Stockholm questions?

We just reserved a Russian/Baltic Cruise on the Serenade of the Seas for next summer. I am just starting my research and I need the trusted advice of my fellow CCers. :) Here are my first of what will be many questions in the next few months.

1. We are arriving at ARN in the late afternoon the day before our cruise. Is it worth it to stay in the central area (thinking of reserving the Sheraton or Grand)? Thinking that we could have dinner in the area and explore the next morning and early afternoon before heading to ship? Or should we stay closer to the port?

2. How far of a commute (Probably will take taxi) from hotel to cruise port?

3. And the big question ( as we have not reserved our return flight to Canada)....There is a flight out of ARN that leaves at 9:50 AM that connects in Frankfurt and then flies direct into Calgary. (According to ship's itinerary, we are in port at 7 Am.) We could be home by 3:10 PM that day versus arriving 10:00 or later going through Toronto. I know that on our RCCL cruises that we have been on in the past, that we have been allowed to self-disembark. We would be flying biz class so hopefully no long airport lines and we will be departing the ship early on a SUnday morning, so hopefully not too much traffic. THoughts?

Thank you for all your insight!

:)Pam

The following is my and only my opinions. Because I do not know how much you are willing to pay for hotel and transportation, but if you mention of Sheraton and Grand, then I suppose that prices are not objective.

1.&2. Fron ARN there are buses, train or taxis available. Taxi takes 35-40 min to hotels in centrum, and train (Arlanda Express) takes 20 min and SEK 200-250/pers to Central Railway station, from where you need continue with taxi to hotel. Usually breakfast is included in hotel night in Scandinavia, but several restaurants/cafes are in nearby hotels you mentioned. One option, that I have used once, is to stay Hotel Ariadne (average level) near Cruise harbor and then walk to terminal. Depending on which pier the ship resides walking distance is between 1,2...1,8 km. Same time you can see one of the world's biggest cruise ferries that sail between Finland and Sweden.

But if you stay in the hotel at centrum taxi from centrum to cruise harbor takes abt. 10-15 min. Because I have not used taxi for ages in Stockholm I do not know how much it costs.

3. I suppose you are sailing round trip from/to Stockholm. It is a huge risk to take a morning flight. Even taxi can drive from 45-50 min to Arlanda from harbor in good conditions you never know what happens in airport. Last time in biz-line in front of me was those who did not care how to pack and all liquids etc. must be first removed from hand luggages and put them in plastic bags etc. Then they did not know if they had all papers... frustrating and taking others time. I think any way that there are few direct flights to Canada from Stockholm and then you can do a domestic flight in Canada to Calgary.

Happy sailings Dr.Pam at my home waters

We just reserved a Russian/Baltic Cruise on the Serenade of the Seas for next summer. I am just starting my research and I need the trusted advice of my fellow CCers. :) Here are my first of what will be many questions in the next few months.

 

1. We are arriving at ARN in the late afternoon the day before our cruise. Is it worth it to stay in the central area (thinking of reserving the Sheraton or Grand)? Thinking that we could have dinner in the area and explore the next morning and early afternoon before heading to ship? Or should we stay closer to the port?

 

2. How far of a commute (Probably will take taxi) from hotel to cruise port?

 

3. And the big question ( as we have not reserved our return flight to Canada)....There is a flight out of ARN that leaves at 9:50 AM that connects in Frankfurt and then flies direct into Calgary. (According to ship's itinerary, we are in port at 7 Am.) We could be home by 3:10 PM that day versus arriving 10:00 or later going through Toronto. I know that on our RCCL cruises that we have been on in the past, that we have been allowed to self-disembark. We would be flying biz class so hopefully no long airport lines and we will be departing the ship early on a SUnday morning, so hopefully not too much traffic. THoughts?

 

Thank you for all your insight!

 

:)Pam

To have some time to explore the city before going to the ship looks like a good idea, though I have to say that if you only have about two hours you will not be able to see much.

As for the morning flight - it looks risky. Less than tree hours between the ship and the airport... The ships are seldom late but still you need some time reserve to disembark, to get a taxi. And then there is everything that Naval Architect mentioned about the airport... I would not make my timing so tough.

1. Yes, central Stockholm is not that big so even if stay central the port is just a few kilometres away.

2. It depends on where your ship docks, when do you sail?

A few different possibilities:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hotell+Sheraton+i+Stockholm,+Tegelbacken+6,+101+23+Stockholm,+Sverige/59.3157167,18.0969185/@59.3229302,18.0688958,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m9!4m8!1m5!1m1!1s0x465f9d5fbd8a2865:0x48f87179ae6b63db!2m2!1d18.061712!2d59.328944!1m0!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hotell+Sheraton+i+Stockholm,+Tegelbacken+6,+101+23+Stockholm,+Sverige/Frihamnspiren,+Frihamnsgatan,+Stockholm,+Sverige/@59.3390325,18.0749249,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x465f9d5fbd8a2865:0x48f87179ae6b63db!2m2!1d18.061712!2d59.328944!1m5!1m1!1s0x465f82c8bd19fccd:0x303efb9cad343466!2m2!1d18.125553!2d59.34411!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Grand+Hotel+Stockholm,+S%C3%B6dra+Blasieholmshamnen,+Stockholm,+Sverige/%C3%96stra+Tegelviksslingan,+Stockholm,+Sverige/@59.3218216,18.0820708,15z/data=!4m15!4m14!1m5!1m1!1s0x465f9d59a360c329:0x8cdb57e6f314fc67!2m2!1d18.075817!2d59.32968!1m5!1m1!1s0x465f7803dd95943f:0x819a13a4398baeb6!2m2!1d18.0967167!2d59.3156584!3e0!5i2

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Grand+Hotel+Stockholm,+S%C3%B6dra+Blasieholmshamnen,+Stockholm,+Sverige/Frihamnspiren,+Frihamnsgatan,+Stockholm,+Sverige/@59.3396138,18.0816012,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x465f9d59a360c329:0x8cdb57e6f314fc67!2m2!1d18.075817!2d59.32968!1m5!1m1!1s0x465f82c8bd19fccd:0x303efb9cad343466!2m2!1d18.125553!2d59.34411!3e0

3. Less then three hours to disembark, travel to the airport and check-in during rush-hour? Sounds very risky.

. One option, that I have used once, is to stay Hotel Ariadne (average level) near Cruise harbor and then

walk to terminal. Depending on which pier the ship resides walking distance is between 1,2...1,8 km. Same time you can see one of the world's

biggest cruise ferries that sail between Finland and Sweden.

Well about half of the times that Serenade of the Seas docks in Stockholm, she docks at Stadsgårdskajen which would means that your hotel is in the wrong end of the city for those times. ;)

To NavalArchitect, MarGG and Desdichado62. Thank you!. I have decided with your advice, to reserve a flight at 1:05PM out of Stockholm and into Frankfurt and then connecting in Toronto and on to Calgary. Longer day, but probably the safest route, time wise. I will enjoy a leisurely departure off the ship and not panic the night before if we were to try to make the early flight departure. I think that we will stay at the SHeraton in Stockholm, as I do have SPG pts and it will be a free night :) in a very central location. I am very much looking forward to exploring Stockholm as much as I can in a very short period of time. ANy advice on "what not to miss" during our short visit? Again, thank you so much!

Pam, Vasa museum and Gamla Stan are two musts:

http://www.vasamuseet.se/

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44818963#post44818963

Thank you for the links! WOW! :)