Eclipsing Northern Europe by cruise : Basic black , and Baltic blues

[Gracie115]

My husband really doesn't like heights so we didn't go on the London Eye....after seeing your pictures I wish I would have gone alone and next time I will!!!! :D

[upwarduk]

My husband really doesn't like heights so we didn't go on the London Eye....after seeing your pictures I wish I would have gone alone and next time I will!!!! :D

 

The speed is very slow, so you don't feel you have left the ground!

[perfect match]

I love the pictures of the London Eye! Great angles in those photos!

[scubacruiserx2]

My husband really doesn't like heights so we didn't go on the London Eye....after seeing your pictures I wish I would have gone alone and next time I will!!!! :D

 

I don't like heights ( or depths ) either ! So I tend to focus on a task like taking photos to distract my discomfort . I hope that you will have a chance to ride the Eye , and like Jackie said :

 

The speed is very slow, so you don't feel you have left the ground!

 

 

In fact , we didn't even know that it was moving until it was time to jump on , or off !! :) :D

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

I love the pictures of the London Eye! Great angles in those photos!

 

Thank you Nancy . It's an amazing landmark and feat of engineering !! :) :D

[scubacruiserx2]

A few shots of the Elizabeth Tower, aka " Big Ben " .

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ben

 

 

 

2 clock faces for the price of 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

up close and personal

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Cromwell

 

 

Richard I of England

 

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_I_of_England

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really ?

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

It was Election Day and after meeting P&T for breakfast we set out for the day .

 

 

 

A Big Bus tour

 

 

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A video clip :

 

 

[PurpleTraveller]

Thank you for your wonderful review and photos. I was a bit late to the party as I was cruising the Mediterranean on Royal Princess when you started your review but have now caught up. I will be cruising a very similar itinerary in June 2017 on Crown Princess so you have given me a wealth of information and inspiration. Thank you.

[Hydrokitty]

Your review and photos were spectacular! I am booked on Baltic Caps with B2B Norway in August, 2017.

 

Question: We're flying into Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic and Celebrity wants $400 for round trip transfers for two people. That seemed a bit high so I went on line to look for alternatives. I found Unicorn Transfers, which do the round trip via private car for 2 people, 2 bags and 2 carry-ons for $230 (188 Pounds) for the car + 10% driver gratuity. Has anyone used them?

 

If this post should be posted elsewhere, feel free to move it. Thanks. :D

[upwarduk]

Hydrokitty

I think you may get a bigger response from members of you roll Call. We recently went on the train to Southampton for the start of our cruise, but I do remember there being plenty of discussion on our Roll Call about the best way to reach Southampton.

[scubacruiserx2]

Thank you for your wonderful review and photos. I was a bit late to the party as I was cruising the Mediterranean on Royal Princess when you started your review but have now caught up. I will be cruising a very similar itinerary in June 2017 on Crown Princess so you have given me a wealth of information and inspiration. Thank you.

 

You're welcome , and welcome to the thread . We're glad that it's useful and don't be afraid to ask questions , if you have any . The Baltic has lots of history , art and culture , so enjoy !! :) :D

[scubacruiserx2]

Your review and photos were spectacular! I am booked on Baltic Caps with B2B Norway in August, 2017.

 

Question: We're flying into Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic and Celebrity wants $400 for round trip transfers for two people. That seemed a bit high so I went on line to look for alternatives. I found Unicorn Transfers, which do the round trip via private car for 2 people, 2 bags and 2 carry-ons for $230 (188 Pounds) for the car + 10% driver gratuity. Has anyone used them?

 

If this post should be posted elsewhere, feel free to move it. Thanks. :D

 

 

Hydrokitty

I think you may get a bigger response from members of you roll Call. We recently went on the train to Southampton for the start of our cruise, but I do remember there being plenty of discussion on our Roll Call about the best way to reach Southampton.

 

 

 

 

Great advice from Jackie here . Probably the most economical advice is to split the cost with others that you can meet on your Roll Call .

 

;)

 

[Gracie115]

Hope you and Pat have a wonderful trip to Cozumel! We are packing and getting ready for early morning flight Sunday to Barcelona. Will check back in when we get back as I don't usually look at Cruise Critic once on board....those Internet minutes get costly!!!

 

Hope you are feeling better and able to enjoy some of those spicy snacks along with a Margarita or two!!! We'll toast one to you once on board the beautiful Equinox!!:) :D

[scubacruiserx2]

Hope you and Pat have a wonderful trip to Cozumel! We are packing and getting ready for early morning flight Sunday to Barcelona. Will check back in when we get back as I don't usually look at Cruise Critic once on board....those Internet minutes get costly!!!

 

Hope you are feeling better and able to enjoy some of those spicy snacks along with a Margarita or two!!! We'll toast one to you once on board the beautiful Equinox!!:) :D

 

Thank you Gracie and we hope that you have a great flight and cruise , and we know what you mean about the on board internet minutes . ;)

 

Did I understand you correctly that don't fly overnight ?

[scubacruiserx2]

A video clip near the National Gallery :

 

 

and Trafalgar Square , this is where we got off of the bus :

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafalgar_Square

 

 

We were a bit confused by the crossing light

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were taking Ty to a Matinee and he wanted to stop at Starbucks for a afternoon snack .

 

 

 

 

This play has been running for 64 years !!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gracie115]

Did I understand you correctly that don't fly overnight ?

 

No, I didn't word it properly....we drive over to Orlando Sunday morning, get a flight to Philly and then a 3 hour layover and THEN overnight to Barcelona!!!:eek: It's like a "lost" night....which we will get back an hour at a time as we sail back to the USA:D!

[Gracie115]

We were a bit confused by the crossing light

 

 

 

 

I'd be confused too...... what DOES that signal mean?:confused:

[lucyliz]

 

We were a bit confused by the crossing light

 

 

It's the transgender symbol. Various crossings in central London had their green lights changed for pride week, which was on while you were visiting. Some had the double male symbol, some the double female, some male and female, and so on.

 

I'm not sure how many are still there - I thought they were just for the week, but I was crossing over the Strand, by Trafalgar Square, a few days ago and that still had its sign up so perhaps they're staying.

 

On another note, I see the sky is darkening in the last couple of photos - I remember referendum day, it absolutely poured with rain that afternoon. I hope you didn't get too soaked! I was wet through when I came home from voting, despite having an umbrella.

[upwarduk]

No, I didn't word it properly....we drive over to Orlando Sunday morning, get a flight to Philly and then a 3 hour layover and THEN overnight to Barcelona!!!:eek: It's like a "lost" night....which we will get back an hour at a time as we sail back to the USA:D!

 

A change of 6 hrs +1 for you then, as we also put the clocks back on the last Sunday in October in Europe.

 

That plays havoc with my body clock.

On our recent cruise we put the clocks Forward 1 hr the first night, as we were in France.

Back 1 hr to BST for Guernsey and Cork.

When we left Cork we changed them back x4

Then 1/2 hr when we were sailing for St John's Newfoundland.

Then another 1/2 hr when we were approaching Quebec (EST I think)

 

I just wake an hr earlier every day, OK if you are going out for an early excursion though.

When we did a TA on Infinity in 2013, breakfast was scheduled an hr earlier, as many elderly people were waking too early!

[scubacruiserx2]

No, I didn't word it properly....we drive over to Orlando Sunday morning, get a flight to Philly and then a 3 hour layover and THEN overnight to Barcelona!!!:eek: It's like a "lost" night....which we will get back an hour at a time as we sail back to the USA:D!

 

We we hoping that you may have found an early morning , day flight across the pond !! :)

 

We've been to South America from Miami twice , and it's about the same flight time as to London . The first trip was on LAN to Santiago , which which was overnight both times !! :eek:

 

Our round trip to Buenos Aires was on Aerolineas Argentinas , which flew in the day both times !!

 

That was much better !!! :) :D

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

A change of 6 hrs +1 for you then, as we also put the clocks back on the last Sunday in October in Europe.

 

That plays havoc with my body clock.

On our recent cruise we put the clocks Forward 1 hr the first night, as we were in France.

Back 1 hr to BST for Guernsey and Cork.

When we left Cork we changed them back x4

Then 1/2 hr when we were sailing for St John's Newfoundland.

Then another 1/2 hr when we were approaching Quebec (EST I think)

 

I just wake an hr earlier every day, OK if you are going out for an early excursion though.

When we did a TA on Infinity in 2013, breakfast was scheduled an hr earlier, as many elderly people were waking too early!

 

 

It really does play havoc with your system !! Gracie is going to have a lot of Springing forward and Falling back in the next 2 weeks !! ;)

[scubacruiserx2]

It's the transgender symbol. Various crossings in central London had their green lights changed for pride week, which was on while you were visiting. Some had the double male symbol, some the double female, some male and female, and so on.

 

I'm not sure how many are still there - I thought they were just for the week, but I was crossing over the Strand, by Trafalgar Square, a few days ago and that still had its sign up so perhaps they're staying.

 

On another note, I see the sky is darkening in the last couple of photos - I remember referendum day, it absolutely poured with rain that afternoon. I hope you didn't get too soaked! I was wet through when I came home from voting, despite having an umbrella.

 

 

Thank you Lucy , we weren't sure at the time and just moved with the crowd . I did look it up after we returned home , but on holiday I just enjoy the moment , take the photos and reflect later .

 

We have enjoyed mostly good weather when visiting London and we had hoped , after the theatre , to walk around Covent Garden and dine in Chinatown . That was the plan before the rains came !!

[Hydrokitty]

Hydrokitty

I think you may get a bigger response from members of you roll Call. We recently went on the train to Southampton for the start of our cruise, but I do remember there being plenty of discussion on our Roll Call about the best way to reach Southampton.

 

Thanks for the tip....I will check out Roll Call now.

[scubacruiserx2]

Thanks for the tip....I will check out Roll Call now.

 

May I also recommend checking with Smith's for Airports also as it's who we used privately . They can also accommodate a group if you arrange one from the Roll Call . They were very good when we used them and we have heard good things about them , before using them .

 

We did have a problem with our previous driver in our previous visit to London . They had a good price but we couldn't find them at LHR .:eek:

 

And so we bought tickets for the Heathrow Express and took a cab from Paddington Station to our rented flat .