HAL - "Berlin on your own"?

[bigwally]

Any past HAL Baltic passengers....do you remember if HAL offered a "Berlin on your own" (basically just train transportation to and from)? And, if so, do you remember the costs?

 

If you've been on the Northern Europe part of the board, you may have seen the thread about HAL not posting it's Berlin shore excursions yet. It's really starting to get in the way of folks travel planning for this season. :mad:

[whenzuc]

We took the Westerdam probably three summers ago on the Baltic Cruise. At that time there was train transportation offered at a high cost. We actually had a driver pick us up at the port and then met up with a private guide. It was an expensive day, but still less expensive than 4 of us taking a train, which i believe was not air conditioned, to Berlin. Driving time was about the same as the rail. However, we were comfortable in an air conditioned Mercedes.

[Cruising Ham]

Any past HAL Baltic passengers....do you remember if HAL offered a "Berlin on your own" (basically just train transportation to and from)? And, if so, do you remember the costs?

I'd think you could just reserve that on your own. Or a good TA could do it for you if you're not comfortable navigating the web site, though I just checked www.bahn.de and there's an English version.

 

We rented a car from Hertz, as the rental counter is right where the ship docks. We didn't go to Berlin, but instead drove to Lubeck, Wismar and other points to the west. The costliest part wasn't the car, but the $9/gallon gas (this was last July). But I digress. Just goofing around on the site I found a roundtrip fare from Warnemunde to Berlin of 80 euros.

[lazey1]

In August 2008 HAL offered a Transfer to Berlin by Train or a transfer to Berlin by Bus. The price for either was $229. The trip from the ship by train is 2 hour, 45 minutes, approximately the same by bus. snack provided on train, not on the bus. Both were transfers only with 5-6 hours to explore on your own. There were several other tours including a tour called Berlin's top 10 was $299, Berlin in a nutshell including the Pergamon Museum and Berlin Cathedral was $389 including lunch. These tours are very tiring leaving the ship at 06:30am by train and returniong approximately 09:00pm. Jane

[Mary Ellen]

I know HAL offered that last summer, but I didn't pasy attention to the price as we weren't interested. Heinblod, on the No. Europe forum, has in the past provided excellent help with how to very easily get to/from Berlin on your own for MUCH less $$$ than with HAL.

[bigwally]

Thanks. Yes, Heinbloed has been very helpful to us. I was just wanting to cost comparison against the prices he provided us, bearing in mind the added assurance you have for making the next port when using ship provided transportation. But if the cost differential is still +/- $175, then I think it's a no brainer to either choose public transport or go with a private group tour.

[Mary Ellen]

But if the cost differential is still +/- $175, then I think it's a no brainer to either choose public transport or go with a private group tour.

I'm fairly sure that price differential (or greater) isn't out of line.

[bigwally]

It is if, as lazey1 says, it's $229pp. Heinbloed has pointed us to the Happy Weekender ticket for our party going to Berlin (we're in on Sunday) and the second class APEX fare for the ICE coming back. Total round trip cost ~$54pp. And the Happy Weekender includes local transport while in Berlin too.

[CruisingChics]

re: the "berlin on your own" transfer via train got lots of complaints regarding the obnoxious navigation you had to do "on your own" at the end of the day because the pick-up train station was not the same as the drop-off train station.....

Have you not been to Berlin ever before? I recommend a guided tour instead, others may agree, see the Baltic threads.

also available in Berlin is the Berlin... Footsteps tours, but still, you have to GET to Berlin.... The train station is a very easy 10-15 minute walk from the ship (also in direct view from the Lido if you go outside in the morning to see for yourself)... you could get on an early train, check http://www.bahn.de for a schedule, But if you are serious about Berlin, book another trip back to Germany another day, you need far more time than 5 to 6 hours to see it and appreciate it.

Warnemunde is a quaint and charming little town; Rostock is a bit bigger and equally charming; the waterfront scene in Warnemunde is quite entertaining in the early evening and on into the night; the ship brings on a local 'brass band' and has a fun german party;

or rent a car and take a country drive into another close town. However do invest about $10 on a German "tourist" book (i.e. language) that has a chapter on driving and reading street/highway signs......

enjoy.