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

[Florian]

Update from DCL to me at this time of posting;-

• Sat Semi Formal, Captains Gala A C L Sea day The Dream goes on.*if AP Animation magic.
• Sun Till we meet again C L A Sea day Remember the Magic*if AP Animation magic.
• Mon L A C Dover 9.30am

I had been under the impression that the breakfast rotation on the last day of the cruise is the same as the last night. Is this different for this cruise?

 

[Deb T.]

I had been under the impression that the breakfast rotation on the last day of the cruise is the same as the last night. Is this different for this cruise?

For every cruise I've been on, the last morning breakfast has been in the same dining room as the night before. I think Andrew just got carried away with his typing in the post above.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks for sharing. Was this from shoreside concierge?

What is your thinking on the best rotation?

This was from Shoreside concierge yes, from email correspondence with myself yesterday.

Best rotation is up to your personal preferences, I would personally go for requesting Rotation 3 as you hit Formal and semi formal nights in the formal MDR Lumiere's.

Not knowing the rotation in advance I would say avoid Palo on nights 456 and 10 11 12.

I had been under the impression that the breakfast rotation on the last day of the cruise is the same as the last night. Is this different for this cruise?

For every cruise I've been on, the last morning breakfast has been in the same dining room as the night before. I think Andrew just got carried away with his typing in the post above.

It will be the same place as last night MDR.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I am a big fan of the wifi attitude in Talinn, the city provides it free and it is pretty good and reliable. We used it quite a bit when we visited.

It is available in quite a few locations in the city. Just join TallinnWIFI network and you are good to go.

In 2010 and this year time was limited to do social media as we went around, we have a tour that takes up most of our time in Tallinn so can't use the WiFi a lot, however in 2010 we were on our verandah on the ship, and we used the port Internet from there, whilst we waited for the last people back, and had a horn battle with RCCI.

 

[Deb T.]

Just a head’s up for everyone so you can plan ahead…

Experienced cruisers already know that, due to customs regulations, all shops onboard are closed whenever we’re docked in a port and don’t reopen until we reach open sea. This usually isn’t too big of an inconvenience… until you’re in a port overnight like we will be for both Copenhagen and St. Petersburg.

On our 2010 Baltic cruise, shops were closed two hours prior to pulling into St. Petersburg’s port and did not reopen until an hour after pulling out of Helsinki’s port, 55 hours later! Those on the Tallinn itinerary that summer also had shop closure for 55 hours.

With our cruise docking back-to-back Helsinki-St. Petersburg-Tallinn, it looks like onboard shops could potentially be closed from at least 9:30am on Tuesday, July 28 (prior to pulling into Helsinki) until 1:45pm on Friday, July 31 (after departing Tallinn). And that’s after being closed for approximately 33 hours while in Copenhagen. That’s about half of our cruise!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Frozen night confirmation.


Hello Andrew,

I will be happy to assist you.

Yes, you will have the Frozen night, "Freezing the Night Away with Elsa, Anna and Friends." It is currently scheduled to take place on Friday, July 31st, the day you are in Tallinn, Estonia.

Shoreside Concierge Services

 

[Celestine]

Horn battle was a classic. Lets be honest who can ever beat DCL on that front?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Horn battle was a classic. Lets be honest who can ever beat DCL on that front?

A recall the RCCL ship , taunting The Magic, it did a single horn we did a single horn and repeated again, single and single, one more from RCCL with all their cruisers waving and Jeering at us then.....

When you wish upon a star,

And a stunned silence.

 

[DisneyConvert]

Horn battle was a classic. Lets be honest who can ever beat DCL on that front?

We were part of one pulling out of Gibraltar in 2010 (sunset over Morocco, reflecting off the Rock) . . . and it was pretty amazing all around!

 

[DisneyConvert]

You can get all in European SIM cards in London and at airports. Most airlines sell them, and there are on sale in duty free shops, I would guess Dover terminal shop will sell them.

Thank you Florian and Andrew. We're arriving LHR early Saturday am and will be heading towards County Hall to sleep/see London (as well as a particular movie studio in Leavesden), for a few days before we head to Dover. I am so excited!

I noticed quite a few cell phone shops on The Strand NEast of Charing Cross and would imagine they offer some good alternatives. Possibly one of our first stops on Saturday!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thank you Florian and Andrew. We're arriving LHR early Saturday am and will be heading towards County Hall to sleep/see London (as well as a particular movie studio in Leavesden), for a few days before we head to Dover. I am so excited!

I noticed quite a few cell phone shops on The Strand NEast of Charing Cross and would imagine they offer some good alternatives. Possibly one of our first stops on Saturday!

O2 and EE are in The Strand. In the UK call them mobile phones rather than cell phones.

 

[Florian]

Thank you Florian and Andrew. We're arriving LHR early Saturday am and will be heading towards County Hall to sleep/see London (as well as a particular movie studio in Leavesden), for a few days before we head to Dover. I am so excited!

I noticed quite a few cell phone shops on The Strand NEast of Charing Cross and would imagine they offer some good alternatives. Possibly one of our first stops on Saturday!

For the Studio tour remember to buy your tickets online before you go (you can't get them at the studio). To get there you can get the train from London Euston to Watford Junction (£10.60pp return in advance) and then get a shuttle from Watford (costs £2pp return). You can get advance train tickets (in most cases buy the ticket in advance is cheaper than getting it at the station) at:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk

and pick them up at them up at the station. You will need the code you will be emailed when you buy them and the card you paid with and there are machines in pretty much all railway stations which you can pick them up from.

You can also get a coach but that is more costly (around £20pp)


Your choices from LHR to County Hall for travel are either

a) Get the Heathrow Express Train, to Paddington and then switch to the Bakerloo line to Waterloo (quicker - about 45-55 minutes / around £26pp)
b) Get the Piccadilly tube line to Piccadilly Circus and then switch to the Bakerloo line to Waterloo (cheaper - about 60-70 minutes / £6pp)

I would note though that the London Underground is largely not very suitcase friendly.

For comparison a taxi will run you between £70 and £100 (per taxi)

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

On (B) there are variations change at Green Park for Jubiliee line better interchange or change Hammersmith as it's just over the same platform for district line then Westminster or Embankment as just down one escalator to jubilee or Bakerloo. ( or walk across the Thames)

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

 

[DisneyConvert]

View attachment 82897

Excellent! Piccadilly Line => Hammersmith => District Line > Westminster.

Thank you.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Excellent! Piccadilly Line => Hammersmith => District Line > Westminster.

Thank you.

Yes it's simple I went on that route myself today, now post Acton Town the Piccadilly goes fast not stopping at four stations, you will see District line trains outside you on the stopping service running parallel. At Hammersmith just walk over to the other side of the same platform, no lugging up or down any stairs there.

Take care at weekends as some services are stopped for works. I saw some planned for the district at the weekend near our cruise. Non on weekdays.

 

[Karen727]

I live local an hour drive, as well as the coach organised there are DCL transfers. You can get to the port by train the local station is Dover Priory. That's a short five min cab journey from the pier and a good number of taxis there. Trains come to / from London there, fast trains from London St Pancrus, and commuter trains from London Charing Cross, they call at London Bridge but avoid that this year re refurb work going on. London Victoria also has trains. Some trains of eight or more carriages split up at Faversham or Ashford so be in the correct part of four carries. I do not recommend public coach such as national express too many stops and will get caught in London traffic. You can hire a car there is a car hire place on the A20 outside the pier entrance that's a short walk.

Thanks for all the great info.

 

[Celestine]

Coach Update
Both coaches are nearly full. If you have not contacted me by e-mail, please do at balticbuccaneers@mail.com. Now we are almost at PIF, I'm hoping you are firming up your accommodation. Please let me know once you have booked. Also, please let me have details of your junior (under 16) cruisers (name & age) so I can ensure they all get a goody bag. After PIF date I will be contacting everyone that has not sent me an e-mail to ensure they still want/need to travel on the coach. There will be a response deadline & if you have not responded it will be assumed you no longer wish to travel.

Celestine

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

London.
Too much too see too much too do, the best capital of the world, historic sites, world class theatre, great restaurants, care on tourist traps. Good things to do are river cruises, the Tower, the London eye, shopping in Oxford street, Regent street ( Hamleys toys) and Knightsbridge, (Harrods) but the large Malls are at Westfield Shepherd's Bush or Stratford. Stratford is east London where the Olympics were in 2012, you can still see a lot but some of its changed, the stingray swimming pool is now a Pringle. Around Stratford and the docklands is the DLR the Docklands light railway, great for a cheap day these automated trains go to Greenwich and the Cutty sark through docklands, -young kids will like the front seats as if their driving the train, the DLR Also runs from Bank Stn, and you can connect to the Emirates airline cable car from the O2 dome ( millennium dome ) to the Excel exhibition centre. Windsor, Hampton court, Cambridge are all an hour out of town but well worth a visit.
Try a pub, try a meal just off the Main Streets there cheaper. If your in Holborn my favourite is My old Dutch for lunch or dinner these are thin Dutch pancakes not USA bigger breakfast ones, Also for cheap food, at lunch on the go, go to Sainsbury's, Tesco's and Marks and Spenser have meal deals, around £3 for a sandwich, drink and snack of chocolate or fruit.
Transport is good if staying a few days get an Oyster card which works on the tube, the national rail, the DLR, buses ( not HOHO) some river buses, and Emirates. It's touch in touch out a lots automated, you can use contact less cards now and it will C&P costs to the maximum daily fare, care our crush hours are in fact 6.30 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 7 pm but trains can be full at all times.
We have free papers metro am and Evening standard evenings. Lists of shows are in the ES.
ZFL the Zoo for London is at the North end of Regent's Park, the tube station of Regent's Park is an option but Camden Town is better for the entrance. Camden also has good street markets. Madam Tussaud's is at Baker street , pre book a time slot it's very busy, the London planetarium is next door, the area is famous for Sherlock Holmes.
Westminster is great to view and a walk to Trafalgar Square, Buckingham palace, Piccadilly Circus is great, and the Hard Rock cafe is at Hyde Park Corner near the palace above Green Park.
St Paul's is famous walk up Fleet Street past the courts of justice, to St Paul's for a good view then from St Paul's go to the river and cross the Millennium bridge to the Tate and the Globe Shakespeare's theatre great views of London there inc the Globe, Shard, Gurkin, Cheese-Grater, and the bridges.
Avoid tourist currency exchange in the tourist streets try post office, the main banks, Thomas Cook. For mobile Sims use Lycra mobile there everywhere normally outside shops.
Avoid London Bridge railway station under the Shard as its having issues on its refurbishment, and on escalators stand on the right walk/ run on the left, if you stand on the left the London commuters will not be nice. We have serious construction work for crossrail at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham court Road, Farringdon, and Liverpool Street. Outside Victoria station there is work as well but trains not effected.
For the brave we have a bike hire scheme nicknamed Boris bikes after our mayor there cheap and great to get around but take care as at busy junctions we have had fatalities.
Currency the pound, ( or the quid) .
Dover.
Overlooked as a place to tour as people use it just for a nights sleep, pre or post cruise but it's a quaint town, my mums side came from it, the castle is impressive great views, a small tight hight street with market dome days and shops to stock up on booze. Canterbury is close famous for pilgrims and the cathedral. Kent is beautiful the garden of England famous for hops and fruit. The beach at Dover is a bit stoney, but nice and you can watch the ferries go in and out or hike the White cliffs. The cruise pier is along a dangerous narrow and busy road, used by trucks you can walk it but to be honest taxi is best.
Seas
Whilst the Baltic was calm, albeit muddy in places, the North Sea can be very active so bear that in mind. It can be cool and open there.
Port Tours.
Copenhagen.
Last time we did the fairytale canal cruise and a city walk, it was good it started with a walk from the ship to the canal boat via the mermaid who was in Japan at the time. The canal tour was nice a funny guy narrating, the ship was wide and reasonable to view until you got to the city where high walls prevent some viewing. The city walk was good everything close, we walked all the way back to the ship with the guide. A stop for juice and a pastry, was ok, rushed and with a small shop the kids wanted coke etc I am sure that's why it's there, queues for the restroom.
The port us close to the city and HOHO stops outside the small barrier, there are good shops there.
This year day 1 we are doing the Castles of New Zealand and Day 2 a three hour walk, lunch, and then drive to two castles.
Currency Danish kroner.
Stockholm.
Last time we did the city walk and Stigtuna, now the city part was good, great viewing loverly places but Stigtuna IMHO is not worth the motorway drive to it, it's a tourist trap a tourist street a small church, yes nice yes OK, not worth 40 min drive each way. The food was served in a nice restaurant to say four coaches a bit school canteen food ok, and good restrooms. Slightly rushed. I say avoid this tour stay in Stockholm, visit Old town, Vasa, Royal palace, town hall and Abba museum if you can. Or go DIY. Looks like we are docking near the city centre a different dock to 2010 and closer to the old town. There are boats to Vasa.
We have a private tour of all of those.
Helsinki.
There was a shuttle to the town, Rock church is the main place to see, Porvoo a short drive, we have a tour with the Mangrus.
St Petersburg.
Well you know my views we had an absolutely fantastic two days with Anastasia in 2010 and booked a varied and edited tour for this year, it's more flexible and cheaper than DCL and no coming back to the ship between tours day and evening. Hermitage, saviour of split blood, Catherine's palace with Amber room, and Peterhoff are musts, the Faberge museum and private river cruises are great, we went on the subway last time and we visited a private church that had a wedding. Peterhoff park and fountains is amazing, We had a good cheap lunch there, we paid for our guides dinner there. Whatever trip you do ensure at least one way is by hydrofoil it's great for the fun, great for kids and saves a lot of time in traffic. The port has a duty free shop you can access without getting through immigration. If your on a private tour do take a copy of your passport for border control and if tipping in $ or € make sure is new unspoilt larger notes, no rips, as they can't change them easily. If staying out later and on Main dinner ask the restaurant manager to swap you to late dinner that night. Cabanas in the Med had a carvery most nights I hope they do the same on our cruise.
Tallinn.
We dock very close to the market and start of the old city, a walk of ten minutes or a short taxi. Care bits of it is a maze around the old walls, the market there and at the port is very good and good port free wifi and in the city as well. We did a DCL tour last time, best of tallinn, part coach part walking we visited a park and the Eurovision tallinn music festival site nice with good views inc the ship. Limited time may make things rushed. We have booked a private part car part walking tour this time. The food here is fantastic there was a DCL shuttle here. Spend your last Euros here and keep some for the city market and port market.

 

[Deb T.]

Coach Update
Both coaches are nearly full. If you have not contacted me by e-mail, please do at balticbuccaneers@mail.com. Now we are almost at PIF, I'm hoping you are firming up your accommodation. Please let me know once you have booked. Also, please let me have details of your junior (under 16) cruisers (name & age) so I can ensure they all get a goody bag. After PIF date I will be contacting everyone that has not sent me an e-mail to ensure they still want/need to travel on the coach. There will be a response deadline & if you have not responded it will be assumed you no longer wish to travel.

Celestine

I posted this info on Page 1, as well.