The mere mention of the Baltic Sea conjures thoughts of Vikings sailing in cold and unchartered waters en route to Hanseatic cities. Although the historic climate throughout Scandinavia was at times volatile, the weather is not. The region has relatively mild temperatures when you consider it is located as far north as Alaska. The westerly winds off the Atlantic Ocean are warmed by the Gulf Stream which makes the Baltic region a popular vacation destination for summer travelers. Because of Scandinavia’s northern latitude, summer nights are ‘white nights’ which means continuous hours of sunlight. Sit down to supper at 9pm and it looks like it could be 3pm outside. It’s a great way to maximize the hours in your sightseeing schedule.

Our journey to the Baltic began amidst much confusion. Delayed flights, separate seats, connecting flights made in a matter of minutes, and finally, lost luggage. Once we arrived in Stockholm, we embarked on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager and quickly forgot our earlier woes. We were just grateful not to have to be involved with the airlines for the week. We wanted to take in as much of the region as possible and Regent, who bought out Radisson last year, had a great seven-day itinerary (plus the most gorgeous staterooms imaginable). From July 14th through August 25th, the ship sails back and forth between Stockholm and Copenhagen. Our trip on the Voyager defined elegance and luxury, and a lot of fun!

Russia
We sailed through the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland with about seven hundred other passengers and spent three days docked in St. Petersburg, Russia, after a quick stop in charming Tallinn, Estonia. A major word of advice for travelers to Russia—obtain visas three months prior to scheduled travel-- if you want to venture outside of planned shore excursions. Since our plans to do that did not materialize, we were dependent on the ship’s excursions, all of which were good and included a wide range of choices from the Hermitage Museum to the czar’s various palaces (we especially loved the ‘summer’ Peterhof Palace), a day in Moscow, a trip to the ballet, and wonderful shopping excursions. We love the Russian souvenirs—vodka, caviar, matroyska (nesting) dolls, exquisite amber (directly from the Baltic), and Faberge egg pendants. Russian currency is rubles, and while some places accept euros and credit cards American dollars are frowned upon.

Finland
Helsinki was a delight. The Finns are friendly and Helsinki, though pricey is an immaculate city. We shopped ‘til we dropped at some of the local Finnish companies such as Marimekko and Lumene. Believe it or not, the textile products at Marimekko can be found cheaper at home, but the savings on various Lumene beauty products made them a good buy. We toured the famous Rock Church, built amidst the boulders, and the spectacular Helsinki Cathedral where an organ recital was taking place at the time of our visit. When it came to museums, I made a beeline for the Atheneum, Finland’s fine arts museum, where there was an exhibition of impressionist painting by Finnish artists. My husband and daughter went over to the National Museum, the cultural museum of Finland, and we all returned to the Voyager filled with enthusiasm about our excursions.


Sweden
Our last port was Visby, or Gotland, a small island in Sweden. What made it especially fun was that they were celebrating medieval week and most of the locals were dressed in costume. They had jousting contests, crafts, and various other medieval period activities going on. Visby made us think of Martha’s Vineyard.

We were very pleased to be coming back on board the ship every night. It makes traveling with a child so much easier--no new beds to get used to.
The food was outstanding (and I had to jog a couple of extra miles to make up for that!) and Signatures, a reservation-required restaurant, was probably the finest meal we have ever had on a cruise ship. The evening entertainment was well varied and professional--we loved being able to mingle with the entertainers, all fresh-faced and talented, throughout the trip. The Carita Spa offers all services and the gym is busy, but never over-crowded. The speakers and historians gave lectures that would rival any Ivy League university. And, the Regent’s attention to detail was impressive. Before we could even ask, they had fit our balcony with Plexiglas to accommodate our five year old.

The price range for a seven-night Baltic cruise on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager ranges from $5,

546 to $22,495. Gratuities are included, soft drinks are free, and the service is priceless. For more information, the website is www.rssc.com. #