May 2023: A Wonderful Celebrity Baltic Sea Cruise to Remember

The Itinerary

Following closely on the heels of our latest Caribbean cruise, we packed up again and flew to Amsterdam to board the Celebrity Apex for the first time. She’s a lovely ship, part of Celebrity Cruises’ Edge-class fleet, and familiar to us since we’ve sailed on her sister ships the Edge and the Beyond.

Our 12-day Best of Scandinavia cruise on Celebrity Apex sailed round-trip from Rotterdam with the following schedule:

• Day 1: Embarkation at Rotterdam
• Day 2: At Sea
• Day 3: At Sea
• Day 4: Visby, Sweden
• Day 5: Stockholm, Sweden
• Day 6: Helsinki, Finland
• Day 7: Tallinn, Estonia
• Day 8: At Sea
• Day 9: Warnemunde, Germany
• Day 10: Copenhagen, Denmark
• Day 11: Copenhagen, Denmark
• Day 12: At Sea
• Day 13: Disembarkation at Rotterdam

Pre-Cruise Self-Tour of Amsterdam

As always, we flew in a few days early for our cruise, wanting to be sure we had plenty of time in case of flight cancellations, bad weather, equipment problems, etc. Luckily, all went well, so we had a couple of days to spend exploring Amsterdam before our Baltic Sea cruise began.

We stayed at the Amsterdam Marriott, our first time there, and enjoyed it. The room was comfortable, the hotel was very nice, and its location was perfect for walking to popular tourist sites.

By the time we’d recuperated from jet lag, we only had one full day, so we made the most of it. We wandered to the Vondelpark, which is like Central Park in New York City, and tried to get into both the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, but both were sold out already for the day although it wasn’t even 10:00 a.m. yet.

Pro Tip: Make reservations for entry to popular sites in Europe, especially museums.

We wandered the streets for a while and then hopped onto a small boat for a canal tour, which was lots of fun. So many interesting things to see!

We ended our day by stopping at a pancake house across the street from the Marriott to try Dutch pancakes. I tried the lemon and Myron tried a ham and cheese, wanting something savory. Both were delicious.

Then it was early to bed because we had an exciting day ahead, embarking on Celebrity Apex.

Our Cabin on the Apex

We enjoy staying in The Retreat on Celebrity, and for our Baltics cruise, we chose a fabulous aft-facing Sunset Sky Suite on the port aft corner. The total room size including the balcony is 462 square feet.

The Sunset Sky Suite is a studio-style cabin with a large bathroom, a spacious sleeping/living area, and an oversized corner balcony with two loungers, a table and two chairs, and amazing sweeping views.

The Excursions We Took

As we usually do, we chose the excursions offered by Celebrity, opting for the peace of mind that comes with the knowledge that the ship will wait for us if we’re late. 

Visby, Sweden

After a couple of wonderful days at sea, our first port was on Day Four. We docked in Visby on the isle of Gotland, Sweden, where we took the Celebrity tour Destination Highlight: Medieval Visby and Surroundings, a four-hour excursion. Our cost for the tour was $85.98 for the two of us.

Our first stop was a medieval church ruin at Elinghem, built in the 13th century and abandoned in the 17th century. As with most of these church ruins, the roof is gone but the stone walls remain. A very tight staircase leads to what would have been the belfry.

Our next stop was at Hall Church, which was built in the 13th century and is still being used today. The inside walls are covered with murals from those times, and there is an ancient cemetery.

Next, we visited Lickershamn, a quaint fishing village on a craggy coastline, to see the sea stack named Jungfrun, or the Maiden. We were told the legend of the tragic love story that gave the sea stack its name and searched the rocky shore for stones containing the remnants of small fossils. 

Our final stop was a stroll through the medieval town of Visby, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is surrounded by an awe-inspiring city wall that has been well preserved. The narrow, winding cobblestone streets are lined with colorful houses, including the street that was used for filming the movie Pippi Longstocking. Prominent in the city skyline is the Saint Mary’s Cathedral.

After a guided walking tour, we had some free time to explore, so I took the opportunity to try a Swedish ice cream cone, which was delicious, much richer and creamier than the ice cream we get in the United States.

Stockholm, Sweden

On Day Five, we woke up in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, where we took the excursion Destination Highlight: Historic Stockholm and Sigtuna. Our cost for the six-hour tour was $187.98 for the two of us.

First, we took a guided walk through the medieval streets of Stockholm’s Old Town where we saw the Swedish Royal Palace, which is the administrative and ceremonial center of the King of Sweden. Currently under renovation, much of the palace is encased in plastic.

Next, we boarded our bus to visit Sigtuna, which was founded over a thousand years ago. There we visited Saint Mary’s Church and the ruin of Saint Lars’ Church, then walked through the town. Afterward, we had some free time to explore. 

Our final stop in Stockholm was to visit the Vasa Museum to see the royal warship of the same name. Commissioned by the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus in the early 17th century, the Vasa was intended to be a testament to the might of the Swedish navy. Tragically, the ship suffered from instability and design flaws, and it sank before it ever left the Stockholm Harbor. Rediscovered and salvaged in 1961, the ship has been meticulously preserved and restored. The museum is a must-see if you visit Stockholm.

Helsinki, Finland

Day Six found us in the port of Helsinki. We took the excursion Destination Highlight: Life in Finland and Helsinki Highlights, which cost us $229.98 and lasted for five hours.

At the port, we boarded a bus and stopped at a marketplace with orange and white tents. There, vendors sold everything from local crafts to fresh produce, plus wonderful things to eat. Given free time, we explored the booths, where Myron bought a unique felted wool hat—the only souvenir we bought on the entire trip. We also enjoyed a couple of hot dogs and a pastry before we walked through Senate Square where the stunning Lutheran Cathedral is located.

Back on the bus, we drove through the countryside to visit a lovely Finnish home. Its owner, Harriett, greeted us with open arms and invited us in, where she served us coffee and tea with Danish treats and ice cream. Something I’d never tried before was Finnish egg butter spread over traditional Karelian pasties, which are made of rice porridge baked in dough.

After our snack, she toured us through her home, proudly sharing about her antiques, and told us about Finnish life. In the back of the home is a small pond, where she swims every day. She also showed us their home’s smoke sauna, which is an important part of Finnish everyday life.

Tallinn, Estonia

After going on longer tours over the last few days, it was a relief to have a short 2.5-hour excursion in Tallinn, Destination Highlight: Panoramic Tallinn on Day Seven. The cost was $77.98 for the two of us.

Our tour started with a guided walk through central Tallinn to Toompea Hill, where the Toompea Castle was built as a stronghold in the 13th century. Part of it remains today as it was then, and part has been rebuilt and serves as Estonia’s parliament building. In the same square is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an Orthodox church.

A short drive later, we reached the Song Festival Grounds, a huge outdoor amphitheater established in 1869 when Estonia was still a part of Russia. There, gathering every five years, the people sang of their love for their country and their wish for freedom in songs using euphemisms to mask their true meaning. The amphitheater is still used today.

Warnemunde, Germany

For Warnemunde on Day Nine, we opted for the Destination Highlight: Molli Steam Train and Historic Mecklenburg excursion, a 4.5-hour tour that cost $179.98 for the two of us.

First stop? Exploring Doberan Minster, a Lutheran church in Bad Doberan, and the most significant brick Gothic church in Europe. Built in the 14th century as an abbey, it’s incredibly awe-inspiring and stunning still today. I got chills sitting in seats that people had sat in during medieval times.

Next, we boarded an antique steam engine and took a thirty-minute ride through the countryside on the Molli Railway. 

Our last stop was in the seaside resort of Kuehlungsborn, a tourist destination for beachgoers. It was early in the season yet, but there were still people on the beach. We wandered through the town and browsed the shops, which didn’t leave us enough time to try the Ferris wheel, unfortunately. What a view that must have given! 

Copenhagen, Denmark

On Day Ten we reached Copenhagen, where the ship was overnighting until the next day. We chose the tour Destination Highlight: Wonderful Copenhagen by Land and by Sea, a 3.5-hour tour that cost $181.98 for the two of us.

Before our canal tour, the “by sea” part of the excursion, we stopped for a quick photo op with the famous sculpture of the Little Mermaid. You can’t visit Copenhagen on a Baltic Sea cruise without seeing it.

Our canal cruise lasted 50 minutes through Christianshavn, taking us past the Church of Our Savior, numerous colorful row houses, houseboats, and about a million bicycles.

After our canal cruise, on our drive to the King’s Square, we passed by the Geflion Fountain and the Nikolaj Kunsthal art museum before we stopped at the Odd Fellows Mansion for a snack of Danish pastries with tea or coffee.

Finally, we visited the baroque King’s Square with the equestrian statue of King Christian V at its center and saw the outside of the Amalienbourg Palace, the home of the Danish royal family.

What We Did on Sea Days

On sea days, we usually like to divide our time between getting spa treatments and playing at the casino, and we did those things. But we also were allowed to participate in a three-part small-group cooking class at the Eden restaurant offered on sea days by the chef of Eden, Nicolas Bejarano, and we couldn’t turn that down.

During the classes, we learned how to choose the freshest seafood at our supermarket, how to find the best olive oil, and how to properly break down a lobster. We also learned how to make a mushroom risotto, how to create the perfect Caesar salad from scratch, how to make Eden’s chocolate chip cookies, and how to make a sushi roll.

Below, the Caesar salad and sushi roll are my creations. Not perfect, but I was proud of them. The sushi roll has tempura shrimp on the side because I wanted to try the roll and I don’t eat seafood.

If you’re interested in taking the cooking classes, check with the maître d’ in Eden. They’ll be able to help you. The classes are usually limited to ten people, and last about an hour for each session. Our cost for the cooking classes was $69 per person, which was a great deal, especially considering that during the last session, we ate an entire meal.

The Food We Ate

The food on Celebrity is always excellent, which is why we usually have gained a few pounds by the end of each cruise. How can you not with delicious food like this?

Luminae, the Retreat Restaurant

As guests in The Retreat, we ate most of our meals at Luminae, enjoying great service. The food is excellent, although on a long voyage, it can feel repetitive. During our 12-day cruise, we ate a little of everything on the menu and enjoyed it very much.

Eden

We were fortunate enough to get reservations for dinner at the specialty restaurant Eden not once, but twice. Both times, we had an exquisite meal.

Fine Cut Steakhouse

The Fine Cut Steakhouse is the perfect place for meat lovers, so we dined there twice. The service was excellent, and the food was tasty.

Le Grand Bistro

I always try to be sure we have lunch at Le Grand Bistro once on each Edge-class cruise we take on Celebrity. As usual, it didn’t disappoint. The cheeseburger was even bigger than expected!

Where We Are Going Next

Want to keep up with our cruise schedule? Here is a current list of where we have been and where we are going next.

Final Thoughts on our Celebrity Baltic Sea Cruise

Honestly, this cruise was nearly perfect! If I had to do it over again, though, I would have waited to take this cruise when we can spend three weeks, because adding a seven-day Norwegian fjords cruise back-to-back to a 12-day Baltics cruise would have made it perfect. When you’re flying so far to take a cruise, you want to try to maximize the time you spend abroad.

Happy cruising!