My 14 night Baltic cruise during the summer of 2015 with Royal Caribbean on the Serenade Seas was two different experiences. The Ports of Call and the ship herself were a 5 Star experience. Royal Caribbean as a company provided a 1 Star Experience…below WOW!
The ship has a capacity of 2,500 passengers and 900 crew. This was my 2nd Cruise after my Mediterranean cruise on a competitor’s ship with 4,000 passengers. You could regularly see late at night teams keeping the ship clean and in good repair. This team is top notch! We had our luggage within an hour of checking into our room. One night we had to call to have the balcony cleaned thanks to shipmates from above and they came with a team and address the issue right away. There were teams providing upkeep constantly. All areas were well maintained except the early closure of the hot tubs early…and the spa never picked up after the towels. But otherwise...great experience.
We choose this cruise as no one had a better itinerary (3 days in St. Petersburg with only 1 day at sea). It was also nice as we ventured into some rarely visited port towns that made the trip extra special (i.e. Berlin, Klaipeda, Frederica, Riga, Helsinki, etc.). Regarding Russia: you have 2 travel options a) Russia Travel Visa or b) Tour Visa. If you’re in Russia for less than 72 hours and are with a guide you can avoid the expensive and long government Visa...the other process is expensive and takes 3 months.
Close to the back of the boat which was really stable for those with Sea Sickness. Clean, fairly updated with everything in working order. Very little rust or age showing on these rooms. Overall, facility was clean and comfortable. Very quite...we would even need to open our doors to hear the captain over the intercom
$20 cab to from the pier to city. Resisted Vassa Museum but was really glad I visited. City Hall is a must do with the Nobel Peace Prize connection. The old town was very lively and place to get lost for a couple of hours. Very hard to find Swedish food...although plenty of Italian restaurants.
A couple of churches and the island that was a fort was fun. There is a market and is a must do for food and souvenirs. But hands down...buy FUR...buy FUR...by FUR! It's supper cheap and you won't find a better selection throughout the Baltics.
This is an underrated city within Europe. Great city vibe that pulls you in. Thriving Monarchy with a real Queen. Sites include Round Tour, Royal Palace, Canal Tour, Tivoli, etc. The little mermaid was small...not sure why everyone flocks to this thing. Polish street food is interesting where there serve hot dogs in a bun in the shape of a cup...interesting and its fun ordering as they speak no english at all! Must do city...avoid...avoid...avoid the Hop on/Hop Off bus (it was horrible)