Ice Bar in Stockholm

[angeleyes27]

Ok. I know it may be a tourist trap, but I really want to go. We will be in Stockholm on July 19. I thought that you could not make reservations until 60 days ahead of time so I tried today. I sent an email to the Icebar and they said that they were sold out. But they said that I could come and wait there for an opening. I am not sure how reliable that is. On the website for reservations, it looks like there is space on all dates prior to June 29, but no space at any time after June 29.

Our ship has a shore excursion that does the ice bar, but it does not leave until 12:30pm. We dock at 8am and I don't want to spend the precious little time that I have in Stockholm waiting a couple hours for the ship's tour. I asked them if I could meet up with them on their first stop, but the shore excursions desk said no. They said that I had to go back to the ship. Our ship docks at Berth 634 in Frihamnen. About how long does it take to get back to the ship and what is the easiest and best way to do that?

Any ideas on what I should do? I am confused that the Ice Bar website said all dates after June 29 are sold out and all dates before it are available, yet the email from them said that they were sold out. Also I am not sure about going back and forth for the ship's tour. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you.

[galliegirlie]

I've been thinking about how to do the same thing. Are you on NCL as well?

 

We will be in Stockholm on 6/22 via NCL Star from 8am - 4pm. I tried getting reservations for the Ice bar online, but the first slot they have open is at 2:15pm. I'm assuming this is after the ship tours have came and gone. If we spend 30 mins in the icebar that is now 2:45pm and all aboard will be at 3:30pm. So I think that is cutting it too close getting back to the ship, and I'm not even sure what the best way back to the ship would even be. Other alternative I was thinking about was to take the early ferry across to the Vasa Museum and do that right when it opens and then get back to the ship for the 12:30pm ice bar/old town tour. However the Vasa Museum doesn't open until 10am, so that too might be pushing it to see everything in the museum and then rush to take the ferry back to the ship.

[angeleyes27]

Yes, I am on the NCL Star. I believe the Vasa opens at 8:30am (not sure when the early opening starts). But then we would have to find a way back to the ship. The cruise line is not any help because they say that you must be back at the ship for the 12:30pm tour or else you cannot do it.

[angeleyes27]

Starting June 1, Vasa opens at 8:30am, not 10:00am, so we would go directly there, but then we would have to somehow get back to the ship which is crazy because we are right there and I was told that they go to the Icebar first so it would not be hard to find them. They are just being difficult.

[galliegirlie]

somehow I missed the note about the museum opening early starting in June. That's good. I think that would give us enough time to go to the Vasa first on our own for a few hours, then make our way back to the ship for the 12:30pm NCL tour to Ice bar and Gamla Stan. Yes, there is some back tracking, but I think it would be doable. I might try this.

[Morgans]

The ice bar in Stockholm is great fun and recommended. It is showing as sold out as the cruise ships have booked it and the only way of doing that particular time slot is with the ships excursion. Your entry fee covers use of the fur parkas and gloves and also a choice of vodka drink. The ice carvings are very interesting and there is also a small shop where you can buy souvenirs and tee shirts.

[Got2Cruise]

When we went ncl sun a few years ago they offered a vasa/ice bar/city tour. I went with it because I wanted to experience all three and not worry about the logistics.

[galliegirlie]

When we went ncl sun a few years ago they offered a vasa/ice bar/city tour. I went with it because I wanted to experience all three and not worry about the logistics.

 

Yes, NCL does offer a vasa/ice bar/old town tour. It is $150 for the all 3 combo and starts at 9:30am, or they have just the ice bar/old town tour for $100 that starts at 12:30pm.

 

If we did Vasa ourselves in the morning we might save around $25pp by just doing the 2 part NCL combo. But if I can figure out how to do the ice bar ourselves in the afternoon (after the cruise ship tours) and still make it back to the ship on time, I figure there might be around a $80pp savings compared to the NCL 3 part combo. What to do, what to do.

[miamichic]

Yes, NCL does offer a vasa/ice bar/old town tour. It is $150 for the all 3 combo and starts at 9:30am, or they have just the ice bar/old town tour for $100 that starts at 12:30pm.

 

If we did Vasa ourselves in the morning we might save around $25pp by just doing the 2 part NCL combo. But if I can figure out how to do the ice bar ourselves in the afternoon (after the cruise ship tours) and still make it back to the ship on time, I figure there might be around a $80pp savings compared to the NCL 3 part combo. What to do, what to do.

 

We are on the NCL Star and also face the same predicament. Our cruise mates prefer tours in Spanish so I was looking at the Old town/Ice Bar tour since it seems to be offered in Spanish while the combo is not.

 

I think we could take an early morning hoho boat from the ship straight to vasa but I am not sure if it goes from vasa straight back to the ship. Also how long is the walk from the ship to the hoho boat?

[Desdichado62]

We are on the NCL Star and also face the same predicament. Our cruise mates prefer tours in Spanish so I was looking at the Old town/Ice Bar tour since it seems to be offered in Spanish while the combo is not.

 

I think we could take an early morning hoho boat from the ship straight to vasa (1) but I am not sure if it goes from vasa straight back to the ship. (2) Also how long is the walk from the ship to the hoho boat?

 

1. it does not, its only in the morning that it goes straight from the cruise ship to Vasa, rest of the day it is following the regular schedule with multiple stops.

 

2. it is about 200m http://kartor.eniro.se/m/BtRap https://www.google.com/maps/dir/59.316047,18.1028431/59.3157758,18.106681/@59.3154361,18.1060594,212m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m4!4m3!1m0!1m0!3e2

Edited May 22, 2014 by Desdichado62

[angeleyes27]

I decided to book the ship's tour at 12:30pm. I don't want to do the 9:30am tour with Vasa because if I get done Vasa early, I want to check out the Abba museum and I don't like giving the ship anymore money than I have to.We may try to take a taxi to Vasa and then a taxi back to the ship. Is it easy to get a taxi or is public transportation just as easy and fast?

[Got2Cruise]

The thing with doing an organized tour through the ship or other 3rd party is that they have appointments. Get to Ice Bar walk right in. Get to Vasa walk right in. Plus you have to worry how to get around. Some can deal with all this. I can't. Plus when we went the ship was far away not in the city.

[Essexlass2]

We are on the NCL Star and also face the same predicament. Our cruise mates prefer tours in Spanish so I was looking at the Old town/Ice Bar tour since it seems to be offered in Spanish while the combo is not.

 

I think we could take an early morning hoho boat from the ship straight to vasa but I am not sure if it goes from vasa straight back to the ship. Also how long is the walk from the ship to the hoho boat?

 

Not quite direct, there are a couple of stops before it goes back to the cruise berth http://www.stromma.se/en/Stockholm/Sightseeing/Sightseeing-by-boat/hop-on-hop-off-boat/. You could maybe allow say 20-30 minutes for the return journey.

 

Hope that helps a bit :)

[angeleyes27]

Just to let you know. The Ice Bar just opened up some space so we were able to get reservations without having to take the ship tour. I didn't expect that. The ship's tours that I have taken have been fine, although overpriced and since I had worked in the travel business for many years, I am used to traveling independently. I feel a bit like I am herded like cattle in the bigger groups so I prefer to deal with the logistics so I can shop when I want to when I want and make a photo stop where I want when I want. The biggest problem is getting off the ship when they hold back those that are not doing their shore excursions. I don't like that part. It is always a zoo getting off the ship and I feel like a prisoner.

[angeleyes27]

I forgot to ask. What is the best way to get from the Icebar back to the ship at Frimhamnen Berth 634

Thank you.

[Desdichado62]

I forgot to ask. What is the best way to get from the Icebar back to the ship at Frimhamnen Berth 634

Thank you.

 

Use this link (adjust time/date if necessary) : http://sl.se/en/#/Travel/SearchTravelById/Stockholms%20centralstation%20%28Stockholm%29/Frihamnen%20%28Stockholm%29/9000/1170/2014-06-22%252015_00/depart/en/null/null/null/null/null/null/null/null/false/null/0

Edited June 3, 2014 by Desdichado62

[DanL]

Did ice bar last week on Eurodam. Was fun but people were also walking in. We did a reservation online. A tourist thing.