We've been on several caribbean cruises, but have booked a 12 night Scandi trip with Royal Caribbean. Questions - how much to pack for weather in August, should shore excursions be booked in advance? If so, which are best? Need some help here. Thanks.
1st time on a 12 night cruise
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I've never done an August Caribbean cruise, so can't speak from experience. However, common sense would be that you pack light weight summer. Thus, one formal dressy outfit, one "little black", shorts, tops, sandals, swimsuit and cover, hat, sunscreen and a wind breaker because the Atlantic does get cool at night.
For more specific answer try posting on CruiseCritic.com board for Royal Caribbean
I believe a 12-night cruise will have 3 formal nights. A tux or dark suit, and a sports coat would be appropriate with matching shirts/ties, shoes, etc.
Polo shirts/slacks for other evening dining, and shorts for breakfast/lunch. Let the weather dictate what you wear ashore. 70 degrees and above, I'm in shorts/sandals/deck shoes/walking shoes, depending on where we're going. I would take a light windbreaker for the evenings.
I can't help with shore excursions because I normally research and do on my own. Having said that, a lot of people say that the St Petersburg tours are good to take. If you go on your own, you have to buy a visa? I'm not entirely sure, but I am sure someone who has taken this cruise can chime in.
The Baltic can be rainy and cool, even in August. Pack a spring jacket for cloudy days. Re shore excursions, we did the following on our Baltic cruise (wasn't Royal Caribbean - your itinerary may be different). Note: we are city people so gravitated to museums and architecture. There are also sportier excursions (small boat rides, kayaking, trips to gardens, parks) if you prefer that.
Stockholm - city bus tour for orientation, stopping at
City Hall (Nobel prizes given here), Vasa (restored sailing ship) museum, then looong walk to Gamla Stan (old town and palace)- would have spent more time at Gamla Stan, but you can't do everything
Helsinki - walked on our own to Russian Orthodox church, Lutheran church,and Saarinen train station - take a bus tour if this sounds like too much walking
St. Petersburg - For us, St. Petersburg was the high point of the trip. Yes, you need to get a visa IN ADVANCE OF YOUR CRUISE if you want to tour on your own. We took bus tours, which were well done, and spared ourselves having to figure out where we were from Cyrillic signs. We did four tours: Hermitage Museum, "St. Petersburg by Land and Sea" (bus and canal tour), St. Catherine Palace in Pushkin (with Amber Room), and St.Isaacs' Cathedral/St. Peter and Paul Fortress. All were spectacular. I hear the Peterhof Palace east of town is also quite a sight.
Talinn, Estonia - The old town is walkable and not far from the port. We took the free transfer bus from the dock to the edge of old town, then toured on our own. Lots of old churches, remnants of fortifications, town square etc.