Royal Caribbean devotes the Vision of the Seas to four-day and five-day round-trip sailings from Stockholm, Sweden. The old town area of Gamla Stan is full of photo opportunities lined with cobblestone streets and 17th and 18th century architecture. The ports of call include St. Petersburg, Russia and either Tallinn, Estonia or Helsinki, Finland.
The Vision of the Seas was built in 1998 and updated in 2003. It has the feel of a medium-sized ship with a passenger capacity of 2,435. The ship offers intimate spaces, including eight bars and lounges and the viking crown panoramic lounge on deck 11. The adventurous passenger will enjoy the rock climbing wall on deck 10.
As of summer 2010, prices for the four-night cruise start at $348 per person, for double occupancy of an interior cabin. The five-night trip starts at $505.
Royal Caribbean
866-562-7625
royalcaribbean.com
The Norwegian Sun spends August with a series of nine-day sailings from Copenhagen, Denmark. The itinerary includes stops in Berlin, Germany; Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden and overnight in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Copenhagen's statue of the little mermaid welcomes visitors to this pedestrian-friendly city. The royal winter home of Amalienborg Palace is a favorite tourist spot, as is Tivoli Gardens amusement park.
The Sun was built in 2001 and refurbished in 2004. The ship holds just under 2,000 passengers. Dining and nightlife take center stage with 13 different restaurants and ten bars, along with lounges and a casino to keep guests entertained between port stops.
As of summer 2010, the average per person cost for double occupancy of an inside cabin was $1,149.
Norwegian Cruise Line
866-234-7350
ncl.com
The Emerald Princess features three 11-day sailings in August. Like the Sun, the Emerald Princess departs round-trip from Copenhagen. These sailings add Aarhus, Denmark and Oslo, Norway to the list of stops for a total of seven ports of call. Both Denmark and Norway are rich with medieval history. Oslo features historic Viking museums set against the modern sculptures in Frogner Park.
The Emerald Princess is the new kid on the Baltic block, built in 2007. The ship's capacity of over 3,000 also makes it one of the largest in the region. More than 900 of the ship's cabins have a balcony; guests can also watch movies on deck under the stars or hide from the kids in the adults' only area called the Sanctuary.
Summer 2010 prices for the August trips vary between $1,890 and $2,090 per person, for double occupancy of an inside cabin. Balcony staterooms average $3,000 per person.
Princess Cruises
800-774-6237
princess.com
