The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[Andrew DEREK UK]

McDonalds!!!!!!

At Sundial House, 114 Kensington High Street, London, W8 4NP‎ - opposite High St Kensignton tube station ,on the lasso line, the one that doesnt work that often.

 

[sbell111]

Closest sumermarkets:-

Somerfield Stores Ltd‎ - more info »
Castle Street, Dover, Kent, CT16 1TN‎ -

More in York st / High st.

Big supermarkets


Tesco Dover, Whitfield, Kent CT16 3‎ (Cab)

Thanks for this.

Our plan is to buy diapers and baby grub there rather than flying it from home.

 

[poohmomof5]

Has anyone purchased trip insurance on their own for this trip? I am looking at insuremytrip.com but am overwhelmed by the options. And should I list the UK as the primary destination? I don't see an option to have multiple countries.

I have used Insuremytrip twice now. Great service etc. So I tried to buy it and found the same issue. I emailed them and they said to put the UK in for the trip.

As for the options, the most important thing to me was trip cancellation and medical coverage/evacuation. Most of the least expensive package plans inculde those 2 options, all the other bells and whistles weren't important to me.

Good luck!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Thanks for this.

Our plan is to buy diapers and baby grub there rather than flying it from home.

Looking at the maps for the best supermarkets, Somerfield appears to be walking distance and would have reasonable good priced stock.

I would recommend Tesco Sainsburys and Asda, but appear not to be in the town centre so would require transport.

 

[jilljill]

Better photo uploaded now....



And the Cat you are in??????????

It's not my head that's to big!

Just your family.

OH, thats news to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shall I do a map with the 'PUB's' on it???????

A good map with pubs on it, but then since there are several on nearly every block that might take a while.

Works for me & London too, the best places to eat & drink near the Royal Garden Hotel!

Category's

1. Best Indian Food
2. Best Pub Grub

Good Italian food or a good seafood restaurant.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Just your family.

A good map with pubs on it, but then since there are several on nearly every block that might take a while.


Good Italian food or a good seafood restaurant.

Good Italian food = Pizza Hut, many in London.

Good seafood restaurant= Fish Central
149-152 Central St, King Square, London, EC1V 8AP
Telephone: 020 7253 4970

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Prices for shore trips are up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jilljill]

Andrew I said GOOD Italian food. I don't even go to Pizza Hut here.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Andrew I said GOOD Italian food. I don't even go to Pizza Hut here.

Pizza= Italy= Joke!!!!!



Now important stuff..

Looking at the prices they are similar to Princess cruises so far and the ones I posted a week or so back.

 

[gydell]

Prices for shore trips are up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seem high to me - $1150 for 2A &1c to go to Catherine's Palace for the evening!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Seem high to me - $1150 for 2A &1c to go to Catherine's Palace for the evening!

Looking at Princess cruises they seem to be in the same ballpark to me, Berlin is the real killer, St Petes isn't too bad considiering, but yes overall will cost a bomb for a family.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

If you have 'saved' them before if you go to 'saved activities in the planning centre the prices for your trips are listed. Makes it easy to total up.

Think kids ages 3>9 is pushing it, in Europe we consider kids are kids to 16.-Its not the Disney parks!

 

[RJAYL]

If you have 'saved' them before if you go to 'saved activities in the planning centre the prices for your trips are listed. Makes it easy to total up.

Think kids ages 3>9 is pushing it, in Europe we consider kids are kids to 16.-Its not the Disney parks!

The bright side is my 2 youngest will be 6 & 9 the bad part is that DCL does not seem to be giving much of a discount for children!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

The bright side is my 2 youngest will be 6 & 9 the bad part is that DCL does not seem to be giving much of a discount for children!

Yes not too much discount, but you do notice it, my first run through excluding Berlin and St Petes, (daytime) but inc Ballet was $2,500.

 

[DW2DH&DS]

Seem high to me - $1150 for 2A &1c to go to Catherine's Palace for the evening!

HOLY CRAP!!!! Private tours are looking real good right now!!!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

HOLY CRAP!!!! Private tours are looking real good right now!!!

Oh yes.....

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

In Oslo I am dropping the 'Hadeland Glass Works and Viking Ships' that is a silly price, you pay for 'food' which we have a lot of on ship, ok if you want to sample local stuff, but thats 60>90 mins time gone, but then I suspect its hard sell at the Glass works. Was in Venice recently saw it there and boy its a hard sell and at inflated prices. Not happy if you say 'No'.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I am running with an option of (2) at each port,


1/
Price : $75.00
Norwegian Adventure
Port: Oslo, Norway
Duration: 3-3.5 hours

2/
Price : $69.00
Oslo Highlights
Port: Oslo, Norway
Duration: 3-3.5 hours
1/
Price : $99.00
Charming Copenhagen - Walk and Cruise
Port: Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: 4-4.5 hours
2/
Price : $79.00
City and Harbor Tour
Port: Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: 3-3.5 hour
1/
Price : N/A (Based on private vehicle)
Berlin Private Vehicles with Premium Train Service
Port: Warnemunde, Germany
Duration: 12.5-13 hours
2/
Price : $299.00
Berlin Discovery
Port: Warnemunde, Germany
Duration: 12.5-13 hours

Private tours-daytime.

Price : $99.00
A Night of Russian Ballet
Port: St. Petersburg, Russia
Duration: 3-3.5 hours
1/
Price : $115.00
Tallinn by Tram
Port: Tallinn, Estonia
Duration: 4-4.5 hour

2/
Price : $99.00
Best of Tallinn with Concert and Lunch
Port: Tallinn, Estonia
Duration: 6-6.5 hours

1/
Price : $119.00
Historical Stockholm and Sigtuna
Port: Stockholm, Sweden
Duration: 6-6.5 hours
2/
Price : $79.00
City Hall, Royal Palace and Old Town
Port: Stockholm, Sweden
Duration: 4-4.5 hours
__________________

 

[DW2DH&DS]

I am running with an option of (2) at each port,


1/
Price : $75.00
Norwegian Adventure
Port: Oslo, Norway
Duration: 3-3.5 hours

2/
Price : $69.00
Oslo Highlights
Port: Oslo, Norway
Duration: 3-3.5 hours
1/
Price : $99.00
Charming Copenhagen - Walk and Cruise
Port: Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: 4-4.5 hours
2/
Price : $79.00
City and Harbor Tour
Port: Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: 3-3.5 hour
1/
Price : N/A (Based on private vehicle)
Berlin Private Vehicles with Premium Train Service
Port: Warnemunde, Germany
Duration: 12.5-13 hours
2/
Price : $299.00
Berlin Discovery
Port: Warnemunde, Germany
Duration: 12.5-13 hours

Private tours-daytime.

Price : $99.00
A Night of Russian Ballet
Port: St. Petersburg, Russia
Duration: 3-3.5 hours
1/
Price : $115.00
Tallinn by Tram
Port: Tallinn, Estonia
Duration: 4-4.5 hour

2/
Price : $99.00
Best of Tallinn with Concert and Lunch
Port: Tallinn, Estonia
Duration: 6-6.5 hours

1/
Price : $119.00
Historical Stockholm and Sigtuna
Port: Stockholm, Sweden
Duration: 6-6.5 hours
2/
Price : $79.00
City Hall, Royal Palace and Old Town
Port: Stockholm, Sweden
Duration: 4-4.5 hours
__________________

I think it is great how you share your thoughts! all the choices are so overwhelming. I have a friend who is Danish and has been to Copenhagen 1-2 times every other year her entire life. I just sent her the link asking her if you had to choose...

It will be interesting to get a semi-native's perspective of what is worth seeing. We have been leaning towards doing all the ports on our own with the exception of STP of course. I am waiting for the new updated Rick Steve's book to come out next month. I think we will just HOHO bus the ports and choose 1 or 2 sites that we feel are must sees in each port and go that avenue.

Is there a smiley for "overwhelmed"?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I think it is great how you share your thoughts! all the choices are so overwhelming. I have a friend who is Danish and has been to Copenhagen 1-2 times every other year her entire life. I just sent her the link asking her if you had to choose...

It will be interesting to get a semi-native's perspective of what is worth seeing. We have been leaning towards doing all the ports on our own with the exception of STP of course. I am waiting for the new updated Rick Steve's book to come out next month. I think we will just HOHO bus the ports and choose 1 or 2 sites that we feel are must sees in each port and go that avenue.

Is there a smiley for "overwhelmed"?

There is a lot of information; I have revised mine twice, and an extra one looking at the price/value return, I felt the 'Glass' in Oslo not good value for money, but Tallinn highlights somewhat 'cheap' and that worries me as well. If its cheap it might not be very good.

Nice to get local information great idea with limited time in port and the trips costing a bomb, its best to research as much as you can.

Sharing hopefully gets it right

I am keeping a back up, as 1/ I have known DCL to cancel trips, 2/ If people say, don't do that!!!! 3/ When booking I do not like the time.