what to pack for first time baltic cruiser

[mandy girl]

Help have only cruised in the carribean! What do I need to pack for a baltic cruise in June?

[KaiR]

Hallo,

 

it can be absolutely warm in the Baltic Sea (above 20 C), but rain and 8 degrees celsius is also possible. So you should pack for both alternatives. A good windbreaker jacket should be in your luggage.

 

Europe is a little more conservative dresswise than the caribbean, so bring some long pants and not just shorts. Apart from that: wear what you like and have fun.

 

Regards

 

Kai

[smoothy]

As KaiR mentioned, some places you may visit (some tours stop at churches etc.) will require long sleeves/pants due to modesty rules. Baltic cruises tend to be very port intensive, I'd recommend bringing 2 pairs of walking shoes (break them in before you go) and depending on what stops you have, you'll need a whole mish-mash of currencies as many of the countries in that area have not converted to Euros yet.

 

As for weather, it can get very hot (when I went, temps were regularly 33+ Celsius/91+ Fahrenheit) but as it is a northern climate, it does have the potential to be chilly, especially at night. Speaking of nights, you are going during the white nights, so don't be surprised to go out on deck at 11:30pm and still have twilight :)

[msls76]

Saw your thread - I'm a first time cruiser going to Baltic in July. HELP!!!

[Ashland]

Just remember the Vatican..cover shoulders & knees ;)

[newport dave]

Just remember the Vatican..cover shoulders & knees ;)

 

Didn't know the Vatican had moved to the Baltics...;);););)

[newport dave]

Hallo,

 

it can be absolutely warm in the Baltic Sea (above 20 C), but rain and 8 degrees celsius is also possible. So you should pack for both alternatives. A good windbreaker jacket should be in your luggage.

 

Europe is a little more conservative dresswise than the caribbean, so bring some long pants and not just shorts. Apart from that: wear what you like and have fun.

 

Regards

 

Kai

 

Europe isn't more conservative dresswise, plenty of people wear shorts and T shirts in the summer. It's just the Baltics will probably be just slightly to cool for shorts in June.

[Got2Cruise]

Bring comfortable clothes, you don't need anything fancy. The weather is cooler than U.S. in the summer usually, one pair of shorts is enough just in case there is a heat wave. We did pack our bathing suits because we knew we would be going to the beach in Warnemunde. You definitely need a waterproof windbreaker because you will be touring rain or shine, and it is quite rainy in SPB. Long sleeve T-shirt type of tops were usually what we wore without a jacket, but had the fleece jacket and a rain jacket on standby in our cabin, and would bring according to the weather report in our bag.

[TLCOhio]

Help have only cruised in the carribean! What do I need to pack for a baltic cruise in June?

 

Others have given good suggestions. Since this is your first time cruising in Europe, I'll add more ideas to consider. Below is more on the weather in this area and how to get more specifics for each date and port. Dress for comfort, including your shoes!! Don't be packing too much and/or trying to put on a fashion show. You'll do lots of walking and the pavements and conditions can be more challenging here. Pack light and smart!! You've got super great opportunities in the Baltics!! Much, much more than in the Carib. Below are a few of my visuals as previews for what you can see and do there.

 

What ports will you visit? Don't be shy! Ask questions. The only "dumb question" is the one you don't ask. Lots to share and learn from previous travels to these great cities of the Baltics. Also grab, maybe from your library or a book transfer they can do for you, such good visual books such as Eyewitness, Insight, etc. Rick Steves, Fodors, Frommers, etc., can work well, too. No one travel book has it "ALL", perfectly and completely. These resources, especially the visuals one, can you help better figure out your priorities, in advance, for what you want to do and see. Here in the Baltics, you need to do more of this advance research and planning. This area is so different than the Carib where you might come ashore, walk around, do a quick tour available at the dock, etc. If you like any part of history, culture, architecture, etc., you'll love the Baltics.

 

Tell us more about your party size/make-up, budget, ages, personal and travel interests, etc. How much are you interested in history? Countryside vs. cities? Museums, food, wine, art, music, shopping, architecture, etc.? How much of it in a leisurely style versus fast-paced? Then, with more detailed information from you, we can make better, more specific suggestions on what best fits your needs and interests.

 

Here are a couple of other suggestions to help you and other future travelers. FIRST, scroll back through all of the earlier postings. You will see many different items on ports you would visit and/or at the board for each separate cruise line in planning for your upcoming cruise. SECOND, do a search on these boards by each city and you will see lots of postings on various subjects connected with each port stop.

 

Below is a little summary with specific weather history for each of the three major ports. Prepare for and plan on some "layering". The only thing certain is change, including cooler in the early am's and late evenings, etc. Warming up during the day. On the exact dates you be visiting, that info can be obtained by going to this below website, plugging in the location name and then going to the lower area for an earlier date to what happened there last year on that date, past averages, etc. Check out:

http://www.wunderground.com

 

Here are a few weather averages for these three key cities in the Baltics:

 

Copenhagen: High/low averages,

May: 59/45 °F

June: 67/52 °F

July: 69/55 °F

August: 69/54 °F

September: 62/50 °F

 

St. Petersburg:

May: 59/42 °F

June: 67/52 °F

July: 71/56 °F

August: 66/54 °F

 

Stockholm:

May: 60/43 °F

June: 69/52 °F

July: 71/56 °F

August: 69/55 °F

September: 59/48 °F

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 75,607 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 67,336 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Helsinki’s Church of Rock, or Temppeliaukion Kirkko, is carved out of solid stone with a unique contemporary design.:

 

 

 

Dancers marching in Tallinn’s festival parade near the stone towers of the famous Viru Gate:

 

 

 

At Stockholm’s Royal Palace, the changing of the guard is one of the key highlights and is handy, close to the next-door historic old town area. :

 

 

 

Fountains and water from the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg:

 

 

 

As we entered Catherine's Palace outside of St. Petersburg, here was the welcoming band.:

 

 

 

Private, personal tours can be worth it, especially in St. Petersburg. Here our group of four, with our guide, Jane or Zhenya from Anastasia, we are viewing one of the two da Vinci masterpieces (Madonna Litta or Madonna and Child) at the Hermitage after an early admission. There are only 14 such painting by this artist existing in the world. We did an early admission at the Hermitage, adding to the enjoyment in this spectacular place AND museum. It is both!:

 

[msls76]

Terry - thank you for your detailed advice! The weather website will be helpful, and I've already begun to peruse the threads of other cruisers for ideas, as well as reading Frommers, etc. Your photos are beautiful - that's a great hobby of mine as well.

Lynn

[MacThespian]

Help have only cruised in the carribean! What do I need to pack for a baltic cruise in June?

 

It's our second Baltic cruise coming (end of June), and the key thing is to be able to layer stuff. As others have mentioned, a windbreaker or a shell for the days when it's raining, maybe a light sweater if you need warmth.

 

I've found that relatively casual clothes work well (except for formal evenings on board ship!), but I'd dress a little more formally if I were visiting religious sites. Coat and tie isn't needed, but probably not jeans either.

[TLCOhio]

Terry - thank you for your detailed advice! The weather website will be helpful, and I've already begun to peruse the threads of other cruisers for ideas, as well as reading Frommers, etc. Your photos are beautiful - that's a great hobby of mine as well. Lynn

 

Appreciate, Lynn, your kind comments and liking my photos, etc. Glad to know you're a person of such high class, great taste and wonderful judgment to make such nice comments. Keep doing your planning and research!! It will pay off during your trip. Lots of great options to consider for here in the Baltics.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 75, 975 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 67,502 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Grammar Goddess]

Thanks, Terry for all of your good advice. We will be in the Baltics from July 28-Aug 17, beginning in Stockholm & including St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Copenhagen, the fjords, etc. Have you any specific suggestions for us [2 women, seniors] as to clothing to pack?

Thanks so much. :)

Connie

[Sinppu]

Hi everyone.

 

Jeans are fine almost everywhere (excluding St Petersburg). We are VERY casual and relaxed dressers here in North Europe.

Layering is essential. The weather can be anything from cold and rainy to sunny and very warm AND it can also change from the first to the another in an hour :rolleyes:

 

Being comfortable is the key. That also means that if you bring a jacket, have somewhere to put it if the weather suddenly turns warm.

 

Especially June is wonderful for staying out late on deck and watching the white nights. It's almost worth the cold and unpredictable weather we have :D

 

The weather can also vary quite a lot from port to port.

[Danish viking]

An American weather institute has predicted a warmer than usual summer in northern Europe, that does not guarantee good weather but a nice prediction none the less.

[Sinppu]

An American weather institute has predicted a warmer than usual summer in northern Europe, that does not guarantee good weather but a nice prediction none the less.

 

Indeed it is, considering that weather can be predicted only about 10 days in advance with any certainty :p

[TLCOhio]

Thanks, Terry for all of your good advice. We will be in the Baltics from July 28-Aug 17, beginning in Stockholm & including St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Copenhagen, the fjords, etc. Have you any specific suggestions for us [2 women, seniors] as to clothing to pack? Thanks so much. Connie

 

Appreciate, Connie, your nice comments and added information. Generally late July and early August should be pretty good, cooler, on average, but fine. Layering, having that sweater, jacket, etc., along and available for your trip will be important . . . just in case!!

 

As I noted earlier: "Dress for comfort, including your shoes!! Don't be packing too much and/or trying to put on a fashion show. You'll do lots of walking and the pavements and conditions can be more challenging here. Pack light and smart!!"

 

Then, you mentioned the FJORDS!!! Sounds like great fun, but that area does add to the need to be prepared, flexible, layering, etc. From my live/blog, you can see lots of details and pictures for these great areas. We were at Flam and Geiranger, plus Bergen, etc. Which Norway Coast ports and places will you visit?

 

See a few visuals below on your fjord, etc., potentials.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 67,502 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

You go on these Norway Coast cruises for the spectacular fjords. From the journey to Flam, Gudvangen and Sognerfjord, here is one picture giving you a sampling of the skies and views for these beautiful internal coastlines of the fjords.

 

 

 

This is the super scenic view from immediately above Geiranger that shows the Silver Cloud and Costa ships tendered. A little before this picture, we were to go to Mt. Dalsnibba as a photo stop from this 4,920-foot vantage for the snow-covered surrounding mountains, icy glaciers, crystalline lakes and Geirangerfjord far below. Here is this view, at a lower level, that provided a wonderful vista.:

 

 

 

After being tendered from Geiranger, we sailed out and passed by two super famous waterfalls. YES, yes, we saw lots and lots of waterfalls on this trip, but these two were among the “best of the best”. First is the “Seven Sisters”. Directly opposite in this narrow fjord, it is called several names, including “The Suitor”. The majesty for these feats of nature is pretty amazing.:

 

 

 

At Flam, there is the great, amazing rail trip. You can see here some of the fjord mountains, waterfall, spectacular train ride up the mountain, seeing the valleys, waterfalls, etc.:

 

 

 

 

 

This picture shows the Bergen Floibanen funicular railway coming up the steep hill with the harbor, fish market, etc. in the background of this charming Norway coastal town with so much great history and architecture. On the top, somewhat right, the Silver Cloud and Costa ships can be seen in the harbor.

 

[8 Bells]

Hi everyone.

 

Jeans are fine almost everywhere (excluding St Petersburg). We are VERY casual and relaxed dressers here in North Europe.

Layering is essential. The weather can be anything from cold and rainy to sunny and very warm AND it can also change from the first to the another in an hour :rolleyes:

 

Being comfortable is the key. That also means that if you bring a jacket, have somewhere to put it if the weather suddenly turns warm.

 

Especially June is wonderful for staying out late on deck and watching the white nights. It's almost worth the cold and unpredictable weather we have :D

 

The weather can also vary quite a lot from port to port.

 

What should we wear while visiting St. Petersburg? We have a 2-day tour booked to visit the major sites. Should we dress up? Just need to know what to bring! Thanks!:)

[Sinppu]

What should we wear while visiting St. Petersburg? We have a 2-day tour booked to visit the major sites. Should we dress up? Just need to know what to bring! Thanks!:)

 

Russians (especially women) dress very elegantly and always look their best. It is probably all right to have jeans on if it's cold but I just wanted to point out that they are not as casual dressers as the Scandinavians are. :)

 

You'll do quite a bit of sightseeing so at least wear comfortable shoes.

[newport dave]

What should we wear while visiting St. Petersburg? We have a 2-day tour booked to visit the major sites. Should we dress up? Just need to know what to bring! Thanks!:)

 

Did two days in St Petersburg last July, first day was nice and warm 24C approx, second day about 19C and a few showers. Saw plenty of people in jeans, so it's not a problem

[TLCOhio]

Russians (especially women) dress very elegantly and always look their best. It is probably all right to have jeans on if it's cold but I just wanted to point out that they are not as casual dressers as the Scandinavians are. You'll do quite a bit of sightseeing so at least wear comfortable shoes.

 

While in Russia and other places, some might "dress up" a little more, I would caution about trying too hard and packing too much. If you look a little (or lot) like a tourist, so what? It's hard to avoid!! Who really cares?? There are lots of tourists in these area. You don't want to dress like a slob, but comfort and practical should be your top, key objectives. With all of the airline baggage limits and on a long cruise, you cannot run and/or carry enough for a "fashion show". Have the "basics", enjoy your trip, be comfortable, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 67,664 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[JerseyJaguar]

With all of the airline baggage limits and on a long cruise, you cannot run and/or carry enough for a "fashion show". Have the "basics", enjoy your trip, be comfortable, etc.

I'm flying Icelandair to take advantage of their free stopover (figure a soak in the blue lagoon before heading home will be perfect after all the walking) and the extra bonus of flying them was that I get to take two suitcases no charge. Until I learned that I was wondering how I'd fit all the goodies from visiting seven countries into one suitcase.

 

I'm definitely packing stuff I can layer, a couple of cardigans, a couple of hoodies. I can't wait, three weeks from tomorrow our ship leaves!

[Sinppu]

My husband was warned by the guide in St. Petersburg that we were going to see a local church and that he would have to wear long pants.

 

This is what I meant with Russians not being as relaxed.

In Scandinavia no one would be frowned upon if visiting a church in shorts.

[msls76]

Good advice on dressing for the ports, but what about on the ship? Do we need to "dress" for dinner? My husband objects to taking dressier clothes on vacation. Is it really necessary to have a suit or sports jacket? Would a nice sweater do just as well?

[Starry Eyes]

Good advice on dressing for the ports, but what about on the ship? Do we need to "dress" for dinner? My husband objects to taking dressier clothes on vacation. Is it really necessary to have a suit or sports jacket? Would a nice sweater do just as well?

Which cruise line? Some have "formal" nights, others do not. On some "formal" nights are dressier than others. I have seen men in dress pants, dress shirt and tie on formal night on some cruise lines...on other lines they would stick out like a sore thumb among tuxes and dark suits.