Port reviews: Copenhagen, Warnemunde, St.Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm,

[sippican]

While in Helsinki, did you venture to the Olympic stadium? I ahve heard mixed reviews from this board and tripadvisor.

 

Thanks!

 

No, we never made it there. In Barcelona we did go to the Olympic Stadium, but it was not a highlight, so we had hoped to see something different in Helsinki.

[sippican]

Thank you for the update. I actually was just wondering what had happened with your sitaution.

 

I leave for my cruise in just a few weeks and we are booked with SPB as well. I know everyone on my tour definitely wants to do the subway ride.

 

I agree that it does seem so out of character that Viktoria hasn't responded to you herself.

 

I would appreciate it if you let me know if you ever hear from her or if there are any further updates.

 

Thanks!

 

Well, I did hear back from Viktoria after three e-mails with an explanation that the delay was caused by it being their busy time. Ultimately, it is very disappointing to know that once you've toured with them, communication is not a priority.

Her answer was plain and simple, there was no excuse. We were supposed to tour the subway, the tokens were provided to the guide. We just didn't get there and she was sorry. (perhaps if she had communicated with our guide immediately following our tour, there at least may have been a better explanation) I am sure there really was no acceptable reason. No traffic, no dawdling on our part, no extra shopping, etc.

She offered to send me a gift as a token of apology. I will turn that down. I arranged this tour for our group of 11 and receiving one gift is meaningless.

So, lesson learned, be sure to go over your itinerary with your guide. It never occurred to me to do so, especially when deslimg with a company of such stellar reputation.

[roothy123]

Thanks. I leave really soon for our trip and while we're not touring with SPB, your advice to check with your guide regarding the itinerary is a good one and I'll do just that.

 

If it helps any, there is at least one person on these boards who not only missed a subway ride, but missed St. Petersburg completely due to bad weather and the fact that his/her itinerary called for only one day there! Now THAT would be the ultimate "missed" item on a Baltic cruise! Ouch!

 

Thanks for updating us on your situation. I suppose missing a subway ride could occasionally happen with any company, so if it happens on our tour (with Alla) I will just remind myself of all the other things we saw instead!

[sippican]

Thanks. I leave really soon for our trip and while we're not touring with SPB, your advice to check with your guide regarding the itinerary is a good one and I'll do just that.

 

If it helps any, there is at least one person on these boards who not only missed a subway ride, but missed St. Petersburg completely due to bad weather and the fact that his/her itinerary called for only one day there! Now THAT would be the ultimate "missed" item on a Baltic cruise! Ouch!

 

Thanks for updating us on your situation. I suppose missing a subway ride could occasionally happen with any company, so if it happens on our tour (with Alla) I will just remind myself of all the other things we saw instead!

 

Yes, you are absolutely correct. I kick myself for not being more proactive. I am very grateful for all of things we did get to see. I think the response (or lack of) from SPb was more of a concern. In hindsight, had we been informedd that needed to make a choice due to unforeseen time issues, we would have skipped the canal tour in favor of the subway. To some, not a big deal, bit it was something we really wanted to see.

[jstducky]

Well, I did hear back from Viktoria after three e-mails with an explanation that the delay was caused by it being their busy time. Ultimately, it is very disappointing to know that once you've toured with them, communication is not a priority.

Her answer was plain and simple, there was no excuse. We were supposed to tour the subway, the tokens were provided to the guide. We just didn't get there and she was sorry. (perhaps if she had communicated with our guide immediately following our tour, there at least may have been a better explanation) I am sure there really was no acceptable reason. No traffic, no dawdling on our part, no extra shopping, etc.

She offered to send me a gift as a token of apology. I will turn that down. I arranged this tour for our group of 11 and receiving one gift is meaningless.

So, lesson learned, be sure to go over your itinerary with your guide. It never occurred to me to do so, especially when deslimg with a company of such stellar reputation.

 

Thank you for coming back and letting us know what happened.

 

After I had seen what happened on your tour, I reached out last week to SPB tours to re-iterate what our itinerary for our group tour would be. As per usual, within 24 hours Anthony responded to me positively that our expectation for the tour was correct.

 

When I booked this tour with SPB for our group of 13, I had specifically told SPB that riding the subway is one the most important things for our tour. I have been on the St. Petersburg subway, but none of the others in my group have been, so I would be disappointed if we didn't go.

 

I will just have to be mindful as the tour goes on that day that we ride the subway when we're supposed to, or that I bring it up to our tour guide right away.

 

However, I do agree with you that the lack of responsiveness from SPB after you have taken your tour is a little disturbing since before the tour they have always responded within 24 hours.

 

I leave in just over a week for my cruise, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that all goes well.

 

Thank you again for giving us the heads up about what happened to you and SPB's response to it.

[smmountaingal]

 

Copenhagen-

 

 

Embarkation was fast and easy. We arrived around 11:30 am and were onboard by 11:50. By the time we finished lunch we walked to the cabin and it was ready. Having read of the availability of soda, water and wine nearby we decided to get off the ship and pick up some beverages. We followed the blue line painted on the sidewalk, towards Nordhavn Station; 10 minutes later, under the bridge and across from the tracks we found both an Aldi store and a 7-Eleven. Neither one would take our credit card as it is a swipe and sign (not a chip and pin). (Of note, our credit card companies told us that all merchants worldwide were obligated to accept our card if they took cards of the same brand with chip and pin.)

 

 

 

 

 

Did you actually purchase wine in Copenhagen and take it back onboard with you?

[roothy123]

I am not the person who purchased wine and took it on board, but just felt it might be helpful to chime in here on the subject. I think it depends more upon the cruise line rather than anything else when it comes to wine (and alcohol and anything else - knives, food, etc.) being allowed on board a cruise ship. The cruise line we use (Oceania) does not prohibit bringing alcohol on board. I once saw someone bringing (I kid you not) about 10 cases of wine on board. He was traveling with a group of people and apparently planned to have a good time! He made no effort to hide it (how could he, even if he wanted to??!) and Oceania staff didn't even blink an eye!

 

Just a comment in case the original poster sees this: I recently returned from our Baltic cruise. Alla Tours took us on a subway ride. Quite honestly, while it was a more interesting and attractive subway than I had seen before, I wouldn't really call it the highlight of the trip. If you saw everything else on the itinerary you were to see, you saw the best! Now personally I was disappointed that I didn't get to see part of Stockholm's subway due to lack of time and poor planning on my part. From what I've read, it's more artistic than the St. Petersburg one, with colorful cavish designs in the stations and lots of artwork. Of course, if you like art nouveau, you should choose a cruise that visits Riga, and if you like art deco, you should pick a cruise that visits Helsinki, as their train station has some wonderful stuff inside and out for that!

 

Oh, and by the way, Alla Tours did a wonderful job. I would highly recommend them. Ask for Alexandra and Oleg.

[sippican]

Did you actually purchase wine in Copenhagen and take it back onboard with you?

 

No, we had wine in our hands at both stores but were uable to purchase it due to their refusal to take our credit card. We had no local currency. We would have been required to pay a $15 per bottle corkage fee to bring the bottles onto NCL, (Which we were prepared to do.) We did hear of others who just had a bottle or two in backpacks or carryons and were not stopped to pay.

[bflowngs]

Just returned from baltics cruise and booked SPB for all ports. I can highly recommend this company. Each tour guide was intelligent, professional, and went out of their way to make our tours enjoyable.

 

Each tour is jam packed, and you get major sensory overload....just take lots of pictures!!!

 

We did get to see a subway station in SPB. We were running out of time, and I did ask when we would see it. We were in a bit of a traffic jam, so our tour guide took us to the newest station, took the escallator down and viewed the cleanest most modern station I have ever seen. We didn't have a chance to ride the train, but we were satisfied with the stop.

 

Concerning wine.....we had a free bottle of wine in our hotel room and took in on the ship. It was in my backpack and went through xray. They told me I could take it on for a $12 corkage fee. Hey, it was free, but I didn't want to pay for them to open it. told them I would just use it in my room and open it myself....didn't make a difference. They just held it until the end of the trip, and I drank it in my hotel room post cruise!!! (Actually, I could have drunk it on the last night of the cruise for free!!

[roothy123]

 

Concerning wine.....we had a free bottle of wine in our hotel room and took in on the ship. It was in my backpack and went through xray. They told me I could take it on for a $12 corkage fee. Hey, it was free, but I didn't want to pay for them to open it. told them I would just use it in my room and open it myself....didn't make a difference. They just held it until the end of the trip, and I drank it in my hotel room post cruise!!! (Actually, I could have drunk it on the last night of the cruise for free!!

 

The more I read Cruise Critic the more I understand why certain cruise lines charge more for their cruises. My favorite line (Oceania) doesn't charge anything if you bring wine on board, unless you have it uncorked at dinner. They just take more money from you upfront so they don't have to nickel and dime you! However, I'm not knocking Oceania - it's a wonderful cruise line, and I'll continue to cruise with them as long as I can afford it!

 

Yep, sensory overload it is in St Petersburg. If I ever go back, I'm taking sunglasses to avoid squinting all the time with all that gilt!

[drsb]

Hello fellow NH traveler!

 

We are doing a Baltics cruise this summer. I think I may have bit the bullet too quickly and already booked tours with SPB before doing much research other than hearing that they are great. Now my concern is that everyone says the tours are exhausting. I love to take lots of photos. Will there be time to do this? How about time to shop?

 

I doubt I will get back to either of these ports again, but don't want to be so tired for later ports that I don't enjoy them. What do you think? Would a private tour with fewer sights be better or do you feel it was worth the long days?

 

Deb

[TLCOhio]

Hello fellow NH traveler! We are doing a Baltics cruise this summer. I think I may have bit the bullet too quickly and already booked tours with SPB before doing much research other than hearing that they are great. Now my concern is that everyone says the tours are exhausting. I love to take lots of photos. Will there be time to do this? How about time to shop? I doubt I will get back to either of these ports again, but don't want to be so tired for later ports that I don't enjoy them. What do you think? Would a private tour with fewer sights be better or do you feel it was worth the long days? Deb

 

Yes, Deb, you are raising a very good and realistic question. There are private tours, but then there are the more custom, private/private tour. Certain firms will have a group of 10-15 people on THEIR pre-set, standard tour with their timing, schedule, pace and plan. That can work fine and well for many people, especially if you don't know any better and/or have higher expectations. Others want a smaller group and a much more "personal" experience to fit for their exact needs and interests, pace and style.

 

The honest truth is that there are a number of very good to excellent private firms in St. Petersburg. Most people liked their tour and will beat the drums and say theirs are the "best". Of course, they have only tried one and do not have much real sense of "comparison". It is my suggestion to write to four or five of the top firms, tell them exactly what you want, seek and love. See what you get back and which one is the "best fit" for your specific personal needs and travel style. Some people are very happy and satisfied with the basic, standard "formula" tour that is offered up. I am NOT a big fan, however, of "one size fits all".

 

Others, like us, want things to be a little more custom. In our "planning process", I asked lots of questions (after doing some advance reading and research) and got back many good replies (quickly) from Anastasia that helped me get my arms around the many options in St. Petersburg. Getting your trip "flow" and "pacing" is very important for St. Petersburg. We were super happy with how it all worked in having a great mix for what we saw and how it fit together. Another key factor is their "flexibility". Once in Russia and doing the first day, we asked about a couple of "schedule adjustments" and they got things done in a smooth and excellent manner. One item was a request to stop at a shop to buy a Russian-style military hat and I asked about getting an early admission at the Hermitage to avoid some of the bus/mass crowds at the regular hour. Making things custom and personal was very important to us. Some firms are flexible and very responsive. Others are not that way, nor interested or caring. You need to determine what you want and need.

 

Just like there are many different sizes, styles and types of shoes, the same is true with private tour companies. We don't all wear and have same types of shoes for all needs, occasions and purposes. Below are a few of my visual samples to get folks prepared for the great glories that are there in St. Petersburg.

 

In our group of four, both me and the other male member were big into taking lots of pictures. His wife had a little bit of a gimpy hip and didn't want too rushed of a pace. It all work fine in getting both our pictures and walking at a proper pace. Also, I like to ask lots and lots of questions, learn more, not just be told a memorized script with too many "details" not of interest to us. We could have an excellent "conversation" with our guide, learning and knowing more for our personal interests. BUT, things were still highly time-efficient. With a group of four, it can often cost about what ship tour would run run in total. We were super pleased and loved it "ALL".

 

How many times will you go to St. Petersburg? Do it right and make things fit your travel style and interests. Below are a few examples what this type of custom, private tours can yield for your "experience".

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 113,778 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Private, personal tours can be worth it, especially in St. Petersburg. Here our group of four, with our guide, Jane or Zhenya from Anastasia, we are viewing and learning more about one of the two da Vinci masterpieces (Madonna Litta or Madonna and Child) at the Hermitage after an early admission. There are only 14 such painting by this artist existing in the whole world. We did an early admission at the Hermitage, lessening the crowd battles and adding to the enjoyment in this spectacular place/set of five palaces AND museum. It is both! This Madonna and Child was probably painted in Milan, where the artist moved in 1482. The Madonna's tender gaze as she looks at her son, and the tranquillity of the distant mountainous landscape, reflect humanist dreams of Ideal Man and a Harmonious Life. Experts says the painting reveals great beauty in its coloring and composition. The painting came to the Czar's collection and museum in 1865 from the collection of Count Antonio Litta in Milan.:

 

 

 

Examining closely one of the highly-detailed tables in the vast Hermitage collection that includes much more than just paintings and sculptures. The Russian skills and craftsmanship for such details is amazing and must be seen “up close and personal”. You cannot just walk by quickly and appreciate fully the expert workmanship!:

 

 

 

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, here is just one of the many, many great galleries with so many different and great architecture details, soaring ceilings, dramatic floors, etc., in areas where the Czars entertained and impressed other Royals and nobility. Even without the art items, these five palaces are so spectacular! This room is adorned with 19th-century Russian lapidary works and feature Italian and Spanish canvases of the 16th-18th centuries, including Veronese, Tintoretto, Velázquez and Murillo.:

 

 

 

Inside Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg with our personal guide from Anastasia, we view this spectacular reception “ballroom”, painted ceiling, gold, etc., at our pace and timing schedule.:

 

[roothy123]

Here are my comments. While we didn't use SPB, I would guess that our experience would be similar to that of someone similar in age and interests as us (61 year old good walker and avid photographer plus 62 year old less avid walker and photographer). We did the 2-day "comfort" tour by Alla (16 pax from our ship, distinguished from the non-comfort tour by having sit-down lunches each day instead of box lunches, and giving up one or two minor sights). Generally the days were from 8 to 5 or something like that, and yes, there was a good deal of walking, but I didn't feel exhausted at the end of the day. If nothing else, the fact that St. Petersburg is a big, spread-out city, with driving (or hydrofoiling) from place to place being necessary, you end up with some relax time on the van, hydrofoil, etc. Once we left St. Petersburg after our 2 days there, it was easy to relax with dinner and early bed, and I felt fine the next day. I am a big photographer, and was afraid there wouldn't be enough time for that, but that turned out to be not the case. I never felt rushed. There wasn't much time for shopping, but I'm not a big shopper, so it didn't matter to me. It's funny - what time we did have was mostly in the shop where we paid for the tour the second day. There is a post on cruise critic complaining that an hour was wasted by Alla in a cheesy souvenir shop. The person was not on our cruise, and we didn't spend a whole hour there, but I think if you had asked everyone in our group if we spent too much time there, the answer would have definitely been "no." I'm not a big shopper, but you ARE in SPB, and I DID want to buy SOMETHING, so I was glad we had our 45 minutes to pay and shop. Besides, looking at the rows and rows of maystroika (spelling?) dolls painted in just about every imaginable persona from Elvis to Obama to Princess Diana was worth a good ten minutes' look!

 

Certainly I would have preferred to go on a tailor-made trip with fewer people, but we simply couldn't afford it, so we went with the 16 pax tour and it worked out fine. Our group was great about staying together, not coming back late to the bus (our guide saw to that!!) etc., and while our time in the Hermitage was a little longer than I needed, it was OK.

 

While you are pretty much required to go with the group, there ARE opportunities to rest during the day. You may end up sitting with the bus driver, as I don't think tour participants are allowed to wander around, but there are worse things. My husband and another man sat out the trip at the Hermitage, and the other man stayed outside of Catherine's Palace (and met us at the exit) due to claustrophobia. The tour guide was great at making arrangements for slight deviations in the set schedule, and everyone was happy.

 

My husband is not big on all-day touring, and can't walk as much as I do, but he did fine.

 

If your ship goes to Helsinki the next day, you can relax a bit there, as you may not need the whole day there to see the sights. It's a nice city to visit after the full days spent in St. Petersburg!

 

SO - my advice would be to go for it, and don't worry about whether you'll be tired or not!

[rdnpdx1]

Hello fellow NH traveler!

 

We are doing a Baltics cruise this summer. I think I may have bit the bullet too quickly and already booked tours with SPB before doing much research other than hearing that they are great. Now my concern is that everyone says the tours are exhausting. I love to take lots of photos. Will there be time to do this? How about time to shop?

 

I doubt I will get back to either of these ports again, but don't want to be so tired for later ports that I don't enjoy them. What do you think? Would a private tour with fewer sights be better or do you feel it was worth the long days?

 

Deb

 

We did a private tour with SPB for the six of us. Vika was wonderful and modified our tour to take into account what we wanted to do. If you want ultimate flexibility a private tour is the best option, though it will cost a bit more. If you want shopping, more time at the Hermitage, etc, make your wants known and SPB will accommodate your desires.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the reviews!