Karaoke music, excellent people watching, and drinks on the sun deck at 9:00am. It’s wasn’t a Carnival Cruise, but it sure did feel like one! We had a great experience taking the ferry between Helsinki and Tallinn. Check out our top 5 tips for traveling by ferry between Finland and Estonia:
5 Tips for Traveling by Ferry between Finland and Estonia
1. Book Your Tickets Early
Staying on budget is possible with a little planning. Ferry tickets vary in price, but booking early can lock you into a good rate. If you are willing to travel on the early morning or late night ferry, these tickets are usually discounted and will help save your budget!
There are a few competing ferry companies, so be sure to compare prices online before booking. Our round trip ferry tickets were $60 per person. Also, don’t upgrade for a lounge or buffet breakfast. Pack your own snacks and enjoy the view from the sun deck!
2. Go to the Correct Terminal
Since there are several ferry companies that offer this route, it is important to double check the scheduled terminal location. There is only one port in Tallinn which makes it easy, but there are multiple ports in Helsinki. We almost made the assumption that all ferries left from one place. I guess we may have finally learned a lesson from previous travel mishaps!
3. Arrive Early
The ferry ride is a little more than 2-hours, making it possible to do a day trip to Tallinn or Helsinki if you are short on time in your itinerary! Be sure to board the boat 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time; we cut it a little too close for comfort catching our first ferry!
4. Explore the Ferry
Not your typical ferry (or not what we were expecting!) The boats are massive, probably the same size as a Carnival Cruise ship, if not bigger. They have luggage lockers, casinos, several bars, and a full pharmacy on board! Claim a great spot and then spend some time exploring the amenities on board. There is usually free wifi on board, but you may need to get the sign-in details from the information desk.
5. Have Fun!
Our recommendation for the best place to sit is the sun deck. Find a table there and you will have space to spread out and relax without having to buy an expensive meal onboard. We were lucky to get a seat within the glass wind barriers, so we didn’t freeze! The sun deck was also the party deck and had the best people watching!
Our Experience
Helsinki > Tallinn
We traveled from Helsinki to Tallin with Eckero Line. This ferry ride was was more like a booze cruise. There were large groups of people traveling together and everyone was drinking pitchers of sangria and bottles of champagne at 9:00am. Who are we to judge? We ended up joining in on the fun!
Tallinn > Helsinki
Our trip back to Helsinki from Tallinn we traveled on Viking Line. This trip did not have the party atmosphere and was not as packed, probably because it was the 7:00am ferry on a Sunday. Travelers got creative and found the most unique places to lay down and try to get some sleep. This ride was pretty quiet, until they decided to blare upbeat club music halfway through the journey. Earplugs for the win!
We spent two days in Tallinn and three days in Helsinki. Check out our blog posts for our must see recommendations in these fun cities!
Love love love your entries! You two have the best trips! ❤️