The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[denise]

Our DD will be 20 on the cruise...
We sail July 6th....when do you sail?
Can't wait to see the link, thanks...

 

[ktkspider]

Traveling on the 24th sailing and Just got a letter from Disney saying that we aren't disembarking until 10:30 am on July 6th... Any one else? Something about tidal currents. Wondering how it will affect our boarding. Feel sorry for those whose flights already booked will be affected...

 

[OurDogCisco]

Traveling on the 24th sailing and Just got a letter from Disney saying that we aren't disembarking until 10:30 am on July 6th... Any one else? Something about tidal currents. Wondering how it will affect our boarding. Feel sorry for those whose flights already booked will be affected...

Seriously... Wow... that would be disppointing if they change the disembarking time. We are sailing on the July 6th cruise so, I don't know if it would effect our cruise. I hope not. I booked our disembarking flights for the same day because on the Med. cruise it was a total waste for us to stay an extra day. We were totally exhausted. But I do feel for the people on your cruise. I did book a flight that leaves at 2:30 pm and so hopefully, if we had a late departure time we could still make the flight. I also hired a private car so, I'm glad we aren't relying on buses or trains.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We will have a party of 10 (5 adults and 5 children ranging in age from 4 to 12) and are trying to figure out the best option for getting to Dover from London on the sail date (July 18). I'm not sure where we will be staying yet. I need to work on that, too, AND the flights! I have really done nothing but book the cruise! Well, I have put a watch on a few flights but haven't figured out yet when the best time to purchase is.

On our cruise thread CELESTINE is organising some private transfers worth reviewing thoose, for a party of ten there are a few options, Public taxis would not work but pre booked private transfers with say two large vans would work, considering luggage,, these take up to 7 people.
There are Trains from Victoria and London Bridge, and St Pancras, but that luggage is going to take a lot to get on and off quickly. And you still have a taxi at the Dover end from the rail Station. National express bus from Victoria is an option but luggage again is an issue.
So it goes back to Private pre booked transfers with a taxi firm really, or hire a van or 2, from National Car hire.

I'm curious about special theme nights that they are going to have on the Baltic Cruise. Is there going to be a pirate night or something similar? I'd like to get ready to buy the clothes for it. How many formal nights and semi-formal & casual nights? I'm ready to hear the details NOW!!! I'm getting impatient so, I hope they release these details soon. I also want to read about the tours as well.

Tina

We will have a formal night, my guess the second night, (first full day at Sea), a semi formal, (1 or 2/ sea days) and rest cruise casual, there will be a pirates night, maybe even Viking pirates night out of Oslo. I contacted concierge and they said nothing organised as of now.

Tammy~ When we arrived in Barcelona for Med cruise, after we got off that long flight, we took the escalator down to ground transportation and as we were descending we saw a lovely young lady holding an official DCL sign with "ZAGAR" on it and it was just relief! We will probably always use their transfers.

Denise~ how old is your DD? Are you going to be in London when we are?
I have a friend on the Creative Community board and she has been helping us.
She just sent me info on a "Black Bus" Ghost Tour, where you ride through London on an old style bus.
DH is watching Dr Who Christmas episode (he's so thrilled, it was on in England only yesterday!) so I will have him post link tomorrow for you.

Andrew~A L-W is doing a talent search? We had one like that for Grease summer 2008 and he was a guest judge on it.
DH thinks now that instead of a play that he wants to go to Stonehenge and Cardiff. Any info on that? I have not been to Stonehenge and wouldn't mind going.

ALW has done these three times before with the BBC, to find a star for a west end show, its very popular, this one is a leading lady Dorothy for Wizard of Oz, it also boosts take up for all West end shows when its on.

Traveling on the 24th sailing and Just got a letter from Disney saying that we aren't disembarking until 10:30 am on July 6th... Any one else? Something about tidal currents. Wondering how it will affect our boarding. Feel sorry for those whose flights already booked will be affected...

I noted that the arrival time back in Dover was slipping back on the many revisions of the port schedule, latest on mine was 8am, and normally they are in by 7am. It wouldn't surprise me, most cruise lines who sail to the Baltic cut it shorter and go to Harwich rather than Dover, as the extra bit slows it down, plus the English channel is very very busy and that will delay them.

I would add extra time for thoose departing by plane on disembarkation day to be careful. I don't care its just an hour by car back home.

 

[Arizona Rita]

Good morning!
Here is the link I mentioned last night
http://www.theghostbustours.com/tour_info.html

We are on the Ignaugral June 12th sailing.

 

[Madisonznana]

Good morning!

We are on the Ignaugral June 12th sailing.

We will so be waiting for a quick TR!!!

 

[2bundles]

We are on the Ignaugral June 12th sailing.

Us too. Family of 4 from Australia.

Looking at the various transfer options, we arrive the day before and might just hire a car. Seems to be the cheapest option. Any reason not to?

Also tossing up about Berlin. Would love to do it, but it makes for a very long day.

 

[jilljill]

Us too. Family of 4 from Australia.

Looking at the various transfer options, we arrive the day before and might just hire a car. Seems to be the cheapest option. Any reason not to?

Also tossing up about Berlin. Would love to do it, but it makes for a very long day.

We took the National Express Coach from Victoria Station to Dover and it cost us about 60GBP for 3 people. That is much cheaper and easier than hiring a car and driving yourself. We priced a car for July 2008 and it was about 3 times that price for a 1 day rental and that did not include the cost of fuel.
Had we booked the NE coach 12 weeks out it would have been cheaper, but we were tossing around the idea of doing a private transfer and couldn't justify the cost.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We took the National Express Coach from Victoria Station to Dover and it cost us about 60GBP for 3 people. That is much cheaper and easier than hiring a car and driving yourself. We priced a car for July 2008 and it was about 3 times that price for a 1 day rental and that did not include the cost of fuel.
Had we booked the NE coach 12 weeks out it would have been cheaper, but we were tossing around the idea of doing a private transfer and couldn't justify the cost.

However you do need to get to/from Victoria coach station or an NE out of town pick up, and with luggage if your hotel is not on top of Victoria that in itself will cost and be a lot of work.

Hire car you can pick up car, take luggage from hotel, drop of at port and for example National have a drop off just outside the port.

You are not tied to NE timetable and can go when you want, and note some of the departures are weekends when NE service is not frequent.

An example ( as June 2010 is not available)

Weekends every 30 mins, so get to the port for say 10am.

Victoria Coach Station, London Departs: 07:00
London, Elephant and Castle, New Kent Road, Greater London Departs: 07:15
Walworth, Old Kent Road, Greater London Departs: 07:20
London, New Cross Gate, A2, New Cross Rd (into London: opp Underground Stn, stop O; or, out of London: Sainsburys, stop M), Greater London Departs: 07:25
London, Lewisham, Loampit Vale (out of London: bus stop between Allied Carpets and railway bridge; or, to London: stop F, opp Allied Carpets), Greater London Departs: 07:32
London, Eltham, Eltham Road, Greater London Departs: 07:40
Hempstead Valley, shopping centre, (for Gillingham), Kent Departs: 08:15
CANTERBURY, bus station, Kent Departs: 08:45
Whitfield, Honeywood Rd, opp White Cliffs Business Centre, Kent Departs: 09:05
Dover, Ferry Port, coach stop, Kent Departs: 09:15
DOVER, town centre, Pencester Road bus station, Kent Arrives: 09:25
End of Journey

Takes 2hr 30 mins.

Booked private transfer is an alternative. Would be half of that in time,

 

[2bundles]

We took the National Express Coach from Victoria Station to Dover and it cost us about 60GBP for 3 people.

Thanks. It looks like Hertz is 52 GBP. That is what got me thinking. We would be coming straight from Heathrow the day before, so the bus from Vic Station is not ideal.

 

[OurDogCisco]

An example ( as June 2010 is not available)

Weekends every 30 mins, so get to the port for say 10am.

Victoria Coach Station, London Departs: 07:00
London, Elephant and Castle, New Kent Road, Greater London Departs: 07:15
Walworth, Old Kent Road, Greater London Departs: 07:20
London, New Cross Gate, A2, New Cross Rd (into London: opp Underground Stn, stop O; or, out of London: Sainsburys, stop M), Greater London Departs: 07:25
London, Lewisham, Loampit Vale (out of London: bus stop between Allied Carpets and railway bridge; or, to London: stop F, opp Allied Carpets), Greater London Departs: 07:32
London, Eltham, Eltham Road, Greater London Departs: 07:40
Hempstead Valley, shopping centre, (for Gillingham), Kent Departs: 08:15
CANTERBURY, bus station, Kent Departs: 08:45
Whitfield, Honeywood Rd, opp White Cliffs Business Centre, Kent Departs: 09:05
Dover, Ferry Port, coach stop, Kent Departs: 09:15
DOVER, town centre, Pencester Road bus station, Kent Arrives: 09:25
End of Journey

Takes 2hr 30 mins.

Booked private transfer is an alternative. Would be half of that in time,

Thank you for posting that. I'm so glad we hired a private car. I know it is expensive but there is no way my kids could handle this on the way home from the cruise. Going they'd probably think it was fun but coming home they would be cranky. Plus, since we are not staying at the end of the cruise we need the quickest way to the airport. It would be stressful trying to figure out what train/bus to get on to get to the airport. Maybe for our next trip!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Thank you for posting that. I'm so glad we hired a private car. I know it is expensive but there is no way my kids could handle this on the way home from the cruise. Going they'd probably think it was fun but coming home they would be cranky. Plus, since we are not staying at the end of the cruise we need the quickest way to the airport. It would be stressful trying to figure out what train/bus to get on to get to the airport. Maybe for our next trip!

For convenience hire car is the way to go, dependent on what you book it might look like its the most expensive, but if time was money that isn't the case, TRAIN Dover Priory station is not next to the port, its an add on taxi ride, trains are fast, but that causes issues with Luggage. Transfers in London by tube maybe a little difficult dependent on route. NATIONAL EXPRESS, is cheapest, but the longest option, two and a half hours, with stops and roadworks, limited convenient places for stops and again transfers in London are difficult. It is an option, the cheap option value for money.
PRIVATE TRANSFER, is expensive but if there is a large family the quickest option bar car hire.

There are many car hire places near the port, very very easy to drop off or collect, would suggest book in advance as the terminal will be busy.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Sticky my head out, I think Baltic shore trips should be out by 6/7th next week That's Wednesday or Thursday. I base this on when the Transatlantic and then the Med 2010 port adventures were released. Then working thoose dates back to the first Baltic cruise.

The question is do they release all with the Barcelona to Dover, cruise at the same time, if so its this week, Thursday, or delay release of all to coincide with first Baltic.

 

[MJGirl]

Sticky my head out, I think Baltic shore trips should be out by 6/7th next week That's Wednesday or Thursday. I base this on when the Transatlantic and then the Med 2010 port adventures were released. Then working thoose dates back to the first Baltic cruise.

The question is do they release all with the Barcelona to Dover, cruise at the same time, if so its this week, Thursday, or delay release of all to coincide with first Baltic.

My guess was Jan 12, but didn't figure in them releasing the excursions with the Repo?

PS .. If you do come to wave us off Andrew, I'll be waving back

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

My guess was Jan 12, but didn't figure in them releasing the excursions with the Repo?

PS .. If you do come to wave us off Andrew, I'll be waving back

We should do a sweep-stake on when they come out 12th is a reasonable bet, I worked on first week of January and the other releases were noted on Thursdays.

I do plan to be at port, do not know how close I can get however to the ship, but I can guarantee I will not be in lime green! Hope to get the kids down there to take some photos.

Now posted this on our 7/18 thread, we have very limited availability on our cruise and prices up, I guess there will be people trying to book when shore trips come out and they will be disappointed with lack of cruise availability left.

The highest Cat available online is Cat 6.

Price (All 2x Adults; 2xchild)
Deluxe Stateroom with Verandah
Category 06 $14,116.00
Guest 1 Cruise Fare $5,409.00
Guest 2 Cruise Fare $5,409.00
Guest 3 Cruise Fare $1,649.00
Guest 4 Cruise Fare $1,649.00
Vacation Insurance (Optional) $676.00
Ground Transportation (Optional) $660.00
Government Taxes & Fees (Cruise) $ $344.88
Total Price $15,796.88

There is Cat 9

Price
Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom
Category 09 $11,276.00
Guest 1 Cruise Fare $4,199.00
Guest 2 Cruise Fare $4,199.00
Guest 3 Cruise Fare $1,439.00
Guest 4 Cruise Fare $1,439.00
Vacation Insurance (Optional) $676.00
Ground Transportation (Optional) $660.00
Government Taxes & Fees (Cruise) $ $344.88
Total Price $12,956.88

Cat 10
Price
Deluxe Inside Stateroom
Category 10 $10,336.00
Guest 1 Cruise Fare $3,819.00
Guest 2 Cruise Fare $3,819.00
Guest 3 Cruise Fare $1,349.00
Guest 4 Cruise Fare $1,349.00
Vacation Insurance (Optional) $676.00
Ground Transportation (Optional) $660.00
Government Taxes & Fees (Cruise) $ $344.88
Total Price $12,016.88

Cat 11

Price
Standard Inside Stateroom
Category 11 $9,996.00
Guest 1 Cruise Fare $3,649.00
Guest 2 Cruise Fare $3,649.00
Guest 3 Cruise Fare $1,349.00
Guest 4 Cruise Fare $1,349.00
Vacation Insurance (Optional) $676.00
Ground Transportation (Optional) $660.00
Government Taxes & Fees (Cruise) $ $344.88
Total Price $11,676.88

Now against the price I paid for a Cat 3, these appear to have gone up a lot

 

[OurDogCisco]

There are many car hire places near the port, very very easy to drop off or collect, would suggest book in advance as the terminal will be busy.

I already booked it all a few months ago. But your post just made me feel better about spending the money. We booked several legs as we are staying in London 5 nights prior to the cruise. I know, it will be less stressful for my 8 year old to use a private car. Maybe on our next trip to London will try the train route.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I already booked it all a few months ago. But your post just made me feel better about spending the money. We booked several legs as we are staying in London 5 nights prior to the cruise. I know, it will be less stressful for my 8 year old to use a private car. Maybe on our next trip to London will try the train route.

For convenience and to avoid a hernia (or two) with cruise luggage its the best way to go.

 

[gydell]

Total change of subject but if anyone is looking for luggage then I suggest Sub-Zero. It's the lightest luggage available and very sturdy. And not expensive!

 

[Sailingpartyof10]

What time are people considering safe for booking a return flight on the day of disembarkation?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

What time are people considering safe for booking a return flight on the day of disembarkation?

Be careful, as firstly:-

DCL have been changing disembarkation time due to tides in Dover area, some cruises are reported as disembarkation at 9.30am, others 8am -subject to change.

Then allow 1 hour to get luggage- should be quicker, allow min 90 mins to London, Then three hours for Airport, immigration checks in recent days have had long waits again.

So if flying out of London same day I would say no earlier than 3pm now.