LIVE - Royal Princess Transatlantic & Baltic day by day

[CTGirl]

I can't believe it's just about over. I have really enjoyed your posts even when we were with you for the TA portion. Safe travels home to you and all our CC friends still on with you. Can't wait to see the pictures.

[homeinboca]

Thank you so much for your thread, Your writing is great and I enjoyed traveling along with you. We went on the Royal last year around the Mediterranean and we loved her. Your trip to Scandinavia and St Petersburg is a cruise I would love to do. It's on the list and your information will be invaluable for our planning.

 

Thanks and safe travels home to TX!

 

Ron

[riansgrammy]

Thank you so much for all your reporting. We are on the Royal for the mid August Baltic itinerary. It sounds like we need to pack for any kind of weather. And from what you've said, I wish we had extra feet we could pack.

 

Safe travels home.

[Mom33]

I can't thank you enough for letting us follow your wonderful cruise and tours. Missing the cruise was a necessity, but your commentary and the arrival of our first grandchild more than made up for missing the cruise.:D Safe travels home.

[Kennykat]

You can easily see Copenhagen on your own. I do not think Dave does a shorter tour, but I believe he has another tour guide that does a shorter walking tour. Contact him on his website and tell him Gwen from TX said hello!

 

Gwen, thanks for your information. Love this live thread...it is informative and wonderful! Also thanks IECalCruiser too....will send you an email. Will contact Dave to see if a shorter tour is available. Thanks to you both! Claudia

[toby898]

Hi Gwen,

 

Thank you so much for doing this live.

 

I just called my credit card company to inform them of my travel plan next week to Baltic.

 

They told me that if my credit card pin number is more than 4 digits, it might not works it some country. Do you know if this is true in the Baltic countries ?

 

jane

[sashas_mom]

Loved your thread Gwen, thanks so much for taking us along. I just read on the Regal thread they are now charging $10.00 for Alfredo's and $3.00 for room service. Did they do that on your Voyage? It was free last year when we sailed on the Royal.

[Arya3]

Hi Gwen,

 

Loved reading your unselfish daily journals from start to finish!

I was wondering what time the Royal arrived back in Copenhagen port on the last morning, was it on time at 5am? Also, how early can one disembark assuming one was to handle their own luggage? The reason I 'm asking is cuz my sister who is travelling with me on the June 25th sailing has a flight leaving CPH at 7:45am and needs to get off the ship ASAP to make her flight with the 2 hour checkin time limit beforehand.

Thanks in advance, and have a safe journey home:D

 

Linda

[CI66774]

Hi Gwen,

 

Loved reading your unselfish daily journals from start to finish!

I was wondering what time the Royal arrived back in Copenhagen port on the last morning, was it on time at 5am? Also, how early can one disembark assuming one was to handle their own luggage? The reason I 'm asking is cuz my sister who is travelling with me on the June 25th sailing has a flight leaving CPH at 7:45am and needs to get off the ship ASAP to make her flight with the 2 hour checkin time limit beforehand.

Thanks in advance, and have a safe journey home:D

 

Linda

 

Just be forewarned there is one tiny road in and out of the port area. It took me (from standing in line for a tax to arriving at the airport) over 1.6 hours - not to mention the shock to your wallet at the huge taxi fare due to the delay. It costs $88 (for two) to take the Princess transfer - but those, too, were stuck in the incredible traffic jam. I would book later flights or walk off first until Copenhagen has fixed this problem. 7:45 am flight is tooooo early (IMHO). Hopefully, she has backup plans.

[catsforkids]

Hi Gwen and thanks for the "Live From". I just found it and was so glad that the sun appeared for you all in the Baltics! :)

 

I enjoyed your friends Terry & Joyce in Oslo. What a great day we had together exploring that lovely city.

 

Thank you for the IPad class. You packed the Vista Lounge! It was a great class and I learned a lot. Also, you did a great job with the cabin crawl. That was a blast!

 

Safe travels!

[catsforkids]

Loved your thread Gwen' date=' thanks so much for taking us along. I just read on the Regal thread they are now charging $10.00 for Alfredo's and $3.00 for room service. Did they do that on your Voyage? It was free last year when we sailed on the Royal.[/quote']

 

That stinks! I enjoyed Alfredo's every sea day and there was no extra charge. That is such a shame they are charging extra for it on the Regal. :(

 

There was a charge for pizza delivery to your stateroom but room service was free (always tipped $5 tho).

[GweninTX]

Loved your thread Gwen' date=' thanks so much for taking us along. I just read on the Regal thread they are now charging $10.00 for Alfredo's and $3.00 for room service. Did they do that on your Voyage? It was free last year when we sailed on the Royal.[/quote']

 

 

No charge for either on our cruise! That is a real bummer - we ate at Alfredo's 4 times. We used room service once and tipped $3. If there was a charge I would think twice about a tip too!

[GweninTX]

Hi Gwen,

 

 

 

Loved reading your unselfish daily journals from start to finish!

 

I was wondering what time the Royal arrived back in Copenhagen port on the last morning, was it on time at 5am? Also, how early can one disembark assuming one was to handle their own luggage? The reason I 'm asking is cuz my sister who is travelling with me on the June 25th sailing has a flight leaving CPH at 7:45am and needs to get off the ship ASAP to make her flight with the 2 hour checkin time limit beforehand.

 

Thanks in advance, and have a safe journey home:D

 

 

 

Linda

 

 

It did arrive on time, but there is NO way you could get to the airport for a 7:45 flight. We left at 9:00 and we sat in a traffic jam for 45 minutes. There is a one lane road out of the port and it was a mess with 3 cruise ships in port. She needs to change her flight as she will miss it for sure! I think the earliest off the ship was 7:00 am.

[GweninTX]

Hi Gwen and thanks for the "Live From". I just found it and was so glad that the sun appeared for you all in the Baltics! :)

 

 

 

I enjoyed your friends Terry & Joyce in Oslo. What a great day we had together exploring that lovely city.

 

 

 

Thank you for the IPad class. You packed the Vista Lounge! It was a great class and I learned a lot. Also, you did a great job with the cabin crawl. That was a blast!

 

 

 

Safe travels!

 

 

Thanks so much for the kind words! We had a wonderful time and made lots of new and life long friends!

 

We have made it to the US - waiting for our last flight to DFW in Ft Myers, Fl.. That was a long flight and I am anxious to sleep in my own bed tonight!

[Sydney24]

Gwen

I have just re-read your posts. Is it correct that the formal nights were on the sea day after Berlin and the day you were in Helsinki? We are in the middle of packing for our June 3 cruise. Thanks. Anne

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[MicCanberra]

No charge for either on our cruise! That is a real bummer - we ate at Alfredo's 4 times. We used room service once and tipped $3. If there was a charge I would think twice about a tip too!

 

I agree, I suppose they see this as a way of getting people to spend money on board one way or another.:(

[Arya3]

It did arrive on time, but there is NO way you could get to the airport for a 7:45 flight. We left at 9:00 and we sat in a traffic jam for 45 minutes. There is a one lane road out of the port and it was a mess with 3 cruise ships in port. She needs to change her flight as she will miss it for sure! I think the earliest off the ship was 7:00 am.

 

Thanks for the info! You probably need a holiday from your holiday now!?:)

 

Linda

[GweninTX]

Gwen

I have just re-read your posts. Is it correct that the formal nights were on the sea day after Berlin and the day you were in Helsinki? We are in the middle of packing for our June 3 cruise. Thanks. Anne

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

 

Yes, that is correct!

[Ethel5]

Gwen...

 

Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into your 'Live From." I so enjoyed being there with you.

 

 

Many more happy cruises to you! :)

[sevenseassailor]

Can anyone tell me, were wine packages offered on Royal's transatlantic??? We are booked on it in 2015.

[GweninTX]

Final thoughts on the Royal and the Baltics Cruise.

 

I first want to thank all of you for the kind words and for sticking with me for 26 days! It was an amazing trip and we will remember it forever! We had such a great group from Cruise Critic and we have made many lifelong friends! I have been thinking about things I would do differently and just some general musings on this cruise.

 

HITS:

1. The new Horizon court - made eating any meal a pleasure!

2. The brewed coffee in the HC and the dining rooms. I will never purchase a coffee card again on the Royal. Every time I got a latte I compared it to the brewed coffee and it never measured up. Not sure why, but others agreed with me. Maybe a new coffee at the IC they are using for lattes?

3. Alfredo's - great if it is kept as a free venue, would not pay $10 per person as on the new Regal.

4. The new bedding - loved the pillows and mattress!

5. Larger shower with hand held shower head and step for shaving.

6. The new interactive Tv's - we watched so many first run movies and it was great to not have to race to everything each night as most were taped for viewing on the tv.

7. Ye Old Pub Night - so much fun!

8. The larger Piazza- well utilized and so beautiful!

9. Winemakers dinner - best $40 per person we spent! I hope you get Franco - he is a delight!

 

 

MISSES:

1. The crappy bath towels - not even as good as the cheapest at Walmart. What were they thinking?

2. The new shampoo - women - take your own. Not even as good as Suave.

3. Princess Live - way too small and impossible to move around in. Uncomfortable, very straight backed chairs. Movies in there were impossible.

4. The new 18% auto-added gratuity in the Spa. I do not like this being added! I should decide how much!

5. Blow dryer in the drawer - take your own.

 

 

Tips on Baltic:

1. If you are light sensitive and cannot sleep with light coming in the room in the morning - book an inside. You cannot keep the light out around the sides and top of the drapes - 5 hours of darkness is tops on this cruise.

2. If you cannot walk 4-5 miles per day without exhaustion -start walking now! If you plan to fully enjoy the ports, you will do a lot of walking and many times on cobblestone streets. A collapsible walking cane would be great and if you tire easily, get one of the sturdy walking canes with a seat - BUT - do not cheap out - a woman on one of our tours had one collapse on her and she took a bad fall.

3. Get waterproof jackets - you will be wet and those that did not have good ones with hoods were miserable. I also recommend gloves. I had waterproof leather shoes and was the envy of my group. Break in your shoes and make sure they are comfortable! A rain poncho would work, but several days it was so windy they would not have stayed down.

4. Bring layers and plan on cold and hot. We had both and the weather forecast online was never correct!

5. All the HoHo buses had free wi-fi!

6. Oslo, Gothenburg, Tallinn and Helsinki are very doable on your own!

7. Do not book a flight before noon - the Copenhagen pier is gridlocked and you will be in bumper to bumper traffic. Does not matter how you choose to leave - one lane out - all use it. Negotiate price with taxi driver before leaving pier because of gridlock.

8. We went thru 2 camera batteries every day - bring 3! Everywhere you look is a Kodak moment!

9. Regular credit cards with out chip and pin work 95% of time. Will not work at train/bus or taxis. We used Euros easily in all countries.

10. If you are touring on your own and do not have a guide - plan on paying for potty stops! You will need local coin currency - very few free places! This is important!

11. Have a money belt or safe place to secure your money and passports. Several on our tours had pickpocket attempts made in crowded places- Scary!

12. I found the best place to get fast internet was in the Horizon Court. Go figure!

13. We brought wine on in several ports, nothing ever said.

[GweninTX]

Can anyone tell me, were wine packages offered on Royal's transatlantic??? We are booked on it in 2015.

 

 

Yes - but many were mad when Princess ran out of the higher price and popular wines! Buyer beware!

[MJSailors]

Thanks Gwen!

Welcome home!

Two questions- Will you post any photos?

Where are you planning to travel to next?

[MicCanberra]

Thanks again gwen, an excellent summary of hits and misses for you and some great tips as well.:D

[Astro Flyer]

Thanks Gwen for being so generous with your time by taking us along with you on your cruise and for your "hits" and "misses" summaries. We sailed a similar itinerary a couple years ago on the Star Princess & completely agree with your thoughts. I also had similar shipboard experiences on the Royal Princess last October during our 18 day TA.

Edited May 25, 2014 by Astro Flyer