The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[MJGirl]

Don't know if this has been posted yet or not, but I got the following from DCL Shore Excursions today ....

Greetings from Disney Cruise Line!

You had previously inquired about the Building the Disney Dream Port Adventure that will be available to our Guests later this year while visiting Germany. This once in a lifetime experience will include chartered plane service from Warnemunde to Papenburg, Germany, a behind-the-scenes look at shipbuilding - culminating with exclusive access to the Disney Dream for a close-up look. In addition, participants will receive a personalized hard hat, commemorative photographs, and a limited edition replica of the Disney Dream keel coin.

Space will be limited, and we will begin booking the Building the Disney Dream Port Adventure for Guests that have paid their cruise reservations in full very soon. Please make certain that your reservation is paid in full and email your request for this amazing behind-the-scenes trip as soon as possible.

The per person price is $2,900. Minimum capacity constraints must be met for this non-refundable Port Adventure.


Bon Voyage,

Disney Cruise Line’s Port Adventure Team

Definitely out of my price range. Would have been great though!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Don't know if this has been posted yet or not, but I got the following from DCL Shore Excursions today ....



Definitely out of my price range. Would have been great though!

Its in the ball park I thought of as, you go by plane, it will have appeal, I am sure someone will book it, particularly on the first Baltic cruise.

No me, off to Berlin!!

 

[cindy18]

$2,900 per person????? Wow. But given the plane factor, does make sense. And yes, someone (or several someones) will definitely book it. We're going to Berlin too though, only we're going on the autobahn.

Andrew, how can the train back from Berlin leave at 6 pm? Did they push back the ship departure time?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

$2,900 per person????? Wow. But given the plane factor, does make sense. And yes, someone (or several someones) will definitely book it. We're going to Berlin too though, only we're going on the autobahn.

Andrew, how can the train back from Berlin leave at 6 pm? Did they push back the ship departure time?

Ship departure time is 8.30pm, so between 5.30pm and 6pm, the train will have to leave Berlin.

Trying to work it out as I am told I have 7 hours in Berlin, and meet time on ship is 7.15am, so its tight..

 

[cindy18]

Ship departure time is 8.30pm, so between 5.30pm and 6pm, the train will have to leave Berlin.

Trying to work it out as I am told I have 7 hours in Berlin, and meet time on ship is 7.15am, so its tight..

Good news that the ship departure time was pushed back 30 minutes. We're building in an hour's cushion to our departure time from Berlin, but we will definitely be on the road by 4:30. I have to imagine a tremendous number of passengers will get off the train in Warnemunde and need to board the ship. If they really want everyone aboard by 8:30, it strikes me that the train will have to leave Berlin before 5:30.

We're all going to be rushing to get off the ship when debarkation starts at 7:30 or so...

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Good news that the ship departure time was pushed back 30 minutes. We're building in an hour's cushion to our departure time from Berlin, but we will definitely be on the road by 4:30. I have to imagine a tremendous number of passengers will get off the train in Warnemunde and need to board the ship. If they really want everyone aboard by 8:30, it strikes me that the train will have to leave Berlin before 5:30.

We're all going to be rushing to get off the ship when debarkation starts at 7:30 or so...

Yes they will have lots of logistic issues, a pressure point at security, dinner will it be later?? in Rome they had it 7pm and 9pm, 5.30pm seems the ballpark, arrival at 8.15pm.

 

[cindy18]

I wonder if they won't let people disembark until everyone on the Disney tours to Berlin has gotten off the ship.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I wonder if they won't let people disembark until everyone on the Disney tours to Berlin has gotten off the ship.

They will have to do some queue management so personally Yes, and I am glad I am on the last Baltic as by then they will get it right.

With the cards and getting off its quite fast, my worry is everyone coming back at the same time and then the bottleneck of the x ray scanners.

 

[wickesy]

I wonder if they won't let people disembark until everyone on the Disney tours to Berlin has gotten off the ship.

They had better not do that, I've got my own 11 hour tour to get off for.

 

[cindy18]

They had better not do that, I've got my own 11 hour tour to get off for.

I hear you on that!!!!!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

They had better not do that, I've got my own 11 hour tour to get off for.

You have to be careful, now as cruise lines go DCL are very good, I had 5 private tours in 7 ports in 2007, DCL even called me to say my private tour was early and waiting for me. Other cruise lines are terrible, they will not let private tours near the ship, and do anything to push their trips and out you off, anything else. An example was in Rhodes Greece, I was in a restaurant in Rhodes town but staying in Lindos. Some cruisers from a line were sitting next to us, and said pity there isnt good transport to Lindos, I wanted to go there, they said it was unsafe, and not easy to use.

One bus every 30 mins, modern and reliable, didn't agree with my experience!!! (Plus there are three boats a day down to Lindos)

Often the issue is limited to *tender* ports, I do not think we have any. There they do let DCL tours off first, then others. Even then I was able to get on the first Tender.

But DCL hasn't done the Baltic before, so we do not do.

As posted above, actual disembarkation is very fast that wasnt my worry, its getting back on if 1,000 come of one train and the bottleneck of the X Ray scanner, lifts etc.

 

[cindy18]

I agree that there will be a bottleneck when the train gets back from Berlin. They will probably open up all the boarding areas, like they do at Castaway Cay, to give people more places to board. Hopefully things will go smoothly in the morning.

 

[mardonna]

Which cruise are you on? We are June 24th? cat 2 cabin.....

I heard Disney has a warning message of the folllowing on website:it says, they should be approved tour groups and allowed to meet us in the dock because otherwise if they are not "official", we have to meet them outside the port which is 2 to 3 miles from the ship....I didn't see this anywhere but my friend told me.

Are you booking private train for sure?

When does booking window open for first cruise suite holders.....mine is Feb 22nd...



Marlo

 

[jilljill]

Which cruise are you on? We are June 24th? cat 2 cabin.....

I heard Disney has a warning message of the folllowing on website:it says, they should be approved tour groups and allowed to meet us in the dock because otherwise if they are not "official", we have to meet them outside the port which is 2 to 3 miles from the ship....I didn't see this anywhere but my friend told me.
Are you booking private train for sure?

When does booking window open for first cruise suite holders.....mine is Feb 22nd...



Marlo

The warning that you posted and I bolded is meant for StP and is something that every cruiseline tells their passengers.


If your booking window opens on 2/22 then it stands to reason that the first cruise bookings will open 12 days before your's.


I'll answer for Andrew since we are on the same cruise which is the last one, 7/18.

 

[Fivepin]

Does anyone know if DCL will be offering currency exchange services at guest services on board as they did for the Med cruise. I know this one would be more difficult because of all the different currencies for this cruise. Just trying to figure out if I do this at my bank before we leave.
Thanks

 

[jilljill]

Does anyone know if DCL will be offering currency exchange services at guest services on board as they did for the Med cruise. I know this one would be more difficult because of all the different currencies for this cruise. Just trying to figure out if I do this at my bank before we leave.
Thanks

You will get a bad rate of exchange on the ship. It's best to either get currecy before you leave home or use the ATM's in each city. Just make sure you let your bank know you are going out of the country if you plan on using ATM's out of the country.
We used the ATM in StP and had no problem at all. The machine had an English option for directions.

 

[jilljill]

I asked this on our meets thread, but I'll ask here as well. Does anyone know the legal drinking age in each country?

 

[RJAYL]

I asked this on our meets thread, but I'll ask here as well. Does anyone know the legal drinking age in each country?

Why are you planning on getting minors intoxicated so you can take advantage of them?

 

[Celestine]

I asked this on our meets thread, but I'll ask here as well. Does anyone know the legal drinking age in each country?

UK is 18, but some places are over 21 only, no idea about the other ports

Celestine

 

[wickesy]

I asked this on our meets thread, but I'll ask here as well. Does anyone know the legal drinking age in each country?

This table appears to be pretty reliable:

http://icap.org/table/MinimumAgeLimitsWorldwide