Northern Sights and Mickey's MAGICal Delights-1st Baltic Cruise-June 12,2010-Pt 2

[cquick]

here's one in Stockholm.....http://www.visit-stockholm.com/

 

[rotary2808]

Yes, the idea I have for a FE is light and easy to pack too, but it will all depend on how many of us are on the exchange! I DO need some space for clothes!

Who needs clothes?

If anyone is planning to do shore excursions on their own, please let me know, because my DH and I would join you. I think we WILL do Disney shore excursions in St. Petersburg for sure, but as for the rest, I know there are excursion hop on and hop off buses available, and they are very good.
My son, Mike, and I did that in Cadiz when we did the transatlantic.

Also, we have done them in Paris, London, York, Stratford upon Avon, Bath, Oxford, and a couple of other places I can't think of right now.

How was the one in London? I need to start looking for some tour ideas for London. I don't know if we should do a bus like that or if I should look into finding a guide to show us around the city?

Right now I'm planning on us leaving here on the 7th and arriving on the 8th. So that gives us part of the 8th and all of the 9th-11th to tour London.

 

[cquick]

How was the one in London? I need to start looking for some tour ideas for London. I don't know if we should do a bus like that or if I should look into finding a guide to show us around the city?

Right now I'm planning on us leaving here on the 7th and arriving on the 8th. So that gives us part of the 8th and all of the 9th-11th to tour London.

I would definately recommend the double decker London Tour. The guides are great and it goes everywhere. I have done it 2X. once with my family and once with my mom. Also the boat tour of the Thames is good especially at night. I think there might be a ticket that includes both. You can google London tourism or go to VisitBritain.com.

 

[cquick]

Here's a website that popped up when I googled london double decker tour bus. http://www.londonenglandtours.net/tours/tourDetail.cfm?tour_id=7501&gclid=CLiMtt-K6psCFQMQswodElMV6g

 

[cquick]

This might be the one we took. www.theoriginaltour.com/

 

[rotary2808]

Thanks Connie!!!! I'll definitely have to look into those.

 

[4boons]

How was the one in London? I need to start looking for some tour ideas for London. I don't know if we should do a bus like that or if I should look into finding a guide to show us around the city?

Right now I'm planning on us leaving here on the 7th and arriving on the 8th. So that gives us part of the 8th and all of the 9th-11th to tour London.

If you're going to be in London several days, defiinitely consider the London Pass. It provides admission (and supposedly some front-of-line privileges) to 55 attractions plus some dining & shopping discounts. A few places are not on the list (London Eye, Westminster Abbey) but many are. The pass includes on/off privileges on the City Cruises boats on the Thames and you can add a feature for the tube/bus system. We're looking at exactly the same timeframe, so I'm thinking of buying a three-day pass and doing some off-pass attractions on the afternoon we arrive.

 

[4boons]

I've been convinced for months that we can't afford this trip, but didn't have the heart to cancel. After a weekend of number-crunching, I posted a pretty depressed assessment. The next day, my world-traveler dad gave me a pep talk on the need to "canoe another river" vs a seventh Caribbean cruise and the importance of taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. DD will be 16 next summer. If we don't do this now, we won't do it with her. I closed my eyes and sold a $h!tload of company stock when it ticked up after second quarter earnings were announced.

Paris & DLP will have to wait, but we're doing a few days in London beforehand and will fly straight home when the ship docks. We'll probably skip Berlin to save $ and may do some ports on our own, but will definitely do a shore excursion in St P either through Disney or Red October.

Next I have to get our air booked, figure out our London hotel and get signed up for FEs, lanyards and whatever else there is.

DH just said, "Aren't you glad you didn't cancel this?"

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I've been convinced for months that we can't afford this trip, but didn't have the heart to cancel. After a weekend of number-crunching, I posted a pretty depressed assessment. The next day, my world-traveler dad gave me a pep talk on the need to "canoe another river" vs a seventh Caribbean cruise and the importance of taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. DD will be 16 next summer. If we don't do this now, we won't do it with her. I closed my eyes and sold a $h!tload of company stock when it ticked up after second quarter earnings were announced.

Paris & DLP will have to wait, but we're doing a few days in London beforehand and will fly straight home when the ship docks. We'll probably skip Berlin to save $ and may do some ports on our own, but will definitely do a shore excursion in St P either through Disney or Red October.

Next I have to get our air booked, figure out our London hotel and get signed up for FEs, lanyards and whatever else there is.

DH just said, "Aren't you glad you didn't cancel this?"

I don't think you will regret it. I always say that I always regret the things I didn't do more than those I do.

 

[gydell]

I've been convinced for months that we can't afford this trip, but didn't have the heart to cancel. After a weekend of number-crunching, I posted a pretty depressed assessment. The next day, my world-traveler dad gave me a pep talk on the need to "canoe another river" vs a seventh Caribbean cruise and the importance of taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. DD will be 16 next summer. If we don't do this now, we won't do it with her. I closed my eyes and sold a $h!tload of company stock when it ticked up after second quarter earnings were announced.

Paris & DLP will have to wait, but we're doing a few days in London beforehand and will fly straight home when the ship docks. We'll probably skip Berlin to save $ and may do some ports on our own, but will definitely do a shore excursion in St P either through Disney or Red October.

Next I have to get our air booked, figure out our London hotel and get signed up for FEs, lanyards and whatever else there is.

DH just said, "Aren't you glad you didn't cancel this?"

Check with Anastasia travel. We have them booked for St Petersburg. They have great reviews and are a little cheaper. All their tours are private.



Thanks everyone for all the suggestions on London. We are going to Stonehenge one day and will have 3&1/2 days in London before we head to Dover. We're arriving in London in the afternoon of the 6th.

 

[rotary2808]

If you're going to be in London several days, defiinitely consider the London Pass. It provides admission (and supposedly some front-of-line privileges) to 55 attractions plus some dining & shopping discounts. A few places are not on the list (London Eye, Westminster Abbey) but many are. The pass includes on/off privileges on the City Cruises boats on the Thames and you can add a feature for the tube/bus system. We're looking at exactly the same timeframe, so I'm thinking of buying a three-day pass and doing some off-pass attractions on the afternoon we arrive.

I'll definitely have to look into that. Thanks!!!! Do you have a link for that? I definitely want to try to see Stonehenge as well.

I've been convinced for months that we can't afford this trip, but didn't have the heart to cancel. After a weekend of number-crunching, I posted a pretty depressed assessment. The next day, my world-traveler dad gave me a pep talk on the need to "canoe another river" vs a seventh Caribbean cruise and the importance of taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. DD will be 16 next summer. If we don't do this now, we won't do it with her. I closed my eyes and sold a $h!tload of company stock when it ticked up after second quarter earnings were announced.

Paris & DLP will have to wait, but we're doing a few days in London beforehand and will fly straight home when the ship docks. We'll probably skip Berlin to save $ and may do some ports on our own, but will definitely do a shore excursion in St P either through Disney or Red October.

Next I have to get our air booked, figure out our London hotel and get signed up for FEs, lanyards and whatever else there is.

DH just said, "Aren't you glad you didn't cancel this?"

I definitely don't think you'll regret it, you would have regretted not going. That's what happened to us when we backed out of the TA in '07 and we ended up deciding to go a week before it sailed home.

We're going to wait on Paris & DLP as well since we've got two WDW trips planned for next year plus this trip, but if I can get the few days in ahead of time in London I'll be happy.

 

[Lynn G]

Good Morning Cruisers!

Glad to hear that several of you are still taking this trip in spite of the $h!tload of money or points it is taking.

We have also gotten an idea for FE gifts that are small, and useful, and will need to be ordered - will just have to do some more research on it.

Have a great day all!

 

[jeanneg]

4boons: glad to hear you are still in. Your dad is right about seizing the opportunity. I always say that you can't put a price on a memory. As long as you can afford it, I'm sure you won't regret it. That said, I don't think it's wise for anyone to go into debt for a vacation.

I was doing some checking of airline fares yesterday and almost bought ours. American had nonstop flights from Raleigh to London for what I thought was $640. Then I realized that was the price EACH way before taxes and fees! It came to about $1400 per person

 

[4boons]

I'll definitely have to look into that. Thanks!!!! Do you have a link for that?

Link to information for London Pass is www.londonpass.com

 

[4boons]

Need advice from those who've already arranged their pre-cruise stay in London.

I was told (incorrectly) that we could book airport/hotel & hotel/port transfers if we stayed at the Disney-designated hotel even if we booked the hotel independently. Only one - Park Plaza County Hall - has rooms for three guests so I booked directly with the hotel since it was much cheaper than what Disney quoted. Now I've been told that I can buy a transfer to the port from the hotel, but cannot transfer from the airport to the hotel unless we booked the hotel with Disney and Disney only allows for a three-night stay pre-cruise. Can't imagine trying to take an express train and then a cross-town taxi with three weeks' worth of luggage and jet lag, but hotel quoted 320 GBP for a chauffeur service from the airport, so considered booking hotel & transfers through Disney even if it means shortening our sightseeing. Turns out, Disney doesn't have any more rooms for a three-night stay anyway, so I'd have to waitlist. I seem to be trapped. What have others arranged for a pre-cruise stay in London?

Laura

 

[rotary2808]

4boons: glad to hear you are still in. Your dad is right about seizing the opportunity. I always say that you can't put a price on a memory. As long as you can afford it, I'm sure you won't regret it. That said, I don't think it's wise for anyone to go into debt for a vacation.

I was doing some checking of airline fares yesterday and almost bought ours. American had nonstop flights from Raleigh to London for what I thought was $640. Then I realized that was the price EACH way before taxes and fees! It came to about $1400 per person

That's about what Delta is running I think. Although they did have one from Huntsville to London that was $1100 per person before taxes, but it went Huntsville to Memphis to Detroit to London.

Link to information for London Pass is www.londonpass.com

Need advice from those who've already arranged their pre-cruise stay in London.

I was told (incorrectly) that we could book airport/hotel & hotel/port transfers if we stayed at the Disney-designated hotel even if we booked the hotel independently. Only one - Park Plaza County Hall - has rooms for three guests so I booked directly with the hotel since it was much cheaper than what Disney quoted. Now I've been told that I can buy a transfer to the port from the hotel, but cannot transfer from the airport to the hotel unless we booked the hotel with Disney and Disney only allows for a three-night stay pre-cruise. Can't imagine trying to take an express train and then a cross-town taxi with three weeks' worth of luggage and jet lag, but hotel quoted 320 GBP for a chauffeur service from the airport, so considered booking hotel & transfers through Disney even if it means shortening our sightseeing. Turns out, Disney doesn't have any more rooms for a three-night stay anyway, so I'd have to waitlist. I seem to be trapped. What have others arranged for a pre-cruise stay in London?

Laura

Thanks for the link Laura!!! I'll have to look into that.

I hope that's not right about the hotel. I've got my TA looking into the DCL hotels now and she's supposed to be calling me back in a few minutes so I'm interested to see if she found out anything different. That will really put a kink in my plans if that's the case.

 

[ishmael]

Turns out, Disney doesn't have any more rooms for a three-night stay anyway, so I'd have to waitlist. I seem to be trapped. What have others arranged for a pre-cruise stay in London?

I booked with the Park Plaza through Disney last year, and still have it on my reservation. It's something I've always pretty much planned to drop as Disney is charging $1140 per night. Yes, per night!

With a hint from Gydell, I talked to the Park Plaza last January and was able to get a reservation at a much more acceptable price. I was just on their web site, and see that the rate quoted is lower than what I booked in January, so I'm working with them to see if they can update my reservation for the new rates or if I need to rebook.

I was told when I made the reservation that tranfers could be purchased independent of hotel booking through Disney, but from what you say, it sounds like this isn't the case from the airport. Right now, they are on my reservation since I still have the hotel, but I guess I need to sort out for when I drop that piece.

 

[lllpath]

We're going to participate in the FE too!

 

[gydell]

Need advice from those who've already arranged their pre-cruise stay in London.

I was told (incorrectly) that we could book airport/hotel & hotel/port transfers if we stayed at the Disney-designated hotel even if we booked the hotel independently. Only one - Park Plaza County Hall - has rooms for three guests so I booked directly with the hotel since it was much cheaper than what Disney quoted. Now I've been told that I can buy a transfer to the port from the hotel, but cannot transfer from the airport to the hotel unless we booked the hotel with Disney and Disney only allows for a three-night stay pre-cruise. Can't imagine trying to take an express train and then a cross-town taxi with three weeks' worth of luggage and jet lag, but hotel quoted 320 GBP for a chauffeur service from the airport, so considered booking hotel & transfers through Disney even if it means shortening our sightseeing. Turns out, Disney doesn't have any more rooms for a three-night stay anyway, so I'd have to waitlist. I seem to be trapped. What have others arranged for a pre-cruise stay in London?

Laura

There are car services from the airports in London. They are expensive but we will probably take one of those or a cab to our hotel. It still is cheaper than booking through DCL. Depending on our luggage situation, we may take the train. We are also planning on what we wear the week before the cruise having DCL clean it for us when we on on the ship, less we have to carrry.

 

[ishmael]

While we are all waiting for the first Baltic cruise, we can kill a little time with a new video from Weird Al Yankovic that highlights the longest running Disney Cruise itinerary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNo8LvdOwSk