Copenhagen-Copenhagen - Sept 8-22, 2023

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

We are currently booked on the Dawn Sept 22 - Oct 6 for an autumn cruise in Norway and are considering adding the previous voyage that has a 14 day itinerary in the Baltic Sea.  Last year Silversea cancelled all their Baltic itineraries on the Dawn for 2023 except this one which visits Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.  Looking for feedback from those who have sailed to the ports on this itinerary.  Thanks.

  

Edited January 2, 2023 by CruzinFeraBruzin

[Stumblefoot]

What kind of feedback do you seek?

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

1 minute ago, Stumblefoot said:

What kind of feedback do you seek?

Whatever feedback those wishing to provide to me regarding their cruise experience in the Baltic visiting these ports would be helpful.  This will be the first time visiting this part of the world for both of us.  With the exception of Germany, we have never visited any of the countries on this itinerary.  For those who have sailed in the Baltic and visited these ports, did you find them enjoyable and for what reasons?  I know this particular itinerary originally included St. Petersburg which was the highlight for many, but did you also enjoy visiting the other ports?

[jpalbny]

I can tell you that Helsinki was great to visit. We were just there in November and spent 3 nights. Compact and cute city with great restaurants and a pleasant sea front (even in the chilly weather). There's an offshore island Suomenlinna, a 10-minute ferry ride from the harbor, with pleasant walking paths and the ruins of an old fort. The town is easy to cover in about a half day.

 

One of the days that we were in Helsinki, we took the ferry to Tallinn and spent about 5h there. Plenty to see and do, and I wouldn't have minded another hour or two. Charming medieval old town with city walls, great architecture, and nice viewpoints from the upper town.

 

Copenhagen is well-known and worth some time exploring. It would take more than a day to do so, or at least one very long packed day. We spent a few days there independently back in 2018.

 

We will be back in Helsinki in June to embark on our next SS cruise. Very much looking forward to a little more time there, in a different season.

 

I don't know the other ports on your itinerary. I have visited Ronne once, in January (21 years ago) for a wedding. So my memory just may have been clouded by the amount of intoxicating substances which were consumed. I do remember my siblings deciding that it was a good idea to swim in the Baltic. I stayed out!

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

9 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

We will be back in Helsinki in June to embark on our next SS cruise. Very much looking forward to a little more time there, in a different season.

Thanks so much JP.  Enjoy your expedition cruise on the Wind - it looks awesome.  My adventurous  DH would love it but my first attempt at boarding a zodiac would result in an unintended swim in the Baltic...  

[pavementends]

I've done several ferry trips in this area although no cruise (yet). The Baltic Sea has lots of small islands, great scenery, and sometimes dramatic weather. If the ship docks anywhere near the ferry terminals, it will be a short walk to town in Helsinki, Tallinn, Mariehamn and Copenhagen. I think Stockholm center is close also. Actually I've been in Mariehamn and I don't remember much of a town. Should be good walks there however.

 

I have always enjoyed visiting Helsinki. Plenty to do near the port and other interesting things are a bus or tram ride away.

 

 Warenmunde seems to offer excursions to Berlin, but Berlin is a considerable distance away. I would do something closer.

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, pavementends said:

Warenmunde seems to offer excursions to Berlin, but Berlin is a considerable distance away. I would do something closer.

Fun, fun, city (Warnemünde) to just walk all around in.

[Balian65]

We have done nearly the same cruise last summer on the Moon and two other in the Baltics before.

 

Expect to see three modern capitals (Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen) with almost the highest living standard worldwide. They all have different but very relaxed flair. The most fun thing is to have an overnight stay in July during the white nights with summer temperatures.

 

Riga, Tallinn, Klaipeda and Gdańsk are all Eastern Europe towns that have developed a lot in the recent years and they all have a medieval history which you can see and feel and which ware heavily influenced by German culture of that time. If this is interesting fo you each city is worth a visit. 
 

Ronne and Mariehamn are old towns based on strategic important islands in the Baltic Sea. Not that interesting as the bigger towns mentioned before but they do have a certain flair. Same applies to Karlskrona which the exception that it is based on the mainland.

 

The least interesting stops in my eyes will be Fredericia and Warnemünde. No really interesting historical sites and the towns do not offer a special feeling. Berlin is a long way and not worth to do it in one day and there are no other real interesting things nearby. But maybe this judgement is influenced by the fact that we are living in Northern Germany and know the region too well.

 

Although this cruise offers a.lot of interesting places to see for Americans it has one major disadvantage. It takes place in September when the summer days are over there. And believe me it really does make a difference up there. 
 

 

 

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

12 hours ago, pavementends said:

Warenmunde seems to offer excursions to Berlin, but Berlin is a considerable distance away. I would do something closer.

Yes, I agree.  A full day bus tour with little opportunity to get out to see the sites is one we will pass on.  We much prefer one of the shorter excursions in the morning with an opportunity to walk thru Warnemunde on our own in the afternoon.   

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

7 hours ago, Balian65 said:

Although this cruise offers a.lot of interesting places to see for Americans it has one major disadvantage. It takes place in September when the summer days are over there. And believe me it really does make a difference up there. 

Balian65, thank you for sharing your thoughts.  We are considering the time of the year with regard to the shorter days and cooler weather.  We live in an area that is hot and dry most of the year, so this will be a welcome change.

[RetiredandTravel]

I disagree on not going to Berlin.  I have a keen interest in WW2 & the cold war history so IMO Berlin is worthy of a private guide.   With a quality private guide you can get a great feel for Berlin in a 4-5 hour walking tour.  Berlin is fascinating.

 

My favorite Scandinavian city of the "big 4" is Stockholm.  In a short stay I'd focus on the old city, Royal Palace & Vasa museum.  Skansen open air museum is also very cool but requires quite a bit of time.  Stockholm is a great city with wonderful people so try to walk around and get in a lunch and a beer.  Vaxholm a nice boat ride town.  September weather is fine.

 

 

[jpalbny]

33 minutes ago, RetiredandTravel said:

I disagree on not going to Berlin.  I have a keen interest in WW2 & the cold war history so IMO Berlin is worthy of a private guide.   With a quality private guide you can get a great feel for Berlin in a 4-5 hour walking tour.  Berlin is fascinating.

 

My favorite Scandinavian city of the "big 4" is Stockholm.  In a short stay I'd focus on the old city, Royal Palace & Vasa museum.  Skansen open air museum is also very cool but requires quite a bit of time.  Stockholm is a great city with wonderful people so try to walk around and get in a lunch and a beer.  Vaxholm a nice boat ride town.  September weather is fine.

 

Great perspective. We have been to the other 3, just have not visited Stockholm yet. If that's the best of the 4, we will hope to visit soon!

 

We spent 3 days in Berlin on our own, and still could have used more time. So I'd be frustrated with a long bus ride each way, for a short overview in return - if it were my first visit to Berlin.

 

You could certainly do a targeted visit to a part of the city in that time frame. But just as I wouldn't try to pretend that it's adequate to "see" Paris as a day trip from Le Havre, "seeing" Berlin from Warnemünde seems challenging. 

[RetiredandTravel]

59 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

 

Great perspective. We have been to the other 3, just have not visited Stockholm yet. If that's the best of the 4, we will hope to visit soon!

 

We spent 3 days in Berlin on our own, and still could have used more time. So I'd be frustrated with a long bus ride each way, for a short overview in return - if it were my first visit to Berlin.

 

You could certainly do a targeted visit to a part of the city in that time frame. But just as I wouldn't try to pretend that it's adequate to "see" Paris as a day trip from Le Havre, "seeing" Berlin from Warnemünde seems challenging. 

 

I agree but if I'd never been nor had plans to visit Berlin I'd get a private guide and do the 6 hour ride.  IMO its really a must see city.   We went to Berlin for 4 nights but found our 4 hour private walking tour from Potsdamer Platz to the Parliament building and back gave us a very good perspective on the history of the city.  We were lucky to have a great guide.  Modern Berlin is very dynamic & fun.   I also agree on Paris but the same rule applies. 

 

Cruising has many advantages but is greatly lacking in getting to best understand these cities culture, food etc.

 

You'll love Stockholm.

 

 

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

3 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

I disagree on not going to Berlin.  I have a keen interest in WW2 & the cold war history so IMO Berlin is worthy of a private guide.   With a quality private guide you can get a great feel for Berlin in a 4-5 hour walking tour.  Berlin is fascinating.

 

My favorite Scandinavian city of the "big 4" is Stockholm.  In a short stay I'd focus on the old city, Royal Palace & Vasa museum.  Skansen open air museum is also very cool but requires quite a bit of time.  Stockholm is a great city with wonderful people so try to walk around and get in a lunch and a beer.  Vaxholm a nice boat ride town.  September weather is fine.

 

 

We feel a visit to Berlin deserves more than the "stay on the bus" excursion Silversea is offering and we may look into a private car to take us.  I have visited several areas in Germany on my own, but have never been to Berlin.  My DH has never been to Germany.  We agree, there is so much history to absorb and the limited time we have, even with a private car, wouldn't do it justice.  This voyage has an overnight in Stockholm and we are looking forward to making the most of the time we have there.

[pavementends]

The question is not whether Berlin is worth visiting (it most certainly is) but whether a long car ride and a short walk is worth the trouble. Personally I dislike sitting for a long time, particularly in uncomfortable places like bus seats or back seats in cars. So I would look carefully at other options. After all, someone who is taking cruises is unlikely to make this (his, her, its) only visit to Germany.

 

By the way, if you DO take a short visit to Berlin you will probably need a guide to find one of the few remaining bits of the Berlin wall. THAT particular part of history has mostly disappeared.

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

12 minutes ago, pavementends said:

THAT particular part of history has mostly disappeared.

and THAT is a part of history that should NEVER be forgotten.    

[jillyf]

We did Copenhagen to Copenhagen with a B2B in 2013.      
We did a blog for family to follow our trip. It’s pretty brief but will give you a bit of an idea about some of the ports.  Ten years ( is it so long ago! ) may have changed places a little. 
Unfortunately Apple doesn’t support the website any more and our blog has developed some glitches. It’s best to click on archives to navigate to the ports you want to look at. 
 

We loved both trips and we are very glad we did the B2B. I think about half the people stayed on for the Baltic cruise. 
 

http://www.thefletchers.com.au/The_Fletchers/Norway_Baltic_Cruise_2013/Norway_Baltic_Cruise_2013.html

 

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

32 minutes ago, jillyf said:

We loved both trips and we are very glad we did the B2B.

Just glanced at your archive.  What a magnificent trip aboard the Cloud!  Thanks so much for sharing.

[caripoo]

I enjoyed all these ports...Sadly, the reason to do a Baltic is to see St. Petersburg....I probably would not book one without, but who knows how long it will be to get into Russia, so if you want to be on a ship more time, go for it.