Eurodam excursions - suggestions?

[Wini18]

DH and I are booked on the Eurodam B2B leaving Copenhagen on July 15, 2008. This is a very port intensive cruise with all the ports being new to us. If anyone has any experience with this type of itinerary could you let me know if there are any ports that would be any easy stroll from the ship. At our age we just can't do a big excursion every day, but we want to see it all - what a problem!!!!!!!!!

Will appreciate any help anyone can give us. :)

[jtl513]

I looked at your itinerary, and have been to six of the ports on your first 10 days, but none on the last 10 days. Of those first six, I would say this:

Tallinn Estonia - the best things to see are at the top of Toompea Hill - the Nevsky Cathedral, the view, another church, etc. I'd suggest you do what we did and take HAL's " Tallinn's Old Town: A Walking Tour (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/excursion.do?portCode=TLL&from=&view=&tourId=148&dest=E)" that gives you a bus ride almost all the way to the top of the hill (with a not too bad remainder up to the Cathedral) and you can walk back down. The bus picks you up at the bottom and rides you the few blocks back to the ship. It's rated as "three people" (strenuous) but we did not think so. There are a lot of cobblestones to cope with, however.

St Petersburg - forget about strolling! The dock is in a bad area, and Russia is not a safe place to be on your own even if you speak fluent Russian! Take ship's or private tours.

Helsinki - Strolling around the market square/harbor area is fine, but it's a long walk from the ship. When we were there HAL had a shuttle bus for $3 pp each way to take you most of the way there. It was an easy walk a 1/4 mile down to the harbor from the bus stop, but not so easy a walk back up.

Stockholm - Easy strolling around Gamla Stan ("old town") but a fair walk to get there from where we docked. There was a shuttle bus for $5 pp each way that took us to the Opera House on the far side of Gamla Stan, and we walked all the way back. I don't think I'd do it again. (I'd pay for a taxi.) If you're interested in the Vasa Museum, that can be reached by ferry (and a short walk) from Gamla Stan.

Warnemunde - this is your best bet for strolling right from the ship. Just a short walk and you're in a quaint town with an interesting "boardwalk" area.

Arhus - There's nothing much right around the dock except some craft tents set up right on the dock. We walked all the way to the train station, but didn't find it very interesting. Next time I'd just shop on the dock and get back on the ship!

:)

[Host Walt]

The docking locations in Stockholm and Helsinki can vary depending on cruise ship traffic. The Warnemunde dock is close to fast and frequent railway service to Rostock (about 20 min. away. Warnemunde has little to offer other than some charming souvenir shops so if you are not taking a ship's tour, Rostock is a small city with more sightseeing opportunities to keep you occupied.

[jtl513]

The docking locations in Stockholm and Helsinki can vary depending on cruise ship traffic. The Warnemunde dock is close to fast and frequent railway service to Rostock (about 20 min. away. Warnemunde has little to offer other than some charming souvenir shops so if you are not taking a ship's tour, Rostock is a small city with more sightseeing opportunities to keep you occupied.We took the train to Rostock, Walt, and it was a looooooong walk from the train station to the supposed interesting part of the city - Longestrasse and Kropeliner Strasse. We saw the clock in the MarienKirche and a couple of city gates and interesting buildings, but IMO it was NOT worth the walk to and from the train station.

[shipcafe]

I did this sailing in 2003 aboard the old Noordam and have a travelogue posted on my web site. It is an incredible itinerary.

[Jsipes]

Whatever you do, if you purchase wooden shoes, don't wear them to town !!:D Too hard to walk in them !!