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Viking 'Footsteps of the Cossacks' (Ukraine)

Peregrina651

By Peregrina651,
in River Cruising

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doobieb

doobieb

Posted
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Arghhh. My biggest fear. I think I spent more time checking to make sure I had both my iPad and laptop the whole trip. I'm so glad you were able to get yours back (I'll be curious to know how large your wireless bill is...in the "mortage the house" range?)

 

NO, nada, nothing in extra charges on my phone bill! I looked with fear the next month, then the next. We traveled in June and not one extra charge for all the use of my iPhone!

 

Now......if try that again, I think it might be $zillions!

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silkismom

silkismom

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We made it to Kiev about 7:30 tonight--it's been a horrid day with flt delays, changes, etc etc. It's raining here, our checked bag is still in Munich, we're really pooped and heading to bed. Haven't met Iris yet, but we just went strait to our room, took a shower & mixed a strong drink, at least our bodies will be clean under dirty clothes. Hope we can wake up in time for the tour tomorrow--and that it's not raining. Will try for a moon shot--if it comes out.

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silkismom

silkismom

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We're alive, very soggy. Met Iris yesterday, she's doing fine but hasn't been able to get on. It rained so hard yesterday that the road was almost a waterfall, I was trying to find some souvenirs but it was just miserable and we headed back to the hotel. Waiting for transfer to the ship. I got up early today to get photos of the churches before the bus crowds and the rain started again. Also got a small nesting doll set of cats and a family one for about $12 each--not sure if that was a good price or not.

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Grandcruisevirgin

Grandcruisevirgin

Posted
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Ann and I have recruited a new member, Quack82, but his membership is awaiting moderation.

Can we vouch for him and speed up the process?

P.$ the countdow clock has said I sailed, but not true, we are still at the hotel waiting for the bus to the ship.

Edited by Grandcruisevirgin
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Peregrina651

Peregrina651

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just because his first attempt to login has been from Kiev, doesn't mean that he is a "fraud".

 

True, but it does throw up red flags that have to be checked out because that is how the frauds do work. The process is meant to protect us all and the integrity of CC, even if it seems to over-react at times.

 

We went to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen annual fair this past summer. We bought gas before we left Massachusetts and the started shopping at the fair where the individual vendors who live all over the state of NH and where each vendor that we shopped at was using his local address for ringing up credit cards. Our credit card was flagged by the fraud detection algorithms--how could we be in all of those places at once. Good thing I had multiple cards on me! It was a pain in the neck but the cc company was looking out for my best interest and I was happy to know that the system was working to protect me even if it was a bit over-zealous.

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Peregrina651

Peregrina651

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P.$ the countdow clock has said I sailed, but not true, we are still at the hotel waiting for the bus to the ship.

 

Unfortunately, the clocks have no way of distinguishing between cruises and cruises/tours and thus uses "Sailed" as the shortest way of saying, "YeeHaw!!! My vacation has finally begun!!!!!!!!!! Where's my deck chair?" ;-)

 

Ann, Iris and Quack, wishing you all a great trip. Hope the weather improves.

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Peregrina651

Peregrina651

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Iris wishes me to inform you that she is having a great time.

 

Tell her that that we are so glad to hear it!!

 

Tell us more about your trip. What has the September weather been like? Are you enjoying the tours and the places you are seeing? Any hints, tips and bits of advice for those planning this trip? How is the food? The service? I'd ask about the cabins but since the whole ship is being rehabbed over the winter, it is a moot point.

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silkismom

silkismom

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We got into the Black Sea last night and it's really been rockin & rollin. Not many at breakfast, at least when we were there. Everyone seemed very tired yesterday, (Kherson), I think the gray skies and rain is affecting everyone. Loved the Cossack horse show and that whole day. We get into Sevastopol today. In the library now and everyone is talking about not sleeping last night. Food has been good, the Ukrainian lunch in the Sky bar yesterday was very poorly managed, would have been much better in one of the restaurants where there is room to sit. Just got kicked off, so don't know if this will go or not, will continue anyway. Normally the wifi has been pretty good, if you have own computer (device) can get a password for the whole trip. Don't know how the "pirates" night went, Iris has an "outfit" on, we went to bed.

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Peregrina651

Peregrina651

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We got into the Black Sea last night and it's really been rockin & rollin. Not many at breakfast, at least when we were there. Everyone seemed very tired yesterday, (Kherson), I think the gray skies and rain is affecting everyone. Loved the Cossack horse show and that whole day. We get into Sevastopol today. In the library now and everyone is talking about not sleeping last night. Food has been good, the Ukrainian lunch in the Sky bar yesterday was very poorly managed, would have been much better in one of the restaurants where there is room to sit. Just got kicked off, so don't know if this will go or not, will continue anyway. Normally the wifi has been pretty good, if you have own computer (device) can get a password for the whole trip. Don't know how the "pirates" night went, Iris has an "outfit" on, we went to bed.

 

 

Oh, no! I'm sorry the weather isn't better for you all. It might help with the rocking and rolling to keep some food in your tummy. Don't skip meals even if you eat lightly--tea and toast. Grab something to nibble on between meals, too.

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Grandcruisevirgin

Grandcruisevirgin

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Made it home last night, after my 'forced night' hotel stay in Vienna - very nice hotel with a bathtub! I took a long bath Thursday night, then a shower Friday morning.

The Kiev pre-extension - The Radisson Blu was very nice, my room faced a courtyard and the breakfast buffet was excellent. I ate at the bar the first night and had Chicken Kiev in Kiev and a figs and brie appetizer, which were enough for me (you can't go wrong with bar food! The people who were trying borscht for the first time ever did not look happy...) Despite the rain, the walking tour the next day was great. Our guide was Lilla, who was very knowledgeable and she dropped us off in downtown Kiev, after pointing out her favorite restaurant, which a group of us tried for lunch. I had cherry pierogies (forgetting the Ukrainian name right now and too jet lagged to get up and look) with sour cream: delicious! A few others and I made our way back to the hotel and stopped at St. Michael's cathedral, which was not on the tour the next day. We also went to St. Sophia's Cathedral, but could not get in, as they were using it as a set for some filming. While walking around it, some actors rode by on horses, dressed in Russian Army uniforms from I guess Tsarist times.

That night, I ate in the Italian restaurant connected to the Radisson that night and had a wonderful meal.

The next day I went on the optional tour of the Ukrainian folk visit and that really gave me a peak of what life was like in 19th century Ukraine. I bought a hand signed plaque in the shape of an apple, in the black lacquer style, but with a burgundy background.

Then, there was the transfer to the ship, which was a low point of the trip, as all of the luggage did not fit under the bus and it was jammed around the front of the bus precariously. Fortunately there were no sudden stops.

Life in my 4th floor single cabin was good, with more square footage than the lowest priced double cabins, a bedspread on the bread, complimentary fruit plate, a robe and slippers. Throughout the trip, the other 3 solo travelers and I were treated as well as the other 4th floor travelers. I tipped my housekeeper Natalie accordingly, as she was wonderful.

Let me stop and put in a good word for the entire housekeeping staff, who were constantly cleaning and polishing and were the first line of defense for stopping infection. (There was a cold going around in a group of Canadian women, who had taken the Trans Siberian railroad and/or the Czar cruise before this one, but it didn't spread outside of that group, who also played cards, which also facilitates the spread of germs.)

The next day was the included city tour and I found myself on bus 1D with Natasha as the tour guide and Alexander as the driver. They were the best tour guide and driver on the cruise and were usually assigned to drive/lead some of the optional tours, such a the bridge tour. Natasha is very positive and upbeat and extremely knowledgeable and funny. She made the long drives entertaining.

I then went on the Jewish Kiev tour, again with Lilla as the city guide, which included a stop at Babi Yar, a place I never imagined I'd see. The stop at a Kiev synagogue, where the rabbi hit us up for a donation and even suggested an amount, after first determining how many American Jews were in the group, ended that trip on a low point.

Well, this has been a long post and does not begin to cover everything.

Alyona did a fantastic job as Program Director.

The food had its high and low points: the cheese pierogies, just like mom used to make, although she called them 'kreplachs,' were a high point, I almost cried after eating them! I did go to the Ukrainian lunch and the recipe for the dough was printed in the Viking Daily, so someday, when I can get some farmer's cheese, I'm going to try to make them on my own. The Chateaubriand was a low point, as I had asked for it well done and they gave me an end piece, which was not edible. I sent it back uneaten as I did with some veal which I had ordered for lunch one day and a strange vegetable entrée with a fried egg on top, which I had ordered for dinner one night. No one ever asked me if there was something wrong with those meals and/or offered to bring me something else, which I noted on my evaluation form. May as well get all of the negatives over with at once - the waitresses were constantly flirting with the male travelers and at times it was hard to get their attention. The dining room on the fourth floor was loud, and I never got used to the waitresses shouting 'Soup?' unexpectedly behind me at times.

For me, the most emotional points of the trip were the visit to Babi Yar, the stop at the scene of the Charge of the Light Brigade, where a chill ran down my spine, just like it did when I had visited Antietem (US Civil war battle scene) and Gettysburg, and the private Jewish Odessa tour that I had booked, which came together at the last minute and included the Holocaust Memorial in Odessa. After seeing that and Babi Yar, I know I could never handle a trip to an concentration camp, and I'm not sure I could visit the US Holocaust Museum either.

I am so glad that I did this trip when I did. The rain was daunting, and the cold unexpected. I thought I'd tough it out with my London Fog raincoat and a light sweatshirt and umbrella, but on the last day, I broke down and bought a Viking fleece and a hat and mittens at a store in Odessa. These purchases made the day doable.

For anyone considering this trip, I think the best time to do it as far as it being not too hot and not too cold would be the Kiev to Odessa trip that starts in late August. :)

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id est

id est

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I think the best time to do it as far as it being not too hot and not too cold would be the Kiev to Odessa trip that starts in late August. :)

Thanks for a nice review. It is never really hot in Ukraine so the best time'd be July - August. June and September usually have a lot of rains.

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Grandcruisevirgin

Grandcruisevirgin

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FYI, the DVD of the Black Sea Fleet Singing & Dancing Ensemble didn't work in my 2 (American) DVD players, but I can watch/listen to it on my computer.

I know that Peregrina thought the show was a tad expensive, but I thought it was wonderful.

The show they put on for Viking is just for the people on the cruise, but this ensemble has toured through most of Europe and won several awards.

True, the show was only an hour, but it came at the end of a long day - included city tour plus optional Chersonese tour & it didn't need to be 2 hours long - and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of the dances reminded me of dances my great-uncles and uncles used to do.

The balalaika player in particular was amazing, he had a way of strumming the balalaika by just shaking his hand that I had never seen before

The DVD was 200 UAH, a little less than $25 US. They also sell an audio CD, I don't remember what that cost.

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