Which Baltic itinerary?

I'm having trouble deciding between the Princess and RC Baltic itineraries:

One is: Copenhagen, Oslo, Aarhus, Berlin (Warnemunde), Talinn, St. Petersburg (2 days), Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen

The other is: Copenhagen, Berlin (Rostock), Klaipeda, Visby, Helskinki, St. Petersburg (3 days), Talinn, Stockholm (overnight - ends in Stockholm, not Copenhagen.

I'm aware that the Princess stop is an hour away in Nynashamn; with RC we will have more time in Stockholm.

Is either Rostock or Warnemunde any easier/faster to get into Berlin?

Also, the first one has 2 sea days, the second only one.

Many thanks.

Rostock is closer to Berlin by about 20 minutes. Princess charters a train for their Berlin trip direct from Warnemunde. Leaves right across from the cruise terminal direct to Berlin. From memory there is an express train straight thru that you can do on your own. An alternative is a connection in Rostock. We spent some the day in Warnemunde and then caught the train to Rostock. Around 5 euros round trip. It makes for a very long day to go into Berlin.

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If you want to get to Berlin, there is a similar cruise that sails out of Berlin.

Might be worth a look.

I did the Princess voyage and I see the subbed out Gothenburg for something else which is good. if you do the Royal Caribbean trip it looks like you miss Oslo and Aarhus but you get Klaipeda and Visby. you'll have to research those ports, except I can tell you Oslo is a good one. I suspect the other 3 are take it or leave it. (nobody jump on me for this... it's just my gut feeling). so as far as cities I like the Princess trip better. however with RC you get an extra day in StP and can stay in Stockholm longer. less wasted time on a sea day also. also no Nynasham and Rostock being a tad bit closer to Berlin

with the exception of missing out on Oslo I think the RC itinerary seems a touch better.

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Being Lithuanian, I'm always partial to itineraries that include Klaipeda :D

Seriously, though, depending on your excursion budget, the 3-day stay in St. Petersburg gives you a lot of flexibility with your options (you could even take a 1-day tour to Moscow).

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Being Lithuanian, I'm always partial to itineraries that include Klaipeda :D

 

Seriously, though, depending on your excursion budget, the 3-day stay in St. Petersburg gives you a lot of flexibility with your options (you could even take a 1-day tour to Moscow).

Can you suggest the best things to do in Klaipeda? We are docking there next summer :)

I'm having trouble deciding between the Princess and RC Baltic itineraries:

 

One is: Copenhagen, Oslo, Aarhus, Berlin (Warnemunde), Talinn, St. Petersburg (2 days), Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen

 

The other is: Copenhagen, Berlin (Rostock), Klaipeda, Visby, Helskinki, St. Petersburg (3 days), Talinn, Stockholm (overnight - ends in Stockholm, not Copenhagen.

 

 

I'm aware that the Princess stop is an hour away in Nynashamn; with RC we will have more time in Stockholm.

 

Is either Rostock or Warnemunde any easier/faster to get into Berlin?

 

Also, the first one has 2 sea days, the second only one.

 

Many thanks.

Hi, just to correct a few misconceptions about Rostock/Warnemünde

Rostock/Warnemünde is one place, the nearest port to Berlin but approximately 200 klms away!

Warnemünde is a seaside suburb of Rostock and the site of the Cruise Terminal which can accommodate two large and one small cruise ships at the same time. When there are more ships due on one day then one or more must berth in the commercial Port of Rostock on the other side of the river. If your berth is P1-4, P7 or P8 then it is in Warnemünde. Berths LP41 or LP31 are in the Port of Rostock.

Quote 'Is either Rostock or Warnemunde any easier/faster to get into Berlin?'

From either berth the travel time by car, a tour company's chartered train or coach is roughly the same. If using public transport the trip from Warnemünde is slightly shorter as it is more direct. In Warnemünde the ships dock right alongside the train station and the local train direct to Rostock Hbf (main station) from where you can catch trains to other places within easy reach but from the Port of Rostock you need to take the shuttle service run by some cruise lines, a taxi or bus/train to reach Rostock Hbf.

Quote 'From memory there is an express train straight thru that you can do on your own. An alternative is a connection in Rostock.'

The ICE express train no longer runs direct from Warnemünde, you still need to catch the local train to Rostock and the departure is too early for cruise passengers, 6:03am. The only direct train, the InterConnex departs in the afternoon.

The RE regional train service departs every two hours from Rostock Hbf. but the timetable does not fit well with the schedules of most ships and valulable time is wasted at both ends of the day.

Quote 'If you want to get to Berlin, there is a similar cruise that sails out of Berlin.'

Berlin is 200klms from the sea! For shipping lines to advertise it as either a port of call or departure is blatant false advertising! All so-called departures from Berlin actually leave from the Cruise Terminal in Warnemünde. However, many passengers are using this as a start/finish port, flying into Berlin and spending a few days there prior/post cruise. A much better alternative to a rushed (and expensive) day trip.

For things to do in and around Rostock/Warnemünde please see my web site. Should you decide to go to Berlin independently there have been several threads on the subject, just search for Berlin.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Can you suggest the best things to do in Klaipeda? We are docking there next summer :)

You might consider doing a tour to the Curonian Spit. We hired a private tour with another couple and explored that area in May. We didn’t spend much time in town but if we go back, we’ll certainly head to the Spit again. It was about $35 each for the four of us. It was a nice deviation from all of the other ports where we explored the towns.

There are some very good reviews on TripAdvisor about it.

Can you suggest the best things to do in Klaipeda? We are docking there next summer :)

The Curonian Spit tours must be really nice...I haven't been there in the past 20 years or so, I'm sure the national park didn't change much but the towns of Juodkrante and Nida must be much nicer than in my childhood :) Nida is a beach resort, I don't know if there's anything else to do there, other than enjoy the sea air.

The biggest "official" attraction in Klaipeda is the dolphinarium/sea museum. The aquarium/dophinarium part isn't particularly unique but the museum portion itself is, plus it's housed in a real fortress. The old town itself is very pretty and has tons of history (Klaipeda at one point belonged to Prussia, and you can definitely see it in the architecture).

Another option would be take to take a private tour that includes a trip to Palanga's Amber Museum. I've been to the museum many times, to me it never gets old :) The museum is in a mansion that's in a middle of a large park, so it's a nice place to take a walk; and Palanga itself is a pretty little beach resort.

If you decide that you want to go shopping, check out the "Akropolis" mall. The locals consider it to be an attraction in itself :) (it's got everything, from hundreds of shops and restaurants to a skating rink)

The main attraction in both itineraries is St. Petersburg. At least for me. 3 days in St. Peter is much better than just 2. Yes, you can go to Moscow. Not sure it’s a good idea, but it’s up to you. You also can visit such museums as Faberge and the Usupov Palace. We had just 2 days in St. Petersburg and it obviously wasn’t enough for such a city. Now I dream to return back to Baltic…:rolleyes:

Jess:):):)

depending on your excursion budget, the 3-day stay in St. Petersburg gives you a lot of flexibility with your options (you could even take a 1-day tour to Moscow).

Appreciate and agree with our Lithuanian friend. Yes, three days in St. Petersburg allows so much more flexibility in this superstar historic capital of Russia. We did the one-day trip to Moscow. That combo of seeing BOTH great cities was wonderful. You could better compare and contrast the old Russia and the newer country. Both cities has such amazing history, unique architecture, etc.

The other super big plus with this option would be starting in Copenhagen and finishing in Stockholm. That way you can have some added pre- and post-cruise time in these two spectacular cities. Below is a small sample of visuals to get you excited about these potentials with these wonderful Baltics/Russia cruise stops.

Don't worry about only have one sea day. This area of the world is all about the amazing ports. You can rest and relax later. Go for "IT"!!

Follow-ups?? Don't be shy!! Feel free to ask any added questions.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 148,414 views. Nice to be hitting this high of a level for viewership. Appreciate the interest and follow-up questions/comments!!

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

At Stockholm’s Royal Palace, the changing of the guard is one of the key highlights and is handy, close to the next-door historic old town area. And it’s free! No charge or tickets required.:

Here are some of the fountains and water at the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg. The greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. This elevation difference creates the pressure driving most of the fountains for the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade.:

As we entered Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg, here was the welcoming band. This Rococo summer residence of the Russian Czars is located in the town of Pushkin, 15 miles SE of St. Petersburg. The residence originated in 1717, when Catherine I engaged a German architect to construct a summer palace for her pleasure. In 1752, Empress Anna found her mother's residence outdated and had her court architect demolish the old structure and replace it with a much grander edifice in a flamboyant Rococo style. Construction lasted for four years and in 1756 the new 325-meter-long palace amazed courtiers, foreign ambassadors and other visitors. During Elizabeth's lifetime, the palace was famed for its lavish exterior, including more than 100 kilograms of gold used to gild the sophisticated stucco façade and numerous statues erected on the roof.:

Helsinki’s Church of Rock, or Temppeliaukion Kirkko, is carved out of solid stone with a unique contemporary design. This Lutheran church was opened in September 1969. For economic reasons, its suggested plan was scaled back and the interior space reduced to about one-quarter of the original, pre-WWII plan. The interior was excavated and built directly out of solid rock and is bathed in natural light which enters through the glazed dome. The church is used frequently as a concert venue with its excellent acoustics. The acoustic quality is created by the rough, virtually unworked rock surfaces. The Temppeliaukio church is one of the most popular tourist attractions in this city with half a million people visiting annually. :

Dancers marching in Tallinn’s festival parade near the stone towers of the famous Viru Gate:

Walking on the famed Red Square of Moscow. This square separates the Kremlin, as the former royal citadel and the current official residence for Russia's President, from a historic merchant quarter. Red Square is often considered the central square of Moscow and all of Russia, because Moscow's major streets originate from here. The name Red Square comes neither from the color of the bricks nor from the link between the color red and communism. The name came about because of a Russian word that can mean either "red" or "beautiful". This word, per Wikipedia, has the meaning "beautiful", was originally applied to Saint Basil's Cathedral. Then, later, the meaning was transferred to the nearby square. It is believed that the square acquired its current name in the 17th century. Red Square was the leading stage and trade center for Moscow. Ivan the Great decreed that trade should only be conducted from person to person, but later these rules were relaxed and permanent market buildings began appearing on the square. After a fire in 1547, Ivan the Terrible reorganized the lines of wooden shops on the Eastern side into market lines and part of that transitioned into what is now GUM department store that adjoins this famed square.:

Maybe you already decided - I would go for the one with 3 days in St Petersburg. We just did that and felt like we saw enough, even though we went at a somewhat slow pace on a private tour. 2 days would really have not felt like enough....

Go with the overnighter in Stockholm. I just got back from the Celebrity Baltic and we only had a few hours there. It was my favorite city on the cruise and the one we plan to go back to just to visit.

The main attraction in both itineraries is St. Petersburg. At least for me. 3 days in St. Peter is much better than just 2. Yes, you can go to Moscow. Not sure it’s a good idea, but it’s up to you. You also can visit such museums as Faberge and the Usupov Palace. We had just 2 days in St. Petersburg and it obviously wasn’t enough for such a city. Now I dream to return back to Baltic…:rolleyes:

Jess:):):)

Just off Legend of the Seas last month, and we were in St. Petersburg for 3 days. I organized a group of 15 from our roll call to spend days 1 and 3 in St. Petersburg and day 2 in Moscow - and we did this with Alla Tours: http://www.alla-tour.com/tours/ The Moscow day was very long (6:00 a.m. until midnight) - but I am very happy to have gone there. The 3-day St Petersburg tours visit only a few more museums and/or churches than the 2-day tours, but at a more leisurely pace.

I had previously been to Berlin, so booked the Mega Mecklenburg tour with Friends of Dave Tours from Warnemunde: http://www.friendsofdavetours.com/Warnemunde_Port_Tours.html

One more consideration. If you choose the CPH to Stockholm you can (schedules and finances permitting) spend 3-4 days pre-cruise in Denmark. We drove from CPH to a Farmhouse near Silkeborg (in the "thumb" of Denmark) and spent three days there. Aarhus is an easy day trip from there and on the way to to Silkeborg we went thru Roskilde and visited the Viking Ship Museum there...it was fantastic. On the way back we took the fast ferry from Ebeltoft to Havnebyen (that was a thrill, too) and drove on to Helsingor. Could have driven back to CPH but we went on to spend 4 nights in Helsingborg, Sweden.

Guess, I suggesting a 4-5 night pre-cruise on your own to see the Danish country side and then take the cruise ending in Stockholm (and spend a day or three there too.). Again, your real life schedules and finances permitting. Notice how easily I spend your money?:o

Greg

Just off Legend of the Seas last month, and we were in St. Petersburg for 3 days. I organized a group of 15 from our roll call to spend days 1 and 3 in St. Petersburg and day 2 in Moscow - and we did this with Alla Tours: http://www.alla-tour.com/tours/ The Moscow day was very long (6:00 a.m. until midnight) - but I am very happy to have gone there. The 3-day St Petersburg tours visit only a few more museums and/or churches than the 2-day tours, but at a more leisurely pace.

gdlamberth: Guess' date=' I suggesting a 4-5 night pre-cruise on your own to see the Danish country side and then take the cruise ending in Stockholm (and spend a day or three there too.). Again, your real life schedules and finances permitting. Notice how easily I spend your money? [/quote']

 

Glad that things worked so well for Nancy in doing BOTH Moscow and St. Petersburg. Having three days in St. P. makes a big, BIG difference. Traveled with Nancy on our Australia-NZ adventure earlier this year.

 

Traveled with Greg and his two ladies up and along the Norway coast to the North Cape. YES, if possible, having added time to see some of the Danish country areas would be nice. Adds a good dimension for experiencing this wonderful part of the world.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 150,534 views. Nice to be hitting this high of a level for viewership. Appreciate the interest and follow-up questions/comments!!

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923