One of the most common concerns I hear from fellow travelers is that a cruise really doesn’t give you enough time in any one port, and they are not wrong. We started cruising in Europe in order to get a sense of what we liked and didn’t; a kind of sampler plate if you will….
Category: Port of Call
Cruising the North Shore of Germany
Most Baltic itineraries offer stops along the north shore of Germany. The ports themselves are summer resort destinations for German vacationers full of beaches, shops and restaurants but offer little to the adventurous traveler. Luckily they are gateways to two of Germany’s major cities. The port of Warnemunde is a 3 hour train ride from Berlin, the…
Port of Call – Gdansk, Poland
During our Baltic adventure our cruise director Marziana was from a small town in the southern part of Poland. She was as excited to welcome us to her country as we were to visit it. Before the port stop Marziana hosted an hour long introduction to common Polish words and phrases and her favourite polish food…
Port of Call – Klaipeda, Lithuania
Like Riga before, Klaipeda is a port that is not often found on Baltic itineraries. Lithuania is a relatively small country on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, and is surrounded by Latvia, Belarus, Poland and Russia. The country was occupied by the Soviet Union after WWII before proclaiming its freedom and independence in…
Port of Call – Riga, Latvia
Although there were lots of really interesting excursions for Riga a travel friend had told us that this was a walk-able city with an attractive Old Town and lots to do on your own. He was right. We spent our day wandering Riga and had an amazing time in this port city. It was a…
Port of Call – Stockholm
On our last Baltic Cruise in 2014 we were unable to stop at the port in Stockholm due to a storm. We spent the day at sea instead and I spent the day dealing with my first real case of sea sickness. It didn’t stop me from cruising and my desire to visit this Scandinavian…
Port of Call – Cork, Ireland
Located on the banks of the River Lee on the southern tip of Ireland, Cork is its third largest city and an excellent port of call on any cruise. Take this opportunity to travel to Tipperary, kiss the Blarney Stone or visit ancient Celtic ruins. You will probably disembark in Cobh, just a 30 minute…
Port of Call – The French Riviera
In the French Riviera the options are endless, no matter where your actual port of call is. You can choose to explore the port in which you land, or to take an excursion into the countryside. You will not be disappointed with the lush scenery dotted with quaint villages and all things French. We were…
Port of Call – Naples
Naples, in the south of Italy, is a vibrant, gritty city that is worth your attention for a day while in port. It is also the jumping off point for a number of other excellent destinations. I am always thrilled when Naples turns up on an itinerary as it means my choices are endless. Since…