Help find me a cruise :)

[mitch84]

Hi all,

I’m contemplating booking myself a cruise for next year, I’m back in the UK after 7 years over the other side of the world and a very upsetting breakup, and am looking to see a bit more of Europe. I haven’t seen much of Northern Europe at all, although I have seen Belgium/Germany/Holland reasonably extensively, so I really am not too fussed about these locations. However Denmark, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Poland, Estonia etc I haven’t touched at all. So I’d love to find a cruise 10-14 days with not too many sea days, that covers a good sample of these countries. Then I can decide if I want to go back on a city break etc, and where I'm less keen on.

The good news is that I am completely flexible, could literally go any time in 2017, I don’t mind warm or cold weather, and I don’t really mind where it sails from. I’d happily fly to somewhere in Northern Europe to embark from as I live not a million miles from Manchester airport, especially if it reduced sea days. To be honest parking/travel etc to somewhere like Newcastle/Southampton would probably cost the same as a cheap flight somewhere.

The reason I’m a little wary of too many sea days is that I’ll be on my own. Because of this I’d like to have a ship with lots to do, and I’d love to be able to at least purchase the all inclusive drinks package (although free would be amazing) so I’m not counting my pennies and thinking I need to sit in my room.

Obviously I am looking myself, but am bamboozled by choice, so if anyone does have any suggestions, I’d truly love to hear them

Thanks

Mitch

[katiec68]

Hi

Sorry to hear your news :-(

There are a few P&O Cruises to Northern Europe - Russia/Estonia etc. They look really good.

If you are flexible sign up for some of the cruise site emails and if your n Facebook they often post some really good offers on there too.

I follow Cruise118 / Cruise.co.uk and cruise deals.co.uk.

Unforturnatly we have paid a large deposit for our skiing holiday or I would be looking at booking a couple of them!

We have only done one cruise - P&O Fjords - however they did run "meet other singles" get togethers every day and if you book to sit on a large table you may well just end up talking to some lovey people (you may not though ) The get togethers are published on the daily newsletter.

We arent very sociable when were on holiday as we like our own company and we would hate to sit on a big table but we did talk to lots of lovey people on our week away so I would say you wouldnt be lonely.

Katie x x x

[Omega1]

We did a 14 day Baltic cruise out of Southampton in July with Princess. Superb itinerary with only three sea days I think. The itinerary was Zeebrugge (Bruges), Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St Petersburg (overnight), Tallinn and Gdansk.
St Petersburg was outstanding- we used a private tour company who arranged visas and the two day tour - they were fantastic. I can give you their name if interested.
Princess are doing the same itinerary in 2017 as well as 12 day Baltic cruises out of Copenhagen.

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by katiec68

Hi

Sorry to hear your news :-(

There are a few P&O Cruises to Northern Europe - Russia/Estonia etc. They look really good.

If you are flexible sign up for some of the cruise site emails and if your n Facebook they often post some really good offers on there too.

I follow Cruise118 / Cruise.co.uk and cruise deals.co.uk.

Unforturnatly we have paid a large deposit for our skiing holiday or I would be looking at booking a couple of them!

We have only done one cruise - P&O Fjords - however they did run "meet other singles" get togethers every day and if you book to sit on a large table you may well just end up talking to some lovey people (you may not though ) The get togethers are published on the daily newsletter.

We arent very sociable when were on holiday as we like our own company and we would hate to sit on a big table but we did talk to lots of lovey people on our week away so I would say you wouldnt be lonely.

Katie x x x

See more...

Hello and thankyou I am normally like you, very unsociable on holiday and would have hated to be sat with other couples on holiday. But now I'm on my own, I do have to be a little different.

I have had a really good look at P&O. I think I'd like to do a Fjords one at some point, but don't want to narrow it to just Norway at this stage, as good as they look.
There is a really good looking one from Southampton in July, goes to Travemunde, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Skagen. Its the best price I have seen, but doesn't include drinks, or seem to have any mention of drinks packages either, just mentions an unknown amount of onboard credit. Were you able to buy them on the ship on yours? And can you remember how much?
Thanks xx

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by Omega1

We did a 14 day Baltic cruise out of Southampton in July with Princess. Superb itinerary with only three sea days I think. The itinerary was Zeebrugge (Bruges), Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St Petersburg (overnight), Tallinn and Gdansk.
St Petersburg was outstanding- we used a private tour company who arranged visas and the two day tour - they were fantastic. I can give you their name if interested.
Princess are doing the same itinerary in 2017 as well as 12 day Baltic cruises out of Copenhagen.

See more...

Hello, I've just had a good look at Princess as they weren't on my radar really. I don't really want to go to Zeebrugge, as I have been HUNDREDS of times as my Dad used to work on the Felixstowe to Zeebrugge overnight ferry line. But, I loved the Copenhagen itinerary probably the best I have seen. My issue is that they basically charge by the cabin, so they are charging me the same price for just me as it would be for 2 people, which is really unfair With no drinks packages, single discount or free onboard credit it is probably the most expensive I have seen
Thanks so much for the suggestion though

[katiec68]

Originally Posted by mitch84

Hello and thankyou I am normally like you, very unsociable on holiday and would have hated to be sat with other couples on holiday. But now I'm on my own, I do have to be a little different.

I have had a really good look at P&O. I think I'd like to do a Fjords one at some point, but don't want to narrow it to just Norway at this stage, as good as they look.
There is a really good looking one from Southampton in July, goes to Travemunde, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Skagen. Its the best price I have seen, but doesn't include drinks, or seem to have any mention of drinks packages either, just mentions an unknown amount of onboard credit. Were you able to buy them on the ship on yours? And can you remember how much?
Thanks xx

See more...

My dh wants to do that one :-)

As it's going from Southampton you can bring some of your own booze on board. We brought some cans of coke, 2 bottles of red and some champers with us (didn't drink them though! )

We just bought a glass of wine with dinner or the odd cocktail in the afternoon or sail away party - we're not big drinkers though. Under £5 for a very nice glass of red or £7 is for a cocktail. Very reasonable prices. Hubby had a couple of beers - standard local pub prices AND no tip per drink as per most other cruise lines. We didn't feel the need for a drinks package - didn't save THAT much.


We had £90 OBC but when we checked once on board we found we had £140! Put most of it towards the drinks bill!

Katie x x

[June8th]

We went up North on Celebrity, great cruise, overnight in St Peterborough visited Tallin & Gdansk. As well as other stops.
Lovely trip, great food and good company.

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by June8th

We went up North on Celebrity, great cruise, overnight in St Peterborough visited Tallin & Gdansk. As well as other stops.
Lovely trip, great food and good company.

See more...

Will go have a look at that one now! Thanks xx

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by katiec68

My dh wants to do that one :-)

As it's going from Southampton you can bring some of your own booze on board. We brought some cans of coke, 2 bottles of red and some champers with us (didn't drink them though! )

We just bought a glass of wine with dinner or the odd cocktail in the afternoon or sail away party - we're not big drinkers though. Under £5 for a very nice glass of red or £7 is for a cocktail. Very reasonable prices. Hubby had a couple of beers - standard local pub prices AND no tip per drink as per most other cruise lines. We didn't feel the need for a drinks package - didn't save THAT much.


We had £90 OBC but when we checked once on board we found we had £140! Put most of it towards the drinks bill!

Katie x x

See more...

That would be funny if we both ended up on it, I'd drink your champers for you 😉
I'll maybe give them a ring tomorrow, and try to find out how much on board credit I would get, it's £200 cheaper than the other one I'm eyeing up, which is a Royal Caribbean round trip from Copenhagen. At the moment for those dates the flights with Easyjet are really reasonable though, £70 return. Probably cheaper than getting to and parking at Southampton in all honesty, does have the drinks package though. So probably works out same price. Itinerary is a little more varied, Copenhagen, Riga in Estonia, Tallin, St Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, then Klaipeda in Lithuania before going back to Copenhagen. I really like that it visits 7 countries that I have never been to before

Decisions decisions.

Maybe a stupid question, but if you bring wine on can you only drink it in your room? Just because I'm only going to be booking a cheapy inside cabin, and as I'm on my own I doubt I'll spend that much time down there.

Thanks again

[katiec68]

Originally Posted by mitch84

That would be funny if we both ended up on it, I'd drink your champers for you 😉
I'll maybe give them a ring tomorrow, and try to find out how much on board credit I would get, it's £200 cheaper than the other one I'm eyeing up, which is a Royal Caribbean round trip from Copenhagen. At the moment for those dates the flights with Easyjet are really reasonable though, £70 return. Probably cheaper than getting to and parking at Southampton in all honesty, does have the drinks package though. So probably works out same price. Itinerary is a little more varied, Copenhagen, Riga in Estonia, Tallin, St Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, then Klaipeda in Lithuania before going back to Copenhagen. I really like that it visits 7 countries that I have never been to before

Decisions decisions.

Maybe a stupid question, but if you bring wine on can you only drink it in your room? Just because I'm only going to be booking a cheapy inside cabin, and as I'm on my own I doubt I'll spend that much time down there.

Thanks again

See more...

You'd have to wait till 2019 as we are skiing in Feb and then no more pennies as have 2 weeks on Brittania in Jan 18 in the Caribbean!

We had planned to drink on our balcony while we were getting ready for dinner but ended up having a drinkie at the sailaway instead and then rushing to be ready for dinner!

I would say you could easily bring a glass on deck with you (not the bottle!) And we did wander around with a drink after dinner so no-one would know!

The cruise you're looking at looks fab. If you could stretch to an ocean view it would be worth it. We did a ship tour when Arcadia was docked at Southampton and I couldn't even go into the cabin it was soo claustrophobic - although others really don't mind an inside!

Katie x