Embarking Berlin/Warnemunde

[bab10]

I'm wondering what time we will be expected to board in Warnemunde since the ship doesn't depart until 9p.m?   Since we have to muster, etc. they must have a timeframe where they expect to be onboard prior to 9.  Anyone have any experience embarking at this port?

[mamkmm2]

20 minutes ago, bab10 said:

I'm wondering what time we will be expected to board in Warnemunde since the ship doesn't depart until 9p.m?   Since we have to muster, etc. they must have a timeframe where they expect to be onboard prior to 9.  Anyone have any experience embarking at this port?

 

Hmm, the Baltic cruises are just a constant circle.  Some passengers get on in Warnemunde/Berlin and some of us embark in Copenhagen.

 

However, logistically, if I had to guess … Warnemunde is a minimum of 3  hours by bus or train from Berlin.  For a ship that sails at 9 pm all aboard is 8:30 pm.  I'm thinking they are going to want new embarkations on the ship well in advance of that.  I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't expect you to be on by 6 pm.  Most of the embarkation staff are going to be people with regular day job hours so potentially even 5 pm.

 

In the Med our cruise had a sail away at 7 pm.  They expected embarking passengers to be on - or at least in line to get on - three hours before hand.

 

 

[skynight]

It does take around 3 hours to get from Berlin to Warnemunde. If you are arranging the transfer with Princess then they will get you there on time. If you are making your own arrangements suggest you spend the night before in Rostock.

When we did the Baltic there were a few hundred that boarded in Warnemunde. There is a special muster for all new boarders. Even if you arrive last minute they will provide you with a special instruction.

[trafficgirl124]

You can pretty well get on anytime. If you miss the drill early afternoon they do one later on. We got on early afternoon this past August. 

[Anubi]

We are doing pre & post cruise in Berlin and taking the train to and from Warnemunde, its about three hours and far cheaper than doing the Princess transfer.  We expect to be at the ship by noon, check in and then disembark and visit Rostock. 

[pompeii]

When we boarded in Warnemunde, we had already spent several days in Berlin beforehand then rented a car and drove up, spending the night in Wismar after touring Schwerin Castle.  It was a very easy drive, and a great way to see a little more of Germany before embarking.  IIRC, we boarded mid-afternoon, around 2 or so, but the ship didn't leave until 9pm after all the Berlin day-trippers returned.  Sorry, but I don't recall the latest time for embarkation.

[pompeii]

21 hours ago, pompeii said:

When we boarded in Warnemunde, we had already spent several days in Berlin beforehand then rented a car and drove up, spending the night in Wismar after touring Schwerin Castle.  It was a very easy drive, and a great way to see a little more of Germany before embarking.  IIRC, we boarded mid-afternoon, around 2 or so, but the ship didn't leave until 9pm after all the Berlin day-trippers returned.  Sorry, but I don't recall the latest time for embarkation.

Also, if anyone is considering driving, the rental return was to just leave the car in the parking lot right where we embarked the ship so it couldn't have been easier.  We also got back off the ship after embarking and had plenty of time to look around the area; I remember the beach, climbing up the lighthouse, and walking around a nice area of shops and homes.

 

[chicopaige]

Trying to talk my husband into renting a car after spending a few precruise days in Berlin.  Being able to drop off car close to where we board the ship might seal the deal for him.   Do you mind naming car rental agency that allowed this?

[Schonert]

If you have not booked flights yet, I would consider going in to Hamburg.  It is just as close to the port and possibly easier to get to.  
 

 

[pompeii]

16 hours ago, chicopaige said:

Trying to talk my husband into renting a car after spending a few precruise days in Berlin.  Being able to drop off car close to where we board the ship might seal the deal for him.   Do you mind naming car rental agency that allowed this?

We did this in 2015 so I don't remember, but I'll see when I get home tonight if we still have the information.  I remember that he picked up the car in Berlin in a plaza by Brandenburg Gate.  I think it might have been Sixt.

[pompeii]

2 hours ago, pompeii said:

We did this in 2015 so I don't remember, but I'll see when I get home tonight if we still have the information.  I remember that he picked up the car in Berlin in a plaza by Brandenburg Gate.  I think it might have been Sixt.

Yep, dh just confirmed, it was Sixt.

[chicopaige]

Thanks!

[Retired_Army]

On 11/7/2019 at 3:08 PM, pompeii said:

Yep, dh just confirmed, it was Sixt.

We also used SIXT from Berlin and visited the village from which my ancestors emigrated on the way to the port.  Couldn't have been easier. Spent the night in Warnemunde in the old Stasi Hotel and then used the car the morning of boarding to visit the Schwiren castle.  With SIXT you just park the car in the public lot and drop the keys into a dropbox.  We picked up another car post-cruise this time from Hertz as they have a small lot and office right at the port.  I think they shared that with National/Eurocar.  The folks there were very helpful getting us to the right location to leave the SIXT car.  There is a lot to see between Berlin and the port.