HAL Rotterdam August 11th Baltic Trip - Stockholm Berth Question

[ESummerson]

I've learned a lot of great information on this site. As a first time cruise traveler, I appreciate everyone's insights. I will be on the HAL Rotterdam Baltic cruise leaving Copenhagen on August 11th. I am trying to plan my own sight-seeing excursions (except in St. Petersburg). When I checked the berth for our stop in Stockholm, the Port of Stockholm said we would be at "BOJ1 Fortojning Pa Strommen." I have not been able to find any map that shows this berth. Does anyone have any experience with docking at this berth? How far is it to the center of the city? Thanks so much.

[bigwally]

Wow! August 17th looks like one busy day! You guys seem to have well and truly drawn the short straw, and I'd lay odds that it refers to a mooring buoy. I think your ship is going to be tendering to shore.

 

Edit:

 

MOORING BUOY BOJ1

Location: N59º 19’2 E18º 04’9

Tender berth: Old Town

Distance buoy to tender berth: Up to 600m (1.968 feet)

[bigwally]

There you go. The L&L are not exactly on, but the dot pictured is the only thing I can see that looks like it could be a mooring buoy:

 

[Ultima Thule]

Just confirming that:

 

boj = buoy

förtöjning =mooring

på = on

Strömmen = Strömmen bay

[north-bound]

Bigwallys picture is correct, that is where your ship will be. But this mooring buoy is not as bad as it may sound. The ship is just in the centre of Stockholm, in front of Gamla Stan with the Royal Palace, and there is a very short distance for the tender.

 

Here is a link to a map where you can see how much closer you will be to most things of interest than you would have been had the ship docked at Frihamnen or Värtshamnen.

 

http://maps.google.se/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=h&msa=0&msid=100446628536787947860.000448dadb8bebb56f079&ll=59.346583,18.108816&spn=0.018948,0.042229&z=14

[bigwally]

I wouldn't like to be in Stockholm that day - 7 ships in port at the height of summer.....the town is just going to be HEAVING with people.

[ESummerson]

Thank you to everyone for the quick responses. Tendering seems daunting. How do they get 1,300 people off the ship? Once you're off the ship, where will they take us? I also can't help but wonder if this will shorten our time in Stockholm. If we're only going to be there from 8AM to 5PM, won't tendering cut into that time?

[bigwally]

Yes, tendering will cut into your time, especially if you don't have priority tendering status...you'll have to wait until those with priority are off.

[ESummerson]

Ugh! It sounds like we should just plan on seeing Gamla Stan. I had really wanted to go to Skansen too, but I'm afraid we won't have time. Thanks to this message board, I've also found out that our berth in Helsinki is off by itself. I'm so glad to be able to find these things out way in advance so I can plan accordingly.

[bigwally]

Yes, seems like about 95% of the time Rotterdam puts in at West Harbor, on berth LHB. You can take the public bus number 16 from the port to Senate Square. You may have seen the threads on the subject already?

 

BTW, I still think you'd have time to do Gamla Stan and do a quick run to Skansen. But I don't think you'd have time for much else. I wouldn't count on the city bus to get you to and from Skansen though, it will be far too busy. Take a taxi to and from instead.

[ESummerson]

Yes, I have seen the threads; they've been really helpful. I'm a little wary of relying on buses on a Sunday. Where I live we have great bus service Mon-Sat, but on Sunday the buses run just once an hour. It just seems like a lot to negotiate in a new country. All the guide books say that Helsinki is doable on foot, but now I'm not so sure.

 

As far as Stockholm goes, I was thinking of going to Skansen first, and then on to Gamla Stan. I thought I would enjoy myself more if I spent the afternoon closer to berth (now tendering spot!).

 

You are a wealth of information! Thanks again.

[clamar]

:confused:Bigwally, August 17 in Stockholm sounds like it might be a very hetic day. A few questions for you: What is priority tendering status? Would it better to book a early morning ship's excursion and at least see the highlights of Stockholm? Any chance the berthing could change ?

 

Thanks for your help. ;)

[north-bound]

Ugh! It sounds like we should just plan on seeing Gamla Stan. I had really wanted to go to Skansen too, but I'm afraid we won't have time.

 

If your tender will let you off close to Slussen (the south point of Gamla Stan), which seems possible, there is a ferry there to take you to Djurgården where Skansen is. The ferry takes only 10 minutes, and from where it stops it is only a short walk to Skansen. Even if there is a line waiting for the ferry, and there may well be on a Sunday, I think you will have plenty of time to go to Skansen.

 

I don't know if you had a look at the map I posted about earlier. But if you do you will see where the ferry is, I have drawn a line across the water indicating the ferry route.

 

The bus number 76 that is a means to travel between Gamla Stan, Skansen and Vasa museums, and Frihamnen and Värtahamnen ports does not run on Sundays.

[bigwally]

:confused:Bigwally, August 17 in Stockholm sounds like it might be a very hetic day. A few questions for you: What is priority tendering status? Would it better to book a early morning ship's excursion and at least see the highlights of Stockholm? Any chance the berthing could change ?

 

Thanks for your help. ;)

 

 

Check with the HAL part of the boards to make sure it's applicable to HAL. I know that, on Celebrity, past passengers, suite passengers, and passengers on Celebrity excursions get priority tendering.

 

Of course, one thing you have going for you is your tender distance is very, very short.

 

There is a chance the berth could change. Stockholm is supposed to be able to take something like 10 or 11 ships and there are only the 7 in port that day.

[clamar]

Thanks for the info, I will check further on the tendering situation. We had planned on doing Stockholm on our own but now are considering a HAL excursion. I see that you have sailed on HAL 12 day Baltic cruise. Would you please share what you did while the ship was docked in Warnemunde.

 

Many thanks;)

[ESummerson]

North Bound,

 

Thanks for the map. I feel more confident now about managing Skansen in the morning and Gamla Stan in the afternoon. The only hitch in my plans may be the time that we are allowed to leave the ship. From another thread I have learned that the ship excursions generally leave first, and that if you look at the time of the first ship excursion, that is the earliest time passengers can possibly leave. (about a half-hour after the ship docks?) What I really need to find out is if the ship leaves Stockholm at 5PM, what time are we expected to be back at the ship?

 

I am so excited to have a chance to see Stockholm, and I want to make the most of my time there. I see that you are from Sweden, North Bound. Do you have any suggestions for a short day in Stockholm? Any ideas for a quick place to get lunch (typically Swedish food)? Thank you!

[bigwally]

Thanks for the info, I will check further on the tendering situation. We had planned on doing Stockholm on our own but now are considering a HAL excursion. I see that you have sailed on HAL 12 day Baltic cruise. Would you please share what you did while the ship was docked in Warnemunde.

 

Many thanks;)

 

About to sail - 3 weeks tomorrow. Not that I'm counting or anything. ;)

 

From Warnemunde, a group of us have booked a private tour to Berlin with Private Berlin Tours.

[bigwally]

What I really need to find out is if the ship leaves Stockholm at 5PM, what time are we expected to be back at the ship?

 

All aboard when docked is generally 30 minutes before departure. For a tender port I would definitely double check with the cruise line. But I would put some fudge time in there, like maybe another 30 minutes. You do not want to miss the last tender back to the ship. :eek:

[ESummerson]

Big Wally,

 

If possible, would you be willing to post on this forum when you return from your Baltic cruise? I'd love to hear your insights about the Rotterdam and the ports you visit. Any information you have to share would be appreciated!

Thanks.

[bigwally]

Big Wally,

 

If possible, would you be willing to post on this forum when you return from your Baltic cruise? I'd love to hear your insights about the Rotterdam and the ports you visit. Any information you have to share would be appreciated!

Thanks.

 

Sure. Either here or back in our roll-call (I already told someone I'd post something like this over there).