We got an e-mail about a week before the cruise announcing that we'd now be docking at Rostock instead of Warnemunde. We had planned the ship tour going into Berlin via the train so this made our efforts a little easier since we didn't need to be bussed back and forth to the train.
Taken from the open deck on the Regal - only downside is that to board the train you had to walk around to the side that guy is pictured on. Off the ship, down to the front of the train, around the train, walk up a ramp and finally down to your assigned car to find your assigned seats. It wasn't assigned in that you risk having to sit next a stranger, we were given a large group of seats and told to pick from within that set of numbers. Given the 3 hour train ride into Berlin, there was no time for a restaurant breakfast.
Princess contracted a representative who stayed with us from the time we left the ship until the time we returned. Today's rep was named Atique and I'm sure I'm butchering the spelling but he pronounced his name like "Antique" without the "n." The train ride seats are quite snug, especially for two fluffy people like us. The seats against the windows have a small trashcan mounted under the windowsills so while I may not have eaten any pretzels, I felt like one by the ride's end. Atique was very nice and passed out cookies and those coconut water style boxes of regular water. The cookie tasted like shortbread and was thankfully fresh. Would have been better if the water was actually cold though.
There were a few seats on the train that had a group of four facing each other. Because of the larger seat, they had a larger shelf and trash box. The shelf held coffee cups and a pitcher of hot water which Atique encouraged those passengers to share with the group if anyone wanted coffee. They did offer but not many took them up on it. Probably had something to do with the ringing endorsement of "Anybody want coffee? It tastes nasty!"
Our actual tour guide met us on the train platform and Atique stayed with us but hung in the back as the guide took over narration on the bus. Just like the kid who chooses the back row in the classroom, Atique was soon out like a light! I don't blame him though, this guide would give us 20 minutes at a stop and then tell 30 minutes of stories before letting us off the bus!
After a busy morning seeing the remnants of the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate (and neighboring hotel where Michael Jackson dangled his baby out the window), and Checkpoint Charlie, we headed to the Westin Grand Berlin Hotel for a family style lunch. Ended up at the last couple seats available and had a lovely time chatting with a table full of Canadians who wanted to hear all about the craziness going on in America these days.
Thirst quenching ice water was a welcome sight but both kinds of white and red wine were offered.
The food was a lot better than I would have expected for a large group tour. We started off with a small salad at everyone's place. It was cute how everyone's plate had a portioned out pat of butter for use with the communal bread basket.
They were happy to bring you more of anything but I still took sparingly from each serving dish as it was passed around. One member of our table did get a vegetarian dish so if you require that, then let the guide know so he can call ahead. Today's menu included (counter clockwise in this picture) baked chicken with what looked like spinach, sausages and sauerkraut (Look mom, I actually ate sauerkraut in Germany!), boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, and a mix of cooked vegetables. Aside from the sauerkraut and the little cauliflower florets in the mixed vegetables, this meal was even Dad approved!
And we're cruise passengers, of course there's going to be dessert! This was like a coffee cake with a huge dollop of whipped cream on the side. Coffee was offered with dessert.
A visit to the Reichstag where two people kept us waiting at meet up time, a small museum that was more like a glorified bathroom stop, and a long shopping break where two more people kept us waiting at meet up time later, we were finally on our way back to the train station. How to work off your hearty lunch - arrive for a 5:30PM train at 5:25PM. I don't think I've ever descended stairs so fast to get down to the platform! On the train ride back, Atique was pleasantly surprised to find that he had actual sandwiches to offer in addition to a "snack box" that held a cheesecake tasting sponge cake, a piece of fruit, and a pack of nuts. Dad gave me his fruit and cheesecake and I traded him my pack of nuts. We got fresh water bottles for free and a bar cart run by the train company came through to sell every kind of alcoholic and non alcoholic libation you could want including German beer. No pictures of "dinner" as by then I was "sandwiched" in against the window and was too ravenous to torque myself in order to get the camera out.
This was the first port of the trip that required the ship to wait on our tour to return as our bus inside Berlin hit traffic trying to get back to the train station. And then a slight delay because they couldn't use an electric engine in the dockyard so we sat waiting for them to switch back to diesel. Ship was supposed to leave at 8:30PM but we were all making our way off the train at that time. Followed the masses back down the ramp, around the train, and up the dock to the middle of the ship where they left open two gangways. Finally made it back to our cabin at 9PM. A long day but definitely worth the effort!
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