As I settle into our spacious balcony cabin and gaze across a wonderfully calm North Sea, a smorgasbord of Scandi chic, Russian refinement and German splendours await.
Only a chomp of the gooey cherry profiterole – as rose pink as the setting sun – punctuates my delicious trance. And all this on a family holiday which, as every frazzled parent knows, is fraught with compromise. Don’t get me wrong, me and my husband Ray love our children, Scarlett (11) and Freddie (8), but not at the expense of our wanderlust. Swapping city breaks and cocktail bars for mini discos and kidzone buffets isn’t exactly the trip of a lifetime.
Which is why, once we discovered the joys of cruise holidays back in 2011, we knew it wouldn’t be our last. Cruising provides the perfect balance between stress-free multi-city travel and good old family fun. All our cruises have been with Thompson, recently rebranded Marella Cruises when Thompson changed to TUI. The UK’s third largest cruise line, Marella – Celtic for shining sea – sails just that, from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, Asia to the Norwegian Fjords.
Some itineraries are adults only, but many attract a happy mix of families, young and old. In fact, Marella’s relaxed attitude to cruising sits perfectly with a new generation of cruisers. Our ship, the Marella Discovery, is a classy lady with wow-factor five storey atrium and glass lifts that whisk you to elegant Bar Eleven. Here sumptuous cocktails are served amid panoramic sea views. Ah… cocktails!
Formerly Royal Caribbean’s Splendour of the Seas, its Marella rebirth delivers inclusive food, drink, tips, entertainment and a fantastic Kids Club. A rock climbing wall, mini golf, two swimming pools and outdoor cinema provide further free onboard fun. If you don’t fancy getting dressed to the nines for your evening meal, that’s absolutely fine, too. Casual is most definitely key on Marella’s laid back ships where nothing is compromised on friendly and professional service, from your cabin staff to the captain himself. A packed daily programme features quizzes, activities – dip in, dip out, as you wish – and top notch theatrical productions in the glamorous Broadway Show Lounge. It’s no wonder many passengers regard the ‘Day at Sea’ as a holiday highlight.
When else could you learn to fold a towel to resemble a bunny rabbit? Or carve a melon into the shape of a swan? What larks! As much as a cruise is about finding the right ship, it’s also about choosing an itinerary that suits. Most families go for the tried and tested Med routes, but, having done two already and keen to avoid hotter climes, we opted for two weeks in the Baltics. The Marella Discovery sails from Newcastle-upon-Tyne giving you the choice of flying to Newcastle or, as we did, taking the Stena to Scotland then driving across England to the Port of Tyne. The latter bypasses luggage restrictions – take as much clobber and return with as many Russian dolls as your heart desires. You will probably have to overnight nearby, but several handy pitstops, including a Premier Inn at the port make pre-sail plans a doddle.
And so our adventure began with a Day at Sea and chance to acquaint ourselves with our new floating home, followed by a second overnight sail to Oslo. A quick City Sightseeing hop-on, hop-off bus blast around Norway’s capital revealed the grand Royal Palace guarded by stern-faced soldiers and featuring a whimsical sculpture trail – both of which the kids loved.
The National Museum with Edvard Munch’s The Scream and a ginormous ski jump in the distant hills provided further photo ops. While a trio of museums celebrated the nation’s proud seafaring heritage, from the Vikings to Roald Amundson’s South Pole expeditions. Day four on our voyage and it was off to the Swedish port of Gothenburg. Somewhat eclipsed by its Baltic cousins, this pretty city is best viewed by canal tours recalling a former shipyard glory reminiscent of Belfast’s maritime heyday.
Gothenburg even has its very own big yellow crane. Who knew? Back at shore, fans of Sweden’s most famous automobile can pop into the Volvo Museum, conveniently located right beside the ship. Another day at sea gave amateur hoofers a chance to refine their ballroom skills with the ship’s professional dancers, Amy and Roland. Then it was onward to the beautiful Estonian capital of Tallinn. A 15min walk takes you to its adorable Old Town with multi-coloured facades and clusters of medieval red-roofed buildings. No need for a bus or boat trip here; this charming tangle of cobbled streets calls out to be explored by foot. The kids can be paid off with ice creams in the picture-perfect Town Hall Square. Midway through our two week trip and we’d arrived at where is, for many, the highlight of any Baltic cruise – St. Petersburg.
Most ships, including ours, overnight at this magnificent Russian city. However, visa regulations mean you must book official tours – either with Marella or a registered tour company such as Alla. Independent travel is simply not possible, which is a shame as tour groups are inevitably bustled through busy parks and palaces with time for little more than the obligatory pics.
Which is exactly what we did on our visit to the simply stunning Peterhof Palace Gardens, the ‘Versailles by the sea’ built for Tsar Peter the Great and resplendent with majestic fountains and gilded statues. The Hermitage Winter Palace, the world’s second largest museum, a Night at the Ballet and an overnight trip to Moscow are also on offer during this memorable two-day stop that will eat into your budget as much as it does the memory. Finland’s capital Helsinki follows in the wake of fabulous St. Petersburg. It’s a big ask to live up to the previous port, but what dinky Helsinki lacks in stature it more than makes up for with sugar cube white Hensinki Cathedral, quirky rock-hewn Temppeliaukio Church, bustling seafront Market Square and a contemporary statue commemorating Sibelius, Finland’s most famous composer.
With classical music ringing in our ears, we sailed serenely to the Swedish capital of Stockholm and the destination at the top of our list– the ABBA Museum. Yes, you can have your galleries and grand cathedrals, but nothing beats worshipping at the altar of ABBA in the place where it all began. The Swedish pop legends are immortalised in this homage to their life and music, from their early years, through to Eurovision success, their heartwrenching breakup and Mamma Mia! musical and movie renaissance.
Gaze in awe at iconic costumes, platinum discs and lots more ABBAtastic ephemera and film clips, before laying down a track or even performing alongside your virtual heroes. And how about a jar of Honey Honey from the gift shop? They say ‘walk in, dance out’. And that’s exactly what we did. he ABBA Museum sits beside Stockholm’s very own Tivoli Gardens amusement park. Which makes this stop an absolute must for kids of all ages. As the ships weaves its way delicately through the city’s many picturesque islands, the park’s skyscraper rides positively implore a visit.
How could you resist ‘em – see what I did there? Just don’t forget a dander round the Old Town and Palace to reacquaint yourself with the other side of Stockholm. Another day at sea and we reach the German port of Warnemunde and gateway to Berlin. Having visited the German capital before, we opted to stay at this busy little holiday spot where a big sandy Baltic beach swarms with local sunworshippers. Berlin-bound cruisers, meanwhile, made the 3hr each way journey to this historic city whose war wounds have been salved by a sophisticated mix of culture and creativity.
Though remnants of the Berlin Wall, along with Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate and Holocaust Memorial keep those dark days as a divided city under Nazi, then Russian rule very much to the fore. Our final stop on this Baltic odyssey was wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen. And who should be waiting dockside but its most famous resident; The Little Mermaid. This fin-tailed bronze beauty perched daintily on her rock attracts coachloads of tourists, as well as all us cruise ship daytrippers. But as we discovered on yet another handy City Sightseeing bus and boat trip, this vibrant metropolis has much more to offer; from imminently Instagramable Nyhavn, where colourful canal side cafes provide a gorgeous canvas for wooden masted yachts, to the Tivoli Gardens amusement park, founded in 1843 and inspiration behind Walt’s original Disneyland.
And don’t miss a short stroll to the alternative neighbourhood of Christiania, where houseboats, street food and freethinking hippies reign supreme. What a way to end this epic trip. Our two week whirlwind tour onboard the Marella Discovery has showcased the best of each city and left us craving more.
That’s the thing with cruises, you see a lot in a short space of time, all the while fed, watered and entertained within your floating hotel. Which makes mum and dad that little bit more jetset and the kids adjusting their gaze from the small screen to the big wide world. Mamma Mia! indeed.
For more info on Marella Cruises visit tui.co.uk/cruise. For discounts, prebook City Sightseeing hop on, hop off bus and boat tours at city-sightseeing.com. Prebook ABBA The Museum tickets and avoid the queues at abbathemuseum.com.
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