2022 Regent Baltic Kingdoms May 29-June 14
We booked this cruise in 2019 for June 2021. Unfortunately, it was cancelled because of covid. We rebooked it for June 2022…but it had been extended two more days and we added the pre cruise tour. The total cost was $38,982.
On May 29, We flew business class from STL to Chicago then to London on United. Our flights were wonderful.
On May 30, We arrived at Heathrow at 9:00 am. We got our luggage and cleared immigration quickly and found the regent driver and were on our way to the Mayfair Hotel with no issues.
We arrived at the Mayfair and were able to check in and went to our room 870. We took a nap then went to dinner at the footman. We had fish and chips.
On May 31, we met the regent Tour guide Valerie, in the lobby after breakfast in the hotel. Then we boarded the coach for our tour of London. London was preparing for the Queens jubilee. Getting around the city was a bit more complicated. We visited Hampton Court Palace on the banks of the river Thames. It was built in 1515 as a magnificent brick stately home for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. It was Seized by Henry VIII at Wolsey's downfall, the Palace was enlarged and became home for Henry and wife number two, Anne Boleyn. We toured the Tudor Bedrooms, oak paneled corridors, and extensive Royal kitchens. We visited the magnificent chapel and banqueting hall and strolled around the grounds. We had a 2-course lunch at one twenty-one two. Steve had salmon and I had chicken. We took a champagne cruise on the river Thames and passed by the Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, and the Palace of Westminster. We took a panoramic tour of the city, starting from Parliament and Westminster Abbey, peer along Downing Street, home of the British Prime Minister, circled around Trafalgar Square, saw vibrant Piccadilly Circus and the opulent Albert Memorial, and saw the city's famous museums such as the Victoria and Albert and the Science Museum. We drove by Harrods. We went to the hotel bar for drinks. We did not go to dinner since we had a late lunch.
June 1, after breakfast at the hotel, we took an informative tour of the great city of learning, Oxford, with its majestic University buildings and colleges. Oxford is made up of thirty-eight colleges, where students live and take tutorials, and one University, providing lectures and exams for students attending those colleges. We visited Christ Church where the great dining hall and college buildings have links to Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter, and the undergraduate career of at least thirteen British Prime Ministers. We Visited Burford where the old weavers’ houses cascaded down to the valley of the river Windrush below and had lunch at the lamb inn. We both had chicken. Then we went to Burton on the water. We went Stow on the Wold with its ancient marketplace and hilltop views. We saw the door of Durin that was used in Lord of the rings. We had dinner at the hotel.
June 2 After breakfast at the hotel, we went to the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe ‘Stonehenge’. We then headed to Southampton to board the ship. We were tested for covid…and on the ship within 30 minutes. Our room 704 is simply amazing. Our Butler Uday and room attendant Klindy introduced themselves. We had dinner at prime seven. We both had crab cake, Filet and Lobster and ice cream.
June 3 Today was a sea day. We had breakfast at Compass rose. We had dinner at Chartreuse. I had foie gras, Steve had Alaskan King Crabmeat with Citrino Olive Oil wrapped in Daikon Radish, Chartreuse Infused Melon Juice. Then Steve had Fillet of Halibut, Braised Fennel, Lemon-Artichoke Tapenade, Green Olives, and I had duck. For dessert steve had Crispy Apple Tart, Apricot-Caramel Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream, and I had crème Brule.
June 4, we had room service for breakfast. We took a drive through Kristiansand, visited Vest-Agder Open-Air Museum, and drove to the southern Norway coast. We had diner at Pacific rim. Steve had shrimp, I had shrimp tempura. Then Steve had pork and shrimp sui mai and I had Chicken and foie gras gyoza. We both had miso soup. Steve had Giant pink tiger prawns and I had Canadian Lobster tempura. We went to Meridian lounge for drinks.
June 5, we had breakfast at La Veranda. We took a panoramic excursion through Copenhagen. We stopped at the Little Mermaid and then visited the Christiansburg Castle. We had dinner at Compass rose. We both had escargot and Caesar salad, Steve had salmon, I had seared foie gras, Steve had ice cream, I had cheesecake. We had a beautiful sunset.
June 6, We Visited the Stutthof Concentration Camp. Stutthof was chosen in 1939 as the locale for the first Nazi concentration camp built outside Germany, and it was one of the last to be liberated in 1945. Between those years, tens of thousands of Poles and Jews were transported and exterminated here. We had dinner at Sette Mari. We had bruschetta, cheese balls, Steve had veal marsala, and I had lasagna.
June 7, we were greeted by musicians this morning as we disembarked in Klaipeda Lithuania. We went to an amber factory and museum. They served us Lithuanian tree cake and vodka. We went to the city center. We had dinner at compass rose.
June 8, we were greeted by a band as we disembarked in Liepaja Latvia. We visited Saint Nicholas Naval Cathedral. We visited the Karosta military prison that is now a hotel. We visited a memorial park where we saw the ghost tree and concert hall. We went to the city center. We were the first ship to visit Latvia in 2 years. We had dinner at chartreuse. We had steak tartar, crab meat, mushroom soup, and chicken.
June 9, we took a panoramic drive through Estonia’s capital city, Tallin. We went to Kadriorg park. We went to the ruins of St. Birgits Convent. We went to the city wall, the town hall, the viru gate, and Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral. It was an incredibly beautiful city. We had dinner at Compass Rose.
June 10, we went to Helsinki today and toured the Rock church, and Sibelius Park and saw the Olympic stadium. We went to the city square, saw the Helsinki Cathedral, and watched a military band parade. We went to the money museum. We had dinner at Prime 7.
June 11 Today we went to Porvoo Finland’s second oldest town located on the porvoonjoki river. We went to the town hall museum, the Porvoo cathedral, the chocolate store and bought some toffee. We had shrimp canapes before dinner. We had dinner at sette Mari.
June 12, we toured the city of Kotka and went to the church of kotka and visited Sappoka Water Garden and the fortress town of Hamina, Finland’s oldest garrison town. We visited the Kotka church. We were thirty miles from Russia. We had dinner at chartreuse. Steve had scallops and I had duck.
June 13, A band greeted us as we came into port in Stockholm Sweden today. We toured the city which is spread over fourteen islands. We visited four. We saw the ABBA museum. We ordered room service for dinner as we prepared to leave.
June 14, we had to leave the ship at 5:30 for our trip home. All of our flights went well. We got home about 7 pm. This was a wonderful trip.
You can view all photos of this trip at
https://www.sandcvacations.com/Cruises/2022-Baltic-Kingdoms-June-1-14
