The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[Deb T.]

I haven't seen this posted yet, and if I missed it sorry for the repost. We did the Med cruise in 2007 and the biggest issue had (as well as many others on the ship) was lost luggage. We flew in the night before and luckily 4 of us got our luggage the next day before sailing, however my husband did not get his luggage until 2 days before we were going to leave. We spent a fortune on a new wardrobe. This year to avoid the issue I am mixing the clothes in the suitcases. I am expecting to take 4 bags, 1 for each of us and I am going to make sure everyone has clothes in each suitcase. That way if luggage gets lost again, we each have some clothes. I may end up doing more laundry this way, but it is better than buying new clothes. Also I was going to print luggage tags with our cruise itinarary printed on the back, just to help the airlines track us down if needed. DCL was great in helping us get the luggage, they were in constant contact with the airlines and did everything they could to help get our clothes back to us ... but there was only so much the could do.

Anyway, just thought I would throw this out there for what it is worth =).

Can't wait for the next Cruise .. June 24th on the Magic =) Northern European Capitals

We were on the 7-7-07 Med cruise and had only checked one suitcase, and it was lost for five days! In fact, a very large percentage of cruisers had lost luggage that trip. I believe there was some sort of baggage handler strike in France, which is where we connected flights.

This time, we'll each take a couple of outfits in a carry-on and hope for the best with the checked luggage.

 

[dylan'smom]

On my 2007 Med cruise we had no lost luggage...but it was smashed and handles torn off! Think it had been left in the rain as well.

My client on that same cruise lost 2 bags, that finally arrived a few days later, and one bag NEVER showed up, EVER!

If you have a non-stop you are in a better position for getting your luggage, and having it all in one piece!! Good point about spreading it out among the bags too. On a happier note, British Airways sent us all new luggage.

 

[Rogillio]

On my 2007 Med cruise we had no lost luggage...but it was smashed and handles torn off! Think it had been left in the rain as well.

My client on that same cruise lost 2 bags, that finally arrived a few days later, and one bag NEVER showed up, EVER!

If you have a non-stop you are in a better position for getting your luggage, and having it all in one piece!! Good point about spreading it out among the bags too. On a happier note, British Airways sent us all new luggage.

I checked in one time with 3 bags and told the ticket agent, "I'd like to send this bag to LAX, this bag to Newark and this bag to Miami-Dade." She said "Sir, we can't do that!" I said, "Well you did the last time I flew!"

Seriously though, we flew to Oslo once and our bags did not show up till about 24 hrs later. There is nothing worse than spending all day/night in the same cloths on an airplane and then not even having a change of underwear. We spend our first 2 hrs in Oslo looking for a place to buy underwear. Now when we fly trans-Atlantic, we put some clean undies in our carry-on bags.

~Mike

 

[jilljill]

I checked in one time with 3 bags and told the ticket agent, "I'd like to send this bag to LAX, this bag to Newark and this bag to Miami-Dade." She said "Sir, we can't do that!" I said, "Well you did the last time I flew!"

Seriously though, we flew to Oslo once and our bags did not show up till about 24 hrs later. There is nothing worse than spending all day/night in the same cloths on an airplane and then not even having a change of underwear. We spend our first 2 hrs in Oslo looking for a place to buy underwear. Now when we fly trans-Atlantic, we put some clean undies in our carry-on bags.

~Mike

We also try to put in a clean shirt into our carry-on's. You never know if you are going to spill something on the plane and need a clean shirt. We also put part of our toiletries in there; such as toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant. At least we will have those things with us when we arrive.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you are taking 2 bags then hopefully 1 will make it a least.

I'm checking one bag but I will put some extra tee shirts (and undies) in my backpack and if United loses the suitcase then everyone on late dining will just have to put up with me in my khakis and tee shirt on formal night. It is a non-stop to Heathrow from IAD so there isn't anywhere else for the bag to go unless they really screw up.

Oh, and I do not know if there is another ship in port at the same time as those who are going to Catherine's Palace on the day when it is closed. If there is another ship, they may also have the same dispensation so it wouldn't be just DCL passengers there. (On our cruise, 6/24, the Jewel of the Seas is also in St. Petersburg - in fact I am doing a private evening tour with Jewel passengers because no one else from the Magic has signed up - but we are there on a Weds. and Thurs. so nothing will be closed)

 

[denise]

Lost luggage is the worst. We felt so bad for them all.
We were also on the Med 070707 cruise. We went to Greece for 3 1/2 weeks before the cruise. We flew SFO to NY to London to Athens. (No France) Our luggage never left NY. There was bad weather in NY, it was raining , so all our flights were delayed or missed. When we got to Athens we were almost a day behind and no bags. We were to overnight in London and never did so we lost that hotel reservation and money.
Well, it was 4 long hot (115 in Athens) days and it all turned up.
We were lucky to say the least.
On the cruise there were dozens of families who never got their luggage.

Things I learned:
1.mix up all the clothing between suitcases. Don't pack all of one persons things in one suitcase. Our luggage arrived one suitcase a day. Of course out DD got hers first. We had all dress up stuff in one case and it arrived before the clothes we needed. Didn't want to wear a nice dress while climbing to the top of the Acropolis!
2.Double or triple bag all liquids. We always double the plastic bags and this time we should have done triple. The mess wasn't that bad but it was a mess.
3. have a change of clothing (everything) in your carry-on bag. Our DD had done this so she was fine but of course the grown ups didn't.

We survived the four days. Marriott was very nice to us and gave us toothbrushes/paste, hair brush and things like that. They washed our clothes each night and they were ready when we got up the next morning, while I washed our undies in the bathtub and dried them with the hair dryer each night. Each day we were in clean clothes but it was still the same thing we wore the day before. So our photos are a bit odd....

Never again will there be a suitcase for me, one for my DH and one for my DD. Everything will be mixed up!

This trip we will be at DLPR for a week prior to the cruise. So I will keep my fingers crossed that our luggage will arrive when we do. If not I will have time to shop!!!

 

[dylan'smom]

...
Things I learned:
1.mix up all the clothing between suitcases. Don't pack all of one persons things in one suitcase. Our luggage arrived one suitcase a day. Of course out DD got hers first. We had all dress up stuff in one case and it arrived before the clothes we needed. Didn't want to wear a nice dress while climbing to the top of the Acropolis!
2.Double or triple bag all liquids. We always double the plastic bags and this time we should have done triple. The mess wasn't that bad but it was a mess.
3. have a change of clothing (everything) in your carry-on bag. Our DD had done this so she was fine but of course the grown ups didn't.

So true! There are only so many things you can buy in a gift shop onboard the ship too. One young girl on our June 07 cruise was ALWAYS in a cute Disney outfit, but it got a little old for her at age 13!

 

[aurorafan65]

We also try to put in a clean shirt into our carry-on's. You never know if you are going to spill something on the plane and need a clean shirt. We also put part of our toiletries in there; such as toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant. At least we will have those things with us when we arrive.

Last trip I made sure the kids had extra shirts in carry-ons & forgot one for me - guess who spilled coffee all over herself when we got to the airport

 

[denise]

I know there have been talks on this thread about ghost tours in London several pages back. The one tour in London, The Ghost Bus Tours, looks ok, but does anyone know of any others? My DD is really into this and wants one that is scary and not so theatrical.

 

[TDC Nala]

Years ago I went on a Jack the Ripper pub crawl...that was scary. But it was a lot of years ago, don't know if they still do them.

 

[MrsScooby]

Years ago I went on a Jack the Ripper pub crawl...that was scary. But it was a lot of years ago, don't know if they still do them.

Yup, I heard they do
I would love to try it but we (my family) are very limited time wise so it will have to wait for our next visit.

 

[denise]

Thanks,
Looked it up and it is only on weekends...we will not be there on a weekend.
Sent a email to a person who leads walking ghost tours so we will see what he says.

 

[LisaTex]

Denise - can u let me know what you find out? We are interested in doing one of those as well (we r on your cruise too).
thanks!

 

[denise]

Denise - can u let me know what you find out? We are interested in doing one of those as well (we r on your cruise too).
thanks!

I wrote the B & B in Dover we are staying at. He sent me the following sites:

www.canterburyghosttour.com
www.canterburypunting.co.uk
www.walksoflondon.co.uk
www.english-heritage.org.uk
www.visitkent.co.ukwww.visitkent.co.uk


So far I find only tours in Oct or on Fri or Sat night (we will not be there on those nights) She wants something scary.

Not having much luck...
I remember someone listing a tour that included Stonehenge a while back. It said you could walk inside. But I can't find the listing..Anyone have it?

 

[denise]

Denise - can u let me know what you find out? We are interested in doing one of those as well (we r on your cruise too).
thanks!

I wrote the B & B in Dover we are staying at. He sent me the following sites:

www.canterburyghosttour.com
www.canterburypunting.co.uk
www.walksoflondon.co.uk
www.english-heritage.org.uk
www.visitkent.co.ukwww.visitkent.co.uk


So far I find only tours in Oct or on Fri or Sat night (we will not be there on those nights) She wants something scary.

Not having much luck...
I remember someone listing a tour that included Stonehenge a while back. It said you could walk inside. But I can't find the listing..Anyone have it?

 

[ArthurAmish]

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding tour companies for a day trip from London to Paris? We have a few days before and a day after our cruise to try and visit Paris. Any suggestions?

 

[TDC Nala]

It has also been many years since I have been to Stonehenge but if I remember correctly it is not all that close to London, there was a long bus trip involved.

When I went you could not walk into it because people had been defacing the stones. But that was at least 20 years ago.

Stonehenge was pretty small and there was nothing else out there to see at the time, just some cows.

 

[wintergreen]

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding tour companies for a day trip from London to Paris? We have a few days before and a day after our cruise to try and visit Paris. Any suggestions?

You can probably DIY this pretty easily. The Eurostar runs from London to Paris, then you can get a hop-on-hop-off bus at the train station for a day long tour.

http://www.eurostar.com/dynamic/index.jsp

http://www.pariscityrama.com/visit-...-full-day/visit-paris-l-open-tour/25A195.html

 

[mom_rules]

Have you looked into britishtours.com?

 

[ArthurAmish]

Have you looked into britishtours.com?

I have looked at them, plus another vendor or two. Does anyone have any good or bad experiences with any of them?