Would you recommend Celebrity Baltic cruise?

[caribgirl40]

We're trying to narrow down our options for a 2012 Baltic cruise with our 10 and 12 year old boys. They loved our Celebrity Alaska cruise two years ago, so wondering if we should stick with tried and true. We loved it too, but interested in other opinions. Many thanks!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We're trying to narrow down our options for a 2012 Baltic cruise with our 10 and 12 year old boys. They loved our Celebrity Alaska cruise two years ago, so wondering if we should stick with tried and true. We loved it too, but interested in other opinions. Many thanks!

 

Are they interested in history, art, and architecture? Or would you like them to be? If so, I'd recommend you branch out and try the Baltic. Although you can never go to Alaska too many times, in my view!

[Bet & Peg]

Last July we took a 12-day Baltic cruise on Celebrity's Constellation and it was FABULOUS!!! We've mainly sailed Celebrity and RCCL but chose our cruise because it left from Amsterdam - a new city for us. We stayed ond day pre-cruise and 4 days post-cruise. We nixed a similar cruise which left from Southampton since we've been to England a few times and wanted a new country/city. We also gain 3 more points towards elite status.

 

I think you have to choose what's best for you and your family. And if the pojtns mean anything - of course that's what the cruise lines do to gain loyality! Since you've already cruised on Celebrity you "know" them - so now you just have to decide.

[Bridge Maven]

We did a 14 night Baltic Cruise on Constellation a few years ago and thought it was one of our best cruises ever.

[Scrapchick]

Yes!!! We did the Baltic last year on the Eclipse and it was an absolutely fantastic trip. We have a 9 year old daughter. Wouldn't hesitate to do it again, and to do it with Celebrity!!

[rossyarm1]

Full endorse all the favourable comments regarding Celebrity on the Baltic with only one exception. The ship's shore tours were both crowded and expensive. We favoured SPB Tours in St Petersburg, for their personal attention (12 person mini-bus), the professionalism of their English-speaking guides and the excellent pricing. I note that this year, in addition to St Petersburg, SPB Tours are also offering tours in Tallinn and Helsinki.

[Beach Nut]

We sailed the Baltic with X last May. It was one of our best vacations ever, despite each coming down with Noro, and very noisy pipe drainage throughout the night in the walls of our balcony cabin.

 

Go on the Celebrity Cruise Connections Roll Call for your cruise and find people who are arranging a private 2 day tour of St. Peterburg with one of the Russian agencies. We went with ALLA. There were 8 of us in an air conditioned spacious van. None of us had met beforehand, but the camaraderie that is built through the experience is hard to beat. Of course, if there are 4 of you, you may also be able to afford a private tour for just your family for less than, or equal to, what it would cost through Celebrity's excursions on a big bus with a crowd. Now THAT would be memorable! Our group of 4 couples was one of the best tour experiences we've ever had in our lives of extensive traveling.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to do the Baltic with Celebrity again. It's that wonderful.

 

Make sure you are up early (5AM) to experience the ship sailing at a snail's pace through the very small islands of Sweden's archipelego on the approach to Stockholm.

 

Don't miss a canal ride in Bruges. The kids might also like to go up to the top of the clock tower in the main square in Bruges. We did.

 

I'm getting excited all over again just talking about it. Estonia was a wonderful surprise.

 

Enjoy.

 

Susan

[Denny01]

Come join us! We are cruising with another couple on the Eclipse Baltic cruise out of Southampton 26 May 12. We signed up for it last week, and are looking at various tour options and so on. Late May is a bit early, maybe too early for school kids, but it is less cost because its early in the season....maybe a bit cool in some ports too, but looking forward to it!

 

Lots of interesting ports that are very different than the classic Caribbean cruieses which are focused more on the beache and the Alaskan cruises and the natural beauty. I bet your boys will Love it.

 

You've probably seen the options of either the Eclipse out of Southampton for 14N and the Connstellation out of Amsterdam for 12N. Both look like great options, but we decided to go with a little longer cruise considering flying to Europe. Could spend a few days before or after.

 

I'd recommend a change, and boy, the Baltic would be a big change from an Alaska cruise!

 

Den

[caribgirl40]

Thanks for all of the good advice. We really want to do this cruise and it seems like folks have had a great experience with Celebrity!

[Emma]

We have not yet sailed on X, we did do the Baltics with HAL this past July. Agree with doing the private tour in SPB, a real highlight for us. Whichever cruiseline you decide on, it is a great cruise and should be enjoyed by all.We selected HAL partially on departure port, Copenhagen , and the overnight in SPB.

[Bridge Maven]

One of the things I loved about our 14 night Baltic Cruise to Russia on Constellation was that it had four sea days and two overnight ports,which were St Petersburg and Copenhagen. This gave us two full days in St Petersburg, where there was so much to see, and an opportunity to experience Copenhagen's night life. In my opinion, having four sea days made the overall cruise more enjoyable because you didn't have the "If this is Tuesday it must be..." feeling.

[cadburysmom]

Loved our Baltic cruise aboard Eclipse last summer.

 

Bruges was enchanting.

 

Cruising into Stockholm breathtaking.

 

Definitely do a private tour in St. Petersburg. Too much to see and do when traveling on a crowded ship's excursion. With the exception of our wonderful ship's excursion to Moscow...spectacular...would do it again in a heartbeat!

[celebritydave]

We did the 14 day Constellation from Dover in 2004. It was by far one of the best cruises we have ever been on. I would highly recommend it.

[CaroleLee]

Full endorse all the favourable comments regarding Celebrity on the Baltic with only one exception. The ship's shore tours were both crowded and expensive. We favoured SPB Tours in St Petersburg, for their personal attention (12 person mini-bus), the professionalism of their English-speaking guides and the excellent pricing. I note that this year, in addition to St Petersburg, SPB Tours are also offering tours in Tallinn and Helsinki.

 

Hi,

 

Looking into Baltics for next year. Would appreciate any input on pvt tours. Have gotten conflicting info on need for visa while in St. Petersburg. Have been told that if you book SHIP tour no visa need but if booked on PVT tour visa is needed. What was your experience? (US citizen)

Thanks

Carole

[bear17]

Hi,

 

Looking into Baltics for next year. Would appreciate any input on pvt tours. Have gotten conflicting info on need for visa while in St. Petersburg. Have been told that if you book SHIP tour no visa need but if booked on PVT tour visa is needed. What was your experience? (US citizen)

Thanks

Carole

You need a visa if you are doing independent sightseeing. If you take a private tour, they arrange the visa and you get a document in your stateroom that you show with your passport as you enter the country.

 

My sister and I took this cruise last summer departing from Amsterdam. We did independent touring in Germany, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. We hired a company in St. Pete. They advertised x dollars per person depending on # in tour and we said that we would take if if tour size got to 8 people as that was all we could afford. Turned out the tour only got to 4 people and they charged the price as if we were 8. Nice air-conditioned van with driver who could park in odd spaces to drop us off and then circle back to pick us up. We always went to the front of the line with the guide's credentials. Tourism is huge business there and they do everything possible to deliver a quality product.

 

In Estonia, we arranged for a walking tour that was FABULOUS. The young Estonian woman showed us many sites in the old town and then took us outside the quaint old town that looks like a set built for Disneyland and showed us some real native parts. We ate in a cafe with only other Estonians. No one else got to see what we did. Estonia is also very do-able on own, especially if you like to shop, which my sister and I don't.

 

Estonia has a hot wi-fi spot at the dock and it was amusing to see everyone clustered around getting their fixes "for free." Also a nice market there so if you don't get your shopping in town, you have one last chance here.

[CaroleLee]

You need a visa if you are doing independent sightseeing. If you take a private tour, they arrange the visa and you get a document in your stateroom that you show with your passport as you enter the country.

 

My sister and I took this cruise last summer departing from Amsterdam. We did independent touring in Germany, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. We hired a company in St. Pete. They advertised x dollars per person depending on # in tour and we said that we would take if if tour size got to 8 people as that was all we could afford. Turned out the tour only got to 4 people and they charged the price as if we were 8. Nice air-conditioned van with driver who could park in odd spaces to drop us off and then circle back to pick us up. We always went to the front of the line with the guide's credentials. Tourism is huge business there and they do everything possible to deliver a quality product.

 

In Estonia, we arranged for a walking tour that was FABULOUS. The young Estonian woman showed us many sites in the old town and then took us outside the quaint old town that looks like a set built for Disneyland and showed us some real native parts. We ate in a cafe with only other Estonians. No one else got to see what we did. Estonia is also very do-able on own, especially if you like to shop, which my sister and I don't.

 

Estonia has a hot wi-fi spot at the dock and it was amusing to see everyone clustered around getting their fixes "for free." Also a nice market there so if you don't get your shopping in town, you have one last chance here.

 

Thanks for your prompt answer. Do you remember the cost of the visa- trying to start a cruise budget.

Happy Holiday

Carole

[tally10]

We've done three Baltic cruises, 2004 (Jewel of the Seas), 2006 (Constellation), and 2010 (Eclipse). We loved each one and would not hesitate to go back if we had the money. We took our son in 2004 and our daughter in 2010. My daughter said it was the best experience of her life and wishes she could do it again and savor each and every moment. She loved our private tour in St. Petersburg (Anastasia tours) which we split with 4 others on our roll call as well as the cruise line's bicycle tour in Helskinki. We also did a tour with Friends of Dave Tours in Warnemunde. I would also recommend a canal tour in both Brugges (one our favorite ports) and Copenhagen (we saw the king in Copenhagen getting into his boat and he waved at us). The rest we were on our own utilizing public transportation and the HOHO bus and boats. It will truly be the trip of a lifetime and I could not recommend it more. The ship, the food, and the ports: all fantastic!!!

[rwr235]

You need a visa if you are doing independent sightseeing. If you take a private tour, they arrange the visa and you get a document in your stateroom that you show with your passport as you enter the country.

 

My sister and I took this cruise last summer departing from Amsterdam. We did independent touring in Germany, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. We hired a company in St. Pete. They advertised x dollars per person depending on # in tour and we said that we would take if if tour size got to 8 people as that was all we could afford. Turned out the tour only got to 4 people and they charged the price as if we were 8. Nice air-conditioned van with driver who could park in odd spaces to drop us off and then circle back to pick us up. We always went to the front of the line with the guide's credentials. Tourism is huge business there and they do everything possible to deliver a quality product.

 

In Estonia, we arranged for a walking tour that was FABULOUS. The young Estonian woman showed us many sites in the old town and then took us outside the quaint old town that looks like a set built for Disneyland and showed us some real native parts. We ate in a cafe with only other Estonians. No one else got to see what we did. Estonia is also very do-able on own, especially if you like to shop, which my sister and I don't.

 

Estonia has a hot wi-fi spot at the dock and it was amusing to see everyone clustered around getting their fixes "for free." Also a nice market there so if you don't get your shopping in town, you have one last chance here.

 

Who/What tour Company did you use in Estonia?

[smellywax]

I would definitely recommend the Baltics. It's an AMAZING cruise. For kids, not so sure. It really depends if your kids enjoy looking at art/palaces etc. Alaska is great for kids because kids usually enjoy nature/animals/glaciers.

[Bridge Maven]

We did three Celebrity shore excursions in St Petersburg, Russia and thought they were excellent.

[Juju Mary]

We did the Baltic on Constellation and loved it. Amsterdam is fun on your own and did Van Gogh Museum but expect you could hire bikes as well. Also did Copenhagen on own as is everywhere is very walkable and booked Ice bar before we went which was cheaper than tour.

[dolittle]

Sure X is always great. But europe is all about the ports if they have the ports you want and the price is right for your family go for it . The baltics are great esp. St.Petersburg, also agree on private tours

[snow4sandtoo]

Read this thread with interest. We are booked on the Eclipse for July of this year.

Doing tour with SPB , who could not have been easier to deal with. Our van is now full, visas have come and we are good to go.

Wondering if the previous poster could reply with the name of the tour company used in Tallin for the walking tour. Sounds like something we would like to do.

There is so much information to be gained from those who have gone before us. Recommendations are always so useful.

With thanks

Liz

[tally10]

Just an FYI: you really don't need an organized tour of Talin. You can easily walk to old town from the ship (or take the shuttle) and the old town itself is entirely walkable from one end to the other. Now if you wish to go out of the city, that's different. The main square in old town is full of indoor and outdoor (seating) cafes and restaurants. There is a wonderful pizza place in the square for an economical lunch and we have eaten there all three times we have visited Talinn. The pizza and local beer and people watching is not to be missed during your sightseeing break!

[In Retirement]

Greetings!

First, let me say that tours of St. Petersburg with a private Russian company do not require a Visa. My thought is you don't wander around there unless you are accompanied by a resident friend/relative or speak the language?

 

To your actual question of going from an Alaska family cruise to others: What did your sons most enjoy in Alaska? Are you a close family where the four of you can be all of it for a couple of weeks, or do they enjoy time with peers (especially on days-at-sea?). Also, do you like some breaks for yourselves? I wonder who is responding to your question in this thread? Are they in their 50s/60s or are they in their 30s/40s and have cruised the Baltics with their children of this age (not high school graduates or college students)?

 

We are in our mid-60s and have yet to cruise with grandchildren (never our children) but I am enthusiastic about taking our three grandsons to Alaska (narrow gauge railroad, whales, glacier bay, etc.). Actually, more so than their grandmother who is more interested in a 4-day Disney World experience (from which I believe we will then take a vacation to recover). This is pretty much a family-friendly venue, especially June/August and especially with cruise lines with an excellent youth program (and considerable space assigned on ship for this program). Indeed both Seattle and Vancouver offer several family-friendly experiences to extend a week at sea.

 

In 2009, we did Barcelona/Venice in late May so I would have another first choice following Alaska. I would look into a June cruise immediately after school is out (not July or August with excessive heat and European tourism at its highest) and look into an itinerary with experiences that would fit your son's interests. I can't imagine a 10 year-old being enthralled by Catherine's extravagance--or have some political sensibility about the influence of Communism. Would your sons have some interest in Rome? Pompeii? Ephesus? The wonders of Istanbul? The canals of Venice?

 

One possibility (this is coming from a recently retired medical school child psychologist) would be to rent/borrow some travel DVDs or some age-appropriate reading and discuss the possibilities with them. At any rate, I would research which cruise lines and itineraries are the most family-friendly.

 

My best,

DJ:)