The city center is a charming mix of old city walls and a large modern shopping centre. With multiple restaurants, museums, cinemas and theatres there is plenty to be explored. Time spent at embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited which may restrict availability of shore excursions.

Kiel is a port city on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast. In the old town, the rebuilt, medieval St. Nikolai Church hosts classical concerts. Holstenstrasse and Dänische Strasse are streets lined with shops. Along the Kiel Fjord, the Maritime Museum displays model ships and nautical instruments in a former fish auction hall. Cruise ships dock at the Ostseekai Terminal in Germania Harbor.

Surrounded by the sea and its own archipelago, Helsinki, the Finnish capital, retains its nautical feel with many sailing events during the summer. Exploring the fascinating sights of Helsinki, cruise guests will discover the city is also the country’s main cultural focus, offering dance, ballet, opera, and other festivals. The striking onion-shaped cupolas of the Uspensky Cathedral (modelled on the one in Odessa) are just one example of the Soviet influence on a country which achieved independence less than 100 years ago. Highlights of cruises to Helsinki also include some of the traditional Finnish building in the Senate Square and the North Harbour. Helsinki is a compact city – ‘a pocket-sized metropolis’, as it was once described – so it is easy to get around, especially in the historical centre. Or you can take the touring ‘pub tram’ and drink in the views, including the colourful flower market near the harbourfront. After months of dark, cold winter, it is hardly surprising that the Finns pull out all the stops to celebrate the genuine warmth of their summers with outdoor events all around the city such as the Coming of Spring, Midsummer, the Helsinki Festival, and the Annual Night of the Arts.

Surrounded by the sea and its own archipelago, Helsinki, the Finnish capital, retains its nautical feel with many sailing events during the summer. Exploring the fascinating sights of Helsinki, cruise guests will discover the city is also the country’s main cultural focus, offering dance, ballet, opera, and other festivals. The striking onion-shaped cupolas of the Uspensky Cathedral (modelled on the one in Odessa) are just one example of the Soviet influence on a country which achieved independence less than 100 years ago. Highlights of cruises to Helsinki also include some of the traditional Finnish building in the Senate Square and the North Harbour. Helsinki is a compact city – ‘a pocket-sized metropolis’, as it was once described – so it is easy to get around, especially in the historical centre. Or you can take the touring ‘pub tram’ and drink in the views, including the colourful flower market near the harbourfront. After months of dark, cold winter, it is hardly surprising that the Finns pull out all the stops to celebrate the genuine warmth of their summers with outdoor events all around the city such as the Coming of Spring, Midsummer, the Helsinki Festival, and the Annual Night of the Arts.

Estonia’s cruise port Tallinn is also a fascinating medieval capital. This multi-faceted jewel of a city and its architecture – a legacy of Teutonic, Polish and Russian rule – will have your eyes on stalks. From the spectacular onion domes of the Nevski Russian Orthodox Cathedral to the Baroque Toompea Castle (home of the Estonian Parliament) and the elaborate Gothic façade of the 13th century Raekoda, Europe’s oldest town hall, all can be explored from our Tallinn cruises. Another highlight of a Tallinn cruise is the magnificent St Mary’s Cathedral, with its display of more than 100 coats of arms – but do take time out just to stroll the winding streets and cobbled squares of the city’s atmospheric old town, where you will find exquisite amber jewellery, fine lacework and gorgeous woollen jackets at bargain prices. Visit the workshops in Catherine’s Passage to watch artisans creating leatherwork, jewellery and ceramics, or simply retire to a pavement cafe and relax while enjoying alfresco performances from brass bands, string quartets and strolling players.

A small but perfectly formed Hanseatic town, no wonder Visby is described as the ‘Pearl of the Baltic’ or, even more evocatively, as the ‘town of roses and ruins’. This popular Swedish cruise port on the west coast of the Baltics largest island, Gotland, was once a Viking trading post but it later developed into the Baltics main Hanseatic centre between the 12th and 14th centuries. Embark on one of our cruises to Visby and you will discover more than 200 warehouses and wealthy merchants stone dwellings from that time remain within its two-mile long medieval walls, making it the best-preserved fortified commercial settlement in northern Europe and earning it World Heritage site status. From here, your Visby cruise tour will take you on a stroll through rose-scented alleyways to the lovely Botanical Gardens. Visby bring cruises here a mixture of ancient and modern, with plenty of lively cafes and interesting shops to go with the living history and fascinating selection of museums.

Alongside the Baltic Sea, on the beautiful west coast of Lithuania lies Klaipėda. This cruise destination is brimming with bays and beaches, an interesting array of sand dunes, shops and shipyards offering something to suit every taste. The lovingly restored old town bring cruises to Klaipėda a unique atmosphere and allure. Antique lampposts appear on every corner and half-timbered buildings stand much as they did 100-200 years ago, among stone-paved sidewalks and cosily hidden courtyards. At its heart is Teatro Square named after the ornate Neoclassical theatre building on its northern side. Embark on one of our Klaipėda cruises and treat yourself to a truly exclusive experience.

The 587 square kilometre Danish island of Bornholm lies in the middle of the Baltic Sea. Its geologically diverse landscape combines features found on close neighbours Sweden, Finland and Denmark; from craggy bedrocks in the north, to white sand beaches and sand dunes in the south.

Whether you’re an art buff or a fan of Mother Nature, Denmark’s second largest city Aarhus has something to offer to everyone. Much of its vibrant social scene centres on the thriving waterfront area of Vadestedet and in the city itself you’ll find pedestrianised shopping streets interwoven with narrow lanes and timbered houses and cafés. Just south of the town is Marselisborg, and here you can visit a wildlife sanctuary or head off on a walk through the stunning Scandinavian forest. Another out of town attraction, ideal for families, is one of the largest Legoland Theme Parks in Europe.

Skagen is a world of windswept beauty, a finger of reef where sun-bleached dunes meet swathes of pastel sky. Denmark’s most northerly town on the tip of the peninsula is famed for fishing (you won’t find a tastier shrimp salad on homemade rye), while its poetic seascapes and luminous evening light has inspired many an Impressionist artist. Skagen’s main attraction is the sandy Skaw (after which the town is named) at Grenen Beach – a tapered spit where two worlds literally collide. Here, the north seas of Skagerrak and Kattegat meet, crashing together in the middle, but always look separate. While standing for the obligatory photograph with a foot in each sea, you’ll often spot whales and seals, and in springtime follow the swoop and fall of hundreds of rare migrating birds. Such natural beauty is the inspiration for many local artists. Browse their wares in the abundant galleries, jewellery and craft shops.

The city center is a charming mix of old city walls and a large modern shopping centre. With multiple restaurants, museums, cinemas and theatres there is plenty to be explored. Time spent at embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited which may restrict availability of shore excursions.