7/18/2010 Mickey's Baltic Ballyhoo!! Part 5

[poohmomof5]

Morning everyone!

Well, most people are complaining about the weather here as it is in the mid 50's and rainy all weekend. BUT, for the me, it is perfect! We had all Little League practices canceled and I was able to plan plan plan all day yesterday. I am making great progress! My planning right now is mostly focused on the 2 weeks that we are traveling in Europe prior to the cruise. So, I have a few questions for anyone who may be able to help:

1) I am completely confused about booking trains around Europe. Staying in the same country is pretty easy, but going from Country to Country is confusing me. I am getting a Swiss card for train travel within Switzerland which also includes 50% off lifts in the mountains. That makes the most sense for us. But how do I book a train from Switerland to Paris? The portion in Switzerland is covered, but what about the rest of the trip? Anyone?

2) I should be able to book the train to Dover today as we are at the 12 week mark! For anyone who may have experience with this, we are staying in the Tower Hill area, so it looks to me like the easiest way to get to Dover would be to take a taxi (or 2 to fit all 7 of us ) to the London Bridge station and take the train from there? Does that sound right? According to the hotel's website we are closest to the Docklands light rail station ("3 minute walk") or the Tower Hill tube station ("5 minute walk"). But it doesn't seem that there is a train from the Docklands to Dover? Do you think this makes sense? Am I reading the map right?

3) In booking the train to Dover, will I be booking a specific train with specific seats? I noticed when booking a train in Germany that I was really just buying a ticket for any train, not a specific train/seat. That makes me really nervous! Especially since I have no idea how many seats are on a train etc. What if it is full and we can't get on? I am just a little nervous!

Thanks in Advance if anyone has some insight for me!

 

[jilljill]

Morning everyone!

Well, most people are complaining about the weather here as it is in the mid 50's and rainy all weekend. BUT, for the me, it is perfect! We had all Little League practices canceled and I was able to plan plan plan all day yesterday. I am making great progress! My planning right now is mostly focused on the 2 weeks that we are traveling in Europe prior to the cruise. So, I have a few questions for anyone who may be able to help:

1) I am completely confused about booking trains around Europe. Staying in the same country is pretty easy, but going from Country to Country is confusing me. I am getting a Swiss card for train travel within Switzerland which also includes 50% off lifts in the mountains. That makes the most sense for us. But how do I book a train from Switerland to Paris? The portion in Switzerland is covered, but what about the rest of the trip? Anyone?

2) I should be able to book the train to Dover today as we are at the 12 week mark! For anyone who may have experience with this, we are staying in the Tower Hill area, so it looks to me like the easiest way to get to Dover would be to take a taxi (or 2 to fit all 7 of us ) to the London Bridge station and take the train from there? Does that sound right? According to the hotel's website we are closest to the Docklands light rail station ("3 minute walk") or the Tower Hill tube station ("5 minute walk"). But it doesn't seem that there is a train from the Docklands to Dover? Do you think this makes sense? Am I reading the map right?

3) In booking the train to Dover, will I be booking a specific train with specific seats? I noticed when booking a train in Germany that I was really just buying a ticket for any train, not a specific train/seat. That makes me really nervous! Especially since I have no idea how many seats are on a train etc. What if it is full and we can't get on? I am just a little nervous!

Thanks in Advance if anyone has some insight for me!

Can't help with your Europe train travel, but for the trip to Dover have you thought about taking Celestine up on her offer of the bus she's arranging for some of us to take. She has a post on the previous page about it. But if you are going over to Dover early then this won't work.

 

[jilljill]

Morning! I was just ketching up from the last few days and noticed you guys are going to Alaska...which one? We are going mid August, I "Wonder" if we are on another cruise together?

We are on the 8/9/11 AK cruise. Which one are you all on?

 

[Caropooh]

Now there's a nickname I haven't heard in about a year or so, I had forgotten about it. Wow....I'm truly surprised you did remember it.


Haven't been to O'hana in a few years since they changed the shrimp from already peeled to the peel 'n eat kind. If you do go enjoy it and let me know how it is, might have to give it another try this summer. Although I won't be trying to break my shrimp record.

Watch out Magic in 2010 and the Wonder in 2011.

We're so good together!

 

[Caropooh]

We are on the 8/9/11 AK cruise. Which one are you all on?

Imagine that, we're on that one also!

 

[jilljill]

Imagine that, we're on that one also!

Is your DH booked on the same cruise you are?!?

 

[Caropooh]

Is your DH booked on the same cruise you are?!?

His ticker says '1 year, 3 months and 2 weeks', so I believe he actually is!

 

[poohmomof5]

We are on the 8/9/11 AK cruise. Which one are you all on?

Ahhh, we will be waving to you as you get off and we get on. We are on the 8/16 cruise. The only reason we picked that one is that the Roy was available!

We've never done a suite before!

 

[Celestine]

Morning everyone!

Well, most people are complaining about the weather here as it is in the mid 50's and rainy all weekend. BUT, for the me, it is perfect! We had all Little League practices canceled and I was able to plan plan plan all day yesterday. I am making great progress! My planning right now is mostly focused on the 2 weeks that we are traveling in Europe prior to the cruise. So, I have a few questions for anyone who may be able to help:

1) I am completely confused about booking trains around Europe. Staying in the same country is pretty easy, but going from Country to Country is confusing me. I am getting a Swiss card for train travel within Switzerland which also includes 50% off lifts in the mountains. That makes the most sense for us. But how do I book a train from Switerland to Paris? The portion in Switzerland is covered, but what about the rest of the trip? Anyone?

2) I should be able to book the train to Dover today as we are at the 12 week mark! For anyone who may have experience with this, we are staying in the Tower Hill area, so it looks to me like the easiest way to get to Dover would be to take a taxi (or 2 to fit all 7 of us ) to the London Bridge station and take the train from there? Does that sound right? According to the hotel's website we are closest to the Docklands light rail station ("3 minute walk") or the Tower Hill tube station ("5 minute walk"). But it doesn't seem that there is a train from the Docklands to Dover? Do you think this makes sense? Am I reading the map right?

3) In booking the train to Dover, will I be booking a specific train with specific seats? I noticed when booking a train in Germany that I was really just buying a ticket for any train, not a specific train/seat. That makes me really nervous! Especially since I have no idea how many seats are on a train etc. What if it is full and we can't get on? I am just a little nervous!

Thanks in Advance if anyone has some insight for me!

There will be no train from Docklands to Dover it will be changes. You can book seats if you want to, but probably won't be necessary. You can choose to either book a specific train or an open ticket which will allow you to get on any train. It is highly unlikely that the train will be full at that time on sunday morning - there is a greater risk of the train not running or being delayed/rerouted for engineering works. Not sure how many carriages long the Dover train is, but I would guess 3 at a minimum which would be about 100 - 150 seats plus standing.

Celestine

 

[poohmomof5]

There will be no train from Docklands to Dover it will be changes. You can book seats if you want to, but probably won't be necessary. You can choose to either book a specific train or an open ticket which will allow you to get on any train. It is highly unlikely that the train will be full at that time on sunday morning - there is a greater risk of the train not running or being delayed/rerouted for engineering works. Not sure how many carriages long the Dover train is, but I would guess 3 at a minimum which would be about 100 - 150 seats plus standing.

Celestine

Thank you! I am really getting excited now!!!

 

[Madisonznana]

I just figured out my Tallinn diy day!
http://www.brentjes.com/tallinnwalk.html

 

[Caropooh]

I just figured out my Tallinn diy day!
http://www.brentjes.com/tallinnwalk.html

My feet are tired! How long of a walk is it?

 

[Madisonznana]

My feet are tired! How long of a walk is it?

Snort I am not sure, but we have several hours.

 

[jilljill]

I just figured out my Tallinn diy day!
http://www.brentjes.com/tallinnwalk.html

The link is also in post 1 of this thread.

My feet are tired! How long of a walk is it?

Not sure how long, but it should take a couple of hours including walking time from the ship. One family on our last Baltics followed it and said it was nice to have to print out to explain what they were seeing. They were on their way back to the ship just as we were arriving in town so it wasn't all that long.

 

[Madisonznana]

The link is also in post 1 of this thread.


Not sure how long, but it should take a couple of hours including walking time from the ship. One family on our last Baltics followed it and said it was nice to have to print out to explain what they were seeing. They were on their way back to the ship just as we were arriving in town so it wasn't all that long.

I printed out the trip, plus I have a map I got from Tallinn from their website.

 

[RJAYL]

Good Morning All
Yes I am back from WDW

Barb Ohana's was fair to midlin!

In general I feel that WDW dining has gone down hill they have done this due to the free dining! Table service & buffet restaurants are not worth the $$$$$$$.

Some hotel & boardwalk venue's might be better how ever i did not verify this as we mostly ate in the parks.

 

[scottishwee35]

Good Morning All
Yes I am back from WDW

Barb Ohana's was fair to midlin!

In general I feel that WDW dining has gone down hill they have done this due to the free dining! Table service & buffet restaurants are not worth the $$$$$$$.

Some hotel & boardwalk venue's might be better how ever i did not verify this as we mostly ate in the parks.

WELCOME BACK

Oh dear about WDW...

but won't be long for your baltic cruise and you will get lovely meals

Scottishwee35

 

[smilis]

I just figured out my Tallinn diy day!
http://www.brentjes.com/tallinnwalk.html

That Tallin walk does seem like a great way to see the sights at your own pace. I reserved spots for us on the DCL "best of Tallin with concert and lunch" excursion. so sometime before we leave I'll need to make a decision . At least there is a HOHO tour there as a back up to the self guided walking tour.


Sandy

 

[jilljill]

Good Morning All
Yes I am back from WDW

Barb Ohana's was fair to midlin!

In general I feel that WDW dining has gone down hill they have done this due to the free dining! Table service & buffet restaurants are not worth the $$$$$$$.

Some hotel & boardwalk venue's might be better how ever i did not verify this as we mostly ate in the parks.

Welcome back

I guess we won't be giving O'hana a try this summer.
You are right about the majority of the restaurants in the parks. They've upped the prices and lowered the quality/quantity. We've been doing the sit down's for lunch, except for Rose & Crown, since that seems to be a better value for price although it's still high.
Our friends ate b'fast at the Wave yesterday and liked it. Still haven't tried it there, might get them to take us this summer since she's a CM and will get 40% off for b'fast/lunch.

 

[RJAYL]

WELCOME BACK

Oh dear about WDW...

but won't be long for your baltic cruise and you will get lovely meals

Scottishwee35

Welcome back

I guess we won't be giving O'hana a try this summer.
You are right about the majority of the restaurants in the parks. They've upped the prices and lowered the quality/quantity. We've been doing the sit down's for lunch, except for Rose & Crown, since that seems to be a better value for price although it's still high.
Our friends ate b'fast at the Wave yesterday and liked it. Still haven't tried it there, might get them to take us this summer since she's a CM and will get 40% off for b'fast/lunch.

Yes we had Tables in Wondeland which gives you 20% off then add's an 18% tip! (Though they would not except it at Tepon Edo)

40% would have been great