Anyone Taken Friends of Dave Tour in Warnemunde?

Friends of Dave offers several tours from Warnemunde. The Trip Advisor reviews of the tours are incredibly good, with many commenting on Dave's personality. However, the places visited do not appear on anyone's A list of places in northern Germany to visit.

To those who have taken one of these tours, my questions are what did you see and, assuming you give your tour a high grade, can you explain why?

Friends of Dave offers several tours from Warnemunde. The Trip Advisor reviews of the tours are incredibly good, with many commenting on Dave's personality. However, the places visited do not appear on anyone's A list of places in northern Germany to visit.

 

To those who have taken one of these tours, my questions are what did you see and, assuming you give your tour a high grade, can you explain why?

Fabulous tour with Dave. We went on the Hansa tour as we like a historical context to our trips. The Hanseatic league was the medieval trading group for the Baltic. Saw incredible massive medieval church murals and floors that had been covered but not destroyed in the reformation, altar pieces that had been saved during WW1 and 2 etc, walked along beach in Warnemunde and learned about the origins of their unique beach chairs, ate delicious home made coffee cake and excellent coffee mid-morning, saw gorgeous country side between Rostock and Wismar, had a great lunch in Wismar at a 300? yr old brewery. Dave is highly personable and brings the history and culture of the region to life. BTW Wismar is a UNESCO heritage site. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1067

good to hear, we are going with Dave on the 28th, boarding this Tuesday

good to hear, we are going with Dave on the 28th, boarding this Tuesday

Say Hi from us --Jen and Paul

Alaskanb, thanks for the response. And bigpaluka, have a great trip and please share with us on your return how much you enjoyed this particular excursion.

Even after reading the ridiculously good reviews on Trip Advisor (128 graded the company--124 excellent, 3 very good, 1 average) and Alaskanb's comments, I still am not sure what makes these tours so exceptional. My sense is that it is the slower pace--especially compared to hectic pace of the Berlin and SPB excursions--and the personal attention of Dave that result in the great reviews.

We're doing the Complete Hansa tour on July 11th. Would really appreciate hearing your opinion, bigpaluka.

Alaskanb, thanks for the response. And bigpaluka, have a great trip and please share with us on your return how much you enjoyed this particular excursion.

 

Even after reading the ridiculously good reviews on Trip Advisor (128 graded the company--124 excellent, 3 very good, 1 average) and Alaskanb's comments, I still am not sure what makes these tours so exceptional. My sense is that it is the slower pace--especially compared to hectic pace of the Berlin and SPB excursions--and the personal attention of Dave that result in the great reviews.

It is difficult to quantify!

One of our most memorable experiences was to visit a two room museum on the edge of the prairie in Alberta, Canada --just something we came across. No Renoirs or Rodins but a remarkable fascinating collection of memorabilia that told the "story" of a prairie community.

The best tour in Warnemunde is the segway tour. Directly across the street from the ship is a small shop where you can pay to take a segway tour. We went all over Warnemunde...through the forest, into private neighborhoods, down by the water front... It was a blast and we saw more of Warnemunde than anyone else I talked to on our cruise.

The best tour in Warnemunde is the segway tour. Directly across the street from the ship is a small shop where you can pay to take a segway tour. We went all over Warnemunde...through the forest, into private neighborhoods, down by the water front... It was a blast and we saw more of Warnemunde than anyone else I talked to on our cruise.

This is something we're considering, although it seems a bit pricey. Did you pre-book, or just decide on the day? How long was your tour (or was it DIY?)

Thanks.

I did Dave's Warnemunde tour on June 11 and would not hesitate to recommend it. Dave has energy and charm to spare, along with voluminous knowledge of the area and fluent German. He shared plenty of historical and cultural information without being pedantic. Included in our tour was a hearty pub lunch, along with train rides out to the town of Schwerin and back. Wear good walking shoes; Dave estimated we covered about 8 miles on foot.

I did Dave's Warnemunde tour on June 11 and would not hesitate to recommend it. Dave has energy and charm to spare, along with voluminous knowledge of the area and fluent German. He shared plenty of historical and cultural information without being pedantic. Included in our tour was a hearty pub lunch, along with train rides out to the town of Schwerin and back. Wear good walking shoes; Dave estimated we covered about 8 miles on foot.

The Hansa tour covers about the same mileage --it is done in a leisurely manner with well timed stops.

Hawaiiuk,

As for the cost, I can't remember exactly but I think it awas around $75 each. We didn't pre-book. I happened to see a guy on a segway from the ship while I was eating breakfast so we walked over there and a nice kid (20 something) took me and my husband on a tour all over the town. There are pathways everywhere in Warnemunde so you're never in traffic and, other than our time in Russia, the was the best thing we did on this cruise. The tour was over an hour and we so much. We are now hooked on segway tours and look for them at all ports. It's like and intimate walking tour but covering a lot more ground and a lot more fun. Our friends went on the Dave tour and they enjoyed it but said it was a bit long for them. I think you'd enjoy either of these options.

The longer tours by Dave are long. The website shows 11-12 hours with per person pricing in the 125-135 euro range, though I think this is an inclusive price covering rail transportation and meals.

Again, I have not taken one of Dave's tours. Based on the reviews, the tours offer very good value. But the glowing reviews, the length of the tours, and the area of Germany covered--which the travel books spend relatively few pages covering--prompted my original post: Why are these tours so good and so highly rated?

The longer tours by Dave are long. The website shows 11-12 hours with per person pricing in the 125-135 euro range, though I think this is an inclusive price covering rail transportation and meals.

 

Again, I have not taken one of Dave's tours. Based on the reviews, the tours offer very good value. But the glowing reviews, the length of the tours, and the area of Germany covered--which the travel books spend relatively few pages covering--prompted my original post: Why are these tours so good and so highly rated?

Yes --the price is all inclusive.

I keep reflecting on your question: I think the tours are for those who like to explore the story of an area told by an engaging master story-teller.

Alaskanb, based on what I can gather, your answer is as good as I have seen. It seems that the aim of these tours is certainly not for people to check off sites that they have always wanted to visit, but for people to spend some time off the beaten path and just enjoy themselves, in part because of Dave's personality.

Correct. A few months ago, I hadn't heard of Warnemunde or of Schwerin, but now they're part of one of the best days on my recent cruise. Having an engaging guide like Dave can make all the difference.

Just got back into cph and Dave,s tour was great, correct about 8.3 miles walking but lots of breaks and fairly flat. Breakfast, lunch, trains, tickets into buildings all included. Only 13 of us on our tour, couldn't image going to Berlin on 3hour train ride each way, heard lots of complaints on being rushed at the sites in Berlin.

Do not believe everything he advertises on his website! Cancelled my tour

after confirming. His excuse was he was on a cruise and it was an automatic

computer response. Come on, don't you check your business via ship wi-fi once every few days.

He was upset that I was mean to him because I wrote he was unprofessional and didn't want to go on the tour he was offering for the day. Give me a break!

Buyer Beware!!

Do you have contact info for this tour? Sounds great!

Thanks!

Do you have contact info for this tour? Sounds great!

 

Thanks!

It's a fabulous tour! http://www.friendsofdavetours.com/Warnemunde_Port_Tours.php

It's a fabulous tour! http://www.friendsofdavetours.com/Warnemunde_Port_Tours.php

I agree! It is, indeed, a fabulous tour!

Thanks for all the earlier posts about Dave's tour. I've decided to book the Hansa tour in Warnemunde and then spend a few days in Berlin at the end of our cruise. I have only one question: how early did you book? My cruise isn't until September 2017, but I want to make sure I get a seat on the tour. Thanks for any replies. :)

Thanks for all the earlier posts about Dave's tour. I've decided to book the Hansa tour in Warnemunde and then spend a few days in Berlin at the end of our cruise. I have only one question: how early did you book? My cruise isn't until September 2017, but I want to make sure I get a seat on the tour. Thanks for any replies. :)

We booked Dave's tour a year in advance and I'd recommend you book him as far in advance as you can ....he only takes about 20-24 people and he sells out WAY ahead of time. His tour was one of the best I've ever taken in my 20 years of cruising - he's fantastic!!

I agree with the previous post - his tours are wonderful and sell out very quickly. Book as early as possible.

We booked Dave's tour a year in advance and I'd recommend you book him as far in advance as you can ....he only takes about 20-24 people and he sells out WAY ahead of time. His tour was one of the best I've ever taken in my 20 years of cruising - he's fantastic!!

That's high praise indeed. I'm sold.

I agree with the previous post - his tours are wonderful and sell out very quickly. Book as early as possible.

Thanks for the advice. I will be sending an email this weekend after I consult with my travel buddy. Cheers.