The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[DisneySpirit]

Sorry I didn't have time to grab all the excursion info last night but thought I would post what we got just the same. Hope it helps some of you plan.
I booked these excursions last night and got all my first choices too!
Also booked Palos both brunch and dinner.

OSLO
Hadeland Glass Works and Viking Ships (OS01 GLASS) 8:45AM-4:00PM

COPENHAGEN
City Highlights and Open Air History of Denmark (CP13 HISTORY) 9:15AM-4:30PM

WARNEMUNDE
Molli Steam Train (WA07 MOLLITRAIN) 8:45AM-1:30PM

ST. PETERSBERG
DAY 1
Walking Tour of St. Petersberg (SP02 WALK) 12:30PM-4:30PM
DAY 1
Evening Canal Boat Tour (SP17 CANBOAT) 7:00PM-9:45PM
DAY 2
Catherine's Palace and Hermitage Museum (SP22 CATHERM) 7:30AM-4:45PM

HELSINKI
Porvoo and Helsinki Highlights (HE02 PORHIGH) 9:45AM-5:00PM

STOCKHOLM
Historical Stockholm and Sigtuna (SH05 HISTOCK) 8:45AM-3:00PM

 

[mardonna]

has anyone on June 12th cruise have a list of times for all excursions?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

has anyone on June 12th cruise have a list of times for all excursions?

Can I ask as well please!!!

 

[mardonna]

Andrew,

I requested from conciergae and got nothing......very irritating.....I would just like a pdf emailed with everything I need.....port times, excursion times, theme nights, tentative schedule of shows.......and I get 0.....so annoying.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Andrew,

I requested from concierge and got nothing......very irritating.....I would just like a pdf emailed with everything I need.....port times, excursion times, theme nights, tentative schedule of shows.......and I get 0.....so annoying.

The port times are on the website, and I posted the show schedule a while back, I asked for shore trip times myself and didn't get an answer to hence my request as well.

Day 1 Dover, England — 4:00 p.m.
Day 2 At Sea — —
Day 3 Oslo, Norway 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m.
Day 4 Copenhagen, Denmark 8:45 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
Day 5 Warnemunde, Germany (Berlin) 7:15 a.m. 8:30 p.m.
Day 6 At Sea — —
Day 7 St. Petersburg, Russia 12:30 p.m. —
Day 8 St. Petersburg, Russia — 11:00 p.m.
Day 9 Tallinn, Estonia 9:45 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
Day 10 Stockholm, Sweden 7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m.
Day 11 At Sea — —
Day 12 At Sea — —
Day 13 Dover, England 8:00 a.m. —



On PLA the schedule is:-


Night 1. Parrot Cay Let the Magic begin (Dover)

Night 2. Lumiere's Prince and Princess- Formal (Sea)


Night 3, Animator's Palate Rotational dining (Oslo)

Night 4 Parrot Cay Rotational dining (Copenhagen)


Night 5. Lumiere's Rotational dining (Berlin) will be late.

Night 6. Animator's Palate Villians- Semi Formal (Sea)

Night 7 Parrot Cay Are still listed as pending.(St Petes)


Night 8. Lumiere's Are still listed as pending. (St Petes)


Night 9. Animator's Palate Pirates (Tallinn)

Night 10. Parrot Cay Flavors of Scandinavia (Stockholm)

Night 11. Lumiere's Captains Gala- Semi Formal (Sea)

Night 12. Animator's Palate Till We Meet Again (Sea)

Breakfast Animator's Palate (Dover)

 

[cindy18]

I must say that I'm having a hard time picking a night for Palo based on that dining schedule. Hard to know what to miss....

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I must say that I'm having a hard time picking a night for Palo based on that dining schedule. Hard to know what to miss....

Yes, that is the problem.......

 

[Hanover]

I must say that I'm having a hard time picking a night for Palo based on that dining schedule. Hard to know what to miss....

We feel the same way. We will try for brunch on the 1st or 2nd sea day. Luckily we can see the reviews of the first couple Baltic cruises and what worked out well for Palo dinner. We may do dinner on the night of the Captain's Gala since we don't eat lobster and I want to go on a sea day.

 

[cindy18]

We feel the same way. We will try for brunch on the 1st or 2nd sea day. Luckily we can see the reviews of the first couple Baltic cruises and what worked out well for Palo dinner. We may do dinner on the night of the Captain's Gala since we don't eat lobster and I want to go on a sea day.

My problem there is that my DDs won't want to miss a semi-formal night with us, and my DH is very interested in the Scandinavian night. Thinking about Pirates, but that may cause a revolt. Don't really want to miss the rotation (and will be too tired after Berlin anyway). Hmm.....

 

[mardonna]

yes I can find info in various places but just annoying that they just can't hand it over.....

 

[Yensidfan]

We decided to do Palo on one of the rotational nights because we have done those so many times on our previous cruises.

I must say that I'm having a hard time picking a night for Palo based on that dining schedule. Hard to know what to miss....

 

[2bundles]

has anyone on June 12th cruise have a list of times for all excursions?

Mardonna - I thought you were on the 24th?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Mardonna - I thought you were on the 24th?

Mardonna is Asking re shore trip times on the previous cruise as the early bookers have started today. The following cruises are likely to have the same times.

 

[jilljill]

Did some planning this weekend.

We also booked a 2-day tour of SPR ($421 pp x 4 = $1,684)

http://www.shoretrips.com/common/search3.asp?rcode=BAL&lcode=LED

Undecided on the "Gold room" that's an additional $213 total. Any insight here??

I do not understand why the tour company is doing a flat rate for your size group for the 'Gold Room' at the Hermitage. The admission price into the room is per person. I would either look into a different tour company that would actually base the price of the tour on a per person basis rather than a group size basis for spaces you won't be taking up.
We did the 'Gold Room' and found it quite interesting and worth the price of the extra admission. With that said, there's no way I would pay that much for 4 people when it should only be about $15/person.

 

[Rogillio]

I do not understand why the tour company is doing a flat rate for your size group for the 'Gold Room' at the Hermitage. The admission price into the room is per person. I would either look into a different tour company that would actually base the price of the tour on a per person basis rather than a group size basis for spaces you won't be taking up.
We did the 'Gold Room' and found it quite interesting and worth the price of the extra admission. With that said, there's no way I would pay that much for 4 people when it should only be about $15/person.

Thanks for posting this! I sent what you posted to the tour company and asked what gives! Yeah, $15 pp add on would be worth it.

~Mike

 

[carolmb]

Hi Andrew,
I asked you a question a while back about the Oyster cards. I have another, if we get the oyster card do we also add the Travelcard to it? Just to refresh your memory with are staying at London Hilton Docklands SE16. We will be in London 3.5 days pre-cruise and 3.5 days post cruise. Do you think I should send away for the Oyster photocards for my kids ages 9 and 11? I want to visit Windsor and Hampton Court while in London. Do we just buy seperate train tickets to get there? Should we get a railpass because we will probably be taking the train to Dover also? Thanks for all of you help!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Hi Andrew,
I asked you a question a while back about the Oyster cards. I have another, if we get the oyster card do we also add the Travelcard to it? Just to refresh your memory with are staying at London Hilton Docklands SE16. We will be in London 3.5 days pre-cruise and 3.5 days post cruise. Do you think I should send away for the Oyster photocards for my kids ages 9 and 11? I want to visit Windsor and Hampton Court while in London. Do we just buy separate train tickets to get there? Should we get a railpass because we will probably be taking the train to Dover also? Thanks for all of you help!

Firstly the minimum travelcard is for 7 nights, ( in a row), they also have them monthly and other increasing amounts. You cannot split it 3.5 days before and after, it runs one week.

Yes you can add them to the oyster card, I do, because I work in London, so its a consistent amount to pay.

But unless you are there say six days and plus, I cannot see the benefit of having a travelcard, but 'pay as you go'

You can use Pay as you go, generally on Train, bus and tube and some boats on the Thames, anywhere within the M25 area.

Hampton court is inside the Oyster zone so you can 'pay as you go' Windsor is outside so you must buy a train return ticket at Paddington or Waterloo.

Get the kids photocard, you cant really travel without it, except for the young kids. 11 needs it, 9 can get mistaken for the line for having a card, travle is cheap or free for our kids till 16. Or in education above that.

Dover will require a train ticket to be purchased at Victoria or London bridge, a sinlge as you are not coming back that day.

Hilton docklands is closest to Canada Water on jubilee, and also East London line when it reopens.

 

[carolmb]

Firstly the minimum travelcard is for 7 nights, ( in a row), they also have them monthly and other increasing amounts. You cannot split it 3.5 days before and after, it runs one week.

Yes you can add them to the oyster card, I do, because I work in London, so its a consistent amount to pay.

But unless you are there say six days and plus, I cannot see the benefit of having a travelcard, but 'pay as you go'

You can use Pay as you go, generally on Train, bus and tube and some boats on the Thames, anywhere within the M25 area.

Hampton court is inside the Oyster zone so you can 'pay as you go' Windsor is outside so you must buy a train return ticket at Paddington or Waterloo.

Get the kids photocard, you cant really travel without it, except for the young kids. 11 needs it, 9 can get mistaken for the line for having a card, travle is cheap or free for our kids till 16. Or in education above that.

Dover will require a train ticket to be purchased at Victoria or London bridge, a sinlge as you are not coming back that day.

Hilton docklands is closest to Canada Water on jubilee, and also East London line when it reopens.

Thanks Andrew!!! If you ever find yourself in Houston, TX ask away.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Thanks Andrew!!! If you ever find yourself in Houston, TX ask away.

Note

For all care on booking flights home.


Due to tidal issues, debarkation in Dover on July 6th (for the June 24th voyage) will not begin until 10:30am. It is recommended that your flight departure time should be no earlier than 4:00pm.

Guest ashore times and onboard times are subject to change without notice.

 

[markmyboy]

I booked these excursions last night and got all my first choices too!
Also booked Palos both brunch and dinner.

Quick question....is Palo Dinner offered on the nights that we are in St. Petersburg?

Thanks.
Bridget