Cruises to Stockholm

824 Reviews
Stockholm (Photo:Scanrail1/Shutterstock)

About Cruising to Stockholm

Named in this century as both Europe's Cultural Capital and also the continent's first Green Capital, Stockholm is the largest city in Scandinavia, with about 1.8 million residents in the metropolitan area -- about one-fifth of Sweden's total population. The city, founded in 1252, comprises 14 islands, and is a popular port of call and turnaround port on Northern Europe cruises.

Stockholm's premier tourist attraction is Gamla Stan (literally, Old Town), one of the largest neighborhoods of 16th-century buildings in Europe. Block after block of these four- and five-story structures are painted in vivid colors typical of Mediterranean villages and occasionally feature wrought-iron signs symbolizing ancient craftworkers' guilds or faces of religious figures. Cobblestone streets and arms-width alleys criss-cross Gamla Stan. There, you'll also find the 18th-century Royal Palace atop the crown of the hill upon which Gamla Stan is located. (Sweden is a constitutional monarchy and has a one-house parliament).

Boulevards defining Stockholm's busy waterfront are also lined with photogenic architecture -- turrets, spires, stucco patterns -- mostly dating from before the turn of the 20th century. Elsewhere downtown, glass-and-steel retail centers and office buildings have replaced such older buildings. But the divergent styles tend to be clustered and don't compete with each other for the viewer's eye.

Offsetting the city's bustle and buildings are large swatches of green space. The Ekoparken, or eco-park, curves for six miles through a couple of the busiest islands and along one side of the downtown business district.

A word to the pennywise: Stockholm is expensive. Especially if you're spending time there pre- or post-cruise, a best-bet is the Stockholm Card, which provides automatic admission to about 80 museums and attractions, plus passage on buses, trams, subways and some ferries. Presuming you are in the city long enough to use it for some of the museums, it's easily worth the $65-$70 (about ?40) charge for a one-day card. Buy it online before leaving home. Plan your trip to Stockholm with our upcoming Sweden cruise itineraries.

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Sirena
Sirena

10 Night
Europe - Northern Cruise

282 Reviews
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Holland America Rotterdam
Holland America Line's Rotterdam at Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. (Photo: Aaron Saunders)

14 Night
Jewels Of The Baltic

111 Reviews
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Viking Vela
Viking UK June-Sept Advertorial

28 Night
Scandinavia & The British Isles

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Viking Vela
Viking UK June-Sept Advertorial

28 Night
Scandinavia & The British Isles

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Cruise Critic Favorite

12 Night
Best Of Scandinavia

2,099 Reviews
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17 Night
Europe - Northern Cruise

318 Reviews
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21 Night
Capitals & Fjords: Stockholm Overnight & Sognefjord

111 Reviews
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21 Night
Fjords & Capitals: Copenhagen Lithuania & Latvia

111 Reviews
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4 Night
Europe - Northern Cruise

501 Reviews
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12 Night
Best Of Scandinavia

2,099 Reviews
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12 Night
Europe - Northern Cruise

231 Reviews
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11 Night
Europe - Baltic

3,018 Reviews
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14 Night
Europe - Northern Cruise

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11 Night
Transatlantic Cruise

724 Reviews
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21 Night
Capitals & Fjords: Lithuania Latvia & Nordfjord

111 Reviews
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More about Stockholm

Why Cruise to Stockholm?

Pros:

This metropolitan city's Old Town features one of the largest 16th-century neighborhoods in all of Europe

Cons:

Savings can be found, but Stockholm is expensive, so you'll want to set aside a good chunk of your budget for this port

Bottom Line:

Despite the potential expense, Scandinavia's largest city is a must-see

Stockholm Cruise Port Facilities?

If your ship docks at Frihamnen, leave ASAP. Except for the contemporary art museum Magasin 3, in a converted warehouse, this bland industrial area has no attractions for tourists. The port is used most often as a terminus for ferries crossing the Baltic Sea. While there is a souvenir shop and free Wi-Fi in the cruise ship terminal, there is no Internet cafe nor ATM; however, the ferry terminal, about a five-minute walk from the cruise terminal, does have an ATM machine. To reach a more charming part of Stockholm, grab a cab just a few yards from your ship or, slightly farther on, board buses near Magasin 3.

If your vessel docks at Gamla Stan, you will find museums, the 600-room Royal Palace, cafes, trinket shops, ATMs and banks, all just minutes' walk from the dock.

Good to Know?

Visiting Gamla Stan means you'll be treading on cobblestones. Leave the high heels and the flimsy sandals back on the ship. To save a few kronor, avoid meals in the most-touristed areas, where price inflation is common: for instance, $27 for a small plate of Swedish meatballs. On the plus side, pickpockets and petty crime are not common in Stockholm.

Getting Around?

You can explore Stockholm by electric trolleys (called tram), buses, ferries, the subway and on foot. The city is very walkable, with many of the prime tourist destinations within a couple of miles of one another. Taxis do accept credit cards, which is a plus because cabs can be costly; for example, a ride from Frihamnen to the city center -- near the main train station and central subway hub -- will cost about $25.

Remember, though, that you can use your Stockholm Card on public transport. Just step aboard the bus or tram, and show it to the driver.

Another option is to buy a ticket for the daily hop-on/hop-off bus. Tickets are good for 24 hours and come with a map noting various attractions and their bus stops; you can leave the bus and pick it up again at any of its stops. City Sightseeing offers both a bus-only and bus/boat option, and passengers can board the buses at Frihamnen, among other stops.

Finally, environmentally friendly Stockholm has a municipal bike-rental program that's convenient. Buy a three-day card online, at your hotel or at the main tourist office at Vasagatan 14. Find one of several dozen automated bike racks, which operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and scan your card, which will delete credits and unlock a bike for you. Ride it where you want, for up to three hours, then return it to any of the bike racks.

North American and European flights use Stockholm's sleek Arlanda Airport. It can be reached by the Arlanda Express train in just 20 minutes (some days the train offers two-for-one fares), by the direct bus known as Flygbussarna and by cab. The train and bus arrive at the Central Train Station. Rental cars are available at the airport.

Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

The Swedish krona is the unit of currency. Denominations of paper krona are 20, 50, 100 and 500. Amounts below 20 krona are settled with coins. ATMs are abundant in the city, as are currency-exchange shops, most prominently the company named Forex. Occasionally there are ATMs immediately outside Forex offices. Banks will also exchange currency.

Language?

Officially, it's Swedish, but English is a mandatory subject for several years of school, as is a choice of a third language. (French and German are the favorites). Consequently, workers in areas frequented by visitors speak more-than-adequate English.

Where You're Docked?

Two cruise ports serve the city, though the one at Gamla Stan -- reserved for smaller ships -- is far more convenient for shore excursions. The site for larger ships, Frihamnen, is about a 15-minute cab ride (or step aboard Buses No. 1 or 76) from the heart of downtown.


Stockholm Cruise Reviews
Stockholm was absolutely beautiful. We were very glad that the captain recommended getting up early to view the approach as this was outstanding. They opened up the helipad to give us a better view and we were delighRead More
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Billynick
There is always something new to do in Stockholm, and the cruise into and out of the port if one of the finest you will ever see.Read More
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Hoddit
Turned left once we left the ship, there’s a small ferry stop, it stops a couple of times then its the Vasa Museum, well worth seeing and learning about the history of this amazing ship restoration project. Read More
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winifred
We took the excursion: Stockholm’s Waterways Cruise, which consists of a boat tour on the canals, with a guide. Nice trip!Read More
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Roxane1

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