Cruising the historic cities of the Baltic Sea with Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys

“We have to invent a new world,” says Solidarity founder and former President of Poland, Lech Wałęsa, to a rapt standing-room-only crowd on board Ponant’s 184-passenger Le Dumont d’Urville. We’re docked at the Polish port of Gdansk, where the Wałęsa-led Solidarity labor movement of the 1980s famously contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. “We have to improve democracy,” continues the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, as the audience peppers him with questions.

Having access to such luminaries as Wałęsa is what this trip, organized by Smithsonian Journeys, is all about. It’s an example of the partnership between Smithsonian Journeys (the travel program of the Smithsonian Institution) and the luxury French cruise line, Ponant, which started in 2022 to create sailings that are as educationally enriching as they are pampering.

“It was the Smithsonian aspect, and especially Wałęsa, that sold me on this cruise,” says passenger Sherrie Spendlove from Las Vegas, who’s traveling with her husband. “It was a gift to get inspiration from Wałęsa and having a photo taken with him exceeded all expectations.”

Smithsonian offers extraordinary enrichment
Exceeding expectations could well describe this intimate eight-day voyage, “Cruising the Historic Cities of the Baltic Sea.” Start with the onboard lectures delivered by two outstanding Smithsonian Journeys experts: Nadiezda Kizenko, a professor of Russian and East European History at the State University of New York in Albany whose family has roots in the Old Russian Empire, and Hugh Neighbour, a retired State Department diplomat and officer in the U.S. Navy, specializing in political and economic affairs. Through a series of fascinating illustrated talks, they share their knowledge and experience of the history, culture, religion and current affairs of the Baltic region.

“It’s a wonderful coalition with Smithsonian,” says Captain Régis Daumesnil. “Smithsonian is very close to Ponant’s mission. Passengers are open-minded and want to discover the world and understand it.”

Both Kizenko and Neighbour agree. “It’s a much higher class of people,” says Kizenko. “They’re eager to learn while also having a good time.” Neighbour, who has lectured with Smithsonian Journeys since 2017, finds “passengers are well-educated, well-traveled and curious.”

“I think the lecturers are fabulous,” says Eileen Engle of Chandler, Ariz., who’s on her first Smithsonian Journeys trip, but plans to do more. “They’re really knowledgeable and I love their humor, too.”

Shore excursions shine
Smithsonian-arranged daily guided shore excursions, which are all-inclusive, are just as revelatory. After our departure from Stockholm, we pulled into Helsinki, capital of Finland, for a tour of the modern city, highlighted by its grand Neoclassical Senate Square and an eye-popping monument to Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius. Our guide shares fascinating highlights about the country: Finland was the second country in the world to give women the vote (after New Zealand) and ranks No. 1 in the world in education.

Next up: Estonia’s capital of Tallinn. After a guided tour, we explore the pedestrian-only cobbled streets of this medieval “Disneyland” on our own. Old Town is an Instagrammer’s dream of ancient city walls topped with 26 watchtowers; pastel-hued, red-roofed buildings; inviting shops and restaurants; and buskers playing traditional Swedish keyed fiddles dating from the Middle Ages. Costumed locals in period garb complete the throwback vibe to when Tallinn was a bustling Hanseatic trading center.

On the Swedish island of Gotland, the biggest island in the Baltic Sea, I’m fascinated by the Viking runic and picture stones in the Gotlands Museum in the town of Visby. With no written records, these unique stones help tell the story of the ancient Norse people. I wander around Visby’s cobbled streets, wide-eyed at this fetching medieval “town of ruins and roses,” where flowers festoon storybook houses along narrow lanes. Considered the wealthy Manhattan of its day, it still has 92 churches in use from the 1200s, along with 27 still-standing watchtowers.

In the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda, our guide Virginija tells us it was Russian speaking when she was a kid and that Lithuanian is actually close to Sanskrit, of all things. We’re entertained in a small square by traditional accordian-accompanied folk dancers, who invite us to join them in the simple steps. Afterward, we sample traditional Lithuanian specialties at a nearby restaurant: deep-fried bread, dumplings with sausage and sour cream, and cottage cheese pastry with strawberry sauce.

In Gdansk, Poland, we drive through the historic shipyard to the 10-year-old Solidarity Center, site of the famous labor strike. A memorial to that pivotal event, this museum — whose ceilings are symbolically covered with dockworker hard hats — tells the moving story of Solidarity’s role in the fall of communism. Wałęsa still maintains an office here. In a head-snapping contrast, we explore the reconstructed medieval city of Gdansk, a pedestrian-friendly beauty lined with pastel-colored mansions, stately guild houses and towering churches. Gdansk is the world amber capital and we watch Baltic amber being processed in one of its many shops.

Our last stop before flying home from Copenhagen is Bornholm, called the “Sunshine Island” for getting more sun than anywhere else in Denmark. On an island tour, we marvel at charming fishing villages and pretty wildflower fields, gleaming in that brilliant sunshine. I wander the picture-perfect village of Gudhjem, whose Crayola-colored, red-roofed houses tumble to the sea. A popular foodie destination, the island started the tradition of smoking herring (we eat delicious samples at a smokehouse) and boasts the world’s only cheese producer, St. Clemens, to win the title of World Cheese Champion twice. With a population of just 39,000, it even has a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Smithsonian and Ponant: An inspired partnership
Smithsonian’s partnership with Ponant is an inspired choice. As a small-ship luxury line, it offers an elevated level of amenities and service that Smithsonian guests would expect. Designed as an expedition ship for the polar regions, Le Dumont is nevertheless sleek and stylish, with 92 chic cabins and spacious suites with 100% private balconies or terraces. It exudes class from its minimalist Scandi design in muted colors to its Alain Ducasse-inspired cuisine.

With fewer than 200 passengers, the ship allows for easy mixing and mingling, sans long lines or big crowds. To emphasize its cozy size and personalized service, Captain Régis Daumesnil welcomes us on board with: “Consider this your own private yacht and crew.”

“The French touches are evident, but not arrogant,” he adds with a twinkle, “with an emphasis on luxurious conviviality.” There’s the attentive bilingual French staff whose announcements are in both English and French for this overwhelmingly American group. There’s the French chef, French wines and the parting cadeau of a gift-boxed Proustian madeleine. And even the bathroom toiletries are French, mais bien sur.

“This is more posh than the National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions cruise I took,” says Becky Perfect of Durham, NC, as if to emphasize Daumesnil’s point. “This group is more social too.”

Amenities and services galore
The environmentally friendly ship boasts a small infinity pool, water-sports marina, Zodiacs for sightseeing, spa, fitness center, photo studio and theater — but notably, no casino. Unlimited free WiFi is a welcome bonus.

But the showstopper is an underwater lounge-cum-bar called the Blue Eye that seats 40. Designed to feel like the inside of a whale, it features two oversized “eyes” that offer views of the passing subterranean ocean. Be prepared for a mesmerizing multimedia journey into the deep, enhanced by mood lighting, video images of iridescent jellyfish projected onto the walls and underwater sounds channeled via hydrophones that also resonate as vibrations on special sofas for “full-body listening” — just like what sea creatures experience.

“I keep sailing with Ponant because of the Smithsonian connection,” says Anne Sylvester of Vancouver, Wash., who has taken four Smithsonian trips on Ponant ships.

Food, glorious food
You can dine in two restaurants — a main dining room that accommodates all cruisers in one sitting and a more casual al fresco grill on the pool deck — in addition to 24-hour complimentary room service. From the amuse bouche before each dinner to the standout desserts, “every meal is like a tasting menu,” says passenger Spendlove. “Ponant takes cruising a step beyond.”

Notable dishes in the dining room range from a gala evening lobster and steak entrée, to oysters in champagne and pasta with smoked salmon and cream, to garlic-drenched escargots in mini pie cups and duck with red peppercorn and toasted-almond-wrapped potato balls. My meal in The Grill features a cold seafood buffet, including sushi, smoked salmon and trout, and yummy grilled shrimp with leeks in cream sauce.

But I find the separate tasting experiences to be the real culinary stars: teatime with Grand Marnier-flambéed crêpes or Pierre Hermé macarons. Pata negra tasting of the famous Iberian ham, served with fruity sangria. A cheese extravaganza of 10 buttery samples straight from a dairy in Brittany. And a sigh-worthy poolside indulgence of Osetra caviar washed down with ice-cold Champagne or vodka.

Let me entertain you
Entertainment features three female dancers and a singer from a Paris production company, plus a pianist and a lounge crooner. Shows range from Broadway-style in the theater (the ode to Frida Kahlo is excellent) to cabaret-style in the main lounge. A lively group of passengers even enjoys a casino night with blackjack, roulette and other games — albeit with fake Ponant money.

But there’s certainly nothing fake about this exceptional cruising experience.

KEEP READING

–Going on a cruise? Be sure to bring this
–One thing I wish I’d bought before going on a cruise
–A reader suggested this little-known cruise essential I never knew existed and she was spot-on
–Johnny Jet’s top 10 cruise tips
–12 things I learned from traveling to Europe this summer

Want more travel news, tips and deals? Sign up to Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for all of my travel posts.