Kiel, Germany?

[HeinBloed]

As we would be flying for over 20 hours to get to Hamburg, we would like the convenience of not getting a train to the central station. We also have heavy suitcases so we prefer not to have to carry our suitcases up and down the stairs at the station. We would take your advice about staying at the recommended hotels. What is the best way to get to one of these hotels beside taking an expensive taxi?

 

Well - then you may like my idea of Radisson Blu...

 

http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-hamburgairport/location

 

It's adjustent to Terminal 1 and 2... so a 2-minutes walk from the baggage claim area...

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[SPY1956]

After looking at the location of Continental Novum on Googlemap, it seems to be quite easy to get there from Hamburg Hotel. Unfortunately the special rate is unavailable yet for Sept. On the hotel website they are charging exorbitant rate. I'll keep trying, otherwise I will take your advice and book into Radisson Blu which is available at less than A$400 for 2 nights for 2. Any suggestion how to spend a day at Hamburg? Any recommended restaurants in the city? I am not used to rich creamy food. Thanks for being a valuable ambassador for your country. I am currently working with a German colleague who is from the north.

[HeinBloed]

The hotel is about 2 1/2 minutes away from the platform of the commuter train from the airport.

 

If you would be my personal friend and you have the request to have something without cream... there would be two areas I would take you to:

 

1. Portuguese district around Dietmar-Koel-Straße/Reimarusstraße (Subway/Commuter Train Landungsbrücken/Landing stages)

 

Do not laugh: due to the maritime character of the city many Portuguese sailors stranded in Hamburg and became part of the culture. So this is one of the best places to find Southern kitchen with a lot of olive oil instead of cream. Fresh grilled fish...

 

If you would let me choose: O Pescador...

 

2. The fishery port in Altona (Bus 112) or walk from commuter train station Königstraße):

 

About 1-2 miles along the Große Elbstraße starting at St. Pauli Fish market westbound you find all the best fish restaurants right and left on the street. As long as it is very urban it might be a little standard... if you continue you have more impression that you are now in a port district. In many of the old fish market wholeseller places (large halls) you find many of new Hamburg's fish restaurants. There is no special recommendation. The worst that can happen: you see inside, you check the menu card, you smell the fresh fish and you get angry because you choosed already another restaurant before and you are full. So if you do not mind you should walk all the street to Elbberg and then return and go to the restaurant which attracted most of my attention.

 

As I said that is something I would do with my friends if they would visit me in Germany and I want them to have a great dinner with me.

 

Northern German dishes are full of fat: many thing like cabbage cooked in fat with fried potatoes (hash brown style).

 

But as said before: Hamburg has many many restaurants and that was my plan for my friends.

 

Regarding the rest:

 

http://www.heinbloed-on-tour.de

 

and scroll down to Hamburg.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[SPY1956]

Thanks HeinBloed for all the help. If you do visit Perth Australia, I would gladly be your ambassador.

SP

[swin26]

I am bringing this discussion back to life as we are trying to figure out what to do on our day in Kiel this coming summer. We will be docking in Kiel on the last full day of our cruise and after a 12 hour day touring Berlin. We are torn as to whether we should stay in Kiel for the day and walk into town and then get a bite to eat, or travel by train to Lubeck and spend about 4 hours in Lubeck before returning by train. I am leaning in the direction of going to Lubeck, but mainly because I haven't read many posts that are positive about staying in Kiel for the day. If you opted to stay in Kiel rather than venture to other cities (either diy or with a Ship's tour), please let me know how you spent your day and whether or not you would recommend staying in Kiel for the day. I appreciate any insight. Thanks

[MMDown Under]

Guess you are now back down under... Hope that the TA-cruise was as nice as the few days ahead in Germany.

 

If you are back again just let me know if you need assistance.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

 

Hi HeinBloed,

 

We are back again on a cruise in June this time, with only one day in Kiel, from 5.30am - 5.00pm.

 

As we loved our stay in Lubeck last time, do you think it would be a good idea to travel by train from Kiel to Lubeck for a return day visit?

 

If so, could you please remind me what I need to do to buy two rail tickets (senior).

 

Or do you recommend we visit somewhere else for the day?

[HeinBloed]

Hi HeinBloed,

 

We are back again on a cruise in June this time, with only one day in Kiel, from 5.30am - 5.00pm.

 

As we loved our stay in Lubeck last time, do you think it would be a good idea to travel by train from Kiel to Lubeck for a return day visit?

 

If so, could you please remind me what I need to do to buy two rail tickets (senior).

 

Or do you recommend we visit somewhere else for the day?

 

I am just back from Kiel. Honestly I would go to Lübeck, if I have never been there.

 

I guess you are on June 26, 2012. According to website of port: 06.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs.

 

09.04 hrs leaves at Kiel Hbf (Hauptbahnhof = Central Station) on train RE 21665

10.32 hrs arrives at Lübeck Hbf on train RE 21618

 

14.06 hrs leaves at Lübeck Hbf

15.15 hrs arrives at Kiel Hbf

 

As you are arriving early in Kiel: if you do not mind to walk 15-20 minutes to station it would be best to buy

 

1 x "Kleingruppenkarte 2. Kl." (Mini-Group-Ticket)

Stufe 12 (Tariff level 12)

= 31.60 EUR (total for 2 return ticket)

 

which would allow you to travel after 09.00 hrs (train leaves 09.04 hrs).

So you could use it also for the bus in Lübeck and later in Kiel when you returned.

 

With this ticket you can make a good deal:

 

You ask three cruise-mates on board to buy you a drink...

and you repay by inviting them to this excursion.

 

It's the same price: 31.60 EUR for 5 or for 2.

 

Have a good time in Kiel.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[MMDown Under]

I am just back from Kiel. Honestly I would go to Lübeck, if I have never been there.

 

I guess you are on June 26, 2012. According to website of port: 06.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs.

 

09.04 hrs leaves at Kiel Hbf (Hauptbahnhof = Central Station) on train RE 21665

10.32 hrs arrives at Lübeck Hbf on train RE 21618

 

14.06 hrs leaves at Lübeck Hbf

15.15 hrs arrives at Kiel Hbf

 

As you are arriving early in Kiel: if you do not mind to walk 15-20 minutes to station it would be best to buy

 

1 x "Kleingruppenkarte 2. Kl." (Mini-Group-Ticket)

Stufe 12 (Tariff level 12)

= 31.60 EUR (total for 2 return ticket)

 

which would allow you to travel after 09.00 hrs (train leaves 09.04 hrs).

So you could use it also for the bus in Lübeck and later in Kiel when you returned.

 

With this ticket you can make a good deal:

 

You ask three cruise-mates on board to buy you a drink...

and you repay by inviting them to this excursion.

 

It's the same price: 31.60 EUR for 5 or for 2.

 

Have a good time in Kiel.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

 

Thanks yet again HeinBloed,

 

Yes, Black Watch will be in port in Kiel on 26th June. I see ours is the only ship on the ships' schedule.

 

That is exactly what we'll do for the day. We don't mind walking. When we departed Kiel for our TA, we wheeled our luggage from the railway station to the port!

 

Just hope we have a nice day for walking.

 

Did you enjoy your most recent cruise (? SEAsia)?

 

Kind Regards,

[HeinBloed]

Thanks yet again HeinBloed,

 

Yes, Black Watch will be in port in Kiel on 26th June. I see ours is the only ship on the ships' schedule.

 

That is exactly what we'll do for the day. We don't mind walking. When we departed Kiel for our TA, we wheeled our luggage from the railway station to the port!

 

Just hope we have a nice day for walking.

 

Did you enjoy your most recent cruise (? SEAsia)?

 

Kind Regards,

 

Well - my most recent cruise was not so nice but the SEAsia was wonderful!

 

Have a good time with FredOlsen. We loved it!

 

Regards

HeunBloed

[VAtravelers100]

We will be in Kiel on Tue July 3 on the Eurodam (8 AM to 6 PM), and your thread has convinced me to visit Lubeck for the day. It will be my husband and I for sure (and possibly one or both of his parents too).

 

I see that the train station is a 20 min walk or so. I'm so sorry to ask if it's annoying, but can you share what trains you'd recommend for our visit?

[HeinBloed]

We will be in Kiel on Tue July 3 on the Eurodam (8 AM to 6 PM), and your thread has convinced me to visit Lubeck for the day. It will be my husband and I for sure (and possibly one or both of his parents too).

 

I see that the train station is a 20 min walk or so. I'm so sorry to ask if it's annoying, but can you share what trains you'd recommend for our visit?

 

There are two trains every hour between Kiel and Lübeck.

 

As the cheap tickets are valid after 09.00 hrs.

 

09.04 hrs leaving from Kiel (RB 21665)

10.32 hrs arriving in Lübeck

 

Backwards journey:

 

15.06 hrs leaving from Lübeck (RE 21620)

16.15 hrs arriving in Kiel

 

Even you missed the train: with the next train leaving 15.28 hrs arriving 16.55 hrs in Kiel you can still make it right on time to the ship.

 

Have a great day in Germany.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[VAtravelers100]

Heinblod - Thank you so much for these details - they are wonderful to have! Now that we know how to get there and back, I think we'll just quit planning and make the day a bit more spontaneous than our other port days. Looking forward to it!

[Coolcruise02]

Thanks for the train info! We are also going to take the train from Kiel to Lubeck. :)

[pechkin]

It's going to be our first time on a cruise and I just wanted to find out from people who have ended their cruise in Kiel before. How long does it take to get off the ship? We're scheduled to arrive in Kiel at 10am, will we be out by 12pm or earlier? I need to arrange our pick up from port and would like to know approx. time it would take us to go through customs, etc. Thanks.

[HeinBloed]

It's going to be our first time on a cruise and I just wanted to find out from people who have ended their cruise in Kiel before. How long does it take to get off the ship? We're scheduled to arrive in Kiel at 10am, will we be out by 12pm or earlier? I need to arrange our pick up from port and would like to know approx. time it would take us to go through customs, etc. Thanks.

 

Well you cannot say it generally.

 

Depends to the cruise line, if you like to carry your bags yourself from the ship and from which country you are coming from as port before you arrive in Kiel.

 

So if you are coming from a Scandinavian or other Schengen-treatee country you there might be no immigration/cumstoms control.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[cleo30]

hi heinbloed! your posts have been a great help in planning for our cruise next year.

we will be on the eurodam stopping at kiel on a sunday- 14 th june.

is it possible for us to visit both lubeck and schwerin in the same day? what would the itnerary be?

we plan to use the mini-group ticket as suggested by you. will one of those take our family of four to both places and back?thanks a ton!

[cleo30]

hi again!

since we will also be stopping in warnemuende should we keep schwerin for that day, and then can we see both hamburg and lubeck from kiel?

pl advise!

[HeinBloed]

hi heinbloed! your posts have been a great help in planning for our cruise next year.

we will be on the eurodam stopping at kiel on a sunday- 14 th june.

is it possible for us to visit both lubeck and schwerin in the same day? what would the itnerary be?

we plan to use the mini-group ticket as suggested by you. will one of those take our family of four to both places and back?thanks a ton!

 

We can talk End of November/December again.

 

I think you are going in 2015 and the train schedules for 2015 will be released End of November.

 

Another problem would be if EURODAM will dock at the new pier which is difficult to reach from the Central Station. Ostseekai is quite central.

 

This year EURODAM will dock from 08.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs.

 

So you would have net 7 hours time.

 

Based on this year's schedule and no train substitution by bus as actually:

 

You could be by 11.15. hrs in Schwerin

after some photo stops you could be in Lübeck by 14.00 hrs

and after 1 hours stay in Lübeck you could back by 16.15 hrs.

 

IF NOTHING HAPPENS you can be back last minute onboard 16.30 hrs.

 

Honestly I would not do it and just stay in Lübeck.

 

BUT:

 

is your itinerary calling Warnemünde and Kiel? And do you have plans to see Berlin out of Warnemüde???

 

Then I would go Lübeck first, then Schwerin and then I would head to Berlin staying there overnight.

 

Being there the only guests who have a chance to see Berlin by Night and then return to Warnemünde.

 

(or the other way around if if Warnemünde is first and then Kiel).

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[HeinBloed]

hi again!

since we will also be stopping in warnemuende should we keep schwerin for that day, and then can we see both hamburg and lubeck from kiel?

pl advise!

 

This should work better.

 

Each leg Kiel - Hamburg, Hamburg - Lübeck, Lübeck - Kiel is about 1.15 hrs. So you would have a little more time at each place than with Schwerin.

 

Anyhow my suggestion would be:

 

Kiel - Lübeck - Hamburg (overnight) - Schwerin - Warnemünde

 

Hamburg is very famous for the nightlife.

 

I am sure you would have the very best excursion of the whole ship for little money.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[cleo30]

thanks so much for the prompt & helpful reply! for kiel that sounds like an great plan. i will check with you nearer our cruise for more help!

warnemuende is one of the cruise stops later in the cruise & i am not sure if we want to spend hours in the train for a few hours in berlin. which i have visited and which i think deserves more time. what are your thoughts on berlin vs. schwerin as an excursion from w'muende?

thanks again & regards.

[HeinBloed]

thanks so much for the prompt & helpful reply! for kiel that sounds like an great plan. i will check with you nearer our cruise for more help!

warnemuende is one of the cruise stops later in the cruise & i am not sure if we want to spend hours in the train for a few hours in berlin. which i have visited and which i think deserves more time. what are your thoughts on berlin vs. schwerin as an excursion from w'muende?

thanks again & regards.

 

If you had already the chance to see Berlin it does not make the sense to spend such a long time to see Berlin again.

 

Schwerin is not very much closer but a nice place to see.

 

As you are going 2015 I would like to ask you for some patience. I think that my part Warnemünde - Lübeck - Schwerin Blog will be completed the next 2-4 weeks.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[HeinBloed]

As promised:

 

I would do Lübeck out of Kiel

 

and a selection of the other places out of Warnemünde:

 

A call of NORWEGIAN STAR in Warnemünde and the visit of well-known crew-members let me take her around and giving a photo stop tour in North-East-Germany and see the places like

 

Lübeck

 

 

Schwerin

 

 

Wismar

 

 

Bad Doberan and Molli-Train

 

 

Kühlungsborn

 

 

You can do part of the places by DIY by train/bus but better by car-rental.

 

The train station is so close to the pier:

 

 

In the background of the train you could see NORWEGIAN STAR.

 

So enjoy your day in Warnemünde if you are not got to see Berlin. Here are few inspirations.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

(sorry - I am moving away from Northern Germany - so free tours only for crew- and cruise-friends I know personally from previous cruises).

 

Detailed information how to buy tickets and get around:

 

http://heinbloed-ncl.blogspot.com/2014/08/norwegian-star-in-warnemunde-germany.html

[cleo30]

thanks so much!

i am veering around to hamburg & lubeck from kiel . if only one town is possible..it might be hamburg since we have a toy train enthusiast! since we are in kiel on a sunday, just to confirm we will be able to buy a shwleswig holstein laender ticket from kiel itself and we can use it before 9am? how much will that cost for 5?

i am asking because then we would like to target getting to hamburg's famous fish market before 9.30 am! and for that which stop should we get off at, and which connection to the main station in the city centre later

lots of questions and my thanks in advance!:)

[cleo30]

hello again heinbloed!

lubeck looks so lovely that i am too tempted. does this sound like a good plan-

disembark 7 am, get to hamburg fish market by 8.15am, leave 9.30am- sunday morning

then onto the city center- town hall etc for photo op- can be dropped also

visit toy train museum with pre bought tickets leave by 11.30-is that enough time?

catch a train to lubeck- arrive by 1 pm

wander & lunch

leave by 3 pm

ship leaves at 5pm.

please tell me if this is do- able? and worth it?

thanks again!

[HeinBloed]

hello again heinbloed!

lubeck looks so lovely that i am too tempted. does this sound like a good plan-

disembark 7 am, get to hamburg fish market by 8.15am, leave 9.30am- sunday morning

then onto the city center- town hall etc for photo op- can be dropped also

visit toy train museum with pre bought tickets leave by 11.30-is that enough time?

catch a train to lubeck- arrive by 1 pm

wander & lunch

leave by 3 pm

ship leaves at 5pm.

please tell me if this is do- able? and worth it?

thanks again!

 

We can do it in mid of October 2014 when new train schedules for 2015 are released.

 

Most important:

 

http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/

 

Since queues for toy train could be EXTREMELY long on weekends you must book a time slot in advance.

 

Fish market is nice but could be a little overrated. Especially if you do not speak any German.

 

One of the attractions on the Fish Market are the vendors and how they shout to get customers. And if you do not understand them you will not understand the jokes they include in their shouting for customers. You will only hear loud shouting.

 

But anyhow it's a nice location to be and to see - especially when the sun is rising and it's a little misty/foggy in the morning. Just wonderful.

 

Bus 111 connects normally the Fish Market with Miniatur-Wonderland... BUT on Sunday during the fish market it does not stop on the fish market and has to by-pass and you need to walk to the edge of the fish market to find a 111 stop on Sunday.

 

So ask me again end of October 2014 to do finetuning when the train schedules for 2015 are released.

 

Regards

HeinBloed