bellemere

Just did this on our own in December 2014. We had just completed Viking Heart of Germany cruise. We took a taxi arranged by Viking to the main train station in Nurenberg. Cost was 40 euros would have been more if there was traffic. Right outside the main train entrance is a stop for the DB bus to Prague. This bus is run by the same company that does all the trains in Germany. I reserved online before leaving the states. The sooner the better to keep ticket price low. Second class sits on the second level and bottom level is for first class. Second class was fine. There is even an attendant on the bus. No stops until you get to Prague which is about 3 hours. As you drive in the train station the taxi driver will drop you off in the driveway. There is a sign on a metal pole that says IC Bus. They tag your luggage and put under the bus in the baggage compartment. When you arrive in Prague at the Prague train station you will see a taxi stand ahead of you in the direction that traffic is going. Do not be surprised if they quote a very large amount in Czech kroner. You need to negotiate the price down. We used a guide service for one morning, Personal Prague Guide. Very good guide. We made arrangements before we left home through their website and email. Stayed at Marriott in old towns. Final night was at Prague Airport Courtyard which was right across from terminal 1 and connected to terminal 2 by a covered walkway. Very convenient

For the Viking cruise we were required to get a visa since we would be in Russia more than 72 hours. Viking suggests you use a visa service. They suggest Gen Visa service and have the forms online with directions of how to fill out. You can have the visa service fill them out for an additional cost. The visa for Russia requires you to furnish alot of information. You must send your passport to the visa service so they can take your passport to the Russian embassy to have the visa attached to your passport after the embassy has approved your application. Since we do not live near a Russian embassy we elected to use Gen which we used for our Chinese visa.

Do not wait to the last minute to apply for your visa. You can apply 90 days out from your arrival date.

The previous post was correct about being in Russia for less than 72 hours without a visa that you must be with an organized excursion from your cruise ship or you have paid to have a local guide or tour group to take you around.

Hope this helps.

When we made our reservations with Viking on the phone, the Viking representative told us about the Armoury and extended Hertimage excursions. So we bought the Armoury excursion at that time. When we boarded the ship they said they are allotted so many spots but had a few left. This is the first time that optional excursions could be bought ahead of time.

We had wonderful weather on our June 23 - July 5 trip. We did st. Petersburg to Moscow. The service was great and friendly. Our cabin on deck 4 was wonderful. Transfers with Viking made arriving and departing very smooth. Reading about Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and the Romanovs before going on the trip helped us to appreciate what we were seeing and hearing. Service in the restaurant was attentive with good team work and personal. Find an area in the restaurant with good waiters and return to that area each time and your meals are very enjoyable. Yes there were times we wished the excursions could have lasted longer. It was great to be the first group at Peterhof. We arrived early for Catherine's Palace as well. We took the walking tours when offered instead of seeing places by bus. Be sure to ride the subways. It is amazing how our guide did not loose any one. We are glad we did this trip. Doing the home visit and the optional home visit (kommunalka) in St. Petersburg, gave us personal interaction with local Russians and to understand their viewpoints.

I have been waiting for someone to post a review of a 2014 Viking River Cruise to Russia and so glad to see yours. Thanks for answering my questions.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Will take some bug spray just in case since it will be late June.

When you visited the Hermitage did the tour include a photo permit so you could take pictures? Or did you have to purchase one yourself. What about other museums and churches charging for taking photos?

You are certainly a great spokesman for Viking. This will be our 4th and we have also been happy with our experiences with them. China was great!!!

Are there any churches that you visited that required shoulder or head covering for women? Are shorts okay for men or women in the churches?

On past trips we only needed money for souvenirs and tips for local drivers and guides or if we wanted to eat or drink a local speciality. Was there anything else that you discovered that you might need cash for?

Was there a stop that was especially good for souvenirs?

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the information about the excursions.

It will help us decide what to do.

What included excursions were highlights for your trip?

We are looking forward to our trip.

Thanks for the feedback. Just wondering how Viking handles the situatiion.

Did you do any of the optional excursions offered by Viking?

We are taking the Viking river cruise between Moscow and St. Petersburg. Do the included excursions to the museums such as the Hermitage include the cost of a photo permit to use while visiting the museum which allows you to take pictures while visiting the museum?

Thank you.