July 22, 2015 * 12-night Northern European Cruise!

[mum&son]

That's me booked for 22nd July 2015 sailings around the Baltics
Very excited
Will spend a few days in London also as we live in Scotland
Travelling myself Kim and my DS 15
This is our 2nd DCL cruise - first was 2013 around the med

 

[The Wombles]

We'll spend some time in London pre-cruise. Wombles, I'd love any suggestions you have to offer about how to get around, where to stay, what to see, etc.

Becky, part 2, what to see in London. These are our favourites if you have a short time.

The Tower of London dating from 1078 including the Crown Jewels
Buckingham Palace tour (must be booked waay ahead but open for a few months each Summer) and Changing of the Guard
Houses of Parliament tour (ditto book ahead)
Westminster Abbey (location for Royal weddings and lots of very famous people buried here)
St Paul's Cathedral (amazing building)
West End shows (similar to Broadway)
London Dungeon (interactive history of London, great for teenagers who don't scare easily)
British Museum (amazing, huge collection)
Victoria and Albert museum (fabulous Arts and Design)
The London Eye (wonderful views)
Oxford / Regent's Street (lots of shops!)

If you're planning to see a little more of the country then there are day trips to Stonehenge, Bath, Avebury and of course lots of other beautiful and interesting places across the UK for longer stays.

 

[krisinparis]

Becky, part 2, what to see in London. These are our favourites if you have a short time.

The Tower of London dating from 1078 including the Crown Jewels
Buckingham Palace tour (must be booked waay ahead but open for a few months each Summer) and Changing of the Guard
Houses of Parliament tour (ditto book ahead)
Westminster Abbey (location for Royal weddings and lots of very famous people buried here)
St Paul's Cathedral (amazing building)
West End shows (similar to Broadway)
London Dungeon (interactive history of London, great for teenagers who don't scare easily)
British Museum (amazing, huge collection)
Victoria and Albert museum (fabulous Arts and Design)
The London Eye (wonderful views)
Oxford / Regent's Street (lots of shops!)

If you're planning to see a little more of the country then there are day trips to Stonehenge, Bath, Avebury and of course lots of other beautiful and interesting places across the UK for longer stays.

Thanks for the great suggestions!

 

[mousemom11]

That's a great list, Dave. I think that we'll be in London for 4 - 5 days pre-cruise. Sounds like the girls would love the London Dungeon and I can't wait to see the British Museum and the Tower and Westminster Abbey.

 

[DisneySpirit]

I'm reposting my original introduction here so we can use the first post as a gathering place for important information about our cruise!

This is our 2nd Disney Northern European cruise! We did the Northern Baltics Capitals cruise in July, 2010. It was amazing, so we've been eager to book a similar cruise as soon as one became available. The main differences between our 2010 cruise and this new cruise are: we won't be going to Warnemunde (Berlin), we won't be going to Oslo, Norway, and we will get to spend two days in Copenhagen.

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

Yeah, we will miss Oslo this time. We loved Hadeland Glass Works and the Viking Ships museum, but we will get to see Estonia this time instead (only 1/2 Day) We figured we saw everything in Warnemunde last time. We did the Moli Steam Train excursion with lots of shopping too! We know there is much more to see in Copenhagen that we haven't seen yet. We did the Open Air History Museum last time plus the Amalienborg Palace. The Little Mermaid statue was on loan to China and a huge video screen was in its place in the harbor Hope to see her this time for real! My grandparents were immigrants from Sweden so love to see more this time with a full day.

 

[LynnTarrant]

Please add us to the list of cruisers, myself Lynn and husband Keith. We are also from the UK and looking forward to a flightless cruise. This will be our 6th Disney cruise all on the Magic! We've previously cruised Western, Eastern, West Coast, Panama repositioning and the Med. We wanted to do the Baltic before but it didn't fit with school holidays (I'm a teacher). All the ports of call are new to us although we have been to Denmark before. We haven't cruised for a while and are really excited to see the changes after the refurb.
Love FE exchanges and for once won't have a weight limit to contend with!!
I also use facebook so will PM my details.
Looking forward to planning with you all over the next year or so.
Lynn

 

[Deb T.]

Welcome *Bambi-Bell*, mum&son, and LynnTarrant!

 

[ctnurse]

Hi everyone,
We just booked yesterday. It will be DH, DS who will be 11, DD who will be 2, and myself. We have never been on DCL, but have been talking about it forever. When I saw the video that was posted on Facebook, I was hooked. We would love any info that you experienced cruisers have.

 

[mousemom11]

Hi everyone,
We just booked yesterday. It will be DH, DS who will be 11, DD who will be 2, and myself. We have never been on DCL, but have been talking about it forever. When I saw the video that was posted on Facebook, I was hooked. We would love any info that you experienced cruisers have.

If you'd like to join our Facebook group, PM me with your email address and I'll add you.

 

[IrishCowboy]

I have added your thread to the cruise meet list
Have a great cruise!

 

[mum&son]

Welcome *Bambi-Bell*, mum&son, and LynnTarrant!

Thank you
Would also like to do the FE never did it last time so all new to me so unsure of numbers but looking forward to it
Also my son is called Struan

 

[*Bambi-Bell*]

Welcome *Bambi-Bell*, mum&son, and LynnTarrant!

Thanks for the welcome, we've never done a FE group before but might join in on this cruise.

 

[Deb T.]

Thank you
Would also like to do the FE never did it last time so all new to me so unsure of numbers but looking forward to it
Also my son is called Struan

Thanks for the welcome, we've never done a FE group before but might join in on this cruise.

mum&son and *Bambi-Bell*: Please send me a private message with your cabin number, allergy considerations, and how large a FE group you are comfortable with and then I can add you to the list.

mum&son - I updated the first page with your son's name. Thanks!

 

[Celestine]

We are joining you all on this cruise. Did a 12 night back in 2010 but looking forward to Helsinki as we were on the cruise that did Tallin instead. We are me, DH (paul), DD (Lauren, 15) and DD (Hermione, 10)

Have sent PM about FB and will send one for FE too

DH is looking at organising a coach from London to Dover which we did in 2010. No idea of costings as of yet but guarantee it will be cheaper than DCL!!! If anyone wishes to express an early interest, please PM me. No commitment but it helps to get an idea of numbers

Celestine

 

[mousemom11]

We are joining you all on this cruise. Did a 12 night back in 2010 but looking forward to Helsinki as we were on the cruise that did Tallin instead. We are me, DH (paul), DD (Lauren, 15) and DD (Hermione, 10)

Have sent PM about FB and will send one for FE too

DH is looking at organising a coach from London to Dover which we did in 2010. No idea of costings as of yet but guarantee it will be cheaper than DCL!!! If anyone wishes to express an early interest, please PM me. No commitment but it helps to get an idea of numbers

Celestine

I added you to the FB group and sent you a PM about the coach from London to Dover.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are 'on'

Family of four

From London my drive to Dover is less than an hour!!

We did the 12 night in 2010, so this is a repeat for us bar Helsinki.

 

[ReadingFC]

Hello everyone - better half of Celestine joining your thread!

Paul

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

PS I know London very very well, I live and work there and my job takes me all over London each and every day.

A couple of points to consider.

Do not book hotels near CrossRail construction as whilst they limit noise there will be disruption until 2018, so avoid Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street, Paddington, Farringdon.

Dover is about 80 miles from Central London, and the same from the nearest main hub airport of Gatwick, it's a 100 miles from our main London airport Heathrow.

DCL did as you see put on coaches and many people preferred these for connivance, they however were very expensive.

I drove there I live 75 miles away by direct route. There is a small car hire place but a walk from the terminal, see later, and couldn't cope with many people requesting cars or dropping off.

The main alternative route is by train from Central London.

The very fast service to Dover Priory is from London ST Pancras which is next to Kings Cross to the North of Central London and is by high speed train using the channel tunnel rail link for half the way, you can go by normal fast train from London Bridge, Victoria, or Waterloo East but take care some trains of SSY eight cars split into two four car trains at Faversham

All these trains are operated by SouthEastern rail and are good sized trains but avoid hush hours, the high speed St Pancras route costs more and if say your going to then travel by tube you may find it longer.

.it takes an hour but Dover a Priory is not next to the harbour, and the port pier is a long walk down a narrow road over bridges and it has large trucks on it.

So a taxi from the station is advised.

This is why so many choose the DCL bus or organise private transfers as these pull up at the terminal and avoid rush hours, pulling bags on and off trains and into taxis or tubes either end.


Gatwick is to the dough of London do a direct private transfer avoids London. Whilst Heathrow is west London both airports are connected by motorway ( freeway) using M20 M25 and for Gatwick M23.

The famous white cliffs of Dover are port side, East of the Ship, and there is the famous Dover a Castle there as well with stunning views.


I would suggest fly into Gatwick or Heathrow get a train to Central a London stay a few days in the Victoria area sightsee, then either private transfer or train to Dover.


Check in was normal but in a small confined space and so they will stick to PATS there, the terminal is on two floors so slightly bigger than it looks, border control quick, it has a good cafe in it, but you can't really leave again to tour the town without a good walk or a taxi and the road is a commercial truck access route.

I have walked it when we took these photos and not on that cruise and I saw people try to walk it with luggage a in both directions and I would say don't.

The English Channel has high movements in tides and so as the photos show be prepared to walk up steep steps.

You get off fast at Dover but with an hour to any good airport and strict security do not book anything before 1pm, and note one cruise in 2010 changed it's arrival time to 10.30 due to tides.

Some points

Check SouthEastern Train services for any planned engineering work about three months before travel.

London Bridge is having a major infer structure change and can be closed on weekends up to 2018. Its also just beneath the new Shard building the highest in London.

DOVER ENGLAND BACK AS A HOME PORT IN 2015.

















​

 

[ReadingFC]

Bumping to increase my posts...

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Whilst you all have a long time to consider this, I would strongly recommend everyone consider Private Tours in St Petersburg a lot to see and some of the palaces are a long way out.

Private tour guides can cut lines at places such as the Hermitage, and you by pass when the tour coaches are lining up outside.

For a reasonable sized family the tour will be cheaper pp than DCL tours and often with them you cant do everything, you have to choose one thing or another but on your own tour you could fit all the main places in.

This will give you an idea of what they can do, now we actually turn up at 9.30am so day One would need a change.


Time Activity
DAY ONE
7.30 - 8.00am Passing the Passport control. You need to have the following documents with You: Passport, Copy of Your Passport information list, Tour ticket (blanket visa).
8.00 am Meeting. Your personal guide and driver will meet You right next to the passport control with the sign: Anastasia Travel Group ……..
8.00 - 10.00am City Tour.
10.00 – 11.00 pm Peter and Paul’s Fortress visit
11.15 – 11.45 pm Saviour on the Spilt Blood visit
12.00 – 1.00 pm Lunch (optional)
1.15 – 3.15 pm Yusupoff Palace visit
3.30 – 4. 00 pm St.Isaac's Cathedral
4.30 – 5.30 pm Rivers and canals tour
6.30 pm Back to the ship or optional evening events
DAY TWO
8.30 am Meeting. Your personal guide and driver will meet You right next to the passport control with the sign: Anastasia Travel Group ……..
8.30 - 10.00 am Drive to the Tzars’ Village (city of Pushkin)
10.00 – 12.00 pm Tour of the Catherine’s Palace and Amber room
12.00 – 1.00 am Drive to Peterhoff
1.00 – 2.00 pm Lunch (optional)
2.00 - 3.30 pm Fountain Park tour. Optional visit of the Monplaisir Palace or Bath house (15 USD pp)
3.30 – 4.00 pm Hydrofoil trip to the city
5.00 pm Back to the ship


This one doesn't go to the Hermatige but you can do that instead of Yusupoff.

Some tour operators.

http://www.anastasia.travel/ I have used before and are very good.

There parent company does tours in other ports.

http://www.spb-tours.com/tallinn-scan/en/node/1

St Petersburg.

These are highly recommended on Cruise critic.

http://www.alla-tour.com/

If you want to see photos go over to the DCL Photo of the day thread and I have been posting photos of the ports of call there recently.