Detailed Review and Journal - NCL Star Baltic Cruise July 27-Aug 5

[aleeturk]

Ship docked at 8am and based on what I read beforehand I expected that it will take a long time for customs to clear. I waited till I heard the announcement that customs has cleared before I went down to Deck 7. By that time the line to get off the ship has gotten all the way back to the Red Lion Pub. Still, once we were allowed to go, the line moved very quickly. But then you have to line up again to go through passport control. It took me about 20 minutes, I think. Once I got outside, it was very easy to spot the bright orange signs of SPB. They have many tours at a time so they need to look up which van they have assigned you and then direct you to your tour guide. I was the last one in my 14-person tour to get on the van and I was quite embarrassed. We left the dock at about 8:40 and we still got to do pretty much everything on the agenda. One couple on the van said they took the forward elevators and they got off the ship pretty quickly, only to wait for me, unfortunately. The second day was much faster. There was no wait to get off the ship and the line at passport control was much shorter. Everyone on my tour got to the van by 7:30am.

[Westend_Girl]

Thanks very much for posting your detailed review. Very helpful.

 

If you don't mind could you share what you paid for meals in USD in Copenhagen and Stockholm. Did you make any purchases in Tallin/Helsinki? Were prices more reasonable for items there?

[CaliforniaDreamer]

I wont be taking this cruise but enjoyed reading it anyway.

[aleeturk]

In Copenhagen:

 

Both Riz Raz and Tight have websites will full menu and prices:

 

http://rizraz.dk/da/menuer/st-kannikestraede/steaks

 

http://www.tight-cph.dk/menucard.html

 

To convert to USD, I use Yahoo Finance Currency Converter. You can even print out a pocket guide to bring with you. I found that these conversion prices are the closest to what my bank uses when I withdraw local currency from a local ATM machine. If you convert money at the Copenhagen Airport inside the baggage claim area, expect to pay about 5-6% more. San Francisco Airport currency exchange is the worst, the rates including fees and commissions are about 10% more. At the Copenhagen Airport, there are ATM's in the Arrivals Hall, after you come out of baggage claim. If you cannot find them, just ask at the information booths. They are very helpful.

 

In Stockholm:

 

Here is the menu for Cafe Sten Sture:

 

http://www.cafestensture.se/eng/menu.html

 

They accept Euros and Dollars. I paid in Euros and it came to about 10% more than if I had paid in SEK.

[aleeturk]

Westend_Girl,

 

I am afraid I am not much of a shopper. The only things I buy are postcards and stamps. :-) I bought a pair of earrings, handmade in Estonia (or so it claims,) and it was only 10 Euros.

 

Amy

[Westend_Girl]

Thanks very much Amy!

 

I'll be spending a few days in Copenhagen before sailing so this helps with budgeting. I think the prices for these meals are actually quite reasonable. A friend of mine has "warned" me how "expensive" Copenhagen can be. When I travel I tend to stop in a market to buy cheese, fruit and bread or crackers to snack on and if I'm still hungry, buy a restaurant meal.

[aleeturk]

You're welcome! This is exactly why I post, to help people like you plan and budget. If you like to stop by a market, then I think you will really enjoy the Stockmann Deli in Helsinki. As for Copenhagen, it is like any city in that there are many varied dining options. Eating on the Nyhavn can be very expensive. But you are paying for the location, the view, the ambiance, the people watching, the live music, etc. When I arrived at Hotel Bethel I was tired and just wanted something cheap and fast. They directed me to a Thai takeout place across the street. Of course it was much cheaper than the prices at Riz Raz and Tight. But the food was good nonetheless.

[spiritreturn]

Hi, you mentioned in one part of your review that the only way to access the Versailles Dining room was by stairs, is there no lift? we are booked on a Mexico/TA in 2014, we will be on the boat for 27 days (debarking at Dover 2 days early) I have bad knees and hips and cannot do stairs, so, will I be able to eat in the dining room, I hope so,

[aleeturk]

Dear Spritreturn,

 

I am sorry to hear about the knee and hip problems. The rear elevators can take you to Deck 7, right in front of the Versailles dining room entrance. But Versailles is actually located on Deck 6. So, from the elevators, there is half a flight of stairs to get to the Hostess's station, and another half a flight of stairs going down to the dining room. That being said, just because I don't know of any other way of getting there doesn't mean there isn't one. And based on the service level that I encountered, I would encourage you to ask the staff for assistance and see what they can do for you. I believe many other restaurants, including Aqua, the other complimentary restaurant, can be reached by elevators and require no stairs.

 

Hope that helps and enjoy your trip!

 

Amy

[SonomaMist]

Aleeturk -- thank you for all of your posts. Heading out in a few weeks for the 9/1 sailing and this is very, very helpful.

 

Happy cruising.

Kathy, Sonoma

[gra2172]

aleeturk:

Thanks for all the information. It will be very helpful on the cruise we are taking on September 1st. I would appreciate getting the river boat tour schedule you offered. Also the laundry list so we can plan on what to take. Is there a tour that avoids the Hermitage that you know of and can recommend?

We will no doubt have additional questions as we further review your helpful information but will appreciate getting what we are requesting here.

funguy bob

 

I had mentioned my dislike of the Hermitage to someone else and they had suggested the Peterhoff or Catherines palace instead. Of course we wont be going to Russia again anytime soon, but I would check out one of those tours if we did.

 

We also took the waterways and church of the spilled blood tour (Its a combo). Both are really neat. With the canal tour you arent sitting in traffic or dealing with crowds.

[funguy92009]

aleeturk:

What is your take on obtaining the various foreign currencies for this trip? Should we get them from our bank before the cruise or pick up what we need on board ship?

Also, how can I get the schedule for the water taxi to Rostok from you. Do you need my direct email address?

Thanks,

Bob

[aleeturk]

Hi Kathy,

 

You are very very welcome and I hope you have a very very enjoyable trip! Hey, we are practically neighbors!

 

Amy

[aleeturk]

Hi Bob,

 

I have attached the Warnemunde/Rostock river boat schedule to post #21 on this thread. Let me know if you have problems opening the attachments.

 

As for the various currencies, I struggled with it a little bit and here is what I think:

 

1. Danish Kroners: If you are going to spend a few days in Copenhagen, I recommend getting some DKK from the ATM at the Copenhagen airport. Best exchange rates and most convenient, assuming you have an ATM card that is on the Plus or Cirrus system and has a 4-digit PIN.

 

2. Euros: I think it is really handy to carry Euros on this itinerary. It is the official currency in Germany, Estonia and Finland and is widely accepted at the other ports. I had some leftover Euros from a prior trip and that's what I used. If I hadn't have that, I would have looked for an ATM at Warnemunde.

 

3. Russian Rubles: If you are on a tour in St. Petersburg, then I think it is unnecessary to carry any Rubles. I tipped my tour guide and driver in U.S. dollars. I tried to be a bit more generous since I am assuming it will be an inconvenience to them but my Russian boyfriend thinks that they will prefer it because the dollar is deemed a more stable currency. The shopping places that our tour took us to all accept USD and Euros.

 

4. Swedish Kroners: I decided not to get any SEK for just a few hours in Stockholm. I used my credit card wherever I could and Euros for other places. No problem at all.

 

There is an ATM machine on the ship. I have not used it so I don't know if there are any fees. But I have heard from other passengers that it doesn't always work, it runs out of cash, etc.

 

If your bank will do foreign exchange for you, then it certainly sounds convenient. The only thing I would suggest is check rates and fees and make sure you are comfortable with them.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Amy

[aleeturk]

I had mentioned my dislike of the Hermitage to someone else and they had suggested the Peterhoff or Catherines palace instead. Of course we wont be going to Russia again anytime soon, but I would check out one of those tours if we did.

 

We also took the waterways and church of the spilled blood tour (Its a combo). Both are really neat. With the canal tour you arent sitting in traffic or dealing with crowds.

 

I agree with the canal boat tour. I really enjoyed it. It was overcast the day we had our canal boat ride and it was chilly. But they have blankets on the boats.

 

I actually enjoyed the Hermitage. In fact, my only complaint was that we didn't see enough of it. I guess I am the minority here. I was more frustrated with Peterhof, which was extremely crowded when we were there and we didn't get to go into any of the buildings. In addition to tourists, there were wedding parties and photographers because it is such a beautiful backdrop to wedding photos.

[aleeturk]

I was at the bookstore yesterday and saw that Rick Steves' new guidebook on European Cruise Ports is now available. I wish I had this guidebook instead of his Scandinavian guidebook. It has more detailed information on how to get from the cruise ship ports to town and practical information such as where to find free WiFi and ATMs in each port. It includes a Warnemunde/Rostock/Berlin guide and even has a whole chapter on how to tour St. Petersburg on your own. If you like to tour ports on your own like I do, I think this book will be very handy.

[Vivsmom]

I bought this book last week, and am really enjoying it! Even though we have done tons of research, I am learning new things, and especially like the practical information like where the wifi is! It is a big book but it is coming on the trip when we leave on Wednesday; luckily my husband gets to lug the carry on!

[meaclasact2]

We will be on this cruise in September. We were on the Star last year and are familiar with the ship. Thank you so much for your terrific review. I enjoyed it immensely.

 

I am also a big Rick Steves fan...but we also enjoy taking the shore excursions. I try to combine a shorex and Rick's self guided tours. Rick's books have always enhanced our visits...if you ever do a Med cruise, purchase his book for Med Cruise Ports. He is the best.

 

Again...thank you for this wonderful review!

[aleeturk]

We will be on this cruise in September. We were on the Star last year and are familiar with the ship. Thank you so much for your terrific review. I enjoyed it immensely.

 

I am also a big Rick Steves fan...but we also enjoy taking the shore excursions. I try to combine a shorex and Rick's self guided tours. Rick's books have always enhanced our visits...if you ever do a Med cruise, purchase his book for Med Cruise Ports. He is the best.

 

Again...thank you for this wonderful review!

 

Thanks! I am glad you enjoyed it. The first cruise I ever did was a Mediterranean cruise. It was many years ago before I discovered Rick Steves and I made a lot of mistakes on that cruise, including feeling unfulfilled seeing so little in Florence and getting mugged in Naples. But I have since gone back to Italy on my own a few times and I found RS guides to be most helpful in staying safe, spending time and money wisely and touring sights and museums using his self-guided tours. I am not opposed to taking tours. In some places it simply makes more sense. Even Rick recommended taking tours instead of doing it on your own for some of the ports. Doing it on your own every day on a 9-night cruise can be quite exhausting. I must admit that it was a nice change of pace to be on a tour in St. Petersburg not having to worry about public transportation, safety, standing in line for tickets and making it back to the ship on time.