The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[CarolAnnC]

So how is everyone's planning going?

 

[Madisonznana]

So how is everyone's planning going?

My planning is on hold right now. We are getting ready for an Alaskan cruise this coming Friday, so that is where my mind set is. I'll be back in Disney cruise mode when we get back!

 

[gydell]

So how is everyone's planning going?

I've got all my hotels booked and 1 plane ticket. We used points for the 1 tix so we are now waiting for the price to come down to get the other 4. St Petersburg excursion is booked and all our transfers to and from airport, London and Dover.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I have plane tickets, hotels booked. Now I have to find some time to make plans for our transfers. Then book a private tour of St. Petersburg and one in Rome and Florence maybe.....

 

[bevgray]

Since I booked the London hotel and transfers through Disney, the only planning I have left are the airplane tickets and the excursions. Since I need to fly Business Class, I'm not going to buy the tickets until the cruise is paid off (so I'm sure that I can go). Can't book the excursions until pay off and Disney releases them for booking so for now I'm plodding along paying on the cruise and reading some guide books for the great adventure.

 

[Yensidfan]

I've got all my hotels booked and 1 plane ticket. We used points for the 1 tix so we are now waiting for the price to come down to get the other 4. St Petersburg excursion is booked and all our transfers to and from airport, London and Dover.

Who are you using for transportation between London and Dover and back to London. Any help is appreciated.

 

[gydell]

Who are you using for transportation between London and Dover and back to London. Any help is appreciated.

Silverline is the name of the company. They have minivans.
http://www.silverlinetravel.co.uk/index.htm

 

[jilljill]

Who are you using for transportation between London and Dover and back to London. Any help is appreciated.

Last summer we used National Express Coach and it was very easy from Victoria Coach Station to the port. We had a great driver that actually dropped us off at the port even tho he should have dropped us off in town in Dover. Since the bus was ¾ full of cruise passengers he decided to do that. We were on the first bus of the day to the port.

 

[denise]

Hello everyone!
Just joining in on this thread to learn new things about the Baltic cruise next year.
We are going on the July 6th cruise.
So far I have all air fare done on American with points, one week prior at Disneyland Paris Marriott on points, 2 nights at a B & B in Dover, the cruise on Disney Vacation Club points and the then 2 night post cruise at Marriott Bexleyheath on points.

The Bexleyheath was only 10,000 pts per night. It is far from London proper and the airport I know. Need to find transportation to the airport from there on the 20th. Just thought instead of 40,000 a night in London to go cheaper!
Any ideas on transportation to Heathrow?

 

[Yensidfan]

Silverline is the name of the company. They have minivans.
http://www.silverlinetravel.co.uk/index.htm

Thank you for the info.

 

[Yensidfan]

Silverline is the name of the company. They have minivans.
http://www.silverlinetravel.co.uk/index.htm

Thank you for the info.

 

[Scott H]

Right now we are thinking train and tube to Heathrow then a local shuttle to our over night airport hotel. But we will see.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Apart from on the cruise meets thread, I have seen a lot discussed on the main forum about the Baltic, with four cruises, can we share ideas and plans?

OK Ladies and Gentleman, how is getting excited about cruising in the Baltic.
Anyone made any plans as yet, what are you looking forward to going?

Pre stay in London? Any plans, museums, Historic places, The Tower? Windsor? Theatre show? Shopping? River cruise or London eye?

Dover, staying there? White Cliffs? Castle?

Or Disneyland Paris?

Are you like me can’t wait for the shore excursions to come out or booked private tours?

Oslo, getting up early for the long trip up Oslofjord? Viking museum? Walking the capital?

Copenhagen, walking, or highlights of town?

Warnemunende, staying local or going to Berlin.

St Petersburg, Historical places, Ballet?? .

Tallinn (Or Helsinki) .Touring the city?

Stockholm, Tour under the bridges of the city?

What are you looking forward to the most? Have a budget?
DCL tour or DIY?

Sea days rest or watching?

Post cruise?

Taking local currency or credit cards, what do you want to buy?

 

[Melcatfish]

Wish I was joining you on the last Baltic but we couldn't swing the $'s this time - as per my signature I am hoping that DCL will want to tie in with the Olympics in London 2012 and will over cruises out of Dover again in 2012 and I already have the spreadsheet with a savings plan in place!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful time and of course we will be relying on you guys to do lots of trip reports, reviews and priing info on excursions etc...

Mel
x

Mel
x

 

[NancyIL]

I'm not on DCL's Baltic cruise, but went on one in 2005 that went to most of the same ports. I was able to plan my independent sightseeing using only Rick Steves' Scandinavia book for Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, and Talinn. I bought the Eyewitness St. Petersburg book to help with that port - although I booked a private 2-day tour with DenRus that covered most of the major sights: www.denrus.ru.

I bought the "city pass" for several of the ports, and saved a lot of money in sightseeing costs.

 

[mkmommy]

I think it is a good idea but it needs to stay on the main thread and not the trip meets in my opinion.

Someone has tried to start one, but it was moved to the meets and it gets lost.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2183183

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I'm not on DCL's Baltic cruise, but went on one in 2005 that went to most of the same ports. I was able to plan my independent sightseeing using only Rick Steves' Scandinavia book for Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, and Tallinn. I bought the Eyewitness St. Petersburg book to help with that port - although I booked a private 2-day tour with DenRus that covered most of the major sights: www.denrus.ru.

I bought the "city pass" for several of the ports, and saved a lot of money in sightseeing costs.

Thank you for the book recommendation, i am having a private tour in St Petes over two days.

Wish I was joining you on the last Baltic but we couldn't swing the $'s this time - as per my signature I am hoping that DCL will want to tie in with the Olympics in London 2012 and will over cruises out of Dover again in 2012 and I already have the spreadsheet with a savings plan in place!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful time and of course we will be relying on you guys to do lots of trip reports, reviews and pricing info on excursions etc...

Mel
x

Mel
x

Thank you lets hope they will come back.

I think it is a good idea but it needs to stay on the main thread and not the trip meets in my opinion.

Someone has tried to start one, but it was moved to the meets and it gets lost.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2183183

I agree, on the main forum we have stickies for Vancouver, and have various threads on Barcelona and Alaska planning, its not cruise meets, ie people trying to meet each other pre one cruise, but planning for a trip of a lifetime.

They do get buried on the other cruise meets forum and people do not expect to look or search there.

These ones will need a lot of planing and I suspect interest will outstrip actual capacity in the new year when shore trips are put up.

 

[sunshine state kim]

I think this is wonderful and hope it can stay on the main boards! We're on the 1st Baltic cruise and I've been peeking into the other Baltic cruise meets to see if anyone has specifics on what they're planning. It's overwhelming though as people are chatting and getting to know one another. Your questions are exactly the ones I'm asking and trying to sort out in my growing 3 ring binder. I work with a woman from St Petersburg and went through a possible "to do" list with her as I get ready to contact the various companies that offer private tours. I think it will really help once Disney releases the excursions.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I think this is wonderful and hope it can stay on the main boards! We're on the 1st Baltic cruise and I've been peeking into the other Baltic cruise meets to see if anyone has specifics on what they're planning. It's overwhelming though as people are chatting and getting to know one another. Your questions are exactly the ones I'm asking and trying to sort out in my growing 3 ring binder. I work with a woman from St Petersburg and went through a possible "to do" list with her as I get ready to contact the various companies that offer private tours. I think it will really help once Disney releases the excursions.

I know there is so much to plan, a lot of people on our thread have booked
http://www.anastasiaworld.com/enghtml/index.html
For St Ptersburg on personal recommendation of one of our cruisers.

St Petes is the big one, you cant go it alone, you have to do DCL trip or a private tour that organises your Visa, as far as I am aware.

Shore trips from DCL, on the website would be most helpful now we are getting very close.

 

[scrapycruiser]

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.