NCL Sun – 9-day Baltic Cruise – Aug. 24 – Sep. 2, 2011 - Review and Pictorial

[computerworks]

Many thanks for your wonderful review & excellent pictures of your Baltic Cruise.

 

You're welcome....glad you enjoyed the narrative. The Baltics are a great itinerary...we thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

 

We have booked our tour with SPB for the 2 days. I was thrilled to read your excellent recommendations of SPB.

 

Mary, it will be tough to find a better, more qualified, friendly and trustworthy bunch. They exceeded all expectations... good choice.

[computerworks]

Fantastic pictures. We've been to all the same sites, but you're a much better photographer.

 

Might we claim a few of your pics, as if they were our own? :)

 

Of course...you may add to your scrapbook. ;)

 

(sorry for delay in replying.)

[phabric]

I really enjoyed your review and pictures. SPB now has a 5 city tour and after your recommendation, I plan on booking them for 2013.

[kjquilts]

So glad this thread was brought back to the top. Amazing photos and very comprehensive enjoyable narrative.

 

How many cruises can you have on a bucket list?

[sippican]

I am glad to see this thread resurface. I had followed it last fall and now, having researched a bit, I am finding more valuable information to add to my cruise folder.

It is such a pleasure to look at your lovely photos (over, and over, and ….). They are adding to my excitement and anticipation. :)

Thank you.

[computerworks]

Thanks all for the nice words...

 

I am glad to see it, too...it makes me long for another trip on the Sun. :p

 

...plus, it served as a gentle self-reminder: I need to add the Stockholm pictures....will do that in a few days.

 

To all that are anticipating a Baltic cruise this season, I know I have said it repeatedly, but this trip was one of the best cruises we have taken...I am sure you will enjoy it.

[Doughboy139]

My first Baltic Cruise was aboard NCL's Sun in August 2010 - it was FANTASTIC. The pictures shown here truly show what was seen and experienced and if you are ever able to take this cruise - DON'T hesitate. We enjoyed it so much that we repeated the cruise - again on NCL's Sun in September 2011 and enjoyed it even more on this cruise. I think that I would like to repeat the cruise again in a couple of years for their is just so much to see and I have fallen in love with all the exciting places we have visited.

 

Each country has its own charm and history and the beauty of the buildings and the country-side AND the wonderful people - its PRICELESS>

 

We fell in love with cruising and with NCL and have taken several other cruises and hope to take many more. If you have never been - then do try it - and if you have been - you know what I mean. Our next trip is to Bermuda in about 6 weeks on NCL's Dawn and will be our 2nd trip to Bermuda. Another wonderful itinerary. Happy Cruising, everyone.

[KrystalWaters]

All i can say is WOW..OMG WOW! Beautiful pictures! Just beautiful. Thank you!

[scottishwee35]

Wow, it brought my memory back as I have been sailed with Batlic school trip in 1974!!

 

I visited Visby, Denmark, Russia (should be Liningrad change to St Petersburg) and Helsinki...

 

When I saw the photos of Denmark oh I love it and I love tiviola oh it was good..

 

When I saw the photos of Russia park, It brought my memory back as there were russia army with gun..around the port... and it was very strict and we must on the coach and followed another coach to park etc... I never forget that some school pupil were with us and they were telling us about their life as they went to school from Monday to Saturday... We give them our gifts from Scotland and I feel like give my clothes to them as they were dressing old fashion just like old times....

 

I wonder about now... if there is any Army around the port, I dont think so...

 

Also I saw your photos of Helsinki oh I visited the park and the museum too...

 

What a great memory as I shall have the album as there were old photos there...

 

Thank for showing the photos which is great...

 

By the way, I love your photo as you look great smile

 

Scottishwee35

[scottishwee35]

Eugene, our guide from SPB Tours. Boy, did he work hard to make sure we saw everything, understood what we saw and made the two days in SPB a very memorable time.

 

 

 

 

Snacks at Peterhof (~30 rubles = 1 USD )

 

 

 

The fountains at Peterhof

 

 

 

It was so beautiful but 1974 there were flat with water and people keep tell us to stand there then water came up lol

[scottishwee35]

The Sibelius Monument is dedicated to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius

 

 

 

The Temppeliaukio Kirkko (Rock Church). Blasted out of the bedrock, this is clearly a major tourist stop. "Santa's" trinket shop across the street is a good Finland-souvenir stop.

 

 

 

Helsinki train station...something about European train stations that fascinates me.

 

 

...and back to the ship in time for a quick late lunch in the Main Dining Room.

 

 

I cannot believe that it still there after I visited 1975...

[computerworks]

I cannot believe that it still there after I visited 1975...

 

Glad you enjoyed the memories....much of these ports are timeless.

 

I am also glad that this ol' thread was resurrected, for several reasons.

 

It is getting around to that time of the year where the Baltics are an active itinerary, so I hope this helps others planning a 2012 trip.

 

Also it lets me finish the review ( :o ). Life got in the way and we never posted the pictures from Stockholm, our last port, so now I get a chance to wrap it up.

[computerworks]

Day Eight - Port - Nynashamn (Stockholm)

 

In Stockholm, we used Nynashamn as the port and tendered to shore. Nynashamn is about a 45 minute bus ride, longer by train, to Stockholm. There were logistic reasons why the itinerary used this port in 2011; the Captain said we would miss the picturesque passage that would be seen if we docked directly in Stockholm (take a look at a map to see the inland port). The downside is that it makes for a shorter stay, since the passage is taken at a slow rate of speed. I believe that, in 2012, NCL will revert back to the Stockholm port.

 

NCL Sun at anchor

 

 

The tenders used.

 

 

We booked an NCL excursion that would take us into Stockholm, with a stop in Old Town, a visit to the Vasa and the Maritime Museum, and then an afternoon tour of the city, with shopping time. The motor coach took slightly less than an hour to get to Stockholm.

 

This is the In-town dock...probably where the ship would park if it went directly in to Stockhom.

 

 

Gamla Stan (Old Town) stretches over the island of Stadsholmen

 

 

 

[PathfinderEss]

Wow, great pictures, thanks for posting

[computerworks]

A must-see for me was the Royal Warship Vasa Museum... I was really looking forward to the Museum and a chance to see this historical artifact.

 

The Vasa is a Swedish warship built in 1628. The ship sank after sailing less than a mile on its maiden voyage on 10 August 1628. It was located in the late 1950s in a lane just outside the Stockholm harbor, and it was salvaged with a largely intact hull in 1961.

 

It sailed in full regalia and sank like a rock... it was buried in the mud and silt and was preserved almost intact for centuries. An amazing number of artifacts were recovered in magnificent condition.

 

It was housed in a temporary museum called Wasavarvet ("The Wasa Shipyard") until 1987 and then moved to the Vasa Museum.

 

 

They constructed this entire building to house the ship

 

 

Tools, weapons, personal items...all were recovered

 

 

 

 

[computerworks]

A model of the full layout of the original ship.

 

 

I always try and get one picture of me to actually prove I was there. :p

 

[computerworks]

The Vasa

 

NOTE - if you want to take photos of the Vasa...the area is very dark. Practice with your camera settings and bring a tripod if you want serious natural light photos.

I travel with several cameras and only one could handle the variation with some degree of success...point-and-shoots ( standard ones ) don't seem to cut it. I probably have over a few hundred of fuzzy useless pictures taken inside the museum, knowing that if I took enough of them, I would be sure to get a few acceptable ones....really wish I had brought a tripod, or a single-leg mount.

 

(I may have 'poached' one of these from a book to complete the scrapbook) :o

 

 

 

 

[computerworks]

Downtown Stockholm

 

 

There were an amazing number of "pedestrian-only" cross-streets...it was a beautiful sunny and warm day and this was around the noon hour.

 

 

 

 

 

After the city tour, we had the option of staying in town for on-your-own touring and shopping, with a later bus back to the ship available...we opted to return to the Sun for Mojitos and some Caesar Salad.... a justifiable choice.

 

[computerworks]

Day Nine - Last Day at Sea

 

This is a very port-intensive itinerary...so having the last day be a day at sea was a blessing.

 

A highlight...we commandeered Las Ramblas Bar in the afternoon for a private party with all 16 of us that travelled together on the SPB Tours.

We all became friends, travelling together on the tours in Berlin, Estonia, St. Petersburg and Helsinki. SPB Tours let's you set up a group on their website, to make the minimum for a tour...that's how we met most of our companions.

We got along famously and really had a good time. Here, we got some buckets of wine and a few beers and recalled stories of our adventures in different ports.

 

 

 

Our final dinner of the cruise...you can guess...the soup's a giveaway.

 

 

 

We docked early the next morning, back in Copenhagen. Plenty of cabs are there; we took the 25 minute ride to the airport and had plenty of time to catch our late a.m. flight back to NY.

 

I hope you have enjoyed sharing our trip... one of the best we have taken.

We have cruised many times in Europe (Med) and, initially, my wife was rather cool over the Baltic itinerary when we first booked.

Now, she's the first to say it was her best trip ever.

 

I agree.

[lovetootravel]

Thank you for such a great review. I will be sailing on the Sun on May22nd doing the exact iteneray...also have deluxe tours in all ports with SPB. It was great taking a peek at what we will be doing. I have been on the Sun before. I love the ship and the crew! Looking forward to another fantastic trip and experiencing new places..Thanks again for all your time and effort you put into this review. We all appreciate it!:) Pam

[cruise603]

Really enjoy your detailed review and beautiful pictures. I have read this thread several times. We'll be doing the same itinerary on NCL Sun this coming June. Can't wait to see these wonderful sites.

We have booked all our excursions with SPB-tours and feel very confident reading your recommendations.

Thank you so much.

 

Michelle.

[computerworks]

We have booked all our excursions with SPB-tours and feel very confident reading your recommendations.

 

It is fine company to do business with...you won't be disappointed.

 

My wife is still in regular correspondence with our guide from St. Peterburg...he was that great a guy.

[Ssislandgirl]

This is the best trip review I have ever come across. I appreciate all your hard work posting everything. Can't wait for our baltic cruise on the sun in late June. Thanks again

Petra

[chipsy57]

yeah, great pictures and surely a famous cruise ... we'll do hopefully the same cruise from June 18th 2012 :D:D:D

 

thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience in the baltic

 

greetings from austria

chipsy57

[Warmer Climes]

Thank you so much for taking such care to post such a useful review. My husband and I are planning to take that cruise followed by the TA in a few years and I showed him your pictures last night. He said they made him really look forward to it and that is a great thing!