The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[Stimpy]

We are on the 18th cruise and one of our disfriends just got a letter stating that we are leaving Stockholm at 3pm instead of 4:30 (I think the cruises before us left at 3 also). We are on the DCL excursion - Historic Stockholm and Sigunta with Lunch. Does anyone know if they removed lunch from the tour, or if any time adjustment was made?

Thanks.

I'm not sure about that excursion but we got a call a few days ago that our Skansen/Vasa trip was moved from 10:45 start to a 7:30 start. Same amount of time though. I knew about the change though before they called after a head's up from a fellow cruiser. The time change was also changed on the DCL website about a week prior to the call.

 

[dylan'smom]

We are on the 18th cruise and one of our disfriends just got a letter stating that we are leaving Stockholm at 3pm instead of 4:30 (I think the cruises before us left at 3 also). We are on the DCL excursion - Historic Stockholm and Sigunta with Lunch. Does anyone know if they removed lunch from the tour, or if any time adjustment was made?

Thanks.

Most likely they will just keep it the same & move the time up.

When they changed our leaving Stockholm to 1 PM on the first Baltic cruise, they moved our walking tour & ice bar to 9:30 from 1:30 PM! We were not thrilled to go taste vodka so early, lol, but it turned out okay since we went there last, at least!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We are on the 18th cruise and one of our disfriends just got a letter stating that we are leaving Stockholm at 3pm instead of 4:30 (I think the cruises before us left at 3 also). We are on the DCL excursion - Historic Stockholm and Sigunta with Lunch. Does anyone know if they removed lunch from the tour, or if any time adjustment was made?

Thanks.

I had noticed a few days back that they changed the tour return time to 3pm, online, I am on the same one as you, the description has not changed, presume they should write to us if the lunch is dropped, one cruise did have it dropped.

 

[MrsG]

I had noticed a few days back that they changed the tour return time to 3pm, online, I am on the same one as you, the description has not changed, presume they should write to us if the lunch is dropped, one cruise did have it dropped.

DH said they they might be trying to stagger arrival times back to the ship. It seems that previous cruisers said the line was huge and slow to get back on in Stockholm. They were probably pulling away late, and as you said Andrew, they have a convoluted way they have to arrive and leave port to avoid the bridges. No news is good news.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

DH said they they might be trying to stagger arrival times back to the ship. It seems that previous cruisers said the line was huge and slow to get back on in Stockholm. They were probably pulling away late, and as you said Andrew, they have a convoluted way they have to arrive and leave port to avoid the bridges. No news is good news.

Reading posts the issues on long lines and waits was for the DIY cruisers and the shuttle to/from the port, (as I understand it), I think departure is a different thing, it seems now at least 3 of 4 have left earlier and I would think this is down to the difficult departure from Stockholm, the route to the West of Copenhagen than the right, as per their website, and maybe English control on the English Channel and restrictions imposed in large ships turning there.

I when posting in 2009, about these Baltic cruises, questioned why they didn't use HARWICH in Essex, the route to the Baltic would be a little shorter, but avoid congestion, its also has better access than Dover, but it isn't a 'name' like Dover or Southampton and DCL like the big names. They had spare time up/down from the Med so Harwich would have been better.

 

[scrapycruiser]

2 questions :

haven't heard anyone mention the Character Breakfast on the Baltic cruise. Are they having it ?

Are they giving the kids the journals on the Baltic cruise like they did in the Med '07 ?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

2 questions :

haven't heard anyone mention the Character Breakfast on the Baltic cruise. Are they having it ?

Are they giving the kids the journals on the Baltic cruise like they did in the Med '07 ?

Answer to question one is yes.

Look at the bottom of this.

 

[dylan'smom]

2 questions :

haven't heard anyone mention the Character Breakfast on the Baltic cruise. Are they having it ?

Are they giving the kids the journals on the Baltic cruise like they did in the Med '07 ?

It's funny - we never received any word of a character breakfast, but seems like some did go to one.

As for the journals, I did see a type of journal in some of the fish holders, but DS is 18 now so we didn't receive anything. The one from 2007 was a cool keepsake for sure.

 

[wickesy]

It's funny - we never received any word of a character breakfast, but seems like some did go to one.

There should have been a note on the bottom of your dining ticket letting you know when and where your character breakfast was. Ours was Parrot Cay on the last sea day.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

It's funny - we never received any word of a character breakfast, but seems like some did go to one.

As for the journals, I did see a type of journal in some of the fish holders, but DS is 18 now so we didn't receive anything. The one from 2007 was a cool keepsake for sure.

There should have been a note on the bottom of your dining ticket letting you know when and where your character breakfast was. Ours was Parrot Cay on the last sea day.

Head server should also remind you the night before.

 

[Ivory]

Are you supposed to dress up as your favorite villian on villians night? My DD is 11 and wants to dress up but only if others have been doing it too! Anyone heard anything?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Are you supposed to dress up as your favorite villian on villians night? My DD is 11 and wants to dress up but only if others have been doing it too! Anyone heard anything?

Yes you can not sure how many do.

 

[wickesy]

Are you supposed to dress up as your favorite villian on villians night? My DD is 11 and wants to dress up but only if others have been doing it too! Anyone heard anything?

Yes you can not sure how many do.

I don't remember seeing that many dressed up on our cruise.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I don't remember seeing that many dressed up on our cruise.

Congrats on 3.000 posts.

Bet an issue is a lot of cruisers flying trans Atlantic to UK and luggage issues,

 

[dylan'smom]

There should have been a note on the bottom of your dining ticket letting you know when and where your character breakfast was. Ours was Parrot Cay on the last sea day.

Head server should also remind you the night before.

Ahaha that explains a lot!! We misplaced our tickets when we unpacked...and we had an odd head server this time. He didn't show up much at all during dinner, but when he saw us during the day at Lumiere's he would say "Hello first seating, table 24!"

 

[wickesy]

Congrats on 3.000 posts.

Bet an issue is a lot of cruisers flying trans Atlantic to UK and luggage issues,

Thanks Andrew, I hadn't even noticed.

I think you're right, especially with a lot of cruisers being unsure about the European weather and packing for all temperatures.

 

[Stimpy]

i just asked this in another thread but thought after that this might be a better place. Is DCL offering the on-board airline check in on the Baltic cruises? We are using DCL for transfers and air on Virgin Atlantic. (Which has been a complete nightmare so far )

DCL told us we did not have to check in online before the flights but according to VA we do. VA already "gave" my 2 kids's seats away for the return flight that we had assigned. I can't get them to do anything about it.

 

[MrsScooby]

I remember there were at least 2 others families staying at Parkwood Marble Arch prior to my cruise.

Wondering how that went

Read lots of good reports about that area and the hotel and just wanted to hear if everything went smoothly

We'll be there soon

 

[dylan'smom]

i just asked this in another thread but thought after that this might be a better place. Is DCL offering the on-board airline check in on the Baltic cruises? We are using DCL for transfers and air on Virgin Atlantic. (Which has been a complete nightmare so far )

DCL told us we did not have to check in online before the flights but according to VA we do. VA already "gave" my 2 kids's seats away for the return flight that we had assigned. I can't get them to do anything about it.

We flew back on VA & had DCL transfers, but did not check in through DCL. We received an email from VA for online check-in when the 24 hr window opened up, so did that onboard (had an internet package).

I believe it is important to do that with VA to hold on to any seats temporarily assigned by confirming then...but sorry - sounds like you may have lost seats prior to this? My understanding was that if we did the online check-in that was when reserved seats were actually confirmed, and that did seem to work.

 

[dylan'smom]

Are you supposed to dress up as your favorite villian on villians night? My DD is 11 and wants to dress up but only if others have been doing it too! Anyone heard anything?

There were not a lot of people who did this, but it was encouraged. Later in the evening, after dinner times & shows, there was a Villian's Ball held in the Atrium. It will probably take a while to catch on more, but I thought it was a cool addition.