The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[has]

Could someone with concierge or email contacts with DCL see if Clovery Mitchell (CM) will be on the June 12 Baltics sailing? Mom and Dad will be celebrating their early 50th anniversary. Clovery was the best!!! on our first cruise. I would love to surprise them with this Magical Moment, if possible.
If not, I understand.
Thank you!!!!
Heidi

 

[Madisonznana]

I'm not giving up my veranda either. Once you've had one you can never go back.

 

[Scoobydoo76]

It sounds like you have more definative information than me. I just did a google search for the Avis rental place in Rostock and then I did a search for the "cruise port in Warnemunde" and based on the map scale, it looks to be no more than 3 - 4 miles, it that.

I will do some more checking and let you know what I find.

BTW, I've checked cruise critic but could not find anything.

Mike,

After looking at rental cars again and a suggestion from jilljill I am now renting from Hertz. We are going to pay an extra $55 and do the switch to Hertz. For the extra cost we upgrade to an automatic which means that I can now drive. Included in the $55 is a 15 Euro fee for car delivery to the port. They offer a key drop box for return. I thought this was worth the extra $$ to save us time for more sightseeing. If you want more info pm me and I'll send you the e-mail of the gentleman that is helping me out.

Kim

 

[jilljill]

Could someone with concierge or email contacts with DCL see if Clovery Mitchell (CM) will be on the June 12 Baltics sailing? Mom and Dad will be celebrating their early 50th anniversary. Clovery was the best!!! on our first cruise. I would love to surprise them with this Magical Moment, if possible.
If not, I understand.
Thank you!!!!
Heidi

It might be helpful if you let everyone know which department this person works in. Also, you could post this on one of the upcoming Magic sailings meets threads and someone could check while they are on the ship and still have time to get back to you with a response.

 

[jilljill]

It sounds like you have more definative information than me. I just did a google search for the Avis rental place in Rostock and then I did a search for the "cruise port in Warnemunde" and based on the map scale, it looks to be no more than 3 - 4 miles, it that.

I will do some more checking and let you know what I find.

BTW, I've checked cruise critic but could not find anything.

ON cruisecritic either look on the Warnemunde threads or I think one thread has HeinBloed in the title. That is the gentleman that is very helpful with the Warnemunde area.

 

[has]

It might be helpful if you let everyone know which department this person works in. Also, you could post this on one of the upcoming Magic sailings meets threads and someone could check while they are on the ship and still have time to get back to you with a response.

Sorry, should have put that in the post. She was an assistant server at the time.
Thanks,
Heidi

 

[aurorafan65]

I thought I'd post this here to get a wider response...

Just wondering what people are doing about visas in St. Petersburg. If you are going with a private tour, the tour companies all say you don't need a visa, or you are covered by their "blanket visa". But DCL's website says if you are not on a ship-sponsored excursion, they won't let you off the ship unless you have your own individual visa issued by the Russian embassy or consulate.

For those of you going with private tours, are you actually getting your own individual visas beforehand? Did you get some document from the tour company that says "blanket visa"? I'm confused as to what to do.

After we booked our tour with a private guide I had to send information about us - passport #s, b-days etc. Then I got an email with pdf forms to print out - which have our information on them & have the tour operators name on them. They told us to make sure we have these papers along with copies of our passports to get off the ship. This is how customs will know that we are booked with a tour & covered by their visa.

 

[buck4568]

After we booked our tour with a private guide I had to send information about us - passport #s, b-days etc. Then I got an email with pdf forms to print out - which have our information on them & have the tour operators name on them. They told us to make sure we have these papers along with copies of our passports to get off the ship. This is how customs will know that we are booked with a tour & covered by their visa.

I have had that same conversation with DCL and I also have confirmed through friends and the tour companies that we do not need to get a Visitors Visa when in St. Petersburg.

The only reason I can think that DCL is playing dumb to this issue is because they are losing out on the excursion income. SO, I have my reservation for our time in St. Petersburg booked with SPB (?) Tours.

 

[has]

Agree. DO not get bullied into booking with the cruiseline. ALso on your excursion day do not be fooled that you have to wait for DCL passengers booked with their tour have to get off the ship first. NOT SO.

 

[slg]

Usually my dh takes a suit, but considering we are going to be touring London for 12 days post and dover 3 days pre, we thought it might be easier to just rent a tux this time.

Do you keep the tux for the whole cruise, or is it a night by night rental? What is included? Can you use it for all the formal and semi-formal nights, or will it look too formal?

Anyone else rented the tux and used it for semi-formal nights too?

We have 1 formal and 2 semi-formal on this cruise, right?

 

[APinCA]

Usually my dh takes a suit, but considering we are going to be touring London for 12 days post and dover 3 days pre, we thought it might be easier to just rent a tux this time.

Do you keep the tux for the whole cruise, or is it a night by night rental? What is included? Can you use it for all the formal and semi-formal nights, or will it look too formal?

Anyone else rented the tux and used it for semi-formal nights too?

We have 1 formal and 2 semi-formal on this cruise, right?

DH rented a tux for the Med cruise. It was hanging in the closet when we got to our room and we left it handing there when we left. No packing, wrinkles, etc. He wore it for Formal & Semi Formal. We'll prob rent again for this one.

There is info on the Disney website under Planning Center : Gifts and Amenities : Cruiseline Formalwear.

http://www.cruiselineformal.com/

They show you all of the options available for rentals.

 

[slg]

Thank you.

Another question:

Is anyone planning on going on the Leeds Debarkation excursion? I've posted this before, but I haven't read of anyone planning on doing it yet.

I asked DU why it was only bookable on board and they asked DCL and the answer was:

"I did speak with DCL regarding the Leeds excursions and was told that this is a very expensive excursion and the requirements is that you are staying the additional night. They only way they can make sure those who book are serious is to book it onboard. The good news is no one else can book it until that time also."

I find this a very strange response as I think ALL of DCL excursions are super expensive and we can book them ahead of time.

Anyone hazzard a guess at the real reason? I just need to have a plan B to get back to London in case no one books it and its cancelled.

 

[buck4568]

DH rented a tux for the Med cruise. It was hanging in the closet when we got to our room and we left it handing there when we left. No packing, wrinkles, etc. He wore it for Formal & Semi Formal. We'll prob rent again for this one.

There is info on the Disney website under Planning Center : Gifts and Amenities : Cruiseline Formalwear.

http://www.cruiselineformal.com/

They show you all of the options available for rentals.

Thanks for that link! I am renting this time. I brought it on our 2007 Med cruise and it was just another thing to schlep around in the airports!

 

[Doingitagain]

Usually my dh takes a suit, but considering we are going to be touring London for 12 days post and dover 3 days pre, we thought it might be easier to just rent a tux this time.

Do you keep the tux for the whole cruise, or is it a night by night rental? What is included? Can you use it for all the formal and semi-formal nights, or will it look too formal?

Anyone else rented the tux and used it for semi-formal nights too?

We have 1 formal and 2 semi-formal on this cruise, right?

DH and DS both rent tuxes on the ship. We love the formal family pictures. DS and DD have formal "jumping" pictures as well as other unique stagings that we wouldn't pay for separately (we get a CD).

They also wear tuxes at Palo, and they use the black dress shoes if they need them for dress pants. Their shoe sizes are very large, so not packing a pair of black shoes for each is a big difference, on top of not needing to pack suits.

They have it in your room when you arrive and pick it up the last night (so you may not have it to wear that last evening).

DS has a colored vest/bowtie and cumberband/bowtie for his musical performances so he may bring those along this time to change it up a bit.

 

[denise]

DH rented a tux for the Med cruise. It was hanging in the closet when we got to our room and we left it handing there when we left. No packing, wrinkles, etc. He wore it for Formal & Semi Formal. We'll prob rent again for this one.
.

And I must say Vance looked very handsome too!
so do you think I could talk Jimmy into this....

 

[Feebs]

Hello - can I ask a couple of questions as DD and I are thinking of joining the first Baltic cruise.
I know I should read all the posts but if you`ll forgive me.....
What sort of weather are you expecting, we`re British so we will expect the worst but you never know.
The other thing is how is availability for the DCL excursions? Some sound fantastic such as the $399 character meet in St Petersburg.
Thanks all - have a great time.

 

[wickesy]

Hello - can I ask a couple of questions as DD and I are thinking of joining the first Baltic cruise.
I know I should read all the posts but if you`ll forgive me.....
What sort of weather are you expecting, we`re British so we will expect the worst but you never know.
The other thing is how is availability for the DCL excursions? Some sound fantastic such as the $399 character meet in St Petersburg.
Thanks all - have a great time.

We're on the first Baltic cruise as well. One of our fellow cruisers has put together a temperature and rainfall chart which you can find here. It would be great to see some more fellow Brits on the first cruise, most of those that were coming have cancelled.

All but 5 of the excursions still have places available.

 

[Feebs]

We're on the first Baltic cruise as well. One of our fellow cruisers has put together a temperature and rainfall chart which you can find here. It would be great to see some more fellow Brits on the first cruise, most of those that were coming have cancelled.

All but 5 of the excursions still have places available.

Many thanks for that.

 

[LisaTex]

Thank you.

Another question:

Is anyone planning on going on the Leeds Debarkation excursion? I've posted this before, but I haven't read of anyone planning on doing it yet.

I asked DU why it was only bookable on board and they asked DCL and the answer was:

"I did speak with DCL regarding the Leeds excursions and was told that this is a very expensive excursion and the requirements is that you are staying the additional night. They only way they can make sure those who book are serious is to book it onboard. The good news is no one else can book it until that time also."

I find this a very strange response as I think ALL of DCL excursions are super expensive and we can book them ahead of time.

Anyone hazzard a guess at the real reason? I just need to have a plan B to get back to London in case no one books it and its cancelled.

We are doing the same tour with a blue badge guide. They are picking us up at the port,doing Leed's, Canterbury and Dover and then they are taking us to our hotel so there are other options if you want to plan ahead.

 

[scrapycruiser]

We're on the first Baltic cruise as well. One of our fellow cruisers has put together a temperature and rainfall chart which you can find here. It would be great to see some more fellow Brits on the first cruise, most of those that were coming have cancelled.

All but 5 of the excursions still have places available.

Which of the excursions have sold out ?