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

[mousemom11]

Hi everyone. We just booked today and excited to find so many great discussions already! We are a family of four and this will be our third cruise after Alaska in 2011 and Med in 2013. I'm Yvonne with Blair (DH), Ariane (DD, 11) and Blake (DS, 11). I've got a few more posts to go before I can PM about FE and Facebook.

Glad to have you aboard!

 

[Deb T.]

I am *slightly* concerned about the weather. A Baltic cruise has always been on my must do list but I am sort of equating it to the weather on our Canada cruise out of New York in 2012. We had a nice time (but the cruise was too short) but I have to say once we left New York it was my least favourite DCL cruise. The weather was cold and rainy and I didn't have enough of an idea about what to pack.

Can you experienced Baltic cruisers give me any clues, what did you take and wear last time and how predictable was the weather?!

Welcome
The a Baltic was great, the Weather in St Petersburg was fantastic like a British summers day, all ports were nice, the only slight issue was at night at sea it's cool, no evening swimming, of course like us the weather is changeable and really we are going to have to leave it yo the forecasts the week before to decide, I might have been lucky but we had good weather it was just cool in evenings and the North Sea leg.

Mel, we were concerned about the weather before our July 2010 cruise, as well. We packed only long-sleeved shirts and bought really nice jackets that would protect against wind, rain, and cold. However, we weren't as fortunate as DISNEY FANTASY, All of the Baltics area experienced a record-breaking heat wave during our sailing!! http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/csi/events/2010/russianheatwave/prelim.html

This time, we will prepare for any type of weather!

 

[kayochan]

Hello All!

We just booked this weekend. We are DW (me), DH, DS (7 will be 8 on trip) and DS (11 will be 13 on trip). We are really looking forward to seeing Northern Europe!

 

[Deb T.]

Hello All!

We just booked this weekend. We are DW (me), DH, DS (7 will be 8 on trip) and DS (11 will be 13 on trip). We are really looking forward to seeing Northern Europe!

Welcome!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are on 2nd dining. Interested why the experts have chosen main?

It's the time we eat at home, I prefer dinner then show the other way just feels wrong, I do not like eating food late so it hasn't gone down before sleep, most cruises not this one the ship leaves at that time. Late is slow and goes on and on main is faster. Young kids fall asleep on late or have a tired breakdown.

Hi everyone. We just booked today and excited to find so many great discussions already! We are a family of four and this will be our third cruise after Alaska in 2011 and Med in 2013. I'm Yvonne with Blair (DH), Ariane (DD, 11) and Blake (DS, 11). I've got a few more posts to go before I can PM about FE and Facebook.

Welcome we did Alaska last year have done the Med before and going again to the Med this summer, just booked our trips and Palo for that.

Mel, we were concerned about the weather before our July 2010 cruise, as well. We packed only long-sleeved shirts and bought really nice jackets that would protect against wind, rain, and cold. However, we weren't as fortunate as DISNEY FANTASY, All of the Baltics area experienced a record-breaking heat wave during our sailing!! http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/csi/events/2010/russianheatwave/prelim.html

This time, we will prepare for any type of weather!

Yes we were lucky hot summers days but prepare for anything watch the forecast just before you go

 

[ctnurse]

What is the fish exchange?
Right now we have the 2nd seating we are hoping to have DD in nursery, and DS in the kids club. We hardly see him when there is a kids club. Has anyone used the nursery on board?
I'm sure I will have plenty of questions in the up coming months, y'all know so much!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

What is the fish exchange?
Right now we have the 2nd seating we are hoping to have DD in nursery, and DS in the kids club. We hardly see him when there is a kids club. Has anyone used the nursery on board?
I'm sure I will have plenty of questions in the up coming months, y'all know so much!

The thread links below will explain FE to you, I do not participate in them but you will get an idea from these, not used the nursery but you have to book hours there online at your booking window, say 75 days pre cruise.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33184281&postcount=2


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1219607


http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=30302583&postcount=609

 

[ctnurse]

The thread links below will explain FE to you, I do not participate in them but you will get an idea from these, not used the nursery but you have to book hours there online at your booking window, say 75 days pre cruise.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33184281&postcount=2


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1219607


http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=30302583&postcount=609

Thanks for the links. I'm glad the cruise is so far away, since I have so much to learn.

I also added my husband to the FB group.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

The Port of Staint Petersburg Russia.



ST Petes by Andrew D Porter, on Flickr

 

[The Wombles]

Thanks for all the responses on why you dine on main. Interested that late goes more slowly. Main appears to be more popular and we didn't get a choice when we booked later for our first cruise (Alaska 2011). However, now we prefer it because we stay ashore longer and our kids are a older.

 

[The Wombles]

Wombles Dave, we learned about geocaching after we were last in the UK so have not done any looking there. We think we'll have a few days before the sailing to look around this time. We didn't make it to Greenwich last time so it's on our list - looks like the Gates of Greenwich might be worth a look?

Welcome Yvonne. Geocaching is very popular in the UK so there are lots of great caches (with lots of fav points). Greenwich observatory (home of GMT) is one of the most popular, you can take a photo at 0'0" latitude with a leg in western and Eastern hemispheres. The gates and the whole of Greenwich is also fantastic.

All of the countries we are visiting have accessible caches, I'll be renting a car in Denmark to find three especially old caches for Jasmer and explore the country a little more.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks for all the responses on why you dine on main. Interested that late goes more slowly. Main appears to be more popular and we didn't get a choice when we booked later for our first cruise (Alaska 2011). However, now we prefer it because we stay ashore longer and our kids are a older.

Main , has to go quick, they have to turn over to late service by 8pm but like tables set and cleaned before that, Late is really open ended there is no target end time so it can drag a bit.

 

[Celestine]

Thanks for all the responses on why you dine on main. Interested that late goes more slowly. Main appears to be more popular and we didn't get a choice when we booked later for our first cruise (Alaska 2011). However, now we prefer it because we stay ashore longer and our kids are a older.

Even though the girls are older now, they would have hit pizza and/or burgers if they didn't have their main meal until 8.30 which they then wouldn't eat and no doubt be requiring room service by 10pm!!! My experience of ports where early dining caused issues because of excursion times - St Petersberg & Venice sling to mind was that the restaurants were accommodating & squeezed you in even if you were late. You may not have had your regular server but you were fed!

Celestine

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Even though the girls are older now, they would have hit pizza and/or burgers if they didn't have their main meal until 8.30 which they then wouldn't eat and no doubt be requiring room service by 10pm!!! My experience of ports where early dining caused issues because of excursion times - St Petersberg & Venice sling to mind was that the restaurants were accommodating & squeezed you in even if you were late. You may not have had your regular server but you were fed!

Celestine

Yes agree, we knew the Restaurant Manager personally so asked her to swap to Late in St Petes and she got our same severs for us.

 

[Deb T.]

My experience of ports where early dining caused issues because of excursion times - St Petersberg & Venice sling to mind was that the restaurants were accommodating & squeezed you in even if you were late. You may not have had your regular server but you were fed!

Celestine

Berlin was also a dining issue for us in the Baltics. The train arrived back in Warnemunde just as late dining was starting. I can tell you that we weren't the only grungy, sweat-soaked diners that evening.

There's also the option of eating dinner in Cabanas (previously called Topsiders) for dinner. You can go at any time, are seated for table service, and order off a menu that offers many of the main dining options for that night. We've done that several times to eat with friends who were on the opposite dining rotation. The only evenings this option is not offered is the first and last nights of the cruise.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Berlin was also a dining issue for us in the Baltics. The train arrived back in Warnemunde just as late dining was starting. I can tell you that we weren't the only grungy, sweat-soaked diners that evening.

There's also the option of eating dinner in Cabanas (previously called Topsiders) for dinner. You can go at any time, are seated for table service, and order off a menu that offers many of the main dining options for that night. We've done that several times to eat with friends who were on the opposite dining rotation. The only evenings this option is not offered is the first and last nights of the cruise.

Agree but sometimes Cabanas has limited hours.

 

[kmc33]

We are booked! Put down our deposit yesterday. It will be DH (John), DS (Luke), 16 at time of trip, and I (Kim) joining you.

When we sailed on the Magic Med in 2011, we heard others talk of the 2010 Baltic; I had been hoping the Magic would go back ever since. Was enticed by the Norway/Iceland sailing, but decided to stick with original plan.

This Baltic sailing will be our 7th Disney cruise. We are sailing the Fantasy over this coming New Year's Eve which will be our 6th.

We are scheduled for late dining. I have been trying to catch up on the posts; so many great tips!! Looking forward to planning together over the next 15 months!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are booked! Put down our deposit yesterday. It will be DH (John), DS (Luke), 16 at time of trip, and I (Kim) joining you.

When we sailed on the Magic Med in 2011, we heard others talk of the 2010 Baltic; I had been hoping the Magic would go back ever since. Was enticed by the Norway/Iceland sailing, but decided to stick with original plan.

This Baltic sailing will be our 7th Disney cruise. We are sailing the Fantasy over this coming New Year's Eve which will be our 6th.

We are scheduled for late dining. I have been trying to catch up on the posts; so many great tips!! Looking forward to planning together over the next 15 months!

Welcome Kim.

 

[pennymike]

We just booked! Going to be tough to wait over a year. My wife and I will be traveling with my mother and stepfather (mom and dad). They got us started cruising with DCL.......and the addiction has only gotten worse.......well better. We love DCL. This cruise/area was on their "bucket list" and they asked us to join them. Should be a great time. Can't wait to see another part of the world.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We just booked! Going to be tough to wait over a year. My wife and I will be traveling with my mother and stepfather (mom and dad). They got us started cruising with DCL.......and the addiction has only gotten worse.......well better. We love DCL. This cruise/area was on their "bucket list" and they asked us to join them. Should be a great time. Can't wait to see another part of the world.

Hello and Welcome