We spent 6 days around the Baltic Sea using mainly the Silja Line ship.
On this page, we will explain everything you should know after booking your trip!
The first destination of this trip was Stockholm, and it takes about 16 hours and 45 minutes
to reach it. Although the trip is long, it was very relaxing and fun!
The ship you will see in the photos is Silja Serenade and it is very modern and big! During our trip, we also took the Romantika ship from Stockholm to Riga which is equally beautiful but smaller, and finally to return from Tallinn to Helsinki we took the Megastar ship.
What is Silja Line?
Silja Line ship is very large and has various connections with the countries around the Baltic Sea.
On the ship, there are restaurants, bars, pubs, duty-free shops, clothing/souvenir shops,
night club and casino.
We bought the tickets from the official Silja Line page 3 months before.
Silja Line’s Route
HELSINKI -> TALLINN
STOCKHOLM -> HELSINKI
STOCKHOLM -> TURKU
STOCKHOLM -> TALLINN
STOCKHOLM -> RIGA
We have done: Helsinki – Stockholm, Stockholm – Riga, Tallinn – Helsinki.
Ports of Helsinki
Helsinki has 2 ports: HELSINKI WEST HARBOR (T1 – T2) and OLYMPIA TERMINAL
Both are easily accessible by tram.
If you go to Tallinn head to HELSINKI WEST HARBOR (Tyynenmerenkatu 8).
If you go to Stockholm instead, head to Terminal Olympia (Olympiaranta 1)
Access to Olympia Terminal
Olympia Terminal can be reached by trams 2 and 3 from the city center.
Get off at Olympusterminaali and walk to the terminal.
Olympia Terminal
The ideal would be to leave your luggage at the Olympia terminal in the morning, check-in
with an automatic machine and then visit the city of Helsinki.
Olympia Terminal Facilities
ATM, coin locker, transport service, automatic ticket office for public transport (HSL), bar, toilets, check-in desks, kiosk, taxi.
Olympia Terminal Official Page
About Lockers
Locker size and base fee
Large locker (45x60x90) – € 4 / day
Small locker (24x24x77) – € 2 / day
The lockers can be used for up to 7 days
In addition to the lockers there is a kiosk which has a room where you can leave your luggage
for about 1/2 euro each
How to check-in
Check-in at the counter is from 14:00 to 17:00.
If you prefer to check in earlier, these machines are convenient because you can check-in
at any time on the day of departure. From here a boarding pass will be issued which is also
the room key.
It is recommended to register as a Club One member of Silja Line, not only will it make it easier for you to check-in but you can get points when you shop and have discount coupons on board.
About boarding
It is recommended to board about 30 minutes before departure as the terminal gets very busy.
You can find the cabin number written on the key and as soon as you enter you will find all the information.
How to spend time on board
Inside the ship, there is an elevator and a staircase that allows easy access to each floor.
The rooms range from standard cabins (sea / interior window) to more luxurious cabins (72 m²)
and the Moomin cabin.
The type of room depends on the budget. We have chosen a room with a sea view (class A)
It is not luxurious, but it is relaxing to rest in the room and watch the scenery outside
Take a walk on the terrace as you cross many small islands.
As soon as you set sail it is very crowded but later you can enjoy the terrace with peace of mind
Sunset is very late around 22:00 and sunrise is around 4:00 in the morning.
There are many clothing/souvenir shops and shops
duty-free on board, and there are many Moomin products.
There was also Angry Birds on board! Great entertainment
There are several restaurants and buffets where you can enjoy a dinner with a sea view!
As you get closer to Stockholm, you will see a beautiful natural landscape.
In conclusion
When you go on a luxury cruise for a week or 10 days,
you often get tired of being on the same ship for a long time.
Instead we had a lot of fun spending half a day on the ship, and we were sad to get off!
It is definitely an alternative way to the plane but definitely recommended !!
