Baltic cruise: Marina sep3 12 night vs HAL Koningsdam sep4 14 night

[warburg]

Greetings Arachnotron. Don't waste your time going to Berlin from Warnemunde. It is a tedious trip by train, usually, and quite long. The included high speed bus tour around Berlin is patently useless. My husband is a German National and we know Berlin well. We traveled East and West Berlin in the days of the Wall, and have continued to visit Berlin since the Wall fell. Wait until you can spend serious time there. It is a very interesting place with lots to see and do. Warnemunde and nearby Rostock served as popular resorts when Germany was divided, and are still popular. They are pleasant places, and are certainly more comfortable than a train. Rostock is a short train ride away, and when we visited Warnemunde, we could see the train station from the ship. Even if the ship docks in a different place today, it will not be too far from the station. Whatever you decide to do, enjoy your cruise.

 

Mary

[Mura]

That's what I always say, Mary, but alas ... no one listens to me!

 

We've been to Berlin several times, the first visit was for a week. There is so much to do there that it's a real waste to spend several hours on the road just to zip around and see not much.

 

Mura

[silkman]

Greetings Arachnotron. Don't waste your time going to Berlin from Warnemunde. It is a tedious trip by train, usually, and quite long. The included high speed bus tour around Berlin is patently useless. My husband is a German National and we know Berlin well. We traveled East and West Berlin in the days of the Wall, and have continued to visit Berlin since the Wall fell. Wait until you can spend serious time there. It is a very interesting place with lots to see and do. Warnemunde and nearby Rostock served as popular resorts when Germany was divided, and are still popular. They are pleasant places, and are certainly more comfortable than a train. Rostock is a short train ride away, and when we visited Warnemunde, we could see the train station from the ship. Even if the ship docks in a different place today, it will not be too far from the station. Whatever you decide to do, enjoy your cruise.

 

Mary

Hi Mary,

 

We are on an Oceania cruise which also stops in Warnemunde. I have already decided not to go to Berlin because of the reasons you stated. I was looking at a private bus tour(although i do dislike bus tours) that picks you up at the cruise terminal and includes Warnemunde, Wismar , and Schwerin. Do you think that is a sensible alternative to Berlin?

Thanks,

Richard

[LHT28]

Also, regarding air, how does that work? Is it 'included'? What conditions apply? I googled but could only find a page in O's site that is not linked anymore to the "Value" section of the website. Does it still apply? How can I compare the rates? Are all O cruises applicable for the air program?

I would find out if you can get the included air from Mexico before you get too far along

[buggins0402]

Yes, I agree with Lyn, particularly since you are planning extending your trip with land before and after. Icelandic Air prices are hard to beat once you get to one of their Northeast US hubs. And, coming from Mexico adds a whole other wrinkle of the add on to get to one of O's North American gateway cities.

 

As for adding Prague and Vienna at the end, we did a land trip once that was Prague, Vienna, Budapest in 8 nights. Budapest felt rushed. A week with adding Prague and Vienna is doable, but one or more city might feel a bit rushed.

[tropicalkerry2002]

I know some people don't think the tour to Berlin is worth 3 hours there and back, but we did! I don't think that we will ever be in that part of Europe again, so I wanted to see Berlin. We LOVED it! SPB had been our guide in St. P(excellent and very flexible), so we got a wee discount on the Berlin tour with them. I wouldn't miss Berlin if you don't think you'll be back that way....

Edited February 14, 2016 by tropicalkerry2002

[Arachnotron]

Great. Thanks. I will ask my TA tomorrow.

 

Berlin, I agree. I will travel to Germany in another ocassion and book plenty of time to see if thoroughly. I will either stay in Wandermunde or go to Rostock as you recommend.

 

I will check Icelandic Air, although I was planning on taking advantage of some miles I have.

[Mura]

Tropical,

 

One comment I always try to add when advising AGAINST such a long drive to see a major city in one day is: if you don't think you'll be back this way again, go for it. That goes for traveling from Le Havre to Paris or Normandy, and a number of other places as well.

 

When the Bayeux Info Center advised us NOT to try to do a day trip from Le Havre we listened and booked a self-drive land trip a few months later. It was a wonderful trip! We also did Normandy on a river boat cruise in 2012 from Rouen and it took almost as long to get there (probably 3 hours as opposed to 4) but since we'd been there before it wasn't a disappointment. We saw different places at that time. (We opted for the Canadian tour which took us to THEIR beaches as well as the Bayeux Tapestry which we wanted to see again.)

 

Regarding Berlin -- we did a self-drive trip some time ago with a Danish friend and spent a day in Lubeck rather than Berlin. I believe Lubeck is a shorter drive from Warnemunde (I could be wrong here because we drove from Schleswig-Holstein!) and while not a short drive -- it's a delightful city that can be appreciated in a day. I think it's also do-able by train from Warnemunde. I only think that because once upon a time I did check this out ...

 

So there are other options besides Berlin when you have a one day port of call. You have to make up your own mind about what you want to do, of course. If it's worth it to YOU, it's worth it.

 

Mura

[Arachnotron]

Just FYI, just checked with TA - the rate I have is without airfare. He's getting the included airfare rate.

[rialannah]

Hi Mary,

 

We are on an Oceania cruise which also stops in Warnemunde. I have already decided not to go to Berlin because of the reasons you stated. I was looking at a private bus tour(although i do dislike bus tours) that picks you up at the cruise terminal and includes Warnemunde, Wismar , and Schwerin. Do you think that is a sensible alternative to Berlin?

Thanks,

Richard

 

Richard and other pondering what to do from Warnemunde

 

On a Baltic cruise a few years ago, a group of us who decided against travelling to Berlin used the local train services to visit Lubeck and Wismar for the day. We all agreed that it was an outstanding day - Lubeck in particular is wonderful. From Warnemunde to Lubeck requires changes in Rostock and Bad Klienen; Lubeck back to Wismar requires a change in Bad Klienen; and the return from Wismar to Warnemunde requires a change in Rostock. It is all very easy to navigate (and remarkably cheap although that was not the driver) and given the long day stop in Warnemunde allowed ample time to explore both places.

 

This provides another alternative to consider.