aussie cruzer Posted May 10, 2013 Author #76 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Hi Duncan, Thanks for the review & awesome photos! Look forward to joining on your next leg, G&G :):cool: Gaye, Not long to go and it's your turn.....safe trip to Copenhagen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 10, 2013 Author #77 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Must go and have my daily webcam update on my NCL app in a minute! :) We'll be in a 2-bed family suite on deck 11 too - wonder if it's the same as yours! We are in 11550....very nice cabins,great service from Romel the butler. The butlers are rotating...so you might get any one of them.....they are all good. Romel always brings my buckets of beer on time. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auducky2 Posted May 10, 2013 #78 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Thanks for this! We will be on the Star for the May 23rd trip, also in a 2 bedroom suite on deck 11. Love reading this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjnyc323 Posted May 10, 2013 #79 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Duncan I am loving all your pictures. Mom and I hope to sail with you guys some day. Suzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hencoll Posted May 10, 2013 #80 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Enjoying your trip report. :) We will be sailing the same itinerary on 6/3 in a 2 bedroom family suite on deck 11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herdingdogmom Posted May 10, 2013 #81 Share Posted May 10, 2013 (edited) Captain Konstantinos and all the heads of departments were present and gave a warm welcome too all of us....we were invited by the Captain for a personal tour of the bridge by him on the last sea day......He is very funny and welcoming and reminds me of Captain KIm of the Jade. Love your live reports and pictures! We really like Captain K. If you get a chance (maybe at the bridge tour Q & A), can you ask him if he will be back on the Star for the Sept. 19 Norway/Iceland sailing? I sure hope so. Beverly Edited May 10, 2013 by herdingdogmom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 11, 2013 Author #82 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Day 5 Saint Petersburg, Weather forecast Partly cloudy 19 C / 66 F Arrive 8.00 Depart next day The Star arrives in SP in three hours for a two day visit....this is the highlight of our 9 day cruise...we are doing a two day tour with Spb tours,this tour returns too the ship at 6.00 pm and concludes the next afternoon. Tour details Cost $300 p/p http://www.spb-tours.com/st-petersburg/en/2-day-tour#deluxe.....two St. Petersburg 2-Day Deluxe Tour JOIN OUR GROUP TOUR AT A FLAT RATE 300 USD pp (max group size 16)! Package tours and flat-rate prices are available for select ships. Please just check with us to see if your ship is eligible. This tour is the most all-inclusive and the MOST ACTIVE option involving the most walking out of any of the tour options. You will have a special early entrance to the Hermitage museum, excursion in the Yusupov’s Palace, the Catherine’s Palace, the Church on the Spilled Blood, the Peterhof fountain park and Peter and Paul’s fortress + cathedral. Lunches, hydrofoil ride and a canal boat ride are included in the tour price. The tour is available as a group tour and as a private tour. DAY 1 | 7.30 am – 6.00 pm 7.00 am – 7.30 amMeet at the ship as soon as the ship is cleared7.30 am – 10.00 amCity sightseeing tour. A visit to the farmers market (optional). Subway ride 10.00 am – 10.30 amHydrofoil ride to Peterhof10.30 am – 12.00 pm Walk in the Peterhof Lower fountain park and the Upper gardens12.00 pm – 1.30 pmLunch: traditional Russian meal1.30 pm – 2.30 pm Drive to the Tsars’ Village (summer residence)2.30 pm – 4.00 pmA visit to the Catherine’s palace with the Amber room and a walk in the park4.00 pm – 5.00 pmDrive back to St. Petersburg5.00 pm – 6.00 pmA visit to Peter and Paul’s fortress and cathedral, the burial place of the Russian Emperors6.00 pmReturn to the ship or evening optionsDAY 2 | 8.00 am – 5.00 pm 8.00 am – 8.30 am Meet at the ship, paying for the tour8.30 am – 9.30 amCanal boat ride9.30 am – 12.00 pmSpecial early entrance to the Hermitage Museum12.00 pm – 1.00 pmExcursion in the Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood 01.00 pm – 2.00 pmLunch: traditional Russian meal2.00 pm – 3.30 pmA visit to the Yusupovs’ Palace 3.30 pm – 5.00 pm A visit to St. Isaac’s cathedral. Return to the ship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 11, 2013 Author #83 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Love your live reports and pictures! We really like Captain K. If you get a chance (maybe at the bridge tour Q & A), can you ask him if he will be back on the Star for the Sept. 19 Norway/Iceland sailing? I sure hope so. Beverly Will try and find out for you. The ships internet was very slow last night,wouldn't let photos be uploaded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 11, 2013 Author #84 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Thanks for this! We will be on the Star for the May 23rd trip, also in a 2 bedroom suite on deck 11. Love reading this! I'll post some photos of our cabin when possible.....they are very nice. Perfect for a family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjnyc323 Posted May 11, 2013 #85 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Thanks Duncan have a blast in St Petersburg Suzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drsb Posted May 11, 2013 #86 Share Posted May 11, 2013 I am doing that same tour in St P. Is there time to stop and take in everything you are seeing? Was there enough time at the Hermitage? Was there anything you wish they had done different? Is there time to shop? My husband wants a soviet style fur hat, I want some amber jewelry, a Christmas ornament and matrushka (sp?) doll sets. Speaking of shopping, did anyone buy sweaters or mittens in Tallinn? How much did they cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gayengarry Posted May 11, 2013 #87 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Gaye, Not long to go and it's your turn.....safe trip to Copenhagen. Thanks mate, 3 days & counting :D:D Keen to see your review of St Petersburg, we've also booked the 2 day tour with SPB in June Looks like the weather is being kind to you Cheers, G&G :):cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #88 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Day 5 St Petersburg...Day 1 Yesterday we had our first full day in St Petersburg,our group met in the vip area on the Star for early exit of of the ship.......most of us are staying in suites and we took advantage of this great perk. The queue off the ship was very long,but we were one of the first off the ship.......the Russian authority's had a lot of custom officers on duty...I would take a guess and say around thirty booths were open for passport control....the process was quick and we were into the cruise terminal. I heard that there was a long wait on the Star for people getting off.......some said 1 hour in the line,but we didn’t experience that. We were met by Spb at the arrivals area and were checked off there list....we were taken too nice 18 seater bus too wait for our guide Elena and driver . There was some confusion with missing passengers who were stuck on the Star and a quick chat too Victoria the owner of Spb and was decided too start the tour and the others could catch up at the next stop. The weather was wet for most of the day,with light rain falling....SP only gets 66 days of full sunshine a year and this was our first bad weather day on this cruise . We started the day with a visit too Peter and Paul’s fortress and Cathedral,this is a large fort and burial place for the Russian emperors......we visited for around 1 hour and got to see the where Tsar Peter the great is buried.Due to the bad weather the hydrofoil to the Peterhof was cancelled and we had to take the bus for 45 mins instead. The Peterhof has the most magnificent gardens and fountains,very much like Versailles in Paris....we spent one hour walking around the gardens and then stopped for lunch next door to the Peterhof,lunch was a simple dish of soup,stroganoff and ice cream. Some of us had the local beer as well,it was a extra $3 . We were then taken to Catherine's palace,this was the highlight of the day.......huge palace with amazing rooms,including the Amber room.the weather was on improve by now and sun was starting to come out....Catherine's palace is about 1 hour outside od SP and we started to head back into town. We made a stop to look at the subway system,some of the group stayed on the bus,but most of us went down inside the subway to see these huge stations....each station was fitted out superbly and it was like entering a large hall with huge arch-ways. We arrived back at the port at 6.30 pm,none of our group were doing the evening tours,so we were in no hurry to get back too the ship...Victoria from Spb was at the port welcoming all the tours back and checking if anyone needed any information on the tours....she was very busy that day....Spb tours had over 300 people doing private tours and there busses were all lined up. A quick passport check and we were back on the Star. Over view of day Fantastic day tour,the bus was large and comfortable and our guide was great....there was nothing she didn’t know....her knowledge of Saint Petersburg is first class and she did a great job showing us the sights. Day 6 Today day 2 of our Saint Petersburg tour,we leave the Star at 8.00 am for second part of tour Todays highlights Tour of canals by boat Early entry into Hermitage museum Church of our savior Yusupovs palace St Isaacs Cathedral Church of the spilled blood Weather looks good today,the sun is out. All aboard 6.30 pm tonight Tomorrow Helsinki ,Finland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #89 Share Posted May 12, 2013 The internet speed on the Star is very slow...will be posting photos as soon as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjnyc323 Posted May 12, 2013 #90 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Great review Duncan. Thanks Suzanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #91 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Free wifi in the Hermitage cafe. Great tour today......the westher is clear skys Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #92 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Saint Petersburg photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #93 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #94 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #95 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #96 Share Posted May 12, 2013 The Hermitage Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #97 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #98 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Spb tour bus...very roomy. Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #99 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted May 12, 2013 Author #100 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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