The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[mardonna]

Reading about Tivoli, the park opens at one time but may of the rides don't open until much later.. With the park opening early for the Disney ex. do you think the rides will also open early or just the park. As I understand there is more than just rides in Tivoli.. What are your thoughts? I would hate to go with Disney only to find out that the park opens ... but not the rides. I would hope the rides would be open for us.. but is that just an assuption?

I think on the DCL list is states you will receive a few ride tickets for specific rides so they must be open right?

 

[jilljill]

I think on the DCL list is states you will receive a few ride tickets for specific rides so they must be open right?

I was just reading the Tivoli and harbor tour and this is what it says regarding rides:

Your guide will give you an overview of the wonderful gardens you will have approximately 1 hour of free time to stroll around and enjoy the special atmosphere, the beautiful flowers and the fun rides. Note: your ticket includes a ride on Line 8 (miniature trolley around the park) and The Flying Trunk, named after a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale and taking you through charming tableaux of 32 of this popular Dane's stories. Additional ride tickets are available for purchase at an additional cost.

 

[jilljill]

I certainly don't want to spend $200/person to go to Tivoli, I wouldn't spend that much to go to WDW for a day. The other tour doesn't look interesting either. So I guess I'll look at doing Tivoli on our own, it's an easy walk into town and across the city square to get there.

I found their website: http://www.tivoli.dk/composite-3351.htm

 

[scrapycruiser]

Reading about Tivoli, the park opens at one time but may of the rides don't open until much later.. With the park opening early for the Disney ex. do you think the rides will also open early or just the park. As I understand there is more than just rides in Tivoli.. What are your thoughts? I would hate to go with Disney only to find out that the park opens ... but not the rides. I would hope the rides would be open for us.. but is that just an assuption?

This what I've heard,also. Why pay for the tour ?? The price is ridiculous. Google Tivoli Gardens and you can see the ticket prices. I'd rather spend my money in St P and Berlin. Just my opinion. I've been there, and it's so easy to take the shuttle bus from the ship. You're dropped off a block from Tivoli. We plan to take my 15 yo Grandson there. Leave at 11am. Go to the Hard Rock ( next door) for lunch , then walk down the Stroget to the canal boats or we might do the Rosenborg (sp?) Castle or ,if time, both.

Remember, although Tivoli has charm and a few roller coasters , it's not DISNEYWORLD !

 

[ktkspider]

You are so right Jill... I forgot that it was so expensive per person... trying to keep it all straight is so overwhelming. I am so glad I have this board to bounce things off of. I have piles of notes! Thanks for the clarification and sound reasoning. I had decided to to Copenhagen on our own, but then started wondering about starting with Tivoli with Disney.. you brought me back to reality.. Thanks

 

[din]

.... I've been there, and it's so easy to take the shuttle bus from the ship. You're dropped off a block from Tivoli. .......!

scrapycruiser: Can you please let us know, are you refering to the local shuttle or shuttle arranged by the cruise?

Thanks.

 

[Madisonznana]

My family of 4 will be doing all of the port on our own except St. Petersburg and Berlin. Our kids will be 9 and almost 12 at the time of cruise and I think with some careful planning on my part we can make the most of the days. I am waiting for Rick Steve's 2010 Scandanavia (sp?) book to come out next week so I can figure out what we want so see in each port. Happy planning everyone.

I already got my book last week from Amazon, it came early!!!

 

[jilljill]

This what I've heard,also. Why pay for the tour ?? The price is ridiculous. Google Tivoli Gardens and you can see the ticket prices. I'd rather spend my money in St P and Berlin. Just my opinion. I've been there, and it's so easy to take the shuttle bus from the ship. You're dropped off a block from Tivoli. We plan to take my 15 yo Grandson there. Leave at 11am. Go to the Hard Rock ( next door) for lunch , then walk down the Stroget to the canal boats or we might do the Rosenborg (sp?) Castle or ,if time, both.

Remember, although Tivoli has charm and a few roller coasters , it's not DISNEYWORLD !

I posted the website a few posts up, no need to even google it.

I'm hoping my friend just wants to walk around the gardens for a bit and then we'll walk around the city for the rest of the time.
I know we'll have to stop and pick up some local beer, milk and chocolate on the way back to the ship. The 3 things we must get in every port.

 

[Lisa_C]

Lisa might be able to answer better, but there is a driect train service from Dover Priory station to Canterbury East station, not too far, and would be easy, then you can do it yuorself or get a tour in the town.

(Train service: SouthEastern Services). http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/index.php/journey_map

That covers the answer perfectly

The train would be the easiest form of transport, and it isn't a bad journey either. The link above will show you how many stations it stops at (I'm afraid it does tend to cover a few) and it takes about 40 mins. Canterbury West station is not far form the actual town, you simply walk out of the Station, turn right, and follow the road until you come to the main road and turn left and walk under the arches.

There is a river tour which you could take, which is fun as it explains about Canterbury and it's history with witches, and take you past the dunking chair (which is attached to a pub ). This is simply booked and paid for outside the pub (forgive me as I can't remember the name but the river runs right beside it) and you then wait for your boat (which is a small rowing boat ) and away you go.

Canterbury is lovely, many dainty shops and full of charactor. A walk around the city walls is nice, and the Cathedral is stunning (which has a charge attached to it too to go into the grounds/the Catherdral itself). But I thoroughly recommend a visit.

 

[lllpath]

Tivoli is extremely easy to get to...it is also across the street from Town Hall, a statue of HCA and Stroget (pedestrian shopping street). There is a Hard Rock on the corner also. Tivoli has nice grounds and a few rides (mainly for children). There are some very nice restaurants in there also. It is NOT WDW. I lived in CPH for 1.5 years (2007-early 2009) so if you have specific questions, please feel free to ask. Taxis take credit cards and walking is very easy also. At Town Hall you can pick up city tours which are much cheaper than DCL excursions. They leave Town Hall at 9:30, 11:30 and there is a late one that you won't want to do.

 

[lllpath]

try www.sightseeing.dk for city tours

 

[cindy18]

I already got my book last week from Amazon, it came early!!!

Just picked Rick Steves's Scandinavia up at Barnes & Noble. The 12th edition is updated for 2010. Covers all the ports except Germany and Russia. Very exciting.

 

[cindy18]

I certainly don't want to spend $200/person to go to Tivoli, I wouldn't spend that much to go to WDW for a day. The other tour doesn't look interesting either. So I guess I'll look at doing Tivoli on our own, it's an easy walk into town and across the city square to get there.

I found their website: http://www.tivoli.dk/composite-3351.htm

This is so helpful and has solved my Tivoli dilemma. If you can't get on any rides until11:30 and (based on the website) a lot of other rides until later, I don't know how it will work with our time frame on our day. Sounds more fun to explore around the center and then see what else we want to do.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

That covers the answer perfectly

The train would be the easiest form of transport, and it isn't a bad journey either. The link above will show you how many stations it stops at (I'm afraid it does tend to cover a few) and it takes about 40 mins. Canterbury West station is not far form the actual town, you simply walk out of the Station, turn right, and follow the road until you come to the main road and turn left and walk under the arches.

There is a river tour which you could take, which is fun as it explains about Canterbury and it's history with witches, and take you past the dunking chair (which is attached to a pub ). This is simply booked and paid for outside the pub (forgive me as I can't remember the name but the river runs right beside it) and you then wait for your boat (which is a small rowing boat ) and away you go.

Canterbury is lovely, many dainty shops and full of charactor. A walk around the city walls is nice, and the Cathedral is stunning (which has a charge attached to it too to go into the grounds/the Catherdral itself). But I thoroughly recommend a visit.

Bit more......

And someone posted re EBBSFLEET station during the week.


Just back from Ebbsfleet, picked up my DD who stayed in Disneyland Paris this weekend, Cold and snowing there!!!

Anyway, had some time to kill at Ebbsfleet.

Now this is a station on SouthEastern hi speed services, and also some Eurostar trains.

SouthEastern run a number of services, which includes two trains an hour to Dover Priory.

The service is:-

• London St Pancras.(For Tube; Picaddilly line, Norhern, Circle, Metropolitain)
• Stratford International (Docklands Light railway and Central line Tube).
• Ebbsfleet (Interchange Eurostar to Paris and DLP/SouthEastern).
• Ashford International.
• Folkstone.
• Dover.

It takes 69 mins from London to Dover, nice trains loads of space.

So Heathrow to/from would be.

Heathrow

• Piccadilly line
• St Pancras.
• Then change
• Then one train to Dover, -Easy

!

DLP To/from

• Marne La Vallee
• Ebbsfleet,
• Change
• Dover service.

Paris

• As above.

Another option for Heathrow.

• Heathrow mainline to Ealing Broadway>
• Central Line>
• Stratford
• Change for Dover.

If you are hiring a car.

Ebbsfleet has Avis Car hire.

Car parking.
.6 platforms easy access accross all.
.to France need to go through immigration.

 

[MrsScooby]

You are so right Jill... I forgot that it was so expensive per person... trying to keep it all straight is so overwhelming. I am so glad I have this board to bounce things off of. I have piles of notes! Thanks for the clarification and sound reasoning. I had decided to to Copenhagen on our own, but then started wondering about starting with Tivoli with Disney.. you brought me back to reality.. Thanks

Oh trust me, you are not the only one feeling overwhelmed
I'm lurking alot and getting overwhelmed reading everyone's plans

I figure my top priorities are St P and Berlin, the other ports I'm not going to stress too much over (that's the plan anyway). I have heard that you can do alot on your own in these other ports.

 

[cindy18]

Oh trust me, you are not the only one feeling overwhelmed
I'm lurking alot and getting overwhelmed reading everyone's plans

I figure my top priorities are St P and Berlin, the other ports I'm not going to stress too much over (that's the plan anyway). I have heard that you can do alot on your own in these other ports.

That's exactly where we are too. Now that we've picked up some guide books, we're going to try to figure out what we really want to see in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Tallinn and then make a plan. Hopefully we'll be able to do it without Disney and save some $$ for Berlin and St. Pete.

 

[mardonna]

I just discovered that Stockholm has a card the same way London does......I need to crunch some numbers but looks like may be a good way to do on own.....someone probably already mentioned this.

 

[NancyIL]

I just discovered that Stockholm has a card the same way London does......I need to crunch some numbers but looks like may be a good way to do on own.....someone probably already mentioned this.

Yes - as does Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki, and Talinn.

 

[mardonna]

Yes - as does Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki, and Talinn.

could you forward them to me.....the stockholm card i stumbled upon because it was on London site....

 

[sbell111]

I feel comfortable doing buses and such.....but my worry is time....have no idea how much to allot at each spot and keep on schedule....

Our method is pretty basic. I merely take the amount of time that I have off-ship (less some 'safety' time to ensure that I don't get left) and divide that by the number of stops that I will be 'hopping off'. Using this data, its easy to see if I am on schedule.