P.S. I just started a trip report...

FWIW, I spent 5 full days plus in St. Petersburg and did NOT see everything I would have liked to see. It is a very special place, IMO.

Philly Fan: That sounds like the perfect itinerary for the Baltic Sea. It's a great and comfortable way to see those cities in a short time.

I took a similar cruise starting in Stockholm and continuing to Helsinki. St. Petersburg, Riga, Djansk, Visby and back to Stockholm. Riga was our favourite city but I really enjoyed Helsinki, Visby and St. Petersburg too. I felt a day in St. Petersburg only scratched the surface which is why I'm returning there next spring.

I would have ideally liked to have switched Klaipeda for Riga. I note that Royal Caribbean's itinerary for a similar cruise next summer does do that - but that cruise spends 2 (not our 3) days in St. Petersburg.

Philly, I think that is the one we are currently looking at.

I think that's a good itinerary, Bitter.

Patch together your must-sees for the two days in St. Petersburg and just figure on two action-packed days!

And don't do any of the ship's excursions - do private ones instead. Not only is this cheaper, you will see a lot more.

When we were overnight in St. Pete there absolutely was not a requirement that we be back on board until the day the ship actually left. You really owe it to yourself to get a guide IMO and look at companies such as Red October or DenRus...worth the money IMO.