Fall in love with the Baltic region on this 15 day small ship cruise on the Sea Cloud II. Begin in Hamburg, Germany, and sail for the coasts of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Finland, and end in St. Petersburg, the gateway to Europe from Russia. As you sail, marvel at the landscapes and ancient cities and disembark almost daily to experience the rich cultural heritage of the Baltic.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive in Hamburg and transfer to the Sea Cloud II. Settle in to your cabin and attend a welcome dinner as the ship sets sail.
Day 2: At Sea
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Day 3: Kristiansand
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Day 4: Skagen, Denmark
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Located at the northern-most tip of Denmark at the point where the Kattegat and Skagerrak meet, Skagen takes its name from the Norse word 'skaga' which translates roughly as 'to jut out'. Surrounded by long sandy beaches and two large wandering sand dunes, there is more to this pretty port with its photogenic warehouses on the harbour than just fishing. Drawn by the picturesque landscape and special light, artists and drop-outs founded an artists' colony here at the end of the 19th century, making the little fishing village famous overnight. Nowadays, the works of the Skagen painters are displayed in the Skagen museum.
Day 5: Copenhagen
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
With its countless canals, lakes and harbour basin, water is an essential part of this city. The Inderhavnen (inner harbour) runs through the royal capital of Denmark like a wide river before flowing into the Sound. Once the boundary between the western and eastern districts, the harbour quays have now become the heart of the city. Streets, alleyways, parks and squares all remain from the days when kings had them built. Each period of history has left its mark on the magnificent cityscape which includes several castles. In the midst of modern-day life, you can take a ride on a carousel in the Tivoli Gardens, follow the royal bodyguards with their bearskin hats as they march through the streets or visit the city's famous magical landmark, the little mermaid in the harbour.
Day 6: Christiansoe
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Day 7: Gdansk
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Together with the chic seaside resort of Sopot and the port of Gdynia, the old Hanseatic city of Gda?sk has a young and confident vibe. With its eventful past, the queen of the Polish Baltic cities was already prosperous and respected in the middle ages and was a flourishing trading centre for many years. Its reconstructed historic old town is a work of art in its own right with sky-scraping brick Gothic edifices and grand patricians' houses boasting magnificent façades and gables which betray Flemish, Dutch and German influences. Everything is overshadowed by the imposing medieval church of St Mary which is the world's largest brick church. In the golden Hanseatic era, the route formed by the famous Long Market and Long Street between the Golden Gate and the Vistula was the lifeline of this prosperous city, which continues to trade successfully in Baltic amber to this day.
Day 8: At Sea
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Day 9: Visby/Gotland
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Surrounded by the deep blue sea, the second largest Baltic island is bathed in sunshine during the brief summer months and has the look of a small country in its own right. Lofty crags, strange limestone formations, broad sand and pebble beaches and forests with wind-bent pine trees form a coastal landscape which extends for almost 500 miles. Similarly diverse are the island's astonishing culinary delights and Gotland's rich history which includes prehistoric sites, unique treasures from the Viking era and Visby, the oldest Baltic Hanseatic city which has remained almost unchanged since its heyday in the middle ages. The old town with its imposing 2-mile, 13th century circular wall was once christened 'regina maris' or 'queen of the sea' and provided a refuge for legendary pirate Klaus Störtebeker. Since 1805 it has been classified as a protected monument and since1995 it has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Day 10: Stockholm
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
On its Baltic side, Stockholm looks out to an archipelago of thousands of craggy islands while to the west lies the vast Lake Mälaren. The city itself spans 14 islands connected by more than 50 bridges. In the middle on the city island are the origins of Sweden's magnificent capital. Yellow-gold town houses, splendid Renaissance palaces dating back to the city's hey day and the royal palace crowd the old town of Gamla Stan, a heritage site boasting a medieval network of narrow cobbled streets which lead down to the water's edge. With a third of its area occupied by water and another third by green spaces, this cultural city manages to be both modern and traditional. Here you will find Nordic design, fashion, art, modern architecture, boulevards, promenades, royal residences, seats of government and no fewer than three UNESCO world heritage sites.
Day 11: At Sea
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Day 12: Tallinn
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The Estonian capital of Tallinn lies on the Gulf of Finland some 50 miles south of Helsinki. Known as Reval during the Hanseatic era, it was the most important trading port on the Baltic Sea in the 15th century. Those walking through the old town will find themselves transported back to the world of wealthy medieval townsfolk. Russian onion domes and medieval gabled houses restored to their former glory mark the border between east and west. The city's rich historic heritage, still guarded by lofty town walls, is under UNESCO protection. Today, Tallinn is a lively Scandinavian city with a very Hanseatic look, where the middle ages meet modern life.
Day 13: Helsinki
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The Finnish capital sits on the seafront overlooking countless islands and skerries off the coast. The centre is compact and charming. The protestant cathedral styled on St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg overlooks Senate Square with its magnificent neo-classical façades and reflects the splendour of a capital which once served the Tsars. Later, the middle classes showcased their national confidence in Finnish Art Nouveau, its curved lines oozing functionalism and modernism. Indeed in 2012, the trend towards simple, accomplished Finnish style earned Helsinki the title of world design capital. Above all else though, Helsinki is an ever-changing city shaped by the sea - a lively hub in constant flux.
Day 14: St. Petersburg
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Morning sun follows sunset, night falls only briefly and then an entire city is wide awake. The 'white nights' cast a magic light over this magnificent city forged by the will of the Tsar. Built largely on posts in the ground by Peter the Great in 1703, Saint Petersburg - a 'capital from nothing' - offered the Russian Empire access to the Baltic Sea and the west between the 18th and 20th centuries. The extremely impressive entrance to the shining gold city on the Neva River demonstrates the full extent of St. Petersburg's power. Built predominantly in the neo-classical style, the Hermitage complex which includes the Winter Palace where the Tsars once lived, dates back to Catherine the Great. Now one of the world's most important art museums occupies more than 350 rooms. St. Isaac's Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Russia, while the Church of the Saviour is a playful work of art in the Russian Art Nouveau style. The wonders of this former tsarist capital with 2,300 palaces, ornate buildings and castles are all listed as UNESCO world heritage sites.
Day 15: St. Petersburg
1 Breakfast
Disembark the ship after breakfast and transfer into the city or to the airport for your continued independent journeys.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
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Category F
Two portholes, chair, table, TV with DVD player, mini-bar, dressing table, closet, safe, individually adjustable A/C.
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Category E
Two portholes, sofa, table, TV with DVD player, mini-bar, dressing table, closet, safe, individually adjustable A/C.
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Category D
Two portholes, two chairs, table, TV with DVD player, mini-bar, dressing table, closet, safe, individually adjustable A/C.
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Category C
Panorama windows, two chairs, table, TV with DVD player, mini-bar, dressing table, closet, safe, individually adjustable A/C.
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Category B
Panorama window, sofa, table, chair, decorative fireplace, console with TV/DVD and mini-bar, dressing table, walk-in closet, safe, individually adjustable A/C.
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Category A
Panorama window, sofa, table, chair, desk, decorative fireplace, TV and DVD player, mini-bar, dressing table, four closets, safe, individually adjustable A/C.
Notes
Rates are based on double occupancy. A limited number of cabins can be booked for individual use for an additional charge.
This was our first trip to South America and we were a little nervous. But Adventure Life made things so easy! All our questions were answered before we left, and our guide, Vidal, was amazing! He gave us enough space to explore without rushing us along. He also knew where the best picture taking opportunities were, which was great.
Lindsay Gompf
TrustScore 4.8 | 176 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 176 reviews on
9 hours ago
Adventure Life is always an excellent choice when planning complicated, extreme, or exotic vacations or expeditions. They provide friendly professional services and advice and are enthusiastic and encouraging in helping us to prepare and thoroughly enjoy our trip. They handle all the details which greatly reduces the stress of planning a difficult trip. I'm very impressed with Adventure Life and definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Scott Trochim
2 days ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
4 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
5 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.