FACS

If we finish a boat tour at Strandvagen at 1pm and the cruise ship leaves at 3 can a taxi get us back in 45 minutes (like it states on Rome2Rio.com)?

Percy

Yes but you are really cutting it close.

You have to get out of Stockholm City and hope there is no heavy traffic or any construction delays.

It is about 37 miles and the driving time is about 50 minutes.

But you should have more than ample time .

Good Luck.

I did this drive.

FACS

Thanks Percy, did you rent a car or take a taxi?
I booked Alla tours thanks to your tip (for St Petersburg)Was there 16 in your group? I tried to get a smaller group together on cruise critic but did not have any response.

Percy

Hi There

I had a private guide who met us in Nynashamn , we could not get into Stockholm due to the high currents at the time.

But the cruise ship gave us 2 hours extra time in Stockholm because we were docking in Nynashamn.


For St. Petersburg.:

There were suppose to be only 4 of us.

Then Alla e-mailed me and said this couple from Detroit wanted to join us, so I said okay

But Alla always told me the choice was mine and we could stay at 4 only.


Then a few weeks later Alla e-mailed me again and said that there was this foursome from San Diego that wanted to join us.

I told her okay and told her to cut it off right here at 10.



We were is a nice 14 passenger van in St.Petersburg, so there was lots of room .

We were only in this group of 10 in St. Petersburg.

It was cheaper to have this group of 10 for St. Petersburg, although I did not mind having to pay extra to keep just out group of 4.

But the people that joined us were very nice and we all had a good time.

The rest of the time it was mine group of 4.

FACS

I asked Alla 3 different times if I could join a small group because I wanted the group to be 6 or eight and they said they had none for us to join.
Did you have to wait in line at any of the places? I had read at Catherine's Palace that groups of 6 or less don't have to wait.

Percy

We never waited anywhere at anytime.

That is why Alla was so fantastic.

I also told Alla that I did not want a long lunch time at noon.
Just a half hour snack and let's keep going.

So I really saw a lot.

But we never waited anywhere.

Hope your trip is as good as mine was.

We had perfect weather also.

Guess I was lucky

doug_stallings

Ships do have onboard requirements. You usually need to be onboard at least 30 minutes before departure as long as the ship is at a dock and longer if the ship requires a tender. (The ship will post the last boarding time.) They are strict about this, so if you are late and aren't on a ship-sponsored tour, you could be left at the dock ... and this DOES happen.

Percy

Yes it does happen.

I have seen it happen, not to me Thank Goodness !

janisj

>>I have seen it happen, not to me Thank Goodness !<<

Me too -- not a pretty sight . . .

FACS -- even though excursions offered by the cruise line are more expensive . . . it is often worth it because they will wait for you if there is a delay. Or if waiting isn't possible they will get you to the next port.

If you are doing an independent tour and are late you are SOL and have to find your own way to the next port. Many independent excursions are totally fine, but IMO/IME one that cuts things this close wouldn't be a good idea.

FACS

Percy, janisj and Doug, thank-you for the info. I'll go to bed early so I can get up at 4am as we go thru the Archipelago before our 6:30 arrival into Nynashamn. As we leave Nynashamn heading to London, will there be islands too?

Lydiavdm

FACS I am on a cruise that will be arriving at Nynashamn at 6.30am and departing at 3pm in August - what is the latest time to leave Stockholm to be back in time so that I do not miss the departure?
Thanks!

FACS

Hi Lydiavdm, We ended up taking the bus provided by the cruise line, which left at 8:15 am and got to the city about 9:30. We had to be back on the bus at 1 pm, so it was a whirlwind visit. (We too arrived at 6:30 and left at 3) My advice is to get off the boat at 6:30/7 am and take the train from Nynashamn. (We spoke with people who did this and it was a bargain for the train roundtrip and it included bus transportation throughout the city. If you have not been to Stockholm, I loved the Vasa Museum, it is worth 2 hours, we spent 3. The downtown area of Gamla Stan did not impress me. On this visit we only had time to tour the beautiful City Hall and walk it's 365 steps for great views. The boat rides leave from next to city hall. Maybe in August they leave before 10:30, but we could not do one because the 10;30 arrives back at 1 and I was nervous, but we did pass the train station, so it seemed more central than some stations.