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

[lllpath]

Do we have a final-ish count on those participating in the FE gift exchange? I'm making ours now and I want to be pretty close to the correct number (i.e., I don't want to bring more over than necessary).
Thanks!

 

[DL1957]

Hello all! I'm new to this thread--we are on the June 12 Baltic. Frustrated by no start times for the excursions as that will make a big difference in our planning. But...we are very interested in a private tour in St. P, including hooking up with other families to lower the cost.

Our DS is 16, our DD is 9--and we are in San Diego. Still looking for cheap flights (I don't think they exist anymore!)--we are staying two pre-nights in London at one of the hotels Disney uses, and plan to use their transportation to Dover to avoid the hassles of lugging bags around on public transport etc. Guess I'm more and more about convenience and comfort!

I need to catch up so will look back at the many pages of this thread!

(Background: 4 prior cruises with Disney, so we don't get to book early-- We were on the med cruise in 2007, the West Coast one in 2005, the first Western Caribbean and one of the 4 day ones; we really really like Adventures by Disney trips, hence our moniker--have done four of those to date. I grew up in LA, so have averaged Disneyland trips about 2x a year; WDW about 5 times--looking forward to going back to WDW soon. Enough said!)

My DH DS and her DH are also on this cruise. My DH and I are going in 3 days early and staying at one of the Disney hotels and using their transportation for the same reason we don't want to hassel with our luggage etx. Can't wait to meet everyone who have been giving such great information on the board. I need to register us with you folks as well. Since we are new to Dis Boards I believe we will hold off on the goodies you folks share and hopefully particpate on the Alaska Cruises.

 

[rotary2808]

Do we have a final-ish count on those participating in the FE gift exchange? I'm making ours now and I want to be pretty close to the correct number (i.e., I don't want to bring more over than necessary).
Thanks!

I need to get started on mine as well. I've got an idea floating around in my head, I just need to start working on it.

My DH DS and her DH are also on this cruise. My DH and I are going in 3 days early and staying at one of the Disney hotels and using their transportation for the same reason we don't want to hassel with our luggage etx. Can't wait to meet everyone who have been giving such great information on the board. I need to register us with you folks as well. Since we are new to Dis Boards I believe we will hold off on the goodies you folks share and hopefully particpate on the Alaska Cruises.

Welcome to the group!!!! Don't be afraid to participate just b/c you're new to the Dis. That's the great thing about this site is we welcome everyone old and new to participate and join in the fun.

 

[sbell111]

Hello all! I'm new to this thread--we are on the June 12 Baltic. Frustrated by no start times for the excursions as that will make a big difference in our planning. But...we are very interested in a private tour in St. P, including hooking up with other families to lower the cost.

Our DS is 16, our DD is 9--and we are in San Diego. Still looking for cheap flights (I don't think they exist anymore!)--we are staying two pre-nights in London at one of the hotels Disney uses, and plan to use their transportation to Dover to avoid the hassles of lugging bags around on public transport etc. Guess I'm more and more about convenience and comfort!

I need to catch up so will look back at the many pages of this thread!

(Background: 4 prior cruises with Disney, so we don't get to book early-- We were on the med cruise in 2007, the West Coast one in 2005, the first Western Caribbean and one of the 4 day ones; we really really like Adventures by Disney trips, hence our moniker--have done four of those to date. I grew up in LA, so have averaged Disneyland trips about 2x a year; WDW about 5 times--looking forward to going back to WDW soon. Enough said!)

We're also interested in joining up on a private tour in St Pete.

My wife and I also did one of the Med cruises in 2007. I wonder if we were on the same one as you.

Hi! How do you find out about the bus trips in advance? We did this at a few ports on the Med cruise with no trouble but now we have two children we want to do a bit more research and get a bit more out of the stops by planning some potential diy trips in advance rather than getting off the ship and keeping our fingers crossed!

I was able to google them up. I don't have my notes here at work, or I would give you the web addresses. I just searched on "helsinki hop on off tour" and they pulled right up.

 

[seaulater]

My DD Jamie, (who will be 18 on this cruise) has visions of me with her riding around in a sidecar.......

I envision wear hats and goggles......now that ought to be a pretty sight....NOT

 

[wickesy]

Welcome to all the new cruisers. If any of you are celebrating something special on the cruise and would like us to celebrate with you, let me know and I will add it to our cruise calendar here.

 

[cquick]

Hi Welcome Aboard,
We are booked with http://www.spb-tours.com for St. Petersburg and Berlin. We have already joined another family for Berlin but would like to share our tour for St. Petersburg. If you are interested you can PM me. We are a family of 4 with DS 11 almost 12 and DD 9. We arrive in London on June 8th. We are staying at the London Hilton Docklands. It is a little off of the beaten path but we are using reward points to stay there. It looks like we have done some of the same cruises. We did the Med cruise in 2007 and the West Coast one in 2005.

We are also looking at excursions with SPB tours for St.Petersburg.

The Docklands is a very interesting area of London and so easy to find a train to "downtown" London.

 

[cquick]

welcome to the new cruisers!!!

Connie you know you would have been on the ship even if you had to swim!

true!!!!!!!!​

 

[cquick]

We're also interested in joining up on a private tour in St Pete.quote]


That is so cute! I think of St. Pete, Florida when I see St. Pete! St. Petersburg Russia is much more interesting!

 

[MJGirl]

Hi everyone ... I was just wondering. If there are going to be a lot of us in Dover on the 11th, then how about meeting for Dinner at a local restaurant. My B&B supplied me with a list of restaurants in the area, and they sound pretty good! I can even ask her to recommend a place that can hold a large group if needed.

 

[seaulater]

Hi everyone ... I was just wondering. If there are going to be a lot of us in Dover on the 11th, then how about meeting for Dinner at a local restaurant. My B&B supplied me with a list of restaurants in the area, and they sound pretty good! I can even ask her to recommend a place that can hold a large group if needed.

I'll be on the ship, but you are welcome to join us in the dining room!

Does anyone know if there are tours from Dover over to the Dover Castle? I know that DCL is offering one on the transport back to London via the castle when we get off on the 24th, but I think I would like to do it on the 12th when we dock in Dover the 1st time.

Any suggestions, anyone?

 

[MJGirl]

I'll be on the ship, but you are welcome to join us in the dining room!

Does anyone know if there are tours from Dover over to the Dover Castle? I know that DCL is offering one on the transport back to London via the castle when we get off on the 24th, but I think I would like to do it on the 12th when we dock in Dover the 1st time.

Any suggestions, anyone?

Here is a site you can try ... Dover Castle Tours

I arrive on the 10th. I'm hoping to tour the castle on that day, and then take a bus tour to Canterbury on the 11th.

 

[Lynn G]

Good Evening Cruisers!

I think we will probably do the same thing, except that
Chuck REALLY wants to go see the new ship. I think we'll do hop on hop off bus trips or walk the other cities.

We spent all day Sunday looking at the hop on hop off bus tours - we will probably do them at most of the ports except St. Petersburg - there probably go with a Disney tour - just for the ease.

Hi! How do you find out about the bus trips in advance? We did this at a few ports on the Med cruise with no trouble but now we have two children we want to do a bit more research and get a bit more out of the stops by planning some potential diy trips in advance rather than getting off the ship and keeping our fingers crossed!

We've been down to the library today to pick up some books on the countries we're going to and its SO exciting! Don't know when I'll get to read them at the moment mind you, having a new baby around and a three year old is even more time consuming than I could have imagined!

I have a few more questions I don't know if you have the answers to...? When the Disney site says something like "the tour starts with a 15 minute drive past the shipyard ...." for the start of every single tour eg in Helsinki, does this mean its a bit like the set up in Marseille for example where the cruise terminal was someway out of town but Disney ran shuttle buses to the main town even for those not on an organised excursion?

To be honest the excursions look too expensive for us, the attention span of a three year old (assuming we find excursions he'd be allowed on) is a bit hit and miss and I'd hate to spend all that money then be stuck dragging a stroppy 3 year old and a 6 month old with all her needs not enjoying it at all. So diy, decided what to do on the day is probably the way to go.

Another question that you might not have the same problem with is visas for Russia, you're covered by a group one if on an organised tour? But if you want to hop off the ship for a quick look?

Thanks!
Kit

I understand that you cannot get off the ship if you do not have a Visa or are on a tour that provides the Visas. We found the bus tours just by googling bus tours in a particular city.

Welcome to the new folks!

We will also be on the ship when it arrives in Dover, but have been thinking to getting off in the morning and touring around the area.

Have a great evening all!

 

[carolmb]

I'll be on the ship, but you are welcome to join us in the dining room!

Does anyone know if there are tours from Dover over to the Dover Castle? I know that DCL is offering one on the transport back to London via the castle when we get off on the 24th, but I think I would like to do it on the 12th when we dock in Dover the 1st time.

Any suggestions, anyone?

It doesn't look like Disney is offering a tour of Dover Castle unless I am missing something. The tour after the cruise is for Leeds Castle. I wonder how the port is from Dover Castle and if you could check-in and go to the castle. That might be too crazy for one day though.

 

[gydell]

Hi everyone ... I was just wondering. If there are going to be a lot of us in Dover on the 11th, then how about meeting for Dinner at a local restaurant. My B&B supplied me with a list of restaurants in the area, and they sound pretty good! I can even ask her to recommend a place that can hold a large group if needed.

Count us in!

 

[seaulater]

It doesn't look like Disney is offering a tour of Dover Castle unless I am missing something. The tour after the cruise is for Leeds Castle. I wonder how the port is from Dover Castle and if you could check-in and go to the castle. That might be too crazy for one day though.

You're right.

I have been doing some research and also some others posted here about the Dover Castle. It looks like it will be very easy to catch a cab right from the terminal and go straight to Dover Castle and then after the tour you can catch a cab either straight back to the ship or into the historic district in Dover and do some more sightseeing.

 

[cquick]

You're right.

I have been doing some research and also some others posted here about the Dover Castle. It looks like it will be very easy to catch a cab right from the terminal and go straight to Dover Castle and then after the tour you can catch a cab either straight back to the ship or into the historic district in Dover and do some more sightseeing.

Yup, I agree. I think Dover is very easy to get around in. We haven't actually toured the town, but we took the Hydrofoil to France one time and another time we took the ferry.

 

[cquick]

Here is a site you can try ... Dover Castle Tours

I arrive on the 10th. I'm hoping to tour the castle on that day, and then take a bus tour to Canterbury on the 11th.

We will be in Canterbury on the 11th, too. We are staying there before the cruise and in Dover the night after the cruise. We don't fly out of Gatwick until June 25th. The flights were too expensive on the 24th.

 

[cquick]

We spent all day Sunday looking at the hop on hop off bus tours - we will probably do them at most of the ports
We will also be on the ship when it arrives in Dover, but have been thinking to getting off in the morning and touring around the area.

Have a great evening all!

there are some nice walks along the cliffs.

We'll be seeing you on the hop-on-hop-off busses!
( I need a smilie of a bus here, but I don't know how to find more)

 

[cquick]

Hi Gydell!