Train Excursion to Berlin on Celebrity

We are looking at one of the 14 hour train excursions to Berlin during our Germany stop in Warnemunde. Silhouette arrives at 9am and departs at 11pm. The description says nothing about dinner, only lunch. It also doesn't mention whether there's a bar on the train staffed by Celebrity that accepts our drink package. I'm assuming that's a stretch.

Can anyone provide info on this excursion? Thanks much.

I haven't been on Celebrity's excursion, but have been on HAL's. I am sure they use the same trains. Don't recall a bar. Does Celebrity's drink plan include excursions? Never heard that before.

I haven't been on Celebrity's excursion, but have been on HAL's. I am sure they use the same trains. Don't recall a bar. Does Celebrity's drink plan include excursions? Never heard that before.

No it doesn't. It just seems a waste of a day on the drink package if they don't provide anything during a 14 hour excursion. Did you get two meals during the day or only one? Was one meal on your own?

We got two meals. One was in a restaurant in Berlin, and one was a box lunch on the train back. Our meals were part of our tour, not "on your own".

If you are off the ship in any port your drink isn't going to apply. Your choice on your activities.

We got two meals. One was in a restaurant in Berlin, and one was a box lunch on the train back. Our meals were part of our tour, not "on your own".

 

If you are off the ship in any port your drink isn't going to apply. Your choice on your activities.

Thanks for the info. In your opinion was it worth the 500-600 Euro/cpl pricetag?

Thanks for the info. In your opinion was it worth the 500-600 Euro/cpl pricetag?

That sounds incredibly expensive! You can rent a car for the day, park and sight-see for a mere pittance compared to that price tag. Plus if you do drive you can shave off some of that 3 hour travel time that the train will have.

I went back a few pages to where a lot of threads about Berlin were located, you might come off a lot cheaper by doing a private tour with a guide:

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Old August 13th, 2016, 07:47 AM

Wrigleybear

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Join Date: Jun 2013

Location: Atlanta, GA

Posts: 15

 

We toured Berlin with Nigel Dunkley of Insider Tours Berlin. He was a character! I believe he was a former miltary attache? He's incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Berlin and the cold war. Apparently he was also on the curry wurst episode with Anthony Bourdain. I just booked through their website http://www.insidertour.com. I can't speak to their other guides, but I thought Nigel was wonderful!

Many people also book with Alla, TJ, and SPBtours all who do Berlin tours as well as in St. Petersburg. For an interesting thread check this one out. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2116298

I think 500 or 600 Euros for an excursion is outrageous if that is a per person price. I would at least expect the train to be the Orient Express with champagne dinner and lunch.

I also agree for that sort of money you could do a private tour. TBH I wouldn't go all the way to Berlin because of the travelling time. There is plenty to see not too far from Warnemunde.

The OP said the cost was per couple. So that comes, at 600 euros, to around 660 or so USD. I seem to recall or excursion was about 300 USD each. So not outlandish.

I would expect a private tour to perhaps be a little cheaper...interested to see what all the objectors find.

Even at 600 Euros for a couple it is expensive. We spent a week in Berlin last November and found prices in Germany very reasonable.

Celebrity has an excursion to Berlin for $325 p/p USD for our cruise in May. We will probably book through the cruise line for several reasons - most important because it is a 12 1/2 hour excursion and we don't want to miss the 'boat' (or take the chance that we could miss the ship if there is any issue whatsoever with a private tour - flat tire; traffic issues, etc.).

thanks Cruiser Bruce for the info on the boxed meal for train ride back. I was about to post a question about dinner options when I found this thread. I'm glad we don't have to worry about waiting to get back to the ship for dinner.

Debbi

On our Silhouette cruise this past June, that excursion was cancelled, stranding our friends who had to scramble to fill their day in Warnemunde. They only booked it because they had OBC to burn, but they ended up wishing they had come with us on our tour to Berlin. Burn your OBC at the specialty restaurants (if that's why you're booking a Celebrity excursion) and use a private tour guide to Berlin. I recommend Jeremy Minsberg if you can book him.

On our Silhouette cruise this past June, that excursion was cancelled, stranding our friends who had to scramble to fill their day in Warnemunde. They only booked it because they had OBC to burn, but they ended up wishing they had come with us on our tour to Berlin. Burn your OBC at the specialty restaurants (if that's why you're booking a Celebrity excursion) and use a private tour guide to Berlin. I recommend Jeremy Minsberg if you can book him.

Don't have OBC and how I choose to spend my money is my business. If I want to pay more to go through the cruise line that is my choice.

However I am still concerned about dinner. CruiserBruce mentioned a boxed dinner but none of the excursions I looked at mention dinner -- only breakfast and lunch. If lunch is 1ish and we don't get back to ship til 10 ish that is 9 hours between meals. Will we have an opportunity to buy a sandwich for the train ride? And does the MDR remain open later in Warnemunde?

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If I want to pay more to go through the cruise line that is my choice.

True. Then perhaps worrying if you get a boxed lunch shouldn't break the bank.

Two years ago on the Silhouette we arrived back from Berlin at 11:45 (departure 12:00) along with hundreds of other people. The Lido was set up for dinner and everyone went straight there.

Atilamom 1217- I suggest that you carry several protein bars with you. Most tours will have a few minutes free in the train station where you can pick up a sandwich for the trip back to the ship. Eating on European trains is done all of the time and the train stations all have several takeout counters that cater to this.