Sneaky capture of our Ukranian buddy, Sergei. He's one of the funniest guys we met! |
There are clear pros and cons to both: cruising is great, because you get to see a variety of places in one short trip and you get more opportunities to interact with people from all over the world (crew members and other guests). At the same time, the short few hours you spend at port each day isn't suffice. You can't adequately capture "the essence" of a place, and if you get sea sick, the bumpy waves of the Baltic Sea might not be very enjoyable.
With a trip to a single place, you're more likely to explore life as a local. You develop new routines, like going to the same bakery every morning, where the servers come to know your order. Staying put enables you to maximize the opportunities in the city, too - a city like St. Petersburg has museums and palaces to keep you entertained for years. On the other hand, depending on where you stay - a hostel, a private hotel room, an uber private apartment - the level of interaction with locals and other travelers might not be very high.