14 Night Cruise sailing from Southampton roundtrip aboard Arcadia.

Cruise Overview:
Restaurateur Marco-Pierre White joins Arcadia for part of this 14-night cruise to the beautiful Baltic and Northern Europe, the highlight of which is two unforgettable days discovering dramatic St Petersburg.

First you'll head to spectacular Kristiansand in Norway before an opportunity to visit Copenhagen with the fairytale Tivoli Gardens and Kronberg Castle, the original Elsinore in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Then it's on to the former fishing village of Warnemunde, now one of the most popular resorts on the Baltic Sea.

Tallinn offers a fascinating mix of architectural styles, from the spectacular onion domes of the Nevski Russian Orthodox Cathedral to the baroque Toompea Castle provides a prelude to two days in flamboyant St Petersburg. Seek out Catherine the Great's Palace with its breathtaking white, blue and gold façade, as well as some of Europe's greatest art in the Hermitage Museum, before you head to the stunning architecture and luscious parks of Helsinki. Stockholm, often described as the 'Venice of the North', spans 14 islands and myriad small islets and is your last port of call.

About Kristiansand
Norways most southerly city and cruise port Kristiansand is also its sunniest. Kristiansand cruises offer beaches, superb scenery, fascinating history and range of attractions, all which makes Kristiansand cruises a big hit as well as being the most popular holiday spot for Norwegians.
Cruises to Kristiansand bring visitors into a renaissance city founded in 1641, with the history laid out in one of Norways largest open-air museums - Vest Agder. It is also apparent in the 17th century Christiansholm Fortress and the rows of attractive old wooden houses in the city centre.
After visiting Kristiansand, your cruise tour will take you just outside the city to explore the 960-year-old Oddernes Church and the Kristiansand Cannon Museum, with the world's second largest gun. Other tours take in a recreated Bronze Age settlement with its own fertility maze and the Setesdalsbanen Vintage Steam Railway.

About Copenhagen
Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen was the adopted home of Hans Christian Andersen - commemorated in the waterfront sculpture of his Little Mermaid. And, true to the spirit of its most famous resident, Copenhagen has a fairytale magic all of its own.
Discover the beauty of the Copenhagen cruises while visiting the delightful Tivoli Gardens, where you can soar above the city in a hot air balloon suspended from a Ferris Wheel. Stroll down leafy byways as dusk falls and hundreds of lights twinkle through the trees or in the shops and cafes of Stroget, Europes longest pedestrianised shopping street.
With a variety of destinations to explore, cruises to Copenhagen have plenty to offer. Enjoy another stroll along the Nyhavn Canal, browsing the market stalls and looking at the fine old sailing ships moored near its banks. You will find more history at the magnificent Christiansborg Palace, the National Museum - home to fascinating Viking relics - and at Kronberg Castle - the former Elsinore of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'.

About Tallinn
Estonia's cruise port Tallinn is also a fascinating medieval capital. This multi-faceted jewel of a city and its architecture - a legacy of Teutonic, Polish and Russian rule - will have your eyes on stalks. From the spectacular onion domes of the Nevski Russian Orthodox Cathedral to the Baroque Toompea Castle (home of the Estonian Parliament) and the elaborate Gothic façade of the 13th century Raekoda, Europe's oldest town hall, all can be explored from our Talinn cruises.
Another highlight of a Talinn cruise is the magnificent St Mary's Cathedral, with its display of more than 100 coats of arms - but do take time out just to stroll the winding streets and cobbled squares of the city's atmospheric old town, where you will find exquisite amber jewellery, fine lacework and gorgeous woollen jackets at bargain prices.
Visit the workshops in Catherine's Passage to watch artisans creating leatherwork, jewellery and ceramics, or simply retire to a pavement cafe and relax while enjoying alfresco performances from brass bands, string quartets and strolling players.

About St. Petersburg
On cruises to St. Petersburg you will usually stay here overnight; after all the jewel in the Baltic's crown deserves no less, for here - on the broad banks of the River Neva and in the magnificent palaces and churches which characterise the city's skyline - you will find Russia at its most dramatic, flamboyant and captivating.
Put the Hermitage Museum right at the top of your St. Petersburg cruise sightseeing list; its magnificent buildings and palaces contain the world's most comprehensive collection of art and sculpture, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Gaugin, Rembrandt and Matisse.
Other highlights of all St. Petersburg cruises include the Yusupov Palace (where 'the mad monk' Gregori Rasputin was dramatically murdered in 1916); Catherine the Great's palace (with its breathtaking 978-foot white, gold and blue façade); St Isaac's Cathedral (which has marble walls studded with semi-precious stones); the onion-spired Church of Spilled Blood and the battleship Aurora, whose guns signalled the start of the Russian Revolution.

About Helsinki
Surrounded by the sea and its own archipelago, Helsinki, the Finnish capital, retains its nautical feel with many sailing events during the summer. Exploring the fascinating sights of Helsinki, cruise passengers will discover the city is also the country's main cultural focus, offering dance, ballet, opera, and other festivals.

The striking onion-shaped cupolas of the Uspensky Cathedral (modelled on the one in Odessa) are just one example of the Soviet influence on a country which achieved independence less than 100 years ago. Highlights of cruises to Helsinki also include some of the traditional Finnish building in the Senate Square and the North Harbour.

Helsinki is a compact city - 'a pocket-sized metropolis', as it was once described - so it is easy to get around, especially in the historical centre. Or you can take the touring 'pub tram' and drink in the views, including the colourful flower market near the harbourfront.

After months of dark, cold winter, it is hardly surprising that the Finns pull out all the stops to celebrate the genuine warmth of their summers with outdoor events all around the city such as the Coming of Spring, Midsummer, the Helsinki Festival, and the Annual Night of the Arts.