29 Night Baltic Adventure & Viking Passage - Zuiderdam

[sunshine3215]

I'd love to hear any comments anyone has about this cruise line or the itinerary. I am not able to reserve a cabin for 2016 but I am watching this and plan to take in one day 2017 possibly. So I'd like to hear from YOU, no matter how small you think your comments might be I'd like to hear all comments, ideas and tips for 1) taking Holland America 2) experiences on this ship or line 3) itinerary ideas.

 

Cruise Line - Holland America

 

What trip are you talking about?

29 Night Baltic Adventure & Viking Passage - Zuiderdam

 

Departing from: Copenhagen, Denmark

 

Date: August 09, 2016 – September 07, 2016

 

Ports of Call:

Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany • Tallinn, Estonia • St. Petersburg, Russian Federation • Helsinki, Finland • Stockholm, Sweden • Kiel (Hamburg), Germany • Goteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden • Helsingborg, Sweden • Bergen, Norway • Akureyri, Iceland • Cruise Eyjafjordur, Iceland • Isafjordur, Iceland • Cruise Isafjardardjup • Reykjavik, Iceland • Cruise Prins Christian Sund, Greenland • Qaqortoq, Greenland • Nanortalik, Greenland • St. John's, Newfoundland • Halifax, Nova Scotia • New York, New York

 

Is this itinerary not great!!!!! All comments will be greatly appreciated.

[CruiserBruce]

Have you checked to see if there is a Roll Call and joined it?

[Stratheden]

We love the Zuiderdam - very well maintained ship and wonderful crew.

 

Would love that itinerary. That is on our wishlist. May book for 2017 when onboard Noordam in March.

[jmps]

We did the Baltic portion of your trip in May on the Eurodam. It was really wonderful. We really liked the overnights in Stockholm and St. Petersburg since it gave a chance to see more. One of our daughters was living in Sweden so we took the train to visit where she was staying. The overnights allows the time to do something that isn't possible on most cruises.

 

For the ports we really enjoyed a going into Hamburg and seeing Miniature Wunderland and Hamburg Port celebration via train. From Warnemunde we rented a car and visited that area of former East Germany including Schwerin instead of trying a long travel day and short visit in Berlin. It turned out to be marvelous.

 

In St. Petersburg we took a two day tour (SPB) that was intense but well worth it. Helsinki has a market at the docks and it is really nice. In Copenhagen be sure to take the canal tour from Nyhavn. We stayed pre-cruise at the airport Hilton that is a convenient train ride to the center and very nice.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Stratheden, we will be on the Noordam in March Auckland/Sydney.

Edited November 9, 2015 by jmps

[RetiredMustang]

Yes, it is a great itinerary. We hope to do a similar one in 2018 (hopefully St. Petersburg will still be an option).We have not taken the Baltic portion, but have done three Voyage of the Vikings cruises, in 2009 from Copenhagen, in 2011 from Dover, and in 2013 from Amsterdam. It is a very special crossing.

 

 

From the ports you listed, we have been to Bergen, Reykjavik, Nanortalik, St. John's and Halifax. In Bergen, we did a city tour that included a trip up the funiculare to Mt. Floien, for some spectacular views. You could go by yourself and have more time on top, where there is a restaurant. Alternatively, since this is the only Norway stop, you might want to look at excursions that take you on a boat up a fjord for some specatacular scenery.

 

 

In Reykjavik, perhaps the Golden Circle tour, which visits a lot of the highlights, or maybe a trip to the Blue Lagoon would interest you. We did the Golden Circle and enjoyed it, and hope to get to the Lagoon next time.

 

 

Prins Christian Sund is one of the special places on earth, with great high cliffs and mountains, icebergs, glaciers, etc. Nanortalik is a great place to walk about and the see the colorful houses, and the buttercups which seemed to be in bloom each time we were there.I did live blogs on all three crossings, and included photos on the last two (see my sig block for links), including a good many from Prins Christian Sound.

 

 

St. John's and Halifax are very pleasant stops in the Canadian Maritimes. We like both places a lot.

 

 

We have not been on Zuiderdam, but have been on sister ships Westerdam and Noordam. Our Viking Passage cruises were on Eurodam. They are classy, elegant ships, but the big draws are the large rooms, and the wonderful crew.

 

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

Dave

Edited November 9, 2015 by RetiredMustang

[sunshine3215]

Thanks EVERYONE,

 

I really appreciate all the comments, I did not start a roll call since I am really "not" going, I did not know if it would be "right" for me to start a roll call.

 

thanks everyone.

[Rosethorn40]

I did the Baltic portion (12 days) this past June. Would have loved to add the Voyage of the Vikings, but we are not yet retired and my boss would have had a fit, or fired me.

 

Anyway, It was one of the best trips ever, and I loved every moment of it. HAL, with it's smaller ships makes a great choice on a European cruise because it's faster on/off at the ports. HAL has top notch service as well. We booked many of our tours with Alla Tours, not only for the 2-day St. Petersburg, but for Helsinki, Stockholm (For 1st day only, 2nd day we did the HOHO boats), Warnemunde, and Copenhagen. We did the HOHO bus in Tallinn. If interested in seeing photos I have about 200 on my Public Facebook page, Journeys & Jaunts (Just go to photos/albums/Baltic Treasures 2015), or for a description of our adventures click on the link to my web page and our Baltic trip is under the Grand Tour tab along with a handful of photos.

[TeDaKi]

We did the Viking Passage portion this September on the Eurodam and I wrote a review of it (see link in my signature below). It might give you some ideas on the ports-of-call as they are nearly similar to the Zuiderdam’s voyage next year. It was the most fantastic trip and I'd love to do it again. Go for it!

[sunshine3215]

Thank you so much for your posting, the pictures are lovely, you inspired me greatly. I am so thankful, your posting was so detailed, exciting and inspiring.

 

thanks so much!!!