Travelanni

We will be arriving in Warnemunde on Sunday, May 26th and have rented a mini-van for the day, there will be six of us. We thought we would like to just drive around the area and see as much as possible in a day. Can you suggest a route we might take. Also, any suggestions where to stop for a German meal.

 

Thanks

Alison

Hi Alison, I really don't know how to start :confused:.

With your own transport you can cover a huge area and the possibilities are endless. If you could give some ideas of your interests it would help. Meanwhile I can only tell you what I would do if I had the luxury of my own transport.

1. Head East and visit the beautifully preserved Medieval town of Stralsund

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1067

possibly taking in the small town of Ribnitz-Damgarten and the Amber Museum on the way

http://www.ribnitz-damgarten.de/

2. Drive over the spectacular new bridge from Stralsund to the Island of Rügen and the Jasmund National Park with its beech woods and cliffs made famous by the painter Caspar David Freidrich. Visit the Park Information Centre at Königstuhl.

http://www.koenigsstuhl.com

3. A little further on is Kap Arkona, the most northerly point of Germany

http://www.kap-arkona.de

4. Return along the Baltic east coast via Sassnitz and Ostseebad Binz, a typical 19th/20th century Spa resort.

Just before Binz you can also see Prora, the huge holiday resort which the National Socialists (this site will not let me use the N... word) started but never finished.

http://www.proradok.de/seiten_english/dokuzentrum.html

A German meal ? - depends on what this means to you. Every region of Germany has its own speciality and even small areas within regions have their own too.

On the MvP coast the speciality is, of course, fish - prepared in every possible way you can think of but especially smoked. In the countryside some of the higher end restaurants which have sprung up in restored Manor Houses specialise in wild game - boar, deer, pheasant etc prepared with wild herbs and vegetables.

Local everyday favourites include:

Eisbein - pickled ham knuckle, served hot with pureed potato and sauer-kraut ;

Mustard Eggs - hard boiled eggs served with mustard sauce, boiled potatoes and pickled red cabbage;

Soljanka - a spicy stew made popular by the Russian occupation troops during the GDR;

Linsen Eintopf - a one-pot meal with potatoes, vegetables, sliced Bratwurst and linseed in a thick gravy.

Sorry I can't be of more help but everyone has different interests and different tastes so I don't like to advise. Maybe another cruiser can suggest a place which they have experienced.

Happy cruising, :)

Anni

http://www.travelanni.webs.com

Hi Anni

 

We will be off the Celebrity Eclipse on Tuesday 25th June and it doesn't seem to be too hard to get to Kropeline Gate. We really like the sound of the walking tour offered by the historical society.

 

Will you be doing the tour on 25th June?

 

Thanks

 

Maureen

Hi, The Historical Society is again offering the walking tours at 11am each day.

I retired from the Historical Society after the 2011 season and now live in Ludwigslust, a small town just south of Schwerin, but still enjoy sharing my knowledge of the area either on CC or personally when I happen to meet English speaking tourists in Schwerin.

I will be in Australia on 25/6 visiting my family. Sorry, as I would have loved to meet some fellow Aussies. There are none here, in fact I am the only native English speaker in town.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Good Day Mate

 

We are arriving on the Emerald Princesss in Warnemunde on 15 May and departing the ship. We need to get to Berlin with our luggage. We were going to take the 10:34 RE train but the web site indicates there is construction along the way and we would depart the train for buses and then back on the train. That seems too much.

Do you have any suggestions? There are 4 of us.

 

Saundra

Hi, You have two options by train.

1. Take the RE Hamburg train, change in Schwerin and take a Berlin train from there. Depart Rostock HBf. 11:07 arrive Berlin Hbf. 14:34. This service runs every two hours, all day. The change in Schwerin is very easy as you arrive and depart on the same platform. The standard fare is 39.10 euros per person but a Quer-durch-Land day ticket would only cost 62 euros for all 4. How to buy on-line can be found on my web site or you can purchase at the ticket office in Warnemünde on the day.

2. The Interconnex - a private train leaves Warnemünde daily at 14:35 arriving Berlin at 17:03. It is a direct train, no changes. The tickets can be bought on the train, 27euros per person. You can buy on-line but the site is in German only. tickets.interconnex.com

Of course car hire, either one-way or with a driver, is another option.

Happy cruising,:)

Anni

http://www.travelanni.webs.com

Hi Anni

 

Thanks for providing all this information. We will be on the Constellation arriving in Rostock (not Warnemunde) at 09:30 on Tuesday, July 9.

 

1. Can you tell me how to get from the pier to the central train station in Rostock?

2. Rather than going to Berlin, I would like to explore the area. Our ship leaves at midnight so we have plenty of time. What is unique to this area that you consider a "must-see"? What would you suggest we do for the day and in what order should we do it so that we make effective use of our time?

 

Your input is highly appreciated. :)

 

Colleen

Hi, many thanks for your appreciation.

1. As I said on another thread, the trains between the Port and Rostock Hbf have just been discontinued. It is possible to get there by bus/train but it is fiddly and time-consuming.

I believe that Celebrity run shuttle buses when berthed at LP41 but beware! If the shuttle runs to Rostock City with a stop at the Hauptbahnhof (main station) that is OK but if the shuttle runs to Warnemünde then it is a waste of precious time (at least 20mins) whatever they may say about catching the train from there to Rostock and often an expensive option as some cruise companies charge per person.

The best way is to to get a taxi. There will be some available at the berth and fare should be around 20-25 euros.

2. The only thing 'unique' to the area is the Molli train and the way it runs along the main street of Bad Doberan. You will find the directions on the Bad Doberan page of the web site. Bad Doberan could be done in conjunction with Wismar or Rostock.

Wismar and Schwerin are possible in one day but be aware that most tourist attractions close at 6pm.

Stralsund has both Medieval architecture and a state-of-the-art Oceanarium.

A summer eveningstroll in Warnemünde is also very pleasant.

Sorry I can't be of any more help but everyones ideas are different and I would need to know what interests you particularly before I can help you plan your day.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

http://www.travelanni.webs.com

Hey Anni, for once I'll be the one with asking the questions rather then giving the answers. ;)

Anyway, as you might know I am Swedish and as you probably know the areas of North Eastern Germany,

like Mecklenburg and Pommern (particalry Stralsund and Wismar) once was (at least partially) under Swedish control.

 

Is there any "remains" from this period? You know such as buildings, names on streets and etc?

Hi, not sure about this as it is not my period of history but will look into it as I am curious now! If you would like to e-mail me with an address I will send some photos if I find anything.

Cheers

Anni

anniellis13@gmail.com

On Eurodam on a Tuesday and having trouble deciding between Schwerin, Stralsund and Wismar.

What we want is relatively quiet medeival town after all the big ciities with some shopping for local goods.

 

I've looked at Tripadvisor and Anni's site as well as the websites for the towns but still no breakthrough. Tripadvisor has more things to do on Stralsund & Schwerin than Wismar.

 

I see Schwerin has a giuded walking tour at 11:00, not sure if in English. i sent email asking.

 

Thanks for any suggestions?

Hi,

Difficult one as all three towns are different but here goes with my opinion.

Schwerin is not Medieval, it is Baroque but there is lots to do and see plus good shopping, in both the old town and a modern shopping centre. The old town is traffic free and has quaint little streets, a nice market place, lots of nice restaurants and cafes and of course the Castle and gardens. The modern part of town has all the usual shops etc. but you can spend a whole day without ever going there!

Stralsund is definitely Medieval! Many beautifully restored buildings, back streets which are a photographers paradise, great museums and a modern, state of the art Oceanarium. The shopping is also very good. It does not seem to attract many cruise ship visitors but I can't think why. Only 1 hour from Rostock with an excellent train service.

Wismar is another definitely Medieval town. Not as big as the other two and certainly not as much to do or such a variety of shops but architecturally wonderful.

Hope this will help with your choice.

Schwerin Tourism used to do a tour in English but not sure if they still do. I do have a British friend, local resident, who is thinking of doing 'Escorted Walks' in Schwerin. Her idea is to go with visitors where they want to go, see what they want to see and answer their questions rather than do a set tour with a monologue of facts and figures. If you are interested I can give you her contact address.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Hi Anni

 

We had the pleasure of meeting you in Rostock in 2000, our first Baltic cruise, and later finding your excellent website/helpful info in CC.

 

We’ll be in Warnemunde again on 8 May arriving 7:30 am and departing 10 pm. We’re hoping to DIY Schwerin and Wismar from Warnemunde by train. We are OK (& confident?:D) to go from/to Warnemunde and Rostock which we did last time. We’ve researched the dep/arr times, duration, train numbers and intermediate stops of the various regional trains we may take. However, we cannot (or don’t know how to?:o) find/confirm the final destination of each train which we believe will help us to get on the right trains heading the right directions. Would much appreciate if you could help please.

e.g. Rostock –> Schwerin, RE trains towards Hamburg?

Schwerin -> Wismar, RE trains towards?

Wismar -> Rostock, RE trains towards Tessin?

Schwerin -> Rostock, RE trains towards?

 

Also please advise if these are the correct train stops we should use to search for info using the Deutsche Bahn website.

Rostock Hbf

Schwerin Hbf

Wismar Bahnhof

 

Many thanks.

Nicole

Hi Nicole, Nice to see that you enjoyed our beautiful part of the world so much that you are visiting us again.

To answer your questions:-

Rostock –> Schwerin, RE trains towards Hamburg? - Correct

Schwerin -> Wismar, RE trains towards? - Wismar

Wismar -> Rostock, RE trains towards Tessin? - Correct

Schwerin -> Rostock, RE trains towards? - Rostock

The station names are also correct.

Good luck with your planning. If I can be of any further help please ask.

Happy cruising, :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Hi Annie,

 

We wil arrive Warnemunde by Celebrity Costellation on May 22,which suppose to dock at 9.30am, is it possible for us to get on the ICE depart on 10.30am from Rostock to Berlin,

 

Much thanks for help

 

Eric

Hi Eric,

I have just updated all the train times and fares on my web-site and I am sorry to disappoint you but you seem to have been mis-informed about the ICE. :confused:

The only ICE between Rostock and Berlin leaves at 5:55am! There is an RE (Regional Express, very comfortable, air-conditioned) which leaves Rostock at 10:34am arriving Berlin Hbf. 1:15pm. To catch this you would need to take the 10:02am s-bahn from Warnemünde which gives 12mins transfer time in Rostock. The walk from the ship to the station in Warnemünde is at least 5mins so you would have very tight timing.

Just as a matter of interest the trip by RE is slightly faster than the ICE, 3hrs 13mins as against 3hrs 15mins. This is due to the upgrade of the high speed line due to be completed in late 2014 when the ICE will do the journey in under 2hrs. We can't wait :rolleyes:

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Hi Anni,

We are debating trying to take the train to Berlin. Having trouble finding out if there are restrooms on the train. It is a long ride.

Thanks, Tracy

Hi Tracy,

You will be relieved to know (pardon the pun! :rolleyes:) that there are restrooms on ALL long distance ( ICE, IC, EC) and regional (RE, RG, IR) trains in Germany. Also on the S-bahn routes operated by DeutscheBahn, eg. between Warnemünde and Rostock,

The restrooms are always clean and well equipped but of course the standard of furnishing varies with the age and class of the rolling stock.

This applies to both the public transport and the trains operated by the cruise companies, even though they use older, discontinued carriages.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Hello Anni,

 

We just booked our b2b MSC cruises next August and each cruise will have one stop to Kiel on Saturday from 10am-6pm. We are thinking to do Kiel-Lubeck, then the 2nd leg will do Kiel-Hamburg. We are a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 teens ages 17 & 15. I am not clear of the following, please help me to more understand as first I apologized that these questions may already asked before in the thread.

 

1. From Kiel-Lubeck, from the machine, which one do we buy for the RE 10:44am train, the Schleswig-Holstein or the 'Special Offer'-Laender ticket and what is the difference, since we will be most likely be walking within Lubeck city (instruction from your site) and may be taking local bus/train/metro within Hamburg. Saw the ticket price a slightly different. Which ticket is best for us for Lubeck and Hamburg and how much? I am a little confused.

 

2. Heard there are free shuttle from Kiel cruiseport to the Central train station from MSC cruiseline, is this true.

 

3. 'RE' train from Kiel-Hamburg is 10:21am, can we buy our ticket a wekk before when we first do our Kiel-Lubeck, can we choose a specific date when we buy and will it print on the ticket or we have to buy the date of the travel from the machine? This is because if we arrive at 10am and we need to get to the train station for the 10:21 train, we won't have time to buy the ticket on that day. Not even sure if this is doable so we have to try the Kiel-Lubeck first and get familiar with the Kiel area. For some reason, the website does not allow to buy these tickets on-line. May be I am wrong.

 

4. If we choose the 10ish RE train and choose return train at around 3pm but if decide to come back an hour earlier for some reason, can we hope on the 2pm train to come back since this is a all-day pass?

 

5. From your website, I see you have the walking tour once you get to Lubeck and that is wonderful to spend a few hours there. Would you know if there a self walking tour in Hamburg?

 

Thank you so much. I really appreciated your time to help us.

Hi. I will try to answer your questions point by point.

1. I am afraid that you have me a little confused as I cannot find the difference between the two tickets. However, unless you want to travel on the public transport system in Kiel and Lübeck or on buses within the state of Schleswig-Holstein then the ticket you require for both days is officially called the Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein Lander Ticket. This is the day ticket for up to 5 persons and covers travel on all Regional trains, RE, RB and S-bahn, within Schleswig Holstein (eg.Kiel-Lübeck and Kiel-Hamburg) plus buses, trains and ferries within the City of Hamburg. The present price is 26 euros for one person plus 3 euros for each extra person. Your teens are considered to be adults so the total cost would be 35 euros. However, prices usually change at the begining of the year so these prices may not apply in 2013. Please note that if you buy from a ticket office you must add 2 euros.

Please note that the ferries in Hamburg are covered by this ticket and a trip on the river is a wonderful way to see the city. There are several stops along the river which are worth exploring, eg the Old Fish Market and the Speicherstadt.

2. I am sorry but I do not know anything about the shuttle services provided by the cruise lines. Maybe someone who has cruised with MSC can help.

3.You can buy the tickets before you require them, you just have to specify the date. But as I said, the prices will probably change early next year. There is no limit on the number of Länder tickets issued so there is no rush. I cannot understand why you cannot buy on-line unless it is because tickets cannot be purchased so far ahead. Try again nearer the date following my instructions for a Mecklenburg ticket. Just substitute Hamburg-Schleswig Holstein where neccessary.

4. You can use any RE or RB train within the validity of the pass.

5. Lübeck is a wonderful place to just wander, I go there often and always find something new. I do not know if there is a self-walking tour of Hamburg but it is a pretty big place and it would probably be better to work out what you want to see and then go from place to place on the s-bahn or the ferry. A good site to visit is http://www.english.hamburg.de

I will be amending the web site over the winter with any changes to timetables and prices as they become available.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

http://www.travelanni.webs.com

Hi Anni:

We are going to be in Warbemunde on a Sunday ( arriving on the Emerald). if we buy the Meckelburg ticket to get to Scherwin, can we use it from Warnemunde befor 9:00 as this is a Sunday and it is good from 3:00 a.m? Or do we need to buy the local ticket to get to Rostock?

Thanks

Sharon

Hi, it is not necessary to buy a separate ticket on Saturday or Sunday as the Lander ticket is valid from 3am on those days.

The trains from Rostock to Warnemünde run every 15 mins at :01, :16, :31 and :46 mins past the hour. The journey time is 20mins. Not sure how long before sailing the 'Emerald' requires you to be back on board but the 19:31 from Rostock would probably be a safe bet.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Ohhh I can't wait to use that word 'retirement'!!! I have a few more years to go though. :(

 

 

 

 

Are you closer to Rerik now? or perhaps Karl's Erdbeer Erlebnis? LOL :D Welcome back Anni, we have missed you and your informative posts!! Glad you are here. ;)

Hi, thanks for the welcome back. As for retired.......... Well, from my labours in Rostock certainly but only time will tell if I can truly retire. I hope so but I'm not holding my breath. Maybe a rest will be enough and then something will catch my interest and away we will go again!

I am living in Ludwigslust, a small town just south of Schwerin. It is a Baroque town which grew up around the 'weekender' of the Dukes of Mecklenburg. The Castle was their country home and like the main castle in Schwerin, it was lived in by the family until 1918 and since then has been gradually restored. Parts of the building are open to the public and the grounds are a public park.

Ludwigslust was the centre of production when the art of Papier Mache was at the height of its popularity in the 18th century and there are some fantastic examples of furniture, decor and statuary etc. using that art form to be found in the castle and the church

The town also has a connection with the US military. The 82nd Airborne, commanded by General James Gavin and fighting as infantry, were the first Allied troops into the town in 1945. They liberated the nearby concentration camp at Wobbelin, buried the dead and treated the surivors. The local inhabitants were very sorry when occupation of the town had to be handed over to the Soviets. In later years the veterans of the 82nd were instrumental in having a memorial erected and one of them was made an honorary citizen of Ludwigslust. You can read more on the regiment's website.

www.508pir.org/odessey/germany/germany__01.htm (NB there is an underscore _ between the last y and 01.htm)

The site of the concentration camp is also a memorial.

It is possible to combine a visit to Ludwigslust with a visit to Schwerin so if any one is interested in what there is to see, how to get there etc. please e-mail me, anniellis@arcor.de and I will be pleased to let you have more details.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

Hi Anni,

 

Welcome back!

 

I will be in Warnemunde on Tuesday and will be traveling to Wismar, thanks to you I have the train info all figured out. Do you know if there are any english walking tours offered in Wismar? Also, will language be an issue in Wismar?

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

Hi Neil, Thanks for the welcome. Sorry but I can't find any reference to English tours in Wismar. However, if you follow the walking instructions (on the website) to the Market Place the Tourist Information Office will be able to advise. Language should be no more of a problem in Wismar than anywhere else in the eastern part of Germany ie. many older people do not speak English (although they will always try to help) but most younger people do understand English even if they do not speak it very well. Things are improving in this area as tourism becomes more important. I find that that a polite 'do you speak English please' or 'may we please speak in English' will always get a better response than just asking a question and hoping that they will understand.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

travelanni.webs.com

We just returned from the Marina cruise. We took a ferry that was right next to the cruise terminal to and from Rostock. I think it was called the Rostocker, bought tix on board. I don't think it ran too often though - check with the local rep in the lobby near the exit.

 

Be aware that the security police in the terminal gave us wrong info and said there was no ferry! But there was. We basically wandered around the main streets and enjoyed the town. Also note that for some reason, the free walking tour mentioned in these threads were not available on the day we were there.

 

Harry

Sorry to contradict but the security staff in the terminal were quite correct in their answer if you enquired about a FERRY to Rostock. There is NO FERRY service between Warnemünde and Rostock, only between Warnemünde and Höhe Dune directly across the river. As mentioned many times on this thread and on the website the boat which you took is one of a fleet of privately owned pleasure craft which run tours up the river to Rostock and back, making a stop in Rostock during the cruise season. This is not recognised locally as a ferry service.

The tours mentioned on these threads are NOT FREE, the cost is 5euro per person and the reason they are not available on some days is that since I retired there is not always an English-speaking guide available to conduct them.

To all those planning a stop in Warnemünde.

As you will guess I have returned from my holiday, not to live in Rostock but in a small town further inland. However still in Mecklenburg and happy once again to help you enjoy your visit to this beautiful area.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

Yes, because the Laender ticket is good for up to 5 people and you won't need that. Have a great trip.

Sorry to disagree with you but the Länder Ticket is not suitable for the plans outlined by the above post ( by lel5344) as it is only valid on the trains of the Deutsche Bahn and not on the trams, buses or ferries. In their case it would be valid only on the s-bahn between Warnemunde and Rostock Hbf. They would be spending 23 euros on the train and still require tram tickets between Hbf and the City, 2x3.60 return + between the City and the Zoo, 2x3.60 return = 37.40 euros. The Local Transport Day Ticket costs 4.60 euros each = 9.20 euros. Quite a difference.

Hopefully, some other wonderful CC'er will be able to provide us with some comments.

 

DW and I will be docking in Warnemunde for one day, and we're thinking of taking the train to Rostock, doing the historical walking tour mentioned by Anni, and then going to the zoo before returning to Warnemunde in late afternoon. Then we'll walk around Warnemunde before reboarding our ship.

 

I'm thinking the day ticket is our best proposition for transportation. Would others agree?

Hi, As I'm still around til the end of the week and do not like to see you given mis-information, I'll answer you!

Yes, you are right. The Local Transport DayTicket will cover all your plans for the day. It costs 4.60 euros per person and is valid all day on the s-bahn, trams, buses and cross-river ferry (the vehiclular ferry which plies across the river in Warnemunde, directly under the bow of the cruise ship on P8). You have obviously done your research well!

Enjoy the Zoo, I always did.

Happy cruising, :)

Anni

http://www.travelanni.webs.com

www.travelanni.webs.com

Hi everyone, just a note to let you know that I will no longer be posting as Rostocker on CC.

I have loved my life in this area but it is now time to move on. At the end of the month I will travel to Australia for a holiday with my family, then I will return to UK to visit relatives and take a cruise to Iceland. After that, who knows? Its a big world out there and there are cargo ships sailing to every corner of it !

The web site is still in place and to the best of my knowledge the information is correct until the end of the cruise season. It would be nice if anyone finding the website helpful mentions it on CC so that others can use it too.

I am sorry to be parting from all the 'friends' I have made on this forum; to help others enjoy this interesting and beautiful corner of Germany has been a real pleasure. My special thanks to all of you who have expessed your appreciation for my replies and the web site; it makes all the time and effort worthwhile.

Watch the website - I may just add a bit from my own adventures and whet your appetite for parts of the world you have not even considered yet!

:):):) Happy cruising to one and all :):):)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

We will be coming into Warnemunde in June. We are going to stay around Warnemunde and Rockstock. We are looking for a great German meal (one does not like seafood - so more meat/potato type meal) and a few cold beverages. Any suggestions in Warnemunde? Or would going to Rockstock be better?

Hi, Germans love to eat-out so there are many, many good restaurants in both Warnemunde and Rostock. Some are speciality orientated ie. Greek, Italian, Sea-food etc but most serve a varied menu. Germany has many typical dishes, most of them regional, so it would be hard to find typical Bavarian dishes for example here in Mecklenburg. The local speciality is fish in all its forms but there are meat and potato type regional dishes too. All restaurants are required to display the menu outside, including a description of the dish. Many do so in English as well as German. So it is really just a question of browsing until you find a restaurant serving something you fancy.

All restaurants serve alcohol including a variety of beers.

Sorry, I am afraid that I cannot recommend a particular establishment by name. Thats the rules!

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Anni, first of all I would just like to say thank you for this great thread and all the help you offer others coming to this port. it is a lengthy thread and I have read through it so hope I did not miss the answer to my question, but if so please accept my apologies. I have seen a lot of info about how to see this port, and local area or towns within 1-2 hours on a do it yourself basis, train schedules, ferry, etc. What I have not seen is if there is a tour company or reliable limo or driver than can take a party of 4 on a day or half day sight seeing excursion with free time included. Do you know of any reliable companies or private drivers that can pick up a party of 4 at the pier and do a half day or day excursion? thank you very much for any help you can give

Hi, Thank you for your appreciation.

As a 'Local' contributer, not a cruiser, I am not permitted to recommend specific tour companies, limo drivers etc. by name although I know there are a few who offer the kind of thing you want. Many of them have web sites so maybe you could find them through your search engine. Or maybe another cruiser who has visited this area can help.

Sorry I can't be of more help here but 'rules are rules'. I have already been warned and I don't want to be banned.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Hi Anni,

we spent the weakend at Prerow, an unique village at the Baltic sea!

 

On the way we passerd Karl´s at Roevershagen, did you ever recommend it?

 

It´s a lovely place for families and kids.

Among many others it has the world´s largest collection of coffeepots.

 

.

Hi, I have answered questions on Karls for families with kids but the main drawback is the lack of public transport.

Please note that as a 'Local' I am not allowed to reccomend a specific business, only answer queries.

Cheers, Anni.

Hi Anni

 

Thanks for all the great info - it makes planning so much easier. Arriving for the day on NCL Sun Monday 16 July. I have 3 questions and wondered if you can help:

 

1. The following website suggests Schwerin palace/castle is open on Mondays in July

 

http://www.schwerin.com/english/Arts-&-Culture/Attractions/Schwerin-Palace*

 

However the castle/palace website states it is closed on Mondays in July

 

http://www.museum-schwerin.com/visitor-information/

 

I have tried e-mailing the castle/palace but have not received a reply. Do you by any chance know the definitive answer?

 

2. There is also an exhibition of blue sheep in the grounds of the castle/palace - will the sheep be there in July?

 

3. Where is wi-fi available in Rostock/Warnemünde?

 

Cheers, Steve

Hi, thanks for your appreciation.

Unfortunately the schloss, like most other museums in Germany, seems to be closed on Mondays. I think the info that it is open was a leftover from 2010 when there was an International Garden Exhibition there and the whole place was open 7 days a week.

Sorry:(. I will enquire further when I go to Schwerin and let you know if my information is wrong but I don't hold out much hope as I have checked 5 web-sites, all in German and they all say the same thing.

Apparently the exhibition of blue sheep moves at the whim of the creators and no one is quite sure when that will be. They have been appearing and just as mysteriously disappearing all over the world for the past three years, always leaving one of the flock behind as an ambassador of peace. For more info see http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/898241-mystery-blue-sheep-appear-outside-germanys-schwerin-castle

WiFi - it is available all over the place, with more businesses offering it to their customers every day, but these are the spots I know.

Warnemunde - in the Cruise Terminal (expensive), the new cafe in the train station called 'Crew Corner', restaurants 'Atlantic' on the corner of Alten Strom and 'Salsarico' on Alexandrinenstrasse, near the lighthouse.

In Rostock quite a few restaurants and coffee shops offer WiFi to their customers but the best places for both hot-spots and computers for public use are the book-shops 'Thalia' in the Kropeliner Tor Centre and 'Weiland'on Kropelinerstrasse, both at the top end of the main pedestrian shopping street. As noted in the thread on this subject the people to ask are the crew, they know all the hot-spots in every port!

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Thanks very much. Will try and buy the tickets today. You have been most helpful. I have one other question. How far is the first train from the ship?

Any suggestions as to how to get there would be wonderful. :D

Hi, thanks for your appreciation.

By the first train I assume you mean the s-bahn from Warnemünde to Rostock. The Cruise Terminal is literally alongside the railway station, from gate to platforms is less than 10mins walk. For directions please see the Warnemünde page on my web site.

The map at http://www.rostock-port.de/en/rostock-port/business-directory/company/Warnemuende_Cruise_Center.html shows just how close berths P7 and P8 are to the station.

You can buy the Lander ticket on line in advance but not the local transport tickets. Local tickets can be bought on the day from the machine on the station (touch screens in English) or the ticket office, using euros. The Lander ticket can also be bought on the day from the machine, the ticket office or from the ticket inspector on the RE train. They are unlimited and always available.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Hi Lydia,:)

 

Thank you for your help. I have just bought the Lander ticket on line.

 

cheers

 

Stephen:)

Hi Stephen, missed your question, sorry. Glad Lydia could help you there.

Thanks, Lydia.

Anni :)

Anni,

 

Will arrive on Holland American Eurodam at 0700 May 24. Need to get a party of 4 from the ship to Stralsund and return. Am not going to visit Demmin as found out the building I wanted to visit is no longer there. Would like to know a good timetable to travel and spend some time and return in plenty of time to return to the ship which departs at 2300 on May 24. Thank you very much.

Hi, HAL gives its passengers the longest time in Germany of any line. You have plenty of time to explore Stralsund and enjoy the evening in Warnemunde if you so wish.

RE (red, Regional Express) trains on which the Lander ticket is valid depart Rostock every two hours from 9:01 for the 54min journey to Stralsund.

RE trains return from Stralsund at 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00. The s-bahn service runs from Rostock to Warnemunde every 15 mins.

Suggested Itinerary.

Dep Warnemunde 8:12 or 8:22 (you will need single local transport tickets, 1.80pp, for the s-bahn as the Lander ticket is not valid until 9:00)

Dep. Rostock Hbf 9:01 Arrive Stralsund Hbf 9:55

Dep. Stralsund Hbf 16:00 or 18:00 Arr. Rostock Hbf 16:54 or 18:54

Dep. Rostock Hbf 17:16 or 19:16 Arr. Warnemunde 17:36 or 19:36

The Mecklenburg Lander Ticket would cost 30 euros for 4 persons and cover all the trains except the first s-bahn

As you can see this itinerary would give you 6-8 hours in Stralsund and most of the evening to spend in Warnemunde. If you prefer a leisurely morning you could take the 11:01 from Rostock and still have 6 hours in Stralsund.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Well, I "thought" I didn't have any questions but now I do have one. I was trying to buy my Lander ticket yesterday and no matter what I tried, the site will not accept the format of my phone number! A Canadian number is 10 digits - 11 including country code. Has anyone else had this problem? It won't let me proceed with the purchase.

Hi, I hope someone can give you a difinitive answer here. The system accepts my cell phone number which is 11 digits.

A few suggestions, please forgive me if you have already tried them.

Try using your cell phone number without the country code. I am told that the first four digits in a cell number are unique to that country.

If your area code has a leading zero, drop it.

Do not use spaces between numbers.

Really any number would do, the chances of them using it are virtually nil.

Happy cruising, :)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com