Cruise ships are exciting, aren't they? You never know what kind of romantic shenanigans and…read moreslapstick adventures you run into on the high seas, especially if they involve Charo and Gopher. Oh, wait a minute, I'm having an acid trip and flashing back to "The Love Boat" circa 1977. No, the Victoria was big but no Pacific Princess, and I didn't see the Landers sisters anywhere near the swimming pool. Just a lot of hirsute Estonians in the communal hot tub. This was the overnight cruise Jamie W. and I took from Talinn, the capital of Estonia (yes, Estonia) to Stockholm. We already had a similar experience on the Silja Line Serenade from Stockholm to Helsinki, so we knew the routine pretty well by this point in our Scandinavian maritime vacation. The cabin was A-class again and this time a bit roomier, a nice surprise since we got tired of falling into the toilet after taking a shower (photo: http://bit.ly/2iCQ6pE). There was no central promenade which took up a lot of space on several floors of the previous boat. No, the restaurants and shops were mostly on two of the decks, and you still had to make a reservation in advance to get dinner at a reasonable hour. We shared a rather middling dinner in the central dining room starting with the €13 Mussels Mariniere (photo: http://bit.ly/2hvJnOj) and the €11 Caesar Salad with Free-Range Chicken (photo: http://bit.ly/2ige49T). Not bad but our main entrees consisted of the chewy €19 BBQ Pork Ribs with French Fries (photo: http://bit.ly/2iCNVTg) and the rubbery €21 Flank Steak with Potato Purée (photo: http://bit.ly/2id0PnX). None of these dishes appeared to reflect the chef's finest hour. However, our mutually bloated feeling meant we weren't about to embarrass ourselves in the disco where drunken Europeans of all stripes had already taken over with brio early in the trip (photo: http://bit.ly/2hMzZBW). The morning brought new hope with the complimentary Breakfast Buffet offering quite a selection of Nordic specialties like smoked salmon and a lot of sausages (photo: http://bit.ly/2iD9Dm0). However, the best part of the trip was coming upon the Stockholm Archipelago where the picturesque sight of all the islands meant we were nearing our final destination (photo: http://bit.ly/2kQlEKh). This was a far cry from the dense fog we were escaping when we left Stockholm for Helsinki and couldn't tell where we were headed. Oh look, I think I see Doc and Isaac with the Landers sisters. FOOD - 3 stars...wouldn't really come for the food if that's what draws you to a cruise AMBIANCE - 3 stars...dated but functional SERVICE - 3 stars...barely present...where's Julie McCoy when you need her? TOTAL - 3 stars...really the only way to get from Talinn to Stockholm

My husband and I took the ship Victoria 1 ( Tallink Ferry Company) from Stockholm, Sweden to…read moreTallin, Estonia. It was a delightful surprise, indeed. Taking the trip was like a mini Carnival Cruise Vacation. The ship has a large open ' Sun Deck' on the top (9th level) with chairs and tables complete with entertainment ( singer with guitar) and drinks available for purchase. We spent a long time here enjoying the beautiful Archipelago Islands. Cabins are very similiar to Carnival Line. One difference is the size of the window. Unlike the small round window typically provided on Carnival, the Victoria has a huge window that is perfect to see all the islands and birds ( see photo). There is a lot to do on the ship! The shopping was unbelievable. They have a gigantic store area complete with shopping carts! There is even a casino and disco. I have included a photo of the children's play area. The buffet food selection is so big, we decided to pass and we ate at the grill restaurant ( very nice!). There are TV's in the cabin and all announcements were made in Swedish and English. We didn't hear a sound all night, and slept well. The ship is clean and the crew were all professional. Highly recommend this trip ( bargain for $100!) That lasts 15 hours ( start time was 1700 arrival 1000 next morning)

Big Messy Doable…read more Everything is there Also access to the airport train Ax like the friends say

We only got lost once at T-Centralen which is pretty good considering how many levels there are…read morehere. T-Centralen where "T" is an abreviation for "tunnelbana" that is the Swedish word for underground. Lots of escalators and many lifts. This is the only station where all of the subway lines meet and is therefore the busiest station in the Swedish network with an underground underpass to the Stockholm Central Station (for national and regional trains) where we caught the Arlanda Express to the airport. Both of the blue lines (Lines 10 and 11), both of the red lines (Lines 13 and 14) and all three of the green lines (Lines 17, 18 and 19). Thankfully, there's a great color map that shows what's what and where. Many food and shopping opportunities. Luggage storage areas. Several places to sit and rest. We were through here several times and never had time to properly explore. It was a connecting point and a good one for that. [Review 18722 overall - 56 in Sweden - 2245 of 2022.]

The Arlanda Express train is quite expensive (640 SEK RT for a single rider), but it's more…read moreconvenient in terms of time table compared to the other train options which come less often. Also if you're flying from Terminal 5, you save some time from walking to the transit hub at Terminal 4. Essentially as soon as you exit Terminal 5 baggage claim, you walk directly to where it says Arlanda Express, and take the lift up and you're on your way to Central Station. If you're traveling with multiple people, make sure you buy your tickets together because they offer a multi passenger discount. I flew by myself so I didn't get to utilize this discount... next time! There's no assigned seating (it's open seating!), so just hop on and find a seat (and a place for your bags). It saves time from having to find a specific train car or assigned seat. At Central Station, Arlanda Express operates from Spår 1 & 2. There's quite a bit of gravel outside the station, so I recommend walking inside the station vs dragging it through the gravel outside. Time and distance is the same. I flew SAS, so when I returned to Arlanda, I took the escalators up to the side that said Departures. Follow the signs up, and you'll reach the check-in counter directly in front of the escalators for SAS. Fast Track are to the right of the escalator, for those who don't have any bags. Pretty convenient if I might say! All in all, it took me about 40-45 minutes to complete my journey from Central Station to the SAS check-in counters & Fast Track. So while I paid an arm and a leg for Arlanda Express, it was very convenient since I didn't have to walk too much to get to/from Stockholm. It was nice that at T5, it literally drops you off right at the SAS check in area. Given the high price point, I give it a solid 3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars. If the price can be cheaper, I'd definitely give it a higher rating.

OK, like many these days, I am watching my money. And coming in from the Stockholm airport,…read moreespecially if you have a monthly pass, it is cheaper to take the bus to Marsta and then the commuter train. But that takes longer and boy was it crowded yesterday. I had already contacted Arlanda Express because I will not be turning on my phone here. Why pay for all those telemarketers to annoy me. I'm older and accessing these QR codes scare me and I wanted to know if I could get a paper ticket. Yes but only here at the machines in Stockholm. Arlanda Express is quick to respond to your questions. This is the only way to go if you are jetlagged because of delayed and cancelled flights. There are 3 stops. Two at the airport and one at Central Station. Your other choice, the commuter train, can and yesterday was, packed like sardines. We couldn't even make it out the door and had to go to the next step and circle back. We are very familiar with Stockholm but you will find, for us non Swedish speakers, that the commuter train announcements and stations are worded slightly different than expected. Plus you have to walk to get it and walk and wait at the train station whereas Arlanda Express is right there AT the airport. It was COLD yesterday. On the return trip, I am spending the extra money for a more predictable trip. 18 minutes from Central Station. There are discounts for 2 or more paying normal price. Cheaper than a cab or ride share. And cheaper than an overnight stay at an airport hotel. But keep in mind that it only goes to Stockholm Central. That is fine if you are staying nearby. But even if you arent, Central Station has all the very good subway lines to transfer to. We were going to Sodermalm and I thought my initial commuter train was smart because once I got on it, it would take me to the part of town that I was staying, cheaper. At 24 hours awake, I have now learned to spend the extra few bucks on the faster less confusing option.

I love love love cities with public transportation. I've ridden metros in 50+ cities from Amsterdam…read moreto Zürich, Dallas to Santiago, Beijing to Toronto. Stockholm's Tunnelbana system is just as good as any of them. I bought a seven day pass and that meant I didn't need to be concerned about whether or not a one-stop trip was a good use of my money. I was on and off and on and off. The pass is valid on the trams and the buses too! Good signage and easy to operate though I only got lost once or twice. You need to know which is the last station on your line so you know you're headed in the right direction. Most of the stations have lifts or escalators. Some stations have staff. A few stations have indicators of the next train and how long you're going to need to wait for it. The trains are frequent enough and they are definitely clean. I did not see litter in the system and I did not experience anyone walking the train begging or selling stuff. [Review 18784 overall - 90 in Sweden - 2307 of 2022.]

If you're looking for something to do in Stockholm during the cold season, definitely do a tour of…read moretheir underground subway system! You can book guided tours, but you can also do a self-guided tour for free! I suggest googling self-guided tours on Google and finding a tour that sounds most interesting to you. You normally start at T-Central and work your way up and down the green, blue, and red lines. There is so much to see, I definitely recommend!! New York city subways could NEVER. These subways are unmatched, fun, and gorgeous! If you are exploring the subways yourself, I would give yourself 2 hours and buy the 75 minute ticket :)

A ferry line included in your bus/tram/subway card. Fab! They even provide free coffee!read more

Sjovagen ferry line - or the SL (Sjovagen Line) ferry requires a bus ticket to ride around the…read moreharbor in Stockholm. It stops at the amusement park - the far side by a hotel and again near the long distance ferry. You can get a bus/ferry ticket at 7-11 for a few SEK. Inexpensive to ride around and be a tourist at minimal cost.

Stockholm Central Station is HUGE ! Super beautiful and there's so much to see, shop, and explore!…read more If you're like me and forgot to grab snacks or souvenirs before heading home this is a great last stop to pick up treats. Just note things are a bit overpriced, but that's kind of expected in a station like this. One thing that really stood out to me was how friendly and helpful people are. If you ask for help, they genuinely go out of their way, which made navigating way less stressful. Overall, it's pretty easy to find your way, but it's so big that you can def get a little lost. It also has direct access to the subway, which is super convenient. One tip: if you buy the 18-minute ticket to the airport, double check exactly what you're being sold and make sure you keep your copy. The tours & ticket booth (near McDonald's) sold us the wrong ticket and we weren't able to use it nor get refunded, which was really disappointing.

This is the train hub we visit on our trip to Stockholm…read more It's a huge hub with plenty to see, do, and eat while you wait for a train! We didn't take a train during our visit, but we popped into the hub to check it out! They usually have unique dining experiences and shopping, kinda like how we treat malls back home!