Ship to Berlin - transportation tour company

[MSPCUBS]

I am interested in getting transportation to Berlin from our cruise ship. I would like to walk around the "east" Berlin area and visit a few sites. I don't want to take the train. i would like to find a tour company that would pick us up and drop us off in Berlin and then return us back to the ship. Has anyone done this? Suggestions on tour company to contact?

[Giantfan13]

I am interested in getting transportation to Berlin from our cruise ship. I would like to walk around the "east" Berlin area and visit a few sites. I don't want to take the train. i would like to find a tour company that would pick us up and drop us off in Berlin and then return us back to the ship. Has anyone done this? Suggestions on tour company to contact?

 

There are several tour companies that do this. Many of them are the same companies that do tours in St Petersburg, so if you book a Berlin tour and a St Petersburg tour, they usually can save you some money.

We used a fantastic company called SPB Tours. Here is their web site for Berlin and then the other for St Petersburg http://www.spb-tours.com/germany/en

http://www.spb-tours.com/st-petersburg/en/.

If you read these boards, you will see nothing but compliments for this tour company as many people on this site, have used them and all have come back with glowing reviews. Viktoria, the owner of the company is a joy to work with and she will answer all your questions. She is based in St Petersburg and her husband does the Berlin tours.

They are the #1 rated tour company of Trip Advisor

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Len

[lost in translation]

There are several tour companies that do this. Many of them are the same companies that do tours in St Petersburg, so if you book a Berlin tour and a St Petersburg tour, they usually can save you some money.

We used a fantastic company called SPB Tours. Here is their web site for Berlin and then the other for St Petersburg http://www.spb-tours.com/germany/en

http://www.spb-tours.com/st-petersburg/en/.

If you read these boards, you will see nothing but compliments for this tour company as many people on this site, have used them and all have come back with glowing reviews. Viktoria, the owner of the company is a joy to work with and she will answer all your questions. She is based in St Petersburg and her husband does the Berlin tours.

They are the #1 rated tour company of Trip Advisor

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

I think the original poster is just looking for transportation to Berlin, not a tour. I am kind of curious to see what the response is. My husband and I aren't really comfortable taking the train that far but would much rather spend our time in Berlin exploring on our own instead of being stuck with a group. As of now we are probably going to do SPB and are hoping they will at least give us a little time on our own.

[dogs4fun]

I am interested in getting transportation to Berlin from our cruise ship. I would like to walk around the "east" Berlin area and visit a few sites. I don't want to take the train. i would like to find a tour company that would pick us up and drop us off in Berlin and then return us back to the ship. Has anyone done this? Suggestions on tour company to contact?

 

I surmise from your post that you are not looking for a tour? You just want transportation from Warnemunde to Berlin & then back to the port (but not via train)? Is that correct?

If you just want transportation, you could either rent a car or hire a car & driver.

If you want transportation plus a tour (as GiantFan13 posted), then there are several good tour companies that offer the Berlin option. We used Alla Tours for Berlin and it was fantastic.

You can contact Alla, the owner, at her website:

http://alla-tour.com/

or email: info@allatours.com

You might contact Alla and see if she would include you in one of her groups but just for a pick-up and drop-off. We wanted to visit the Pergamon museum & Alla had the driver drop us off at Museum Island & we met-up with the group a few hours later.

jill

Edited January 27, 2013 by dogs4fun

[Giantfan13]

I think the original poster is just looking for transportation to Berlin, not a tour. I am kind of curious to see what the response is. My husband and I aren't really comfortable taking the train that far but would much rather spend our time in Berlin exploring on our own instead of being stuck with a group. As of now we are probably going to do SPB and are hoping they will at least give us a little time on our own.

 

Sorry, but I thought I read where she was looking for a tour company, that is why I suggested whom I did.

 

Suggestions on tour company to contact

 

If I misinterpreted this, sorry.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[John Bull]

I'm as confused as Len ;)

 

Though they may not know it, what both the OP & Lost in Translation need is a driver to take them to Berlin and back, and to chauffeur them around the city.

 

Warnemunde to Berlin is 150miles, about 2.5 hrs each-way.

Add an hour's leeway for delays on the return journey and a back-on-board time that's usually a minimum 30 minutes before sail-away. So if the ship is in port say 8am to 6pm that gives little more than 3 hours in the city. They can't waste great chunks of that time going place to place on the bus or the metro or a ho-ho, or studying maps.

That's why comparatively few cruisers head for Berlin on the train.

 

So although the OP & Lost in Translation may not need an expert guide, they most definately need a driver who knows his way around Berlin & a little about the logistics/opening times/busy periods/etc at the various sights. And hopefully a driver who can figure his client's interests & build in places off-the-tourist trail such as the last surviving watchtower, in a side street near Potsdamer Platz, or the little soviet-era museum, by the river near Friedrichstrasse. And the sort of places (Unter den Linden/Brandenburg Tor, Checkpoint Charlie, Potsdamer, Ku'dam, Museum Island) where folk with various interests can wander.

Which almost amounts to a private guided tour, other than it can be single-manned by a driver who minds the car while the cruiser visits sights unacompanied.

 

I think that Alla (used them in St Petersburg, excellent) & SPB both use 16-seater vans for Warnemunde/Berlin - way better than ships' large cattle-coaches & with at least a degree of flexibility on itinerary, 100% flexibility if the cruiser can put together their own like-minded group of about 10 or more. Worth enquiring whether they also offer sedans for Berlin (they do in St Petersburg). Even single-manned the cost per person will be way higher but of course with total flexibility.

 

You can probably guess my views on hiring a car for this visit :D

 

BTW, it's possible to figure which side of the former Wall you are, just by people-watching. The demeanour of folk in the east is rather more grey & well-worn than those in the west. Much-diluted now, & of course less obvious in younger generations, but still noticeable. Same as elsewhere in the former Soviet bloc, like Poland, Hungary & czech countries.

 

Hope this helps

 

JB :)

Edited January 29, 2013 by John Bull

[lost in translation]

Can't speak for OP, but our budget certainly doesn't allow for a driver and chauffeur. Our ship is in port until 10:00 and I think many are later. Anyway, we have decided against taking the train. I know cruise lines offer a transportation only excursion in some cities. Ours doesn't but OP might want to look into that.

[John Bull]

Can't speak for OP, but our budget certainly doesn't allow for a driver and chauffeur. Our ship is in port until 10:00 and I think many are later. Anyway, we have decided against taking the train. I know cruise lines offer a transportation only excursion in some cities. Ours doesn't but OP might want to look into that.

 

 

UK/US language barrier :D

Just a quick clarification - one driver all day, but he needs to know his way around Berlin.

 

With a sensible arrival time in port & a 10pm sailing, train plus ho-ho/metro/taxis/whatever is much more feasible, though needs careful planning

 

JB :)

[jojotravelgirl]

has anyone found a company who is willing to let you ride on their bus from the port to Berlin without doing a tour? from what I have read, most companies put everyone on a motorcoach from Warnemunde to Berlin, then split into smaller groups with tour guides. seems like it would be in their interest to allow extra people to sit in the empty bus seats and not have to hire a tour guide for them.

[Giantfan13]

has anyone found a company who is willing to let you ride on their bus from the port to Berlin without doing a tour? from what I have read, most companies put everyone on a motorcoach from Warnemunde to Berlin, then split into smaller groups with tour guides. seems like it would be in their interest to allow extra people to sit in the empty bus seats and not have to hire a tour guide for them.

 

If you just want transportation, why not just take the train?

 

 

Cheers

 

Len

[Travelanni]

If you just want transportation, why not just take the train?

 

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

 

The problem is that the train schedules between Rostock and Berlin do not fit very well with ships arrival and departure times.

To catch the 8:34am from Rostock you must be off the ship by 7:30am. This train arrives in Berlin at 11:15am. The next one will not get you there until 12:32 and requires a change in Schwerin.

The very latest that most ships sail is 11pm, most sail earlier, but if this is the case the latest you can leave Berlin is 6:45 pm which will get you back to the ship around 10pm. The train after this is too late and the one before leaves Berlin at 4:45pm! Add in the time taken to get to and from the station, a bit of time waiting for the train etc., and it does not leave much time for sightseeing. Plus a lot of stress over missing the train, trains being late etc. I personally would not attempt it if I had a deadline to make.

 

Anni.