European Excursion Opinion

[marving9999]

I would like to ask opinions on this travel scenario.

 

My wife and I are on the Emerald Princess May 23. One of the excursion options on this trip is Berlin. That requires a 3 hour train/bus trip each way and about 5-6 hours in Berlin itself. We are considering an alternate option.

 

We will arrive in Copenhagen on Saturday, May 19 for the cruise which starts on the 23rd. We are considering flying from Copenhapen to Berlin and back for one day, and touring the city ourselves or finding a private tour guide for the things we want to see.

 

We would do this on Monday, May 21, to give us a day in case there is a problem getting back to Copenhagen.

 

Please give me your opinions on whether this is a viable option or whether we should just go the train/bus on a regular excursion. The option of flying for one day, is significantly cheaper than the excursion, but there is the risk that there may be a problem with flights and we wouldn't get back to Copenhagen in time for the actual cruise.

 

I would like your opinion from the Cruise Critic crowd.

 

Marvin & Judy

[juakkers]

We did the Berlin in a day excursion 'Berlin on your own', and although well organised, with the private train being reasonably comfortable, it was indeed a long time travelling for quite a short time in Berlin.

 

Having said that, we got on the 'hop on hop off' bus and managed to see all the main sights, stopping very briefly at each. So overall I would say that it was worth the time & expense to get there. You could still hire a private tour guide if you wished with this option

 

Whether your idea of doing it independently or not would I guess depend on flight times & the travel / waiting times to, from & at the airport. I'm sure you've already looked at this and still think it worthwhile. How much extra time would you get in the city? Would that extra time be worth the extra hassle?

 

There is also the risk factor. Which airline you are considering is very important - for example some of the European low cost airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair have fairly bad reputations for reliability, and also do not necessarily have alternate flights should things go wrong, so that is one thing to bear in mind. Using SAS / Lufthansa or another carrier that has 'partner' airlines as back up flight alternatives might be safer. Having said that I think even if there is a problem, allowing the extra day as you suggest should be good enough to cover this risk.

 

The other point I would make is that there is an awful lot more to do and see in Berlin than in Copenhagen (which is fairly small), so unless you have a special reason for being in Copenhagen for all those days, why not consider staying overnight in Berlin and really maximising your time there?

 

Finally, there is also a chance that the ship won't be able to dock in Warnemunde due to the weather - i have heard that this is reasonably common so that could also influence the decision

 

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you have a great time :)

[Wormy53]

I would like to ask opinions on this travel scenario.

 

My wife and I are on the Emerald Princess May 23. One of the excursion options on this trip is Berlin. That requires a 3 hour train/bus trip each way and about 5-6 hours in Berlin itself. We are considering an alternate option.

 

We will arrive in Copenhagen on Saturday, May 19 for the cruise which starts on the 23rd. We are considering flying from Copenhapen to Berlin and back for one day, and touring the city ourselves or finding a private tour guide for the things we want to see.

 

We would do this on Monday, May 21, to give us a day in case there is a problem getting back to Copenhagen.

 

Please give me your opinions on whether this is a viable option or whether we should just go the train/bus on a regular excursion. The option of flying for one day, is significantly cheaper than the excursion, but there is the risk that there may be a problem with flights and we wouldn't get back to Copenhagen in time for the actual cruise.

 

I would like your opinion from the Cruise Critic crowd.

 

Marvin & Judy

 

I think this is a wonderful idea. If possible I would take 2 days for Berlin. It is a great city with lots of things to see. We did the Princess train trip - I didn't want to miss Berlin and am glad that I did it on that trip. However, the train did not have air conditioning and it happened to be very warm that day. We all suffered. I think your idea has merit!:)

[LongtimecruiserfromCA]

Another thing to consider - Warnemunde is a great little beach resort town. I didn't want to do the long train ride and stayed in Warnemunde as my travel companion went to Berlin. I had a fantastic time watching the world go by at the sidewalk cafes.

[paul929207]

If you are not locked into the flights to Coppenhagan, Could you fly to Berlin, spend one or mor days and then fly to take the train to Copenhagen to catch the ship?

[katisdale]

Another thought, although expensive, is to sign up for the Princess "Imperial Cities" cruise tour. We had stays in Budapest, Prague, Vienna, and Berlin before joining the ship in Copenhagen. The hotels were excellent. A tour was included in each city as well as being offered optional tours for additional cost. There were some included meals and also the option to eat independently at other times. The travel was by bus and our luggage accompanied us. In Warnemunde we went to Schwerin Castle (enjoyable excursion) since we had been to Berlin.