Live From the Sky Princess, 21-Day Norway-Baltic B2B, Jul 13 – Aug 3

[Ken the cruiser]

Day 16 - July 28 - Tallinn, Estonia  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

Tallinn excursion tomorrow - a Hop On Hop Off Tour booked with the excursion desk for $30.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 27 by Ken the cruiser

[dickinson]

We are packing to get on when you get off.  Do you know if they are still handing out the blue Princess bags?

 

Thanks

[Ken the cruiser]

3 minutes ago, dickinson said:

We are packing to get on when you get off.  Do you know if they are still handing out the blue Princess bags?

 

Thanks

We got 2. But we’re in a suite if that makes a difference. 

[ChattTenn]

50 minutes ago, dickinson said:

We are packing to get on when you get off.  Do you know if they are still handing out the blue Princess bags?

 

Thanks

We got 2 also and were in a regular balcony.

Edited July 27 by ChattTenn

[Familycruzer11]

13 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

@Esprit - Peter, after having a fun discussion with our DD this morning at breakfast, with her doing a more in-depth search than I did, I just wanted to let you know you were right. They were definitely Barnacle Geese! 😁
 
My photo

 

 
Photos of Barnacle Geese

 

  
Photos of Bean Geese

 

 
The website I originally searched actually had both in the same picture with the caption saying Bean Goose. Needless to say I won’t be referring to that website again! Thanks for keeping me straight!  😁

Thank you @Ken the cruiser for confirming Barnacle Geese.  We saw them in Stockholm and added to my lifer list - so I started to wonder if I added the wrong bird. Glad to know for sure.  

[Ken the cruiser]

We have arrived in Tallinn, Estonia!

 

 

 

 
BTW if you were on the below excursion in Warnemunde and didn’t get to go on the tram trolley ride like our Group 11 didn’t, we each were just refunded $29.99 back into our shipboard account for missing that portion of the excursion. Apparently, there were smoking brake issues that caused our ride to be canceled.

 

[PATRLR]

9 hours ago, dickinson said:

We are packing to get on when you get off.  Do you know if they are still handing out the blue Princess bags?

 

Thanks

 

We also got two the week before this, in a regular balcony.

[Malleykatt]

Hi Ken. 

We were also refunded for missing Rostock. My husband reported the brake problem you could smell them burning all the way round it was awful for my asthma.

Enjoying Tallin now.

[Malleykatt]

we passed this on our side and also a gun emplacement when we came into Stockholm the cruise out was beautiful until we hit the rain.

Edited July 28 by Malleykatt
Missed

[Malleykatt]

Found it we saw this a about 5 sailing into Stockholm early.

[Ken the cruiser]

Had a good time on the Hop On Hop Off bus just cruising around the city area. The whole loop, which was a modified combination of the above green and red routes, took about 90 minutes round trip from the pier back to the main terminal entrance, which as advertised was a good 200 meter walk back to the ship.

 
Sitting on the top deck waiting to leave. Luckily, I got there 15 minutes early, as it wound up being a full bus, both on top as well as on the lower level. I also saw a bunch of folks purchase their tickets on the spot using their Medallion. 

 

 

 
Entrance to the Old City

 

 
A couple of “undercover” Tallinn pigeons that didn’t want their picture taken. 😂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure if this “light” was a reflection off the window or something else. But it looked pretty cool! 😁

 

 
Had quite the group of Great Cormorants hanging out on this one rock!

 

 
One thing fascinating about the rocks along the coastline, practically every one had at least one bird on it. 😂

 

 

 
As you may have noticed, there was a storm brewing off in the distance.

 

 

 
Luckily, by the time I got back to the cabin, the storm had passed without dumping any rain onshore. At least I hope that was the case, as my DW, DD, and DGS went to the zoo instead. 🤞

 

Edited July 28 by Ken the cruiser

[joejoe 59]

I've been away on a cruise from the 13th until yesterday. Today I've caught up on your fantastic review, loved it.  We have a 28 night Scandinavia & land of the midnight sun cruise booked in 2026. You review has made me even more excited to do it, even though we have to fly from Australia. 

[Ken the cruiser]

5 minutes ago, joejoe 59 said:

I've been away on a cruise from the 13th until yesterday. Today I've caught up on your fantastic review, loved it.  We have a 28 night Scandinavia & land of the midnight sun cruise booked in 2026. You review has made me even more excited to do it, even though we have to fly from Australia. 

That is a long flight! I still remember flying 17+ hours from Dallas to Sydney back in 2015 and more recently from Cape Town to Atlanta. We’re in our early 70s now, and 10 hours is our new maximum. Well, unless it’s an awesome cruise where we can include a transoceanic cruise going or coming! But in your particular case, that would be quite the transoceanic cruise! 😂

[Ken the cruiser]

And we’re off! Next stop is Helsinki, Finland, with an early arrival now scheduled for around 11 pm tonight!

 

 

[TAW1963]

I work with the Fins and travel to Helsinki a couple times a year. Helsinki is a great city.    
 

Here is a snapshot of your ship coming into port at Helsinki.   Enjoy your visit!

 

Edited July 28 by TAW1963

[Ken the cruiser]

What a surprisingly fun evening after dinner tonight! First, as usual, we headed to the theater to watch tonight’s show performed by the Tap Step Brothers, who were fantastic! Who knew 2 guys with tap shoes could entertain a packed audience for 45 minutes with the crowd wanting more! 😂

 

 

 

 
Then we were off to the Vista Lounge to watch a tribute presented by the Princess singers and dancers to Jim Henson, the Muppets guy, which turned out to be another awesome show! 😁

 

 

 
But that wasn’t the end of the fun. When we got back to our cabin, we were just pulling into Helsinki!

 

 

Then the ship started backing in to where it was going to dock, and we were treated to an awesome sunset at 11 pm! 😁

 

 

Edited July 28 by Ken the cruiser

[Ken the cruiser]

Day 17 - July 29 - Helsinki, Finland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Here’s the 4-hour excursion we’re going on tomorrow to see reindeer! 😁

[Ken the cruiser]

Woke up this morning and went out on the balcony to see what Helsinki looks like from a distance in the morning.

 

 
While I was out there, this cute little Finland cluster fly stopped to welcome us. 😂

 

 

After breakfast it was time to head out on our excursion to see reindeer and to later explore the Senate Square in downtown Helsinki.

 

 

The drive to the Nuuksio National Park took about an hour.

 

 

 

 
Horses!

 

 

 

We then arrived at the White Reindeer Hut where we got to feed the reindeer! 😁

 

 
We were there about an hour, at which time we headed off to see downtown Helsinki, which took about 30 minutes driving time.

 

 

 

 

 
Helsinki has been the home port of Finland’s fleet of icebreakers since the beginning of the 1970s. Their job is to keep the shipping lanes open along the Finnish coastline even in the heart of winter, when the Baltic Sea is often covered by a thick layer of ice. I know, who knew the Baltic Sea would freeze up in the winter! 🤔

 

 

 

 
Local market square

 

 

 

 

 
A Buff-Tailed Bumblebee on the move to the next flower! 😁

 

 
There was an Army Day parade going on in the Senate Square when we arrived.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Look what we saw. More Barnacle Geese!! 😂

 

 
Then it was time to head back to the ship! 😁

 

Edited July 29 by Ken the cruiser

[Ken the cruiser]

OK, a Herring Gull and I just had a bonding moment on the balcony and thought you would enjoy it as well! 😁

 

It’s just cruising along

 

 

Then all of a sudden I get the “What are you looking at” look! 
 

 
Then it drifts a little closer.

 

 

 

 
Now it’s the “You want some of this!” look. 😂

 

 

Then it’s time for a little peek-a-boo. Where’s Ken? Where’s Ken?

 

 
There he is! 😂

 

 
It’s really getting close now! Probably wondering why I haven’t given him any of the apple I was eating.

  

 

 
Fun times! Like I’ve always said, I’m easily amused! 😂

[Ken the cruiser]

And we’re off!

 

 

 

Next stop, Visby, Sweden!

 

Edited July 29 by Ken the cruiser

[Esprit]

40 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

OK, a Herring Gull and I just had a bonding moment on the balcony and thought you would enjoy it as well! 😁

 

It’s just cruising along

 

 

Then all of a sudden I get the “What are you looking at” look! 
 

 
Then it drifts a little closer.

 

 

 

 
Now it’s the “You want some of this!” look. 😂

 

 

Then it’s time for a little peek-a-boo. Where’s Ken? Where’s Ken?

 

 
There he is! 😂

 

 
It’s really getting close now! Probably wondering why I haven’t given him any of the apple I was eating.

  

 

 
Fun times! Like I’ve always said, I’m easily amused! 😂

Come on Ken, you can secretly admit to me you fed it. I won't tell anyone! 😉

[Muckyduckway]

The gulls in Helsinki are famous for swiping food right out of your hands (they have nets over the eating areas at the food market to help increase the odds of being able to finish your lunch). 

[Norwaylady]

Seems like your having a tuff time in the Baltics🤣😅

Enjoy Visby (its a super cute place) Yes CUTE🥰

Have a fika and enjoy☕

[Ken the cruiser]

48 minutes ago, Esprit said:

Come on Ken, you can secretly admit to me you fed it. I won't tell anyone! 😉

Nope! I’m a good boy! I learned my lesson when we were in a HAL aft-facing cabin leaving Flam when my DW saw me feeding the gulls pieces of an oatmeal cookie. I subsequently learned that was a big no no, and haven’t fed them since! 😂