A twin-hulled adventure of music and pageantry in the Baltic Sea

Author: By Jerry Morris, Globe Staff

Date: SUNDAY, September 8, 1996

Page: J1

Section: Travel

The performance, exclusive to passengers on the Radisson Diamond, is just one of the cultural experiences we will be enjoying during this Baltic Music Festival. And the cruise has yet to begin.

We had arrived in Stockholm the night before the concert, but most of the passengers had arrived earlier the same day. A wonderful way to begin a seven-day cruise that will also touch on Finland, Russia, Estonia and Denmark. This particular cruise, which will be repeated next summer, is sold out, an indication of the growing interest in cruising in this part of Europe. Later in the cruise, we will be treated to a private musical performance in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and a medieval pageant on the Swedish island of Visby.

Part of the lure of this cruise is the opportunity to sail on the world's only twin-hulled ship. Similar in looks to a catamaran, the Diamond's twin hulls provide extreme stability. The weather, fortunately, never tests the ship's stability, but passengers who have sailed before on this five-year-old vessel, as well as a talkative hair dresser cutting my hair, relate stories of the ship never tossing or turning during storms.

When I first saw pictures of this ship, I thought it might look strange in the sea, but unless you peer down the middle of the ship from the dock, you wouldn't realize it was different. The Diamond's passenger decks begin some 50 feet above water, and with the twin hulls there is a tunnel effect beneath the ship.

The Diamond is impressive. Before booking the cruise, I had received many good reports on it, including the fact that the line, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, had won the Conde Naste Traveler award for 1995 as the best cruise line. Despite this, I had only thought of Radisson as a good mid-priced hotel chain; I had not expected the luxury, service and dining that was provided throughout the cruise.

There were, in fact, many things about the ship and the area I had not expected. Such as being greeted with champagne as we stepped aboard, then being personally escorted to our stateroom. Nor had I expected the beauty of the Swedish archipelago as we sailed from Stockholm. Island after island, some barren, many dotted with summer homes and sailing craft everywhere. At first I thought of Penobscot Bay in Maine, but this archipelago, I have to admit, is even more beautiful, more extensive. Sweden claims some 24,000 islands here, all within 50 miles of the center of Stockholm. While only 150 are inhabited year round, all are easily accessible from Stockholm by ferries and sailing craft alike.

The scene so mesmerizes me that rather than join in the sail-away party on the upper deck, I choose to view this scene from our private balcony off our stateroom. This stateroom is fairly spacious and comes with a king-sized bed and a couch for relaxing. The bathroom is also spacious, except for the tub, which to me appears cramped, but since I prefer a shower, it is no problem. We have a telephone and can call the world with a touch of the button (expensive to use, but handy if you need it) and a TV with a VCR. A limited supply of stations is offered, along with a continuous movie channel. The library is stocked with a large selection of videos, and we are free to select from them. There is also a refrigerator along with a selection of liquors and soft drinks at no additional cost.

The ship carries only 350 passengers, and because of its wide stance is spacious. Its striking design includes a large glassed-in lounge forward, appropriately named Windows. To the rear is the ship's Grand Dining Room, also well named and surrounded by windows to the sea. The ship's nine-passenger decks and public areas are easy to get about, with a central atrium area that has a circular stairway leading to all decks and glass-enclosed elevators connecting to all decks. The only complaint I have with the ship's design is that the Windows Lounge, when used for stage presentations, does not provide good sight lines. If another vessel is built, the Radisson says changing that will be a first priority. There are also a Club Lounge and a casual dining area, the Grill; also, rooms for conferences, a small health club, a spa and beauty shop, a casino, a golf driving area, a pool, a hot tub, a shop and photo services. The staff, mainly European, is extremely accommodating and friendly -- especially when you consider there is no tipping aboard.

Service is also outstanding. At the buffet lunch on deck, I seek some iced tea, and a bar waiter insists on getting it for me. Whatever we seek, someone seems ready to assist. Dining room service and meals are superb. It is the five-star service many cruise lines claim but few deliver. The Diamond also provides full dining service in stateroom as well as 24-hour room service with an extensive menu. In the evening, the ship's casual dining area topside becomes an Italian restaurant. This additional alternative dining experience is by reservation only, but is included without extra cost. Our last night aboard is spent here, and the meal ends with a delightful performance of Italian songs led by the staff -- not just the Italians but a Swedish and an Austrian waiter -- and a very talented guitar-playing and singing waiter, Joseph.

After a two-week driving tour of Germany and Scotland, this journey reminds me once again of the pleasure of taking a cruise. I can relax, let someone else do the driving, organize the sightseeing, entertain us and feed us, and yet I feel free to explore new sights and adventures without all the complications of packing and unpacking, checking maps or schedules or seeking visas. Even visiting once-difficult places to see such as Tallin and St. Petersburg is easy. On all ship tours of St. Petersburg, we are covered by a general visa obtained by the ship. But Russian bureaucracy still requires us to show our passports each time we enter or leave the port terminal for a tour.

The Baltic Festival Cruise proves an ideal way to be introduced to the culture of this region and to the history surrounding it. While it is fascinating to see history in the making in places such as Estonia and Russia, it is even more interesting to hear guides in Finland, Estonia and Russia talk of the warring and victorious armies of Sweden that in centuries past proved so fearsome. While true, it all seems so improbable considering Sweden's present peaceful and socially concerned state.

Stockholm proves an ideal city in which to begin this journey. It is clean, attractive and filled with sights ranging from the Vasa (a 15th-century war ship that was raised intact from the harbor waters after sinking during its dedication in 1628) to the wondrous City Hall where the Nobel Prizes are awarded each year. The Old Town, with its ancient pathways and buildings, along with the Royal Palace, easily provides more than a day of pleasurable strolling. King Carl XVI Gustaf no longer lives here, having decided to move his family to Drottningholm Palace, just outside the city.

We have only a few hours to see Helsinki. But that's time enough to see highlights such as the Rock Church, a church carved out of solid rock and a striking memorial to the musical achievements of Finland's most renowned composer, Jean Sibelius. The monument resembles the pipes of an organ; added later is a relief of the composer's head after many complaints of such an abstract monument to him. One unusual sight is people washing their carpets along the waterfront on specially built platforms. For the ship, the visit is also a homecoming. The Finnish-registered ship is making its first return visit since its construction there in 1990, says Capt. Rainer Heming Tornquist, also a Finn.

We sail on to St. Petersburg, where we are greeted by a Russian band playing American tunes as well as our national anthem -- a tin for tips is thoughtfully placed in front of the band master. We have two days, allowing adequate time to tour. We are filled with sights ranging from The Hermitage, one of the greatest art museums in the world and, unfortunately, one that has been sadly neglected over the years (an early opening is provided for our ship) to the Cathedral of Peter and Paul, where the Russian czars are buried; and the magnificent Summer Palace, with its wondrous gardens and fountains. One evening we attend a special Baltic Festival concert held in the Hermitage Theater, built specially for Catherine the Great.

One of the most impressive palaces we visit is the Yusupov, along the Moika River. Unasumming in appearance, its grand rooms inside are magnificent, which is amazing, considering that the palace has survived war and communism. In a basement, we visit the room where Rasputin was murdered in 1916.

The next stop is Tallin in Estonia, where we have time for a stroll about the old town and a folklore performance.

In both Tallin and St. Petersburg, the guides are informative and candid about conditions before the fall of communism. In Russia, when asked about the current political situation, our guide answers simply, ``Wild.''

Visby, a Swedish isle, is the only stop where we must board tenders to reach the town. A popular summer island for visitors, Visby's docks are filled with a couple of large ferries and many sailboats. Islanders put on a spirited re-creation of a medieval pageant, complete with princes and knights on horseback, as well as young performers. After the performance, we walk into the town, which is surrounded by a medieval wall and has an unusually large collection of ancient church ruins.

Before reaching our final destination, we have a full day at sea to relax and enjoy the ship's facilities. Unfortunately, the Baltic, with its cool temperatures, is not conducive to the ship lowering its rear platform sport deck from which boating and other water activities can be enjoyed.

Because of the ship's smaller size, entertainment on board is limited to musical performances and dance. The ship's cruise director and social hostess, Andy and Tammy Heath, are husband and wife -- and also excellent singers. In Russia, a folklore troupe gives a spirited performance. Also on board is Richard Adler, who wrote the music for ``Damn Yankees'' and other Broadway shows. His presentations are part of the ship's ongoing celebrity visits. One of the highlights, certainly for the line's entertainment director, Jim Cannon, who played Joe in a bound-for- Broadway presentation of the show, is the singing of ``You Gotta Have Heart'' with composer Adler. Also on board is Mats Liljeforsa, who conducted the orchestra at the Royal Palace and is artistic director of the Royal Baltic Festival.

We end our cruise in Copenhagen, where we spend a day touring and dining along the waterfront before heading home the next day. I am impressed with both the ease of boarding and disembarking on this cruise. It is simple, quick and well-organized, something that cannot always be said for some of the larger ships.

As we leave the ship, I recall that it was the curiosity of the ship's design, as well as the ports of call, that lured me on board. Now I conclude that the ports of call were indeed great, but the ship even exceeded my expectations.

Cruise prices on this Baltic sailing ranged from $4,375 a person to $7,050 for a master suite. Prices included air fare from the East Coast (there is a slight add-on cost from elsewhere), accommodations in Stockholm at the SAS Radisson Royal Viking Hotel and concerts and special performances for the Baltic Festival. As on other Diamond cruises, early-booking discounts are available. On Panama Canal and Costa Rica cruises this winter, prices begin at $3,746, including a 50 percent discount for the second person sharing a cabin.

Prices include all gratuities, complimentary wine with dinner, an in- room bar setup and soft drinks. The line also offers a reasonable single supplement for its staterooms.

The Radisson Diamond is now part of a newly formed company, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, which includes the 172-passenger Song of Flower, another hightly rated ship. The line also manages the 188-passenger Hanseatic, a luxury vessel offering adventure cruises to such destinations as Antarctica. Beginning next year, Radisson will also manage the Gauguin, a vessel now being built in France that will sail from Tahiti.

The question one must ask is, ``If the Diamond is so stable with twin hulls, how come the line is not building another?'' Capt. explained that while he and others are extremely happy with the design, a single-hulled vessels does cost more to operate and does not reach the speeds of newer vessels, thereby limiting its itinerary. A new vessel has been designed, eliminating some of the flaws such as lack of presentation space in the Windows lounge, but construction has been shelved until the cost issue can be resolved.

The ship appears to be like a catamaran, but, unlike that type of vessel, its twin hulls have a pontoon-like design below the water. The design increases stability but also slows down the vessel.

The only problem with Sweden is the cost. I am shocked when I must pay $144 for a taxi ride from the airport to the Radisson SAS Hotel in the center (transportation was included in our package, but we missed our scheduled flight and took a later one, thereby missing the provided ride to the city).

One of the benefit of taking a cruise is that most costs are included, and those extra shore excursions can be purchased in dollars. No translating of currency conversions is necessary. When I booked the taxi, I had misfigured the cost in translating kronas to dollars. Even when looking over my American Express bill, I had a moment of heart failure when I noted the bill for a Swedish meatball lunch -- yes, I couldn't resist -- at the delightful Diana in the Old Town totaled 219; that, however, was in krona; the actual cost was a more reasonable $33.62 for two.

The ship's purser's office did provide some currency changes and at actual rates.

The ship can easily be booked through travel agents. For more information on the cruise line, write to Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, 600 Corporate Drive, Suite 410, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334; or telephone (800) 333-3333.