ship position - Baltic cruise

[ehogan]

We are cruising on the Norwegian Jewel for the Baltic region next May.

 

Can anyone tell me if any of the following ports involve tendering in?

 

Also, are the main sites of each city within walking distance of the ship's berth?

 

I am trying to determine if ship excursions are the best idea for some ports.

 

Thanks so much in advance.

 

Our ports:

 

Copenhagen

Stockholm

Helsinki

Tallin

St. Petersburg (we will take a ship excursion here)

Warnemunde (we are not going in to Berlin)

[Gram Cape Cod]

I just returned from the Baltic Cruise on the Dream last month and we did not have to tender in at any ports (on the Dream).:cool:

[New Hampshire]

Hi Gram,

I chatted with you before you left and hoped you would write a report of your cruise experience when you returned. Are you going to do that? Where will you post it? You shared info with me about Alla and I have set up my tour in St. Petersburg with her. My cruise is July, 2008. I'd like to hear all about how that tour went. I'm really looking forward to hearing EVERYTHING!!!!!

 

i assume your name means you're from the Cape. I'll be there next weekend, in Chatham, for a wedding.

 

Barbara

[elphin]

No tendering will be involved!

You will need to take an excursion at St Petersburg as the port is a very long way from the main city. Indeed it is a long way from where you'll berth to the exit of the port! Also if you don't take an excursion you'll have to arrange a visa and that is quite a rigamarole!

All other downtowns are easily accessible from where the ship docks by either walking [Warnemunde, Tallin and Helsinki] or a short cab ride [stockholm and Copenhagen].

In Warnemunde I recommend you take the ferry [by where your ship docks] to Rostock [about 20 minutes] as that is a very interesting city with lots of medieval buildings and shops. The ferry will drop you right in the downtown area. There isn't a lot in Warnemunde save a beach.

[kestrel]

Cruise ships dock in all ports. There won't be any tender.

 

It really depends on where your cruise ship docks. But it is most likely that you will need to take a taxi, local bus or ship shuttle bus to go to the downtown area in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki. Tallinn is within walking distance (15 min or so).

 

You can easily tour Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn on your own. There is no need to take shore excursions. I will suggest that you buy a Rick Steves' guidebook, which covers all 4 cities.

 

There is not much to see in Warnemunde. It is actually very easy to take train ride or to rent a car to go to Berlin. There are a lot more to see and to do in Berlin.

[ehogan]

Thank you all for your help. Using your comments, we have decided to do all the cities on our own with the exception of St. Petersburg. Thanks for the suggestion for Rostock - the ferry ride sounds perfect.:)

[Sue G]

Hi

 

We did the Baltic last year and did all the ports on our own except St Petersburg where we did the ship excursions.

 

We used Rick Steve's guide book and didn't get lost once although we had been to Stockholm and Copenhagen before.

 

Sue G

[Smooth Sailing]

Thanks for all the info - especially about the ferry to Rostock and the guide books - We are on Carnival Splendor - Aug.30th. We have booked with Alla in St. Petersburg and will do all the other ports on our own.

[lynncarol]

Another alternative: take a train (the station's right at the dock) to Rostock. From there you can catch another train to Bad Doberan and get a ticket for the "Molli". This locally famous little steam engine takes you up and down the coastal resorts along the Baltic. You can hop on and off at any stop. There's plenty of time to do this as well as visit Rostock since the ship will be in port until later that evening awaiting the return of passengers who went to Berlin. Also, the train schedules are very easy to comprehend and the ticket agents speak English. We did this last summer and had a great time.

[Smooth Sailing]

Another alternative: take a train (the station's right at the dock) to Rostock. From there you can catch another train to Bad Doberan and get a ticket for the "Molli". This locally famous little steam engine takes you up and down the coastal resorts along the Baltic. You can hop on and off at any stop. There's plenty of time to do this as well as visit Rostock since the ship will be in port until later that evening awaiting the return of passengers who went to Berlin. Also, the train schedules are very easy to comprehend and the ticket agents speak English. We did this last summer and had a great time.

Thanks for the information on the trains - sounds like something we may consider.