Considering RC for an 8-night N. European city cruise

[kctwinmommy]

I'd love to hear some feedback from those who have been on this. I did search, but I wasn't finding much. It appears this ship does a lot of other cruises during the year, and not this one as much. We've obviously done Carnival several times, as seen in my signature. So we're not new to cruising. We've always done Carnival because we earn our points there and we go with others who have a higher status. In other words, while they're usually our first choice, we're not exclusive. And since they don't have anything for Europe this summer, it doesn't matter.

 

I'm just curious on the weather, if you stayed before/after the cruise and where, highlights, etc... We've been to Europe before, but it's been a LONG time. My husband was actually stationed in the UK in the 80's. We were considering just a land based Europe trip this summer, but there's so much we want to see, we can't totally agree. But this cruise seems like a nice collection/variety.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Florida_cruisers]

Which ship and itinerary are you looking at specifically, and what month? We went on a Mediterranean and also Baltic cruise two VERY different sailings.

 

The Mediterranean cruise left out of Spain in May, so there were a lot of people from Spain on the ship. We stayed in Barcelona prior to the cruise and it was wonderful. The ship went to various cities in Italy, one city in France, Monaco, Corfu (Greece), and Dubrovnik. It was awesome!

 

The Baltic cruise left out of Harwich, England in September. We stayed in London (we were just there again a few months ago in Nov) and the weather was great, not rainy nor cold. That cruise went to Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, etc... it was very different than the Mediterranean. The demographic was much, much older, probably because of the time of the year we went. But it was still great.

 

RCL also has sailings around Spain and Greece and Turkey. So it all depends on where you want to go.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Florida_cruisers

[kctwinmommy]

Which ship and itinerary are you looking at specifically, and what month? We went on a Mediterranean and also Baltic cruise two VERY different sailings.

 

Yes, I understand that. This is their 8-night European City cruise, that's what they called it. It's on the Independence of the Sea. It is R/T from Southampton, stops in Brussels, Hamburg, Oslo, & Normandy/Paris. It sails in July.

 

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/8NightNorthernEuropeCitiesCruise-ID08Q024?currencyCode=USD&sCruiseType=CO&sailDate=07%2F07%2F2017

[Florida_cruisers]

Yes, I understand that. This is their 8-night European City cruise, that's what they called it. It's on the Independence of the Sea. It is R/T from Southampton, stops in Brussels, Hamburg, Oslo, & Normandy/Paris. It sails in July.

 

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/8NightNorthernEuropeCitiesCruise-ID08Q024?currencyCode=USD&sCruiseType=CO&sailDate=07%2F07%2F2017

 

That looks like a great sailing. Our Baltic cruise also went to Brussels, Hamburg, Oslo, & Normandy/Paris. Loved Brussels, there we went to Brugge, what a place! Think of it as the town where Cinderella lived :) Great chocolate too, brought a whole bag of it. Hamburg was okay, nothing too exciting. In Oslo we visited the Viking museum and the sculpture park. In France we went to Paris (it was mine and DH's second time but first with our son). The bus ride from the port to Paris was a few hours, not too bad.

 

The weather should be warm and not humid, for us Floridian is comfortable weather as we are used to the scorching heat.

[kctwinmommy]

That looks like a great sailing. Our Baltic cruise also went to Brussels, Hamburg, Oslo, & Normandy/Paris. Loved Brussels, there we went to Brugge, what a place! Think of it as the town where Cinderella lived :) Great chocolate too, brought a whole bag of it. Hamburg was okay, nothing too exciting. In Oslo we visited the Viking museum and the sculpture park. In France we went to Paris (it was mine and DH's second time but first with our son). The bus ride from the port to Paris was a few hours, not too bad.

 

The weather should be warm and not humid, for us Floridian is comfortable weather as we are used to the scorching heat.

 

Haha! Yeah, I get that with the weather. While being from Chicago we're not the same, we still get really humid in the summers. We did an Alaska cruise last summer though, and it was pretty chilly every day. I know that's expected, I was just hoping we would have gotten some rare warmer days! ;)

 

I've been to Paris as well, although my husband/son haven't. But I really want to see the beached of Normandy. I've heard Brussels is beautiful, and I'm all about the chocolate!

 

Did you guys fly in early or stay later after the cruise?

[Florida_cruisers]

Haha! Yeah, I get that with the weather. While being from Chicago we're not the same, we still get really humid in the summers. We did an Alaska cruise last summer though, and it was pretty chilly every day. I know that's expected, I was just hoping we would have gotten some rare warmer days! ;)

 

I've been to Paris as well, although my husband/son haven't. But I really want to see the beached of Normandy. I've heard Brussels is beautiful, and I'm all about the chocolate!

 

Did you guys fly in early or stay later after the cruise?

 

We always fly two days early to where ever the cruise leaves from as we want to get to know the area and tour the city. If it is a city outside of the East coast, it also helps with the time change. At the minimum I would fly a day early, just in case, you would hate to miss the cruise due to airfare problems.

 

I am hoping for not too cold of weather in Alaska. I am not a big fan of the cold, at all. I can take mid 50s but that is it. I guess we better layer up :)

[kctwinmommy]

We always fly two days early to where ever the cruise leaves from as we want to get to know the area and tour the city. If it is a city outside of the East coast, it also helps with the time change. At the minimum I would fly a day early, just in case, you would hate to miss the cruise due to airfare problems.

 

I am hoping for not too cold of weather in Alaska. I am not a big fan of the cold, at all. I can take mid 50s but that is it. I guess we better layer up :)

 

Oh yes, we always fly in early, for all our Caribbean ones even! I don't take that chance! ;) But I was just wondering if you came early and toured around. We're tentatively thinking of flying Iceland Air. Then on the way back, staying 2-3 days in London and then 2 day layover in Iceland.

 

And yeah, we did Alaska in July this past year. It was pretty chilly every day, except for the afternoon in port at Skagway. When we got back, it was in the 60s at least. So I could put on some capris and sandals to walk around the top deck. My son was in shorts and t-shirt. You can see pictures in my trip report, listed below. But otherwise, it was on the colder side. I even ended up buying a jacket on the cruise ship (great deal too!), so I could be more layered. Layers and boots are the most important thing for Alaska.

Edited January 26, 2017 by kctwinmommy

[Florida_cruisers]

Oh yes, we always fly in early, for all our Caribbean ones even! I don't take that chance! ;) But I was just wondering if you came early and toured around. We're tentatively thinking of flying Iceland Air. Then on the way back, staying 2-3 days in London and then 2 day layover in Iceland.

 

And yeah, we did Alaska in July this past year. It was pretty chilly every day, except for the afternoon in port at Skagway. When we got back, it was in the 60s at least. So I could put on some capris and sandals to walk around the top deck. My son was in shorts and t-shirt. You can see pictures in my trip report, listed below. But otherwise, it was on the colder side. I even ended up buying a jacket on the cruise ship (great deal too!), so I could be more layered. Layers and boots are the most important thing for Alaska.

 

Your plan to tour both London and Iceland sounds ideal, absolutely! I usually only tour at the beginning of the trip because once the cruise is over I just want to head home. But I have never gone on a one-way cruise before, so if I went on cruise that arrived in a new city, I would have to stay over to check it out. More places to see and learn from :)

 

Thanks for the tip on what to wear in Alaska. I did not think it was necessary to bring boots, but now I will pack it.

[Florida_cruisers]

Nice pictures from your Alaskan cruise. Our children are so lucky they get to travel and vacation to amazing places with their family. I was not blessed in that way growing up, so I am making it up for now that I can.