A few questions to ask.

[liverpoollad]

We are on a Baltic cruise on the Eclipse & have a few questions to ask.:confused:

 

Do the cabins have tea making facilities? I think I read somewhere it did. I know you can ask the cabin steward, I prefer to make our own & not bother him.

 

Do Celebrity do any free shuttles at ports of call?

 

Can you offset OBC against gratuities?

 

Thank you

[reilly1]

Any time we have been on a Celebrity sailing from a UK port, there have been tea/coffee facilities in the room.

[dwhe]

They charge for shuttles (differing amounts) and yes OBC can be used to pay the service charge.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

There will be kettles for hot water if you're sailing from a UK port. You'll want to collect your tea(s) of choice from the buffet in advance. If you're a coffee drinker, not sure if they have instant coffee packets there. Perhaps someone else will know. If you're really a fan of instant coffee, you might want to bring your own. Otherwise, just order coffee from room service.

 

Your OBC is a credit on your shipboard account. All charges made on board go on this account. So the gratuities are a charge to your account (if you haven't pre-paid them). Therefore, OBC can be used to cover gratuities and/or anything else you incur a charge for while on the ship.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Tiggertastic]

Yes to the kettle in the room - lots of choice of tea in the buffet

 

Yes to OBC paying gratuities

 

Re the ports:

 

St Petersburg - you must take a tour as you need a visa

 

Tallin - there is a Hoho bus next to where it docks but it is walkable anyway - 10 minutes into town with a market dockside

 

Helsinki - payable shuttle bus or local bus dependent on where you dock - 1 dock you buy a local 6euro all day tram and bus ticket and at another you pay for a transfer on ship or dockside - tip, walk to the bus stop before the market to be able to get on as most people get on at the market and it fills fast and often not everyone can get on

 

Stockholm, depends on the dock but recommend the hoho boat

 

Copenhagen - if you stop here - the tram into town is across the road and dirt cheap

 

Zebrugge - long way into Brugge 25 mins at least - grab a cab dockside or book one in advance with a group but tip is to ask them to come back as getting one back is a nightmare. There is a shuttle payable

 

hope that helps

[kevinyork]

Yes to the kettle in the room - lots of choice of tea in the buffet

 

 

 

Yes to OBC paying gratuities

 

 

 

Re the ports:

 

 

 

St Petersburg - you must take a tour as you need a visa

 

 

 

Tallin - there is a Hoho bus next to where it docks but it is walkable anyway - 10 minutes into town with a market dockside

 

 

 

Helsinki - payable shuttle bus or local bus dependent on where you dock - 1 dock you buy a local 6euro all day tram and bus ticket and at another you pay for a transfer on ship or dockside - tip, walk to the bus stop before the market to be able to get on as most people get on at the market and it fills fast and often not everyone can get on

 

 

 

Stockholm, depends on the dock but recommend the hoho boat

 

 

 

Copenhagen - if you stop here - the tram into town is across the road and dirt cheap

 

 

 

Zebrugge - long way into Brugge 25 mins at least - grab a cab dockside or book one in advance with a group but tip is to ask them to come back as getting one back is a nightmare. There is a shuttle payable

 

 

 

hope that helps

 

 

St Petersburg.... The tour can be from a local Russian company rather than the ships tour.

 

Tallin, very walkable. The HoHo is limited on terms of where it can reach in the old town.

 

We loved Helsinki. Ships transfer into town centre, walked to the underground church and went up the elevator at the Olympic Stadium. The market by the waterside if very interesting.

 

Stockholm- took the shuttle into town and did the old town, then the old town hall tower, then a walk round the modern city.

 

Copenhagen-an easy walk into town passing the Little Mermaid.

 

Zebrugge - our cruise line had a free shuttle to Blankenburg station from where it was an easy 20 ride to Brugges. Not sure where the X shuttle take you.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[chelseauk]

I'm a big tea drinker :) and as well as confirming UK sailings = kettle :) I have a tip.

 

My tip is this :- The big metal bowser (urns) that have milk in them contain UHT milk (yuk). However every morning at breakfast there are little cartons of fresh milk with the cereals.

 

We used to grab a few everyday and put them in the rooms mini fridge.

 

Also the cups in the room are way to small for us so a couple of buffet mugs quickly found their way into the room and the steward soon worked out we preferred them so washed them up for us :)

 

Now I must go cup of tea waiting for me.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Absolutely recommend a private tour with a Russian tour company in St. Petersburg. They will also arrange a trip to the ballet for you if you are interested.

 

For Bruges, arrange with people on your roll call to have a taxi van pick you up, take you to Bruges, and return to get you. We used Taxi Snel last spring. They were excellent. The price was 50 euros each way. If you have 8 passengers in the van, that's 7 euros per person.

info@taxisnel.be

Book with them soon, they fill up fast.

[liverpoollad]

Thank you all for the informative replies, I will take note of everything.

 

Cheers.