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Things you wish someone told you before your first Baltic cruise


Tennant
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Len, did you do any tours with SPB in any of the other ports or just St P? We're touring with Alla in both St P and Berlin. As I understand it, we pay for both tours when we're in St P, but I'm assuming we'll tip the Berlin guide and driver after that tour. Just wondering what your experience was if you did additional tours.

 

thanks!

Jayne

 

When we cruised, companies like SPB tours and all the rest were just starting to expand to these other ports. Most were just doing St Petersburg and Berlin. Since I had been to Berlin when I was in the service, we opted to stay local.

 

If I had to do it over again, I would have taken the train to any of the towns that others have mentioned not too far from Warnemunde.

 

We used SPB Tours only for St Petersburg. As I said in my other thread, we really prefer to do things on our own. Personally, I am not one to follow orders that well, and like to sort of move to my own drummer, if you know what I mean. It was hell to pay while I was in the service,:D:D but after that, I ran my own business for 30 years because being the boss, I knew best. LOL

 

Cheers

 

Len

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  • 2 weeks later...
This is a wonderful cruise and the following may be useful.

1. In St. Petersburg, we took the 2 full day excursions from ship and it was a great excursion, It seems expensive ($350??) but for two days, 2 lunches, easy access to entry sites, a guide who was excellent and convenience, we thought it was worth the money. Take an umbrella, water, and extra capacity for photos. You will need them.

2. We did self guided walk arounds in Tallin, Copenhagen and Germany town that is something like Warnemundon. We opted not to take long trip to Berlin and we were glad we didn't. The local town was interesting and the beach area was pretty.

3. When in Copenhagen, be sure to se the Little Mermaid which is not too far from ship and delightful.

4. If you want a good book to read that is historical fiction, but interesting and you will learn a bit of history about Catherine the Great. Read Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert Massie. It is excellent and easy read.

5. We flew to Amsterdam and took shuttle to cruise ship...very easy and worth the money after overnight flight. Avoids hotel and food costs. We have been to Amsterdam many times and did not want to see it again.

6. In Helsinki we took excursion to Porvo and loved it. It is a nice little village with preetty shops and easy walking around. Also saw some country areas enroute.

 

This was one of our favorite cruises. Hope you enjy it.

Hi,

Thanks for all that excursion info. What about souvenirs and clothing, liquor, etc. Where did you find the best bargains and the worst experience?

 

We've been TA on NCL Dream about 7 years ago and have done many Carnival cruises. This past year we did the Panama Canal in November. This will be our longest cruise and boy, am I looking forward to it, even though I get seasick. LOL

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Hi,

Thanks for all that excursion info. What about souvenirs and clothing, liquor, etc. Where did you find the best bargains and the worst experience?

 

I found no bargains in any of the ports -- this part of the world is very expensive. The best deal I found was the t-shirt sale on the Emerald Princess 2 for $20.

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Just returned from our Baltic cruise and I would recommend bringing some local money in each port. There were a few occasions where you just want to grab a drink/snack or need to use the restroom where you will need to have some local money. We exchanged $50.00 for each port at our local bank. Came in real handy and avoided trying to exchange money on the ship. Also, RCCL did not exchange money for Russia so be prepared for that. Some had said the ATM's at a couple of ports had run out of money as well.

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

 

This is super information to share!

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I found no bargains in any of the ports -- this part of the world is very expensive. The best deal I found was the t-shirt sale on the Emerald Princess 2 for $20.

I guess it is all relevant.

We bought several inexpensive nesting dolls sets in Tallinn, great for gifts and we felt well worth what we paid for them. Also in Tallinn, those sweaters are well worth their high prices if that is what you like.

You also can get a good buy on Russian Vodka, depending on how much you can take back to the states.

Copenhagen, no real deals

Helsinki, we bought several wooden trivets that they are known for. Not a great price but compared to what you would pay at home, it was a good deal.

Stockholm, no really great buys.

Warnemunde/Rostock-We got the best deal here. We took the ferry to Rostock. I ordered a beer on the ferry and they brought it in his big glass mug. I like the mug so much I asked if I could buy one and they charged me 2 euros for it (about $3.00). While walking in town we felt that that would also be a great gift, so we found a restaurant and asked if we could buy a couple of glass mugs. Some wouldn't sell us any but we found one who would, for 4 euros each, another great buy (at least for us).

What a great gift, a glass stein from Germany with the beer insignia on is.

 

There are things out there, you just have to search them out.

 

Cheers

 

Len

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In the same genre, my favorite, since I had to read it in high school, oh so long ago, was Nicholas and Alexandra. I found it especially interesting how Rasputin was so much a part of the downfall. I do intend to read Catherine the Great. So I do thank you for the extra reading material.

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This is super information to share!

 

Thanks, Blonde. Just trying to share all I can which I have learned the past year from the great folks on these boards. Very happy to help. Enjoy your cruise! :)

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

Edited by dolfans0704
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In the same genre, my favorite, since I had to read it in high school, oh so long ago, was Nicholas and Alexandra. I found it especially interesting how Rasputin was so much a part of the downfall. I do intend to read Catherine the Great. So I do thank you for the extra reading material.

I found the Madonnas of Leningrad just before our June 3 cruise--very poignant and along with Catherine the Great really set the stage for the Hermitage.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

A note on local currencies: we took some for each port and I'm so glad we did. It was great not having to be concerned about finding an ATM or paying the fees (unless we needed more). We could just jump in a cab or grab a HOHO bus and take off. Also, at the restaurant at Peterhof we had to have rubles to get beverages other than what came with lunch.

 

Cheers!

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Here's a new tip: ladies, wear simple stud earrings for tours. I had long dangley ones, and they were a PITA on the many tours where they give you earpieces to hear the guide.

 

Agree that Tallinn was the place for less expensive souvenirs.

 

+1 on the recommendation to read Massie's "Peter the Great" before St. Petersburg. You will get so much more from your tour if you do. (Plus, you might win the SPB trivia contest!) If you have time, Massie's books on Catherine the

Great and Nicholas & Alexandra are also worthwhile.

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+1 on the recommendation to read Massie's "Peter the Great" before St. Petersburg. You will get so much more from your tour if you do. (Plus, you might win the SPB trivia contest!) If you have time, Massie's books on Catherine the

Great and Nicholas & Alexandra are also worthwhile.

 

Appreciate the book recommendations. I read (and loved!) Nicholas & Alexandra in high school. I bought Catherine the Great the other day and have been planning to add Peter the Great to my Kindle for my upcoming TA in October. Given the length of those books, it could take until next May (when we go to the Baltics) to finish them! :) (I also want to read The Romanovs: The Final Chapter, by Massie, just out of general interest.)

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I've just bought Massie's 'Peter The Great' and building myself up to start reading it as the size of it is quite daunting.

 

There are some excellent Russian History Podcasts out there as well which I found an excellent introduction to SPB.

 

Had to chuckle about it taking until next May to read Massie though, I'm thinking the same!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

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Had to chuckle about it taking until next May to read Massie though, I'm thinking the same!

 

Oh yeah, it's thick and not a fast read. I thought he kind of bogged down during the Great Northern War section. Most of the rest read like a novel, though, and was a great way to enjoy the anticipation of our trip.

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Well, there was on our bus. We won the bottle of vodka.

 

You didn't have that? And here we thought our guide was phoning it in. Maybe she had more going on than we knew!

 

No mention of anything like that, and our guide had many years' experience with them.

 

Maybe you were lucky with a bonus... or our guide wanted to fill their liquor cabinet? ;)

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I went May 2012. LOVED IT!! It was more than I could ever have imagined.

 

As many have indicated, it is VERY port intensive so good to just be prepared for the day's activity all the time. I have never taken so many pictures which brings me to one thing - bring more batteries then you think you should. I now own batteries in multiple languages and well, paid way too much in Estonia however do not know when I will be back.

 

Aarhus - be prepared to be surprised and wow'd by this port

Tallin - so embarrassing as this was such a North American moment....I'm walking down this cobble street (wear good walking shoes or you will trip a lot) thinking hmm, this looks like Shrek movie set. Look around then over the radio hear 'Disney used this area as site research for the movie Shrek'. How bizarre is that!

Finland - the road signs are in TWO languages....wish I knew that before leaving

St Petersburg - customs is scary.....however the guards do have a sense of humour AFTER your first time through. They started to play with me and not open the gate when the light went green. Had about 4 hours of sleep in the 48 hours there so think about prepping for a no sleep 2 day adventure that you will so not forget!

Berlin - so much history....so little time.

 

Be prepared for any weather so you are not caught off guard. I have a little umbrella I can throw in a bag and was able to keep going and not have to find shelter.

 

Currency - do not fret....it will all work out. I had an encounter in Hermitage that I had too large amount currency only to be told that some stores just like to make a fuss. If you have a chip card....way easier!

 

Enjoy!!

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Hi , I have downloaded the Tallinn walking tour, are there any other walking tour guides available for Baltic ports?

We set sail next week and I am very excited.

Have booked a two day private tour with Gude-Guru for St Petersburg :)

Any further advice will be much appreciated.

Many Thanks

Jane

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

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The only thing I can think of is that be prepared to spend more than you planned to. Everything is very very expensive I'm talking everyday items like a coke and a sandwich

 

Sorry, where?

 

I don't recall everything being very, very expensive.

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