norwegian towns.
  
  Hammerfest - the world’s most northerly town, is at the same latitude as northern Siberia, but largely ice-free thanks to the off shore Gulf Stream. It has been a popular trading town for the past 200 years
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  The North Cape - take a cruise around the North Cape and some of the world's most spectacular scenery will unroll before your eyes. Cruise the Nordfjord to reach Honningsvag, the world's most northerly village, which lies well within the Arctic Circle. Visit a Lapp village to sample a lifestyle unchanged in centuries, or enjoy the more sophisticated delights of Tromso.
  
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  Who goes there?
  Cruise Lines who offer cruises to these regions include:
  
  CELEBRITY CRUISES
  Celebrity Cruises’ ship Millennium sails a 14-night Russia & The Baltic itinerary. Millennium, one of the most luxurious ships in the Celebrity fleet, offers 74% of staterooms with balconies, the largest and most sophisticated spa at sea and glass-enclosed elevators, allowing guests captivating, panoramic ocean views as they move from deck to deck.
  
  COSTA CRUISES
  Costa Cruises has two ships in the region in the summer months. Costa Romantica is based in Amsterdam and operates nine cruises on a choice of five itineraries ranging from ranging from ten to 14 nights. Costa Marina is based in Copenhagen offering alternating seven night cruises to the Fjords and Baltic Capitals. The two itineraries can be booked back to back to give a fourteen night cruise. Destinations include ports in Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Estonia, Norway and Finland.
  
  CRYSTAL CRUISES
  Crystal Cruises operates Northern European cruises on one of its two six-star rated vessels every summer. The 12 night fly-cruise itineraries operate between Dover and Copenhagen and include a selection of Baltic sailings with two full days in St Petersburg & overnight in Stockholm. or a North Cape cruise featuring the Norwegian Fjords and Midnight Sun.
  
  CUNARD LINE
  Four ships from Cunard and Seabourn visit the area: flagship Queen Elizabeth2, Royal Viking Sun, Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Legend. QE2 also has an 18-night North Cape cruise.
  
  FRED. OLSEN CRUISE LINES
  The Baltic, fjords, North Cape, Spitsbergen, and Arctic feature strongly in the summer itineraries of Black Watch, Braemar and Black Prince. Major attractions are the Midnight Sun and crossing the Arctic Circle on North Cape/Spitsbergen cruises, and visits to cities such as St Petersburg (always a two day stop with Fred. Olsen), Copenhagen and Stockholm on Baltic cruises.
  
  HEBRIDEAN ISLAND CRUISES
  Hebridean Island Cruises have an extensive collection of cruises in Norway and the Baltic during June, July and August. This lovely region has fairytale castles, glaciers and soaring peaks, spectacular fjords and a rich cultural heritage. Hebridean Spirit spends the summer exploring Sweden and Tallinn in Estonia, the Norwegian fjords and coastline and in June and July, two cruises cross the Arctic Circle to the land of the midnight sun and its plentiful wildlife. In glorious St Petersburg, the jewel of the Baltic, guests can experience this remarkable city as only insiders know it.
  
  HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
  The Maasdam and the Rotterdam operate Holland America Line’s Baltic cruises, visiting ports in Sweden, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Denmark, Germany and Norway. Choices include seven-night Stockholm round-ups to the 38-night ‘Grand Europe Cruise’ which combines the Baltic with the Mediterranean and even the Middle East.
  
  NORWEGIAN COSTAL VOYAGE
  The Norwegian Coastal Voyage is often described as ‘the world’s most beautiful voyage’ and provides a cruise for those seeking close contact with the destination, as opposed to spending days at sea.
  
  Every day since 1893 a coastal voyage ship has travelled up and down the magnificent coastline of Norway from Bergen in the South to Kirkenes in the North and back calling at 34 ports along the way, many never visited by other cruise ships.
  
  The very culture of the voyage brings together some of the far reaching out-crops of Norway’s rugged and stunning coastline providing not only a magnificent coastal experience, but also delivering an essential service to these communities by delivering mail, supplies and passengers on a daily basis. The atmosphere on board is informal and relaxed with the opportunity to meet fellow passengers from around the world, as well as locals going about their daily business.
  
  The 12-strong fleet of ships now boasts three Millennium ships with all the latest cabin comforts onboard, yet remaining true to the very traditions that are the essence of the Norwegian Coastal Voyage.
  
  NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
  Norwegian Cruise Line offers a number of Scandinavian cruises during the summer, onboard Norwegian Dream. Ports of call include St Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo. Explore the capital cities of the old Hanseatic League of seafaring nations, or look for treasures of art and artefact in fine museums and galleries such as The Hermitage in St Petersberg.
  
  P&O CRUISES
  In the Summer months, all four P&O Cruises ships & (Arcadia, Aurora, Oriana and Victoria) offer Baltic and Scandinavia itineraries, taking in glorious scenery and fascinating towns and villages, including Trondheim, Copenhagen, Bruges and St Petersberg. All itineraries cruise from Southampton.
  
  PRINCESS CRUISES
  Three Princess Cruises ships will sail round-trips from Dover in Summer 2000. The 45,000 ton Royal Princess offers six sailings to the Baltic capitals, including an overnight stay in St Petersburg, plus a July cruise to the scenic fjords. The 20,000 ton Island Princess and Pacific Princess operate more traditional, intimate voyages to the Baltic states, Iceland and the Arctic circle.
  
  RADISSON SEVEN SEAS CRUISES
  Seven Seas Voyager, one of five Radisson Sea Seas’ luxury ships, ventures northwards each summer to offer Baltic and Scandinavian cruises. Voyager, the latest ship to be launched in the small, six star, exclusive fleet, operates a variety of durations, from seven to 14 nights featuring the Baltic (all with overnight stops in St. Petersburg) and Norwegian Fjords.
  
  Guests are also offered the opportunity to cruise the Baltic capitals whilst celebrating delicious oriental cuisine in six star luxury with celebrity chef and TV presenter Ken Hom, onboard Seven Seas Voyager. This oriental extravaganza begins on the 27th August 2004 for 11 nights, offering guests the chance to discover the secrets of Ken Hom’s magic during his cookery presentations, whilst visiting Stockholm through to Rouen.
  
  
  ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
  Royal Caribbean International offers 12 night itineraries visiting the Scandinavia/Baltic region. Cruises are offered on board Splendour of the Seas sailing to Norwegian Fjords and North Cape round trip from Harwich.
  
  ROYAL OLYMPIA CRUISES
  Royal Olympia now offers a series of regular cruise to the Baltic and Fjords. A total of five cruises to each region sailing from Dover between June and September on the MTS Triton. The cruise will not only take in the serene beauty of the area, but also fascinating locations such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Gdansk and St Petersburg. Cruise fares are from £659 per person for a 10-night Norwegian Fjords Cruise, or £ 719per person based on the 11-night Baltic cruise.
  
  VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY
  If you are a lover of wildlife, history and nature, Voyages of Discovery are sure to delight with their wide selection of cruises to the Norwegian Fjords and Baltic from May to November. Whether you book yourself on Baltic Treasures, Land of the Midnight Sun or Baltic Capitals or any of the other enlightening sailings you will only come back inspired. If you want that something extra from your trip, the wild and rugged colourful landscape of Iceland with its volcanoes and thermal springs will entrance on the Fjords, Faroes, Fire and Ice cruise.
  
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