Walk-off Ports of Call - Baltic

After years of cruising in the Med, my husband and I will be on the Azura heading for the Baltic the middle of next month (June).

Of these ports of call, which are easily accessible on foot without the need of an excursion?

Skagen

Helsinki

Tallinn

Stockholm

Copenhagen

I already have plans for the other 3 ports (Oslo, Bruges, St.Petersburg)

We are also looking for clothing advice!

We know what to expect in the Med however we are a little lost as what to pack for the Baltic.

Hope you can help.

They are easy DIY ports.

I recommend you to read the existing threads covering those ports.

CPH http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2135935

Sthlm (see signature link).

For the other three, browse the forum and you should find the appropriate threads.

We totally enjoyed exploring Helsinki on our own.

Loved that port of call! :D

LuLu

All of the ports on your itinerary are easily done on your own, except, St Petersburg, of course.

Depending on how you want to see them, with a guide, on a local tour or just on your own, each can be done very easily.

Personally, I would write (email) to all the local tourism offices of each port and they will send you tons of great info. The internet and the library are great helps in determining what you might want to see while you are in port. It is hard for us to say, as we simply do not know your likes and dislikes.

Some ports like Tallinn and Copenhagen you do not even need any sort of transportation, most things are very walkable. In Helsinki and Stockholm, you will need some sort of public transportation to get to several of the highlites of those cities, but again, very easily done.

Most of the info is on this forum, just do a search or read thru many of the posts about those cities you are visiting.

Cheers

Len

On our Baltic cruise in 2012 we did the following:

Helsinki - We took the shuttle to town and then walked to the ferry to take us to Island Fort Suomenlinna. We had a great time walking all around the Island, seeing everything on the combination ticket they had. After the island we walked back along the water front to the boat.

Tallinn - we joined a group from our Roll Call and did a walking tour of the town. We met the guide just off the dock and she walked us up to the town. When the tour was over we walked up St Olaf church tower and then along the walls. We then walked back to the ship.

Stockholm - we got right off the ship and went to the HOHO boat going straight to the Vasa Museum. We were there for a couple of hours and then walked into the old town (Gamla Stan) and saw the Royal Armory at the Royal Palace. After this we walked back to the ship at Stadsgarden.

Copenhagen - We walked off the ship (Langeline pier) going to the Botanic gardens (free), Rosenborg castle, National museum (free) and the walked up Church of Our Savior in Christianshavn. We then walked back along the canals to the boat.

We had a good and did everything at our own pace.

... heading for the Baltic the middle of next month (June)... We are also looking for clothing advice!

We know what to expect in the Med however we are a little lost as what to pack for the Baltic.

Layers!

Start with a lightweight waterproof hooded rain jacket. Pack one or two thin Polartec 100 weight quarter zip pull overs to layer under that. Consider packing one quarter zip light weight runners shell. And don't forget a wool scarf, hat, and gloves. These three items will extend the comfort range of whatever you pack since, as you will see below, you could encounter some winter-like temperatures even in June..

Use the phrase "historic weather average" to look up the typical weather for your destinations. Using that phrase for Copenhagen, for example, I learned that the typical average in June is 59 degrees (F). The average high is temperature is 66 degrees. And the average low is 52 degrees. There will be 16 days with some precipitation in the month of June.

That said, the highest recorded June temp is 84 degrees and the lowest temperature is 37 degrees.

If you come from a warm climate, cooler temps will feel cooler still to you. You may want to pack somewhat warmer clothes. If you own/can buy an ultra-light down -- 850 power down fill -- jacket definitely pack that. Because the down has such a high rating (typical down jackets are 600 fill), there's less down fill in the jacket and it packs into "nothing" yet keeps you just as warm as a bulkier piece.

When I need to peel a layer, I can tie the sleeves of 850 fill jacket in a double knot around the strap of my purse and it is light enough that I don't feel any weight as I tour throughout the rest of the day. (Double knots please and tug them tight! Some lucky student in the Sorbonne area is now wearing my husband's North Face ultra-light jacket because he apparently didn't pull the slick fabric in a tight enough double knot. Last June, Normandy and Paris was in the mid-50s to low 60s and raining and that's considerably south of where you'll be traveling.)

Even in spring and summer, places like REI, Eastern Mountain Sports, LL Bean and more will sell down products via their web sites.

LL Bean is showing its classic 850-fill down jacket along with a neat hybrid style I've never seen before: a combination fleece and down jacket. The front and back is down and the sleeves are fleece.

Again, the word is "layers."

Layers!

 

Start with a lightweight waterproof hooded rain jacket. Pack one or two thin Polartec 100 weight quarter zip pull overs to layer under that. Consider packing one quarter zip light weight runners shell. And don't forget a wool scarf, hat, and gloves. These three items will extend the comfort range of whatever you pack since, as you will see below, you could encounter some winter-like temperatures even in June..

 

Use the phrase "historic weather average" to look up the typical weather for your destinations. Using that phrase for Copenhagen, for example, I learned that the typical average in June is 59 degrees (F). The average high is temperature is 66 degrees. And the average low is 52 degrees. There will be 16 days with some precipitation in the month of June.

 

That said, the highest recorded June temp is 84 degrees and the lowest temperature is 37 degrees.

 

If you come from a warm climate, cooler temps will feel cooler still to you. You may want to pack somewhat warmer clothes. If you own/can buy an ultra-light down -- 850 power down fill -- jacket definitely pack that. Because the down has such a high rating (typical down jackets are 600 fill), there's less down fill in the jacket and it packs into "nothing" yet keeps you just as warm as a bulkier piece.

 

When I need to peel a layer, I can tie the sleeves of 850 fill jacket in a double knot around the strap of my purse and it is light enough that I don't feel any weight as I tour throughout the rest of the day. (Double knots please and tug them tight! Some lucky student in the Sorbonne area is now wearing my husband's North Face ultra-light jacket because he apparently didn't pull the slick fabric in a tight enough double knot. Last June, Normandy and Paris was in the mid-50s to low 60s and raining and that's considerably south of where you'll be traveling.)

 

Even in spring and summer, places like REI, Eastern Mountain Sports, LL Bean and more will sell down products via their web sites.

 

LL Bean is showing its classic 850-fill down jacket along with a neat hybrid style I've never seen before: a combination fleece and down jacket. The front and back is down and the sleeves are fleece.

 

Again, the word is "layers."

Great advice!

We DIY in all except for St. Petersburg. I used Rick Steves' guidebook; it's very useful.

Hi,

My husband and I are doing a Baltic cruise this August, and after reading the Rick Steves Northern European Cruise Ports book, we decided to book a tour in St Petersburg, and to do the other ports (Warnemunde, Tallinn, Helsinki,Stockholm, Copenhagen) on our own. We'll probably take the book apart and go ashore with the appropopriate section for each port.

Please do post when you return and let us know what you did, and whether you'd recommend your choice or not!

Bon Voyage!

Is walk off meaning no need of a shuttle bus?

In that case you need to know where your ship docks in Copenhagen.

Nordre Toldbod and Langeliniekaj is in walking distance from central Copenhagen.

Oceankaj and in some rare cases Levantkaj is to far away from Copenhagen so here you will rely on the cruise lines overpriced shuttle busses or public busses 25 and 27 that only cost 24 kroner.

27 only goes to Østerport station but trains or bus 26 will get you to the downtown area on the same ticket.

25 will drop you off in Nørreport where you are in the downtown area.