Nynashamn-Stockholm Options w NCL Sun

[rdnpdx1]

Here is a follow up report on travel options from Nynashamn to Stockholm on the Sun. We are just back from our June 22nd sailing and we used the taxi service from Taxi 020 to get into and back from Stockholm. As indicated, I no longer think this was the best choice.

 

First, NCL schedules the "Stockholm on Your Own" ships tour buses to leave after the first two tenders, so you get into the city as early as possible. On our sailing, the buses were at the Opera by 8:20. Though the bus leaves you some 20-25 minutes by foot from the Vasa, it does get you into town very early.

 

My use of the taxi from Taxi 020 did not go as smoothly. Though we had pre-booked a taxi for eight for 7 AM, and advised that we would be on the first tender and able to leave by 7:30, the driver arrived at 8:30. Then on arrival at the Vasa, he refused to honor the agreed price of 1155 SEK for the group of eight. He charged us 1429 SEK, claiming that the meter required him to do so. I have complained to the company. The positive of the taxi is that we went straight to the museum. But unless you have VIP tender tickets, this isn't workable.

 

For most the NCL DIY option is the best by far. The train is doable, but would take longer and is no more convenient, in my view.

 

By the way, at our meeting with the Captain, he explained that Nynashamn was a necessity this year because of the need to be in Copenhagen by 5 AM The time needed to sail into and out of Stockholm through the archipelago made that impossible.

 

Supposedly for next year the Sun will sail into Stockholm, and has adjusted its arrival in Copenhagen on its schedule, so those who book can take this into account in booking air.

[boeckli]

Thanks for the comprehensive update.

Did you manage/is it possible to get on the first two tenders with priority tender tickets?

[rdnpdx1]

Thanks for the comprehensive update.

Did you manage/is it possible to get on the first two tenders with priority tender tickets?

 

Yes. With VIP tender tickets, take the forward elevator down to 3 at 7:00 - the first tender leaves at 7:05. Doing this, we were the first eight on the tender.

 

Do not go down the stairs, as one of the NCL staff refused us access, so we just turned around, went to the elevators and went down one level. Worked like a charm.

[murphytx]

Bob, can you give any advice on leaving the boat when docked at St Petersburg?

[rdnpdx1]

Bob, can you give any advice on leaving the boat when docked at St Petersburg?

 

The first day is the only day that is an issue. Be sure to have a copy of your passport, the immigration form the ship will provide and a copy of your tour ticket, which acts as your visa if you are on a private tour.

 

We had priority disembarkation there because we were in a suite. If you are not in a suite, but are on an NCL tour, they stagger their commencement times to reduce congestion. If you have a private tour your best bet may be to try the elevators as I have heard that the stairs backed up a bit. All disembarkation is from deck three, so you can take an elevator on the foredeck from your deck to deck three which puts you right by the disembarkation point.

 

If that is not an option, you may be stuck waiting in the stair line. Others not in suites I met on the cruise did not report a problem getting their groups off though.

 

I have read here on a thread about disembarkation in St. P w NCL that some opted to try and go down the midship crew stairs Norwegian uses for its tours, but I saw some turned away from the access point.

 

Maybe others on our ship will see this and relate their experience.

[boeckli]

Yes. With VIP tender tickets, take the forward elevator down to 3 at 7:00 - the first tender leaves at 7:05. Doing this, we were the first eight on the tender.

 

Do not go down the stairs, as one of the NCL staff refused us access, so we just turned around, went to the elevators and went down one level. Worked like a charm.

 

[Kaddu]

Bob,

 

How much earlier does a taxi allow you to leave as compared to the NCL bus, and how much later does it allow you to get back? Our time is from 7 a.m. To 6 a.m. But the NCL web site says that the bus leaves at 8:15 a.m. It says that the tour is for 7.5 hours. So we would be back at 3:45 p.m. You indicate that the bus leaves at 7:30 a.m.

 

It may be obvious from this that I am a newbie and don't know much about tenders and VIP tender tickets, and what are realistic times one can get off the boat, and what time one needs to be back. Also, it may be that the bus time available to us just a week before departure is different from what we would have had available weeks earlier.

 

Rohit

[rdnpdx1]

Bob,

 

How much earlier does a taxi allow you to leave as compared to the NCL bus, and how much later does it allow you to get back? Our time is from 7 a.m. To 6 a.m. But the NCL web site says that the bus leaves at 8:15 a.m. It says that the tour is for 7.5 hours. So we would be back at 3:45 p.m. You indicate that the bus leaves at 7:30 a.m.

 

It may be obvious from this that I am a newbie and don't know much about tenders and VIP tender tickets, and what are realistic times one can get off the boat, and what time one needs to be back. Also, it may be that the bus time available to us just a week before departure is different from what we would have had available weeks earlier.

 

Rohit

 

The bus left as soon as it was full from the first tender. I think they changed things at the beginning of the year to get Stockholm on your Own holders off ASAP.

 

If you can get on the first tender, like we could with our VIP tickets, you could have a taxi waiting at 7:30 as you would be on shore by then. Our glitch was that the driver was late - not arriving until almost 8:30 and then refusing to honor the quoted price. In the end, after I complained the taxi company refunded our total fare for the trip into Stockholm, so financially it worked out. We just got to the Vasa an hour later than we thought we would. This might not happen to you, obviously.

 

A problem you might have is getting priority tender tickets. If you aren't on one of the early tours or don't have access to VIP tender tickets, you won't get off as quickly going independently with a taxi as with the tour.

 

As far as return time, the buses returned at 3:30 or so I think. Our taxi was at the same time, so we didn't gain much by using the taxi. All things considered, I think the NCL Stockholm on your Own tour was the best way to go for our sailing.

[Kaddu]

All things considered, I think the NCL Stockholm on your Own tour was the best way to go for our sailing.

 

Thanks a lot Bob for the quick and detailed response!

 

Rohit

[Got2Cruise]

There is a hop-off, hop-on bus that you can use for Stockholm that picks you up at the tender, no need to take a transfer into town. Also, we have very good results with a ship's tour. We did Old Town, Ice Bar, Vasa. It cost $139 USD, and to us was worth every penny. The tour had reserved times for the Ice Bar and the Vasa museum so there was no waiting. If you try to get around by yourself, and then add up the admission costs, you really don't save all that much money. Plus you get to learn much information about Sweden from the tour guide.

[rdnpdx1]

There is a hop-off, hop-on bus that you can use for Stockholm that picks you up at the tender, no need to take a transfer into town. Also, we have very good results with a ship's tour. We did Old Town, Ice Bar, Vasa. It cost $139 USD, and to us was worth every penny. The tour had reserved times for the Ice Bar and the Vasa museum so there was no waiting. If you try to get around by yourself, and then add up the admission costs, you really don't save all that much money. Plus you get to learn much information about Sweden from the tour guide.

 

If you do the HOHO into Stockholm you have to get a tender ticket which will likely be after many of the ship's tours have deisembarked. From what we saw, the first HOHO arrived about eight, and was still witing to fill up at 8:30 when we left. It may be cheaper than the $49 Stockholm on your Own. I am not sure how many stops the HOHO makes before getting to the Vasa or Gamla Stan. Maybe someone who took it will see this and can fill us in. The taxi drivers, who were trying to get a fare told us that it made many stops on the way and was very slow. I would discount that as bad mouthing by a competitor, but I do not know the actual facts.

 

I do know the Stockholm on your Own NCL bus got you on the first tenders, left early, got you to the Opera by 8:20, going nonstop. If you just want a quick way into town and want to explore on your own, it was the way to go. Wish we had done it rather than have our adventure with the late, overcharging taxi.

[Kaddu]

We decided to take the "City Highlights and Leisure Time" NCL tour instead. Compared to the "Stockholm On Your Own" it is $100 instead of $50, but for the $50 you seem to get the following value:

• 8 hour tour instead of 7.5 hours
  
• Goes straight to Vasa musesum instead of dropping you off at a location about a 20 to 25 minute walk to the Vasa museum as indicated by a few
  
• Covers the $20 tickets for the Vasa museum and saves us in potential lines for tickets
  
• Hope that it helps us cut through the crowds as well at the Vasa museum since it is a reserved tour, so as to make that visit faster than if we did it on our own
  
• Provides an overview and insights to the places of interest we will cover later by foot
  
• Still give us 4 hours on our own to cover some of the Rick Steves' type walking tours
  

Will see how that turns out :o!

 

Rohit

[rdnpdx1]

We decided to take the "City Highlights and Leisure Time" NCL tour instead. Compared to the "Stockholm On Your Own" it is $100 instead of $50, but for the $50 you seem to get the following value:

• 8 hour tour instead of 7.5 hours
  
• Goes straight to Vasa musesum instead of dropping you off at a location about a 20 to 25 minute walk to the Vasa museum as indicated by a few
  
• Covers the $20 tickets for the Vasa museum and saves us in potential lines for tickets
  
• Hope that it helps us cut through the crowds as well at the Vasa museum since it is a reserved tour, so as to make that visit faster than if we did it on our own
  
• Provides an overview and insights to the places of interest we will cover later by foot
  
• Still give us 4 hours on our own to cover some of the Rick Steves' type walking tours
  

Will see how that turns out :o!

 

Rohit

 

Enjoy. The museum is amazing. The movie is fascinating. I would not miss that. We thoroughly enjoyed Stockholm.