After teasing it in several monthly financial updates since last fall, it’s finally time to recap our once-in-a-lifetime travel hack of Europe from last fall. In total, we spent 90 days with a significant chunk of the cost covered by points and miles. But first, we had to actually get to Europe. Second, we boarded a cruise ship for the first time in my life. How did the trip go from there? Check out my Travel Hack Recap: Europe, Part 1 – Baltic Sea Cruise below!
Full disclosure: I’m not sure how many parts this trip will be split into. Ninety days of continuous travel was a huge undertaking on our part and documenting the details has been daunting enough for me to have procrastinated nearly 6 months to start doing so. But I’ll do my best to share the highlights and travel hacks along the way!
Where We Went
As noted above, the first leg of our Travel Hack of Europe included flying from the US to London before embarking on a 13-day Baltic Sea cruise through Carnival Cruise Lines. I had never been to Europe before, nor had I been on a cruise ship. Hell, I didn’t even know if I liked cruising, as I have a history of developing seasickness in open water. But Mrs. FIby35 came across a sweet deal and the dates just happened to line up with our previously-scheduled trip starting in London. Being a sucker for crossing more countries off my list, I agreed. So off we went!
Day 1 – Minneapolis, MN to Newark, NJ to London, England
Having left our dog and our car with family in Wisconsin, we set off for Minneapolis in mid-August for our afternoon flight to Newark. We had redeemed a total of 60,000 United points for our one-way fares to London, and my Chase United Explorer credit card allotted us 2 passes to the swanky new United Club lounge at Newark Airport (EWR) for a 4 hour layover there.
All went according to plan and we departed EWR on the red-eye for London Heathrow, arriving around 10am on Day 2.
Costs were minimal for this travel day, as we hitched a ride with family to MSP airport. Flights were booked on points, so we paid only the $5.60 security fee each and a few bucks in tips at the lounge. For spreadsheet purposes, I also included on Day 1 the $24 we paid for travel insurance for the entire trip.
Day 2 – London, England
London (all of England, really) threw us a curveball just a few days before we even left the States. Our original plans included arriving in London, taking a train directly to Dover, and staying the night there before boarding the cruise ship the following day. We were displeased to find out the railworkers’ union was going on strike and that our train to Dover would not take place. Not only that, but the bus drivers’ union also went on strike in solidarity – quite a pickle for us with just a couple days’ notice.
Fortunately we were able to cancel our train tickets and night in Dover and receive full refunds. Instead, we stayed the night at the London Heathrow Marriott Hotel near LHR (using a Marriott free night certificate) and booked a coach bus transfer with Carnival for the day of the cruise (Day 3 of our trip). After exiting LHR, we found ourselves on the first of many treks using public transit – one of the famed red double-decker buses of England!
A short ride later, we arrived at the London Heathrow Marriott Hotel, checked in, and set off for some lunch. Naturally, our research led us to a local pub just a few minutes’ walk down the road for a basket of chips (fries, of course) and a pint of beer. Cross that off the bucket list!
Day 3 – London to Dover, England & Set Sail!
We awoke on Day 3, had breakfast at the hotel (complimentary thanks to Mrs. FIby35’s Marriott status) and took a shuttle back to Heathrow Airport. We met up with our coach bus and rode the ~2 hours to Dover’s cruise terminal in comfort.
The check-in process for Carnival was relatively smooth. We were very diligent with our paperwork beforehand, so we were allowed aboard the ship without issue. After finding some lunch and exploring the ship it was time to set sail. The featured image at the top of this post is of Dover Castle perched atop the white chalk cliffs of Dover.
Day 4 – Day at Sea
We found out awfully quickly that sea days were not our favorite. With space in our luggage at a premium for our 3 month trip, we neglected basic cruise staples like books and board games. We did not splurge for the outrageously priced internet package. The main daytime entertainment we found was occasionally sighting land as we cruised along the northern coast of France and around Denmark. At least the drinks in the casino were free, so we spent some time and about $20 there.
Day 5 – Copenhagen, Denmark
Finally, solid land! We disembarked at the port of Copenhagen, walked a mile or so to the nearest transit station and hopped on the metro line. We opted to plan our own adventures in port for the duration of the cruise in lieu of excursions through the cruise line. The only guided activity we did was in Copenhagen – a boat tour of the city from its extensive canal system. For about $15 each, we took a guided tour of Copenhagen from the unique vantage point of the water it’s built upon. Very enjoyable way to see the city.
From the end of the tour, we ventured further into Copenhagen’s city center to the Torvehallerne market where we had a light lunch of smorrebrod, or open-faced sandwiches (~$10 each). We explored the Rosenborg Palace grounds, enjoyed a drink on the patio of a local establishment, and then made our way back to the ship. The metro tickets totaled about $13 for the day, rounding out our total spending of $76.
Day 6 – Warnemünde, Germany
Warnemünde is marketed as the port of Berlin, but aside from the bratwurst that couldn’t be further from the truth. A 3-hour train ride from Berlin, Warnemünde is a quaint little resort town on the North Sea. It features a small harbor, historical lighthouse, and promenade stretching almost the entire length of the expansive beach. We got off the ship as early as we could to explore before the masses and that strategy paid off – though most shops wouldn’t open until 9 or 10 am, we strolled down the peaceful promenade long before it got busy. It’s only about a 15 minute walk from the cruise pier into town, which was very convenient.
With my first official stop in Germany after having studied the language for almost a third of my life, I was eager to show off my knowledge. Stepping up to the counter in a local coffee shop, panic washed over me as I realized they never really taught us basic life skills in those classes…how do I even order coffee in Germany?!? I stumbled through my order and the gracious cashier confirmed my order (in English). Crisis averted.
We later visited the beach, sampled bratwurst from a cart vendor on the promenade, and finished our day with a beer on the patio of a local pub. Having been deprived of good beer for over a week, I also picked up a bottle of local brew from a bottle shop in town before meandering our way back to the ship. Total spending was about $40, including 1 Euro to use the toilets on the promenade. All in all, a successful debut in Deutschland!
Day 7 – Day at Sea
Nothing notable here as we pushed into the Baltic Sea en route to Tallinn, Estonia.
Conclusion
I’ll save the full recap for after the second half of the cruise, including the spending totals. Upcoming ports included Tallinn, Helsinki, Kiel, and Gothenburg before returning to Dover. Stay tuned!
