Dave and Micha

Love your pics! I really enjoyed our day(s) in Helsinki... ok, it doesn't have the awe factor of Stockholm or St Petersburg, but it is an enjoyable place and I really liked the serenity of the rock church... bought a CD of the choir singing Christmas carols and it always brings me back. thanks for sharing!

What a great thread!

I don't think I saw the following yet:

Britanis (Chandris/Celebrity)

Regent Rainbow

Big Red Boats: Oceanic & Majestic (my very first cruise)

Enchanted Isle

SS Vera Cruz

Thanks Dave & Micha, we are travelling with 3 boys so the pirate theme is great. Notice that you're from Warnemunde which is a port stop on our cruise, wondered if you could give us any tips on good places to visit there that you think the kids may enjoy? We were considering staying around the town and visiting the beach if the weather is fine but if you've any further ideas, we would welcome them. We don't plan on visiting Berlin as we think it is too far a journey for the kids.

This is a question I have been struggling with as people have asked me before. Warnemünde is a beach resort extremely popular with the Germans. During the DDR times (East Germany) Warnemünde was a highlight vacation destination and it remains so today...with the added interest (and visits) of folks who live in the West. Therefore, most everything in town, as well as the surrouding areas, is geared mainly towards Germans with very little English spoken, English signs, etc. This is in sharp contrast to many of the other stops on your itinerary. For example, the Sponge Bob Squarepants in 5D theater near the lighthouse might be a great thing to fill some kid time... but it is only in German.

The lighthouse could be something. It is one of the few that allows people to climb to the top and there is an amazing view.

Another factor that makes answering this question difficult is that most Germans who come on vacation tend to do outdoorsy, nature oriented things on their vacations like bike riding, hiking, swimming and sailing, etc. so that there are not very any "amusement" style things that many US kids are accustomed to - if any of you can imagine the Jersey shore in the 1960s and 70s (minus the boardwalk) you can get a good idea of this area.

The various cities in the area like Wismar, Stralsund, Schwerin, and Lübeck are all great places to go as alternatives to Berlin, however, what they have to offer is rich in history, architecture, and culture... not exactly the most exciting thing for younger kids. For example, we do not accept any kids under 10 on our tours because they just get restless.

With that being said... the beach is BEAUTIFUL and a great alternative for families with small children. It is clean and safe, the water is chilly, but no waves or undertoe. The only thing to keep in mind is that this IS the former east and topless sun bathing is very normal. It is also pretty common in the East for people to change into their bathing suits right in the middle of everyone... so if you are squeamish at the thought of your kids seeing any "floppy bits" you might want to keep this in mind. It isn't like everyone is running around nude, but nudity is something that the people there find very natural and uninteresting and you should at least be prepared (I am American and have to tell you that I have had more than a few chuckles watching my fellow citizens freak out when someone changed near them; if you ignore it I am sure your kids would, too. An added plus... we have little beach bars right at the waters edge so getting a beer or a cocktail to sip while the kids play is great. Also, there are jungle gyms and stuff, as well as little paddle boats available. There are quite a few kite flyers on our beach as well... with a kite store right near the lighthouse.

On the other side of the Warnow... at the Höhe Dune (and reachable by ferry) is a marine research center that has a sea lion area. They welcome families and it is sometimes possible to swim with the sea lions. That could be interesting.

I don't have any kids and even I am glad to see this thread!

The idea of creating a "special agents" portflio is genius! One of the things you might want to add (which will take a little bit of research ahead of time, but which could be fun) is to check out the pirate history of the Baltic.

The Hanseatic League, which ruled over the Baltic from the 13th to 17th centuries, was founded partly as an alliance to combat piracy and to create safe trading routes. If any of you have younger boys, they may be interested in this. One of our most famous pirates was named Klaus Stortebeker and learning a little about him beforehand may also make the connection of your ports more interesting for all involved. You can read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_St%C3%B6rtebeker