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Cruising the Baltics with a Teen and Tween on the Getaway; A Review


Travel R
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Everyone's Journey is Unique.

 

This is the Story of My Journey. . . . .

 

Itinerary: NCL Baltic Capitals

Ship: Norwegian Getaway

Dates: June 30th thru July 9

--Including pre-cruise days in Copenhagen and stopover in Iceland

Adventurers: Travel R, DW, DD17, and DD12

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WE ARE ALL ON OUR OWN JOURNEY

 

 

To Travel is to Take a Journey Into Yourself” [Danny Kaye]

 

We have just returned from a Baltic Sea Journey that has taken us to the heart of the Nordic realm, with anchors set upon many a beautiful country from Copenhagen to Saint Petersberg (to name but a few). The bags are now stowed until the next adventure comes calling and blows our sails once gain onto the seven seas.

 

This is a tale that takes place mostly on the Norwegian Getaway, a large, sturdy, and majestic ship, which dutifully held her course throughout the journey. Although there were many that traversed with us on this same itinerary, each of us, in reality, took our own journey.

  • There were those that were newlyweds, seeing each sight with the same callowness of their marriage – every stop was the start of something better to come
  • There were those that have traversed already through most of the highways of life, viewing each port through eyes of wisdom which can truly see beyond the veils of their beauty into the depth of the history and culture of the region that lies within.
  • There were those of a youthful age that are able to experience the delight and wonder that these far-off lands have to offer, and to imprint the experience on their minds, which are still an unfinished canvas – adding splashes of color and excitement before the grays of adulthood begin to invade.
  • There were those that just came to experience cheer and high spirits, and left with not only feeling the pleasure acquired from their escapades, but also came home with an appreciation for the people and places they had visited.
  • There were those that sailed on a once in a lifetime vacation, who’s memories will last until their last breath.
  • However, these are not unique to any one oceanic voyage in particular. These are just a small handful of the journeys that are taken on each ship that leaves any port.

There are also those, like my family, that had an incredible seafaring adventure throughout the lands of northern Europe. Like many of the passengers before me on these threads, whom return from afar and chronicled their journeys for all to see, I shall do the same. Although there will be information for all travelers, many of my entries shall be supplemented to provide insight to travelling this region as a family,especially for those that have a teen and/or tween in tow.

 

 

Sit back, put up your feet, and enjoy the tale of our journey . . . .

Edited by Travel R
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THERE AND BACK AGAIN

 

 

Not all of us who Wander are Lost” [J.R.R. Tolkien]

 

A Little Bit About Us (For Your Files)

 

As with our first European voyage, my DW and I are as grateful as ever to be able to convey another such adventure upon our children. Our eldest is a blossoming tall and thin beauty of ten and seven years of age, and the younger will be a bit shy of 13 upon our next sailing. My maritime adventures first began more than one score ago, on the Royal Majesty (of Majesty Cruise Lines), which took afloat out of San Juan in the year 1996; T’was those dark days before the birth of Cruise Critic. Although I was a land-lubber at said time, my DW was already an experienced cruiser of the seven seas. This will be the third ship-bound voyage of our offspring. The first was an amazing adventure upon the Mediterranean Sea, the second voyage was closer to home, visiting our neighbor in the North, the grand nation of Canada. [For the voyeurs amongst you, links to reviews and a few pictures of these adventures can be found in my signature.]

 

As a youth, with my family not having much money, my holiday trips were spent travelling via a car, and many times sleeping under the stars at various campsites. It was not until I was ten, when we took a car trip to the far away land of Disney in the country of Florida and even stayed at a hotel (albeit, only while in Florida itself). Although these amazing memories are still vivid in my mind, it was not until I was attending university that I made it as far as Mexico, and I did not set foot upon the Continent until I was in my third decade of being. The lives of our children are, in many ways, the antithesis of our own.

 

 

My DD, at the tender age of 17, has already traversed to Europe twice (this trip shall make thrice), to South America, Canada, in addition to a number of locations throughout our own majestic country. I do not relay the above to boast, but to show how grateful I am that I am able to share the world in such a way that I was unable to experience in my younger days. If you consider us bourgeoisie, we are so only at the very bottom of its definition, and have had to cut many corners to afford this holiday; but it is something that we are fortunately able to do.

 

I hope all ye readers are enjoying the prose of this post. The works of non-fiction are a part of my on-shore life, so here, in these accounts, I would like to have fun writing this thread through dabbling in the magic and creativity of the fictional oeuvre; making this thread both informational and entertaining.

 

Up Next: Why and How We Decided Upon a Baltic Cruise

 

[Note: For those of you that don’t like a blow-by-blow review, this is your warning – this is going to be a review that goes into some detail of places, experiences, thoughts, and the like (if you have not figured it out so far). If you shall not return, thank you for playing and have a pleasant day.]

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Can't wait for your review! Love your writing style so far! We are doing this same cruise in six days...so hoping your review posts quickly :-)

 

Unfortunately, I am probably not going to finish transcribing the entire review by the time you bid us farewell. However, I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

A quick summary - it was an amazing adventure for my entire family. The rain and clouds may have dampened our clothing, but it did not dampen our spirits.

 

Top-eleven tips off the top of my head:

 

1) Bring an old credit card or something with a magnetic strip to use for your room electricity

2) No matter what type of excursion you chose - DIY, NCL, third party, you will have made the right decision.

3) Not so Newlywed game was funny (according to my wife, so was the Perfect Marriage game).

4) Try to get to Howl at the Moon

5) I really enjoyed Million Dollar Quartet and the Cirque Steam and Dream (worth the $/upcharge)

6) Get to shows 20-30 minutes early (seats fill up quickly - in all venues)

7) If leaving ship early for Berlin or SPB - get as close to the gangplank as soon as you can, even before they give the "all clear" signal. I am stating this in direct contradiction to the announcements on the ship. However, it will save you a lot of time. We did this unintentionally for SPB and only had a slight wait - but heard horror stories of people that tried to get off the ship later on.

8) If you have nothing planned for Tallinn, the free tour was definitely worth it (or worth the tip you give at the end) - and Tallinn was the unexpected surprise port.

9) Check your account (in your room) - to take care of odd expenses as they arise.

10) O'Sheehans was a great go-to option instead of the over-crowded buffet, including the first lunch after boarding.

11) Sign up for comedy shows and Escape the Big Top as soon as possible (by going to the Box Office) - they sell out quickly

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Thank you so much for your top tips! They will be helpful. Did your girls enjoy the Escape the Big Top?

And also, is it true that on some mornings there is a separate breakfast buffet option at Moderno? I keep reading that the regular buffet can be crowded and we will need a table for five.

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Thank you so much for your top tips! They will be helpful. Did your girls enjoy the Escape the Big Top?

And also, is it true that on some mornings there is a separate breakfast buffet option at Moderno? I keep reading that the regular buffet can be crowded and we will need a table for five.

 

Both of my daughters enjoyed Escape the Big Top. Actually, I think the younger adults and kids enjoyed it better than the slightly older generation. Note for the "older" adults out there - pay attention to the directions at the beginning and don't overthink the questions.

- Also, another quick tip - get proof/confirmation that they signed you up (they gave us the wrong date - but we got in as a standbys). We were not the only ones this happened to. [The same thing happened with one of the comedy shows.]

 

They have an express breakfast buffet at Moderno. We dined there on the days we had to leave early. [it was also a good spot to meet up with others for these early excursions.] Not as many options as the Garden Buffet, but not as crowded. Moderno express breakfast had a small hot buffet option (scrambled eggs, "breakfast" potatoes, sausage links, bacon, and a "specialty" (usually a croissant with eggs, cheese, and ham). The cold buffet included cheeses, meats, breads, danish, fruits, cold cereals, etc.). Of course, there is also coffee and tea. My one complaint was that they did not have separate milk for the cereals and you had to use the milk from the box containers.

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Good to know, thank you! Also, was there pump soap for the cabin bathroom sink (for hand washing) or a bar of soap? Hoping for the former :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

We had a mini-suite (not sure if it makes a difference), but the following was included:

 

To the side of the sink we had a pump for soap.

Upon the counter-top a bar of soap was also to be had.

Within the shower stall two pumps there be - one for the body, one for the hair.

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WHY AND HOW WE DECIDED UPON A BALTIC CRUISE

 

A number of celebratory events have and will be commemorated between 2016 and 2018, so a decision was devised in mid-2016 for yours truly to begin an inquiry into viable family holiday excursions on the high seas. Twas’ almost exactly a full year from the onset of planning until the date of execution.

 

Where to Cruise? Choosing an Itinerary.

 

My investigation into possible ocean vessels to hire, and which of the seven seas to sail, were not restricted. However, a preference for the land down under was insisted by the younger members of our party. Although, costs and the time we could voyage,were limitations for me to take into consideration. As I shall explain in a passage further below, the time period we could sail made a significant impact on the availability for ports of call. Being winter on the Australian Continent, our journey would unfortunately not take us there. Many of the North American options were available, but they were struck down by a unanimous consensus. After a bit of discussion, it became clear that it was a voyage to foreign soil that we had in our sights. A cruise to the Far East was also not an option at this time, so it was to be a European cruise. But where? Since the idea of another cruise in the Mediterranean Sea was not a popular idea, even taking the winds to the East of Italy, a voyage to the Northern realms of the Baltic was the option that shined most brightly.

 

Are The Baltics A Good Place for Kids?

 

Tis’ a good, and blunt question to answer. With a wee little one of but ten and two years of age and a lass of seventeen, I need to ensure that their interests are kept well in mind. Upon my research through the virtual records of the Internet, I had found a vast store of activities and attractions that would be to their liking. But also, one must keep the likes and dislikes of their father and mother in mind; and there were many. Although some ports and attractions would be of more interest than others, there was a great deal of activities and sites for them to choose.

 

I had also queried them perform some of their own discovery into this region as well, and their opine was much the same. It was a destination they would be interested in visiting. The itinerary upon which we elected to travel shall be revealed later in this volume.

 

A caveat to those with offspring –when travelling with younglings, one must be willing to compromise for the overall welfare of the family unit; for instance, excursions for the tasting of the fruit of the vine were automatically eliminated as a reasonable possibility.

 

Choosing the Right Time to Cruise

 

A trick question, this is. Is there any time that is not right to set sail upon the waves of the closest ocean? As a family, one must take into consideration the many complications that arise when scheduling for two working adults with school-age youth. The time must not be in conflict with the tasks of labor, and one also needs to be able to obtain a length of time suitable for such an adventure. Two weeks away from the job site may only be possible at certain times of the year. The hurdles of education, breaks, summer activities, and holidays, also must be mixed into the problem. The top of the summer was the answer to our vacation equation.

 

We also wanted to partake upon another cruise prior to our eldest daughter obtaining the age of 18 so that, if she desired, she may still partake upon activities within the teen club. The days between blooming into an eighteen year old and maturing to a young adult of one score and one year of age can be lonely for those passengers on a sailing vessel. This assemblage of pre-adults cannot partake of libations in the tavern, nor try their luck in a game of chance at the casino for being below the age limit, but at the same time, they have passed their years to gain entry to the programs set aside for “younger” teens.

 

[Side note: I spoke to one mother that mentioned that their 18 year old was not happy being of that age on the ship, while another mom stated the opposite for her daughter.]

 

Picking a Cruise Line and Ship

 

Allow me to begin with the statement, that I would prefer a smaller vessel to sail the seas. This shall be my virgin voyage upon a ship that sails with over four thousand passengers. The potential for crowds and waiting for eons upon a queue is not something I fancy. It is also the possibility of not feeling the closeness and connection to the seas that infuriates me. The ship we chose, the Getaway, was an option decided upon for the benefit of our daughters. After reviewing much writing on this ship, and communicating with individuals that have sailed on her sister, the Breakaway, I had decided that this would provide the best onboard experience for our two greatest treasures.

 

At the start of my quest, I was leaning heavily upon discovering an itinerary through their adversary, Royal Caribbean. With the Royal organization, we have always experienced pleasurable voyages. However, I am always open to new experiences. Our adventure two falls past was upon Carnival. The experience was not extremely unpleasant, and the price was right,but my inaugural sailing with them will probably be my last unless I find another itinerary for a great price that no one else is offering at a specific time. Although I have heard many opinions of Norwegian, some good and some bad,the positives outweighed the negatives by a large margin. The offerings for RCI did not match up to our requirements of time and itinerary, so NCL had won the battle.

 

A cruise it be, and no matter how lousy, fun shall still be had by my family and me.

 

Our Itinerary

 

There is no need to reiterate how we chose Northern Europe and the window of time we had available, but these limited our viable choices. There was an 8-night on RCI’s Independence out of Southampton that visited the shores of Brussels, Oslo, Hamburg, and Paris that seemed promising, but it set sail too far into the summer, the earlier sailing on the Independence was nice, but not as enticing (an 8-night also out of Southampton, but three stops in Norway and two in Denmark). Coincidentally, it was but a few years ago that the Independence was in a rivalry with the ship we were too take passage upon in the Mediterranean.This time, its opponent for our affection was the Getaway’s 9-day Baltic Capital cruise. The decision came down to a vote, with the Getaway and the Baltic Seas coming out as the unanimous winner. With six interesting ports of call that none in my party had ever stepped foot, and the Breakaway, the sister ship of the Getaway, being the recipient of great praise, our choice was clear.The poor Independence is the loser once again. It has been too many years being away from Royal, maybe our next voyage shall be upon her mighty hull.

 

So the stones were cast and our direction known, we began our preparations to set sail. The itinerary was to be as such:

 

  • Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Berlin (Warnemunde/Rostock), Germany
  • Sea Day
  • Tallinn, Estonia
  • Saint Petersburg, Russia (2 days)
  • Helsinki, Finland
  • Stockholm (Nynashamn), Sweden
  • Sea Day
  • Copenhagen, Denmark

Pre-Cruise or Post-Cruise Stopover?

 

It is not every day that we get to venture forth from our little hobble. Too skip over the big pond is an even rarer occurrence. So the notion was brought up about extending the holiday to include a short bout in yet a seventh country. The first, and obvious, choice, having children and all, was a stop in Paris with an outing to the house of mouse. Being a lover of Disney myself, I could not see any fault in pursuing this course. But with most things that seem to be likely in nature, things are not always as they seem behind the scenes.

 

A downside to a stop-over in Paris there be. France is a country the entire clan has had the opportunity to visit but a mere four years ago.Although only myself and beautiful (then wife-to be) had colored the town (of Paris) red, it is a destination I believe that my daughters will most likely visit in the future. Having experienced its wonder, a mere two days, one spent in the corporate theme park, the experience would be too much of a tease. I do also have to admit, the mounting threat of potential ill-doing in and around that city, also played a factor into my decision.

 

After ruling out La Ville Lumière, an alternative destination needed to be found, and it was decided that it should be somewhere none in our party has been. Through the power of the Internet, and reviewing airlines that provide free stopovers, I set my eyes upon Iceland air and its free stopover to the most northern capital in the world. When I proposed the idea of an Icelandic adventure, everyone was in instant agreement. Reykjavik was not a place any of us had ever considered previously, but the sound of visiting its northern shores sounded exotic and exciting. So, it is to the island of the Vikings to which we will journey before heading to the capital of Denmark.

 

 

Up Next: Signing Up for the Journey

Edited by Travel R
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SIGNING UP FOR THE JOURNEY

 

Booking the Cruise

 

Twas’ a year and one day prior to leaving port that the reservations for this cruise hast been called in. My intentions, at first, were to book this cruise entirely through the website of Norwegian Cruise Line. However, there were too many questions that I still had after entering the site, that I needed to place a person to person. The main concern being that the third and fourth members of my party were not sailing free – in direct contradiction to their advertisements.

 

With only minimal wait on hold, I was connected to a lovely lady from their customer service department. She gave me the forlorn notification that this itinerary did not include that promotional component – although her revelation did not deter me from placing the reservation. I had forgotten her name as time passed, but she was very friendly, and had even suggested a different room for this cruise,while still saving us money. I was intending on sailing in a regular balcony, but for a few dollars less (yes less), we were opted with the choice of a mini-suite – a decision that was not hard to formulate. She had also inquired about any celebrations we were having, and in doing so, we were also going to be receiving a cake,gratis, during the cruise. Having sailed the ship herself, the representative also advised me to make reservations as soon as am able [90 days prior to sailing]. This was a pain-free experience, and was rather quick and trouble-free, especially due to her delightful cheery banter, which was most appreciated (especially after the stroke of the clock at eleven in the evening).

 

Free At Sea Promotion

 

A few words on the NCL promotion before I turn my attention to other matters. There were five options to choose from for our cruise, and we could select two. I had done my homework prior to choosing, so I knew what I was jumping into before hitting the water. The choices at the time were as such:

 

  • Unlimited Open Bar – Unfortunately, the art of inebriation is closed off to me at this time, and my DW is not a heavy drinker to say the least, so this option would not have been of much benefit to us.
  • Extra Guest Sail Free – In the fine print, it does state that this is only on certain cruises, and unfortunately, I did not hit the jackpot on this one.
  • Free WiFi Package – Vacation is a time to disconnect from the real world. As adults, we are plugged in all day at work, then it continues into each evening, then over to the sacred weekend (although I do make a point to limit my use on these days). However, with a teen and tween in tow, the web is self-described; it has captured and engulfed their minds within its virtual grasp. A few days of holiday and unplugging oneself is not going to cause death and unparalleled destruction to the world as we know it – in fact, it will be a positive change. So, as you may have deduced, this also was not an option we partook.
  • Shore Excursion Credit – This was one of the two options we had chosen. However, in hindsight, it may not have been a wise choice. We only used this for one port (a tour in Stockholm) - $50 of the allowable $200, since we hailed private tour providers or took on each of the other ports using our own devises. In retrospect, I should have not chosen this option.
  • Free Specialty Dining – Our second choice was the specialty dining package. However, the name is not very fitting. The corporation of NCL charges you a service fee for this selection, although minimal, it negates the title of “free.” In addition, this claim of being free is once again not true to all venues. There are, what they deem as “upcharges” added to a number of the restaurants, and it is only good for three nights. However, what minimal benefit it derives, it is still a nicety to have, it did save a few bucks on the Cirque dinner show, and if truth be told, we would not have dined at any of these restaurants had this option not been available.

For a slight period of time afterwards, there was a free tips option added to their promotion, which I would have taken in a heartbeat, and there was also an addition credit onboard option, which would have been nice – but sadly, these were not the case for me.

 

Roll Call

 

The morning after, being energized by my aforementioned actions, I was inclined to scout out others who would be joining us on this adventure. The logical first step was to log onto cruise critic (which I have been on continuously the few weeks prior for research) to announce to the world (or at least the Roll Call) that the Travel R family was cruising the Baltic Sea. To my disbelief, the thread for this itinerary was not yet in existence, and I was fortuitous to be its creator. However, I was elated to state that the thread was coincidentally begun exactly one year prior to setting forth on the voyage.

 

I had been very disappointed with the Roll Call for our first nautical sojourn in Europe. Only a few had participated, and not a lot of discussion had occurred between me and other passengers. For this present Roll Call, I did meet a number of wonderful individuals and their loved ones, and there was a bit of information provided on the itinerary itself, a great deal of the dialogue consisted of passengers trying to arrange private excursions. This was not all bad, since I did take advantage of this when it came to booking our jaunt into Saint Petersburg – it was for a private tour, tailored to our needs, and was both cheaper than the ship’s tour, as well as providing us with a larger quantity of options. The Roll Call also allowed us to coordinate the Meet & Greet – which was a wonderful activity conducted during our first day at sea.

 

The Research Begins

 

With the start of this trip not occurring until months in the future, the research began slowly. I wanted to learn about each port we were visiting as well as the ship itself. A number of periods of time passed where work and family were of critical importance, and inquiries into the trip were put aside. However, as the clocked ticked on, its priority had intensified.

 

Cruise Critic is the first place I visit to for cruise information. There are many helpful and knowledgeable people that are happy to answer your questions; but beware of the many trolls that also pop their ugly heads into threads they do not belong.

 

The World Wide Web is another great resource for discovering well-hidden (and not-so-hidden)information. There is a vast vault of knowledge ready to be plucked. I started with general searches, and subsequently conducted more detailed searches as I delved further into the information.

 

For someone that likes to explore ports on my own, I cannot express enough the help I have received through reading Rick Steve’s books. I may not follow his walking tours step-by-step, but it is an invaluable treasure of insight and a great place to begin for planning your own exploration. [but a quick caveat – although his books are informative, they are not the end-all/be-all; do some of your own research as well to get the full picture.]

 

Lest not forget - - the local library is another vast source of knowledge.

 

Up Next: Reservations, and More Reservations:A Checklist for the Rest of Us (Especially Nubile Freestylers)

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Reservations, and Mor eReservations; A Checklist for the Rest of Us (Especially Nubile Freestylers)

 

To new ports we sail and upon a ship we are unfamiliar. In tow we are four,with a teen and tween as part of our party. The idea of freestyling is intriguing. The concept has been promoted by the people in charge as cruising without any restrictions as to where you can eat, what you can do, or when you do it. If this was a voyage to the same old haunting grounds, ports providing little activity, on a familiar vessel, or without the younglings, freestyling might be the perfect concept in which one may sink their teeth. Those three criterion throw the proverbial wrench into the machine. As such, conducting the task of securing reservations becomes paramount to the eventuality of a successful cruise. It becomes the means to try to enjoy all that is offered at reasonable times for each of the participants.

 

The answer to my inquiries into the simple question of what is there to reserve, and when to do it was not easily discovered. In actuality, an inquiry as to a full list was met with hostility (see this thread (When Does the Freestyle Begin); and yes, I did bait these people into an argument by merely using the subject line – In the words of the great Lou Costello, I’ve been a baaaaad boy! J). As posted beforehand, every traveler is different, as are the paths we take. Some may be in need of more structure, some try to avoid any structure whatsoever. For me,and this particular journey, I did not take faith in NCL’s mantra (as posted in the Dailies) for “Play When You Want. . .. Dine When You Want.” But to be of help to further travelers, I shall present the pertinent information henceforth (and you may do with it as you like):

 

Caveat: This information is for the Getaway, and may differ on other NCL ships.

 

Also Note: Reservations for entertainment and dining open up 90 days prior to the cruise for most staterooms and 100 days prior for those staying in the Haven.

 

Pre-Cruise Reservation

 

Specialty Dining

  • Cagneys (Steak House)
  • Le Bistro (French)
  • Teppanyaki (Asian Grill)
  • Moderno (Brazilian Churrascaria)
  • Ocean Blue (Sea Food)
  • La Cucina (Italian)
  • Cirque Dreams and Steam (Dinner Show)

Non-Specialty Restaurants

  • Savor (MDR)
  • Taste (MDR)
  • Tropicana Room (MDR w/ Entertainment)

Note: We had dined at Taste and Savor for dinner, before 6 PM, with very little wait.

 

 

Dining that DOES NOT take reservations

  • O’Sheehans (Irish/American Pub Food)
    • Most of the occasions we dined at O’Sheehans, we were seated fairly quickly (although we usually dined earlier or later than the busy period). On one occasion, we dined during a busy period and were sat in the bar section on the high stools, and with the limited menu – we turned down the option to wait 25 minutes for regular service)

    [*]Garden Buffet (AYCE Buffet)

    [*]Shanghai Noodle Bar

Entertainment on Ship

  • Cirque Dreams and Steam (Dinner show) [also listed above]
  • Million Dollar Quartet (Broadway-type performance)
  • Wine Lovers The Musical (Wine tasting to music)
  • Burn the Floor (Dance show)

Ship Add-Ons

  • Drink & Beverage Packages
  • Dining Packages
  • Spa Treatments / Thermal Suite
  • Internet Packages
  • Photo Packages
  • Shore Excursions
  • Gifts (e.g., party & romance packages, SPD packages, etc.) and Onboard Credits

Reservations to be made On the Ship (Box Office)

  • Escape the Big Top
  • Comedy and/or Comedy Magic
  • Special Acts/Performers (There were two musical acts for which to reserve during our cruise)
  • Kids/Teens Clubs; Splash Academy & Entourage (you need to register the children for inclusion in these programs)
  • Bingo – usually the half-hour prior to the game itself
  • Solo Traveler's Sign-up
  • Canvas by U (painting class)
  • [Other ________________] – I am sure I missed something

TheJourney of a Thousand Miles Begins with One Step”[Lao Tzu]

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Travel R, did you think the Specialty Dining package was worth it? For now we chose UBP and Wifi but our TA says the SDP is a better value. We like to fine dine but not necessarily on this cruise. We would be perfectly happy to eat in MDR all 9 days! Would love to get your opinion. Thanks.

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Travel R, did you think the Specialty Dining package was worth it? For now we chose UBP and Wifi but our TA says the SDP is a better value. We like to fine dine but not necessarily on this cruise. We would be perfectly happy to eat in MDR all 9 days! Would love to get your opinion. Thanks.

 

To my chagrin, I unfortunately was unable to consume any alcohol during this cruise (medical reasons), and my DW only drinks very minimal amounts. Not that I am a big drinker, but if I drank, the 2-3 drinks a day, and being able to try out something new each day, it would have been worth it. [We did get the unlimited soda package - hooray!]

 

We used the dining package (3 meals) for the following:

 

Cirque Steam and Dreams - very well worth it for the show. The food was not that bad either (not the best steak I ever had - but enjoyable).

 

Moderno - We were disappointed. Not bad, but nothing like the ones we had enjoyed in/around New York or in South America. The salad bar was okay (loved those long crisp strips of bacon).

 

Le Bistro - The food was pretty good, the portion sizes small - however, they messed up with our orders, which left a bad taste in our mouth.

 

To tell you the truth, I would have been okay in the MDRs for 8 of the 9 nights (I would have still seen the Cirque show). I did order 2 entrees a day (the sizes are small), and enjoyed most dishes. Some were just okay, but some were outstanding (e.g., Lamb Provincial comes to mind). Also, the Tropicana, which is a MDR (same menu), was a fun alternative with entertainment.

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To my chagrin, I unfortunately was unable to consume any alcohol during this cruise (medical reasons), and my DW only drinks very minimal amounts. Not that I am a big drinker, but if I drank, the 2-3 drinks a day, and being able to try out something new each day, it would have been worth it. [We did get the unlimited soda package - hooray!]

 

We used the dining package (3 meals) for the following:

 

Cirque Steam and Dreams - very well worth it for the show. The food was not that bad either (not the best steak I ever had - but enjoyable).

 

Moderno - We were disappointed. Not bad, but nothing like the ones we had enjoyed in/around New York or in South America. The salad bar was okay (loved those long crisp strips of bacon).

 

Le Bistro - The food was pretty good, the portion sizes small - however, they messed up with our orders, which left a bad taste in our mouth.

 

To tell you the truth, I would have been okay in the MDRs for 8 of the 9 nights (I would have still seen the Cirque show). I did order 2 entrees a day (the sizes are small), and enjoyed most dishes. Some were just okay, but some were outstanding (e.g., Lamb Provincial comes to mind). Also, the Tropicana, which is a MDR (same menu), was a fun alternative with entertainment.

 

I was thinking about my answer on my way home. I just want to add that taste is subjective. Although I thought that the food in the MDR was fine, and each night provided me with a decent variety of dishes to choose from, others may (will) differ. While I thought the food was much better than my last cruise on Carnival, I thought that it was on-par or sometimes better than former cruises on RCI. My DW agrees that it was better than the fare on Carnival, but she enjoyed the MDR food on RCI better.

 

Also remember that there are other options besides the MDR venues. Everyone (besides my DD12) really enjoyed O'Sheehans. To tell you the truth, I was not expecting much from them. Also note, it was a great place to have nice leisurely lunch after boarding the ship without all the crowding at the buffet. The menu had (obviously) less choices than the buffet, but there was still plenty to chose from.

 

There is also Shanghai's, which serves Asian Fusion, but we never got a chance to eat there.

 

Of course there is the Garden Buffet. This food at this venue is absolutely subjective. One day I got there when they were converting over from breakfast to lunch, so I was able to have a true brunch and was able to enjoy food I like from both meals at the same time (I made a burger for myself with egg, bacon, and shrimp). The one item I found at the buffet which I really enjoyed was the made-to-order crepes.

 

As an FYI - Myself and my wife are in front of a computer all day for our jobs, and our kids are in front of their phones/iPads for their social websites way too often. We decided to try and unplug for the vacation, especially while on the ship. There is Wifi at ports along the way, so we were not entirely cut off for the full length of the cruise.

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Enjoying your review - can definitely relate to not having travelled much as a child - and taking great joy from being able to experience travel with our kids.

 

We are headed to Copenhagen in a few days - hope to read much more of your review before we embark upon our own journey.

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Enjoying your review - can definitely relate to not having travelled much as a child - and taking great joy from being able to experience travel with our kids.

 

We are headed to Copenhagen in a few days - hope to read much more of your review before we embark upon our own journey.

 

Thanks.

 

I am trying to get this review written and published as soon as possible. I do also work in publishing, so I am trying to meet a few deadlines as well, which take precedent. I do also write as a side-hobby, and I have deadline for an upcoming article looming over my head to boot. But I will try to get as many of the port reviews written by the end of the upcoming weekend.

 

If you have any specific questions now, please feel free to ask. I am writing this review in order to help people by sharing information, so let me know how my recent cruise experiences may be of assistance. There have been a great many cruise critic members that have helped me, and I am just paying it forward.

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PACKING & GETTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER

 

You most likely do not want to read about all of the details in getting ready and packing for this vacation,and the trips to the stores to purchase clothing and travel sized doo-dads. Instead, I will sum it up by providing a Checklist for “Coming Down to the Wire” for things you will most likely need to do for this upcoming journey.

 

I had also provided our packing checklist on another thread, so instead of copying it again, I am just going togive you the URL, which is: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=53251703&postcount=393.However, there had been some additions to the list, including:

·clear masking tape (to add the luggage tags pre-cruise);

·tissues; and

·pajamas (I have a sleepwear section, but I donot have PJs on the list for the youngin’s)

 

ComingDown to the Wire Checklist

 

 

  • Complete online check-in on MyNCL

  • Print out eDocs & luggage tags
    • Note: will need a means of attaching tags to luggage

    [*]Print out other important docs (or ensure it is loaded on phone)

    • - Airplane/train tickets
    • - Hotel reservations
    • - Russian Visa/excursion documents (SPB)
    • - Travel insurance info
    • - Car rental info
    • - Misc. tickets to transportation and entertainment/activities
    • - My NCL receipts/info/paid bill

    [*]Passport/Visa is in a safe place, but easily obtainable

    [*]List of important phone #s and contact information

    [*]Pet care

    [*]Arrange Mail pickup

    [*]Start-up car while away

    [*]Review packing list to see what you still need to purchase

    [*]Call credit card & let them know of international travel

    [*]Obtain pin # for credit card [in some countries, not all, you will need it.]

    [*]Make copies of all your important documents and credit cards (back and front)

    [*]Make sure you have small locks for all of your bags

    [*]Give itinerary/travel plans to friends/family

    [*]Exchange of currency (if getting a good rate)

    [*]Make sure you have enough prescription medications for the entire trip

    [*]International calling (set up cell-phone, get Int'l calling cards, etc.); or set up Skype.

    [*]Pay any bills that are due during the time you are away

    [*]Someone to take care of trash and flyers/newspapers at your front door/lawn

    [*]Automatic lights (that go on in the evenings)

    [*]Thermostat on vacation mode (if no pets in house)

    [*]Register with your country’s Embassy (below are two, but check the web for other countries)

    [*]Make list of people you need to get souvenirs for

    [*]Other ___________

Dailies

I am not going to scan the Dailies for our itinerary. Huntingdon1701 was kind enough to do so for the first run of this itinerary, and I am providing a link to them below. Not however, although most of the schedule is consistent to the one I was on, there were a number of changes to times, programming, and even performers.

 

1a.pdf

1b.pdf

Day 2.pdf

Day3.pdf

Day4.pdf

Day5.pdf

Day6.pdf

Day7.pdf

Day8.pdf

Day9a.pdf

Day9b.pdf

Disembarkationguide.pdf

WineLovers Menu.pdf

 

However, when I discuss the kids/teen clubs, I will provide a scan of the Splash Academy and Entourage programs.

 

 

Next Up: Getting’ to Reykjavik

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EXCURSIONS

 

This discussion is not in order of how I was going to present the materials, but I know that choosing excursions was a big part of planning, and took a lot of time.

 

I was the one to do most of the research on excursions for each port, which included NCL-sponsored tours, private tour companies, Do-it-Yourself (DIY), and other options. I had then presented all of the materials to my family and everyone was able to provide their input into what they wanted to do. It is especially important when children are coming to get them into the research and decision-making. It gives them the sense that they are a true part of the vacation, and not just coming along for the ride. Sometimes agreeing upon the excursion was not easy.

 

Below are the excursions we chose,followed by a brief explanation as to why we chose what we did, and whether it was a good idea.

 

Reykjavik, Iceland

 

  • DIY with rent a car to go around Golden Circle, then DIY around the town
  • I think we made the right choice with this one. We were able to go around the Circle at our own pace (versus taking a much more expensive bus tour). We were also able to modify our plans for eating and exploring the town. We only had 24 hours, so this plan worked. Just as an FYI - 72 hours would have been a perfect amount of time to explore.

Copenhagen, Denmark

  • DIY. We arrived Wednesday afternoon and the ship sailed on Friday. On Wednesday evening, we chilled out at Tivoli Gardens, walking around and going on some rides (3rd oldest operational roller coaster in the world), and dinner at Tivoli. On Thursday we took an all-day Hans Christian Andersen walking tour of the city, DIY, which was guided by myself (I will be posting the tour at a later time). On Friday morning, we took it easy and went to the ship.
  • With the time we had in this city, and with kids, it was the perfect way for us to enjoy everything it had to offer, and allow us to be as flexible as we wanted (I even got a chance to do a nice run on Thursday morning). I geared the walking tour to both my wife (adults) and my kids, so everyone was able to enjoy it [i also included recitations of some of HCA's fairy tales.] Note, If we were not travelling the kids, we might have taken a food tour.

Warnemunde, Germany

  • This is the big decision day for everyone that boarded in Denmark - to do Berlin, or not do Berlin? My kids, having been on some of these cruise tours before, did not hesitate to state that a three hour bus ride (each way) was not something they wanted to do. We then decided to DIY, spending most of the time in nearby Rostock.
  • I do not regret our decision to go to Berlin, and our time in Rostock was pleasant enough. It also allowed us to return early and enjoy a semi-empty ship. Next time, it would be nice if the rain did not follow us (not that it dampened our fun - we still enjoyed ourselves).

Tallinn, Estonia

  • This was the surprise port. We did not expect very much, and it turned out to be one of our favorite ports. We took the free Tallinn walking tour (Google it). It was just under two hours, and we had a wonderful tour guide.
  • I am very glad we too this tour, and highly recommend it - the tour was educational and took us around all of the major sites (note, many of the museums were closed that day, Monday). Just note - our group was about 40-45 people, and it will differ depending on the day and time (they meet at 10, 12, and ?2 or 3?). We also scored big with purchasing many of our souvenirs.

Saint Petersburg, Russia

  • We went with DenRus tours and hooked up with another group of cruise critic members via the Roll Call. One of the other members made all of the arrangements, got us a deal on the price, and was also able to work out having us visit the Gold Room at the Hermitage (a must do), and other modifications from the usual tour. I liked them because they visited both the Hermitage and the Faberge Museum, as well as other places the other tour groups did not visit.
  • As mentioned, the Gold Room was a must, and other tour groups did not budge from their stated itineraries. Although they offered evening options, none of us took it - they were very, very long days and we were just too tired to go out. FYI - there was a Russian Foldlore show onboard the ship, but the general consensus was that it was okay, at best (people were walking out on it).

Helsinki, Finland

  • DIY, and it was one of the most enjoyable days of the cruise. We used it as a "Family Fun Day," and once I mentioned Husky rides for one of the options, my DD12 said, that is what we are going to do. We all agreed, and I made plans for us to visit WinterWorld / Lapaland. There is a tour through NCL, but it was crazy expensive, so we took taxis to the place and back to the ship.
  • The place is a bit of a tourist trap (I knew it going in), but was really fun. Note, if you do not have kids, I would probably tell you to skip it. We spent about 1 1/2 hours there. We also lucked out with getting a taxi driver that gave us a tour of the town in broken English, so we got to see the old Market Square, and other landmarks. He gave us his number, and we used him going back to the ship, where he make a stop at the Church of the Rock, where we were able to go in, meditate for a few moments, and take some pictures. It was a very nice day.

Nynashamn (Stockholm), Sweden

  • The Getaway docks in Nynashamn, which is about 45-60 minutes from the city of Stockholm. My thinking was that since this was the last port, and I did not want to deal with any potential issues being stuck an hour from port, that we should take a tour through NCL. I gave them all of the options and it came down to two - the one basic bus tour of the city or the much longer (8 hour) tour that brought us to the Vasa museum, plus four hours of "Leisure time." We chose the longer tour.
  • We have all been on the move for almost two weeks, and after an hour on the bus, then an hour at Vasa, both of my children looked at me and said that we should have taken the shorter tour. Everyone was just flat out exhausted. The tour guide walked us to a square in front of the Nobel museum, so that was our first (and only) place we toured. It was cool to be there, but less than what I had expected. [My wife asked me about going to the ABBA museum, but I declined, and she agreed.] We went for pizza at an Italian restaurant (I think the name of the place was Michelangelo's) - fairly decent pizza. We then found a bench in the shade, near a fountain and sat there for over an hour and a half, until it was time to return to the bus. Once on the bus, the tour guide started talking about the country's health care system, at which point almost everyone fell asleep.

Just a quick note for when we got back to port on the last day -- we were originally going to take the bus (25 or 27) to the train station (Oerstad?? station), which would take us to the airport. However, I had come down with something, and feeling terrible, so we took a cab. Note - there were plenty of taxis ready for hire, and a very high price. I think NCL worked out a deal with them to charge the higher price, but they would be available for passengers. [The lack of taxis was a complaint by some earlier travelers of this itinerary. When I first researched taxis as an option, I read that a taxi between the port and the airport should be between $35 - $40 US, but I think we paid almost the equivalent of $70 US. - but there were plenty available.]

Edited by Travel R
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