Would like to know which ports can be done without a tour, if a tour is in order, which sights are special. The ports are Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallin, Visby, Warnumunde/Berlin, and Oslo.
For clarification, Dubrovnik is a perfect example of a port where it is completely uneccessary to book a tour.

Definitely take the tour in St. Petersburg as there is so much to see and you will need a Visa for "independent" touring. I would also take the tour to Berlin as there is so much to see in so little time - and a lot of time will be consumed traveling from Warnemunde to Berlin and back. Stockholm, Oslo, and Helsinki are toss ups, depending on what you want to see and how much time you have in port. You will probably enjoy Tallin and Visby by just strolling thru town on your own. Enjoy your cruise!

Thanks so much for your help. Good to know that we can do some of the ports without any tour help.

We took a very similar trip last year. We decided to go the route of Visas and a personal tour guide in St. Petersberg. We were pleased with that decision as the cost was about the same as booking the tours through the ship except for the cost of the VisasWe book through MIR Travel Corporation based in Seattle.

Helsinki: Princess docks about 2.5 miles from the center of town. You could get a taxi where you dock and have him take you to the Church in the Rock, Sibilius Monument Park and drive around a while. Then drive through Senate Square and drop you at the wonderful market square, which is an outdoor market with food stands etc. Walk to Stockmans Department Store where I actually pick up some things I neeeded and then took the shuttle back to the ship.

Stockholm: Tour unnecessary. Dependung on where you dock (Princess dock way out) There is a train to go into town or shuttle. Jus use your guide book for here.

Tallin: A charming small town. We hired a taxi driver who spoke English He tooks us around to Upper and lower town and a few extra stops and dropped us of in the charming two square in lower town where we had some lunch. Shopped a little and then walked back took the shuttle back.

Oslo: The highlite is the Vigland Sculpture Park. This place is amazing and I could of spent hours. Take enough time to enjoy.(We took a tour and it did not give us enough time to enjoy ) Suggest either taking public transportation there using your guidebook or a taxi driver. The Vicking museum was also excellent.

This is a great trip .

Warnemünde is a long way from Berlin (three to four hours by train) so, if you want to visit Berlin, you'd have to take the organised tour. However, Warnemünde is an attractive seaside resort and fishing port and is near the city of Rostock; there are other towns in that part of Germany which could be visited by train, including Stralsund.