This is part of the Trip Report Welcome to the Cold where I went from NYC to:
If you’re just tuning in now be sure to read how I ended up with this unique itinerary by checking out The Original Plan: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World, the subsequent Change Up: Riga, Latvia? and the Mongolia angle: IGLOO-GER: The Helsinki-Ulaanbaatar Trip Report.
Everyone remembers prom night or the first spring break in Cancun. Add another one to the list by way of the Viking Line Cruise to Stockholm. My Swedish friend told me to skip a second night out in Helsinki and opt for an overnight cruise to Sweden. Alcohol is heavily taxed in Scandinavia except for the maritime exception. Throw in a wedding style DJ, a casino, and young unprofessionals looking to have a great time and it becomes obvious why this cruise is preceded by the word booze.
I booked a room for 81 euros in an economy cabin in the hull of the Viking Lines ship. There are more luxurious accommodations but I figured that I would be on deck most of the time. The ship leaves promptly at 18 hundred fifteen hours and arrives at 10 hundred hours. Land lovers arrive a little earlier to load their vehicles and luggage. As the voyage begins, the crowds swarm to port and starboard to capture photos of Helsinki as it disappears into the background.
That’s about all the sea terminology that I know. After snapping enough photos, it’s dinner time. There’s no shortage of food options ranging from an expensive buffet to a not so cheap burger. Exhausted from a sunny night out, I thought it wise to rest for a couple of hours before the party began. I overslept and narrowly missed my opportunity to go to the Duty Free. In the nick of time, I managed to sneak in and buy myself a bottle of Jack Daniels. From there it was Captain Jack and I on the high seas.
Dancing, drinking, and more dancing and drinking followed. At some point the DJ stopped playing outdated music and those that could still stand went back up to the deck. Though intoxicated and incoherent, I still was able to make out the beautiful sky before retiring to my quarters down below.
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