In the past two decades, cruise tourism has been gaining in popularity among avid travelers. Indeed, in one trip you can explore several countries at once. And unlike bus tours, the journey will take place in the comfortable conditions of a cruise ship. You will not move from hotel to hotel, and your hotel will swim with you.
What a hotel there! Modern cruise liners are real resorts. On board there is everything for a good rest: swimming pools, restaurants and bars, gyms, cinemas, shops and much more.
It should be noted that tourists traveling by sea are spared the need to undergo lengthy migration procedures at the borders of the countries they cross. A cruise in Scandinavia does not even require that you leave the country to board the ship. After all, you can go on an exciting journey directly from St. Petersburg. And to return there, rested and full of positive impressions.
Scandinavian Cruise: Pros and Cons
The main advantage of traveling by sea is its comfort. We will talk about the classes of cabins on cruise liners and ferries below. But even the most budget option for living on board requires a private bathroom, air conditioning and the like.
The advantage of cruises is the fact that you can plan your trip yourself. After all, they are different both in terms of flight duration and in coverage of countries. There are cruises in which traveling by sea takes quite a small part of the time, and the main attention is paid to study tours in the ports of parking (and even bus trips deep into the mainland).
You can choose a flight only to neighboring Finland. But there is also the opportunity to make a cruise to the countries of Scandinavia, call in Denmark and even Iceland, and on the way back visit even the Baltic republics.
But the minus of such a tour can only be called capricious weather. You will hardly succeed in splashing around in the Baltic and North Seas.
When to travel
In principle, navigation in these areas occurs year-round. But Scandinavian cruises have their high and low seasons. The most enjoyable trip promises to be in the summer months. You can enjoy the white nights when the harsh but beautiful northern nature looks mysterious and enchanting. May also be favorable for travel because of the long daylight hours. In September, you can also embark on a cruise. This is followed by a decline in demand in this area. But in the pre-Christmas period (in Europe and around the world, the holiday falls on December 25), cruises again become very popular. After all, there is nothing more interesting than celebrating the New Year on board a sea liner.
Facilities on board
As in any hotel, the decks of a cruise ship are filled with cabins of various categories. The most budget option - rooms in the middle. For obvious reasons, they are devoid of windows. Budget cabins at the sides have round portholes, located at the very water line. They cost more, although all the other amenities in them are the same. On the upper decks are rooms of a higher class. Depending on the class of the liner, they have junior suites, suites and even suites. Those who like to travel can enjoy using apartments in their own balcony, minibar and advanced room service.
From St. Petersburg you can go on a ferry cruise in Scandinavia. How is this type of vessel different from a conventional liner? Only with greater speed and the fact that you can buy a ticket from one point to another, and not on the whole tour. As a rule, on ferries there is a deck for such passengers with seats. But in terms of luxury and comfort, the types of ships are no different.
What are the cruises in Scandinavia from St. Petersburg
Sea voyages are generally divided into two types: in capitals and ports; and natural beauty. Based on this, the cruise route will be different. In the first case, travelers will be able to get acquainted with the culture, architecture and history of cities such as Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, Turku. There are cruises that are not limited to Scandinavia. On board such ships you can visit Riga and Tallinn, Aarhus and Copenhagen (Denmark), Glasgow and Edinburgh (Scotland), as well as Reykjavik (Iceland).
The program of those cruises on the Baltic and North Seas, where natural beauties are paramount, provides for a trip through the fjords of Norway, a visit to the island of Gotland, the Frisian and Åland archipelagos.
Prices
Scandinavian cruise is an excellent ratio of cost and services. Of course, a sea trip will cost you more than a bus tour. But comfort is worth it. The price of a cruise largely depends on its duration, coverage, number of parking at the port. An important role in the budget trip is played by the class of the selected cabin. Meals (three meals a day plus snacks) are included in the price of the tour. Animation and entertainment programs are also included. The shortest cruise duration is two days. From Helsinki to Tallinn you can go for 70 Є per person, a tour of St. Petersburg - Åland Islands - St. Petersburg will cost one hundred euros per person. An eleven-day tour costs about $ 1,600.
Reviews
What do travelers say about a Scandinavian cruise? Reviews of such voyages are the most enthusiastic. Even if people just moved from one point to another aboard a cruise ferry, they speak out very favorably about the trip. The food on board is wonderful and plentiful. In addition, an entertainment program is constantly functioning, in which all passengers of the vessel can take part, regardless of cabin class. Some liners on board have a whole deck of duty free shops with a choice of products, like in a hypermarket. Bars, restaurants, night clubs, discos, gyms, saunas, pools - all the amenities are very difficult to list. Traveling on such airliners can be compared to relaxing in a resort hotel.