Warnemunde to Berlin

[sailgal]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a private tour from Warnemunde to Berlin for the day? We are a family of 4. I prefer not to take the Westerdam excursion, but I am having trouble finding a tour company that does this. Thanks!

[lysolqn]

I'm not sure about HAL but I know Royal Carib and Celebrity offer "Berlin on Your Own," coach transportation from the ship to Berlin and back again. It's a twelve hour shore excursion which gives you about six hours in Berlin. Once you arrive in Berlin, there are several tour companies that offer hop on/hop off tour service around the city. We opted for this recently and it worked out very well.

[saw17752]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a private tour from Warnemunde to Berlin for the day? We are a family of 4. I prefer not to take the Westerdam excursion, but I am having trouble finding a tour company that does this. Thanks!

 

 

This is the company we are using, however, I caution you that it is VERY expensive:eek: . For the use of a van and driver guide for the day (we are being picked up at 8:00 AM and dropped off at 7:00 PM and the driver guide has 1 1/2 -2 hours or so to get to us and another 1 1/2 -2 hours to return to Berlin) it is over 1500 Euros. The web site is: www.united-limousines.com and we are dealing with Tom and Kathrina.

[MizzLee]

Or try this one:

 

 

http://www.berlin-stadtfuehrung.de/berlin_sightseeing_tours_from_port_rostock_warnemuende_cruise_ship_germany.htm

 

They have been very easy to deal with!

[katredd]

Sailgal -- what Westerdam cruise are you on? We are a family of 4 on the August 19th sailing...... Thanks!

[a1dolllady]

I agree with Mizlee, we booked Berlin Stadtfuhrungen as well. The cost for a the ride to Berlin and back in a Merecedes van for 6 and a tour guide in Berlin is 650 Euros total. They can also do a Mercedes car for 2 peope for slightly less. The gentleman to contact is Klaus Wieland Klaser. Their email is:

info@berlin-stadtfuehrung.de. They have a web site as well: http://www.berlin-stadtfuehrung.de. They seem very professional.

 

Good luck!

 

Helen

[dileep]

If you rent a Hrtz car at the dock (pre-booked) and drive the car plus gas and parking will cost you about 150 Euro total. Hop ON/OFF bus is 19 euro each. We parked in the same garage as Hertz near the Zoo. Tourist info is in the next building. Easy 2.5 hour drive.

[saw17752]

I agree with Mizlee, we booked Berlin Stadtfuhrungen as well. The cost for a the ride to Berlin and back in a Merecedes van for 6 and a tour guide in Berlin is 650 Euros total. They can also do a Mercedes car for 2 peope for slightly less. The gentleman to contact is Klaus Wieland Klaser. Their email is:

info@berlin-stadtfuehrung.de. They have a web site as well: www.berlin-stadtfuehrung.de. They seem very professional.

 

Good luck!

 

Helen

 

I agree this company is less than half of what we are paying and we looked at it for that very reason. However, when we broke it down hourly it was the same price as they only give you a four hour guided tour of Berlin with the rest of the time (going to and coming from Berlin) you only have a driver. We will have a driver and guide the whole time and will have a seven and one half hour tour in Berlin, plus if we want a stop in Rostock. Also, they will add an hour at no charge if we wish to stop for lunch in Berlin and have recommended two or three local restaurants in various price ranges. For us, we just were afraid that while we will be exhausted at the end of the day four hours wasn't enough to see much of Berlin. But I am sure either company will be better than the ship's mass tours or even using the ship's RT transport only and then wasteing precious time trying to get ones bearings in a city that you only have hours in not days. If you are in a city for three or four days half the fun is getting lost and finding out of the way places. When you only have hours that fun suddenly becomes a panic when you realize that you can't even find checkpoint charlie. Just our opinion.

[sailgal]

These responses are so informative. Thanks all of you! I will let you know if I book a tour. We will be on the Westerdam for the 7/10/05 sailing.

[a1dolllady]

Just to clarify, in addition to the 4 hour tour, we have an additional 2 1/2 hours in Berlin for lunch, shopping, whatever. So It's really 6 1/2 hours in Berlin. I am sure both tours will be wonderful!

 

Enjoy

 

Helen

[sailgal]

As we are not experienced European travelers, is it too confusing to take the train to Berlin? Are the "hop on and off" tours in Berlin similar to the trolleys in Boston and Washington? Do they speak English, and are the signs in English? Does anyone know the names of these companies.Thanks for any info.

[dileep]

There were at least 3 companies. One was Hop ON Hop Off. The one we took was Berolinas (one of 2 with Yellow buses). Drivers speak minimal english. The bus had headsets with 8 language pre-recorded narrative.

 

If you get on where you get off after wandering around it is easy. We tried to walk to next stop in couple of cases (because it was closer) and it was not easy to find the bus stop. All company buses stop at same spot.

 

The whole loop takes over 2 hours, so I would not take it around once for orientation.

 

We got on near the Zoo, close to a Tourist Information office.

 

The train station was right at the dock in Warnemunde. Just make sure you check the train schedule carefully. We drove a rental car with another couple and had no problem getting to Berlin and back. The freeway signs are very clear.

[sailgal]

Thanks you so much for the info. We always like the "hop on hop off" tours, but in a country that we do not have a clue as to how to get around or the ability to communicate, it makes us nervous, especially with time restraints.

[AndrewM]

If you rent a Hrtz car at the dock (pre-booked) and drive the car plus gas and parking will cost you about 150 Euro total. Hop ON/OFF bus is 19 euro each. We parked in the same garage as Hertz near the Zoo. Tourist info is in the next building. Easy 2.5 hour drive.

 

Can you tell me how you pre-booked. The only Hertz office I see where a car can be booked is a couple of miles from the Warnemunde pier at:

 

Miera Kraftfahrzeuge GmbH

St. Petersburger Str. 50,

Rostock , DE

 

I'd prefer to have my car waiting at the pier.

[dileep]

You can pick up at the pier even though you book Rostock. Hertz is the only one with an office at the pier. The guy bicycles in around 8 am.

[kinghw]

Can you tell me how you pre-booked. The only Hertz office I see where a car can be booked is a couple of miles from the Warnemunde pier at:

 

Miera Kraftfahrzeuge GmbH

St. Petersburger Str. 50,

Rostock , DE

 

I'd prefer to have my car waiting at the pier.

 

The Hertz office is in Rostock but they will have a car ready dockside at Warnemunde, where they man a desk in the TI for pre-arranged rentals.

 

I got off the Constellation 5/24 intending to taxi to the St Petersburgerstrasse office but I noticed the Hertz sign at the TI and the woman who was opening the office said that the Hertz rep would be there soon, so we waited. He was there by 8AM and had my reservation and car, though there had been no indication from previous communications that the rental would be from dockside in Warnemunde or that the office even existed.

 

We were on our way to Berlin by 0820 and parked near the Zoo about a block from Kufurstendamm where the HO/HO buses stop by 1045. We left Berlin at about 1645 and were back at the ship at 1915. This was on a Tuesday and traffic was not a significant issue entering or leaving Berlin.

[KyleLC]

We drove a rental car with another couple and had no problem getting to Berlin and back. The freeway signs are very clear.

Was it worth the trouble to rent a car, other than to save some money? I was thinking of just doing an "on your own" excursion that Princess offers which takes you to the center of the city. The brochure says the transportation could be by train or bus, depending on availability or whatever.

 

Did you need an international driver's license to rent the car?

Did you have any problems with traffic, finding your way around, or parking?

Was there a speed limit on the highway to Berlin?

[kinghw]

Was it worth the trouble to rent a car, other than to save some money? I was thinking of just doing an "on your own" excursion that Princess offers which takes you to the center of the city. The brochure says the transportation could be by train or bus, depending on availability or whatever.

 

Did you need an international driver's license to rent the car?

Did you have any problems with traffic, finding your way around, or parking?

Was there a speed limit on the highway to Berlin?

 

Was it worth the trouble to rent a car, other than to save some money?

 

Dileep was a passenger in the car that I rented from Hertz. I was not sure it would be worth the hassle beforehand, but I would do it again. My two concerns were wasting time circling around central Berlin looking for parking, and getting caught in exit traffic at the end of the day. These turned out to be non-issues. The cost savings are nice, but more important to me was the additional 60-90 minutes in Berlin over the excursion timing.

 

Did you need an international driver's license to rent the car?

 

No.

 

Did you have any problems with traffic, finding your way around, or parking?

 

No. Dileep was a great navigator, but those skills were not required. With a decent map of Germany and Berlin the trip is easy. Parking garages are plentiful and reasonable in central Berlin.

 

Was there a speed limit on the highway to Berlin?

 

Posted limit was 130 kph, traffic was light until you reach Berlin with many cars moving at 150 kph and faster. Occasionally, there were short sections where the speed limit was reduced to 80 or 100 kph, as for road repairs, and these limits seemed to be obeyed strictly. Oh, and if you're not in the act of passing someone, stay the heck out of the left lane.

[cdfev]

We rented a car in Rostock and went to Lubeck and Eutin in Germany (instead of Berlin).

 

The traveling was easy on the autobahn and roads are well marked. The speed limit on the autobahn in places is unlimited and there were cars traveling well over 100 mph (although the majority were traveling at 70 mph). Keep your eyes on the rear view mirror (and I mean looking well back into the distance) as these cars are on you in seconds and are quite impressive as they zoom by you. Other than this one small diversion, driving in Germany is much like the US.

[dbh62ark]

Would you please let me know what you thought of Lubeck? I'm considering it as an option for our port stop.

 

Thanks,

Donna

[dileep]

Was it worth the trouble to rent a car, other than to save some money?

 

Dileep was a passenger in the car that I rented from Hertz.

No. Dileep was a great navigator, but those skills were not required. With a decent map of Germany and Berlin the trip is easy. Parking garages are plentiful and reasonable in central Berlin.

 

 

I had a map of Berlin that I got from the German Travel office in NYC. That was a big help navigating when we got to the city.

 

It was really not a whole lot different from driving around in the US. Henry made it look easy.

[KyleLC]

I had a map of Berlin that I got from the German Travel office in NYC. That was a big help navigating when we got to the city.

 

It was really not a whole lot different from driving around in the US. Henry made it look easy.

Thanks Henry and Dileep for your very helpful messages.

 

I've driven in several countries where they drive on the left (Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand), but I've always avoided the big cities and all of the signs were in English. :) I had the same concerns as you about dealing with Berlin, but from what you've said, it sounds like it should be pretty easy.

 

What day of the week were you there? Specifically, was it a weekday or weekend? That could make a big difference.

 

He was there by 8AM and had my reservation and car, though there had been no indication from previous communications that the rental would be from dockside in Warnemunde or that the office even existed.

Interesting... Did you make your reservation through the Hertz web site or did you call them on the phone?

 

I wonder if they have any cars with navigation systems.

 

Just curious... Did your rental car have a CD player?

[kinghw]

Thanks Henry and Dileep for your very helpful messages.

 

I've driven in several countries where they drive on the left (Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand), but I've always avoided the big cities and all of the signs were in English. :) I had the same concerns as you about dealing with Berlin, but from what you've said, it sounds like it should be pretty easy.

 

What day of the week were you there? Specifically, was it a weekday or weekend? That could make a big difference.

 

Interesting... Did you make your reservation through the Hertz web site or did you call them on the phone?

 

I wonder if they have any cars with navigation systems.

 

Just curious... Did your rental car have a CD player?

 

We were there on a Tuesday so I believe the traffic we saw was typical for a workday.

 

I made the reservation through the Hertz website. The car we rented was a VW Passat, was 80 Euro for the rental which was a 30% discount. The car had a CD player but no navigation system (other than Dileep).

[whenzuc]

We are on the 6/30 Westerdam sailing, and we are using http://afriendinberlin.de/ email address- jo.eckardt@t-online.de

We are really excited as she taught German in NYC for 12 years and worked at the United Nations- before returning back to Germany to live. She set up a really personalized tour for us- We are also going to the concentration Camp near Berlin- Although she seemed more expensive than the other major company that everyone seems to use, she is very reasonable comparatively speaking as her guided tour is 2 - 3 hours longer than others. She is a pleasure to communicate through email, as she is extremely accomodating in terms pof personalizing what we want to do.

[Denverite]

Could you share your itinerary with me? We are on the Star Princess July 24th and interested in private tour (especially with the concentration camp extra). You can email me at FSusman at (@) aol.com. Thanks much.