AHOY ye landlubber!

Time to step aboard and find your place among the seadogs!

We are happy to welcome you again! Pirates of the Baltic Sea, the biggest and baddest cruise on the Baltic Sea, is calling you to hoist the masts and sail from Helsinki to Stockholm 18.-20.11.2018! Experience two nights full of fun and partying with over 2000 international students in the beautiful archipelago and one day of visiting Stockholm. International students from all over Europe are joining the cruise!

Preliminary program (subject of changes)

Sunday 13.11.

11:00 Departure from Turku, in front of Cathedral

13:00–16:00 Boarding the ship at Olympic terminal in Helsinki

You will receive the time of your boarding group by email or from your Group Leader

There is a security check at the terminal; you cannot bring any opened bottles or alcohol onboard. In addition, to guarantee a peaceful stay for the other customers on board of the ship,  the security might look badly on music players & speakers. They will  be confiscated and you might not be allowed on the cruise.

16:45 The ship departs to Stockholm

First we have a warm Welcome show in Atlantis Palace to start off the cruise!

There is an all you can eat and drink buffet for everybody included in the price on the first night. You will know the exact time for your buffet latest at the harbour.

During both evenings there are all kinds of activities on board. You get a complete digital timetable before the cruise. 

• Dance class

• Costume Competition

• ESNcard raffle

• Speed Dating

• Dating Game

• Bingo

• Pub Quiz

• Karaoke.

Monday 14.11.

All times Swedish local time

7:00–9:30 Breakfast buffet open, you can buy a discounted voucher ahead of time.

9:30 Arrival to Stockholm Värtahamnen.

Free time in Stockholm. Guided tours available in Stockholm for extra price. Please see the booking page for more information. If you travel by yourself, check out some suggestions at www.pobs.esnfinland.eu/Stockholm

16:00 Boarding gate closes, you must be on board the ship by this time.

16:45 The ship departs to Helsinki

Both nights there is a Midnight Show organized by Silja Line in the Atlantis Palace and after that the DJ is playing until early morning hours in both New York Club and Atlantis Palace.

Tuesday 15.11.

7:30–10:00 Breakfast buffet open, you can  buy a discounted voucher ahead of time.

10:30 Arrival to Helsinki, at the Olympic terminal

Bus departure to Turku.

The busses are waiting in front of the terminal; please  find the bus that you came with, you can always stick to your Group Leader in case you cannot see the bus.

Tickets and Registration

I have a problem with my registration, what should I do?
Contact Aikamatkat +358104218990 (Mon-Fri 10-17) or email customerservice(at)aikamatkat.fi. 

What is the cancellation policy?
Your online reservation will be cancelled automatically if the trip is not paid latest by 5th of Octobre. As soon as you have paid, your participation is confirmed and you'll have a reserved place on the ship.

Can I get a refund or cancel my booking?
You are allowed to cancel your reservation with a 75% refund until 8th of October. You may also provide us with a name change, i.e. sell your ticket to someone else, free of charge until 8th of October 12:00 GMT +2. After that, i.e. 9th of October, the name changes and ticket resales are subject to an administrative fee of 20€, which is collected from the passenger in the Harbor prior to receiving their ticket. Name changes will be availalbe until at 12:00 GMT +2.

I do not have a local section, what should I do?
Try to contact the section nearest to you. Or contact the national cruise coordinator by sending an email to: pobs(at)esnfinland.eu

Can I get a ticket if I’m not an Erasmus student?
This cruise is meant for all students who want to experience an international-minded student cruise!

The trip is sold out - what should I do?
Each local section gets a certain amount of tickets, if they are sold you can register on the waiting list. If there are free places later on you will be contacted from the waiting list. There might also be an open sale for any possible left over tickets. These open sale tickets do not include transportation outside Helsinki and are also might have other limitations, for example regarding cabin share.

I want to sell my ticket to someone else – how can I do it?
Yes, you can sell the ticket and make a name change. You can make one name change free of charge until 8th of October 12:00 GMT +2. After, the name change will be subject of 20€ fee, paid from the passenger in the Harbour prior to receiving the ticket. Please note that in case you want to sell your ticket to somebody else, you will need to find a buyer on your own, we cannot, unfortunately, take your ticket and sell it to somebody else or get you in touch with potential buyers.

Name changes after 8th of October can be made via e-mail to this address: pobs(at)esnfinland.eu. To confirm the name change and to avoid any mistakes, both seller and the buyer have to send an email with following information:
Subject of email: Name change
Seller’s full name, date of birth, nationality, phone number
Buyer’s full name, date of birth, nationality, gender, email, phone number and t-shirt size

Is it possible to book a one-way ticket for the bus?
It is possible to do, but you won't get any discount for it. If you're staying in Helsinki before or after the cruise, contact your local section to receive more information on what to do.

Boarding

Can I bring alcohol and food on board?
You may not bring any alcohol to the boat. There is going to be a security check at the terminal for all participants and any alcohol found will be confiscated and you might be left in the harbor. You may bring a small amount of food and non-alcoholic beverages in unopened containers.

Where does my bus start from?
Contact your local section to find out. You should also receive an email with this information.

When and where is the boarding?
The ship departs from Olympic terminal in Helsinki at 17.00. Our boarding time is between 13–16, the exact time depends on your section. You will receive an email saying what time you should be at the harbor or the place your bus departs from. As we are a huge group, we recommend that you board on time and follow the instructions from Group Leaders.

What is my boarding group?
For students arriving outside Helsinki, your Group Leader will have the information. Participants who have bought their tickets from Helsinki sections (Aalto, Helga, Metropolia, Uni Helsinki) check your email to find out when you should arrive to the harbor. Those who have their ticket from "Open sale" have to board before 16.00. If you've bought your ticket from someone else make sure to ask where the ticket was originally bought from! If you feel confused and don't know where to go or when, we recommend that you arrive to the harbor between 13-15.

Onboard

Can I choose who I share my cabin with?
You can give the names of your preferred cabin mates at the registration. Unfortunately we can't guarantee that you will get the cabin mates that you chose as all the cabins need to be full, but we will do our best to fulfill your wishes with this.

Is tap water drinkable onboard?
Yes, it is.

Can I drink in the hallway? Can I drink tax-free alcohol onboard?
Only non-alcoholic beverages are allowed to drink throughout the boat. The bars are open until 4.30 and the prices are student friendly. Alcohol purchased from the bars should not be drunk in the cabin hallways.

Can I smoke inside?
No. Smoking is allowed only on the outside deck area.

I have a special diet or food allergies – can I still join the dinner?
The dinner is a buffet and there are several dishes available, also vegetarian ones. Lactose and gluten free options should be clearly indicated on the descriptions next to each dish. If you have other food restrictions and you’re unsure of what you can eat or what not, don’t hesitate to ask the restaurant staff for help!

Can we leave our luggage on the ferry when we go to Stockholm?
During your day in Stockholm you keep your cabin and can leave the luggage there. Please note that neither the ferry company nor ESN Finland takes responsibility for values left in the cabins.

Can I pay with a bank card onboard?
Yes, though Visa Electron might not work all the time. It's best to have some change on hand just in case. Onboard it's possible to pay with Euros or Swedish kronor.

Where can I change my money?
We recommend that you change money before the cruise. It's not possible to do it in the harbor. You can of course just use ATM to get Swedish kronor in Stockholm.

Other questions

I did not find the answer to my questions, who can I contact?
If you have a pending questions about your program, boarding, life onboard the, the PoBS team will be happy to assist you. They are just one email away at pobs(at)esnfinland.eu