The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Hopefully all cleared up for our June 7th travel day to London. I wonder how travel insurance works when you use airline miles and hotel points for travel?
Carol

Dont know about points, presume there is a get out clause on that,

We are getting the Oyster cards per Andrew's recommendation. We will be in London 3.5 days pre-cruise and 3.5 days post cruise. I ordered the kids ages 9 and 11 the photo Oyster cards. It was very easy to do online and you pick them up when you get to London. I think you may have more flexibilty with the Oyster cards especially since you have to use the travelcards on consective days. Hope this helps.
Carol

It will be a great benefit, lots of freedoom and when the kids tire, you can hop on the top of the bus and still see London.

Thanks




Good point. Can't imagine doing this trip without travel insurance.
Also glad we are flying in 2 days early.

You see the occassional post here from people saying there isnt a need for trip insurance, this is another reason why you are mad not to do it, just think ALL flights grounded.

PS The joke going around is we asked Iceland for our Cash!!

 

[auntsue1]

Well, that's for sure, although I think the issue is really how tired we're all going to be as we pull out of St. Pete and have 2 days of touring ahead of us before a few days at sea. I hope DCL is planning a quiet evening for the night we leave St. Pete. At least with Berlin, we have a whole day at sea to recover from that long day, and we can sleep in on the first morning in St. Pete because the boat doesn't get in until around midday. Ah well, you only go around once!

For those who have done the Med cruise, were you generally exhausted after days spent exploring ports, and did you feel that you had a chance to recover?

I remember coming back to the ship feet hurting, covered with sand or dirt on my shoes from walking, clothes covered with sweat from the heat and just hoping for a nap and change of clothes before dinner. That being said it was a GREAT experience! We never made it to any of the midnight buffets! I think most nights I was asleep/exhausted by 10pm.

The days at Sea were a good time to recover and relax. I think there was enough time to recover. But it certainly was a very busy trip.

 

[cindy18]

I remember coming back to the ship feet hurting, covered with sand or dirt on my shoes from walking, clothes covered with sweat from the heat and just hoping for a nap and change of clothes before dinner. That being said it was a GREAT experience! We never made it to any of the midnight buffets! I think most nights I was asleep/exhausted by 10pm.

The days at Sea were a good time to recover and relax. I think there was enough time to recover. But it certainly was a very busy trip.

I get it. Sounds like more or less how the Baltics will go, minus the sweat and the sand! The 2 days at sea at the end will unquestionably be much needed and extremely well-timed.

On the volcano in Iceland, the news pictures of the dust and ash cloud are really astonishing. I think it will be some number of days before air traffic in that area gets back to normal. Can you imagine if it happened in June or July, even a few days before the start of one of the cruies? Even the people flying in a day or two before might be messed up. Of course, there is nothing to say this won't happen again in June or July, but the odds of this happening twice in a few months are pretty low.

 

[mca]

Hopefully all cleared up for our June 7th travel day to London. I wonder how travel insurance works when you use airline miles and hotel points for travel?
Carol

When I purchassed my flights through my air miles group they offered travel insurance on my points. Since we are a family of 4 I purchassed the package, although it only covers the flight, I had to purchase a different policy for the rest of the trip.

 

[MrsScooby]

I get it. Sounds like more or less how the Baltics will go, minus the sweat and the sand! The 2 days at sea at the end will unquestionably be much needed and extremely well-timed.

On the volcano in Iceland, the news pictures of the dust and ash cloud are really astonishing. I think it will be some number of days before air traffic in that area gets back to normal. Can you imagine if it happened in June or July, even a few days before the start of one of the cruies? Even the people flying in a day or two before might be messed up. Of course, there is nothing to say this won't happen again in June or July, but the odds of this happening twice in a few months are pretty low.

If my flight to London can't make it out a few days before my cruise I can try for a flight to another airport (France?) and then take ground transport to Dover. It would be a pain-but I would at least have a chance of making my cruise

Hoping this isn't an issue for anyone's cruise though

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

If my flight to London can't make it out a few days before my cruise I can try for a flight to another airport (France?) and then take ground transport to Dover. It would be a pain-but I would at least have a chance of making my cruise

Hoping this isn't an issue for anyone's cruise though

Currently Northern French airports are all closed as well, but we have months yet.

 

[MJGirl]

Yes, 10% would be about right for taxi drivers. I normally round it up to the nearest £ or 50p. Black taxis are all metered so you can see the cost of your journey as you go.

So for a 95 GBP private car ... is 100 GBP acceptible, or would it be considered too cheap?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

So for a 95 GBP private car ... is 100 GBP acceptible, or would it be considered too cheap?

Its up to you really but £105 say £10 tip.

 

[MrsScooby]

Currently Northern French airports are all closed as well, but we have months yet.

ok scratch a French airport off...
Any other airports open that would work

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

ok scratch a French airport off...
Any other airports open that would work

There are a lot closed but there isnt a need to worry, it hopfully will sort itself out.

Anyway Eurostar is now fully booked!!! If French airports were open.

 

[wickesy]

So for a 95 GBP private car ... is 100 GBP acceptible, or would it be considered too cheap?

Its up to you really but £105 say £10 tip.

I would agree with Andrew, if your budget allows it £105 would be better.

 

[cindy18]

If a natural disaster like the Iceland Volcano happened again around the time of the Baltic cruises, it would definitely be an issue for anyone trying to fly into any airport in the general vicinity. I am guessing that travel of any kind in all of the affected countries is an absolute mess right now and will be for several days. You'd presumably have to find some European city you could fly into (and I assume seats would be scarce) and then try to navigate your way to Dover via whatever method of transportation you could manage. What a stressful way to start a vacation! Let's just all assume that it won't happen again in the near term!

 

[aurorafan65]

If a natural disaster like the Iceland Volcano happened again around the time of the Baltic cruises, it would definitely be an issue for anyone trying to fly into any airport in the general vicinity. I am guessing that travel of any kind in all of the affected countries is an absolute mess right now and will be for several days. You'd presumably have to find some European city you could fly into (and I assume seats would be scarce) and then try to navigate your way to Dover via whatever method of transportation you could manage. What a stressful way to start a vacation! Let's just all assume that it won't happen again in the near term!

My dh told me about this & the first words out of my mouth were - I guess we should get the the travel insurance.
We have a friend in Madrid, so his thinking was flying there & making our way to Dover. But lets hope it doesn't come to that by the time we sail!

 

[aurorafan65]

Oh boy Sounds like my house
I've made all the plans and decisions so far.
They say they appreciate it, but then I resent getting the critique later on

this is so true!! I've asked them & talked to them about what to do & I get the 'whatever' but you know they'll be like 'why didn't we do X' when we're there or on our way back!

 

[denise]

My dh told me about this & the first words out of my mouth were - I guess we should get the the travel insurance.
We have a friend in Madrid, so his thinking was flying there & making our way to Dover. But lets hope it doesn't come to that by the time we sail!

We have never purchased travel insurance and from what I understand it will not help if the flight was booked with airline miles. So I don't see how it will help us. Our first week stay is on Marriott points and it will not help then either. Lets just pray that all is well when we go.....
so do I buy insurance at all? The cruise is on Disney points too....

 

[2bundles]

We have never purchased travel insurance and from what I understand it will not help if the flight was booked with airline miles. So I don't see how it will help us. Our first week stay is on Marriott points and it will not help then either. Lets just pray that all is well when we go.....
so do I buy insurance at all? The cruise is on Disney points too....

So, what if you get sick? Or fall and break a bone in Oslo? Do you have medical cover? That is always my primary concern when travelling. We NEVER leave the country without insurance.

Our cc covers us for insurance as long as we put at least $900pp on the card for travel costs. ie we are eligible due to the cost of the cruise even though we used ff points for the flights.

 

[MJGirl]

Thanks David and Andrew for the advice on the tipping. I will pay the 105 pounds. I just bought currency for all ports but Denmark tonight. I'll get that tomorrow. I figure, if I bring too much money, I can exchange it back to US at the port.

I still have US currency to get now. I don't like using the CC unless I have to. I don't like the exchange rates!

 

[slg]

Can you buy your oyster cards in London? Or do you have to prebuy?

 

[MrsScooby]

Can you buy your oyster cards in London? Or do you have to prebuy?

Either
https://oyster.tfl.gov.uk/oyster/entry.do

I'm figuring it would be nice to have it in advance though-one less thing to worry about

 

[slg]

I actually think we're going to go with the 7 day travelcards as all the 2 for 1 vouchers make it a great deal. There is even a discount for HOHO, although at the moment it expires before we're there. I'll keep checking to see what else comes up.

One day travelcards for kids are only 2 pounds and you don't need photo id, so we'll probably just get them one day and avoid the hassle.

I just don't want to book in advance. I'm still not sure what we are going to do.