LillOslo

2cruiseluvrs I have to say WOW too! Thank you so much for this thorough and emotional review. 

I hope it will be so nice for us too on Seaview and when boarding from Barcelona in June!😊

I changed our June 1st Disney Magic against MSC Yacht club. Have been totally assured by reading online that YC service does match Disney’s. And it includes so much more than Disney’s more pricy standard veranda stateroom. So it was kind of a nobrainer even though I’m quite overboard Disney fan  

I booked on Thursday for me and 2 kids/teens Feb 15 2020 from Dubai. Never done anything like it - I mean booked a cruise on a ship that hasn’t sailed yet but I wanted to lock in the great price. Cos it’s winter break here this time in February. Been binge watching youtube vids of the Middle East cruises now...

My husband has some difficulty walking for long distances.

How far from the ship is the "little train" that was mentioned?

Is it possible to get a taxi that will take us from the ship to the Old Town?

How difficult is it to find a taxi that will go from the Old Town back to the ship?

It’s easy to take taxi from the ship to the old town (the lower part) and a little longer trip if you need to take to the beginning of the upper part. You can also ask taxi to take you all the way around the old town to the upper part Toompea and start your touring there. Let the driver take you next to a park Hirvepark (Deer’s park) in the Toompea street. Then you tour Toompea (the upper) part first, get the views and get to the lower part of Old Town from there.

It should be easy to find a taxi from the outside parts of the Old Town. In the outer end of Viru street there is a taxy stand and definitely some waiting.

Do the free walking tours take you inside the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Toompea Castle? We're planning on taking a taxi there first, unless the walking tours take us inside as well.

There is not «castle» as an attraction on its own and as being a complete medieval fortress building. Like in Edinburgh, the Akershus in Oslo or in many other cities/towns in Europe. In front of the medieval part in Tallinn is the barock stile Parlament building from 17th century which probably has strict visting rules and you cannot just walk in. This is the building called Toompea castle («loss» in Estonian language). But people always think there is a medieval castle somewhere there because of some angles of the photos taken of the city wall. There are the tower Pikk Herman and maybe another medieval Tower and the wall with it’s viewing platforms. The tour visits the platforms.

Our walking tour didn’t go into the parlament building or any of the medieval towers. Nevsky cathedral was closed for renovation that day, so couldn’t get inside. Please, hold your expectations low, the inside of the cathedral is not as «grand» as the exterior. If taking the tour the guide will probably mention the very controversial nature of this Cathedral and where it’s situated. If your cruise goes to St Petersburg (probably does) then you’re most likely going to see significantly better Russian orthodox architecture than the Toompea one.

Thank you very much LillOslo. Very helpful tips!

I’m now thinking of catching the little train (mentioned by someone in this thread earlier) to the old town and walk down. She should be able to manage that!

 

Just wondering if we can join the free walking tour in the old town or do they only strat at the port? Do you happen to know?

I didn’t actually know the free tour sometimes starts at the port. We took it from the Old town - starting point next to Tourist Info on the Town Hall Square. But the tour can be challenging with a stroller. At quite many points it would be easier to carry the little one, or be prepared to carry the stroller in some bits. Also, it is unfortunatelly a typical fun adult walking tour but not child friendly. So if taking the child one of you is likely going to have to occupy the child a little away from the group while the guide is speaking. Unless you’re lucky and it’s his/her nap time while taking the tour

We’re going to be in Tallin in July and are thinking of doing the DIY or the free walking tour with our 3 year old daughter. Those who have done it, do you think it’s doable with a little one?

Also, are the streets ok or too rough to push a stroller around?

I’m from Tallinn (not living now) and in the old town there are side walks not covered with cobble stones where the umbrella stroller is ok to use BUT in the day time hours in summer time the old town’s streets and sidewalks are SO full of tourists/groups that the stroller walk can be challenging. It takes me - an able 30-something - much more time to «cut» through the old town in the summer compared to other times of year lol

Otherwise, the free tour was really fun and interesting for myself to do last year when i did it with my not-estonian boyfriend! Funny guide, definitely deserved a good tip.

All the restaurants in Tallinn according to my experience (i have 2 kids) can make something simple for children and are generally some of the most child friendly i’ve seen anywhere ☀️