Berlin - Jewish Museum - Ship's Trip or Independent Train?

[jasm8449]

We normally like to tour independently, but because of the extended time it takes to get from the ship to Berlin and back, is it 'safer', from a 'get back on time' stanpoint, to take the ship's tour into Berlin, or has anyone got any advice on taking the train ourselves?

[mtlcruzer]

Hi, jasm8449. Are you on the same HAL Baltic cruise, sailing from Copenhagen on July 18?? We have somewhat the same dilemma and are not sure of the answer. The tour from HAL goes to the Jewish Museum but it seems that most of the other stops are to see things from the outside. Therefore private touring may be better but we're not sure either about the timing of getting back to the ship. We'd like to look into this but are looking for advice as well.

 

mtlcruzer

[jasm8449]

We're on the July 3 Celebrity Constellation.

[Globaliser]

Depending on how many there are of you, you might want to think about renting a car and driving to Berlin.

 

Personally, if there was something specific like this that I wanted to see, I would always do it independently. My Baltic cruise coincided with the Reichstag being wrapped - I wanted to see that more than anything else, so did the car rental thing. We had a great, unhurried day, run to our timetable, not the tour's.

[aircraftace24]

We purchased our own train tickets and utilized a private tour guide in Berlin in 2002. Not only did we save money over what the ship offered, we also had more personal service. Below are the details. I copied it from one of my previous posts.

 

1. Our ship docked in Warnemunde, and the train station was a five-minute walk from the pier. To get to Berlin, you must first take a train to Rostock (20 minutes) and then change trains. The trip from Rostock to Berlin makes about 10 stops and takes about three hours.

 

2. We purchased our train tickets through www.raileurope.com, which is an American company. Schedules and fares are easy to find, and ticket delivery is fast. You can purchase tickets with or without reservations. Buying a reservation ($12 extra, per person, each way) guarantees you a seat, but it locks you into a particular train. Going without a reservation allows you to take any train along that route over a six-month period. We had no trouble finding seats, and we ended up taking an earlier train. You may also buy first- or second-class tickets. We purchased first-class seats but noted little difference between the two (there are no compartments on these trains). Save yourself some money and buy second class. Per person, from Warnemunde to Berlin, our tickets cost $128 roundtrip (first class, no reservations.)

 

3. It is worth noting some facts about the ship's chartered train. I am told that it stops at a train station in the Berlin suburbs, and that those people who purchased just a transfer are responsible for getting to and from that station. Our tickets brought us to the "Zoo" station, which is more centrally located and convenient. Also, even though the ship's chartered train makes no stops, it still takes about the same amount of time. The regular German trains still have track priority. The ship's train transfer cost $184, per person roundtrip.

 

4. We booked a four-hour "Tour on Wheels" through Berlin Travel Service (www.berlin2serv.com). We were met at the train station platform by two of their representatives, including our guide. We had a separate driver and a roomy VW minivan. Our tour included all the well-known sites: the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, the Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Potsdamer Platz, etc. We also saw numerous other points of interest that I did not know existed. Our guide, an English teacher, was outstanding. He was both informative and witty. The cost of this four-hour tour was $400 for a total of four people. We allowed 1.5 hours after the tour for walking around and a late lunch. We saw everything that those on the ship's excursion saw, with a more personal touch. We could stop wherever we wanted, and we could adjust the itinerary on the fly.

 

5. The ship excursion (tour plus train transfer) was $298 per person. For four people, that comes to $1192. Our total (tickets plus private tour) was $912 -- a total savings of $280.

 

I liked the personal touch and flexibility offered with a private tour. I found the German rail system easy to use (although few people spoke English). I allowed a little extra time and there were no problems. I feel that we saw a great deal of Berlin -- enough to make us want to return for a longer stay.

 

Noordam '02

Daphne '84

[frequenttraveler]

We always take the tours that the ship offers. One time we were in Aruba and our tour was late getting back. If we weren't on the ships tour, we would of had to get ourselves on a plane, with our bathing suits on, to the next port. It was quite an eye opener. The doors shut just as we got on, but the boat had to wait for us. I have never taken a private tour again. Expecially in a foreign country. The same thing happened in Venezula with 2 young girls who went on their own. They did not get back on time and the boat left without them. It was very scary. Just something to think about.

[airmom]

My husband and I are on the July 3 Constellation sailing. We are interested in going to Berlin and are not sure of taking the cruise excursion or using a tour company that would pick us up at the Rostock pier and drive us to Berlin for a private tour of all the important venues and a tour of the Jewish Musuem. Is anyone interested in joining us on a privat tour?

E-mail me at MarshaHLev@aol.com

[aircraftace24]

If you plan well and leave yourself some extra time, you shouldn't have any problems. We toured independently (or with a private guide) in all of the Baltic ports and had no problems whatsoever. Good luck and enjoy!

 

Noordam '02

Daphne '84