4 of Harts

Extremely helpful and timely . . . we leave on Thursday!

Have a great time, I'm sure that you will. :D

Thanks for a fabulous review.

You are welcome, hopefully it helps in your planning.

Day 10: Copenhagen

We awoke at 4am with the cabin stewards yelling at us to get out. You have been here long enough! Ok, that was a joke.

The morning started with us reviewing and purchasing our photos. It opens at 7am. Heading up to 15 we (my youngest and I) grabbed food for all. Showers, dressed and waited for our call. Eventually we got the call around 8:45. Our bags had already been moved to the airport so we grabbed our carry ons and backpacks and headed off. Simple process card checking one last time.

Onto the shuttle for a nice easy drive thru Copenhagen and to the airport. Stopping just outside of the airport we retrieved our suitcases in the NCL area where they were housed. A quick walk over to the terminal... and sadly... our cruise was.... over.

It was amazing.

Day 9: Day at Sea (2nd)

The last day of any cruise is met with reflection and a touch of sadness. We woke up mid morning going upstairs for our regular breakfast at the Garden Café. The girls would do a final workout later. We would also do the Ropes Course that we just haven't been able to fit in. Dinner was scheduled for Taste but we knew that we would opt out and go buffet or O'Sheehan's.

I had pre-purchased the Copenhagen shuttle to the airport. We were Gray 3 which meant that we would be off the ship around 9am giving us plenty of time for our flights. The night before you put your bags out by midnight. Remember, once they are picked up, they are gone. Don't be that person in their jammies departing the ship :o

We went up for the ropes course and found out due to wind only half was open. My advice, do it early so you get to do all of it. The half that we did was fun, max 300 pounds. You cannot have anything in your pockets and they won't hold anything for you. We did 2 then 2 so that we could get photos of each other in the course. Fun time, again, do it earlier in the cruise.

Overall an easy day, with snacks, naps, collecting and packing. At night we did the Howl at the Moon. Finished off the night with drinks (our free bottle of bubbly) on the balcony.

A nice chill way to end the cruise. Tomorrow, up and out.

I posted 8 of the 9 "What's Happening Today" from the Freestyle Daily on my post as well. As stated before things may change but it will give you an idea of what is available on board. Enjoy

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2524484&highlight=getaway&page=3

I hope you don't mind me hi-jacking your thread but I'm just back from the Baltic cruise, 18th July. I won't review the whole trip as this one is brilliant but will add a couple of points to help anyone planning this cruise. It may not be in any particular order...

 

Firstly we are from Scotland and only wore jeans and cardigans/jumpers on the last sea day, but if you are used to warmer weather you might want to be prepared.

 

We boarded in Copenhagen and took a taxi to the pier - 271 Danish Krone at 11.15am and there was no queue. We walked straight onto the ship. Our rooms were ready at 1.30pm.

 

We booked our dining packages and meal times straight away as we wanted to se our on board credit.

 

Travelling as a pair we only had to queue for dinner once in the 9 days.

 

Both days in Russia we did afternoon tours and left the ship at 12.30. we were through to the bus by 12.45pm

 

In Tallinn we took a taxi which we shared to the top of the old town at a cost of 15 euros, fixed price. we then explored and walked down through the town, stopping for a coffee. Then we took a taxi back from the bottom of the old town for 10 euros. This was lovely and you really don't need the hop on hop off bus.

 

In Stockholm we used the NCL 15 dollar transfer and explored the centre of the city, again exploring the old city for about 2 and a half hours before heading back.

 

we did not go to Berlin as we had ben before so we headed into Rostock which was lovely and then enjoyed a lovely quiet ship!

 

We did not pre book any shows and got seats on standby with no difficulty, just arriving at about 2 minutes before the show started.

 

On our return we used the NCL transfer which we booked in advance - £12 in the UK. It was quick and easy. There was a huge line for taxis and not many there but there may have been a quick turn round as we couldn't wait to see.

 

Any questions, just ask.

No prob on "hijacking" the thread. I would just call it collaboration. Cheers :beer-toast:

continuing... The Vasa is very cool and I recommend it for anyone. Two things I highly suggest is the movie in the front. Go see it first, it gives you the background for what you are seeing. It's 15 minutes or so. Squeeze it in. Also, on the bottom floor are a few skeletons that they discovered as well. They did facial reconstruction on the skulls and it is really cool. A must see.

Hopping back on we were on our way to Gamla Stan, the old town, the original area of Stockholm. Seeing the sights we got a great guided tour on the way and then another 10-15 minutes once we arrived. The area that they drop you off (and pick you up) is central to everything in the area. Down the hill, the way most people went, there were shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. It was lunchtime and we were ready for... Italian... Italian... no... we trudged onto a Swedish restaurant called Carpe Diem, eating outside. The old town has very few cars and such but on the edges are larger streets that have tons of traffic. We ate Swedish meatballs and had Swedish beers. The cost was a bit high and the food and beer was good.

Finishing up lunch we went back up the hill and were treated to the changing of the guards. This seems to be a common event and many people report seeing it. It was pretty neat and we moved on. Walking around further as we had still a couple of hours left we fell upon a really cool bar called Café Sten Sture. Dating from the 1400's this series of caves is full of history. The stairs are a bit tricky (go in the side entrance, not the main entrance) and you are transported back to when it served as a dungeon. I highly suggest doing this for lunch but if not at least for drinks. Beers and deserts later we were on our way. It's fun...I suggest doing it.

We roamed the streets for some more time than back on the bus, finding our way in less than an hour to the dock and to the Getaway, our home for over a week. Down the pier thru the wind we made our way off of land for the last time. A little sad but very happy in our memories. Sweden (Stockholm) was an unexpected treat.

Tonight I had planned two dinners for the Tropicana dining room. One at 5:30 and one at 8:30. Why you ask? Well, my thoughts were that we were back around 4:30pm and the ship wasn't leaving until 7:00pm. Not knowing how we would be feeling I scheduled both. We opted for the 5:30 as we were getting hungry and cancelled the 8:30 with the front person at the Tropicana. Another good meal in the Tropicana with some music from Into the Drift.

Beers on deck 15, checked out the deserts (grabbing a few cookies) at the Garden Café and relaxing on the balcony. If possible try to time a good view with the 7:00 departure. The Nynashamn area is full of islands and beautiful scenery. Tomorrow is our last day, our 2nd day at sea. Good night and goodbye Sweden

Day 8: Stockholm (Nynashamn)

Today was our last port day, our last tour of the trip :(. I have read that at one point the ship was intended to dock in Stockholm but from the time I booked the cruise awhile ago it was always listed as Nynashamn. This port is about 45 minutes from Stockholm so we decided to do the City Highlights & Leisure Time bus tour thru NCL. On this tour we would visit the Vasa, the infamous ship that sunk on it's maiden voyage. I had read about this years ago so it would be a highlight.

The ship "docked" at 8:00am. We were meeting at 7:45am in the theatre and were to leave shortly after arriving and getting the all clear. It was nice that with all of the ports that we didn't have to use a tender at all. This dock was the most unusual as it was motorized and it came out from land like a long reaching arm to the ship. Going off the ship it was calm so the pier was smooth walking. Once returning the weather had changed and the pier was rocking a little but it still was very stable feeling. We exited the ship at about 8:10 and were on our bus and on our way.

First impression of Sweden is that it is beautiful with the water, the islands, the quaint houses and then later the countryside and rolling hills. Like all of the cities and tours I wish that we had more time on land. But, in hindsight going to 6 countries is just plain awesome, so no complaints.

The coach was very nice with a great cool temperature and smooth riding. The guide spoke wonderful English and he described the sites and the country flawlessly. (so I'm told for most of it at least, I was napping). Waking up we arrived at the Vasa Museum.

Thank you Patty. The shuttle certainly seems the easiest thing to do. One more question-Where do you sign up for the shuttle? Can the concierge (we will be in the Haven) make a reservation or guest services? Or on the TV screen?

I purchased them at Guest Services at the same time that I purchased the Copenhagen airport shuttle.

Days 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the Freestyle Daily , What's Happening Today

Day 6 What's Happening pdf.pdf

Day 7 What's Happening pdf.pdf

Day 8 What's Happening pdf.pdf

Day 9 What's Happening pdf.pdf

Days 3, 4 and 5: Freestyle Daily- What's Happening Today

(Day 2 didn't make the trip home) ;p

Day 3 What's Happening pdf.pdf

Day 4 What's Happening pdf.pdf

Day 5 What's Happening pdf.pdf

I did see a thread on the forum here where someone scanned and linked Dailies from their Western Itinerary. Try the search feature, but know it is all subject to change.

 

We saw Howl at the Moon 3 nights on the Epic last year. We are big fans of Piano Bars, so we had a great time.

 

 

4 of Harts - Can you give a little information on the location of the Banquet vs. Floor seating for Cirque Dreams? We will be able to book ours next week and I'm having trouble finding good information on the room layout and seating to help me make my decision.

We did the floor seating which costs more. The Illusionarium is a smaller to mid-sized venue with a medium sized stage. The shape of the room is an odd half circle with the right side partially cut off. Performers enter from doors onstage but all of the props etc. enter from the right side (as you look at the stage).

My understanding of the difference of floor vs. banquet is that the banquet seating is the last row of larger booths, that holds maybe 8-10 people each. The floor is comprised of rows of tables that seat 6+. Besides prior to the show, the performers are always stay on stage.

If I did it again I would do the floor seating but would get there earlier to get closer to the stage. We were in the middle section in depth but almost directly center stage. We got there 20-25 minutes early (around 8:20p) and the first "row" of tables was already seated (and eating). Another cool part of arriving early is that some of the performers come out into the audience for photo opportunities (your own and NCL's photo group).

I hope that this helps.

*Note- because the Cirque show serves dinner you can use it as one of your specialty dining. I do believe that you will be charged for the difference between floor and banquet. Check your charges on that for confirmation or talk to your agent for clarification but we (my wife and I) used it and then I think I paid a discounted price for my kids. Again, get clarification in the pricing but it is an option. (I tried to pull up my billing but it's gone from the NCL site)

Thank you. I will take a close look at that! This is going to be a great cruise. I think we will do Cagney's, Tepanyaki and the Jury is still out on our 3rd choice for our SDP. Any recommendations would be welcomed!!!

We did the Cirque Dreams and Steam as our 3rd. We did Cagney's and LaCucina.

Thanks so much for your great and helpful review! We're going September 1 and are really enjoying reading your experiences!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

You are welcome. It's my therapy that keeps me from missing the cruise so much... ;p

PS- I scanned and posted the "What's Happening Today" portion of the Freestyle Daily for Day 1 on my post.

Thanks 4 of Harts! Great info:) Now Howl At the Moon is a little clearer to me.

In my research, I am finding that their possibly IS Karaoke on The Getaway in the venue where they have JAZZ. If this is correct, we will be very pleased!!!

I see Karaoke on at least 3 nights, (5,7,8) which means I'm probably missing one or two. Your are correct that it is done at Fat Cats which is the Jazz Club (it gets used for other events as well)

...after struggling to get the Freestyle Daily- Day 1 What's Happening Today attached... I think I might have gotten it. :beer-toast:

Day 1 What's Happening pdf.pdf

I reviewed Howl At The Moon- Dueling Pianos in my post:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=53636920&posted=1#post53636920

It was entertaining to us but I wouldn't call it a "must see"

I looked at the Freestyle Daily and they appear to have 5 nights perhaps. They are not every night because I didn't get a chance to see them until Day 9.

If you had a specific menu question I might be able to help but I did not take photos of all of the menus and to BirdTravels' point, the menus rotate.

Hi. Really nice review. Thank you again. My question goes back to Helsinki. Were the NCL shuttles the only alternative that you were aware of to get from the port to the town? I am still planning Helsinki. I read about a HOHO tram you can pick up from a train station. Diane

I do believe that I saw Hop On Hop Off but didn't see a HoHo. Our shuttle was right as we got off of the ship so I didn't look around much, sorry.

I'm trying to upload the Freestyle Daily sheets. fyi.... if you had any specific questions while I'm doing that, let me know

We had to pay for the girls because the specialty dining was for two people. I will try to find the amount charged in my statement but it was discounted for sure.

...and now finishing up... Finland.

My youngest and I went to the Fleetwood Mac Tribute by Into the Drift at Headliners at 6:00. I gave a review of this earlier but it was very good, fairly popular but you don't have to get there too early to get a seat. Nice versions of the classics with a touch of humor mixed in. I recommend if you have the time.

After the show we went back to the cabin and got dressed up for one of our anticipated highlights, the Cirque Dreams and Steam show at 8:45. Get there early to see the costumes and to get a good seat. We used this as one of our Specialty Dining free offers as there is dinner included. It was very good dinner of shrimp and steak with my daughters getting some sort of a cheese pasta ravioli kind of dish. Everyone like their dinner.

Let the show begin. If you have seen a Cirque show before you will not be disappointed. Getting a show of this stature in the small Illusionarium is very cool as you are so close to the action. I highly recommend this show even if you have to pay the extra. My understanding is that it sells out so book prior to if possible is my suggestion.

The night wrapped up with beers on the balcony watching the ships and islands go by. With it being the land of the "midnight sun" it didn't get dark until after 10:30. I have some photos of a touch of light at midnight.... it is very nice.

Note: you will have some sort of cell coverage for most of the trip even on the water. I was able to send texts (I added it to my AT&T plan) while sometimes "at sea". Another thing that was cool was that my night photos were marking our journey using the "Places" album on my iPhone. Odd but I took photos from our balcony that located us in Sweden on our Day at Sea. Looking closer you could see that we were in Swedish territory.

Tomorrow- Stockholm (Nynashamn)

Day 2: Warnmunde/ Berlin

...continuing on our journey

This morning we arrived in the port of Warnemunde, Germany. We arrived around 7:30am and our tour was meeting around the same time so we were early up (after a late night ) getting breakfast.

A real quick note about our cabin while we are early in our journey. As I'm sure that you have seen/heard, the Getaway's electricity in each room is turned on with your key card (or any magnetic card). We had taken our key from our Copenhagen hotel in expectation of this however it wasn't magnetic and thus didn't work. Truly however it only rarely came into play mostly for charging phones after a long day while at dinner. So, if you can, bring something, if you can't, manage it. When electricity is on, a light is on over top of your door. Without the key in, the light won't be lit. Once your steward comes in to clean, they will most likely unplug anything (not charging anyway). Also there are Do Not Disturb and Clean My Room switches that you can switch on to help out the steward. Also, make sure to "close" your balcony door (assuming you have one :D ) at night so the door doesn't whistle. Ok, back to our journey...

Groups going to Berlin thru NCL all met in the Illusionarium early. They divided us into the different tours, giving us stickers appropriately. We did the "Berlin on your own by train". We wanted to have our own time but also wanted to be managed a little as none of us had been to Berlin before. I am a history buff. That said, going to Berlin has been on my history "bucket list" for awhile.

We bugged out together around 7:45 once the ship was cleared. The good part of tours thru NCL is that are off the ship first. Walking for maybe 10 minutes we arrive to our train. This train is chartered for NCL. During the 2+ hour trip we got direction from our tour folks advising us that we would arrive together, bus to a location together, then we were on our own. Once we arrived as stated we hopped on a coach and did a quick tour of the area from our guide. When we arrived (former East Germany, close to Unter Den Linden (Linden Boulevard) we were then... "on our own". :)

It had started raining pretty badly and my 1 umbrella wasn't cutting it so we stopped into a shop next to the Hilton and bought 3 more. They also had wifi so it gave us a chance to catch up on the tech world while we dried off. Moving on we looked for a place to have lunch. Well oompapa there it is. A Lowenbrau restaurant. We were ready for some beer and grub :beer-toast: The waiter was all dressed up in Bavarian garb.... so we knew we were in a tourist area, haha. He helped me thru the menu in German. My wife had no problems almost like she was reading a different menu. (later I flipped over my menu and saw it was in English). We ordered 2 liters of bier and Bratwurst with mashed and sauerkraut (ooh how German of us ;p ). The girls ordered some cheeses and breads along with some other assorted non-meats. It was wonderful. The rain had stopped and our stomachs were full.

Heading West we made it to Potsdamerplatz then North along the former site of the Berlin Wall. In the ground was the location marked by a double row of cobblestones. Moving further we stopped at the Holocaust Memorial. I have seen a fair amount of memorials and I think that this was very tastefully handled. The shorter and longer concrete structures and the hills and valleys really makes you think. Everyone interprets it differently I think but I took it as how easily people just vanished, one day there, the other gone. Also how it was all shapes and sizes, kids and adults as well as ethnicities. I'm glad we got the opportunity to see it in person.

Moving further we stopped at one of if not the most iconic symbol of Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate. I regaled my family as to the history and the powerful symbol that this gate was. Although it was way too busy with tourists and the like, it was a highlight. As we only had a few hours to manage an entire city we trudged over to the Reichstag, where many feel "it" all started. I was psyched to walk up and take in the history of it. However it was "sold out" for the day. Note: if you want to tour the Reichstag, either get a tour with tickets or order them prior to. I was disappointed but we trudged on some more.

We had time for one more site, one that truly gave me a feeling of being there. I chose the Kaiser-Wilhelm Church. The once proud church fell victim to the Allied bombings and stands as one of the few memories of the decimated city and WWII. We hopped in a cab and were on our way. It cost about $20 Euros to get basically thru the Tiergarden to the church. The old church and the new church with it's cobalt blue glass were amazing. I highly recommend this if time allows.

Our Berlin tour wrapped up with a couple more beers nearby and a cab ride North to a different train station, Gesundbrunnen by 5:00. We had a half hour to spare so, as per, we got another bier at the station. :beer-mug: (c'mon it's Germany). We met our group and our trained pulled out about 5:30 and we were off.

Arriving around 7:30ish we encountered long lines getting back on the ship. Remember, no water or liquids. The German Security was tight and I'm glad they wear rubber gloves. I saw kids, old ladies, and old fat dudes like me frisked once for security and twice for good luck. That is why the line took close to an hour to get thru. On board we were running tight for our 9:00 La Cucina reservation. I called from the room and pushed it to 9:30.

La Cucina... ah... probably our favorite restaurant. I got the lasagna and my wife got some sort of chicken but she had "the best Caesar salad ever". I was floored :D The girls got some pasta dish that they loved as well. We used our included specialty restaurant voucher for this and were very pleased. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Late night eating, gambled a little and watch a little TV back at the cabin. A wonderful day in Berlin and a wonderful dinner to finish it off.

Attached photos: Big beer, remnants of the wall, Holocaust Memorial, Brandenburg Gate, new Kaiser Wilhelm church

As always, feel free to comment or ask questions.

Tomorrow- relaxing day at sea

Day 1:

...continuing from my last post.

We arrived at the port, Ocean Quay, going to Terminal 2 (they board thru two terminals based on your cabin location) at about 11:35. Paid the cabbie ($45 USD converted) and he was on his way. We were 2nd in line to drop off the luggage. Tip: put those tags on before you get there if you can, it will save you time. No, I didn't put the tags on :D They say that the process starts at Noon but, get there earlier and they will get you checked in.

Bags on their way after confirmation we went into the terminal. You need to fill out the medical form then swoosh, you are in line. Have your passports and checked in confirmation ready. Also, have your credit card that you will be using for charges ready. Maybe 1 minute waiting for an agent and 5-10 minutes later we are on the ship. On the ship by 12:05, wow, it pays to get there early in my mind. Rooms weren't ready but lunch was being served. The buffet opened at 11:30, O'Sheehan's/Taste/Savor all opened at Noon. We decided to go to the Savor for a sit-down lunch. It was good, not great but it was in my opinion better than doing the buffet at that time at least.

We let the girls roam around a bit and we strolled deck 7, getting drinks and finding a smoking area. :beer-mug: After that we went up to deck 15 as a group and played some ping pong. As time went on these two tables were almost always filled so I'm glad we got to do it when we did. After ping pong we strolled the deck when they called that our cabins were ready. It was maybe 2:00 and the ship was starting to fill up.

Going to our room, mid ship, deck 10 balcony we were greeted by a free bottle of sparkling wine (past guests) and the freestyle daily along with a change in schedule for us. Apparently the Million Dollar Quartet show wasn't playing for my scheduled Saturday so they requested that we call to get it rescheduled. I called the box office immediately and had it changed switching our Cirque show along with some dinners. If you get this notice I suggest to call right then when you can and the box office isn't overwhelmed.

I scheduled dinner every night, prior to the cruise. In addition I booked every show that was able to be booked. Yes, a bit of overscheduling but, you can always cancel if needed. The dining rooms allow you to show up 15 minutes late before they cancel your reservation. There is a board outside of a few places (O'Sheehan's for sure) that shows you what dining rooms are available etc. and when if you decide not to reserve before. In hindsight I'm glad that I reserved dinners. We pushed one back and missed the reservation on two others but I watched a lot of people wait with the beeper things in hand. With a reservation, you walk right in. Note about dressing up for dinner: I was hoping that NCL in the Baltic would be a little dressier (I like to dress up) but it is casual, sometimes too much in my opinion. The first night I went suit and tie and was the only one beside the wait staff. The second night the same. After that I only wore my suit to Cagney's and La Cuccina. A polo and khakis and you are one of the best dressed as a guy. Shorts are allowed in all dining rooms except for La Bistro and Ocean Blue.

We roamed the ship with most everything closed checking out all the things that the ship offers. I like getting an idea where the main things are in relation to my cabin, Theatre/Buffet etc. so that when you head out, you are going the right way. Speaking of going the right way, on the carpets are fish. Fish swim forward. Remember that and you can only be lost but for so long.

For smokers there are a few spots to go. On deck 15 is the most popular spot. It's an enclosed (kind of) room right next to the adult hot tub on the Port side. It's also right next to a bar and close to the Garden Cafe'. Also deck 7, Starboard side just forward from the bowling alleys at O'Sheehan's. When at sea, the casino is open and there is smoking allowed in the smoking section. (this is very unclear in the casino but if you see ashtrays you assume you are in the right area)

Prior to the trip my entire family downloaded the Norwegian iConcierge App. on our iPhones. The application once activated on board (I'm told that you have to download it prior to based on wifi availability) is a way to keep everyone in touch. Instant messaging with your cabin mates or others if you have friends/family traveling in different cabins. The service costs $14.99 per person for the entire cruise. For us it was a $60 investment with the hopes that it would work flawlessly and we could split up and still keep in touch. That was the hope. The reality is that the app is fragile, you lose the wifi often and messages are delayed especially when in port. After about 4 days of frustrations I went to Guest Services who basically told me that it didn't work well and that he would immediately credit it. I said that I would continue to try, he advised that I could wait until the end and that he would credit it. It was credited. Overall it was marginal but as I didn't pay for it, it is hard for me to be too ticked off at it. Obviously this service as well as the internet service are weak as most every person complaining was about those two things. I would probably sign up for it again with hopes that it would be better. :D

Muster (Life Boat Drills) was at 4:00. On your card is the location. For us it turned out to be Savor. After a seemingly long presentation we went back to our room, showers and got dressed in our dinner gear. Our dinner was at.... Savor. :rolleyes: 29 places to eat and I spend my first day in Savor 3 times. Ok, complaining about being on a cruise is hard to do but....

Our late 8:30 dinner was good to very good. My daughters are vegetarians and they managed to have some things that they enjoyed. I had a steak that was very good and my wife had a 1/2 of a chicken that was ginormous. After dinner we roamed around with my wife and I getting drinks and landing in the casino. My girls did some video arcade (gamblers in training) and we finished up the night on our balcony with some beers "smuggled" in from Copenhagen. (Truth is we bought too many in Copenhagen and these were extra that I just casually put in my suitcase). It doesn't get truly dark for many hours. At around Midnightish we went under a large bridge. (Nyborg area) Navigating out and around Denmark on our way to Germany was cool. The next morning was early but it was worth staying up. A few folks went up on the Sun Deck to get the best view. Many did the same on the way back.

The next morning we were on our way to Berlin. We were to meet in the Illusionarium around 7:15/7:30. It was a very nice 1st day. The Getaway is a wonderful ship and we look forward to exploring the Baltic with her.

Photos attached: Chandelier that changes color, decks 6/7/8. Also the smoking area on 15 and the view from our balcony of leaving Copenhagen with it's wind turbines and ships galore.

Any questions, comments? Send them thru.

In order to have one consolidated post I am re-posting my pre-cruise post (Copenhagen) and Day 1 (Boarding) and Day 2 (Warmunde/Berlin)/ sorry for the repeat if you were following those:

Pre-Cruise in Copenhagen:

Good day cruisers and soon to be cruisers. I just returned (kicking and screaming) from a wonderful 9-day cruise on the Norwegian Getaway. We also spent a few days in Copenhagen prior to departure. I will post the day by day adventures but feel free to ask questions about any of the trip at any time.

We left Portland, Oregon on the night of the 5th on Condor Airlines on our way to Frankfurt, Germany connecting to Copenhagen on SAS Airlines. Once there we stayed at the Hotel Nebo in the South Central part of the city. On the trip was myself, my wife and my daughters aged 16 and 14.

Leaving late we had a long 10+ hour flight ahead of us. Unfortunately the flight lacked in space (think veal in a cage, then take away space) and it was hot as hell without any vents or anything to ease the heat. I'm not sure if there was something wrong with the ventilation but everyone was sweating basically the entire flight. I slipped into what seemed to be a heat induced coma but alas, we were on our way. ;p

Arriving late into Frankfurt, storms were in the area, lightning/thunder oh my. So, more delays. Eventually we ended up boarding a bus and drove to what seemed to be the suburbs of the airport and loaded up. The pilot pushed thru the storms and made up some of the delay landing shortly after Midnight in Copenhagen, "The Venice of the North".

As we had done customs in Germany, we picked up our bags, hit an ATM and made our way out. Money tip: if you are staying in Copenhagen, get Danish Krones (DKK), Euros and even US Dollars will work but having the local money along with your credit card works best. The Danes (along with the Germans) speak wonderful English. Rarely did we have any trouble conversing but learning a few basics, hello/goodbye/thanks will help out and makes you feel at least part of the culture you intend to experience.

Getting a cab (10 minute line) we were on our way to Hotel Nebo. I had previously booked the Scandic thru NCL but it wasn't available for all of the stay so I cancelled and booked on my own. The Nebo was affordable and centrally located. I had read and experienced that at late night (1am+) the area gets a bit seedy. We arrived, dropped off our bags in the room along with the kids and went out to the local 7-11 for a few lagers to bring back to the room. :beer-mug: (keep in mind that it's about 4pm on our body clocks). Toasting a few we strangled off to sleep late.

Up and about mid morning we went to the breakfast in the hotel. I purchased it for convenience and although there are tons of Starbucks etc. "out there" I felt that getting our day started was easier in the hotel. Sorry Starbucks. Post trip I highly recommend doing this as the prices outside were more than the excellent breakfast we had in the hotel. (Breads/cheeses/ham/cereals etc.). Let me also add now that bikes are everywhere. If I had more time I would have rented one for the day as it appeared to be the easiest transportation.

We mapped out our day hoping to see canals, towers, cafes and even a mermaid or two. Heading mostly North we went thru the Central Rail Station and around Tivoli Gardens crossing Hans Christian Andersens Blvd. on our way to Slotsholmen, the "Island of Power". This island surrounded by a canal gave us our first view of what most people associate with Copenhagen with the 3-4 story buildings tastefully painted in traditional apricot, peach and lime hues. On the island are many sites but we opted to take in the outside sites, the people and the charm of this wonderful city. Temperatures were in the mid 60s, the sun was out and it was easy walking. The city is vibrant and friendly. People enjoy the shops and the water with a calmness.

We crossed one of the many bridges onto the island of Christianshavn, home to Our Savior's Church and Freetown Cristiana. Walking around the neighborhoods was easy and safe. People were on their way and everyone was friendly. We arrived to Our Savior's Church and buy a ticket for the tower walk. It was affordable and is probably the best way to see the whole city. A bit nerve wracking at times but the experience is unbelievable. I highly suggest it. In the same neighborhood only blocks away was Christiana, the free spirited town within Copenhagen with legal pot and a hippie vibe. It was an experience. Our kids were a little uncomfortable and I suggest it during the day. I didn't feel unsafe but also knew that with any area, you watch where you go, especially with kids.

Having experienced that island we went over to Paper Island. Perhaps you have heard of it but if not Paper Island is a colossal food and drink event. :beer-mug: This is where we ate lunch. We got local organic lagers and also local foods. Our kids being vegetarians, they still were able to find good food. Within the main "warehouse of food" were probably 50 food vendors of all sorts. Credit cards work for sure but again, carry the Krones to purchase the food, it's easier. On the island are also shops and a curious area of "Wish Trees" created by Yoko Ono. Go to Paper Island, it's cool. Also I hear that it may be shutting down over time. Unsure on the last part.

Leaving lunch we crossed back onto the main city area walking to Nyhavn, the "New Harbor". This IS the most popular scene in the city. It is very recognizable and is very neat. Fishing boats and cafes, this area with the traditional buildings is a must. We stopped on the café side having some more local brews while many also sat on the water side enjoying their beers purchased from 7-11s etc. at a cheaper rate.

A touch of rain started then later stopped during our walk to the statue of the Little Mermaid. Walking along the main waterway it was an easy maybe 20-30 minute walk. Arriving to the statue I'm amazed that there is virtually no tourist shops or admission fees, no lines, no crowd pushing. She was there, just as advertised. Many say it's a disappointment and that she is small. Although not humungous the statue is classic and understated at about 4-5 feet. It was nice to hit the biggest tourist trap without feeling trapped. A few good photos opps and good conversations and we made our way back to the hotel.

On the way back we stopped for trinkets and such passing the fortress area, Alexander Nevskij and Marble churches, grabbing dinner at a local Asian restaurant and even another beer. With sunset in the 10:30 range you lose track of time and we retired around 10ish. The neighborhood was much different at this time of night and we went down to our courtyard for a smoke and one of our refrigerator beers. Copenhagen is expensive but so is life. It's not ridiculously priced in my opinion but where you can cut costs, you do. We logged about 10.5 miles on the day so although walking all day, it wasn't an unbelievable amount of walking. Everything is close and well planned.

Up the next morning we did our breakfast routine then walked over to the local Tivoli Gardens, the first amusement park of Europe. We were early and the park was seemingly vacant for a Saturday. As the day went on it filled up more so I suggest that if you do Tivoli, get there early. That said, we didn't wait anymore than 5-10 minutes for any ride. Tivoli was Disney's inspiration. In fact in my opinion, he completely ripped it off. Sure, Disney recreated and redefined amusement but you can clearly see how he took many of his ideas from Tivoli Gardens. It was a blast. We ate lunch at the park and enjoyed many hours of fun and people watching. You can't help but compare Disney Parks and it was refreshing to not have long lines. It was a ton of fun and I highly suggest it to those with or without kids. It was affordable as well.

Spending most of the day in the park, we wrapped up and went in search of War Pigs, a bar/restaurant that I discovered in my research. This brewery with it's many craft brews (20 plus) is in the Meat Packing District, just South of our hotel. It was a simple walk of maybe 20 minutes from Tivoli. The place was packed with locals and tourists. Benches full of people enjoying the beer, hard driving music and the food. The grub was classic American BBQ. Pork, brisket, chicken etc. sold by the weight. Add in the beans, mac n'cheese etc. and it must have felt like home to many. Beers and meat later along with an obligatory t-shirt purchase and we made our way back to the hotel. Overall I liked War Pigs and was happy with it and it was exactly as expected. Having two vegetarians with us it made it a little tough but they struggled thru it. :D The cruise started the next day ! We got packed up, ordered a cab for 11:00am, and called it a night.

Cruising Day was upon us. Having our breakfast, we were down in the lobby at 10:45 as requested with our bags. The front desk kept us abreast of the cab status and like clockwork, it arrived at 11:00 as scheduled. Another Mercedes Benz cab ride of maybe 25 minutes and we were at the cruise docks, Ocean Quay area. Paying by Visa and wishing the cabbie a "tousand tags" (a thousand thanks) and we were there, ready to check in.

Overall Copenhagen and its' people is wonderful. I highly suggest going and staying, taking in the culture, the people and the environment. When I do it again, I will stay longer but for now I'm thrilled that I made the choice to stay for the time I did.

Any questions or comments? Fire away. :D

Next post: Day 1 of the cruise (woohoo)