The best preserved medieval old town in Europe, a 15 minute walk from the gangway
Tallinn is the Baltic stop everyone remembers: ships dock at the Old City Harbour’s cruise terminal, and a flat 15 to 20 minute walk brings you through the Fat Margaret tower into a walled town of cobbled lanes, 15th century merchant houses and onion-domed churches that looks like a film set and is lived in. Climb Toompea for the rooftop views, drink in a cellar bar, and if the call is long take the tram to Kadriorg Palace. SmartCruiser lists every cruise that calls at Tallinn from every line, priced with taxes and fees included, with the sailings that carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.
Three ways to do Tallinn
Walk the walled Old Town, climb Toompea for the views, or ride the tram out to Kadriorg and the Seaplane Harbour; the buttons filter the list of sailings below.
The Lower Town
- In through Fat Margaret and the Great Coast Gate, up Pikk street past the guild halls to Town Hall Square
- Tallinn Town Hall (1404), the oldest in Northern Europe, and the Raeapteek pharmacy open since 1422
- Lunch in a medieval cellar or at Olde Hansa; Viru Gate and the flower market on the way out
Best for: first-timers, walkers, short calls
Toompea Hill
- The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral’s onion domes and Toompea Castle, home of the Estonian parliament, both free
- Patkuli and Kohtuotsa viewing platforms for the red-roof and spire panorama
- St. Mary’s Cathedral tower and the Kiek in de Kök bastion tunnels for about 16 euros
Best for: photographers, history buffs, couples
Kadriorg and the Seaplane Harbour
- Kadriorg Palace, Peter the Great’s baroque summer palace and gardens, tram 1 or 3 in 15 minutes
- KUMU, the national art museum cut into the limestone hill beside the park
- Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour, a hangar of submarines and icebreakers a 15 minute walk west of the ship
Best for: repeat visitors, families, calls of 8 hours or more
Tallinn cruises: SmartCruiser picks first
Every cruise that calls at Tallinn from every line, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings or bonus onboard credit. Below them, every other sailing that stops here, with full sorting by home port, line, month, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery cruise that calls at Tallinn
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Home ports that sail to Tallinn
Pick a home port and the list above filters to cruises leaving from there; Tallinn sits two hours by sea from Helsinki, so almost every Baltic itinerary does the two back to back.
Things to do in Tallinn
The Old Town is small enough to cover on foot in a morning, so the question is how many towers, cellars and viewpoints you can fit before the afternoon tram to Kadriorg.
Which lines call at Tallinn?
About 145 calls and 225,000 passengers are expected in 2026, with 17 overnights; these are the lines Americans sail most.
When to go
Tallinn’s season runs May to October with a few winter calls; June to August bring 18 hour days and highs in the upper 60s, rain is spread through the year with a small summer peak, and mid August brings four-ship days.
Tallinn questions we answer every day
Where do cruise ships dock in Tallinn and how far is it to the Old Town?
At the Old City Harbour (Vanasadam), in the purpose-built cruise terminal opened in 2021 beside the ferry terminals, with a rooftop promenade and a straight path to town. It is about 1 km, a flat 15 to 20 minute walk, to the Fat Margaret tower and the Great Coast Gate; the Town Hall Square is 10 minutes further. No tendering. On rare four-ship days a ship may be sent to the Muuga cargo harbour 11 miles east, where the line provides buses.
How do I get around Tallinn?
Walk; the Old Town is car-free and compact. For Kadriorg or Pirita, tram 1 or 3 and the buses take a tap card at the validator (about 2 euros an hour, 5.50 euros a day). Bolt, the local ride app, is the way to get a taxi: an Old Town or Kadriorg ride is under 5 to 8 euros, and Bolt cars wait in the port parking lots rather than at the terminal door. Some lines run a shuttle to the Old Town edge for about $10 to $15 round trip, which is hardly worth it.
What currency do I need, and is English spoken?
Estonia uses the euro and is one of the most digital countries on earth: tap a card or phone everywhere, including the flower stalls. English is spoken by almost everyone under 50. Tallinn is on Eastern European Time, 7 hours ahead of US Eastern and one hour ahead of Stockholm. US phone plans with EU roaming work normally.
Is Tallinn safe?
Yes. Estonia is at the State Department’s lowest advisory level and the Old Town is as safe as any in Europe. The practical hazards are the cobbles and the steep Toompea lanes, so wear shoes with grip, and the usual pickpocket caution in the Town Hall Square crowds.
What is the best excursion, and should I book through the ship?
Tallinn is the easiest do-it-yourself port in the Baltic: a guided walking tour of the Old Town (about 20 to 30 euros, or free tip-based tours from the tourist office) covers more than any coach. Book through the ship only for Lahemaa National Park or a long out-of-town drive on a short call, because the line then guarantees your return.
Do I need a passport?
Yes. Every Northern Europe cruise requires a valid passport, and we recommend six months of validity past your return date. Estonia is in the Schengen zone, where the EU’s new biometric entry and exit checks are being phased in from 2026, so allow a few extra minutes at your first arrival.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, shore excursions and gratuities are extra.
Talk to a Tallinn cruise specialist
We know which sailings give you a late departure or an overnight in Tallinn, so call us to check availability and book the Baltic cruise that lets you see the Old Town at dusk. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.