The Star’s next stop was Helsinki, Finland. It was raining when we got off the ship. Usually, we would have walked into town, but because of the rain, we took the Hop On Hop Off bus into town. After circling the city, we got off and took Rick Steves’s walking tour from the Harbor to the Church in the Rock, stopping by at the Stockmann’s department store to eat a sandwich. The Church in the Rock is about what it sounds like, a church built into an outcropping of rock.

(I don’t like HOHO buses and this was no exception. They are overpriced and come around too infrequently to be a good transit option)

On the ship, we signed up for the Chef’s Table, a once-per-cruise multi-course gastronomical delight for 14 passengers. This Chef’s Table was similar to the Holland America version with a few differences. There were fewer wine pairings (only 3) and the executive chef actually came to the table to talk to us. The following morning, the chef led us on an extensive galley tour where we saw many of the food production and storage areas. The galley tour was a highlight of the cruise and definitely justified the Chef’s Table’s hefty price tag.