Bring On The Baltics

Oceania Cruises' itineraries mix popular ports with undiscovered gems

- Steve Leland

Location, location, location is a well known incantation in reference to real estate potential, but in the world of cruising that mantra is, more appropriately: destination, destination, destination.

Oceania Cruises’ twin sister ships, Marina and Riviera, along with a supporting cast of the family’s four smaller vessels, have taken on a perpetual pursuit of scanning the globe for the next hot destination, supplementing the tried and true favorites with culturally diverse ports of call. These strikingly beautiful siblings, although separated by the seven seas, seek out behind-the-curtain locales that rightly deserve their share of the spotlight.

As a prime example, the elegant Marina dispenses the June through September summertime blues with an exploration of Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea’s lesser-known ports through innovative excursion tweaks.

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The port of Warnemunde, Germany, introduces Berlin and its bastion of engrossing history with a milieu of comprehensive excursions. Some obvious choices include the must-see sights of Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and remnants of the Berlin Wall. Oceania offers those attractions plus a bonus opportunity to visit the outlying suburb of Potsdam. Best known for its pomp and extravagance as the royal seat of historic Prussia and Sanssouci Park and Palace, the city also played host to one of the most important summits of World War II, which was attended by Truman, Churchill, and Stalin, leading to the conclusion of the war. En route to Berlin, cross the famed Glienicke Bridge where secret agent spies of the East and West were exchanged during the Cold War era.