Jump to content

Kremlin tour cancelled


Recommended Posts

We are booked on the Kremlin excursion during the Baltic Capitals cruise leaving Newcastle on 23 June. I have just been informed that this has been cancelled as the Kremlin has a holiday that day, and has been replaced with a Moskva River cruise and a visit to the New Maiden convent. I am rather disappointed, and wondered whether I should cancel or if anyone had an opinion on whether the alternative offered is of equivalent value? It’s not a cheap tour (the original), costing £300. Thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are booked on the Kremlin excursion during the Baltic Capitals cruise leaving Newcastle on 23 June. I have just been informed that this has been cancelled as the Kremlin has a holiday that day, and has been replaced with a Moskva River cruise and a visit to the New Maiden convent. I am rather disappointed, and wondered whether I should cancel or if anyone had an opinion on whether the alternative offered is of equivalent value? It’s not a cheap tour (the original), costing £300. Thank you.

 

You can cancel any Marella excursion up to 24 hours before the trip departs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Wetherby Whaler I too am booked on the same cruise and received an email 2 days ago about the cancelled Kremlin Tour. To say I am disappointed is an understatement as one of the main reasons for booking this cruise was for this trip! I immediately contacted Tui to say I didn’t think much of the substitute tour. They have emailed me today to say they are trying to come up with an alternative because I’m guessing that lots of people have said the same as me. I checked the Kremlin website and it clearly states that Thursday is a day off so my question to Tui was why did they even advertise this tour in the first place when it was never going to go ahead. If those who had hoped to go on this tour try to get Tui to come up with something more suitable they could still salvage this. I have accepted I won’t get in to the Kremlin but I still want to be able to see it from outside and take photos. I certainly don’t want to go on a river cruise if I’m on a ship for 2 weeks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I checked the Kremlin website and it clearly states that Thursday is a day off so my question to Tui was why did they even advertise this tour in the first place when it was never going to go ahea

 

As many here will testify - Thomsons/TUI don't do joined up thinking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have booked on this as our first ever cruise and I can't believe how much I regret booking on a TUI cruise.

This excursion to the Kremlin could never have taken place as it is closed every Thursday. Originally we were told it was Friday the 29th for the Moscow excursion but now we can see the ship leaves at 6pm so the return would be too late. We were told over the phone it was a special holiday therefore the excursion had changed. The Moscow trip and the Kremlin visit were a major factor in booking this cruise. Conveniently we were told this had changed two days after we could have cancelled the cruise. TUI have been extremely uncooperative and economical with information. I was offered £25 on ship credit as the excursion has changed, which won't be very useful on an all inclusive trip. All I want to do is cancel and find another company to go with but again TUI are saying there is nothing I can do about it. According to the manager of the shop and cruise operations I am the only person who is unhappy with this change and no one else has complained. The excursion has now been cancelled but we are struggling to find something else to do for the 28th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can assure you that you are not the only person who has complained about this. I’m pretty sure that the Cruise Excursions team are fed up with me by now. Like you this particular Cruise suited us as it fitted in with time off work and the trip to Moscow was the clincher. Head Office have not once replied to my complaint and the excursions team only confirmed that we would get £25 each onboard credit. We do apparently get time in Red Square for photographs! It would have been better if they had offered a city tour and lunch in a restaurant for a typical Russian meal but a river cruise and visit to a convent must be easier to organise! Someone at Tui/Marella obviously didn’t do their homework when they offered this tour because it is very clear that Thursdays are always a day off and not just a holiday on this particular day. I still want to see Moscow however as it is unlikely I would get the chance again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Thank you, sorry for the delay I wasn’t notified of replies. I also complained and asked for more detail other than a one liner but not much was forthcoming. I will just have to talk to the team on ship on the first day to decide whether to go ahead, I understand we can cancel with some notice. It was a very expensive trip for them to get it so wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,in SPB a few tour companies access the Hermitage on the closed days,but no such influence here it seems.Reminds me of our last day of a far east cruise overnighting in Beijing to find it was the day of the annual commie party conference.We couldn't even get within 2 miles of Tienaman Sq let alone see it.At least you may get to see around Red Sq,cheers,Brian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...