Baltic capitals (with Russia and Berlin) cruise

Land of windmills, bicycles, canals, and Hansa

I find the Baltic capitals 12 day cruise to be one of the most interesting cruise itineraries of all because it is rich in history, beauty, variety, and it includes visits to the hub of activity and seat of government of several northern European countries.  It is also an affordable means of visiting expensive cities.  I enjoyed my second visit to this impressive region of the world even more because I travelled on Celebrity Cruise Line in a concierge class room. The itinerary included visits to six ports of call, including an overnight stay in St. Petersburg, Russia, and four much-needed sea days.  If I had to do it over again, I would've spent time in Amsterdam, the departure city, prior to the cruise.

 

Here are the highlights of the trip:

A visit to Berlin, Germany a city that I still find to be one of the most interesting in the world. Not only is it the birth place of Nazism and rise to power of Hitler, but it served as the epicenter of the 40+ year Cold War. The remnants of our recent history, especially of World War II and Berlin's role, abound-- from the war-torn Kaiser Wilhelm Cathedral to the monument to the murdered Jews, to the iconic East Berlin traffic signals, to Check Point Charlie, to the Reichstag , to the memorial of the book burning, to the Brandenburg  gate, to remaining segments of the Berlin wall scattered throughout the city -- there's always something to stimulate the mind about horror, war, duty, paranoia, denial, resistance, heart break, and resilience.  What's most impressive is how the Germans take full responsibility for the horrors of the Nazi regime.  In this effort, they continue to build monuments to commemorate and enlighten about what happened.  I could go back time and time again, to explore all its museums, monuments, public places, and memorials. 

Our tour included visits of Museum Island, The Brandenburg Gate, The Reichstag, Charlottenburg Palace, the Holocaust Memorial, and everything listed in the previous sentences.  Bratwurst for lunch was delicious.

This time, I spent more time at the Topography of Terror Museum (comprehensive indoor and outdoor exhibits detailing the history of repression under the Nazis) and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews.

It is well worth the 3 Hour drive. from Port city of Warnemunde.  Both times I took a full day tour with SPB, a company that provides excellent tours of Russia and Baltic capital cities. 

Brandenburg Gate

 

Berlin Wall

Charlottenburg Palace

My second two-day visit to St. Petersburg, Russia was as enjoyable as the first.  This fabulous city, patterned after the great capital cities of Western Europe with royal palaces and gardens mirroring Versailles, should be placed on everyone’s bucket list.  Highlights included visits to Catherine’s Palace, Peterhoff, Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral, Senate Square, a Hydrofoil ride, the Palace where Rasputin spent his final hours (Yusopov), a canal cruise, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, typical Russian meals, and the piece de resistance: The Hermitage, the world's second largest art museum behind the Louvre.

Prior to my visit, again, I studied the lives of the Tsars, with a focus on Peter the Great, Catherine the great, and the downfall of the Romanov dynasty.

Hermitage and St Issac's across The Neva River

Peterhoff Gardens and Fountains

Matryoshka Dolls

Bronze Horseman

 

Sunrise and sunset cruising through the Stockholm archipelago of 30,000 islands and islets. 

Vasa Museum in Stockholm.  This was my second visit to one of my favorite museums in the world.  The museum actually houses the 384year-old war ship that sank during its maiden voyage in 1628, along with informative-interactive exhibits describing the raising of the ship in 1961, life on board the ship, naval warfare, life in Sweden in the 1600s, skeletal remains, and more.  There are even facial reconstructions of victims onboard the sunken ship, enhanced by modern technology, created from skeletal remains.  See http://www.vasamuseet.se/en/

 

View of Tallinn’s OldTown from the ship

Tours in St Petersburg, Berlin, Tallinn, and Stockholm.  HOHO bus tour in Copenhagen and Helsinki

Nyhavn

 

Little Mermaid-Mascot of Copenhagen

On the Stroget

Helsinki-Market Square

Tallinn, Estonia-City Walls

 

Life onboard the Celebrity Constellation.  It is a beautiful ship, newly refurbished, and decorated with eclectic, thought-provoking artwork throughout.  The food was well above average.  I had escargots EVERY NIGHT!  We loved the ship’s song and dance cast!

 

Escargots every night

Excellent guest lecturers.  There was a naturalist, Karen Dodd and a Harry Murphy, a doctor of Education.  They lectured on the Romanovs, The Berlin Wall, Alfred Nobel, WW II, Russian, Viking, Prussian, and Hanseatic history and culture, Amber, and even The History of Hollywood.  Karen Dodd delivered such impassioned and interesting talks that I would listen to her lecture on toothpicks.  She even invited everyone to join her from 5AM-9AM, up on deck, as we cruised through the Stockholm archipelago.  I learned so much from her about the Hanseatic League, the development of German vs. Viking societies, whales, and more.  Her lectures truly enhanced my experience. We replayed both speakers’ lectures several times in our room, on the Celebrity channel.

Our wonderful dinner mates.  Agnes and Richard from Ohio; Juanita and Ross from Portland, OR; and Jane, Don, and their 12-yr old grandson, Anakin, from Portland, OR

Don, Jane,Anakin, Karla, Joel, Juanita, Ross,Agnes, Richard

As before, the weather was pleasant everywhere--we only had rain in Stockholm and at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews (15 minutes, in Berlin).

7-country, 12-night Russia & Scandinavia cruise on Aug 24-Sept 5, 2012:

In 50 days, I will take a 7-country, 12-night Russia & Scandinavia cruise.   Of note, I took this same cruise on NCL two years ago.  I will use the same great tour companies for visits to St Petersburg and Berlin.

12 nights departing August 24, 2012 on Celebrity's Celebrity Constellation
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART Fri Aug 24 Amsterdam, Holland 4:30pm Sat Aug 25 At Sea Sun Aug 26 Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany 9:30am Midnight Mon Aug 27 At Sea Tue Aug 28 Tallinn, Estonia 10:00am 5:00pm Wed Aug 29 St. Petersburg, Russia 7:00am Thu Aug 30 St. Petersburg, Russia 6:00pm Fri Aug 31 Helsinki, Finland 8:00am 5:00pm Sat Sep 1 Stockholm, Sweden 9:00am 4:00pm Sun Sep 2 At Sea Mon Sep 3 Copenhagen, Denmark 10:00am 6:00pm Tue Sep 4 At Sea Wed Sep 5 Amsterdam, Holland 5:00am

Stockholm, Sweden from Baltic Capitals Cruise

This was our last port of call on our 7-country itinerary. I decided to take the NCL Stockholm by Land & Sea Tour (my 1st ship tour) because the logistics of going to Stockholm (using buses and trains) are complicated and time-consuming.

I met the group at 7:30AM for our 25 minute tender to the port of Nynashamn. From there, we took an hour drive to the city of Stockholm.

Stockholm is a beautiful city on 14 islands linked by 40 bridges. We began our day at The Royal Palace where we saw the changing of the guards. Then, we took a walking tour of Gamla Stan, the historic old town with cobblestone streets and buildings dating back 500 years. The narrow streets brim with bookstores and antiques and souvenir shops, and medieval cellars are now restaurants and cafés. The streets are so narrow that bicycles could barely pass through. The Noble Museum (of Noble Prize fame is located here).

I munched on a muffin and banana I brought from the ship (for lunch).

Next, the coach took us to another island to see Stockholm’s most popular museum, The Vasa Museum. The warship Vasa was the pride of the Swedish Navy. Commissioned by the King to hold two floors of guns, its maiden voyage was to be a celebration for the entire city. Instead, minutes into the voyage, it sank to the bottom of the harbor. It was 333 years before it was salvaged by a determined archeologist. The whole lifting of the Vasa in 1961, was televised live for the world to witness. More than 1200 objects including weapons, shoes, pottery, and tools. It is considered to be one of the most important events in marine archeology. I watched a 25 minute film on the lifting of the Vasa. I wish we had more time to explore this engaging interactive (new:1990) museum.

We completed our tour with a boat cruise along Stockholm’s picturesque waterways. The weather and sites were perfect!

I was impressed to read that Sweden is one of the most generous countries in the world, donating billions in monetary aid and training to nations in need as well as rewarding achievements in science, literature, medicine, and world peace. Her economy is considered Europe’s 2nd most competitive behind Denmark’s. Sweden is so aggressively developing renewable energy that it hopes to be petroleum-free by 2020.

Stockholm is clean, modern, and the people are very pleasant. Yes, they are very blonde.

Swedish Crown Princess Victoria weds a commoner

The bbc.com reports: Crown Princess Victoria married Daniel Westling in a lavish ceremony
Sweden has celebrated a royal wedding between Crown Princess Victoria and her former fitness trainer.

Victoria, 32, tied the knot with 36-year-old commoner Daniel Westling.

More than 1,200 guests, including royals from around the world, attended the lavish ceremony in Stockholm Cathedral.

The couple, who met in 2002, later rode through the capital in a horse-drawn carriage as tens of thousands of people lined the streets.

Victoria was escorted down the aisle by her father. She is first in line to succeed him.


After exchanging vows, the couple took to the same royal barge that Victoria's parents, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, used on their wedding day exactly 34 years ago.

The newlyweds were transported to the Royal Palace, for an evening banquet with guests from around the world.

It is Sweden's first royal wedding since 1976.

Guests attending the festivities include the Norwegian and Danish royal families, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Prince Albert of Monaco, and the UK's Earl and Countess of Wessex.

As Crown Princess Victoria's husband, gym owner Mr Westling has assumed the title of Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland.

Sweden's monarchy has no political power, but the king or queen represents the nation and greets foreign dignitaries

Baltic Capitals Cruise on the NCL Sun---- June 28-July 10

I decided to take another 12-night European Cruise in less than one month.
Specifically, I will visit 7 COUNTRIES: Denmark, (East) Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Finland, England, and Russia (overnight stay). 3 countries are new to me: Russia, Finland, and Estonia. Visiting East Germany will also be a first for me.

I am happy I will only have ONE flight—a direct Miami-London flight. The ship leaves from Dover, a port 2 hours from London.

I will take guided tours in St Petersburg and Berlin with a tour company recommended on Cruise Critic boards. In Stockholm, Copenhagen, Tallinn, and Helsinki, I will tour on my own. I am also signed up for the Meet&Greet onboard the NCL Sun, along with 64 others who are posted online. I have read many opinions and suggestions from 16 pages of posts.

I am especially excited to visit Russia for two days.

Interestingly, although 6 of the 7 countries are part of the European Union, only 2(Germany and Finland) utilize the Euro.

Baltic Capitals Here I Come!!