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Welcome onboard a Baltic cruise

1st April 2008 Print

A cruise simply takes out all the hassle of travelling and planning. Step onboard one of the world’s leading cruise liners and enjoy the comfort a cruise holiday offers.

Take advantage of all the amenities on a ship, the pampering by the friendly crew, a variety of menus and fun evening entertainment each day. Many ships offer on board beauty and health treatments in addition to just relaxing on deck and meeting new friends. Most of all, a cruise holiday is guaranteed to giving you new holiday experiences and memories to treasure for life.

A Baltic cruise holiday brings you colourful traditions, architectural splendours and culture-rich cities to explore. You will visit many different destinations not just in one country, but maybe in 4-5 countries in one single holiday. The ten countries around the Baltic are rich in history, thriving cultural life and excellent food. You can discover imperial palaces, onion-domed churches, medieval cobbled streets and gabled houses in an exciting mixture with contemporary design and cutting edge modern architecture.

Here are just some examples of what you might see this year:

Finland: In Helsinki, see the Sibelius Monument, dedicated to the nation’s most famous composer and Temppeliaukio Church, which was blasted out of a rock and then make time to go shopping in Mannerheim street for classic Finnish design.

Sweden: Stockholm, its City Hall is where the Nobel Prize ceremony takes place each year. Never miss a chance to see the perfectly preserved Vasa, a magnificent war ship which sadly sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. It can these days be seen in its full glory in a purpose built museum.

Russia: St Petersburg’s famous attractions include the Hermitage, housing Russia’s largest collection of Art and St Isaac’s Cathedral, which has one of the largest domes in the world, covered in gold. Some cruise liners offer a trip to Peterhof, a town of palaces, fountains and parks and once a summer residence of the Tsars.

Estonia: Tallin – a wonderfully preserved capital, now declared a UNESCO world heritage site. See the lovely view from Upper Tallin and the Dome Cathedral, then walk down to Lower Tallin with its many medieval guild houses.

Latvia: Riga – take a walk through Vecriga, Old Riga and soak in the
atmosphere of this beautiful city. Then get an aerial view from the top
of St Peter’ Church dating back to 1209 (there is a lift!). Explore Riga Castle and the Latvian History Museum before a coffee break maybe at the
colourful Dome Square.

Lithuania: Klaipeda - The area around Klaipeda is filled with natural beauty. On the way to the city of Klaipeda, you will have a chance to take photos of some magnificent sand dunes. Tours tend to include a visit to the beautiful Botanical Park and the Amber Museum at Palange. Amber is known as the ‘Gold of the Baltic’, and makes a great souvenir of a Baltic cruise.

Poland: Gdynia – Gdynia was once a fishing village but is today a busy port. A coach journey takes passengers to Gdansk, city destroyed in the war but now restored and presents buildings of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. Maybe Gdansk is most known for its shipyard, where the Solidarity. Movement started in 1980, now commemorated with a 42 meter tall monument. A walk through the Old Town is a must, taking in the elaborate house facades and ornate gables.

Germany: Rostock. The historical Hanseatic town of Rostock, one of Germany’s most important cruise ports, gives easy access to the seaside resort of Warnemünde with its wide sandy beach and promenade, fish market and picturesque fishermen’s cottages. The maritime festival “Hanse Sail” is just one of the many event highlights. And the capital Berlin with its fascinating history and sights is just a train journey away.

Denmark: Copenhagen. Visit the charming Nyhavn canal are, see the Little Mermaid resting on her rock and make sure to spend some time in Tivoli Gardens, founded in 1843, filled with flowers and offering a range of entertainment. The Royal Copenhagen porcelain store is a ‘port of call’ on any visit to the Danish capital.

Norway: Oslo - See the Holmenkollen ski arena, the Vigeland sculpture park, and the Kon-Tiki Museum housing i.e. Thor Heyerdahl’s papyrus ship, the Ra ll, in which he and his team crossed the Atlantic in 1970. Then on to see different sea vessels at the famous Viking ship museum.

This is just some quick examples, as 19 destinations in 10 countries have
joined forces to make it easy for you to choice your cruise in the region.

Just go to Cruisebaltic.com where you find the full facts and details of cruise lines and destinations. The only snag is for you to find the dates to fit a Baltic Cruise into your diary for 2008.

Don’t delay! There has been a steep rise in Baltic cruises over the last few years. The long summer days ensure that you can get as much as possible out of your dream cruise. Temperatures in the summer months are similar or warmer than here in the UK, making May-September the ideal time to go.