Live from Regal Princess trans-Atlantic/Baltic

[nreeder]

We met as a group very early before the annoucement was made about passengers can disembark via the lifeboats. We could see that they were getting to open the dinning room where they give you tender tickets. So we all walked down there, got tickets and immediately went onto the boat. We were the first passengers off, before the Princess tours had gotten organized and started to stream off. Worked great.

 

Just remember that you are 45 minutes to an hour from downtown Stockholm so you have to allow for that both ways. Alla knew that and it worked perfectly.

 

Norm

[jagsfan]

Thanks for bringing my own Baltic cruise back to life. Great review over all. We stayed at the Hilton at the Copenhagen airport, and found s hot dog vendor in the airport for a quick snack. The hot dog was topped I sear, with canned french onions like the ones in green bean casserole. Delicious hot dog, wish I had another one.

[manunia]

Norm and Maureen,

how is your trip going?

miss your company very much, hope we will meet again

 

Marina

[nreeder]

We are in a tiny Medieval village of Sablet, France, about 2 1/2 hours south of Lyon. We've been driving around visiting little hill towns with cobblestone streets and tasting and buying great inexpensive wine. We leave for Avignon, tomorrow.

 

Good to hear from you.

 

Norm

[Doglover48]

For the people who asked about the cheese shop in Honfleur:

 

La Fromagere & Le Vigneron "Boutique d'Honfleur"

 

29, rue de la Republique

14600 Honfleur

 

e-mail: fromagere.vigneron@orange.fr

 

tele (+33) 2 31 88 60 54

 

No Caribbean menus on board now, but there are "local" dishes. Last night there was smoked pork chop with sauerkraut for example.

 

Another update from the last two days:

 

Aarhus (pronounced "ar hoose") Denmark

 

No tour here, we like many just wandered around the town. Princess had a shuttle to downtown since we we were docked at an industrial pier. Went over to the cathedral which was lovely. Gothic in style, but whitewashed inside like many of the former Catholic churches turned into Lutheran churches in the Reformation. In a few places they had removed the whitewash so that you could see the original murals which depicted saints.

 

We then walked the shopping street. For anyone who has been to Santa Monica in Los Angeles and walked the Third Street Promenade, this was like that. A former street open to cars with shops along converted to just pedestrians, so no cars. Lots of people and chain stores including H & M, Levis, as well as two local department stores one of which had Starbucks. We stopped at a coffee shop for a snack and to use the free Internet.

 

Warnemunde/Rostock

 

There wasn't room for us at the Warnemunde, Germany, cruise terminal as Celebrity Silhouette was there and supposedly an Aida (German cruise line) was supposed to be there but didn't show up. So we docked at an industrial dock south of there. It was convenient for Princess tours to Berlin (the whole point of stopping here) as there are train tracks adjacent to the berth. Princess chartered two private company trains which seemed to have about 10 to 12 cars each. I would guess they had close to 1,000 passengers going.

 

This actually worked very well in Princess' favor as yesterday the German state train system went on strike. So they went anyway. Made it difficult for passengers making their own arrangements though. Alla and SPB, the two tour agencies many CruiseCritic people are using I think used buses so they were not affected.

 

We chose something different here as we had already been to Berlin last week. On both TripAdvisor and CruiseCritic the most recommended tour was "Friends of Dave" who is an American living here who does local tours. Because we weren't in Warnemunde like we were supposed to be, he arranged for a cab to pick us up and take us back to the ship.

 

So off we went with 20 Celebrity and 4 Princess passengers for a walk around Warnemunde which is a North German beach town. Quaint architecture and a nice start to the day. Off and on rain during the day for which we are fully prepared (we are eventually going to Ireland!)

 

Then it was on to Wismar, an old Hanseatic League city with a couple of large brick cathedrals. The first was bombed out in the war so only the steeple stands now. The second is still being restored and is fully enclosed as it was, but not furnished. They actually said it wasn't functioning as a real church because there aren't enough people to attend. We were reminded that we were in the former East Germany where reigion was frowned upon and so an entire generation has lost that.

 

We stopped at the Brauhaus am Lohberg zu Wismar for lunch. I had goulash and Maureen had the pork schnitzel. We both had their local dark beer, which was not bitter at all. This was included in the price of the tour.

 

Then we drove about 45 minutes to a town called Scherwin. This was the old Mecklinburg family capital when this was one of the Hanseatic city/states. There is a castle there that is like an ornate version of Neuschwanstein or the Disneyland Castles but of a later period of history. Lots of towers and onion domes as well as copper roofed spires. The grounds around it were beautiful with flowers and a large lake surrounded it.

 

We then walked into the town square and had a snack. We had ice cream, but you could have had cake or a beer. Finally we drove home through a thunderstorm with lightening and thunder. We got back to the ship and the train passengers still hadn't gotten back yet. We went down to dinner, which was "open" seating in all dinning rooms because not all of the passengers had retuned. So we didn't have our usual waiters, but we had an enjoyable meal anyway.

 

Today is a day at sea (along with another time change!) and its formal night tonight.

 

My mom and I signed up for his tour company as well. I guess you would say it was worth it? Also, how was Alla in SPB and Stockholm? We will be using them for our excursions as well. Both companies come highly rated but I always appreciate a personal opinion. Thanks!

 

Marnie

Edited May 26, 2015 by Doglover48

[nreeder]

Both were excellent. But different. Dave is a "personality", i.e. great one, but you do get to know him, he's not "impartial", but passionate about what he is showing you, which is good.

 

Alla in St. Petersburg was wonderful (there were multiple vans of theirs and multiple guides, but the one we had was great. The only Alla guide we didn't really connect with was in Finland, and that's because when they talk in English, they talk slowly and it kind of gets in the way.

 

The guy we had in Stockholm was absolutely wonderful. Alla was always on time and there, and they kept to their schedule and they proudly say that in all of their years, they have never missed a ship sailing.

 

So have no fears, you are in good hands!

 

Norm

[5353]

You mentioned something about 'soot' on the Regal Princess, but you didn't elaborate. Taking the Baltic on 6/15 in a mini-suite, mid aft, and I like to sleep with the windows open. Is soot a problem?

 

On a non-related issue, I'm considering the 'bar package', but it limits drink purchases to $10 or less. I like my martinis before dinner. Any idea what they cost on the Regal? No point in buying the bar package if it doesn't apply to my drink choices.

 

We were offered the upsell, too, on this cruise, but I didn't reply in time. Never been in the penthouse before, but have dined on several occasiions with people who love them. Unfortunately, we do not have priority boarding and that probably shuts us out for our favorite ship board activity- the Chef's Table. Wish you could sign up before the cruise as it doesn't seem fair if your state room is on a deck that boards later. Hope the weather is good and the seas are calm. Recommend toasting the 'rain god' for the former.

[caribill]

You mentioned something about 'soot' on the Regal Princess, but you didn't elaborate. Taking the Baltic on 6/15 in a mini-suite, mid aft, and I like to sleep with the windows open. Is soot a problem? Soot will not be a problem with your cabin's location. However, air conditioning for the cabins near yours will be affected by your leaving a door open.

On a non-related issue, I'm considering the 'bar package', but it limits drink purchases to $10 or less. I like my martinis before dinner. Any idea what they cost on the Regal? No point in buying the bar package if it doesn't apply to my drink choices. Almost every available drink is less than $10. Above $10 are some specialty liquors and some very fancy cocktails.

 

We were offered the upsell, too, on this cruise, but I didn't reply in time. Never been in the penthouse before, but have dined on several occasiions with people who love them. Unfortunately, we do not have priority boarding and that probably shuts us out for our favorite ship board activity- the Chef's Table. Wish you could sign up before the cruise as it doesn't seem fair if your state room is on a deck that boards later. The boarding times by deck are a suggestion. You can board anytime that boarding has started if you wish.

 

Hope the weather is good and the seas are calm. Recommend toasting the 'rain god' for the former.

 

see above in red

[Colo Cruiser]

On a non-related issue, I'm considering the 'bar package', but it limits drink purchases to $10 or less. I like my martinis before dinner. Any idea what they cost on the Regal? No point in buying the bar package if it doesn't apply to my drink choices.

 

Not limited at all, pretty much all drinks are under $10. ;)

[nreeder]

The soot issue is only on cabins that face rearward, i.e. looking at the ships wake.

 

Norm

[5353]

Great to have a forum where questiolns get answered promptly. Hope the weather is a little warmer in order to take advantage of all facilities. Does Regal have 'movies under the stars'? And can you sign up for the bar package in mid cruise?

[Loonbeam]

Yes to MUTS. At a certain point in the cruise they do stop selling the bar package I think (end of full day 2? Maybe another day on longer itins).

 

Great to have a forum where questiolns get answered promptly. Hope the weather is a little warmer in order to take advantage of all facilities. Does Regal have 'movies under the stars'? And can you sign up for the bar package in mid cruise?

[nreeder]

I'd have to wonder at the value of the bar package since there are only two days at sea and you are probably going to be off the ship on all of the others from morning to late afternoon. You'd have to do a lot of drinking in a short amount of time to make it worth it!

 

Movies under the stars was available, but it was mostly too cold to use it. May warm up some as you get into later Summer but even St. Petersburg tour guide said August was their rainy month. The one thing that will be strange is that as you get into midsummer, you will have daylight until very late in the evening.

 

Norm

[A.Emgee]

What time does the Regal Princess do the Sailaway stamp card prizes draw? If you are not on the ship early, does this mean you don't have a chance to get stamps and a chance to win?

[caribill]

What time does the Regal Princess do the Sailaway stamp card prizes draw? If you are not on the ship early, does this mean you don't have a chance to get stamps and a chance to win?

 

You can usually get the stamps until about 30 minutes before the muster drill assuming the ship is sailing in late afternoon.

 

Can't answer about the Regal specifically, but I have seen the following on different cruises.

 

o At a sailaway party near the pool after the muster drill

 

o The next morning in the Atrium

 

o The next morning at the start of a shopping talk in the Princess Theater.

 

All of the above require you to be present to win.