Ice House In Stolkholm

[ottawa 204]

We are sailing on the Constellation Aug. 27. We leave Stockholm at 4:30p.m.

The Ice House doesn't open until 3p.m. I understand it is necessary to make reservations. Do we have time? Has anyone had any experience with this situation? Any information would be appreciated.

Lesley

[cadreamer]

I think you are talking about the Ice Bar in Stockholm. I think you mean it opens at 3PM. It depends on how badly you want to go there and how close you are willing to cut it. If you get a reservation for 3PM (and arrive a little early)you will get right in and the longest you can stay is 45 mnutes but you could stay just 30 minutes and then get a taxi back to the ship. Just be sure the driver knows exactly where your ship is docked. We were out at the commercial port and it cost $20 to return to the ship. If you are closer to town it would be a lot easier.Also, I am not clear if you have to be back at 4:30 or the ship actually sails at 4:30. Yes, you definitely need a reservation. You can email the Nordic Hotel directly. I replied to your other post too.

[ottawa 204]

Thank you for taking the reply to answer my question. Sounds a little iffy. However the cruise book offers it as one of its tours. However, I think some of the Celebrity itineries have been somewhat different.

A special thank you for all your posting, we will certainly take advange of your notes.

Lesley

[tartangal]

I posted on a different thread that we substituted the Ice Gallery for the Ice Bar for the very reasons that concern you, and enjoyed it. It is in the Gamla Stan and opens at 11 a.m. There is an admission charge and the only beverage served is lingonberry juice (delicious) in ice glasses. It is a small room with a number of ice sculptures, the small bar, and an ice bed with fur throw, so you can get an idea of what it's like at the Ice Hotel, with which the Ice Gallery is affiliated.

[mare s.]

thanks tartangel...I must have missed the other thread...this sounds wonderful...we're on the same cruise as Lesley and we were so disappointed when Celebrity changed the itinerary a few months ago and we no longer have an overnight in Stockholm. The Ice Gallery will be a fine substitute for the Ice Bar. Is there much of a wait to get in?

[ottawa 204]

Thanks Cadreamer & Tartangal for your suggestions. We will definitely take advantage of the Ice Gallery.

Also thanks for reading and understandingt that "mess" I wrote, it was late!

Do we need reservations?

Lesley

[whenzuc]

we were there last week. having tried very hard to get to the ice bar- i am glad that we stumbled upon the ice gallery. We had planned to stop by there, but instead just stumbled upon it while walking through town. Price was reasonable, no alcohol served- just juice, and the stop only took 10 minutes. We got the same pictures that we would have taken otherwise.

a perfect alternative.

[edinburgher]

We were also there a few days ago. You get to wear the same insulated capes (and mittens!) and take the "here I am looking silly" photos. There was also a short film showing how the Ice Hotel is created each winter.

 

 

You also dont need to go out of your way to get there, as like us, you will probably be passing the door anyway.

[cadreamer]

Glad to hear about the Ice Gallery. Had no idea about it. It is a great idea and alot easier to do. Sounds like you can just walk in and it sounds very similar to the Ice Bar without the vodka. At the Ice Bar I had a vodka and juice drink and I had no idea it had any vodka in it anyway. Tasted like juice to me. Also, it would be very interesting to learn more about the Ice Hotel.

[tartangal]

Just saw the question about whether there is a wait to get in. There wasn't in May when we were there. At first we were the only people there in the early afternoon. so we didn't feel as silly mugging for the camera and holding up our glasses of juice. I'm glad the suggestion has been useful. Hope you have as much fun as we did.

[NEWYORKER58]

THanks to all of you for info on ice gallery. is there a web site and can do you make reservations, address etc. ice bar will open as early as 11 however they are completely sold out for my 7/30 sailing. this ice gallery sounds like a great choice.

marilyn and maryann:)

[2martini]

We went to the ice gallery about two weeks ago; just happened upon it while walking around Gamla Stan. Quick, cheap and fun. Little wait but the ice room was small. Heard that the Ice Bar is always booked full by cruise ship tours and recall that it is expensive (and the drinks are expensive). I'm just as happy with the condensed version!

[NEWYORKER58]

2 martini- you didn't need a reservation ? and can you remember maybe what it was near. evern a block or two away so i have some idea how to find it. i did email the ice bar a while ago and they had no reservations available. i think that the cruise ship probably blocked everything out. as they can only hold 30 people evey 45 minutes. i sure don't want to miss this one. thanks. :)

[edinburgher]

We didnt reserve for the Ice Gallery. We just walked in off the street. An American mother and daughter were just getting out of their insulated clothing as we arrived and two male tourists came in as we were leaving. It was quiet at that time. Maybe around 10-30am?.

 

Just google to find the website. ICE GALLERY STOCKHOLM (or similar) should do it.

[tartangal]

2 martini- you didn't need a reservation ? and can you remember maybe what it was near. evern a block or two away so i have some idea how to find it. i did email the ice bar a while ago and they had no reservations available. i think that the cruise ship probably blocked everything out. as they can only hold 30 people evey 45 minutes. i sure don't want to miss this one. thanks. :)

 

Someone posted a website for the ice gallery on another thread after I returned and wrote about it. I know I couldn't find a site for it before we left on our trip. However there is a visitors center right on the pier where Celebrity docked in Stockholm and they can give you directions. In fact the Ice Gallery has a small ad on the tourist map they give you there. I know we walked almost all the way through the Gamla Stan from the ship's shuttle drop off to get there-perhaps 30 minutes walk.

[roysmith99]

Hi Folks,

 

On our crusie website, for the Jewel of the Seas in August we have discussed this too and our thoughts are diverse on the subject. Fiona and I are goin to the Ice Gallery, others will try to get to the Ice Bar.

 

Select the link you want from this site.

 

http://www.icehotel.com/english/index2.htm

.

[ottawa 204]

Thought I would post the note I received back from the Ice Gallery. I thought it was informative.

 

 

The Icegallery is like an embassy for the Icehotel, which is in a way owner of the concept Icebar which is located in the Nordic Sea Hotel.

It might sound a bit mezzy but Icehotel is the worlds biggest igglo and is only excisting in winter (12/12-20/4) and then it melts down to

be built up the following year. The Icebar is just like the Icegallery a room built up of the very same ice as the "real" hotel up in the north.

What seperates the Icebar and the Icegallery is that Icegallery is more of a simulation of the Icehotel in the north and don't serve alcohol

in our drinks "In the Rocks" but we have more sculptures and even a bed of ice if you want to feel how it feels to sleep in the hotel.

I suggest that you visit both, but remember that when ever there is cruiseship in they book up the whole day they are in land and if you

not book through the ship you wont get in to the Icebar. Here at the Icegallery you just show up. Both places will provide you with warm

clothes as you visit us. You can find more information on the www.icehotel.com web site. Warmly welcome!

 

Hope this helps clarify

Lesley

[whenzuc]

if anyone wants to see pics of Ice Gallery- just email me and I will sen them..

whenzuc@aol.com

[cruiser620]

We just returned from our Baltic cruise and went to the Ice Gallery after finding out that the Ice Bar opened too late. We got the address from the web site and had no trouble locating it. It was not crowded since you really don't stay more than 10 - 15 minutes. The "ice room" was a lot smaller than what I expected, but the whole experience is really just for the cool pictures you take with the parka on surrounded by ice and drinking from an ice glass.

[ottawa 204]

We went to the Ice Gallery, and to be perfectly honest, we were not impressed. We had so little time in Stolkholm, we wished we hadn't spend time tracking it down . Theres lots to see in this very beautiful city.