Apel

In general very easy, but it depends a bit on where the ship docks. 

Of course it's walkable. And it is a very nice walk through some lovely parts of Stockholm. But, it will take around an hour on foot and that might not be how you plan to spend your time. Bus 76 is a good option. Takes you from Frihamnen to Gamla stan in 16 minutes (maybe 18-20 minutes if traffic is bad), you can pay for the bus by tapping a Visa or Mastercard in the bus, or use SL's app. 

The ferry is also an option as mentioned. A bit slower, but gives you great views of the city from the water. Taxis exist and are usually easy to find, but a small warning: Only use Taxi Stockholm, Taxi Kurir or Sverigetaxi! Avoid other companies, many smaller companies are perfectly fine but there are unfortunately a couple that specialize in scamming tourists. 

On 8/8/2023 at 4:48 PM, BuckeyeMark said:

Did you need to do anything special to drive in Norway? Is a valid US driver's license all you need? 

Unless your licence is follows the EEA, Vienna convention or Geneva convention models, you need an IDL. https://www.vegvesen.no/en/driving-licences/driving-licence-holders/driving-licences-in-norway-and-abroad/using-a-non-eueea-driving-licence-in-norway/?lang=en

And make sure you know the road signs and rules of the road, and follow them to the letter. Norwegian traffic tickets are no joke. 

On 8/8/2023 at 5:43 PM, hallasm said:

Book at Norways Best - five to six months in advance.

Or buy the tickets at www.vy.no, i.e. from the company that actually operates the train. 

And it is very easy to combine Gamla stan and the ABBA museum. It's a short ferry ride from Djurgården to Gamla stan.

Probably not. Stadsgården is very central with a lot of things within walking distance.

From Frihamnen I'd suggest you just take the bus. The regular bus that is, not the hop on hop off. Take bus 76 from Frihamnen to Djurgårdsbron, from there you can either change to the tram for one stop or just walk the last bit.

Apart from the app mentioned above you can also buy single tickets by tapping your credit card (Visa or Mastercard) on the bus. 

On 5/16/2023 at 10:34 PM, Tyskie said:

We will be staying 2 nights @  Nyhavn, I'm sure they will be able to arrange the airport transportation (no need to pre-book?)

From Nyhavn, the easiest and fastest way to get to the airport is most likely the metro.

On 5/27/2023 at 11:19 PM, hallasm said:

Many excellent restaurants in the Old Town

Many tourist traps as well, so checking reviews before is not a bad idea.

On 5/22/2023 at 1:37 AM, washiotter said:

I just want to make sure I’m not going to cause any offense or disappointment. Is it true that you don’t tip *anyone*? 

Basically, yes. At least you don't have to tip anyone, and people won't be offended or call you names behind your back. 

On 5/22/2023 at 1:37 AM, washiotter said:

Waiters? Cab drivers? Bartenders? Someone who helps with your luggage? Tour guides for a paid tour? 

Tour guides? No tipping as long as you have paid for the tour. Taxi drivers? No tipping, although you can round up to the nearest 10 kr if paying in cash. Bartenders? For a simple order, like opening a bootle of beer, pouring a glass of wine or making a "simple" drink, no tip. Although if the bartender is giving you a lot of recommendations or you have a very complicated order, a small tip is not a bad idea. Someone who helps you with your luggage? No tip, although I'm struggling to see where I'd find someone helping me with my luggage that isn't a taxi driver or works at a hotel. Waiters? You can leave a small tip (5-10%) if you want, but there is no need to and you can just pay the amount on the bill. 

Maybe. Where are you flying to?

If the author of this article is to be trusted I don't think you need to worry about Sweden. 

https://www.self.com/story/im-a-foodie-with-celiac-disease

Regarding Stockholm, I would not assume there will be any tours available on the spot. Although there will probably be taxis, depending a bit on where you'll actually dock. There are multiple cruise ports in and around Stockholm. 

On 4/14/2023 at 9:00 PM, Travelling2Some said:

That's a good idea.  Thanks!  I'm thinking we can walk between most of what we want to see once we are in the town center so I don't want to sit on a bus for an hour riding through a lot of outlying areas.  The HoHo is a bargain with NCL's discount and the appeal is that it picks up directly from the ship, which is not walking distance into the town center so that is useful for getting back and forth to the ship.

I don't know what the cost of the Hoho bus is, but if you just want to get around the city a day ticket for all public transportation costs €9 and most cruise ports have a tram stop nearby.

If it is medieval music it will most likely not be a string quartet as the string quartet was invented in the classical era. Probably not an orchestra either as the modern orchestra is a much later innovation. 

Avoid Rail Europe as mentioned and buy the tickets from DB, www.bahn.de

The mentioned departures currently cost €34,90 each if you buy them from DB. 

18 hours ago, KittyCruz said:

Stockholm  - are taxis there good or should we plan to take bus or trains.  (were doing the vasa through RC but want to hit the ABBA museum and see some more specific sights around the city)

Taxis in Stockholm are good, but expensive. The local public transport system on the other hand is also very good and in comparison rather cheap.

On 5/13/2022 at 4:46 PM, DragonOfTheSeas said:

We are staying at the Hilton in Slussen for 3 nights before our July 31 cruise.  We were able to get it for points and it is less than 2 blocks to T-bana/public transit station and walking distance to Gamla Stan.  However, would likely take T-bana to the Gamla Stan station just to cut down on walking.  8 minute walk from ferry dock.

 

So, we are not far from where you stayed.  Do you remember approximately how much the taxi ride was?  It would be so much more convenient from airport to hotel directly.

If you're staying at Slussen, I would NOT recommend a taxi due to the construction mess that Slussen currently is.

On 5/15/2022 at 1:44 AM, Earl Rosebery said:

Let Google be your friend.. It seems the fixed price is 500 SEK or 50 $.  There seems to be a surcharge of 8$ or so to prebook and have your driver waiting.  Taxi Stockholm is a reliable company.

If using Google, beware of old search results. Taxi Stockholm currently charges 695 kr between Arlanda and central Stockholm.

6 hours ago, janetcbl said:

And from Gamla Stan there is, or at least used to be, a ferry over to Djurgarden where the ABBA museum and the Vasa ship are located. Haven’t been to Stockholm in a few years, so I can’t be sure it is still running. 

Of course the ferry is still running, it is a vital part of the public transportation network in Stockholm.

Stadsgården 160 is walking distance from Gamla stan. Gamla stan is also within walking distance of the central station. 

It's a beautiful old medieval town centre that is easy to explore on foot on your own. 

And as I wrote in another thread:

A visit to the local museum (Gotlands Fornsal) is a good idea as well as an ice cream at Glassmagasinet that offers 346 different flavours of ice cream.

Either bus or tram.

Karlskrona is a charming town with a well preserved old centre. I also don't know where you will dock but the centre is compact and walkable. It is also the home of the Swedish Naval Museum. https://www.marinmuseum.se

And it is still an active naval base, so do not take any photos of the town from the ship, unless you are 100% sure there are no military objects in the frame. 

In Visby smaller cruise ships sometimes dock in the northern part of the port which is 200 metres from the medieval city centre, but larger ships usually use the new cruise pier a bit further south, but still within walking distance. A visit to the local museum (Gotlands Fornsal) is a good idea as well as an ice cream at Glassmagasinet that offers 346 different flavours of ice cream.

10 hours ago, hallasm said:

I only know the specific legislation in Denmark, but assume it is uniform in the EU.

Without knowing the specific laws, the legislation in Sweden is pretty similar.

On 3/22/2022 at 3:50 PM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Yes I realize that, but still find busses in strange cities daunting, even in places where the signs are in English.

Why? You bord the bus, tap the card on the reader and take a seat. Once your stop approaches, you press the STOP-button and alight. 

(Also, wouldn't it be a lot easier if you just started your own thread instead of using others?)

Tipping is not expected in northern Europe and should in general be avoided. 

But if you still feel like you need to, tipping in euro in non-euro countries can be done. It is an inconvenience but manageable. Tipping in US-dollars however is downright rude.