Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Travel Topics > Cruises
Reload this Page >

Oceania-Marina-Scandinavian Treasures Cruise

Oceania-Marina-Scandinavian Treasures Cruise

Old Mar 11th, 2014, 11:16 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oceania-Marina-Scandinavian Treasures Cruise

We are going from Copenhagen to Stockholm July 1. We plan on extending 2 days before the cruise and 2 days after the cruise. We need help with planning our excursions. In St. Petersburg we plan on taking the boat excursions. A little afraid not to. Everywhere else we would like to do on our own or with tour companies other than with the boat. Besides being more expensive, we found that we can do more if we are in a small group or with a private driver and maybe another couple.

We like history,architecture and gardens rather than beaches or nature walks. Any suggestions of how we could get around on our own with suggestions as to where to go would be appreciated. Or if you could suggest some tour companies, that would be great. The stops are: Berlin (Warnemunde) did not want to go to Berlin because it takes too long and I don't want to waste 6 hours of my sightseeing on a bus.
Next we stop at Klaipeda, Lithuania, Riga, Lativia, Helsinki, Finland, Tallinn, Estonia.

We would also like some suggestions for Copenhagen and Stockholm. We will also need hotels there also.

In advance, I thank you for any help you can give.
mrscpa10 is offline  
Old Mar 11th, 2014, 03:46 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We were on a similar itinerary on Oceania.

We used a private tour guide in Copenhagen that was great. We got her name from Percy here on Fodors and thought she did a great tour - she even had us at her home for a traditional Danish lunch. [email protected] is her contact info.

We enjoy WWII history so on our Warnemunde stop we rented a car and drove to Peenemunde. Here's an excerpt from my trip report:

"Peenemunde was about a three hour drive northeast of Warnemunde. It is the site where Hitler located a V2 rocket military test site. V2 was referred to by Nazi propaganda as “Vergeltungswaffe 2” (Vengeance Weapon 2). The V2 rockets were used during World War II to terrorize the civilian population of Europe with destruction. At the time it was built, it was one of the most modern technological facilities in the world. The site was built by slave laborers, concentration inmates and prisoners of war. The site is now a museum. We used audio guides (I was surprised that they had them in English) and toured the site. We spent over an hour there and it was fascinating to see some of the actual equipment used to build the missiles and that had been preserved. There were also numerous pictures of the laborers (some with the yellow Star of David sown on their uniforms) working and also of the Nazis in uniform directing the work.

After leaving Peenemunde, we stopped at a small restaurant for lunch. I didn’t get my currywurst, but we did have schnitzel. The waitress didn’t speak any English, but a little bit my German was back after those years living in Germany and at least I knew what klein (small) and gross (large) meant!

Headed back to Warnemunde we stopped at Stralsund which is a town that dates back to the 1200s and was invaded repeatedly by various armies, the most recent in 1945 by the Soviet Union. It's designated a UNESCO World Heritage site."

We used DenRus as our guide in St. Petersburg. You'll find most people recommend getting your own guide versus doing the ship's tours.

If you're interested in my full trip report, simply e-mail me. You can get my e-mail address by clicking on my user name.
patandhank is offline  
Old Mar 11th, 2014, 03:48 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oops looks like it's not on the profile anymore - [email protected]
patandhank is offline  
Old Mar 12th, 2014, 05:03 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 8,219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We found Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm, and Talinn quite easy to tour on our own.

In St Petersburg, we loved using Red October; for the 4 of us travelling together, our own van, guide, and driver with a personalized two day tour, was cheaper than using the ship's shore excursion.

If you go to www.cruisecritic.com, the message boards, Roll Call, Oceania, Marina, your sailing date, you can find other passengers with whom to share private tours.
abram is offline  
Old Mar 29th, 2014, 01:09 PM
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the info. Sorry I haven't replied sooner. Tax season for me. Any suggestions for hotels in Copenhagen or Stockholm? We're not looking for resort amenities. Clean, reasonably priced and close to town. We get up and leave, come back and sleep. Don't want to pay for things we won't use. Thanks for your help.
mrscpa10 is offline  
Old Apr 15th, 2014, 11:25 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We are doing the same tour Aug 22. I have found that hotels are much cheaper in Copenhagen in July and in Stockholm in August (just off from both or our dates)so it may be easier for you.

I had originally thought we could get by with $200-250 a night with breakfast, in town. That went out the window quickly. Friends had stayed at the Copenhagen Strand for about $195 in July, great location and breakfast. They booked on Orbitz. For August they wanted $285. We actually ended up at Hotel Bethel on nyhven not to far from the strand. Basic, with breakfast, ensuite and good reviews on Trip adviser and it was $191.

Stockholm was another challenge, plus there were 4 couples which added to the problem. I was amazed at how many hostels there are, especially in Gamla Stan, the old town. In addition, many reviewers introduced us to a concept we had not encounterd "cabin" rooms. Seems many people used the internet booking services and did not realize the discounted cabin rooms do not have a "window". So with eliminating hostels, cabin rooms, trying to keep it under $200 a night (an we were in both locations for 3 nights), wanting an ensuite, 4 couples, wanting an elevator, plus we are there on weekdays which are more expensive than weekends, the search was much more difficult than I had thought it would be compared to previous trips I had planned (we mostly do independent travel).

We wanted to be near the old town but everything was either $285 plus or a hostel. Initially booked near the train station but then found Drottning Victorias Orlogshem. Again basic, good reviews on Trip Adviser, includes ensuite and breakfast very near the Grand Hotel and not far from subway or Gamla Stan. They do not seem to charge more for weekdays, in early Sept we booked for about $160 a night. Plus the weekday helped us here since reviews indicated lower rooms may experience noise on weekends. But hey it is Europe between church bells, ships, and cobblestone streets, you get use to noise. Both hotels were also listed as very clean

Hope this may help.
ReillyQ is offline  
Old May 28th, 2014, 03:47 PM
  #7  
ET
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,406
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
For additional information, you might want to check out the message board for your particular cruise on CruiseCritic.com
ET is offline  
Old May 30th, 2014, 12:44 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
check out this tour review of a couple from Oceania Marina - http://www.maxibalttours.com/st-pete...ic-cruise.html Really nothing to worry if you go with independent tours. You save your money plus you get the freedom of private travel
AWOLF is offline  
Old Jul 4th, 2014, 06:07 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We are doing the August Baltic Treasures cruise also. Does anyone know if we will be able to see anything in Copenhagen when we arrive on the day we embark? The plane lands at 7:15 am and I would love to see the Central City.
awilliams18 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ebvacationer
Europe
7
Jul 9th, 2015 09:07 AM
RalphRT
Cruises
16
May 20th, 2010 05:13 PM
DATrue
Cruises
17
Jun 16th, 2009 06:38 PM
mhwhite
Cruises
5
Mar 6th, 2009 10:01 AM
kcnn02
Cruises
4
Apr 2nd, 2004 10:45 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -