Silja Serenade Review Silja line Helsinki to Stockholm Cruise

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I did the overnight cruise from Helsinki to Stockholm, had a day in Stockholm and then cruised it back to Helsinki. This was on the Silja Serenade cruise, part of the Tallink Silja Line ships. This was a gifted stay.

Overnight cruise from Stockholm to Helsinki

Tallink Silja line offers an overnight cruise from Stockholm to Helsinki, and Helsinki to Stockholm. The ship leaves at 17:00 and arrives at 10:00 the following day.

Is it your first time in Helsinki? Check out my travel guide to Helsinki here.

Helsinki to Stockholm Cruise

The Silja Serenade part of the Silja line holds 2852 passengers with 986 cabins, 7 restaurants and 6 bars. It can also hold 395 cards on board. This cruise will take you from Helsinki to Stockholm and Stockholm to Helsinki.

On the Silja Serenade, there are many restaurants including a breakfast and dinner buffet in the Grande Buffet, a casino, gift shops and a spa on board.

Make sure you check out the 143m long unique walking street known as the promenade (the middle aisle of the cruise ship) where you will find all the shops and restaurants located on level 7.

Silja Serenade Deck Plan

Silja Serenade Cabins

There is a choice of:

• Executive Suite – Spacious and luxurious, 75m2 executive suite on deck 11 with beautiful furnishings. The Executive Suite has an attractive living room area, a bedroom with a double bed and it’s ownsauna with a jacuzzi. Also included is a bottle of ship’s champagne, refreshments, cabin service and a special breakfast in Bon Vivant restaurant.

• Junior Suite – There are only three stylish Junior suites located on deck 9, which have interior design themes of spring, summer and autumn. Junior suites have a cosy living room with a sofa, a bedroom with a double bed and a bathroom with a jacuzzi (bathrobes, slippers and towels included). Also included is a small bottle of the ship’s champagne, cabin service and Bon Vivant breakfast.

• Commodore – Beautiful, spacious and luxurious cabins for 1-2 people on decks 10 and 11. The cabins are located in a separate section at the front of the ship. Cabins have a double bed and a cosy living room area. Bon Vivant breakfast and complimentary refreshments are included in the price. Some of the cabins have a balcony.

• DeLuxe – Elegant and spacious cabins for two people on deck 11. A choice of Seaview or promenade. The DeLuxe cabins with a sea view have an extra bed for a child under 17 years. Cabins have a double bed (separable), flat screen TV, trouser press, and complimentary refreshments in the minibar. Also included is a special breakfast served in Tavoláta restaurant.

• Family Class and Moomin Family Class – Spacious and freshly decorated cabins for families with a sea view or view of the Promenade. Cabins have a flat-screen TV and a fridge with complimentary refreshments.

• A Class – High-class cabin with a sea view, there is a TV in the cabin, and the lower beds can be converted into a double bed. Cabins are available for the disabled and people travelling with pets.

• Promenade – windows overlooking the promenade, there is a TV in the cabin, and the lower beds can be converted into a double bed. Cabins can be for the disabled and people with allergies.

• B Class – some cabins are for people with allergies or people travelling with pets.

• C Class – some cabins are for people with allergies or people travelling with pets.

• Special Cabins – for people with allergies

To get into your cabins you will receive a pass, like a hotel key card but made from paper. This tells you what level your cabin is as well as the nearest lift and of course your cabin number. For example, if your room is 10212, 10 is the level of your cabin, 2 is the number of the nearest lift and then 10212 will be the number of your cabin.

You will need to keep your card with you as this gets you in your cabin and gives you access to the buffet or any food if purchased beforehand. It works like a standard hotel room.

Moomin Cabins

Both the Silja Serenade and the Silja Symphony have family cabins with sea views decorated with Moomin characters.

Tallink Silja Line is the official sea carrier of Moomin and Santa Claus.

Silja Seranade Restaurants

Tavolàta Ristorante Italiano

Tavolàta is the ship’s only Italian restaurant. The heart of the restaurant is the Salumeria, where most of the antipasti on the menu are prepared. This place is perfect for the whole or a group of friends to wind down after a busy day. Check out the menu here.

Happy Lobster

If you love seafood this is the place for you. The happy lobster on board the Silja Serenade is a famous fish and shellfish restaurant on the Baltic Sea. All the seafood is fresh as the chef prepares the menus depending on the catch of the day. You can check out the menu here.

Grill House

The grill house offers a variety of delicious dishes to try. Here is the menu.

Bon Vivant, Wine bar & shop

If you are looking for some fine dining check out Bon Vivant, a modern restaurant with seasonal-themed menus. They have a Nordic menu prepared by the chefs and are considered a seasonal masterpiece – not to be missed by any culinary lovers.

Silja Serenade Fast Lane Menu

Looking for a quick bite? then check out the fast lane restaurant. Prices are reasonable whether you are looking for a fast food meal or a pastry. You can check out the menu here.

Coffee & Co.

Looking to wind down with a cup of coffee and maybe a pastry? Head to Coffee & Co. where they serve the freshest coffee and delicious cakes.

Sea Pub

The Sea Pub is down the rear of the promenade with stunning sea views. Be sure to check the sea pub on the Sija Serenade in the evenings as there will be live music.

Promenade Bar

The promenade bar is a fabulous place to wind down while catching up with friends. This is a perfect place to relax if you are waiting for a table in one of the restaurants such as the grill house or the happy lobster.

Starlight

Starlight is a two-floor show restaurant where you can enjoy entertainment for the evening while eating or drinking. Inside is also a casino if you are feeling lucky. Starlight is where you will find the entertainment for the evening.

New York Club & Lounge

New York Club & Lounge is a restaurant which turns into a club at night. In the early evening, there is some karaoke if you’re up for it and in the evening there is a live DJ. The New York Club & Lounge is on level 13 and therefore has amazing sea views as you eat your dinner. Here you can enjoy your favourite cocktail and dance all night long.

Silja Serenade Buffet

Grande Buffet

There is a huge choice available for the breakfast buffet on board the Silja Serenade. From fruit to crepes and hot foods like bacon and eggs. This is for €17 per person. It runs from 7-9.30 am (it closes 30 minutes before it is due to arrive at port). Also included in the price are drinks: tea, coffee, juices and soft drinks.

The dinner buffet on the Silja Serenade has a lot of options including a station dedicated to vegans. Also included in the dinner buffet are wine and beer as well as juices, soft drinks, tea and coffee. The cost for the dinner buffet is €45 per person. Part of the dinner buffet on board the Silja Serenade is the dessert station. Here there is a choice of many flavours of Ice Cream such as chocolate and strawberry as well as mango sorbet. They have a chocolate fondue machine and marshmallows – so bad but tastes so good!

Silja Serenade Shopping

Tax Free Superstore

The duty-free shop is the largest tax-free shopping mall at sea. Here you will find a vast selection of alcohol including spirits, beer and wine as well as cigarettes. Also on offer are some Nordic treats and beauty brands such as Estee Lauder, Chanel and Givenchy.

Marimekko

This is the first floating store of Marimekko and a very popular finish brand. With a selection of bags, clothes and accessories you will surely be spoiled for choice. In this store, there are designs with a special pattern just for the Tallink Silja line ships.

Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger is a well-known US brand which offers clothes for men, women and children. In this store, it is 30% cheaper than in land stores.

Luxury

A store for you guessed it all the luxury products. From jewellery to sunglasses and even luggage can be purchased from this store. You can find brands like Samsungnite, Ray-Ban and Swarovski here.

Fashion

Shop at fashion for 20% off than shops on shore. Here you will find the lasted clothes and accessories for men and women at affordable prices. Brands such as Superdry, ECCO and Vagabond can be found in the fashion store.

Gifts

A store perfect for souvenirs. Here you can purchase magnets, postcards, key rings everything you need to remember your Nordic adventure.

Moomin shop-in-shop

Did you know that the Tallink Silja is the official sea carrier of Moomin?

If you have no idea what Moomin are they were created by Tove Jansson a writer and illustrator from Finland. There is a series of nine books and it was even made into a TV series. Moomins are white creatures with large snouts that make them look like a hippopotamus however they are trolls.

In the Moomin shop, you can buy everything Moomin – I found the plushies to be adorable.

Kids & toys

Kids and Toys is a children’s store with a selection of legos, clothing, stuffed animals and clothing for children. There are some good quality clothes here like Mayoral along with Levi’s clothing for teenagers.

Silja Serenade Spa – Sunflower Oasis

The Silja Serenade spa is called the sunflower oasis. It is situated on deck 12 and is considered a tropical paradise for the whole family. There is a jacuzzi, sauna and pool bar. There are also private saunas available for 1-10 people. During the summer months, the sun deck outside is open.

Cost of the Silja Serenade spa:

• €14 Adults
• €8 Children aged 6-11
• €3 Children 0-5
• It is not recommended for children under 1-year-old this is due to the heavily chlorinated pools.

Silja Serenade Private saunas cost:

• €85 per hour for a Family Sauna (1-5 persons) extra hour of €60
• €175 per hour for a Group sauna (max. 10 persons) extra hour €120
• €6 Swimming suit
• €1 Extra towel

Silja Serenade Wifi

There are two different types of wifi onboard depending on your cabin type, premium or standard. I used the standard wifi and it worked well however it does cut out after a while of not using it. I also struggled to connect to wifi in my room. I did try with my Android and it worked well throughout the ship so I am thinking it may be an iPhone issue.

I was pleasantly surprised with the speed of the wifi as it never lagged when I was using social media or replying to emails. The password is on your pass.

Silja Line Entertainment

There is entertainment onboard in the evenings which you can watch (as these are included in your ticket). From Helsinki to Stockholm I watched a Queen tribute act and from Stockholm to Helsinki I watched an Abba tribute performance. Both shows were 45 minutes long and you had a choice of watching it at 19.30 or 21:00. The shows change often so you may have something completely different.

Silja Serenade Children Activities

Head to Silja Land a playroom with lots of fun games and toys to keep your children entertained during the cruise. In Silja land, you can also find an ice cream bar – delicious!

Meet a Moomin

In the early evening, you can get a chance to meet a Moomin! Head to Starlight and see if you can spot him.

Meet Harry the Seal

You can have your chance of meeting Harry the Seal on board the Silja Serenade from Helsinki – Stockholm.

Silja Serenade line Helsinki to Stockholm Timetable

Click here for Silja Serenade Line Helsinki to Stockholm Timetable. All departure and arrival times are given in local time. (Sweden is one hour behind Finland).

How to book the Silja line Helsinki to Stockholm Cruise

Silja Serenade vs Silja Symphony

These cruise ships are both part of the Tallink Silja Line. They are very similar cruise ships however some restaurants and shops will differ.

Tallink Silja Serenade Review

This was my first cruise experience and it did not disappoint. The cabins were comfortable and clean however it was particularly rocky from Helsinki to Stockholm. The cruise is in the Baltic Sea and the weather conditions for that day weren’t great however coming back from Stockholm to Helsinki was relativity smooth. Do bear this in mind if you are thinking of booking a cruise and if you do suffer from seasickness make sure you bring appropriate medicines with you.

I feel that an overnight cruise is a great way to make the most out of your vacation and experience a cruise ship too. If you are thinking of heading to Stockholm the Silja Serenade may be a great option.

For reference, I stayed in the A-class cabin and ate at the Grande Buffet for breakfast and dinner. Watched the entertainment in the evening with my friends.

Silja Line Helsinki Tallinn Day Trip

If you would like to visit Tallinn from Helsinki you can also do so with the Tallink Silja Line. This journey only takes 2 hours so you can do a day trip to Tallinn Estonia if you want. Many people do opt for this as Estonia is a lot cheaper than Finland and is another beautiful country to visit.

A sample itinerary:
Leave Helsinki at 10.30 and arrive at Tallinn at 12.30. You will have 7 hours to explore Estonia. The cruise will leave Tallinn at 19.30 and arrive at Helsinki at 21.30.

Click here to book your day trip to Tallinn.

Stockholm to Tallinn cruise

This cruise ship is called the Baltic Queen. It holds 2800 passengers and has 927 cabins, 12 decks, 5 restaurants and 7 bars. it departs every other day 18:00 Tallinn – 10.30 Stockholm. 17:30 Stockholm – 10.45 Tallinn. Interested? take a look at the tickets here.

Helsinki to Tallinn cruise

Helsinki to Tallinn cruise is another popular affordable option if you want to see another country in a day. Yes, you can do a day trip to Tallinn from Helsinki. The ferry takes two and a half hours each way so it doesn’t give you a lot of time in Tallinn.

Silja Serenade Line Sustainability Green Values

• All vessels sailing under Tallink and Silja Line brands have ISO 14001:2015 certificate by Lloyds Register. High-level international environmental management certificate (voluntary for companies)
• Wastewater or spill waters are never pumped into the sea
• Low Sulfur fuel is used on board and real-time fuel consumption monitoring systems are in use
• First Cruise company in the world to offer MSC-certificated shrimp and herrings
  *Golden Fish Award 2018
• Baltic Sea real-time water quality measurement laboratory on Silja Serenade
• Vegan and locally produced food onboard
• On-shore power used in harbour visits
• Vacuum auto-mooring equipment used in harbours

• To recognize a tourism company that takes sustainability seriously.
• Tallink Silja renewed the STF label for another 2 years 2021-2023
• The label is awarded to companies undergone the Sustainable Travel Finland program and fulfilled the criteria.
• Tallink Silja is the first ferry company in the Baltic Sea to receive the STF Label!

*Information is taken from the Tallink Silja Website