Luxury cruises
Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn and Helsinki in a week, with culture the whole way.
A Baltic week is a city break multiplied: Copenhagen, Stockholm's archipelago approach, Tallinn's medieval walls and Helsinki's design quarter, each reached overnight. It is a cultural itinerary, and suits adults more than young children.
Mid-sized luxury ships work well here because the ports are large and the days are long. Viking, Regent and Silversea all sail the region; we match the line to how much you want included.
Highlights
Planning figure for a typical week in a veranda suite. Final price depends on sailing date, ship, suite and availability.
Start PlanningBetter for teenagers than young children; Regent in school holidays when the youth programme runs.
Viking for adults-only calm and included excursions; Regent for the inclusive fare.
Best cruise lines here
Calm, adults-only ships with Scandinavian design and an excursion included in every port.
The most inclusive fare at sea, on all-suite ships that take elegance seriously.
Butler-served suites, serious destinations, and one of the strongest expedition fleets afloat.
Small, sociable, quietly luxurious ships, with a sister expedition fleet.
Food-led, country-club casual ships of around 670 to 1,200 guests at an accessible luxury price.
How to choose
Derived from our own ratings of the lines above, not from brochures.
Viking, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises are mid-size; Silversea and Seabourn are small-ship. Smaller ships reach the smaller harbours in Baltic & Northern Capitals; larger ones carry more for children and more dining choice.
Viking and Oceania Cruises keep it relaxed; Regent Seven Seas Cruises leans formal and traditional. Ask us which suits the party before anything else.
Viking, Seabourn and Oceania Cruises are effectively adults-only. Children's facilities vary more than brochures suggest; we will say which ships really have them.
Silversea, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Seabourn lead on food in our experience of Baltic & Northern Capitals sailings.
In pictures
Licensed photographs of the ports and the ships we would put you on, not brochure renders.
Connecting suites, different activity levels, dining that works for everyone, and transfers that suit grandparents and toddlers alike. The best family suites go first, so start early.
Further reading
Our own planning notes: who a ship suits, how many cabins to book, when to go.
The questions we ask a ship on behalf of a guest who uses a stick, a frame or a wheelchair, the ports that are kind and the ones that are not, and why the right cabin matters more than the right line.
Good to know
For teenagers who enjoy cities, yes. For younger children we usually suggest the Mediterranean or the fjords instead.
Don't spend thirty hours comparing forty ships, cabins, dates, flights and hotels. Give us five minutes and we'll narrow it down to what is worth considering.