Century Baltics 12 nt

[SuzCruise]

We are doing the May 21st sailing of the Century round trip from Amsterdam to the Baltics and I had a few questions I was hoping someone who has done a similar itinerary can help me with.

 

1) How early can we board? We are in a SS and I know we are supposed to get early embarkation, but how early can we really board? The ship departs at 4:30 and we'd like to board, check our luggage, check our dinner seating assignment and then get back out and explore Amsterdam before we need to be back to sail.

 

2) Any idea when we can expect our formal nights to be? Trying to decide on specialty dinner options.

 

3) We sail on Ascension day. Will everything in Amsterdam be closed? We've had experiences in the past in other parts of Europe where the entire town was shut down for Ascension day, but Amsterdam might not be the same.

 

Any other tips for this itinerary would be appreciated!

 

Thanks

[hylasgirl]

We are doing the May 21st sailing of the Century round trip from Amsterdam to the Baltics and I had a few questions I was hoping someone who has done a similar itinerary can help me with.

 

1) How early can we board? We are in a SS and I know we are supposed to get early embarkation, but how early can we really board? The ship departs at 4:30 and we'd like to board, check our luggage, check our dinner seating assignment and then get back out and explore Amsterdam before we need to be back to sail. We boarded around 11:30/ noon. We had a CC cabin and we just walked right on the ship. We didn't even need to find the priority line.

 

2) Any idea when we can expect our formal nights to be? Trying to decide on specialty dinner options. Our Formal nights were stupid!!! One of them was leaving Stockholm, which I thought was totally ridiculous! Here it is the best sail-out on the cruise, and you are supposed to be getting ready for dinner. I choose to throw a dress on and not worry about it. Who knew when I would get back to Stockholm. I am not sure when the second one was.

 

3) We sail on Ascension day. Will everything in Amsterdam be closed? We've had experiences in the past in other parts of Europe where the entire town was shut down for Ascension day, but Amsterdam might not be the same. I don't think a whole lot of things in Amsterdam are traditional enough to be closed. Sure, some things will... but on a whole, I think you will find a great deal open.

 

Any other tips for this itinerary would be appreciated!

 

Thanks

 

We stayed pre-cruise at the Movenpick right at the cruise port. This was THEE nicest hotel we have stayed at in Europe. And it was so much fun to be right at the ship in the morning.

 

This is a fantastic ship and cruise. I still love the Mediterranean better, but this was a great itinerary. We loved Warnemunde and Tallinn.

 

Dining room on the Century is one of my favorites at sea. It is just gorgeous!

 

Anything specific you would like to know, just ask...

[Spooklady]

We are going on the same cuise on June 2nd. I am so excited. Thanks for the info on Movenpick. I'll be checking that hotel out.

[hylasgirl]

We are going on the same cuise on June 2nd. I am so excited. Thanks for the info on Movenpick. I'll be checking that hotel out.

 

 

We got the hotel on Priceline... and it seems to be the only one in that area that continually hits. Check out what has been hitting on http://www.biddingfortravel.com and see if that is still the case. We got our room for $120 USD. It was very nice. Awesome bar... and great cappuccinos! We nicely asked for a room that would look out over the port so when the ship was there in the morning we could look out over it. VERY cool. You cannot sleep any closer to your cruise ship. Unless you picked a bench somewhere:)

[SuzCruise]

I've never heard of the biddingfortravel site before. Thanks so much for introducing me to a new tool! How was the location of the Movenpick for going out at night for dinner and seeing sights? We are debating staying a little closer into town to make seeing the sights the morning of the cruise a little easier.

 

Did you only have 2 formal nights? We are supposed to have 3 since it is a 12 nt cruise. I agree that the idea of messing with getting dolled up for formal night when leaving Stockholm is a little crazy. Maybe we'll eat in the room that night and save some room in the suitcase by not packing one extra dress.

 

What tour co. did you use in St. Pete's and were you pleased with them?

 

Thanks so much for all the great info!

[hylasgirl]

I've never heard of the biddingfortravel site before. Thanks so much for introducing me to a new tool! How was the location of the Movenpick for going out at night for dinner and seeing sights? We are debating staying a little closer into town to make seeing the sights the morning of the cruise a little easier.

 

Did you only have 2 formal nights? We are supposed to have 3 since it is a 12 nt cruise. I agree that the idea of messing with getting dolled up for formal night when leaving Stockholm is a little crazy. Maybe we'll eat in the room that night and save some room in the suitcase by not packing one extra dress.

 

What tour co. did you use in St. Pete's and were you pleased with them?

 

Thanks so much for all the great info!

 

We stayed next to the cruise port pre-cruise and then the Museum Quarter post-cruise. For us they were similar. The park/museum area was a bit of a walk to, lets say, the Red Light district. BUT... I would never go to that area again anyway. BUT, the Movenpick was just as much of a walk just in a different direction. Both areas were nice and walking isn't that far from anything. I think we were good to break it up. There are TONS of restaurant and more things like that in the Museum Quarter. Our friends stayed in the Amsterdam American Hotel and it was VERY nice. Lots of cool history about it, and a fabulous outside bar/grill. And not too expensive either.

 

We used ALLA TOURS in St. Petersburg and it was truly the way to go. We didn't have to pay until the second day of the tour. The guide was amazing. After talking to a few people onboard, I just can't believe the amount of people who aren't educated enough to work out some of these things on their own. I cannot imagine my 2 days in Russia aboard a bus for 50!!! The Cruise Critic is so good for things like this.

 

Hmmmm, now that you say... We may have had 3 formal nights?? I just don't remember?? You are probably right. But the one in Stockholm was a crazy choice in my opinion. The sail-away there is spectacular. Get to the Sunset Bar early and secure a table. This was such a great bar for sail-aways. But it did get busy fast! OH, don't miss formal night in the dining room. Dinner is great. Just make sure with this itinerary, if you can help it... to get late seating! I can't imagine trying to make early seating each night. And don't worry about too much on the Stockholm day. Change clothes and go eat. No worries. :) We sailed in July and we didn't have sunset most days until 10:30 at night. So wild!

 

Anything else I can help you with, just ask...

 

also... biddingfortravel is such a great tool. I use it all the time. There are some spectacular hotels out there! The Movenpick was the first time I had tried Priceline for a European stay. It worked perfectly.

[bootje50]

me too!

we have got a thread going for this date.

 

 

Reico

[sandravb79]

Regarding Amsterdam on Ascension day: museums etc should be open (Mondays are often closing days for these), restaurants will be open, stores however might be closed (not the tourist-catch stores, but the "rgeular" ones)

[SuzCruise]

Sandravb, thanks so much for answering. I see you are from Brussels. Can you tell me how crazy Bruges will be the day before Ascension day? We are going to Bruges on the 19th and will spend 1 or 2 nts depending on crowds and train schedules. Will train schedules be altered or trains sold out? I know the procession of the Holy Blood is the afternoon of the 21st. Based on the hike in hotel prices that night the hotels are expecting crowds. Thanks for the help.

[Nick345]

We are on the same cruise leaving Amsterdam on the 21st of May and had the similar questions.

[SuzCruise]

Does anyone know if the train schedule will be altered on Ascension day? We will probably just try to get back to Amsterdam the night before to be somewhat safe and escape what might be a very crowded Bruges.

 

Will liquor stores be open on Ascension day?

[sandravb79]

Sandravb, thanks so much for answering. I see you are from Brussels. Can you tell me how crazy Bruges will be the day before Ascension day? We are going to Bruges on the 19th and will spend 1 or 2 nts depending on crowds and train schedules. Will train schedules be altered or trains sold out? I know the procession of the Holy Blood is the afternoon of the 21st. Based on the hike in hotel prices that night the hotels are expecting crowds. Thanks for the help.

 

If it's the Holy Blood procession, I have about 1 advise to give: DON'T GO THERE unless you don't mind the HUGE crowds. It is going to be crazy. Of course, this is also THE chance to see the Procession.

 

Oh wait, you will be there the days before? Then you should be OK.

The Thursday is a holiday, so "everyone" is home from work/ school on that day and schools will be closed. Schools will also be closed on the Friday and many people will have the day off on Friday.

Tuesday and Wednesday before should be OK, except that Bruges is of course a very touristy place, so there will always be people around.

Another beautiful medieval city is Ghent, it's a half hour train ride from Bruges, so that might be an alternative if Bruges is too busy.

Both are very beautiful cities and not too big so everything is walkable.

 

Does anyone know if the train schedule will be altered on Ascension day? We will probably just try to get back to Amsterdam the night before to be somewhat safe and escape what might be a very crowded Bruges.

 

Will liquor stores be open on Ascension day?

 

Yes, the train schedule will be altered on Ascension day. www.nmbs.be can give you all the information. I don't know if it has an English-version, otherwise i'll translate for you if you want.

 

Liquor stores? We don't have no stinking liquor stores ;)

Wine, beer, other alcohol is sold in all the regular grocery stores, cenvenience stores and "tourist trap" stores. (way more expensive in the last one!!!)

If you want to buy Belgian chocolates: Leonidas offer the best price/ quality.

 

 

 

 

If you need any extra information, you can email me at sandra_vanbossuyt@yahoo.com

[sandravb79]

Oh, and a "gourmet"-advise: when you are in Belgium, you have to try our grey northsea shrimps. They are very small but have a lot of flavour.

The most traditional way to eat them is in a tomato, it's called "tomaat-garnaal" and it must be "Noordzee garnalen". If they are hand-peeled (handgepeld) they are even better!