Packing tips for a Nordic Cruise on the Baltic Sea
A Scandinavian cruise on the Baltic Sea is calling you and now all you need to do is pack. Having recently returned from a summer Nordic cruise with Viking (Viking Homelands itinerary) on the Baltic Sea, I have some tips to help you pack wisely and get the most out of your experience.
Pulling into port in Warnemünde, Germany. It is windy on the Baltic Sea.
Your wardrobe will ultimately vary depending on the season you are travelling, but regardless, many of these tips cover all seasons.
Northern Europe is generally cooler than other parts of Europe and the temperatures will change and may greatly vary. Therefore, you will need to pack for a range of weather systems. We had rainy days that were chilly, and days that were sunny and warm. The temperature ranged from 16C to 23C.
If you think this packing job is going to be tricky, just imagine what the original Vikings had to deal with.
I’ll share what I packed for my summer Nordic cruise. These are for your consideration (I am not selling anything and have no affiliate links).
Wardrobe Tips for a Summer Nordic Cruise:
1. Plan and prepare for the weather: check the weather forecast prior to leaving for your cruise and plan for each day accordingly. It rained on a couple of days on our cruise and was sunny and warm on other days.
2. Layering is key: pack long sleeves, short sleeves, pants, shorts – all good considerations. I wore mostly long sleeves on my cruise and only one day wore a short-sleeved top because it was otherwise too chilly. Pack a light sweater and a shirt to wear underneath it. I have a long-sleeve black top made from breathable bamboo material (I have a few of them) that I travel a lot with because it is so versatile and comfortable.
3. Jackets are most important: pack a waterproof jacket and a puffer. I packed a Burberry puffer for excursion days, a North Face waterproof jacket and an extra puffer (super compact), in case I needed one under my jacket (I didn’t use it). I also took a Moncler trench coat on the plane with me, which I did not use, but managed to lug around the airports. In addition, I packed a sporty black hooded Marc Cain jacket, which I wore a lot.
In Stockholm, where I got most wear out of my Burberry puffer jacket. Viking Mars is in the background.
In Warnemünde, Germany, wearing my black Marc Cain blazer (with white hearts), black jeans and Prada walking shoes.
4. Three pairs of shoes: you need walking shoes for shore excursions, a pair for walking around the ship and dressy/heels for dinners and special events on the ship. Also, if you are a boots girl, like me, pack a pair of ankle boots. I packed four pairs of shoes: runners for workouts, super light Jimmy Choo sneakers for walking around the ship (they have faux pearls which elevates my wardrobe), Louboutin bling sandals for dinners, and Prada ankle boot for walking (super comfortable). I wore them all and had no regrets for taking 4 pairs.
These are the shoes I wore and/or packed.
5. Swimsuit and cover-up: if you think you might want to take a dip in or lounge around the swimming pool, or sit in the hot tub, packing a swimsuit takes up almost no space. I packed a swimsuit, but it was too cold for me to use it. We had one warm day at sea that would have been do-able for swimming (for me), but it didn’t work with my schedule. I also packed a multi-purpose casual hooded Louis Vuitton vest because it could be used as a swimsuit cover-up, which took up a lot of space, but did not use it either.
6. Blazers: blazers are handy for travel because you can get a lot of use out of them. Blazers can elevate a casual look and be used as a jacket and I always travel with one. I wore a comfortable and casual black Marc Cain blazer on travel days (blazers and jeans are my go-to for airplane because it is usually cold), which I wore for dinners. I packed a mad Etro linen jacket in my suitcase for evening events.
My mad multi-colour Etro blazer
7. Bottoms: definitely pack long pants. I wore a pair of black jeans on my travel days and on excursion days, and packed 2 pairs of lighter-weight dressy and casual black pants for the ship. I did not pack any skirts and even if I did, it was too chilly (for me) to wear one, though I did see other women wearing skirts on the ship.
8. Purse/evening bag: small bags or evening clutches are nice to have for evenings on the ship. It is best to pack a small purse that packs flat and is light. I find leather purses too heavy, especially if it has a lot of metal hardware. I packed a small Kurt Geiger bag with sequins and, although it looked great with my outfits, it got squished in my suitcase on the way home. If you have a purse that does not pack flat, consider stuffing it with tissue paper so it does not lose its shape in the suitcase.
Kurt Geiger, whose brand I think is cool.
9. Choose a wardrobe colour theme: neutral colours are the best for mix and match. I usually wear mostly black and when I travel and add white, grey or blue items, depending on the destination. On this cruise, I did something unusual and added my mad, patterned Etro linen jacket in multi colours, which I almost regretted, but it worked well with black.
10. Choose the right fabrics: irons and steamers are not allowed on Viking ships, so there was no way to press my items (unless I sent it for laundry services). This was my biggest packing lesson. Aim for lighter fabrics that won’t crease. I packed a viscose blouse because it is light weight, but it creased terribly. The one item I was concerned about creasing was my linen Etro blazer, but the wrinkles fell away after it was hung for a while.
The blouse by Lafayette NY made of viscose fabric that badly wrinkled, though it stood out because of the musical notes.
12. Accessories: neck scarves take up no room and jewelry can be compact. I packed four scarves: a favourite summertime silk Hermes (did not wear), a Totem scarf to go with my trench and Burberry puffer coat, and another favourite black and white scarf that I wear with many outfits, which I wore a lot, and a solid black scarf. For jewelry, I packed two of my favourite Dior necklaces (gold/pearls) and wore diamond studs. I did not wear much jewelry on the ship, and excursions were casual and active, so I kept it minimal. Also, do pack a good pair of sunglasses for excursions.
13. Gym gear: depending on how much you plan to work out, you can likely get away with one workout outfit and use the laundry services if necessary. If you can use the same pair of running shoes for walking, you will save room in your suitcase. I have not yet mastered this. I brought my runners for working out and Prada shoes for walking.
14. Day bag/knapsack: you will need some sort of bag for excursions, such as a knapsack or tote bag, to carry items like your wallet, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera, phone, passport and an umbrella. When landing in different ports, you are required to carry your passport with you at all times on your excursions. I packed a Swiss Gear nylon backpack that is super light and strong enough to carry all that I need, which I use on all my trips (it was gifted by Swiss Tourism years ago on a media trip), and a Prada cross-body nylon bag.
15. Pajamas: the nights are chilly out on the Baltic Sea. I found it quite cold at night and was thankful I packed a pair of warm, fleecy pajamas. Thankfully, the bathroom in my stateroom had heated floors and I was able to turn up the heat enough to be comfortable.
16. Hats: you will need a sun hat for excursions and possibly a toque for days that are cooler. I packed a sun hat (didn’t use), a ballcap (worn on excursions and to the gym). I did not pack a toque and could have used it for my early morning walks out on the open decks, as it was quite cool and windy on the open sea. I did not pack gloves and would not have needed them, but, if you are travelling a bit earlier or later than July in the season, a light pair would be a consideration.
In Bornholm, Denmark. I always travel with a ball cap. They take up virtually no space in luggage.
Shannon Skinner is an award-winning inspirational TV host/producer, writer and speaker, covering luxury travel, wine and lifestyle for women.
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