This voyage between Helsinki and Tallinn is more than a simple ferry trip; it has become an institution and a revealing window into a slice of Finnish culture.
The quirks begin at the ferry terminal in Helsinki, where passengers line up to board. One of the first oddities you notice is how many travellers are pushing empty shopping carts. The curiosities continue once you’re aboard. As the ship navigates through the archipelago into the open Baltic Sea, a crowd gathers patiently outside the duty-free shop.
When the ship reaches international waters, the shutters are lifted and a familiar scene unfolds: the clatter of bottles being loaded into carts. In the lounge, another soundtrack drifts through the air—a small band playing polkas.
Many passengers stay on board and don’t disembark in Tallinn. My wife and I, however, step ashore and spend three delightful days exploring one of Europe’s most charming cities. Afterwards we return to the ship to complete the full trans-Baltic experience.
On the trip back the shopping carts are now full, drinks have been enjoyed, and the band performs to a lively, dancing crowd. Corridors become a friendly slalom as we weave among happily tipsy Finns. The atmosphere is good-natured, convivial, and unexpectedly entertaining. Against all expectations, the Tallinn booze cruise stands out as one of our favourite Helsinki experiences.