There are quite a few advantages to a small cruise ship... better service, more chances to make friends, shorter lines, etc. But one I didn't consider until this voyage is the fact that a small cruise ship can get places the monster ships can't. Like thru the shortcut between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea... the Kiel Canal. This waterway has an amazing history... it's construction was started in 1887 by Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm. It took 8 years and 8,000 construction workers to build. This critical shipping route was crucial to the Germans in both World Wars and now is a Euro asset, but managed by the Germans. It cuts a day off the travel between the North and Baltic Seas.
We just went through one the many locks that equalize the water levels on the canal which vary from 3 meters below sea level to 25 meters above!
This has been a nice relaxing day-at-sea and tonight we're attending the Virtuoso Cocktail Party at 6 pm, a perk for frequent cruisers. Virtuoso Club also is giving us a free tour of Tallinn Estonia on June 17. We took a break from the super-fancy gourmet food on board and had hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch outside around the pool.
Tomorrow: Rostock Germany with an all-day side trip to Berlin.
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