Iceland, Greenland excursions.

My wife and I are cruising with Princess from Southampton to New York
visiting Akureyri and Reykjavic in Iceland and Nuuk and Nanortalik in
Greenland. We would appreciate suggestions for excursions at these ports
of call. Since we are both of advanced age, we are not interested in
anything more strenuous than walking!
We would appreciate suggestions from anyone who has visited these
ports. We are not limited to ship tours.

DD

A few years back we did Copenhagen to New York on HAL Rotterdam.

In Akureyri we took a bus tour to the water falls, walking tour of old farm
etc. and souvineer shop. The weather wasn't great and part was a walk around
the farm and buildings.

In Reykjavic we did the Blue Lagoon - swimming in a mineral rich pool -
cooled water from the Geothermal Plant.

In Greenland we stopped at Qaqortoq and essentially just walked around and
took some pictures. There were no real tours.

HAL usually indicates how strenuous each of their tours are. We tend to stay
with the ship run tours so we don't get left behind if the tour runs late,


Val Kraut

"Val Kraut" wrote in message
...
A few years back we did Copenhagen to New York on HAL Rotterdam.

In Akureyri we took a bus tour to the water falls, walking tour of old
farm etc. and souvineer shop. The weather wasn't great and part was a walk
around the farm and buildings.

In Reykjavic we did the Blue Lagoon - swimming in a mineral rich pool -
cooled water from the Geothermal Plant.

In Greenland we stopped at Qaqortoq and essentially just walked around and
took some pictures. There were no real tours.

HAL usually indicates how strenuous each of their tours are. We tend to
stay with the ship run tours so we don't get left behind if the tour runs
late,


Val, when you flew into Copenhagen to take this cruise, how did you get to
the cruise port and did you stay overnight in Copenhagen the night before?
Reason I ask is that we are taking a trans-Atlantic Princess cruise that
ends in Copenhagen and I was wondering what form of transportation that you
used from the airport to the cruise port. We plan to stay in Copenhagen for
three days after the cruise ends.

--Jean

" Val, when you flew into Copenhagen to take this cruise, how did you get
to
the cruise port and did you stay overnight in Copenhagen the night before?
Reason I ask is that we are taking a trans-Atlantic Princess cruise that
ends in Copenhagen and I was wondering what form of transportation that
you used from the airport to the cruise port. We plan to stay in
Copenhagen for three days after the cruise ends.

We cruised from Copenhagen twice. One ended in New York, the other a Baltic
Crusie ended in Rotterdam. We flew in several days ahead of the cruise to
assure we would be there on time, along with our luggage. In one case the
airport sent the luggage to the wrong carousel and the HAL rep at the
airport managed to figure it out, The New York airports can get really
fouled up in thunderstorms. We booked the Hotel via the same agent that
booked the cruise and they arranged for transfers from the Airport to the
Hotel. In one case a cab was waiting in the other we used the HAL transfer
bus. We also bought HAL transfers from the hotel to the Ship that included
a several hour tour of the city - HAL had a rep in the hotel lobby.

Hope
this helps


Val Kraut

"Val Kraut" wrote in message
...

" Val, when you flew into Copenhagen to take this cruise, how did you get
to
the cruise port and did you stay overnight in Copenhagen the night
before?
Reason I ask is that we are taking a trans-Atlantic Princess cruise that
ends in Copenhagen and I was wondering what form of transportation that
you used from the airport to the cruise port. We plan to stay in
Copenhagen for three days after the cruise ends.

We cruised from Copenhagen twice. One ended in New York, the other a
Baltic Crusie ended in Rotterdam. We flew in several days ahead of the
cruise to assure we would be there on time, along with our luggage. In one
case the airport sent the luggage to the wrong carousel and the HAL rep at
the airport managed to figure it out, The New York airports can get
really fouled up in thunderstorms. We booked the Hotel via the same agent
that booked the cruise and they arranged for transfers from the Airport to
the Hotel. In one case a cab was waiting in the other we used the HAL
transfer bus. We also bought HAL transfers from the hotel to the Ship that
included a several hour tour of the city - HAL had a rep in the hotel
lobby.

Thanks, Val,
We plan to either take a cab or train from the pier (if a train leaves from
the pier) to the Radisson Hotel we are staying in...The hotel is across from
Tivoli and near the main train station in Copenhagen. If it is as easy and
convenient as we anticipate, we will probably take the train from our hotel
to the airport when we leave for home. I just thought that you might have
used the train and could fill me in as to how it worked. We never take ship
transfers as we learned long ago that catching a cab is quicker and less
expensive than what the ship transfers for two cost...you don't have to wait
for the whole bus to fill up with passengers and luggage. Been there, done
that! ;-)

--Jean

On Sun, 2 Jan 2011 23:19:42 -0800, "John Sisker"
wrote:

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
...

"Val Kraut" wrote in message
...

" Val, when you flew into Copenhagen to take this cruise, how did you
get to
the cruise port and did you stay overnight in Copenhagen the night
before?
Reason I ask is that we are taking a trans-Atlantic Princess cruise that
ends in Copenhagen and I was wondering what form of transportation that
you used from the airport to the cruise port. We plan to stay in
Copenhagen for three days after the cruise ends.

We cruised from Copenhagen twice. One ended in New York, the other a
Baltic Crusie ended in Rotterdam. We flew in several days ahead of the
cruise to assure we would be there on time, along with our luggage. In
one case the airport sent the luggage to the wrong carousel and the HAL
rep at the airport managed to figure it out, The New York airports can
get really fouled up in thunderstorms. We booked the Hotel via the same
agent that booked the cruise and they arranged for transfers from the
Airport to the Hotel. In one case a cab was waiting in the other we used
the HAL transfer bus. We also bought HAL transfers from the hotel to the
Ship that included a several hour tour of the city - HAL had a rep in the
hotel lobby.

In June 2009, I took a Baltic cruise on HAL from Copenhagen to
Rotterdam. We flew in to Copenhagen from Dulles - it was a direct
overnight flight on SAS. We left on the 9th and arrived on the 10th
for a sailing date of the 12th We were late taking off because of
afternoon thunderstorms.

We had a problem getting a reasonably priced hotel because there was a
convention in town and everything was booked. Cal got us a nice room
near the train station named the Saga Hotel for less than half what
the cruise ship hotel would have cost. When we finally got to
Copenhagen about 3 hours late, I was a bit jet lagged and did not
feel like trying to find the train with "luggage in tow" so we got a
taxi, which cost 380 Dk (Danish kroner). There were a little more
than 5 kroner to $1.00

I rained most of the time we were in Copenhagen but we did the Hop on
Hop off (abbreviated HOHO which my grandchildren think is funny). The
Celebrity dock was out by the Little Mermaid (which is not next to
anything else), and a lot of the pax were using the HOHO for
transportation to town.

Thanks, Val,
We plan to either take a cab or train from the pier (if a train leaves
from the pier) to the Radisson Hotel we are staying in...The hotel is
across from Tivoli and near the main train station in Copenhagen. If it is
as easy and convenient as we anticipate, we will probably take the train
from our hotel to the airport when we leave for home. I just thought that
you might have used the train and could fill me in as to how it worked.
We never take ship transfers as we learned long ago that catching a cab is
quicker and less expensive than what the ship transfers for two cost...you
don't have to wait for the whole bus to fill up with passengers and
luggage. Been there, done that! ;-)

Just for reference, we stayed at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Copenhagen for
two extra days following our Princess Northern Europe/Baltic's cruise. While
the main train station is indeed across from Tivoli Gardens, the hotel is
not.

There are two Radisson Blu hotels in Copenhagen. One of them
(Radisson Blu Royal) is opposite the train station and Tivoli, and the
other one (Radisson Blu Scandinavia) is not. Princess seems to use
the Radisson Blu Royal. I don't understand why you would think it was
too far to walk.

We did also spend the evening in Tivoli. From our hotel, we walked
through the railroad station and Tivoli was on the other side.

It is quite a walk from Tivoli, which we did as part of our sightseeing
excursions, but most people would opt for a taxi instead, especially with
luggage in toe. Likewise, using the train to get to the airport from this
hotel, is not quite as easy or practical as just looking at some generic
map. After we sixed up the situation, at least for us, relying on the
provided cruise line transportation to the airport, was the most practical
way to go. And no, we did not have to wait for some bus to fill us, it was a
small van with my wife Deborah, myself and a French lady.

I felt the cruise ship hotel (the Scandic) which I could have used)
was too expensive. We passed it on the HOHO bus.

Was it more expensive as everyone tries to point out? No, not at all. A taxi
would have been far more expensive. Would the train help solve the problem?
Again, no, we would still need to take a taxi just to get to the train
station.

I also just took a taxi from the hotel out to the HAL dock.

"John Sisker" wrote in message
...

Just for reference, we stayed at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Copenhagen for
two extra days following our Princess Northern Europe/Baltic's cruise.
While the main train station is indeed across from Tivoli Gardens, the
hotel is not. It is quite a walk from Tivoli, which we did as part of our
sightseeing excursions, but most people would opt for a taxi instead,
especially with luggage in toe. Likewise, using the train to get to the
airport from this hotel, is not quite as easy or practical as just looking
at some generic map. After we sixed up the situation, at least for us,
relying on the provided cruise line transportation to the airport, was the
most practical way to go. And no, we did not have to wait for some bus to
fill us, it was a small van with my wife Deborah, myself and a French
lady.

Was it more expensive as everyone tries to point out? No, not at all. A
taxi would have been far more expensive. Would the train help solve the
problem? Again, no, we would still need to take a taxi just to get to the
train station.


John, there are more Radisson Hotels in Copenhagen than the one you
apparently stayed in. We have reservations at the Radisson Blu Royal, which
is between the main railroad station and Tivoli on Hammerichsgade 1. So
getting to the airport should be no problem by train.
From previous personal experience, I would never purchase transfers from the
cruise line...I did that in our very early cruising days and found out that
it was more expensive for two than using a taxi and also a taxi is much
faster. I have since found out that another couple took a Hop-On Hop-Off
bus from the pier into Copenhagen. With the amount of luggage we have to
schlepp, the train or a cab will work out nicely for us. I have been in
touch with someone who lives in Copenhagen and they advise a 24 or 72 hour
pass that one can use for transportation and even good for free entrance
into Tivoli.

--Jean

wrote in message
...

In June 2009, I took a Baltic cruise on HAL from Copenhagen to
Rotterdam. We flew in to Copenhagen from Dulles - it was a direct
overnight flight on SAS. We left on the 9th and arrived on the 10th
for a sailing date of the 12th We were late taking off because of
afternoon thunderstorms.

We had a problem getting a reasonably priced hotel because there was a
convention in town and everything was booked. Cal got us a nice room
near the train station named the Saga Hotel for less than half what
the cruise ship hotel would have cost. When we finally got to
Copenhagen about 3 hours late, I was a bit jet lagged and did not
feel like trying to find the train with "luggage in tow" so we got a
taxi, which cost 380 Dk (Danish kroner). There were a little more
than 5 kroner to $1.00

I rained most of the time we were in Copenhagen but we did the Hop on
Hop off (abbreviated HOHO which my grandchildren think is funny). The
Celebrity dock was out by the Little Mermaid (which is not next to
anything else), and a lot of the pax were using the HOHO for
transportation to town.

There are two Radisson Blu hotels in Copenhagen. One of them
(Radisson Blu Royal) is opposite the train station and Tivoli, and the
other one (Radisson Blu Scandinavia) is not. Princess seems to use
the Radisson Blu Royal. I don't understand why you would think it was
too far to walk.

We did also spend the evening in Tivoli. From our hotel, we walked
through the railroad station and Tivoli was on the other side.

I felt the cruise ship hotel (the Scandic) which I could have used)
was too expensive. We passed it on the HOHO bus.

I also just took a taxi from the hotel out to the HAL dock.



I should have read your post before answering John's...
You are aware of the location of Radisson Blu Royal and the train station of
which I posted earlier.

You are the second person to mention the hop-on-hop-off bus and I'm going to
check as the time nears to see if I can purchase tickets online...
Thanks for sharing your experiences in Copenhagen and I hope our weather in
May will be better than what you had when you there. I understand that May
is a beautiful month in Denmark with all the flowers in bloom. Our
trans-Atlantic itinerary is fantastic, visiting eight ports..that is why we
chose it.
We are so looking forward to it...all but the long flight back home!
Thanks again!

Jean