The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We were in the Baltic 2008 on the Jewel of the Seas. We went with Denrus and did the value tour.Exc price ( between $300 - 400 for 2 of us for 2 days ) , can't remember exactly ) and only 23 on our tour. We went to Peterhof ( fountains unbelievable & don't miss interior ), Hermitage, Peter & Paul fortress, St Issacs ( don't miss ), Yusopav Palace ( Rasputin, very interesting ! ), canal tour, shopping. Went to Catherine's Palace at night on a special tour. Missed the hydrofoil ride but did ride the subway...beautiful mosaics.

I agree with Andrew, that in St P you need to go on a ships' tour or private tour. To see and get the most out of St P I would recommend a private tour. Or at least Denrus' Value tour like we took. Almost like a private tour, but less money. We were completely satisfied !

Thanks, Andrew, for starting this ! I always enjoy chatting with my new friends on the DisBoards, but sometimes I just want to hear about the ports and what everyone is doing.

Great to read this, in the Med in 07, we did 5 of 7 ports with Private tours, you could go where you wanted when you wanted, go places like smaller streets where tour buses couldn't go and avoid thoose tourist places they like to drop you off for some spending.

I would love the Baltic DCL trips to come out asap, so I can plan what to do, for example the time of the DCL Evening trip to the Russian ballet, will be important. I also think these will be expensive so its nice to think of the options.

 

[DW2DH&DS]

We are going to stay in London for a 5 night pre-cruise stay and head to Dover for the night before to see the sights there as well. We are looking to do a private tour in St. Petersberg. Actually we are waiting to get through December to determine if we are keeping the cruise for sure. Once we know, we are going to prioritize what we want to see in each port and plan accordingly. That being said, we will most likely do all the other ports on our own. We have decided not to go to Berlin, because we are planning an independent trip to Germany and Austria in the future...also don't want to spend 6 hours on the train for a half day in Berlin. If we drop the cruise, we will probably end up touring England, Scotland, France and DLP. We arrive on 6/30 and depart 7/19...definately enough time to visit a city or two in the aforementioned countries.

I will post more in January after we pay in full!!!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We are going to stay in London for a 5 night pre-cruise stay and head to Dover for the night before to see the sights there as well. We are looking to do a private tour in St. Petersberg. Actually we are waiting to get through December to determine if we are keeping the cruise for sure. Once we know, we are going to prioritize what we want to see in each port and plan accordingly. That being said, we will most likely do all the other ports on our own. We have decided not to go to Berlin, because we are planning an independent trip to Germany and Austria in the future...also don't want to spend 6 hours on the train for a half day in Berlin. If we drop the cruise, we will probably end up touring England, Scotland, France and DLP. We arrive on 6/30 and depart 7/19...definitely enough time to visit a city or two in the aforementioned countries.

I will post more in January after we pay in full!!!

5 Nights pre cruise in London will be very nice, do remember to plan, as the time will go quickly, depends if you are centrally located or not, but might be worth you getting a seven night Oyster travelcard for central London, that will cover you on the Tube, Network Rail, buses, and some boats and the Docklands light railway, we have zones around London, the further out the more the Oyster will cost, but its the fastest way to get around London.

Plan, ensure each day you know where you want to be and avoid going to/from link up locations.

DLP needs two days for the two parks, everything is compact, and easy accessible form the train station, that links with London, and Ashford (Kent near Dover) by Eurostar.

I think from what I have read, Oslo, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Stockholm, are very easy to do on your own, and the sights are very close.

 

[mmouse37]

bumping up

 

[mmouse37]

I would be happy to merge the two threads and put it as a sticky at the top of the cruise forum. Just let me know.

Actually, to save time I am just going to do it!!!

MJ

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I would be happy to merge the two threads and put it as a sticky at the top of the cruise forum. Just let me know.

MJ

Good idea...

 

[mmouse37]

OK..it is now a sticky thread

MJ

 

[Bride-to-be]

On the DCL website it lists ground transportation from airport to cruise and back to airport as $165. Does anyone know if its Heathrow or Gatwick or either/neither?

Just trying to get the flights booked.

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[bevgray]

Oh good. A Baltic thread. I've been reading all the cruise meet threads for all four of the Baltic cruises to get ideas but this works better.

I'll be on the 24 June cruise (1st Talinn). I'm staying via Disney at the Park Plaza County Hall for three nights in London prior to the cruise. Hope to visit the British Museum and take a Thames cruise to Greenwich to the see the Maritime museum. Since I'm traveling solo, I don't have any heavy London touring plans but will pick and choose from several options.

I haven't planned anything for the Baltic ports as I want to see what Disney has to offer first.

Happy planning everyone!

 

[bevgray]

Last time I checked, it was for either Heathrow or Gatwick and you could get transfers transportation from airport to port/port to airport, or airport to Disney Host Hotel to port/port to airport. Unfortunately, with the new web site format, I can't find the information page that explained this. But then, I can't find the full details of my reservation since the update either (you know, the bit that showed your hotel option, transfers, etc.). Perhaps our more savy Disney Cruise site "figure-outers" can provide the necessary links.

 

[mmouse37]

Members wanted the Baltic info and planning thread set up as a sticky on the top of the forum which was done to make it easier to find. I am going to merge this thread into that one to keep the info together.

MJ

 

[ktkspider]

Thanks for making this a sticky... great place for planning stuff!

I am traveling with my DH, DD-12, mom, dad, her sister and husband.
We are on the June 24th sailing. This has turned into a HUGE 3 week european trip.. I am so excited. I have planned the skeleton of the trip and will work on the details as Disney's plans come out.
We are flying into Paris on June 19. Taking the Eurostar/Train to Canterbury on the 22nd (staying 2 nights there) and then on the cruise on the 24th-July 6th. After the cruise we are staying in London until July 10th when we will fly home.
I have all airline tickets (via points), Hotel in Paris-Hilton (points), B&B in Caterbury - The Coach House, and B&B in London Parkwood at Marble Arch.
Does anyone have any experience with any of the Hotels/B&Bs picked? I did research them and hope I have made good choices. It is tricky doing it from so far away.

Looking forward to the detail planning and port activities! I feel like I am doing a research paper! lol Can't wait to see what others have planned!

 

[mmouse37]

Thanks for making this a sticky... great place for planning stuff!

I am traveling with my DH, DD-12, mom, dad, her sister and husband.
We are on the June 24th sailing. This has turned into a HUGE 3 week european trip.. I am so excited. I have planned the skeleton of the trip and will work on the details as Disney's plans come out.
We are flying into Paris on June 19. Taking the Eurostar/Train to Canterbury on the 22nd (staying 2 nights there) and then on the cruise on the 24th-July 6th. After the cruise we are staying in London until July 10th when we will fly home.
I have all airline tickets (via points), Hotel in Paris-Hilton (points), B&B in Caterbury - The Coach House, and B&B in London Parkwood at Marble Arch.
Does anyone have any experience with any of the Hotels/B&Bs picked? I did research them and hope I have made good choices. It is tricky doing it from so far away.

Looking forward to the detail planning and port activities! I feel like I am doing a research paper! lol Can't wait to see what others have planned!

Can't comment on the hotels mentioned but we stayed in Marble Arch while in London (the Thistle) and found Marble Arch a very convenient location to all of London. We were right on Oxford Street (which is a huge shopping area) about a block from the arch.

MJ

 

[MJGirl]

Hi ... My daughter and I are booked on the June 12 baltic. Our flights are booked, and I just confirmed a stay for 2 nights at the Maison Dieu B&B in Dover. We arrive on June 10 and are staying 2 nights in Dover before the cruise. We plan on taking the train to Dover from Heathrow. We are not doing any post-cruise travelling, so I have booked Disney transfers back to Heathrow for a 3 pm flight back to Toronto.

No cruise plans yet. I'm waiting for the excursions to come out. I am hoping for an Oslo Fjord cruise to be available, as this is something I would like to do. I'm also hoping for an excursion the the Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen. My dad was on the team responsible for bringing Carlsberg beer into Canada back in the seventies. It would be nice to be able to see the brewery where he did all his wheeling and dealing

 

[Rogillio]

We are sailing on the June 12th Baltic Cruise. So far we have booked air from Alabama to London. We also booked a rental car from Heathrow with a drop-off in Dover and the also rental car from Dover with a drop-off at Heathrow. We've not booked a hotel yet but will probably book on the outskirts of town and take the subway into the city to tour London.

My only concern with the rental car is remembering to drive on the left side of the road!

I don't know how much parking is gonna cost us but compared to the price of "transfers" a rental car is way cheaper and give us a lot of flexibility!

~Mike

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

If you plan to say in the suburbs and commute in by public transport, then a car is a good idea, but do not have a car in central London hotels the price if car parking is sky high, and you have a congestion charge of £8 per day to drive in central London.

Today its been announced that Oyster 'pay as you go' will be extended to all London trains, buses and Tubes and some river boats from 2nd January.

Oyster is the size of a credit card and can be loaded with either a season ticket, flat price, say for a week, or top up with cash, and use it as you go. You use it to open ticket gate at stations, or touch in on buses.

Currently lots of network trains in South London do not accept pay as you go, but this means now you can charge your card with say £10 or £20, and pay as you travel, it has a daily cap the same as season tickets, so you always pay the lowest priced fare.

 

[denise]

We are on the July 6th sailing....

We fly into Paris on June 27th on American Airlines (points) and stay at Marriott Village d'lle de France for a week (points). It is at Disneyland Paris.

some how, don't know how yet, we get to Dover on July 4th for 2 nights. We are staying at Dovers Restover B&B

The Cruise: have not planned a thing. Wish Disney had their excursions out. Don't want to take a train into Berlin. Too long of a day. Wish I knew what they were offering.

After the cruise we will stay 2 nights at Marriott in Bexleyheath (points) It is about 1/2 way to London from Dover. They had a sale on the points so why not. We will travel to London for a day trip from there.

We fly out of Heathrow on July 20, again on American with points.

While in Paris: Disneyland of course but maybe just 2 days. I have a list of other things to do in the area that people on the Disneyland Paris board suggested. We will most likely get a car for the week. One option is dropping the car off in Calais, France and taking the ferry over to Dover. It is less than $30 pp to ride the ferry. Or another possiblity is taking the train from Paris to Ashford then to Dover. Much more for that. Just have to figure out if there is room in the car for the luggage. Also our friends may be with us and then there is that luggage too! Have to find out if there is a train from Disneyland Paris to Calais.

While in London: Looking into seeing a play there. Can't decide between seeing Phantom (again, but never in London) or seeing Wicked.

That is all I have planned for now....

HI MJ!!!!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

we are on the july 6th sailing....

We fly into paris on june 27th on american airlines (points) and stay at marriott village d'lle de france for a week (points). It is at disneyland paris.

Some how, don't know how yet, we get to dover on july 4th for 2 nights. We are staying at dovers restover b&b

the cruise: Have not planned a thing. Wish disney had their excursions out. Don't want to take a train into berlin. Too long of a day. Wish i knew what they were offering.

After the cruise we will stay 2 nights at marriott in bexleyheath (points) it is about 1/2 way to london from dover. They had a sale on the points so why not. we will travel to london for a day trip from there.

We fly out of heathrow on july 20, again on american with points.

While in paris: Disneyland of course but maybe just 2 days. I have a list of other things to do in the area that people on the disneyland paris board suggested. We will most likely get a car for the week. One option is dropping the car off in calais, france and taking the ferry over to dover. It is less than $30 pp to ride the ferry. Or another possiblity is taking the train from paris to ashford then to dover. Much more for that. Just have to figure out if there is room in the car for the luggage. Also our friends may be with us and then there is that luggage too! Have to find out if there is a train from disneyland paris to calais.

While in london: Looking into seeing a play there. Can't decide between seeing phantom (again, but never in london) or seeing wicked.

That is all i have planned for now....

Hi mj!!!!

wicked

 

[Rogillio]

Our plan is to get the hop on/hop off tour thru this company:

http://www.theoriginaltour.com/

The tickets are good for 48 hrs. Our plane gets in at 0645 hrs Thursday, so we'll have Thurs and Friday to tour London. Anybody familiar with this outfit?

The problem with getting to London this early is check-in time for most hotels is early afternoon. In Barcelona our hotel had a place we could stow our bags so we could go play tourist till our room was ready. This was really nice. We'll have a rental car so I guess we can leave our bags in our car till we can check into our hotel room and take a nap.

On Saturday morning we'll drive to Dover. Looks like a couple of hours road time? But we'll take our time and see some of the countryside and visit some small towns. I figure you get more of a flavor for England if you get out of the city too. I'd hate for someone to come to the USA, visit NYC and think they've seen America.

~Mike

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Our plan is to get the hop on/hop off tour thru this company:

http://www.theoriginaltour.com/

The tickets are good for 48 hrs. Our plane gets in at 0645 hrs Thursday, so we'll have Thurs and Friday to tour London. Anybody familiar with this outfit?

The problem with getting to London this early is check-in time for most hotels is early afternoon. In Barcelona our hotel had a place we could stow our bags so we could go play tourist till our room was ready. This was really nice. We'll have a rental car so I guess we can leave our bags in our car till we can check into our hotel room and take a nap.

On Saturday morning we'll drive to Dover. Looks like a couple of hours road time? But we'll take our time and see some of the countryside and visit some small towns. I figure you get more of a flavor for England if you get out of the city too. I'd hate for someone to come to the USA, visit NYC and think they've seen America.

~Mike

There are a couple of bus sightseeing tours, however, with a bus map you can do it all on our normal buses, the downside, no narration, and you might have to share with commuters, but far cheaper and you see everything a tourist bus can see.

Aware of the bus co, see them in Piccadilly.