Last Updated on 06/18/25 by Rose Palmer
I cruise for many reasons: to get some me time, to get pampered, and to enjoy unending views of the ocean are just a few of them. I also cruise to experience new destinations, which was why I chose this particular Baltic cruise itinerary. I have long wanted to visit the Scandinavian countries and the Balkans, and this cruise made that wish come true.
For two weeks, the Emerald Princess was my very comfortable hotel and transportation as I travelled from one location to another. I could not have seen as much so easily on my own, and in such comfort, or for such a reasonable cost (even though I cruised solo). This was a very port intensive itinerary with few sea days to relax, but that was fine since that was the point of this cruise for me.
I didn’t book any Princess shore excursions this time or take any other organized tours. I’ve travelled to Europe many times and am quite comfortable getting around on my own. Some quick research showed me that for the most part, we would be docking near the center of town where many of the interesting sights were located.
I did do some research before my trip to identify and prioritize what I wanted to see in each port. My “bible” was the Rick Steves Scandinavia guidebook which covered almost every location I would be visiting. I’ve used the Rick Steves books for all my European travels and have never been steered wrong.
On the ship, the destination expert also gave informative lectures on each port which provided specific details on how to get into town and what to see.
My Baltic cruise itinerary
This was a roundtrip cruise from Southampton, England, an easy port to get to that was just 2 hours south of London.
I always plan a few days before and after a cruise from Southampton to enjoy time in London, one of my favorite cities. This time I visited Highclere Castle (aka Downton Abbey), and the Chelsea Flower Show.
I chose this specific itinerary because it included stops in Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia, ports that were not part of all the Baltic cruise itineraries. My cruise was from May 8 to May 22. In general, we had good weather with temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s F (10 to 16 ºC). However, there were a few very windy days which did impact the execution of the itinerary as planned.
Itinerary:
Day 1 – embark in Southampton, England
Day 2 – at sea
Day 3 – Skagen, Denmark
Day 4 – Copenhagen, Denmark
Day 5 – Warnemunde, Germany
Day 6 – at sea
Day 7 – Stockholm, Sweden planned; high winds did not allow us to get into the port in Stockholm so we docked south in Nynäshamn, Sweden
Day 8 – Stockholm, Sweden planned; instead cruised most of the day and docked in Helsinki, Finland at 6 PM
Day 9 – Helsinki, Finland
Day 10 – Tallin, Estonia
Day 11 – Visby, Sweden planned; high winds did not allow us to dock safely at this small port, wo we had a sea day instead
Day 12 – at Sea
Day 13 – Kristiansand, Norway
Day 14 – at sea
Day 15 – disembark in Southampton
My Baltic cruise excursions
Skagen, Denmark
Pronounced “Skein”, this port town sits on the northern tip of the Danish peninsula where the North Sea and the Baltic sea meet. The ship docked just outside the center of town which was an easy 20 min walk.
I chose to take the shuttle bus from the dock to the center of town, and then a shuttle bus to Grenen, the northernmost tip. At Grenen, another shuttle pulled by a tractor took me through the sand dunes to the endpoint. I paid the driver for each shuttle with euros.
Back in Skagen, I just enjoyed strolling through town and people watching. It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday, and the locals were out and about in the cafes, shopping, and running errands. The yellow houses with their white picket fences and red tiled roofs were a perfect compliment to the crisp, blue skies.
It was a very enjoyable amble back to the ship, that included a coffee and pastry stop.
Copenhagen, Denmark
The ship docked at Oceankaj Cruise Terminal 3 which was located quite a distance outside of the city center. Princess offered a shuttle bus from the pier to the Orientkaj Street Metro stop. From there it was an easy metro subway ride to the center city and the main sights.
Hop On Hop Off busses were also available at the pier.I chose the Red-Sightseeing Hop On-Hop Off bus which picked me up right in front of the cruise terminal. The day I was in Copenhagen, there was a marathon going on and the center of the city was closed to all traffic, so the bus had a very limited route.
I got off the bus at the Little Mermaid statue and from there did a circular walking tour that took about 4 hours. My first stop was the Amalienborg Palace Where I saw changing of the guards at 12 noon. The queen was not in residence, so this was a pretty simple ceremony without a lot of fanfare.
After a pastry and coffee stop at Farumhus Bageri I walked the short distance to the Nyhavn canal area. The colorful houses and historic boats moored along the canal were very photogenic. The canal was lined with lots of cafes and restaurants, all of which were very busy.
Another 10 minute walk took me to the Rosenborg Castle and Garden. The statue of Hans Christian Anderson in the castle garden looked like he was about to tell a story. The inside the castle was interesting with typical royal décor: lots of portraits, ornate ceilings, and fancy doodads.
A 20 minute walk took me back to the Little Mermaid area for the Hop On-Hop Off bus back to the ship.
Warnemünde, Germany
Warnemunde was the gateway for those interested in visiting Berlin. I didn’t want to in spend 5 to 6 hours on a bus or train traveling to Berlin and back with only a few hours of sightseeing in a city that has so much to offer. Instead, I chose to just explore this lovely little seaside town.
The pier was a quick 15 minute walk to the center of town. This is a popular German seaside resort and despite the cool temperatures, it was already busy with tourists. Besides the two ships in port, there were also many German tourists window shopping and partaking at the cafes and restaurants.
If I had been so inclined, I could also have taken a train to the nearby port city of Rostock and its historic old town. The Warnemunde train station was close to the port, and in Rostock the train station was an 18 minute walk from the old town area.
Stockholm, Sweden
High winds changed our scheduled port stop in Stockholm. Instead of getting in early in the morning and staying the night in Stockholm until midday the next day, we had an additional sea day.
Instead, the captain and crew were able to get us into the port at Nynäshamn the following day which still allowed us to have a full day for sightseeing in Stockholm. A limited amount of shuttle buses at the port were available to take guests into Stockholm. There was also a commuter train available from the nearby station.
I chose to take the shuttle bus which brought me into the center of Stockholm in about 35 minutes. The bus dropped us off in front of the Opera House which was an easy walk to the island of Gamla Stan which is the city’s old town.
I arrived at the Royal Palace just in time to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony, a 30 minute show filled with plenty of “pomp and circumstance”. The ceremony also included a concert by the Royal Guard band.
I basically followed the Rick Steves walking tour around Gamla Stan, strolling through the narrow lanes, taking in the colorful buildings in the Stortorget Plaza, and enjoying a coffee and pastry break in one of the many cafes. Overall, I spent about 4 hours sightseeing, before heading back to the ship.
Helsinki, Finland
It was a lovely, sunny day discovering Helsinki, Finland. A shuttle was available from the pier which dropped me off in the center of town, near the Central Market Square. After exploring the shops, eateries, and craft vendors, I walked the short distance up the hill to the Uspenski Cathedral.
The Eastern Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral was designed and built after Helsinki became the capital of Finland in 1812. The inside was beautifully decorated with frescoed ceilings and walls, a large golden altar screens, and many intricate icons.
After an afternoon snack and beverage break at the historic Kappeli Café on the Esplanade, I decided to take a Hop On Hop Off bus tour. Helsinki is relatively young (for a European city) so was not big on must see historic sights.
The Hop On Hop Off bus tour around the city gave me a brief perspective of a very clean and very livable metropolitan area. I was also impressed by the beautiful and diverse architecture. The Hop On Hop Off bus also stopped at the cruise pier which made it easy getting back to the ship.
The day ended with a very enjoyable performance on the ship by a Finnish folklore dance troupe.
Tallinn, Estonia
I had read that Tallinn’s Old Town was one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe and was also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Once again, a shuttle bus took me from the cruise port to the historic Viru Gate, one of the entry points into the ald, walled city. From here, it was easy to amble around the historic lanes.
The Old Town was made up of the upper Toompea HIll and the Lower Old Town. I started with the panoramic views over the red tiled roofs and church spires from the observation areas on Toompea Hill. The top of the hill was also where the photogenic Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was located.
Tallinn’s fortification walls and towers were indeed well preserved. A few of the towers could be climbed and I could walk a section of the wall near the Viru Gate.
The central square which was a short walk from the Viru Gate was quite busy with its many bars, restaurants, and cafes. But once I went off the beaten path, I had the old, medieval lanes to myself.
My one day in Tallinn was everything I had hoped for. This was one port where I could easily have spent more time, taking in the ambiance.
Visby, Sweden
Unfortunately, high winds cancelled our planned port stop in Visby, Sweden.
Located on the island of Gotland, Visby is a UNESCO listed heritage site for its well preserved mediaeval architecture. I was looking forward to exploring the atmospheric lanes and the many photogenic church ruins. Oh well, hopefully there will be a next time.
Kristiansand, Norway
The last port stop on my Baltic cruise was Norway’s coastal town of Kristiansand. Not big on must see sights, but huge on ambiance, this was another town that was pleasant to just walk through and explore. A circular route took me past many of its scenic areas.
The ship docked near town and it was an easy 15 minute walk to Fiskebrygga where fishmongers still sell their daily catch. From here, I walked to the center of town and the neo-Gothic Kristiansand Cathedral.
My goal was the Posebyen neighborhood with its many traditional wooden houses. Then it was on to the 17th-century Christiansholm Fortress rotunda and a stroll along the waterfront park before heading back to the ship.
This cruise and its port stops gave me everything I was looking for. It was indeed a very easy way to experience a diverse selection of locations in the Baltic region of Northern Europe.
My Baltic cruise on the Emerald Princess was in May 2025.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose