Baltic Star Cruise 5-15

[nana2D]

We loved our Star Princess cruise that began on 5-15. We flew into Copenhagen on the 11th. Copenhagen was gorgeous, very cool, but sunny. Loved the Nyhaven area. Took a canal cruise which was great. Lovewde shopping the markets and touring the city. We stayed at the Sophie Amalie hotel which was convenient to walk everywhere. Boarding the ship went quite fast. We had a balcony on the Caribe deck which was great. Since we had been on the ship before on an Alaskan cruise on the same deck we knew the balconies were large. We ate at the Steak restaurant twice. It was well worth it! We did manage to catch the first train into Stockholm. It's quite a walk from the docks and it was freezing cold! The ride in was about 50 min. People were very friendly and helpful in answering our questions. Old town was quiet when we got there since it was very early, but filled up fast! Be sure to ask for senior discount on the train if you qualify. You can buy tickets on the train. Also be careful to get on one of the first three cars back to the port. We had no problems at all since someone always speaks English in most of the ports. It rained in Helsinki. We took the city bus into town for $4 per person. We also took a tour on a double decker bus that was informative. We shopped at one of the markets down town and got lots of great items to bring home. We had hired Denrus in St Petersburg and had Nadya as our guide who was extremely knowlegable and spoke perfect English, Slovic was our driver who spoke no English. We we able to get off the ship right away, although they tell you that the Princess tours will go off first, we just got in line and walked off. They had a Russian band playing for us as we arrived in port and played as we got off the ship (in the rain).The first day in Russia was rainy and cold, but the second day was gorgeous, still cold but sunny. We saw more in those two days than most saw on any of the other tours and even went into a wonderful store to shop for Russian champagnes and wines, chocolates etc, I highly recommend Denrus, Ali was a delight to work with and answered all of our concerns. The drivers in Russia are the worst, not our driver, but they have no clue of lanes!! Also the polution level is high. But we loved all of Palaces and the Hermitage. It is most impressive. Our next port was Tallin. One of the highlights of our trip. We loved the small beautiful walled town. Great shopping, especially linens. We all thought that we should have stayed in there the whole day and cut the trip in Poland to a half day. In Poland we hired a cab driver for the four of us, at the port, and he took us around the sights. Gdansk was interesting, but out of all the cities we visited, it was our least favorite. The people were unfriendly, a shop keeper practially threw us out of the store because we didn't want to buy something she thought we should buy that was way overpriced, the streets were dirty but the old town was architectually interesting. I would not go back. Oslo was lovely, again we would have liked to be there longer. It is easily walkable, and the ship docks right close by.

The Star is a really nice ship. We found everything to be done very well. Food was quite good. Getting back into Copenhagen, we could have taken a much earlier flight than we had booked since you are able to get off the ship around 7 AM on. We flew on to Rome from there and had another fabulous week in Italy after the cruise. Have a wonderful trip, do your own tours, and have a glass of that great Turborg beer!!

[M&T]

Thanks for the great information. I'm probably obssessing, but please tell me about the details of getting off the ship in Nynashamn.

I've been to Tallinn once and I loved it. Glad you did too. Did you go to Tivoli? Did you like it? Marlyne

[dbh62ark]

Thank you for the information you posted. I was interested in your note on shopping in Helsinki. If you have specifics, I would love to hear them.

 

Donna

[SaylorGirl]

Thanks for the great information it sounds like you had a wonderful time. When you were disembarking you said you got off at 7:00 were others getting off earlier? I am asking this because I have a 10:00 connection.

 

In Gdnask did you take the train? I'm sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the town.

 

In St. Petersburg do you remember the name of the store or where it was? Also, did you watch the folkdance show on the ship that night?

 

Thanks again, can't wait to hear that Russian band.

[swdke]

We did manage to catch the first train into Stockholm.

 

At what time was the first train to Stockholm, and what time did you have to depart the ship? Also, where on the ship did you depart from?

 

Do they sell Tuborg or Carlsberg beer on the ship?

 

 

Thanks for your great review,

Steve

[CA traveler]

When you left the ship early in the morning, where there taxis at the port?

Thanks for the great review.

[nana2D]

In regard to the time of the train to Stockholm, I believe it was shortly after 8AM but truthfully I can't tell you the exact time. It is a LONG walk to the station though, at least 15 to 20 min from the tender. At most of the ports there were taxi's waiting, but in Nynashamn they really want to take you all the way into Stockholm, not to the train. Shopping in Helsinki we did mainly at the market downtown. It's an outdoor market with wood, jewelry, flowers, great cookies and pastries, glass, leather goods, and all kinds of souveniers.

Lots of fun, great prices, however, alot do not speak English. We did find though that most take credit cards. We were not able to get either Tuborg or Carlsberg beer aboard the ship, but ours was the first cruise out so perhaps now it is available. We brought beer aboard from every port. Wine too. The store in St Petersburg was called Yeliseeyev Food store, on Nevskij Prospekt (I hope that was it). We all loved it. Bought Russian champagne and wine, as well as chocolates, and other food. Right across to the next store they sold beer which was very good.(Russian of course). We went into several other Russian shops that our guide took us to and bought lots of great items (typically Russian) to bring back. The earliest timing to get off the ship back in Copenhagen was 6AM. One thing to note is that they bus you from the port (if you take the Princess bus) to an airport hotel to wait to go over to the airport, (it's right next door and connects). Taxi's were not plentiful at the dock.

[nana2D]

I forgot to answer about leaving Nynashamn, you do board a tender, that was the worst part, it was very disorganized to get tender passes. Hopefully by now they've got their act together! You got off the ship on the 4th deck, if I remember for all the ports. One more thing, in Helsinki there is a shop at the døck to buy items also. Again in Oslo and Russia. We did try to go back out the second day after our tour to the Russian shop(on the dock) but the Russian customs would not let us go back off.

[lamwnfa]

Nana,

 

Thanks for the great review. We were on the Jewel on May 27th. We had Nadya from DenRus as our guide too. She was wonderful. I agree about the driving...it rivals the drivers in Korea and Turkey! Our driver, Alexander was great though. I think we went to the same store on Nevsky...the chocolate counter in the middle of the store?

 

The outdoor market in Helsinki is excellent. The bus dropped us off at the head of the long plaza/park and you just keeping walking all the way to the end and run right into the market.

[dbh62ark]

Thank you for the Helsinki shopping information.

 

:)

Donna

[nana2D]

You are right, it is the same store. Didn't you love it? Did you go to the one across the hall? I'm glad you had Nadya also. A definite A+ guide.