Baltic Sea Cruises — St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Tallinn

Overview

Why Baltic Sea?

Baltic cruises WERE among the most-popular European itineraries until 2022, when all cruise operators stopped calling in St. Petersburg (Russia) due to the Ukraine invasion. Current 2026 Baltic itineraries substitute extra Scandinavian ports (Gdańsk, Bornholm, Riga, Tallinn) for the lost St. Petersburg days.

The trade-off: less "wow factor" than the Hermitage/Peterhof day in St. Petersburg, but more time in Scandinavia and the Baltic states. Tallinn's medieval old town is a legitimate highlight; Riga's art nouveau is underrated; Gdańsk's old town + Solidarity history is excellent.

Viking Ocean's Homelands of the Vikings itinerary is the purpose-built Baltic cruise — 15 days, Stockholm base, cultural depth.

Typical price

$1,499–$3,499/pp for 10-night balcony

Best season

May–September only; peak Jun–Aug

Departure ports

Copenhagen · Stockholm · Amsterdam · Southampton

Ports of call

Where you'll stop

Copenhagen
Stockholm
Helsinki
St. Petersburg (Russia — suspended since 2022)
Tallinn
Riga
Klaipėda
Gdańsk
Berlin (Warnemünde)
Rostock

Operators

Cruise lines sailing Baltic Sea

Princess

Holland America

Celebrity

Norwegian

Royal Caribbean

Viking

Planning

How to plan it

Current itineraries skip St. Petersburg — set expectations accordingly
Tallinn is 90 min walk from port, skip the shore excursion
Stockholm archipelago scenic cruising is a highlight approaching port
Midnight sun affects far-north itineraries in June/July

Deals on Baltic Sea cruises drop soon

We're hand-picking Baltic Sea cruise deals right now across Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, and more. Drop your email and we'll alert you the moment the first curated offers go live.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.