The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[DisneyDoc1895]

Hi from the ship ... You will need your passport with you in Stockholm as well!! All passengers had to get off the ship in Stockholm, whether they were on an excursion or not. They stamped your passport in Russia and Sweden. I wish we had more time in Stockholm. I envy the rest of you. To you folks hitting Helsinki, I will say that Porvoo was beautiful. I'm glad I went there!

Huh? What do you mean you "had to get off"? You couldn't stay on the ship if you wanted? Kids too? That's absurd!

 

[RJAYL]

New Video Blog posted!

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1128

 

[MrsG]

Thanks, Robert! Hopefully we'll be seeing more soon as they get closer to shore and have better internet!

 

[MrsScooby]

I have seen lots of advertisement for Berlin Walks here. They seem to be a very popular company.

I think one advantage of taking a tour like this might be that you have someone who puts everything into a context: you don't just see the sights, but learn about the history behind them. And German history is so complex on many levels, not only the Nazi period, but also the creation of the modern German state out of many different kingdoms in 1871, the revolution after WW I, the cold war and then reunification....

I personally like walking tours and I think this might be something I would choose for myself. Taking a bus tour of course you would be able to see much more.

How much time do you have in Berlin?

Like Cindy we have about 6 hours to see as much as possible
Don't know who our guide is yet, but my family is much more into history than into the arts so I imagine our tour will be a little slanted that way.
Thanks for the restaurant tips We will be stopping for lunch.
Also like the website for the Berlin Wall that you posted

DH and I were having a "discussion" about the need for passports when getting off the ship in the various ports. I said you only need your passport when in St Petersburg. He thinks we will need them at each port. Does anyone know who is right here?

You only Need to take it off with you in StP, but I take it off in each port for all of us.
If you are someone that will make a large purchase while in port and plan on getting your tax back when leaving the EU then you will need your passport to get the VAT reclaim form filled out.

We initally hadn't planned on taking the passports into the ports more than St Petersburg and Berlin, but after thinking about it...we decided we would bring them with us at every port. We are DIY at every port so we just wanted to be a little more cautious. I found nice silk wallets that we can carry the passports around our necks. We may look very touristy, but feel better having them with us

 

[Cousin Orville]

New Video Blog posted!

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1128

Another good one. Only wish they were a bit longer. We're planning on hitting the Viking ship museum. I know there's not much there, but my son is into Vikings and I love the art. Plus I've always wanted to see the Viking ship in the Norway film at the end of Maelstrom (that everyone skips )

 

[scrapycruiser]

Oh, there is so much to see in Berlin, it is really difficult where to start.

I think wether you want to take a tour or not rather depends on which kind of experience you want: try to see as many things as possible or just experience some highlights, but have more time for them...

A lot of the main sights are walkable, but keep in mind that Berlin was divided for quite some time and therefore has not one main city center, but rather two (also it grew together from two towns).

Most of the main sights however are very close together, the ones that are further away are the Kaiser-Wilhem-Gedächtniskirche, the KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens, the largest department store) and Charlottenburg.

But one can make quite a nice walking tour from the main station (Hauptbahnhof) over a pedastrian walkway to the parliament building (Reichstag) while passing also the chancellor's residence (Bundeskanzleramt) on to the Brandenburger Tor. From there follow the Ebertstraße past the Holocaust memorial to the Potsdamer Platz (the Berlin Wall was standing in the middle of this street), then turn left into the Leipziger Straße where you will pass the former Prussian parliament (which houses today the Federal Assembly). The turn right into the Mauerstraße and follow this to the Friedrichstraße where you have to turn right and walk one block down to Checkpoint Charlie. The turn back on the Friedrichstraße and walk this towards the north (you will then cross again into . Turn right into the Mohrenstraße towards the Gendarmenmarkt (and wave to me when you are there, this is where my office is ). Have a look at the Fassbender and Rausch chocolate shop at the south-west corner of the Gendarmenmarkt. Then turn left onto the Gendarmenmarkt and just cross the square. Continue north on the Markgrafenstraße and then turn right into the Behrenstraße which will lead you to the Bebelplatz. In the middle of that square is a memorial for when the Nazis burned books by authors they did not approve of. You have to look for it, is on the ground: a basement of empty shelves. Then walk Unter den Linden towards the east: you will pass the Opera house, the Humboldt university, the Neue Wache, the German Historical Museum (and many more buildings) and then the Museumsinsel (museum island) and the Deutscher Dom (German cathedral). If you want and have the time, continue to the Alexanderplatz to the TV tower. You can take an elevator to the top and on clear days you will have a wonderful view of Berlin. There is generally a line, but it moves quite well.

Then hop on a bus with the number 100 or 200 and get off at the stop Unter den Linden/Friedrichstr. (or walk Unter den Linden all the way back towards the west), walk a bit further west towards the Brandenburger Tor and have a look at the Pariser Platz (including the US Embassy). Then either walk through the Brandenburger Tor and back to the Hauptbahnhof to get on your train or get into the underground (U-Bahn) U55 to travel to the main station. If you buy a single ticket on the bus it will be valid for the U-Bahn as well.

This is quite a lot of walking. I tried to measure it with google and it seems that one way would be about 3.5 miles to the museum island.

End of July can be really hot, but also cool and rainy. I think anything between 60 and 90°F is possible, most likely somewhere around mid 70s. However, keep in mind that we don't have as much air conditioning here. So most restaurants won't be good places to cool off inside.

Two places which might be nice for lunch along the route outlined above are: Schinkelklause (Unter den Linden 5, east of the Opera House) or Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt (http://www.augustiner-braeu-berlin.de/), which is Bavarian, so not really that authentic. But my sister tried it and said that it was pretty much the real Bavarian thing (we grew up in Bavaria). The Schinkelklause is more real Berlin food. Oh, and next to the Schinkelklause there is also a very nice cafe with cakes!

And of course if there are any more questions, just ask away!

Thanks !! Lots of helpful advice for all of us !! I have printed this and will carry it with me. Thanks for the lunch ideas.

 

[mom_rules]

Events in Warnemunde-

http://www.warnemuender-woche.com/media/custom/1765_571_1.PDF

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Disney Magic is coming down the North Sea, level with Hull now at 21.3 knots.

Very good progress, due in at 4am Thursday and sunny skys and a high of 28c during the day.

The 2nd Baltic cruise will have a sailaway party, like port Canaveral.

 

[Flossbolna]

First thanks for the nice comments on my post!

My sister pointed out to me that there is actually an interesting exhibiton/memorial on the Berlin Wall at the Bernauer Str. Unfortunately the official website is only in German - English is supposed to come soon... http://www.berliner-mauer-dokumentationszentrum.de/de/index.html There they have preserved some of the original East German border fortifications. It wasn't just a wall!

This is rather central, you can take bus 245 from the main station (Hauptbahnhof) to the Nordbahnhof and from there it is only a short walk along the Bernauer Straße.

Otherwise for any iformation on how to get around Berlin, the public transport system has a pretty good website which gives you information on how to get from one street adress (or station) to another: http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/index.html

 

[Deb T.]

Day 4 Video on Copenhagen is up:
http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1128

 

[cindy18]

Disney Magic is coming down the North Sea, level with Hull now at 21.3 knots.

Very good progress, due in at 4am Thursday and sunny skys and a high of 28c during the day.

The 2nd Baltic cruise will have a sailaway party, like port Canaveral.

Excellent news on the weather front and we are leaving for JFK Airport in 15 minutes. Will try to find a good internet connection to report from the cruise! Otherwise, we will all swap stories when all 4 Baltics are done.

 

[Deb T.]

Excellent news on the weather front and we are leaving for JFK Airport in 15 minutes. Will try to find a good internet connection to report from the cruise! Otherwise, we will all swap stories when all 4 Baltics are done.

Have a safe trip... and please update us often!!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Excellent news on the weather front and we are leaving for JFK Airport in 15 minutes. Will try to find a good internet connection to report from the cruise! Otherwise, we will all swap stories when all 4 Baltics are done.

Have a good flight; and an enjoyable cruise.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Magic was going in a straight line down the North Sea, then this kink,

was it:-

A/ Another ship in the way.
B/ Sandbank?
C/ Captain and Navigator are drunk.
D/ Strong winds/Currents!!!!




Two other cruise ships in front.

 

[RJAYL]

Magic was going in a straight line down the North Sea, then this kink,

was it:-

A/ Another ship in the way.
B/ Sandbank?
C/ Captain and Navigator are drunk.
D/ Strong winds/Currents!!!!




Two other cruise ships in front.

E: THe Missing Prop from the Norwegian Epic!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

E: THe Missing Prop from the Norwegian Epic!

''The New Junior Navigator took over in the wide North Sea''.

or

Was it Goofy???

 

[aurorafan65]

I can't believe the first cruise is almost over - I guess if I was on-board I REALLY wouldn't want to belive it

I asked on the main board but if anyone on the first or second trip could share what people are wearing on the excursions involving churches. I'm a little worried since I got an email about shorts. It's NOT me I'm worried about since I'll be wearing capri's I'm more curious about the boys & dh since they'll want to wear shorts.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I can't believe the first cruise is almost over - I guess if I was on-board I REALLY wouldn't want to belive it

I asked on the main board but if anyone on the first or second trip could share what people are wearing on the excursions involving churches. I'm a little worried since I got an email about shorts. It's NOT me I'm worried about since I'll be wearing capri's I'm more curious about the boys & dh since they'll want to wear shorts.

Different religious places have different rules, some will allow long shorts, ie over the knee others not, shoulders, is another thing that cannot be bare.

Do not know aobut Russia.

 

[aurorafan65]

Different religious places have different rules, some will allow long shorts, ie over the knee others not, shoulders, is another thing that cannot be bare.

Do not know aobut Russia.

I understand that - it would be nice if DCL would specify what is allowed or not allowed on the tours instead of just broadcasting shorts 'might' not be allowed. This is why I'm hoping someone who's been on some of the tours could help out.

Our Russian tour guide has not said, but I checked the Church of the Spilled Blood & they don't list a restriction. I may end up doing that for all the city tours we're on which include churches

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I understand that - it would be nice if DCL would specify what is allowed or not allowed on the tours instead of just broadcasting shorts 'might' not be allowed. This is why I'm hoping someone who's been on some of the tours could help out.

I think the reason why they are vague, is its local and each one is different.