Need help to choose Stockholm shore excursion from MSC Poesia (July 2024)

[Sphera]

We will be on MSC Poesia cruise in Northern Europe in July 2024. We are considering ONE DAY IN THE SWEDISH CAPITAL excursion. It is as 6-hour excursion, but the itinerary is poorly written. It mentions City Hall (1 hour), then 30-minute guided walk around the old town, then 1 hour visit to the Vasa Museum.

Where are the rest of the 6-hour excursion spent on? Has anyone taken this tour before and can comment on it? Does it also include Royal Palace or other attractions?

Thank you!

[dfilpus]

It can take an hour or more to get from the cruise port to central Stockholm. So you have to allow for two hours transport to and from town and another hour to get from old town to the Vasa Museum. You will spend half the tour on the bus. 

[kitkat343]

We had a 3 year old with us on our Baltic cruise, and were able to easily DIY through Stockholm.  It wasn't to save money - there is so much to see in Stockholm, and we wanted to control the itinerary so we could see the absolute highlights.  You'll want to try to get to Vasa as soon as it opens (its really empty then and got really crowded when we were leaving), and bear in mind that Stockholm has excellent public transportation so you can easily traverse the city via subway, buses, trams and (my favorite) ferries.  I'd recommend researching what you really want to see and just visiting those sites because there really is so much to choose from in Stockholm.  

Edited June 23 by kitkat343

[Thejuggler]

The extra time is getting to, from the centre and the time to get between the different sights.  An hour at Vasa really isn't enough if you want to appreciate it.

[dronnygirl]

Do you know where you will dock? We were in Stockholm last month and getting  around is very easy especially from Stadsgarden

[Desdichado62]

Your ship will be berthed at Frihamnen berth F638 on Thursday 1 August from 09.00  - 18.00.
Wasa should be your top priority followed by Old Town and City hall.

There is a public bus that leaves every 15 minutes (Destination sign says Norra Hammarbyhamnen) from Frihamnen stop to Djurgårdsbron stop, then walk across the bridge to Vasa museum  Bus departs 09.13, 09.28, 09.43 and so on

 

From Vasa to Old Town, just walk along the water to Allmänna gränd and take harbour ferry 82 (Djurgårdsfärjan) to Old Town.

 

Going back from Old Town to the ship you can use the same bus (but in the opposite direction, destination sign says Ropsten) and get off at Frihamnen.

 

If you feel you have the time to spare you can take commuter ferry line 80 from Nybroviken to Frihamen (Destination sign will say Ropsten)

 

All underlined text are clickable links.

Edited July 8 by Desdichado62

[John Bull]

On 7/8/2024 at 4:40 PM, Desdichado62 said:

Your ship will be berthed at Frihamnen berth F638 on Thursday 1 August from 09.00  - 18.00.

 

 

That's the important bit. 

 

Frihamnen isn't as convenient as Stadtsgarden mentioned by @Donnygirl but it's only a short drive or bus ride to the centre.

You don't need an excursion, the centre of Stockholm is very easy to DIY, especially if you use the ho-ho boats.

Make the Vasa ship/museum your first stop - it gets very busy.

After that Gamla Stan, which is the old part of town, and adjacent Royal Palace.

Be aware that since MSC is multi-cultural, English-speaking tours may be combined with another in a dual-language tour.

 

BTW, the sail into Stockholm is one of the best in the world, literally hours of squeezing between islands so close than you feel you can reach out & touch the trees.

Some ships are too big & unwieldy to sail thro that archipelago of islands, and have to berth at Nynashamn, on the coast - hence the reference to an hour's travel to the city.

 

JB 🙂