From Copenhagen’s cobbled streets and canalside cool to the gothic architecture and imposing squares of Tallinn, Baltic cruises visit some of Europe’s most beautiful and historic cities. Itineraries include the countries along the Baltic Sea including Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Poland and Germany, plus the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Some sail straight from British ports for a no-fly option, while others are ideal for adding on a city break before or after you sail. Along the way, you can expect Unesco-listed old towns, sleek Nordic design, lively waterfronts, fantastic museums, fairytale palaces and some of the world’s best cafés. These are our favourite Baltic cruises to book.

1. Azamara

You’ll take in two Baltic capitals — Latvia’s Riga and Estonia’s Tallinn — as well as the Lithuanian maritime city of Klaipeda on port-intensive sailings aboard the 692-passenger Azamara Onward. This line has a Destination Immersion programme with a bigger than average choice of shore tours to explore local cultures, often from a different perspective. In Gdansk, Poland’s largest and oldest seaport, you can kayak along canals in the old town, or venture into rural Lithuania to visit a third generation family-run bee farm. Back onboard, don’t forget to pack something for Azamara’s signature white night party.

2. Cunard

When Cunard designed Queen Anne — its first new vessel in 12 years — the brief was to interpret the line’s 184-year-history through fresh and modern eyes. The resulting new 3,000-passenger flagship combines the rich seafaring heritage with contemporary design details. Find out for yourself on nine- to 14-night sailings to Scandinavia and northern Europe, which include convenient round-trip voyages from Southampton. In between days at sea with white-glove service and black tie balls, you’ll visit destinations such as Skagen, on Denmark’s northernmost tip, where the stark beauty and ever-changing light has inspired generations of artists.

3. P&O Cruises

This is another line with no-fly cruises from Southampton. The 3,647-passenger Britannia was built with UK guests in mind, from the entertainment through to Brodie’s bar with the largest collection of British bottled beers at sea. On the 14-night Scandinavia and Baltic itinerary, there are plenty of beer-inspired excursions. In Tallinn there’s a trip to sample craft beers at a small rural brewery. On the way you’ll pass the 50m Jagala, Estonia’s biggest waterfall. Meanwhile, in Kiel, guests can book an excursion to the red brick city of Lubeck, once capital of Germany’s medieval Hanseatic League trading organisation.

4. Oceania Cruises

Got time to spare? Then Oceania’s 35-night northern Europe sailing visits 29 ports of call, taking in Baltic highlights and lesser-known destinations in the region. They include the Unesco-listed town of Visby, the capital of Sweden’s Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic. Sirena, which is sailing in the Baltic in 2024 and 2025, is a great ship if you prefer to sail with fewer than 700 passengers. The atmosphere is stylish and unpretentious, and Sirena serves excellent cuisine for all tastes from the grand dining room with a chef’s tasting menu to the Asian-inspired Red Ginger restaurant and Italian steak and seafood restaurant.

5. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Opened in 1895, the Kiel Canal, which connects the North Sea to the Baltic Sea, is the world’s busiest artificial waterway. You can get a close-up view of one of the Holtenau locks at the mouth of the canal from a viewing platform overlooking it. It’s among the multitude of options offered by luxury small ship line Regent Seven Seas Cruises on Baltic sailings, where all excursions are included. Foodies can opt for a tour of Denmark’s Bornholm Island to try wine from Europe’s northernmost wine-growing region, artisan sausages and the smoked herring that’s a mainstay in Scandinavian and Baltic countries.

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6. Viking

With its Scandinavian heritage — the line’s owner Torstein Hagen is Norwegian — Viking knows a thing or two about the region. The longest voyage is a 28-night journey combining the Viking Homelands and Into the Midnight Sun itineraries. With a focus on cultural immersion, you can join the executive chef for a shopping trip around Gdansk food market followed by a cooking lesson back onboard. Or hear Viking tales straight from the horse’s mouth on a riding tour against the backdrop of dramatic jagged peaks on Gimsoya island in the Lofoten archipelago.

7. Silversea

If you enjoy being active, Silversea has plenty of excursions to get your heart pumping. Visits to Nuuksio National Park outside Helsinki include hiking and a cooling dip in the lake, cycling or stand up paddleboarding. If that sounds like hard work, how about a leisurely food and drink tour in the Finnish capital to try delicacies ranging from deer meat to crunchy seasonal currants, beer and even chocolate? You’ll continue to eat well back onboard the 596-guest Silver Dawn where the S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) restaurant serves Baltic specialities.

8. Seabourn

You might not expect to find a beach resort in Norway, but Kristiansand — the country’s southernmost city — is one of many surprises on this itinerary. There’s also the 19th-century Ravnedalen Park, home to exotic imported plants and some of Norway’s largest native spruce trees. Sailing on to Stavanger, another unlikely attraction is the Petroleum Museum charting the city’s lucrative path to becoming the oil capital of Norway and with some fun interactive exhibits. Relax back onboard the 458-passenger Seabourn Quest where room service includes dinner from the restaurant served course by course, rather than all at once.

9. Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity’s stylish Edge-class ships are among the vessels sailing in this region. Keep an eye out for special dinners held in the Magic Carpet — the glass-sided room suspended on the side of the ship — held once or twice per cruise. They showcase local ingredients and are only announced at the last minute, when the chef knows there’s enough to create a mouth-watering menu. In Copenhagen, excursions include walking tours that take in the fairytale heritage of storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, who lived next to the Nyhavn canal; and charming Tivoli Gardens, one of the world’s oldest amusement parks. Alternatively, enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city on the tour featuring a meal at the restaurant in the tower of the Danish parliament building.

10. Ponant

French line Ponant is known for its gourmet cuisine. In Gdansk, shore tours include the opportunity to sip Goldwasser, the strong herbal liquor that’s been produced in the city since 1598 and contains real flakes of gold. Foodies can book a Latvian cookery class in Riga with a visit to Europe’s largest indoor market to get ingredients. You’ll get a real taste for the Baltics in every sense as in addition to Riga this seven-night cruise visits four other capitals; Stockholm, Tallinn, Helsinki and Copenhagen.

11. Holland America Line

Sail on Holland America Line’s 2,668-passenger Rotterdam, which sets out from its namesake port on a two-week voyage to Baltic and Scandinavian capitals. One of the first stops is Oslo, with time to visit the Maritime Museum with its 9th-century Viking boat. And there’s a visit to Stockholm too, where you can stroll around the city’s dozens of islands linked by bridges and join locals for a traditional snack of meatballs or herring with a cold beer.

12. Norwegian Cruise Line

Belgium’s Zeebrugge, Copenhagen and Latvia’s captial Riga — with its Unesco-listed historic centre — are just some of the ports of call on Norwegian Cruise Line’s 12-night Baltic itinerary. Discover more history by adding an overnight stay to your final stop in Stockholm, where the Vasa, which sank on its maiden voyage, is the world’s only preserved 17th-century ship. You’ll be sailing on the Norwegian Dawn, with a capacity of 2,290 guests — a happy medium if you want a ship that’s not too big but with plenty of entertainment.

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Additional reporting by Siobhan Grogan