Baltics Review - July 2 - 14, 2005 Jewel of the Seas

[Host Anne]

More great photos, Mary....thanks! Can't wait to see St. Petersburg!

[thecruisechick]

Thanks Anne,

 

 

I'm waiting to see yours!

 

M

[mikenmar]

Anne,

 

Ahit is not available when we are there.

 

NHCruiser : Thank you for the private tours info. I have emailed them.

 

Cruisechick: Thank you for the pictures. Now I am getting excited and can't wait to go.

 

All your information has been helpful.

 

Marion

[thecruisechick]

St Petersburg

 

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=9lbbhid.4gm9jp4l&x=1&y=bmrddy

[sultan_sfo]

Host Anne:

Have been following your Q & A with interest!

Are you aware of any phone cards purchased in CPH that can be used to call USA from most of the Baltic countries? For example, IDT Phone cards claim that. There have been conflicting posts about phone card bought in CPH. Any suggestions? Thanks. /Sultan

[Ready4cruz'n]

Regarding Ahti Arak, we had coordinated many months in advance. He informed us that his access to the ship had been pushed back to outside of the gate, due to security considerations. We had a short walk, but there was Ahti and his driver just outside of the port's perimeter!

 

There were 6 of us and we had a terrific tour. Estonia is thriving, now that it is out from under the Soviet thumb! I was happy for Estonia and happy that we had booked the knowledgeable and personable Ahti. Estonia was one of the highlights of the trip!

[RonBrannon]

Anne - We originally scheduled lunch off ship for both days of our private tour in St. Petersburg. Our tour is with Red October. In an effort to save time, our TA took the lunch stop out. Is this a good idea? If so, do you remember if there was a box lunch offered by the ship? Thanks in advance for your advice.

[Host Anne]

Sorry I haven't been back in a couple of days...biz travel and work all weekend -- trying to catch up after a long cruise :)

 

Sultan ~ I'm sorry, I don't know about the phone card in CPH ... the one's I provided were good for international calls from the US but I know all the crew will be back in Florida before long. Perhaps someone else might know. Try asking on the Baltics Ports of Call!

 

Ready ~ we agree...Ahti was GREAT. We just didn't have a clear communication what outside the dock area meant.

 

Ron ~ we didn't stop for lunch, either. We had determined this before leaving the states. I took ziplock bags and made sandwiches from items I got at Windjammer the first day. On the second day, when I went to get things for sandwiches, they had fried chicken on the buffet, so I grabbed that for lunch instead. I had brought along pre-packaged snacks like Ritz-Bits and Teddy Grahams to take along. I also got cookies (healthy lunches, I know) from the Windjammer and Lattitudes (the coffee shop). I didn't take any unpeeled fruit (things like a banana or apple would be OK) and no one checked or asked. We also brough lunch for our guide and driver each day. The first day, Mary brough them lunch and the second day I did. We stopped each day for about 25 - 30 minutes to eat (the first day outside Peterhof and the second inside a souvenir shop. Hope this helps!

 

Mary ~ it could be Christmas till you see any photos. I knew how awful it would be when we got back....non-stop work days including weekends. I've looked at my photos and started to name them but I'm probably not 15% there as of now. No idea when I'll get it finished. We take Amanda to college in just a little over two weeks AHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!! If there's anything specific you want to see, let me know and I'll email it to you! BTW ~ you're photos were AWESOME!

[RonBrannon]

Anne - Thanks so much for responding back so quickly. Great idea on the zip lock bags and also bringing lunch for the guide and driver. I think we'll do the same. On your review, you mentioned not to pay attention to what RCCL says in regards of when to get off the ship in St. Pete. Do you suggest that we get down to the gangway right after we dock to beat the Ship Tours people through immigration? My TA suggested we do this because the line gets real long.

[thecruisechick]

Hi Anne,

I hear you on the work thing. I don't know how I got through my pictures so fast. Also I diddn't write a review and you and Jean did so while you were writing I was naming pictures. I'll wait to see your pictures. Good luck with bringing Amanda to school. I remember the day we dropped Kelly off I cried all the way home, I felt like my heart was torn out, but you get through it.

Ron,

Proceed to the gangway at 7:30 am and you'll be ok. The people going to Moscow get off first (they have flights to catch) and the crew will hold you back until they go, but if you get there at 7:30 nobody will bother you. When you get into the immigration area go right and there will be a desk that says independent tours, go there. Do not forget your passport copy and the DenRus or Red October invoice for your tour. The lines will not be that long because 90% of the people are going on the ship tour and you'll breeze straight through.

It's very easy and quick.

[Host Anne]

Mary ~ did you have to remind me about the crying thing???? :( Poor Andy....we go from South Bend to Chicago for meetings. I hope I'm not crying all the way there :) Still haven't printed out a photo. Didn't get home from work until 8:30 tonight and I was at the office at 7:30 AM. There must be a better way. I'll get to the photos sooner or later....

 

 

Ron ~ Mary is right. Head down to the gangway at 7:30 AM. You can walk right off. I still have to write RCI the letter about the lies they tell about Russian Immigration preventing us from getting off. It's just not true. The Independant Tour line was open and waiting for us when we got off at 7:30 AM. It's a ploy by RCI to get people to use their tours. I have nothing against RCI tours .... I just prefer much smaller groups to tour with. It really makes me angry that they lie. The second day, the Independent Tour line wasn't open....we just walked through and went through the regular tour lines. Russian immigration couldn't care less! Sorry to rant....lying is a sore spot with me. There's no need to do it!

 

Happy Tuesday, all!

[RonBrannon]

Anne & Mary - Thanks so much for the advice. We have several people taking private tours in St. Pete that are totally confused. I posted your response on our 8/19 thread. You can rest assure that my group of 8 will be downstairs at 7:30 a.m. Again, thanks very much.

[Host Anne]

You're welcome, Ron. It reminds me that I still need to write a letter to RCI to encourage them to discontinue the lies they publish about disembarkation in St. Petersburg. I'd much rather have them say "we want our tours to get off first" instead of trying to place the blame on Russian immigration. I hate lies! You'll have a great time. ENJOY

[thecruisechick]

Ron,

 

No problem and have a great time and wear heel pads because you'll be walking your feet off. I ended up with a heel spur on my left foot that's still bugging me. My P/T told me if I had gel heel pads in my shoes it would not have happened. We did walk alot!

 

Have fun.

 

Mary

[RonBrannon]

Anne - I was wondering if you had to pay to take pictures in any of the other countries other than Russia? In Russia, did you have to pay to take pictures even outside the venues etc? If you did pay, how did you handle the payment? Sorry about all the last minute questions. Have a nice day.

 

Mary - Thanks for the suggestion about heal pads. I posted it on our board and several people commented that they are going to take your recommendation.

[thecruisechick]

Ron,

 

Jean (NHCruiser) provided me with this list, so even though I posted, thanks to Jean.

 

Have a great time and if you eat in Chops get the Beefsteak Tomato Salad with blue cheese, it's yummy. ;)

And rest those weary feet!

 

 

Hermitage (US$4.00)

Peterhof (charged only for inside the Palace)

 

Church on Spilled Blood (US$2.00)

 

St Isaac's Cathedral (US$2.00)

 

Yusopov Palace (US$2.00)

[Host Anne]

Ron ~ we didn't pay for photos anywhere else other than St. Petersburg. Some of the photo fees were included with our fee to DenRus -- I think Church of the Spilled Blood and St. Issacs were the two that weren't included in our original tour fee and we had to pay extra upon entrance if we wanted to take photos. For the couple of extra dollars, it's worth it.

 

No additional photo fees anywhere else - so shoot away. I took some 1,700 shots. Still haven't had time to sort and print or post them. Work has been too busy :( Have a fabulous time!