Norway Cruise (+Iceland/Copenhagen/Dover) TIPS (consolidated)

[DISNEYaddict4evr]

We are so excited to meet all of you on the Norway and Iceland cruise next June. Has anyone thought of doing another Secret Mickey exchange?


Heidi

what is a secret mickey exchange? Is that like a FE group?

 

[bats]

Thank you for starting this thread! Helpful info especially about transportation issues. Trying to figure out best way to get to airport from Dover. London is the closest airport I guess.

Hi there ... You have a couple of choices really. Either a private taxi (I'll get some costs this week and post them up here) .. They'll take you and your luggage direct from the port to the airport.
Or, you could get 2 trains .... First one is the High Speed from Dover Priory to London St Pancras, then you'd pop across to Kings Cross (stations are attached to each other) and get the tube down to Heathrow.

London Gatwick (LGW) is nearer to Dover. If you're flying indirect, Norwegian, Condor and Icelandair both use LGW, For direct, there is BA, Virgin, Thompson and Thomas Cook (there are others) .. The first two are scheduled airlines.

Hope that helps.

 

[Shell54]

Hi there ... You have a couple of choices really. Either a private taxi (I'll get some costs this week and post them up here) .. They'll take you and your luggage direct from the port to the airport. Or, you could get 2 trains .... First one is the High Speed from Dover Priory to London St Pancras, then you'd pop across to Kings Cross (stations are attached to each other) and get the tube down to Heathrow. London Gatwick (LGW) is nearer to Dover. If you're flying indirect, Norwegian, Condor and Icelandair both use LGW, For direct, there is BA, Virgin, Thompson and Thomas Cook (there are others) .. The first two are scheduled airlines. Hope that helps.

Thank you! I will look into whether any of the carriers that fly out of EWR fly into LGW. Look forward to your post about private taxi prices from port to airport..Iam sensing big bucks, but keeping hope alive LOL

 

[DISNEYaddict4evr]

Well I will not be part of then DIS group tour, we have switched to Holland America 14-day cruise. Happy sailing everyone

 

[slg]

Need to find somewhere in Copenhagen that is centra, not expensive, and can accommodate a family of 5. Any suggestions? We don't anywhere fancy.

 

[disneymath]

... private taxi (I'll get some costs this week and post them up here) s.

If it's not too much trouble, could you check what the options for private taxi are for larger groups? There's 8 in my family. Thanks!

 

[has]

yes it is the same.

 

[DahliaRW]

Taxi information would be useful. Arriving back in Copenhagen, we'll have to get to the airport. Wondering if we should just pay and get the disney transfers back to the airport for convenience or if it'll be cheaper and not too much of a hassle to take a taxi. There are only 3 of us. But I'm a little nervous without my husband around - he's way better at this sort of thing than I am!

 

[kaseyC]

Need to find somewhere in Copenhagen that is centra, not expensive, and can accommodate a family of 5. Any suggestions? We don't anywhere fancy.

Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers. We are a family of 5 and stayed here last summer for a few nights before our Baltic cruise. They offer family rooms that are basically two connecting rooms but less expensive than booking two separate rooms. It is located in more of a business district but is literally across the street from the Oerestad Subway station which takes you to the town center in about 15/20 minutes. You can purchase the subway passes from the hotel. Also across the street is the Fields Mall, a huge shopping mall with a variety of shops and dining options.

https://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hot...p=1&qSlH=RKECP&qSmP=3&qSrt=sDD&qWch=0&srb_u=1

They also offer a free shuttle from the airport.

 

[lmb]

If anyone has questions about Copenhagen or Denmark, feel free to ask. I live there

How reputable is Norgwegian Air?

 

[sullins5]

Taxi information would be useful. Arriving back in Copenhagen, we'll have to get to the airport. Wondering if we should just pay and get the disney transfers back to the airport for convenience or if it'll be cheaper and not too much of a hassle to take a taxi. There are only 3 of us. But I'm a little nervous without my husband around - he's way better at this sort of thing than I am!

We're wondering this too...We are a family of 7, and don't know anything about the transportation from the DCL port to the CPH airport. Any ideas and prices?
Know there will be lots of folks who will need this information too!
TIA!

 

[PrincessDuck]

How reputable is Norgwegian Air?

My husband and I are looking into this. We may not be able to fly them on principle, but I have to research. I think that they have been in the news, but I think more of a logistics thing vs. a safety thing.

 

[justhat]

My husband and I are looking into this. We may not be able to fly them on principle, but I have to research. I think that they have been in the news, but I think more of a logistics thing vs. a safety thing.

On what principle? We're looking into flying them so wondering what we should be aware of.

 

[PrincessDuck]

On what principle? We're looking into flying them so wondering what we should be aware of.

There are issues with "flying rights." That is the term that I have seen used in a news article. I really don't have a good firm hold on the situation yet. I don't normally fly international. I am trying to see if it is still an issue or if it was resolved and exactly what it means.

I am seeing some customer service issues, but it tends to lead back to some issues that they are working out on the new dream liners.

I would love to know how they are viewed over in in Europe.

ETA: Thanks so much for this thread. I really appreciate all the info that is being provided. I just remember hearing the name of this airline and want to make sure before I use them for international flight with my children.

ETA: Here a link to an article that seems to explain some about this airline. I guess it is trying to be a low cost international carrier and stepping on some toes? http://time.com/7604/an-ultra-cheap-anti-union-upstart-airline-could-transform-flying/

 

[chateau]

This has my attention, big time.

 

[nanaguide]

This has my attention, big time.

I'm sure they will get it all worked out by next Summer but since I'm flying to Amsterdam in August to do a 28 day cruise on Holland (didn't think Disney would ever do one) I was looking for a flight. I oh most bought a ticket on Norweigan as they were flying the new Dreamliners, their prices were so much cheaper but then I started doing some checking. They have pretty bad customer reviews - that bothered me. Right now they are trying to get landing privileges here at Orlando but the Airline Pilots Association is fighting them. They don't think their pilots are trained as well - they are not European pilots. Their license I believe is out of Ireland not even Europe so I decided I'd bit the bullet, pay more for my ticket and fly KLM/Delta - KLM is rated high for International carriers. I've been spooked ever since that Malaysian jet went missing.

Having said all that - a year from now if Disney still has EBTA openings I might decide to go again I'd probably fly Norweigan if the customer reviews have improved and they obtain landing rights here in Orlando. They say you should buy your flight tickets for International flights 150 days out - no more/no less so all of you have plenty of time to decide.

I too would again like to say thanks for this thread. It is a big help to me in planning my cruise for this Summer. I'm going Holland because we go to 21 ports but my heart will always belong to Disney Cruise Lines. Good luck to all of you!

 

[chateau]

Pilot training varies immensely, trust me.

 

[Silverfox97]

They say you should buy your flight tickets for International flights 150 days out - no more/no less so

Who says that? Not being snarky, just asking. I've never flown International.

My mother in law says 9-12 months out, and a lady I work with from England said to start looking 1 year out.

This Norwegian Airlines is pretty attractive to me....the reviews were mostly at the airports when checking in, not many complaints in flight.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[DahliaRW]

Who says that? Not being snarky, just asking. I've never flown International.

My mother in law says 9-12 months out, and a lady I work with from England said to start looking 1 year out.

This Norwegian Airlines is pretty attractive to me....the reviews were mostly at the airports when checking in, not many complaints in flight.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

There was a recent study on when to buy airfare. I can't remember who, but I'll look it up later when I'm not on my phone.

 

[DahliaRW]

Here it is: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/01/best-time-to-book-a-flight_n_4875266.html

Europe is 151 days.

The biggest mistake most people make is buying airfare too early.