🚢 Cruises in Scandinavia: what to do on board

Last updated Jan 25, 2025

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I sincerely consider cruises to be the most comfortable type of travel when traveling. If there is no seasickness, of course. And even then, from the experience of friends, I know that correctly selected pills solve everything.

So far my experience is limited to cruises in Canada, someday I will expand it to transcontinental. Because, I repeat, it is very convenient. Cars, buses, planes, trains can only transport from point “A” to point “B”. But on the ships you can sleep well in your own cabin, relax in the spa, listen to live music – and all this while moving along your route.

I’ll tell you using the example of Tallink cruise ships, whose routes connect Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Denmark and the Åland Islands all year round. I was able to visit 4 out of 6 destinations thanks to the airliners.

It's impossible to get bored on a ship. From the first minutes on board you will be surrounded by dozens of options for spending your time. Didn't have time to buy souvenirs in the city? Let's go shopping. Legs and back hurt – go to the spa. If you are traveling with children, there is also a lot of entertainment for them. And most importantly, each cruise will be unique in its own way. And if you choose or accidentally come across a themed one, that’s great.

Every evening there is a show program on the ships: a repertoire from a techno disco to an elite conservatory. Depending on your mood and fatigue, you can either “light up” or fall asleep on the table while listening to music (it happened).

I know that the Baltic ships have a Club One loyalty program, thanks to which you will receive substantial discounts on events on the ships, restaurants and activities in cities. But I haven’t tried it personally, so I can’t recommend it.

Usually on the road we only remember the views from the window; on a ship, even this option has expanded functionality. I recommend getting up early at least once and watching the sunrise on the deck – remember no less than new cities or shows.

Evening program

In the evenings you can sing karaoke or listen to local and foreign artists sing. Live music and performance, amazing choreography, dim lighting, restaurant dinner – an idyll. Sometimes there are specialized cruises with a separate theme, when costumes, stage performances, and the program change. I didn't get there, but I heard a lot.

There are DJs on board the ships, which means you can dance until the morning: different musical styles and tracks, popular and new songs, wonderful sound. If you get tired and go to the cabin, the music outside will hardly bother you; if it’s still noisy, free earplugs will help.

The ships' website has a schedule of performances by artists, which you can follow when choosing your travel date.

Nutrition

Meals can be ordered immediately when purchasing tickets for the ship, for example, included breakfasts and dinners, or purchased additionally on the spot. Options range from buffets to specific world cuisines. If you don’t eat sugar, meat, dairy products, or use a special diet, you still won’t go hungry. The ships traditionally have a large selection of restaurants, bars and chefs.

Shopping

Duty Free is resting. On board you can enter one store and leave another a few hours later. Cosmetics, perfumes, sweets, clothes, alcohol, souvenirs… Sometimes you can find branded items at great prices.

SPA

Swimming pools for adults and children, jacuzzi, private and shared saunas. If necessary, you can also buy swimwear, towels, and bathrobes there. After 30 thousand steps in Stockholm, the best solution is to soak in the jacuzzi with a glass of wine. You can order all sorts of skincare treatments, a cosmetologist or massage therapist, they can even do depilation.

Family holiday

Scandinavians are very fond of family trips, so there are traditionally a lot of children on board and a lot of entertainment for them: playgrounds, coloring books. And there is something for teenagers to do: board and video games, air hockey, various quests. You can even travel with animals if you follow the rules. However, in this case, someone must always be in the cabin with the pet.

Ships also have a “Surprise” option. It is actively used by people who celebrate birthdays and memorable dates on board. Even marriage proposals on ships are commonplace.

There are hundreds of options for different cruises in the world: both in terms of the size of the ships, the duration of the trips, and the program on board. There are even expensive six-month round-the-world trips, with almost separate cities built on board the ships. But even if you choose a daily trip from Tallinn to Stockholm, you will remember this trip for the rest of your life, I promise.