Warnemunde - Berlin question about train

[Live4cruises]

This will be our first opportunity to see Berlin, so we are definitely going to get there, just haven't figured out the logistics yet!

 

We enjoy planning ahead and doing city sightseeing on our own, so would like to do that. However, because of the distance from the port, we want to be part of a group for the transfer. We are on HAL, and they offer a "transportation only" excursion on the train. Has anyone been on the trains that are used for ship excursions? I ask because of a recent transfer from Seward to Anchorage (Celebrity cruise) that was miserably cramped. We aren't large people, and we are accustomed to flying coach; we know better than to expect luxury, but do expect to be able to have a little personal space.

 

Details about the train experience would be welcomed ~ thank you!

[fabnfortysomething]

we arranged our own trip to Berlin because of poor feedback about the train excursion[we were on NCL] The trains are not air conditioned and they do have hot summers!

 

The cost of the "Berlin on your own" train was $260

 

Based on advice from these forums we went with SPB travel who do excursions in both berlin and St Petersburg .We put a group together from our roll call and SPB also helped in that they added another 4 people from a ship who were in port the same day.The cost for 18 people was 100 euros each and for that we had an air conditioned coach to Berlin and a private guide in another air conditioned mini van once we reached Berlin

 

We were given reassurance about reliability getting us back to the port on time-they do have insurance and as they rely on good customer feedback the first time they failed to get a party back on time would be a business disaster for them

 

Incidently the train was a few hours late back and everyone getting back on board that evening looked hot and frazzled whereas we'd been back for hours and had a leisurely time on board

 

Lyn

[KirkNC]

In June we are doing what Lin described, we are taking the SPB tour. Since we are also using them in SPB, we get a slight discount and our cost is $95/pp. We were very close to doing the train on our own which would have cost around $50/pp but decided to go the AC van route plus a guide for not a lot more money.

 

Kirk

[Live4cruises]

Thanks for the feedback! Based on the realization that the trains aren't air conditioned, we have booked SPB to Berlin along with the St. Petersburg tour we booked a few days earlier. I did some weather research, and found that in 2010 on the day we'll dock in Warnemunde it was a less than pleasant 93 degrees. A cool motorcoach and guide sound wonderful!

[lmarmors]

In June we are doing what Lin described, we are taking the SPB tour. Since we are also using them in SPB, we get a slight discount and our cost is $95/pp. We were very close to doing the train on our own which would have cost around $50/pp but decided to go the AC van route plus a guide for not a lot more money.

 

Kirk

 

We are cruising the Baltics next July and were planning to book SPB tours for Berlin. How many people in your group to get the $95/pp price?

[KirkNC]

We are cruising the Baltics next July and were planning to book SPB tours for Berlin. How many people in your group to get the $95/pp price?

 

No more than 20. The best part is we are not having to do anything to fill the tour. We had booked a tour with SPB for SP which is a group we pulled together via our roll call. Vika than made the Berlin offer but she/they will be filling the group.

 

Kirk