Quasar1011

"Large ships will now have to dock at the city's industrial port until a permanent solution is found."

Story here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56592109

Is it busy in early June?

Okay, thank you, that helps. Looking to travel in May-June 2020, and will have to remember to look for Piraeus as the port for Athens.

Is it me, or does NCL only visit the Isles, and not Athens? I would like to do Venice-Dubrovnik-Athens-Santorini, but can't find a cruise that does all 4.

Nevsky cathedral did not allow photos inside. It was grand on the outside, except for some scaffolding. We went there first by ourselves via taxi; then met up with Marco for the free walking tour of Tallinn. He took us back to the cathedral, which by then was much more crowded. The parliament building is right there by the cathedral.

We used SPB in Berlin, St. Petersburg (2 days) and Stockholm. The SPB tours were the highlights of the cruise!

For those of us who DO have to rush to get to the airport post-cruise, what is the best way to expedite disembarkation? I was planning on even skipping breakfast to get out earlier. I will be leaving the Breakaway in Copenhagen.

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.

Tallinn

You can walk to the nearest part of the walled old town, a squat tower with the unflattering name of Fat Margaret, in 20/25 minutes. It's no level ground.

Or there's usually a ship's shuttlebus (most are payable). They take you a little further along the road at the bottom of town. But..........

if you take a taxi, get the driver to take you to the top of the old town - it's on a very steep hillside, and that means your meandering can be all downhill.:)

 

JB :)

2 questions: do the taxis in Tallinn take credit cards? And is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral near "the top of the old town"? I was planning on taking a taxi from the port to the cathedral and working my way back to the ship...

Thank you! I found a tab on the Copenhagen Card app, that has all the train and bus route information, and even shows where the ferries run! Another tab shows "What's included", and free public transport is included. Seems very efficient!

I pre-purchased the Copenhagen Card (48 hours), and downloaded the app. I want to get to the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde first (on the 25th), then get back and do sights in the city. From Ibsens Hotel, it appears I can go to Vesterport train station, to get me over to Roskilde, is that correct? But I am having trouble finding the name or number of the train I need to take.

Cheap nesting dolls tend to stick after a while.

 

I bought a couple of very attractive Faberge eggs.

Good value - but they may not have been genuine ;)

 

JB :)

Are there Faberge egg type ring boxes in St. Petersburg? I'd like to use one to propose to my girlfriend next spring.

Clothing question: I wear medium-sized shirts (USA), what would be my size in the Baltic countries? I am hoping to get some shirts in the ports.

Likely, no. Possible, yes. I did a climatological study of the past 10 years of the Baltic ports I am hoping to get to next year. Copenhagen had thunderstorms in August 2011 and 2017. Tallinn had thunderstorms in August 2009, 2013 and 2016. Rostock had a thunderstorm with a squall to 41 mph in 2016, and a funnel cloud sighted from its airport in August 2010!

The free SDP was for only 3 nights on my 9-day cruise. Is that normal?

I was told that "family sails free" as part of the pick 5, was not valid during the summer high season. Then the TA said I was in luck, my Aug. 27th sailing would include that. So I'm wondering if there really is a cut-off point, as I want to do a sailing in June 2020.

Thank you dogs4fun! That makes more sense than just being open on weekends.

Now we have to figure out DIY vs. free walking tour, leaning towards getting a

local to show us the city. :)

note that if your cruise does sail into Stockholm, it will reduce the hours that you will have in port as it takes the ship about 4 hours (?) to navigate through the archipelago of islands to dock at Stockholm. if it docks at Nynashamn, you will have a full day in port. it was easy getting to the train station at Nynashamn and then on the train to Stockholm from there.

Do the private tour companies meet the ship at Nynashamn if it docks there?

I read elsewhere that the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is only open on weekends. Is that true? We are scheduled to be in Tallinn on a Thursday next August. Although I understand that photos are prohibited inside, I'd like to visit the inside of the cathedral.

I'm reading that the ship's tours just take you by some of the sites, with photo ops through the bus windows only. Is that true? I'm assuming the photo ops are better with the private companies?

Will Baltic ports have a decent selection of polo shirts? I can wear business casual polo shirts to work, and would like to pick up a couple shirts with Baltic themes. I plan on sailing August-September of 2018, and I know these shirts can be seasonal.

I looked at Hotel Bethel in Nyhavn, Tony O, but it said it was sold out (or perhaps hasn't been listed yet this far out?). Anyway, I just booked Ibsens Hotel. Seems like plenty to do within walking distance! At least it's refundable if I see something better.

...pay heed to your choice of hotels in the city. Many are not airconditioned and it can be uncomfortably warm and noisy in an unairconditioned hotel.

I haven't chosen a hotel yet, planning on staying Friday-Saturday-Sunday nights before the Monday cruise. If no A/C, would a fan keep out the noise? Is the noise just weekend revelers or what?

Do most of the hotels have restaurants? Looking to stay 3 nights in Copenhagen before the cruise, first night (Friday) will have jet lag and might not feel like going out too far! Haven't decided on a hotel yet.

Copenhagen Free Walking Tours offers a GREAT "Grand Tour" which begins at City Hall at both 10:00 and 11:00 am.

 

http://www.copenhagenfreewalkingtours.dk/index.html

What is a normal tip for the tour guides?