This was the follow up cruise to our Atlantic crossing and it was a good choice. The Baltic itinerary was very busy compared to the crossing but there were no scheduled speakers, which would have been a plus to gain a better understanding of the history of each port. The food in the main dinning room was fine but the choices were a little slim, with no effort made to bring any local flavor to the menu. On the other hand, the Windjammer cafe, while often crowded during peek periods, had a better than usual list of options including some local fare and the service there was above average. I only used third party excursions (Google SPB) and liked the smaller group sizes and the ability to savor local food at each port. Finally, I must mention how well the ship handled the cold weather we experienced. With temps in the 40's and 50's every day, the ships design was nearly perfect. All that glass acted as a wind break and only the main pool and sport decks were, effected by the wind and cold. There were other venues to keep you occupied, like the gym or the indoor pools and spas. All in all I would be happy to sale on the Renaissance class ships any time.