Tour start times

[KerbyTex]

With the exception of St. Petersburg and Berlin, we plan to tour the other ports own our own. The ship gets into port at 7 or 8 and we have priority disembark privileges. On the other hand, most things do not open until 10. Does it make sense to be the first off the boat and get ahead of the crowd?

[Bet & Peg]

I think it all depends on what ports you're talking about. We docked early at Tallinn and we were ready to go and got into town when it was almost all asleep - and fabulous! Walked around the center of town and went up to the high part. By the time we got back into the center it was filled with tourists (like us!!) and awful!! I had gotten great photos of the town empty!

 

So it all depends on what ports and what you like to do! I'm happy we saw Tallinn the way we did!!

[Giantfan13]

Like Peg said, depends on which ports you are talking about. In Stockholm, the Vasa Museum opens at 8:30 AM starting in June. In Helsinki, there is a lot to see just walking around early in the AM. If you are sight seeing, the things you probably want to see are there, early and late, it's the shops, museums, et al, that open a bit later.

 

Personally, we like to let the crowds rush off the ship, while we eat some breakfast. No need to be first off. When the mad rush is over, we can just wander off and get to where we want to go. So we may be there 1/2 hour later, but we learned, with age, it's not how fast you get there and move on, it's the quality time you spend being where ever you are.

 

CheersLen

[Lair Bear]

With the exception of St. Petersburg and Berlin, we plan to tour the other ports own our own. The ship gets into port at 7 or 8 and we have priority disembark privileges. On the other hand, most things do not open until 10. Does it make sense to be the first off the boat and get ahead of the crowd?

 

I realize your exception about St. Petersburg, but let me just mention that if you have lined up a 'private tour' (instead of the ship's tours), you really want to get off the ship and go through 'passport control' early. It is not only getting off the ship, but rather through the slow process by the Russians. We were to meet our guide at nine, lined up to get off the ship at 8:30, but did not get off until 9:30 (ship's tours first, etc), and met our guide at 10:00.

In Warnemunde that was not at all a problem. The other ports were covered by others. Enjoy your trip Kerby!!!!

[eetonaee]

I realize your exception about St. Petersburg, but let me just mention that if you have lined up a 'private tour' (instead of the ship's tours), you really want to get off the ship and go through 'passport control' early. It is not only getting off the ship, but rather through the slow process by the Russians. We were to meet our guide at nine, lined up to get off the ship at 8:30, but did not get off until 9:30 (ship's tours first, etc), and met our guide at 10:00.

 

When were you last in St. Petersburg? There is no preference given to ship's tours as the Russians consider this illegal.

We were off the ship at 7:30 and left with our private tour group by 8:30

[KirkNC]

We are usually in the first group off the ship. I am always surprised how uncrowded it can be if you do that. I agree with Peg, when we went to Santa Margarita last year, we caught the bus to Portofino and had the entire town to ourself. We got some great pictures and than headed up to Castle Brown. When we came back the place was a zoo!

 

Kirk