Shuttles on Homelands Cruise?

[frenchhorn]

Does Viking provide shuttle buses to a city center in any ports, and if so, on what kind of schedule do they run? I'm thinking in particular of Copenhagen, Gdansk, Tallinn, Helsinki, and Stockholm. We're booked on the May 26 Homelands from Bergen and trying to decide on excursions vs. independent in some ports. Thanks in advance!

[drmarg]

Was on the Homelands cruise in September 2017and as I recall, there were shuttles in every port where the ship was docked some distance from the city center. The shuttles run very frequently with the last return about 1 hour before the ship departs. We started in Stockholm so had limited time there so can’t say about shuttles there. We did the included tour which gave us a good look at Gamla Stan, the picturesque Old Town.

 

 

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[frenchhorn]

Thank you! That helps a lot in planning. Carol

[Dauntless]

Does Viking provide shuttle buses to a city center in any ports, and if so, on what kind of schedule do they run? I'm thinking in particular of Copenhagen, Gdansk, Tallinn, Helsinki, and Stockholm. We're booked on the May 26 Homelands from Bergen and trying to decide on excursions vs. independent in some ports. Thanks in advance!

 

There were shuttles in all these ports when we cruised. They now dock in a different location in Gdansk than we did so can't be sure there. Helsinki is the only port that you can not see the downtown area from. The shuttles run about every 30 minutes. When we were in Tallinn, the old town was very crowded in the morning as several ships were in port. We got an early slot. After the included, we ventured out and came back in the afternoon and old town area was much more enjoyable and manageable.

[lackcreativity]

We will be taking the Russia and the Baltic Sea cruise in April of 2019. There is some overlap of the ports visited, so I would assume they would run shuttles in the same ports on both itineraries. This is helpful to know.

[frenchhorn]

There were shuttles in all these ports when we cruised. They now dock in a different location in Gdansk than we did so can't be sure there. Helsinki is the only port that you can not see the downtown area from. The shuttles run about every 30 minutes. When we were in Tallinn, the old town was very crowded in the morning as several ships were in port. We got an early slot. After the included, we ventured out and came back in the afternoon and old town area was much more enjoyable and manageable.

 

Sounds like one can do an included and get back to the ship by shuttle later. Thanks!

[Dauntless]

Sounds like one can do an included and get back to the ship by shuttle later. Thanks!

 

Yes you can but do be aware that I found the shuttles seem to be down during lunch so check with the Explorer's Desk before you leave the ship to verify their schedule. Voice of experience.

[frenchhorn]

Ouch! Thanks for the heads up.

[jiminyC_fan]

 

Thanks to you we found that to be true. Tallinn was very much enjoyable after everyone else had left. Great advice!

 

One word of advice to people, the ports did have shuttles. We never had issues with them until we hit Copenhagen. A Viking rep was standing at the pick up point and we didn't pay attention to the sign ON the bus. Long story short we boarded the bus and got taken to a different cruise line dock. We attempted to walk to Viking as we could actually see it but gave up because of dead ends. We walked back to the drop off point. I forgot which line it was but they were very accommodating and hailed us a taxi. Moral of the story is to check and recheck before you get on the bus.

[Dauntless]

Thanks to you we found that to be true. Tallinn was very much enjoyable after everyone else had left. Great advice!

 

One word of advice to people, the ports did have shuttles. We never had issues with them until we hit Copenhagen. A Viking rep was standing at the pick up point and we didn't pay attention to the sign ON the bus. . . I forgot which line it was but they were very accommodating and hailed us a taxi. Moral of the story is to check and recheck before you get on the bus.

 

There is also a public bus that goes from the city hall Tivoli Garden area, I forget the number but I'm sure you can find it on the net. There are two versions of this bus and they go to different areas depending where you are docked. After the main number and name there will be another name. If you get on the one that starts with an A that will get you to the port where the Star docked. Take it to the end and there is a turn around there and you will be able to see the ship.

[frenchhorn]

Thanks to you we found that to be true. Tallinn was very much enjoyable after everyone else had left. Great advice!

 

One word of advice to people, the ports did have shuttles. We never had issues with them until we hit Copenhagen. A Viking rep was standing at the pick up point and we didn't pay attention to the sign ON the bus. Long story short we boarded the bus and got taken to a different cruise line dock. We attempted to walk to Viking as we could actually see it but gave up because of dead ends. We walked back to the drop off point. I forgot which line it was but they were very accommodating and hailed us a taxi. Moral of the story is to check and recheck before you get on the bus.

 

"Check and recheck." Great advice for all ports. Thank you!

[frenchhorn]

There is also a public bus that goes from the city hall Tivoli Garden area, I forget the number but I'm sure you can find it on the net. There are two versions of this bus and they go to different areas depending where you are docked. After the main number and name there will be another name. If you get on the one that starts with an A that will get you to the port where the Star docked. Take it to the end and there is a turn around there and you will be able to see the ship.

 

Thank you for those details! We'll research the public bus system, and your information helps.

[BruceB NYC]

Does Viking provide shuttle buses to a city center in any ports, and if so, on what kind of schedule do they run? I'm thinking in particular of Copenhagen, Gdansk, Tallinn, Helsinki, and Stockholm. We're booked on the May 26 Homelands from Bergen and trying to decide on excursions vs. independent in some ports. Thanks in advance!

 

HI Fenchhorn,

I'm doing VK HL

 

Bergen to Stockholm April 28, 2018. If you haven't heard about it Rick Steve's the travel guru has a book NORTHERN EUROPEN CRUISE PORTS. Recommend it. An earlier VK HL cruiser posted the on board ship Viking Daily for the whole cruise in 2016. (see below). It contains the daily info on the shuttle buses. I would expect VK will still have shuttle buses in all the ports were there is a distance to travel from the ship to town.

Enjoy and happy sailing,

BruceB NYC

------Link to Viking Daily try it---

Homelands -Daily info sheets - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums

boards.cruisecritic.com› Boards › Cruise Lines “P – Z” › Viking Ocean

Oct 29, 2016 - 20 posts -‎8 authors

Have uploaded them tomy Viking Homelands 2016 folder in DropBox --https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v41tt71jn...Z4uZ0FCwa?dl=0. The scanned Viking Daily sheets -- one for eachday -- are stored intheir own folder as PDF files. I discovered that I could -- so I did -- savethem so that you can search each .

OK .. 'tis done. Went alot faster than Ithought it would. Have uploaded them to my Viking Homelands 2016 folder inDropBox -- https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v41tt71jn...Z4uZ0FCwa?dl=0.The scanned Viking Daily sheets -- one for each day -- are stored in their ownfolder as PDF files. I discovered that I could -- so I did -- save them so thatyou can search each file for specific text. Hopefully, you'll find this abilityuseful.

 

 

 

 

 

[frenchhorn]

Bruce, Thank you so much! Those pages are so helpful in planning use of the shuttles! We are on the May 26 Homelands Bergen to Stockholm. We have almost worn out Rick Steves' port book. He makes it so easy to enjoy the ports on your own. Carol