How many are interested in a Germany M&G?

Kristie · January 10th, 2007, 11:55

Just to get an idea... How many people think they'd be coming out to Stuttgart Germany for a meet & greet?

I'm thinking the weekend of September 29-October 1 when the Cannstatter Volkfest begins... that weekend would also keep it separate from NJC Vegas by a few weeks as well.

We plan on reserving a table at Oktoberfest, if we can.

Doug Taylor · January 10th, 2007, 13:04

Looks like my primary vacation is 9/30-10/6 so it looks doable over here!

Kristie · January 10th, 2007, 13:17

YES!!! *done the legally blonde way*

ok, so we're going to stuttgart for oktoberfest with a jump up to Berlin for German Unity Day cuz man.... THAT up there on Oct 3rd is a P.A.R.T.E.E...we're talking BIG beers, good bratwurst and by golly, i'm gonna get my berliner mug back!!

I am SOOOO excited (like little schoolgirl excited)!!!!

H46Bubba · January 10th, 2007, 13:24

Not Gonna Do it! I'm pushin it with the two NJC events. Nona sounds very interested in the Chicago event. I think Vegas will be solo. Now I actually have vacatuion days to use, so I don't have to norev all over the place and then have to fly back the night of said event.

TheShortOne · January 10th, 2007, 13:40

I'd love to hit up Germany, but we'll have to see how finances work out as well as where I am and what I'm doing in the fall...

kellwolf · January 10th, 2007, 15:16

Gack. We're gonna do the Amsterdam, Munich, Berlin thing the WEEK before. My vacation is 9/23-9/30. Well, technically, I've only got three days of vacations, but with a vacation slide built into the contract and creative bidding, I can wrangle a whole week.

Kristie · January 10th, 2007, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheShortOne

I'd love to hit up Germany, but we'll have to see how finances work out as well as where I am and what I'm doing in the fall...

I can reserve a buddy pass if you want to use it! would be about $350 rndtrip

airlines are charging about $700 rndtrip currently... it's not too bad price wise *shrug*

Screaming_Emu · January 17th, 2007, 16:39

If I can afford it I am most definitely there. Now that I have a real job (well...flight instructing anyway) and I'm done with school I should be able to start saving.

Seggy · January 17th, 2007, 17:44

A) What is the history behind Octoberfest? (Answered my own question)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oktoberfest

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannstatter_Volksfest

B) How much are decent hotels?
C) How bad are the loads over there historically at that time?

Kristie · January 17th, 2007, 21:22

Plan for at least 110-150 EUR (multiply by 1.3 to get USD).. it'll be about $150-180 even with a TIR (travel industry discount)....you can find class 3 hotels for cheaper like accor, ibis or intercity for a little cheaper.

the loads are typically worse domestically than internationally.. but we didn't have a hard time flying into stuttgart because it's a more industrial type city....you can also fly into munich, frankfurt or zurich and get to stuttgart by train in 2 hrs.. altho the train fee can sometimes (?) be a bit high depending on where your coming from/going to and time of train.

Munich around this time is harder to get into historically speaking...and remember, the history behind munich's oktoberfest and stuttgarts volksfest are different.

kellwolf · January 17th, 2007, 23:37

We're planning on MEM-AMS on NWA and taking the Eurail to Munich. They've got a night train from Amsterdam to Munich, and that just sounds cool. Spend a couple of days there, and then work the rail system up through Germany for a week. At the end of the week, we're back in AMS to fly home.

Kristie · January 18th, 2007, 01:15

whew!! that's some serious traveling... make sure you schedule some relax time in there otherwise you'll get too tired!!

E_Dawg · February 5th, 2007, 16:00

You can count me in. Like Flynn.

WindyCityPilot · February 5th, 2007, 17:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellwolf

They've got a night train from Amsterdam to Munich, and that just sounds cool.

I would highly recommend reserving a private room in the sleeper car for the trip. There are some freaky people on night trains...have a small room to yourself that you can lock up when you go to sleep is a nice thing to have. I've been on enough overnight trains in Europe to have seen some pretty wierd stuff and people. German night trains are not all that bad...they get real shady the farther east and south you go!

Kristie · February 5th, 2007, 20:11

why is that?

Ramsey · February 7th, 2007, 16:21

If not deployed I'll be there!!!

Alchemy · February 14th, 2007, 02:57

I'd definitely be interested.....any excuse to make that trip is a good one.

Kristie · February 14th, 2007, 15:19

that's what I say too.. haha

WindyCityPilot · February 14th, 2007, 17:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kristie

why is that?

Night trains in Europe tend to bring out the shadiest of shady people. Not sure why that is but that's what I've seen. When I studied over there we had 3 month unlimited Eurail passes and after our first few overnight trains we always paid the extra fee to upgrade to a reserved 1st class sleeper car when available.

FlyChicaga · June 12th, 2007, 01:58

I'll be there. That is my vacation month, so who cares if I have to fly two or there uncommutable trips. Oh well! I want to go!!

Two issues: I hope loads are OK to Germany, and where will I stay? Oh yeah... and how do you get to Stuttgart? Continental flies to Berlin, Hamburg, and Frankfurt... train it? Can we jumpseat on Lufthansa? Such problems to have.

I am so there... I am going to make this work...

skyrunner1500 · June 12th, 2007, 09:23

Delta flies with a 767 out of Stuttgart to Atlanta. I see them departing every time I fly there, just minutes after I've landed. Must be scheduled to leave Stuttgart around 11-12am?

If I remember correctly, there is an excellent Le Meridien in Stuttgart. I *think* they might have special airline rates..

There's also a bunch of Mercure-Hotels, that should be cheaper.

Kristie · June 12th, 2007, 21:09

yea, we flew delta in from altanta....and stayed at the le meridian.. we thought it was "ok" at best because they didn't have alarm clocks and their internet was WAY expensive ($20/day). but other than that, they had a sweet pool and exercise room. you do get an airline industry discount too but still $150/night cuz it's *supposedly* 5 star.

I think we'll probably try to stay somewhere closer to the hauptbahnhof this time but we haven't yet booked (gotta get on that cuz those rooms go FAST!)

Hey Maurice.. you ever stay in a Mercure, Accor or Ibis before? how do the Ibis's rate? they seem to look nice on the outside and yet inexpensive to rent.

skyrunner1500 · June 13th, 2007, 10:26

Alarm clocks are not very common in most parts of Europe. Hotels tend to use the phone to wake you up. Supposedly, the alarm clocks became fast legs...
And wi-fi is unfortunately still very expensive at most places. Some hotels offer it to airline employees in the crew hotel for free, but you always have to ask for it.

I've stayed a lot at Mercure's on overnights, but never in Stuttgart since it's just an out-and-back for us. We usually stay at Holiday Inn's in Germany and I would say they are very similar to the Mercure. I've never stayed at an Ibis yet, though. The one here in Vienna seems nice, but for some reason they don't have the best reputation if you ask around. Don't ask me why, I don't know...?

We get incredible deals on all hotels in the accor-group.
When travelling private I usually book the Le Meridien or Mercure. The Le Meridien are excellent in more exotic places. What hotels are you interested in? PM me the dates and places and I will check online for our deals. You should be able to ask for the same rate(once you know it!) if you tell them, you're from Delta. Or, I'll give them a call for you.

Kristie · June 13th, 2007, 13:43

Don't worry bout hotels, we'll take care of that from here.

Stuttgart is out and back for you? how many hours flying does it take from Vienna?

skyrunner1500 · June 13th, 2007, 14:33

About 1:15h block time, between 50 and 55mins. of flight time.