north-bound

On 7/21/2019 at 12:54 AM, milolii said:

We have a little bit different Take on the cash situation.  We like to have some local currency For street foods,/markets , those fish boats, tips  and small purchases.  We also like to have some cash once we arrive.  Really don’t want to look for an ATM.   I know they can be plentiful but once it did take 45 minutes. No thank you.  We also carry the  no fee card as well.  Our Wells Fargo does not charge for exchanges. But once we see an ATM abroad will use it as well,.  

I don't know if your cruise include Stockholm, but if you do, don't take any Swedish currency.  Even small places accept cards  and there are more and more places that will not accept cash at all . As I know Denmark is going the same way.

Living in Stockholm I have stopped carrying any currency at all when I leave home, only carry my plastic cads. I only know of two places where I need to take cash and they are not places where visitors to Stockholm are likely to go.

If you have several days in Stockholm Sigtuna could be a nice tour one of the days. But if you are here for one day only you should definitely stay in Stockholm. There are many things to see that are more interesting than Sigtuna, and Stockholm is a beatiful city.

In Stockholm there is no specific port where P&O will dock, you will have to check the ship and the date to find the right dock.. Also, even when a ship is booked for a certain dock it is not certain, there may be a change. Nor common, but it does happen,

Here is a link to Ports of Stockholm http://www.portsofstockholm.com/vessel-calls/

Thanks! I will have a backup......we also have small amounts of Danish DKK, Norwegian NOK, Swedish SEK and Russian Rubles.... all from Chase for use in markets, small vendors, etc..../quote]

As mentioned above the Scandinavian countries use less cash now. I live in Stockholm and since more than a year ago I don't carry any cash at all when l go out. I know of only two places where I could need cash, but they are places where no cruise passengers would go. Anyway, what is happening now is that more and more places refuse to take any cash. As for markets and small vendors they all take cards now.

It is true that rough seas can happen anywhere and any time. But some seas are more known for rough seas than other. So, since the North Sea is more known for rough seas than the Baltic Sea it could be a good idea to look for cruises that start or end in Copenhagen or Stockholm where you don't have to cross the North Sea.

Don't forget that there will be less daylight in late August of about 4 hours compared to early July that far north.

To compare the daylght in early July and late August does not make much sense. In early July even at midnight the sun is so close to the horizon that it is never dark. In August the nights are dark again, but the days are still longer than the nights. It is not until late September that the nights are longer than the days.

For Stockholm there is always "The girl with a dragon tattoo", first book of the Millenium series. It takes place in Stockholm. And since it has been so popular both as a book and a movie I have often seen that there are even walking tours to see the places where the stories takes place. Not that I think a walking tour would be ideal for a cruise passenger, there are other things that are more interesting to see.

The hop on hop off buses may be useful in Copenhagen and Stockholm. However, Tallinn is best explored on foot as the tour buses cannot really get round in the quaint old town. Warnemunde and Rostock are also places for pedestrians not buses.

In Stockholm I would not at all recommend Ho/Ho buses. They are slow and you may have to spend a long time to wait for a bus. Public transport on the other hand is very good, so much better.

There are also Ho/Ho boats and they are useful if your ship will be at Stadsgården port. They can take you to the Vasa Museum if you want to go there in the morning before they start their regular tours.

As for cash in Stockholm there are very few places where you need it. I live in Stockholm and I don't carry cash at all when I go out, I rely on my plastic cards.

This one? https://www.facebook.com/pages/Press-Stop/193082457374383?fref=ts

Yes, that is it. I did also look for a good presentation in English but couldn't find any. They have not only Swedish press, but a lot of international, both dailies and all kinds of magazines.

Hi, Desdichado,

Do you have a suggestion of where we might buy a Sunday New York Times near Slussen (either in Gamla Stan or Sodermalm)?

There is a shop that specializes in international press in Götgatan 31. This is a main street on Södermalm, coming up from Slussen. I can't say that I know if they have Sunday New York Times, but probably more likely than Pressbyrån.

The tour information says seek out your guide at Õstermalms Saluhall, the oldest food market in Stockholm, where many businesses have been passed down through multiple family generations. Admire the intricate carvings on the interior wooden walls and eaves, which have been well-preserved for centuries.

What it does not say is that Östermalms Saluhall is closed to be restored. The trade has been moved into a temporary building in the square outside, so you will still be able to taste the foods. But it will not be the same experience.

To find more information. http://www.ostermalmshallen.se/en/building-the-new-food-hall/

I fully agree with Desdichado that staying in the museum area near the Vasa Museum would be a mistake.

Stockholm is a beautiful city and during the short bus tour from the ship to Djurgårdsbron you have really seen nothing of Stockholm. Only the port area. an open field and a very small bit of the city.

Go back to the bus stop and take bus 76 again to go on to Gamla Stan. You can stroll around and find things to look at there, for instans the Royal Palace and the Cathedral. In the area just north of Gamla Stan you will find The Parliament and Governement buildings, the Town Hall and other public buildings as well as the main shopping district. Bus 76 will take you back to the ship.

The sail in and out of Stockholm through the Archipelago is really worth seeing, and it does take several hours. One thing to consider is that during early July the sunset in Stockholm is around 10 pm, and if it is a sunny day the sunset can be very nice.

The Archipelago is not the same all the way. There is the inner part with some bigger islands and many with buildings where people live year round. Then there is the middle part where we have our summer homes and the outer part where buildings are more rare and there are many beatiful small islands.

One idea could be to get up early enough to see the sail in to the city, and then when you leave have early dinner and get up on deck to see the outer part of the sail away.

I'll have to study the route for 2017 to see if we will have any problems getting to our hotel. I looked at the Marathon website and it mentions hundreds of thousands of spectators and that it was one of the major sporting events in Sweden. The race doesn't start until noon so I'm guessing it's going to be crowded morning and afternoon on the 3rd. Thanks for answering my question. Deborah

The race will circle some of the main parts of the inner city. But streets will be open during the morning until the race starts so if you disembarkation is not to late there should be no problem to get the your hotel or for people going direct to the airport. When the race has started the best way to get around is the Metro. It is true that there will be many spectators, but they will be spread out along the distance.

Our tour was on foot, and the tour guide didn't tell us to carry nothing. And yet somehow nothing was taken!

 

If you're visiting the Trevi fountain, there's no point trying to avoid looking like a tourist. Everyone there is a tourist. The armies of pickpockets (unless it's their day off!) are the only locals there.

It is not very likelly the pickpockets are locals. Often they are groups who travel around in Europe, stay for a short time in one country then move on to the next before they attract interest from the police.

Hi,

I'll be taking the Arlanda Express from the Airport to downtown and then plan on taking a taxi to my hotel. Is there a taxi stand at the Central Station where the Arlanda Express finishes?

There will be a line of taxis just a few steps from where you leave the train, at least if you are at the front end of the train. A little longer to walk if you are at the other end. Just make sure you get a safe taxi, as described in the first post here.

Stockholm is easy to do on your own. And as mentioned above the train from the airport is a good way to reach the city. Your ship will be docked close to the Old Town (Gamla Stan).

How long will you be staying before the cruise? Hilton Slussen (mentioned above) is in a convenient place to stay but this summer the area may be a bit of a mess, heavy construction work has started there now and will go on for several years.

The one thing that almost every visitor to Stockholm wants to see is the Vasa Museum. Most would also want to stroll the streets in Gamla Stan. But for me who live in Stockholm it is a little strange to see all the visitors crowded together in the same streets. Some places are crowded with only tourists but there are other places nearby where you could see th real city and people who live there. All depends on what your interest are. If you have questions about Stockholm I will try to answer.

http://www.citybikes.se/home

 

I was considering using the city bike service when in Stockholm before our cruise. A three day pass would be perfect for us. But I have a couple questions. There will be six of us. Will most places have six bikes available when we arrive? Are the locations to leave them pretty easy to find? I realize they can only be used for three hour periods and then need to be returned.

 

Is biking around Stockholm fairly safe and easy? We usually bike in rural areas. My family did bike in Vancouver Canada once and we got along fine. But if it is very intense biking in the city maybe we should abandon this idea.

I would not recommend City Bikes if you are a group of six. The place near my home where you can pick up a bike has nine slots. I am not sure that it is always the same number everywhere. But to expect there will be six bikes waiting when you want them is risky, could be anything between nine and none at all. . And if you find six there is the problem of leaving them again after the three hours. There may not be six free slots where you can put them back.

 

Bike traffic in Stockholm city is crowded and hectic. Often very high speed. A group of six who are not familiar with the city could mean trouble. I would not recommend it. Public transport is an easy and safe way to get around. However there are places where it might be nice to have a bike, as for instance on Djurgården Island where you will find the Vasa Museum, Skansen outdoor museum, the ABBA Museum and other attractions. There is a place on Strandvägen street, close to the bridge to Djurgården, where you could perhaps rent bikes on one of the days.

 

Helmets are widely used when biking in Stockholm.

Also do most wear helmets? We do but I'm not sure about packing them.

I would not recommend City Bikes if you are a group of six. The place near my home where you can pick up a bike has nine slots. I am not sure that it is always the same number everywhere. But to expect there will be six bikes waiting when you want them is risky, could be anything between nine and none at all. . And if you find six there is the problem of leaving them again after the three hours. There may not be six free slots where you can put them back.

Bike traffic in Stockholm city is crowded and hectic. Often very high speed. A group of six who are not familiar with the city could mean trouble. I would not recommend it. Public transport is an easy and safe way to get around. However there are places where it might be nice to have a bike, as for instance on Djurgården Island where you will find the Vasa Museum, Skansen outdoor museum, the ABBA Museum and other attractions. There is a place on Strandvägen street, close to the bridge to Djurgården, where you could perhaps rent bikes on one of the days.

Helmets are widely used when biking in Stockholm.

Regal Princess 15th July at Stockholm.

 

I cannot get the port information site to give me any details about where we are expected to berth.

 

This matters because the cruise says we will berth at Nynashamn and as I understand it the railway line between there & Stockholm is going to be closed for trackwork for most of July & August.

 

I very much hope that it is Stockholm as I would gladly swop time in the city for the trip through the islands.

Ports of Stockholm does show that Regal Princess is booked to dock at Stadsgården in Stockholm on July 15th and not in Nynäshamn. So it is highly likely that the cruise information is wrong, That does however not mean that things couldn't change, sometimes ports are changed even at very chort notice. Could be because of weather or something else, you can never be sure.

I don't know if any of the tourist shops along Västerlånggatan would have Dala Horses, but a lot of the things they have are low quality.

If you are looking for good quality souvenirs (even Dala Horses can be different) there are two places I would recommend.

NK Department Store in Hamngatan.

They have had a souvenir shop at the bottom level with very good quality. If they will have it next summer I don't know but it could be worth looking.

Svensk Hemslöjd in Norrlandsgatan

This shop is owned by the Association of Swedish Handicraft and they sell handicraft items from all parts of Sweden.

I can not say for sure if they will have Dala Horses. The two shops are located not far from each other, in the area just north of Gamla Stan.

north-bound-

 

Next summer we will make our third attempt at cruising up to Stockholm. On our first cruise in 2010 there were problems on the ship that required missing Stockholm and going directly to Helsinki for repairs. In 2013 the prospect of high winds kept us from sailing up to Stockholm and back. The ship needed to get to Copenhagen by the next day as it was a "crew change over" day and personal had connections to make. We know this is true as we hear from crew members that this was the one time they could change to better cabins because people were leaving.

 

This summer will be the third time. Is three times the charm ;).

 

<<<Karen>>>

Oh, that has really been bad luck! Of course it is normal to miss a port now and then when you are cruising. Bad weather or technical problems onboard is something that happens now and then. But missing the sail in to Stockholm twice is really bad. I do hope you will have better luck now and that it will be a beautiful day so you can see the Stockholm archipelago at it's best.

Wishing you a great cruise this summer.

Living in the Northern Hemispere does not always mean you are a valued member. No message here in Sweden.

Well, only a short time after I wrote this, the message from Silversea appeared in my mail box. I am again a valued Venetian Society member.

And like many other members I will miss Cloud. A beautiful ship where some of my best cruises have been.

It seems Venetian Society members in Australia are not valued as are those in the Northern Hemisphere.6 voyages on the Explorer,3 more Expedition cruises booked and ignored.

Living in the Northern Hemispere does not always mean you are a valued member. No message here in Sweden.

The only city where you may have difficulty is in Stockholm, which didn't seem very tourist friendly. Our ship docked about an hour away from Stockholm and it was rather tedious to find out which bus to take to the city center. We ended up relying on Princess since they did not offer any other options.

I understand that your ship didn't dock in Stockholm but in Nynäshamn, a small city south of Stockholm. Princess is the only cruise line that did so this summer, all other dock in Stockholm and we don't know yet if there will be ships docking in Nynäshamn next year.

In my mind docking in Nynäshamn and calling it Stockholm is cheating. Passengers miss the beatiful sail in to the city and being docked close to the main sightseeing areas.

Stockholm is best seen DIY.

Thank you so much for you reply. Do you know if there is any parking out near Vasa or Skansen? (free would be better but pay lots ok) I looked up the ferry Timetable and it 40 min to take the ferry. Driving would be about 10 min. We love to take our car and see more. Thanks again, rlyans

I totally agree with the advice given you by Desdichado. Leave your car at Gärdet where you are staying, except when going to Drottningholm.

I live in Stockholm, in the city, and I have a car. Never would I use the car when I am going somewhere within the city. Public transport is much more convenient. It is quicker, safer and so much easier. Djurgården and Gamla Stan have no parking garages but there are parking garages downtown city. They will cost more than parking in the streets, but there is no free parking anywhere in the city, the streets will also cost. Gamla Stan is very difficult to drive at all and almost impossible to find somewhere to park.

I often visit Skansen and always with public transport. You could take a bus from where you are staying and it takes 7 minutes to Djurgårdsbron, from where you can reach the museums.

The ferries are a nice way to travel in Stockholm but buses and the Metro are most of the time a better option. Do take a ferry at least once, or some sightseeing on a boat, just to see Stockholm from the water.