2010 news from the Magic

[JsMom2]

Thanks for the advice. I have noticed where some airlines have started charging for selecting a seat. Crazy! The one way savings on AerLingus are enormous for a family of 4. I think I would be willing to incur a few fees here and there, but I'll definitely check it out.

Jodie

Jodie,
We used Aer Lingus to fly from Brussels to Dublin last year, and I was VERY happy with them. The planes were clean and modern and the flights took off and landed on time. We paid 8 Euros per bag in advance. But I'm pretty sure the weight allowance was 20 kilos, because I had all of our stuff in one bag. If you don't pre-book a bag then you have to pay more at the airport (16 Euros in our case). But if I can plan a vacation 2 years out, I can certainly plan how many suitcases I'll take!

Also, invest in some lightweight luggage. We still have our sturdy Atlantic luggage with lots of pockets that we use when flying to the States. But I got a 4 piece set of lightweight Atlantic luggage for under $150 on luggagepros.com, and we use them whenever we fly in Europe.

Wendy

 

[jennypenny]

Doesn't HAL do a Baltic cruise out of Edinburgh? That would be nice too. I'd love to see Scotland.

Is everyone sure it will be based in the UK?? I wondered if it would be based in Copenhagen. Or somewhere else more central in the Baltic region. I realize the port schedule said it was coming from Oslo going to Germany but that doesn't rule out that Copenhagen could be the embark/disembark city, does it?

Just

 

[JsMom2]

.

Is everyone sure it will be based in the UK?? I wondered if it would be based in Copenhagen. Or somewhere else more central in the Baltic region. I realize the port schedule said it was coming from Oslo going to Germany but that doesn't rule out that Copenhagen could be the embark/disembark city, does it?

Just

That was my thought Jenny. We sailed r/t out of Copenhagen to the Baltics on the Crown Princess this past June. Remember Tivoli Gardens was one of Walt's inspirations when he created Disneyland - it is a MUST see!

 

[ibouncetoo]

Doesn't HAL do a Baltic cruise out of Edinburgh? That would be nice too. I'd love to see Scotland.

Is everyone sure it will be based in the UK?? I wondered if it would be based in Copenhagen. Or somewhere else more central in the Baltic region. I realize the port schedule said it was coming from Oslo going to Germany but that doesn't rule out that Copenhagen could be the embark/disembark city, does it?

Just

I think we're speculating London (area) because DCL is opening an office there. I'd LOVE to see a cruise that went around the UK...with Irleand and Scotland stops!

;

 

[Disney Fool]

That was my thought Jenny. We sailed r/t out of Copenhagen to the Baltics on the Crown Princess this past June. Remember Tivoli Gardens was one of Walt's inspirations when he created Disneyland - it is a MUST see!

I was thinking along the same lines, with Hans Christian Anderson's statue of the Little Mermaid right in Copenhagen. At the very least, it would be a key excursion for the DCL line.

 

[NancyIL]

Doesn't HAL do a Baltic cruise out of Edinburgh? That would be nice too. I'd love to see Scotland.

Is everyone sure it will be based in the UK?? I wondered if it would be based in Copenhagen. Or somewhere else more central in the Baltic region. I realize the port schedule said it was coming from Oslo going to Germany but that doesn't rule out that Copenhagen could be the embark/disembark city, does it?

Just

No - HAL doesn't have any cruises that begin in Edinburgh.

While Copenhagen could be the home port, I think DCL will try to make access to the port as easy as possible. That means flying into a London airport rather than Copenhagen. Also - the Baltic cruises that begin in Copenhagen are usually 10 days.

 

[jennypenny]

No - HAL doesn't have any cruises that begin in Edinburgh.

While Copenhagen could be the home port, I think DCL will try to make access to the port as easy as possible. That means flying into a London airport rather than Copenhagen. Also - the Baltic cruises that begin in Copenhagen are usually 10 days.

I have to find the email I got recently about 2009 cruises--there was one out of scotland that got us very excited. Maybe it was princess.

I don't think Copenhagen is any more difficult to get to than Barcelona. But here is another cruise that would have a nice sampling of ports but skip Russia (to skip the whole Visa thing)

Day Port Arrive Depart
0 Rotterdam, The Netherlands 05:00 PM
1 Newcastle upon Tyne, England 01:00 PM 10:00 PM
2 S Queensferry (Edinburgh), UK TR 08:00 AM 08:00 PM
3 At Sea
4 Oslo, Norway 08:00 AM 05:00 PM
5 Gotenburg, Sweden 08:00 AM 05:00 PM
6 At Sea
7 Gdansk, Poland 08:00 AM 03:00 PM
8 Stockholm, Sweden ON Noon
9 Stockholm, Sweden Noon
10 Ronne, Bornholm, Denmark 10:00 AM 06:00 PM
11 Kiel, Germany 06:00 AM 05:00 PM
12 Copenhagen, Denmark 07:00 AM

If you dropped Stockholm and rearranged the order it would do nicely. And maybe drop the 2nd Denmark stop and add Brussels/Brugge. And I'm sure ABD will be offering a trip that coincides nicely with whatever port they choose.

 

[pillow]

Jodie,
We used Aer Lingus to fly from Brussels to Dublin last year, and I was VERY happy with them. The planes were clean and modern and the flights took off and landed on time. We paid 8 Euros per bag in advance. But I'm pretty sure the weight allowance was 20 kilos, because I had all of our stuff in one bag. If you don't pre-book a bag then you have to pay more at the airport (16 Euros in our case). But if I can plan a vacation 2 years out, I can certainly plan how many suitcases I'll take!

Also, invest in some lightweight luggage. We still have our sturdy Atlantic luggage with lots of pockets that we use when flying to the States. But I got a 4 piece set of lightweight Atlantic luggage for under $150 on luggagepros.com, and we use them whenever we fly in Europe.

Wendy

Good suggestion - thanks!

J

 

[NancyIL]

I have to find the email I got recently about 2009 cruises--there was one out of scotland that got us very excited. Maybe it was princess.

I don't think Copenhagen is any more difficult to get to than Barcelona. But here is another cruise that would have a nice sampling of ports but skip Russia (to skip the whole Visa thing)

Day Port Arrive Depart
0 Rotterdam, The Netherlands 05:00 PM
1 Newcastle upon Tyne, England 01:00 PM 10:00 PM
2 S Queensferry (Edinburgh), UK TR 08:00 AM 08:00 PM
3 At Sea
4 Oslo, Norway 08:00 AM 05:00 PM
5 Gotenburg, Sweden 08:00 AM 05:00 PM
6 At Sea
7 Gdansk, Poland 08:00 AM 03:00 PM
8 Stockholm, Sweden ON Noon
9 Stockholm, Sweden Noon
10 Ronne, Bornholm, Denmark 10:00 AM 06:00 PM
11 Kiel, Germany 06:00 AM 05:00 PM
12 Copenhagen, Denmark 07:00 AM

If you dropped Stockholm and rearranged the order it would do nicely. And maybe drop the 2nd Denmark stop and add Brussels/Brugge. And I'm sure ABD will be offering a trip that coincides nicely with whatever port they choose.

I am considering that itinerary on HAL Rotterdam for my daughters and me in 2010, and I hope HAL repeats it then. A visa for Russia is a non-issue - as it is taken care of for you by the tour company you book with. You only need to get your own visa if you plan to walk around St. Petersburg on your own.

HAL has 2 cruises that go to the British Isles in 2009 - and they are on the Prinsendam: http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-...de=3&portCode=GR4&dateCode=&shipCodeSearch=PR That's HAL's smallest ship, and the cruises are quite expensive. The Crown Princess also has a nice British Isles itinerary for 2009: http://www.princess.com/pb/itinerar...e=&date=&noOfPax=2&resType=C&definition_name=

Copenhagen might not be more difficult to get to than Barcelona, but it's not as easy as flying into London. Flights to Copenhagen also cost more than fights to London.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

MouseSavers first reported that the Magic would go from Warnemunde to Copenhagen to Oslo. I posted that Mary had it backwards, and sent her an e-mail to that effect. She then changed the info on her web site to reflect the fact that the ship is going to Oslo before Copenhagen.




According to the last date the Magic is in Copenhagen (July 21) - on what I believe is day 4 of a 12-night cruise - the cruise should end on July 30 somewhere in the UK.

Yes, I know that, I was speculating on a phantom cruise(s) between July 30th and 14th August.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Asked my eight ball and it said...............

My sources say no


Sorry Andrew......

i will re-word your question....

Can Andrew own Castaway Cay, please???

it said
You may rely on it
See it is always better to ask for things twice and always say PLEASE!!!

 

[daipp]

I think we're speculating London (area) because DCL is opening an office there. I'd LOVE to see a cruise that went around the UK...with Irleand and Scotland stops!

;

And what about calling in at Cardiff in Wales?

David

 

[denise]

Ok, I will try to ask all eight ball questions...I am not good and doing the multi quote thing so I will cut and paste....



"oh omnipotent Magic 8 Ball... please answer me this...Will DCL include St. Petersburg in the Northern Europe itinerary?"

signs point to yes



"Could you please ask it to make the cruise prices reasonable as well as lower airfare???!!!"

you may rely on it

Now you have it!!!

Good thing I am saving my DVC points, my marriott points and my airline points....looks like another points vacation to me!!!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

And what about calling in at Cardiff in Wales?

David

Just one question?

WHY?​

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Andrew!! dont be mean!!! lol

 

[MrsJobba1]

Just one question?

WHY?​

Andrew to see captain Jack and Torchwood of course

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Andrew!! dont be mean!!! lol

Andrew to see captain Jack and Torchwood of course

Best things to come out of Wales.

1. Doctor Who
2. Torchwood
3. M4

David knows I am ( not) joking.!

 

[MrsJobba1]

Best things to come out of Wales.

1. Doctor Who
2. Torchwood
3. M4

David knows I am ( not) joking.!

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Best things to come out of Wales.

1. Doctor Who
2. Torchwood
3. M4

David knows I am ( not) joking.!

To be fair,they are pretty good at rugby

 

[NancyIL]

I'd love to visit Wales...especially the northern part. But that will have to wait for a land trip.