Need an opinion

[Lojay2]

We are looking at doing Northern Europe cruise on Celebrity in  2021( this is pretty much a lock because of status and credits I have)  and basically the same itinerary is available out of Amsterdam (12 days) or London (14 days), we have spent time in both London and Amsterdam independently of cruising so neither one is a "must see" other than flying in from US and boarding.  I am starting to think about staying a few days after the cruise and really leaning at going to Berlin even though one of the stops is a few hours away from Berlin.

 

Questions  I have are:    Is one city easier to get to the port than the other

 

                                          After the cruise is one city easier than another to possibly go to Berlin ( probably fly) the same day 

 

Really need some opinions from the savvy travelers that have used both ports

 

Thank you  

[dogs4fun]

I would opt for Amsterdam to Berlin and would take the train rather than fly. Considering airport security, the need to arrive at least an hour prior to flight, etc., a flight would take about 5 hours. You can enjoy an economical and relaxing train ride (6 hours) directly from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Berlin Hbf. Bonus - you need not worry about luggage weight/size limitations on the train. You can read about it here:

https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/amsterdam-to-berlin-by-train.htm

[Sauer-kraut]

Amsterdam or England will really not make much difference because they are a short flight to Berlin.  What you need to pay attention to is the LUGGAGE ALLOWANCE for several of the cheap hop airlines.  They severely limit what you can carry on and how much you need to pay for checked bags.  Also, some cheap airlines will say they are flying into Berlin but will use an out of the way airport miles from the city. 

A non-stop flight will be about 1.25 hours

 

 

Edited January 10, 2020 by Sauer-kraut

[trosebery]

I would also vote for Amsterdam and connecting by train! I much prefer the train system to travelling by air. It's great being able to arrive just a few minutes before departure and roll aboard with your luggage and roll off on the other end. Plus, the train stations are centrally located.

[princeton123211]

8 hours ago, Lojay2 said:

I am starting to think about staying a few days after the cruise and really leaning at going to Berlin even though one of the stops is a few hours away from Berlin.

Also keep in mind that flying home from Berlin will mean you'll be taking a layover either on that side of the pond (more than likely Frankfurt or Heathrow depending on where you are headed) or through Newark or JFK on this side. Theres very little direct service from Berlin Tegal to the US and its only seasonal in the summer. 

 

I like the train but 6.5 hours is a lot if you have limited time. Agree with poster above-- if you are going to fly, fly a normal airline like Lufthansa or British Airways and make sure you fly into Berlin Tegal. Don't bother with carriers like EasyJet or Ryanair with 14 day cruise amounts of luggage-- they will nickel and dime you all day for it. 

[Belfast Taxman]

One other thing to possibly think about. When you say your cruise ends in London, do you really mean London, or is it Southampton? If it is the latter that would be another reason to opt for Amsterdam. Even if disembarkation were closer to London, say Tilbury, it is a comparatively difficult journey to Heathrow than it would be from Amsterdam port to train station.

By 2021 we may even see the UK leave the European Union. The precise consequences of that are uncertain but it is not going to make travel between the two easier.

[John Bull]

Like most other cruise lines, Celebrity's "London" is actually Southampton.

There are currently no direct flights from Southampton airport (SOU) to any Berlin airport.

Southampton is a two-hour ride by bus from LHR, or by train from LGW, or ship's transfer at around $100 pp, or private transfer at around £100 for a sedan.

 

Southampton also adds two sea days. And usually a port of call at Zeebrugge for Bruges - so does 14 days from Southampton vs 12 days from Amsterdam mean a missing port day in the Baltic? 

 

By contrast there's a frequent train service from Schipol airport (AMS) to Amsterdam's centraal station, and as you probably know cruise ship berths are behind centraal station.

 

Options of train or plane to get to Berlin from Amsterdam, but from Southampton anything other than by air from a London airport  isn't practical.

 

And a guess that the cruise price from Amsterdam will be lower.

 

So I see it as a no-brainer - plump for Amsterdam !!

Whether Berlin by train or by air has its pros & cons.

But certainly Berlin is an excellent option for pre or post cruise, well worth several days rather than a very trunkated port-of-call day.

 

JB 

Edited January 11, 2020 by John Bull