Germany - Hamburg & Berlin -post cruise 2012

We will be disembarking in Hamburg (June 1) and I am planning for us to stay 2- 3 nites. I have searched through other threads and a side trip to Lubeck sounds nice and very do-able from Hamburg.

We have not been to Berlin and there is a 90 " HSR option for a day trip or we could check out and train to Berlin for an additional 2-3 nites stay there.

The cruise line is offering "free air" for our cruise which will start from London/Southampton and end in Hamburg.

I am wondering if we should fly home from Hamburg or Berlin or head to Frankfurt (maybe another overnite ) and fly from there.

Sorry for the muddled post. I am not sure from which city would be best for us to return home from. Home airport is SFO.

We generally do not take guided tours...I listen to the guide and DH trails along to people watch.

Thanking FTers in advance for your advice and comments.

To answer the last question first (getting home) - FRA is a major hub with lots of non-stop long-haul flights (undoubtedly including flights to SFO, though I haven't checked), whereas HAM and the Berlin airports only serve a limited range of North American destinations. So - getting home from FRA would be easier in that you could probably fly non-stop... but the downside is you have to get there first!

A day trip to Lübeck sounds like a good idea. If you want to visit Berlin I would recommend going for several days rather than just one, as a day trip just wouldn't do the place justice.

Rethinking our post-cruise stay in Germany. ---Hamburg sounds like a nice place to visit + Lubeck. Adding additional "short" visit to Berlin sounds more like an injustice to that city.

Also factoring in our having full-sized luggage to schlepp and additional check-in/out would sap our energy and time.

I will now have to focus on the "where best to stay for sightseeing and getting around Hamburg.":)

Appreciate the feedback and any other suggestions. We like Market days, a mix of neighborhoods, architectural/design features, and good chocolate.

Flying home to SFO directly is either FRA or MUC. To get there you can either take a train or fly from either HAM or TXL. Both is comfortable and similar priced.

Frankfurt is not really worth a visit. Many people say the best feature of that city is that they have an airport so you can leave it quickly ;)

Flying home to SFO directly is either FRA or MUC. To get there you can either take a train or fly from either HAM or TXL. Both is comfortable and similar priced.

Or AMS....

About the same distance FRA (closer than MUC), and also a fairly easy train ride.

Frankfurt is not really worth a visit. Many people say the best feature of that city is that they have an airport so you can leave it quickly ;)
You should never listen to people, who have no idea what they are talking about.

Most people, who have an opinion on Frankfurt, have either never been there or have just staid there for 2-3 days and have never seen more than 3% - 5% of the city.

People who know Frankfurt better, or live there like me, will tell you, that Frankfurt is definitely worth a visit.

You should never listen to people, who have no idea what they are talking about.

How do you know this person has no idea what he is talking about? For all you know he could be living in Frankfurt.

Most people, who have an opinion on Frankfurt, have either never been there or have just staid there for 2-3 days and have never seen more than 3% - 5% of the city.

I've spent a lot of time there over the years - and not just as a casual visitor. My husband was working there for some time back in the 1990s, with me spending about two thirds of my time at home and one third at this apartment at Residenz Johann Wolfgang. I was always looking forward to the week-ends, when we used to get in the car and head out into the countryside...

Frankfurt isn't all bad... but if I had limited time to spend in Germany it's certainly not a place I would choose!

How do you know this person has no idea what he is talking about? For all you know he could be living in Frankfurt.
Well, if someone actually knows Frankfurt as it is now, he wouldn't be talking that way.

I've spent a lot of time there over the years - and not just as a casual visitor. My husband was working there for some time back in the 1990s, with me spending about two thirds of my time at home and one third at this apartment at Residenz Johann Wolfgang. I was always looking forward to the week-ends, when we used to get in the car and head out into the countryside...
You're a perfect example. Frankfurt in 2011 is very different from the Frankfurt of the 90s. Much more different than let's say Munich, Hamburg or Cologne are if you compare them today with what was there in the 90s. And BTW I would agree with you, that Frankfurt in the 90s was awful.

The only German cities, where the difference is even larger are the big cities in the eastern part, e.g. Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, etc.

But in the western part of Germany (the area of the old Federal Republic of Germany), Frankfurt is the city that has changed the most (and for the better).

You're a perfect example. Frankfurt in 2011 is very different from the Frankfurt of the 90s. Much more different than let's say Munich, Hamburg or Cologne are if you compare them today with what was there in the 90s. And BTW I would agree with you, that Frankfurt in the 90s was awful.

I've been to Frankfurt plenty of times since, and am still not very impressed!

Then perhaps I should show you the parts that you missed ;)

Family and holiday festivities have distracted me from FT. -- I have made plans for us to stay in a nice hotel within walking distance of the Rathaus and the Main Train station. Happy that our visit to Hamburg will be over a weekend.

Lunenburg or 'Lüneburg' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%BCneburg) makes another nice day-trip or half-day-trip from Hamburg.

Thanks for the suggestion. I am feeling confident about taking the train to nearby cities. The half day visits sound just our pace. I just need to learn to pack lighter for the cruise (just one check-in bag per person) and a carry-on bag for the flight. I am hoping that the weather will be nice enough for lighter weight clothing.

Still awhile to go before we fly to LHR. We decided to book our own flights for LHR & HAM foregoing the transfers that were bundled into the cruise ship's offer if we were staying at their pre- & post- hotels. Prefer to go at our own pace.:D

Our cruise ship had an over-night in Hamburg prior to the next day's AM disembarkation. It was easy to get a cab to take us into town for a smooth check-in at the PH Hamburg. An excellent hotel with easy access to local transportation and the main train station. We had a great cruise and were ready to explore Hamburg. We had no pressing need to visit the various museums and strolls around town absorbed our time. Our hotel stay included daily buffet breakfasts and an afternoon tea + nice in-room amenities. We chose to take a cab to the airport instead of the train: we didn't want to be caught up in commuter traffic with our luggage. --We made good use of the Hamburg Visitors card: efficient transit system. Enjoyed our post cruise visit in Hamburg!