Viking's "Optional Tours" Costs On Russia's, "Waterways of the Czars" Cruises....???

[Suesan Jean]

Sorry to "borrow" the title of another post, but, I have been wondering about what the "optional" tours costs on Vikings, "Waterways of the Czars" river cruises.

 

I am planning a cruise for next May and just want to be well informed.

 

Would you reccomend using an independant tour company for some excursions? Maybe in the evenings in Moscow and Saint Petersburg?

 

ANY and ALL thoughts, opinions and experiences will be greatly appreciated.......!!! :)

 

Thank You.......!!! :)

[pacmom]

We'll be taking this trip in Sept. and will gladly report back in Oct on our return. We have already spent 2 full days in St.Pete., so don't think we will do optionals there. The company we used in St.P. was Alla--excellent as are Red October and Denrus. Pat

[pjtraveler]

These were the costs (per person)in July 2009 on the Pakhomov:

Moscow

1. Sergiev Posad - 59 euros

2. Military Museum - 38 euros

3. New Maiden Nunnery - 37 euros

4. Treyakov Gallery - 37 euros

5. Moscow by Night - 29 euros

 

St. Petersburg

1. Cossack Folklore Show - 26 euros

2. Peterhof Grand Palace & Garden - 59 euros

3. Yusopov Palace - 39 euros

4. Canal Boat Cruise - 37 eutros

[Suesan Jean]

We'll be taking this trip in Sept. and will gladly report back in Oct on our return. We have already spent 2 full days in St.Pete., so don't think we will do optionals there. The company we used in St.P. was Alla--excellent as are Red October and Denrus. Pat

 

THANK YOU......!!!

That would be GREAT......!!! :)

[Suesan Jean]

These were the costs (per person)in July 2009 on the Pakhomov:

Moscow

1. Sergiev Posad - 59 euros

2. Military Museum - 38 euros

3. New Maiden Nunnery - 37 euros

4. Treyakov Gallery - 37 euros

5. Moscow by Night - 29 euros

 

St. Petersburg

1. Cossack Folklore Show - 26 euros

2. Peterhof Grand Palace & Garden - 59 euros

3. Yusopov Palace - 39 euros

4. Canal Boat Cruise - 37 eutros

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH.......!!!

[spree]

We'll be taking this trip in Sept. and will gladly report back in Oct on our return. We have already spent 2 full days in St.Pete., so don't think we will do optionals there. The company we used in St.P. was Alla--excellent as are Red October and Denrus. Pat

We are also taking Waterways of the Czars September 26.

Spending a few days in St. Petersburg prior to the cruise, any suggestions for hotels??? :o

[Mickie]

We are also taking Waterways of the Czars September 26.

Spending a few days in St. Petersburg prior to the cruise, any suggestions for hotels??? :o

 

We are staying at Courtyard St. Petersburg Vasilievsky at the end of June, suggested by our travel agent. Kind of expensive, but that seems to be the case in all hotels in Russia.

 

You might want to check http://www.TripAdvisor.com or http://www.booking.com.

 

Mickie

Florida

[spree]

Nice hotel but it is not close to the highlights. Is there another reason you have selected this hotel?:)

[scubacruiserx2]

We spent a week in an Apt. rented from www.pulford.com last May 09.

 

Much nicer than a hotel and stocked with food. Located @ Moika 6, one

 

block from Spilled Blood, two blocks from Palace Square. The same price

 

as a hotel. Our guide Gennady, is outstanding. When we asked to see a

 

statue of Lenin, he took to Lenin's office in Smolny Convent ! He is a

 

very good guide, translator and driver - for only $25 an hour . Very

 

honest and dependable. www.guide-peterburg.com Tell him Pat and Joe

 

said pree-vyet (Hi).

[Mickie]

Nice hotel but it is not close to the highlights. Is there another reason you have selected this hotel?:)

 

Our travel agent found this one for us; frankly, I think we should have investigated more on our own first, but it's a done deal now.