A Baltic Cruise Without St. Petersburg? A Port-by-Port Guide

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February of this year, the ripple effect was felt far and wide, including in the travel industry. Baltic cruises have long been a bucket-list item for many cruisers, with St. Petersburg the highlight of any Baltic itinerary.

Cruise lines and tour operators were quick to respond to the invasion, pulling both Odessa and St. Petersburg from Baltic sailings. The response from cruisers was equally as fast, with bookings for Baltic cruises – or anything considered to be in the area – plummeting.

As Helen Capra, a Travel Edge advisor we met on a recent Baltic cruise, told us, if St. Petersburg is on your bucket list and the cruises don’t go to St. Petersburg, “It’s pretty much not your bucket list anymore.”

But that doesn’t mean a Baltic cruise isn’t worth your client’s time. Even if it’s years before St. Petersburg is back on the itinerary.

“My experience has been that we had a lovely time today,” Capra said after a day exploring Klaipeda, the third largest city in Lithuania. “It was gorgeous and we wouldn’t have been here if we weren’t on a Baltic cruise.”

While St. Petersburg may be the crowning jewel in the Baltic, each of the many other destinations visited by cruise ships has its own charms. But many aren’t well known, particularly those in the former Soviet-occupied countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

To give advisors an idea of what today’s Baltic itinerary looks like, and why it’s still worth promoting to your clients, we’re rounding up the ports we visited on our recent 10-day cruise through the region onboard Oceania’s Marina, along with a few you may find on other Baltic region cruises.

Copenhagen: Known as the happiest city in the world, Copenhagen is a common starting point for Baltic cruises. There’s lots of history and culture to learn about and, of course, most visitors want to see the Little Mermaid statue. (Our 10-day Baltic cruise started here.)

Kiel, Germany: Kiel is the launching point for visiting Hamburg, which is about an hour away. Cruisers wishing to stay in the area can enjoy the botanical gardens or venture to nearby Laboe to see a restored German submarine U-995, a reminder of the city’s role as Germany’s main U-boat base during World War II. (On our excursion here, we visited a centuries-old apple farm and then traveled to Hamburg for a quick overview of the city and a taste of a local pastry.)

Rostock (Warnemunde): Rostock (and nearby Warnemunde) is another German port that might appear on a Baltic itinerary. It’s about three hours from Berlin, so ships often spend an entire day in port in order to accommodate visits to the German capital. (Rostock was not on our itinerary.)

Gdansk: A common stop on Baltic cruises even before St. Petersburg was dropped, this Polish port city has quickly become a staple. It’s so popular, in fact, that overbooking sometimes leads to cruise ships getting bumped as happened to us. With a history over a thousand years old, Gdansk is a mix of old and new and best seen with a tour guide who can explain the city’s complex history. (Gdansk was dropped from our itinerary.)

Klaipeda: Lithuania’s third largest city, Klaipeda offers a fascinating look into the history of this off-the-beaten-path country. Passed back and forth between Swedish, German, and Russian hands, Klaipeda is a microcosm of all Lithuania has endured over its long history. For clients needing a break from all the history the Baltic has to offer, nearby Neringa is a 60-mile-long municipality on the Curonian Spit peninsula that offers dune-side biking and wooded walking trails. (On our excursion here we walked through an outdoor statuary garden known as Witches Hill, where our guide explained the folktales that accompany the wooden sculptures.)

Visby: Located on Sweden’s Gotland island, Visby is a charming medieval city complete with intact ramparts, Gothic churches, and an Old Town you’ll want to stop in and have a beer in. Nearby Faro island, reached by ferry, is the former home of renowned Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. (We chose to walk through the town and explore on our own in Visby.)

Riga: Once known as the “Paris of the Baltics,” Riga is a modern city offering a mix of old and new including beautiful Art Nouveau architecture. Its Old Town is listed on the United Nations’ List of World Heritage sites. Like the other former Soviet Union countries, a visit here is enhanced by a guided tour. (On our excursion here we explored the tragic story of Riga’s Jewish community, both under Nazi and communist rule.)

Tallinn: A long-standing staple of Baltic cruises, the highlight of any visit to the capital of Estonia is the Old Town, both the upper section (aka Toompea) and lower section, which hundreds of years ago were two separate cities. It’s a great city to recommend to your clients for a lunch on land, with lots of variety. (Our butler swore by the Indian food in the main square!) (On our excursion, we did a walking tour of the Upper and Lower Old Towns, then ate at a pub before walking back to the ship.)

Helsinki: One of the most modern feeling port cities your clients will visit on a Baltic cruise, Helsinki is a great place for anyone who loves art and architecture. Another popular option is a tour to the medieval town of Porvoo, while clients looking for something more active may want to try kayaking around the city, which is surrounded on three sides by water. (We disembarked early from the cruise in Helsinki.)

Kotka: This Finnish city is just 30 miles from the border with Russia. Though an industrial city, a short drive away brings clients to beautiful nature where clients can do extreme rafting or relax on a lazy river, hike through a national park, or explore the archipelago in which Kotka is located by boat. Clients can also learn about the region’s maritime history and even Tsarist Russia at a fishing “lodge” built by Alexander III.

Stockholm: Another common starting and ending port for Baltic cruises, Sweden’s capital city is a bit like the Venice of Scandinavia. Built across 14 islands connected by 50 bridges, it’s a wonderful city that clients can explore on their own if they want a break from guided tours. Highlights include the royal palace, the medieval Old Town, the Nobel Museum, and the ABBA museum.