Question to returning Red October/Denrus Star passengers regarding lunches

[DON M.]

Having just returned from our Jewel cruise, our 2-day tour with Denrus was certainly the highlight.

Our day 1 experience with lunch was amusing to say the least. Our guide, Ludmella, is from the "old school", former professor, and was fantastic. However, when we gave her and the driver sandwiches, fruit, cookies, etc. she said "is that it". She was not happy and said in Russia ,lunch is the main meal. To make her happy, we agreed to let her take us to a cafe the second day. Very good, fast, and inexpensive.

I have received an apology letter from Denrus for our guides "bad manners". All of the passengers I spoke with said that their guides were very pleased with the lunch they brought from the ship. Would they all rather go to a cafe or restaurant? I would bet they would.

[VinTek]

We were on the July 2 Constellation sailing and toured St Petersburg with Red October. Rather than try to save time, we considered lunch part of the experience and opted for lunch with a Russian family (booked through Red October). This was the highlight of the cruise for my husband, myself and our 8 year old son. We had lunch in the flat of a 50ish year old widow with her and her 20 something year old son. She has her masters in aeronautical engineering but since Perestroika, has lost her job and teaches English. Her son has the only bedroom in the flat (he is studying for his masters degree) and she sleeps on the couch. The son was getting married the week after we were there and his bride was moving in with them. Was the food worth what we paid (around $20 each)- probably not, but the insight into how Russians live and how they feel about their country- priceless!

 

We were on the June 24th sailing of the Star Princess and also opted to have lunch with a Russian family through Red October. We wound up with a retired Russian ballerina who currently teaches dance and her 18-year-old first year university student daughter. It was a fascinating experience and I have since struck up an e-mail correspondence with the daughter (the mother does not speak English). For anyone who goes on a Red October tour, I'd say that meeting a Russian family would certainly be something very different from the usual tour-the-sights itinerary you'd ordinarily get in a port.

[SaylorGirl]

Having just returned from our Jewel cruise, our 2-day tour with Denrus was certainly the highlight.

Our day 1 experience with lunch was amusing to say the least. Our guide, Ludmella, is from the "old school", former professor, and was fantastic. However, when we gave her and the driver sandwiches, fruit, cookies, etc. she said "is that it". She was not happy and said in Russia ,lunch is the main meal. To make her happy, we agreed to let her take us to a cafe the second day. Very good, fast, and inexpensive.

I have received an apology letter from Denrus for our guides "bad manners". All of the passengers I spoke with said that their guides were very pleased with the lunch they brought from the ship. Would they all rather go to a cafe or restaurant? I would bet they would.

 

I am finding this scene rather hilarious!!

[VinTek]

I am finding this scene rather hilarious!!

 

Our guide was also what I would call "old school" a professor at St. Petersburg University (taught applied languages). We had no complaint about food; it could be that we opted for a restaurant the first day and ate with a Russian family the 2nd day.

 

I will say that having an "old school" or Soviet era guide has it's advantages. I saw this for myself in at Peterhof. We'd been delayed by horrendous traffic and got there at 4PM. Now Montplaisir Palace closes at 5PM, but when we got there, they had for some reason decided to close early, and there were some other befuddled tourists wanting to get in. Our guide didn't waste any time with the young ladies closing up the place. She built up a full head of steam and went looking for someone in authority. After about 15 minutes, she came back with a very harried older woman who opened the palace for us and was very apologetic. I don't know what our guide said to her, but this woman seemed quite intimidated.

 

The other things I really liked about her was that she told us what she really thought. You'd ask her a question that might not be on the "approved list of things to discuss" and she'd dance around the question, but she'd drop enough subtle information to give us the answer. I liked that a lot. Our guide was not smooth and polished; she was real and direct. I think it made a heckuva difference.

[Compass Rose Monica]

Having just returned from our Jewel cruise, our 2-day tour with Denrus was certainly the highlight.

Our day 1 experience with lunch was amusing to say the least. Our guide, Ludmella, is from the "old school", former professor, and was fantastic. However, when we gave her and the driver sandwiches, fruit, cookies, etc. she said "is that it". She was not happy and said in Russia ,lunch is the main meal. To make her happy, we agreed to let her take us to a cafe the second day. Very good, fast, and inexpensive.

I have received an apology letter from Denrus for our guides "bad manners". All of the passengers I spoke with said that their guides were very pleased with the lunch they brought from the ship. Would they all rather go to a cafe or restaurant? I would bet they would.

 

Our group also had Ludmila, who sometimes seemed stern. Maybe that's the "old school" about her. There were a couple of times where she made comments we didn't appreciate but overall she was a great tour guide. She certainly knew her history!

 

I selected two place for lunch for our two-day tour: The Grand Hotel Europa with its wonderful $16 buffet lunch - great variety of foods; and Bliny Domik, a very small, local place (we were the only Americans there). Ludmila was qutie surprised that I found Bliny Domik - she had never heard of it and stated she would bring new customers there. A few in the group had leftovers (the portions were large) so they gave it to our driver, who appreciated it. We did treat them to lunch there.

 

Monica

[shmabbies]

SophieK, We lunched with the same widow and her son in September 2003 and appreciated being "updated" on their lives. I would not have passed up that lunch for anything in the world. One question - they had a very elderly orange cat at the time, I was amazed at how old it was considering it probably has had no vet care and who knows what for food. Do you know if the cat is still alive? For anyone else who lunched with the widow & her son - if anyone has their e-mail address, my one regret is that I did not ask for it. I believe she told us she and/or her son did have an address, though obviously not a computer. Thanks! :D

[tclowe]

Monica:

 

Would you mind posting the address of the two eateries that you asked the Denrus guide to take you for lunch? We are doing a 1 1/2 day tour with Denrus and we would like to go some place like Bliny for the first full day and then relax with a nice lunch like at the Grand Europa Hotel for the 1/2 day tour.

 

What kind of foods were offered at the two places? Plus, would small children (very adventurous, not picky eaters) be appropriate at these establishments?

 

Thanks.

Cynthia

[Compass Rose Monica]

If you go to this link on my web site, http://www.luvtotravel.homestead.com/Petersburgdining.html, you'll have the information for both restaurants. If your children are adventurous, then both should be fine. The hotel restaurant is a little more upscale, although still casual. Bliny Domik was a fun place, very small with tables close together. See my photos http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=977986293205 here. Photo #76 is my plate of food from Europa. Photos #94-98 were taken at Bliny Domik (with Ludmila too).

 

 

Monica :)

 

PS: I might have the menu I received from the hotel if interested. If so, email me directly.

[tclowe]

Thank you so much for sharing Monica! I loved looking at the photos. You cruised with a fun bunch. Actually, a couple of the men really could pass off as European royalty with the red sash!

 

The food photos looked yummy also. I think my kids will love the bliny, especially if they could ask for different toppings. Looks like a French Crepe. Your Denrus guide looks a little like my son's ballroom dance teacher, stern and direct (and we love Ms. Natasha to death!)

 

Thanks again.

Cynthia

[Compass Rose Monica]

Cynthia,

 

We had a blast together, especially our Royal Order night. You can read about it on my web site (click on the Baltic Journal page). It was a good group of people. Glad you liked the photos. I took tons but posted only those "few."

 

Yes, the blinys were similar to the French crepe - at least the ones I had (filled with chicken and mushrooms). There are different toppings to choose from.

 

Have a great time and email me when you return. I'd love to hear about your trip.

 

Monica