A visit to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia is a highlight of any Baltic cruise. Holland America Line, which operates several Baltic itineraries, offers a four-hour excursion to the museum, a former palace that contains 353 rooms filled with art by Titian, Raphael, Da Vinci and Michelangelo, among others.
Holland America
hollandamerica.com
During its call at Helsinki, Finland, Holland America Line offers 20 different shore excursions. Among these is a full-day journey north across the Arctic Circle to Lapland and Santa Claus Village. The 9.5-hour tour begins with an hour flight from Helsinki to the Lapland city of Rovaniemi. Upon arrival, guests take a boat ride through the city, visit a reindeer farm and attend a Lapland dance performance. Before departing for Helsinki and the ship, the tour makes a stop at Santa Claus Village, where guests can get their pictures taken with Santa himself.
Holland America
hollandamerica.com
The Polish shipping port of Gdansk is another popular stop on Baltic cruises. Princess Cruises, another Baltic cruise operator, offers a 5.5-hour Solidarity tour of the city. Guests visit the former Lenin Shipyard, the birthplace of Solidarity. The tour continues with a walking tour of the old town, including the site where World War II began, and concludes with a visit to the Roads to Freedom, an exhibit about the Solidarity movement.
Princess Cruises
princesscruises.com
Copenhagen is called the "Venice of the North" because of its numerous canals. Princess Cruises gives guests an opportunity to explore this aspect of the city on their Copenhagen Canal tour. The 50-minute cruise in a glass-domed vessel passes Amalienborg Palace and St. Savior's Church as well as the colorful Copenhagen waterfront.
Princess Cruises
princesscruises.com
