Advice on ports of call

[skioncruises]

When we went to the port talk for St Petersburg last August we were told that anyone going on the trips during day and the ballet in the evening should lay out all their clothes etc. before they left the ship in the morning as the traffic is horrendous and when they returned it would literally be a "quick change and run round the buffet" before heading out to the ballet. There were those who did not go to the port talk so missed this information.:eek:

[Jakanne1]

I remember someone last year or before mentioning that there wasn't much time to get changed to go to the evening ballet so will definitely be prepared. Good to see that I won't be the only one going Solo.

 

Must get my Countdown changed, eh Linda?

Edited January 27, 2015 by Jakanne1

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Re the traffic in St Petersburg, my brother booked two trips in one day, but the morning one was so late getting back that he didn't get back in time to do the afternoon one. We just did a half day trip each day, but as you know we are wimps :o

 

Someone on our dining table went for a trip that included a meal in the evening and when we saw him the next day we asked him what it was like and he said "We had a typical Russian meal - curry!"

[Little Nell]

Thanks very much everyone for the very informative advice :)

 

Keep it coming folks ;)

[joeholiday2]

Just watched Sunday's Top Gear.

 

Maybe they will put on a hovercraft trip for the guys.... :D:D

[happy v]

The first one is a general tour of the famous city landmarks with time at some including the Hermitage.

 

The second day is the Peterhof and Catherine Palaces.

 

We did more or less the same. Only difference we did Hermitage and gold room, and then saw the sights from a river cruise. The weather was fabulous for us and I wished I'd known before hand as the river cruise on the evening would be great.

 

Regarding traffic, everyone had warned us how bad it was however we were there on Saturday and Sunday and it was no problem. We did four half days easily.

[Little Nell]

Our first day is Friday, happy v, so we will catch the traffic but hopefully Saturday sounds a bit better.

 

What you did with the Hermitage with the Gold room and river cruise sounds lovely but I don't recall seeing a daytime cruise. I will have another look. Did you see other things en route? It definitely sounds more relaxing!

[CRUISIN LINDA]

We did the river cruise (that as on RCI) It was fabulous, a bit like Venice and we then went to the Yusupov Palace where Rasputin was murdered. Traffic was not too bad, but can't remember what day of the week it was.

[happy v]

Our first day is Friday, happy v, so we will catch the traffic but hopefully Saturday sounds a bit better.

 

What you did with the Hermitage with the Gold room and river cruise sounds lovely but I don't recall seeing a daytime cruise. I will have another look. Did you see other things en route? It definitely sounds more relaxing!

 

I've just been looking at photographs to remember what we saw on the cruise and the only thing I can name off hand is the Church of the Spilled Blood :o. So I will check the names of the others and get back to you............as a tall spikey golden tower, isn't much use at all.;)

It will probably be tomorrow.

[Little Nell]

Think we only see tge outsude of that one happy v in our whistlestop tour. You can only see so much in 2 days xx

[happy v]

Think we only see tge outsude of that one happy v in our whistlestop tour. You can only see so much in 2 days xx

 

We weren't going to see it at all. That is how I remembered it from the cruise.

 

OK looking at the photographs and checking websites we saw Admiralty Headquarters, St Isaacs Cathedral, Peter and Paul Cathedral, Rostral Column Vaslevsky Island on the cruise. Plus several building which had been refurbished. As you said it was very relaxing after an intense morning at the Hermitage. I will point out though some of these sights were from a distance.

 

Browsing through the photographs has brought all my memories back. You and Jakanne are going to have fabulous cruises.

[Little Nell]

We weren't going to see it at all. That is how I remembered it from the cruise.

 

OK looking at the photographs and checking websites we saw Admiralty Headquarters, St Isaacs Cathedral, Peter and Paul Cathedral, Rostral Column Vaslevsky Island on the cruise. Plus several building which had been refurbished. As you said it was very relaxing after an intense morning at the Hermitage. I will point out though some of these sights were from a distance.

 

Browsing through the photographs has brought all my memories back. You and Jakanne are going to have fabulous cruises.

 

I am quite happy just to have photo opportunities, for example, of the battleship Aurora. I just want to get a feel for the place and the palaces and Hermitage are the ones I would really like to see and am happy to spend the time in. I would also like to see inside a church if possible. I would really like to see St P at night too but don't think I can be bothered with the rush to get back out again. We like to relax too :D

[CRUISIN LINDA]

We did "Easy St Petersbug" on RCI. I expect Celebrity do similar. We enjoyed it and saw quite a bit of St P. We had some free time at the Church of the Spilled Blood. If we ever go again, we can do something a bit more in depth, such as Catherine Palace or the Hermitage. You would need weeks there to see everything :rolleyes:

[Little Nell]

We did "Easy St Petersbug" on RCI. I expect Celebrity do similar. We enjoyed it and saw quite a bit of St P. We had some free time at the Church of the Spilled Blood. If we ever go again, we can do something a bit more in depth, such as Catherine Palace or the Hermitage. You would need weeks there to see everything :rolleyes:

 

Agree, Linda. I have just been looking at private tours in St P and some of them seem to be meeting more of our requirements than the ship tours do. More research required I think before a final decision.

[sennen]

Zeebrugge has got some very good beaches, we were they last December, we had a walk around the shops the chocolate is a lot cheaper than Brugge. Also you can take the tram along the coast or go to Ostend on the tram or go to Antwerp.

[Little Nell]

Zeebrugge has got some very good beaches, we were they last December, we had a walk around the shops the chocolate is a lot cheaper than Brugge. Also you can take the tram along the coast or go to Ostend on the tram or go to Antwerp.

 

Thanks for that, Sennen. I remember taking the tram along the coast before. Where can you catch it in Zeebrugge?

[happy v]

I am quite happy just to have photo opportunities, for example, of the battleship Aurora. I just want to get a feel for the place and the palaces and Hermitage are the ones I would really like to see and am happy to spend the time in. I would also like to see inside a church if possible. I would really like to see St P at night too but don't think I can be bothered with the rush to get back out again. We like to relax too :D

 

I can't remember the battleship, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there just something that wouldn't attract my attention. However if you are interested, on the way out of St. P. there is a ship graveyard. Apparently all the ships sank in the war are left as a memorial.

[Little Nell]

I can't remember the battleship, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there just something that wouldn't attract my attention. However if you are interested, on the way out of St. P. there is a ship graveyard. Apparently all the ships sank in the war are left as a memorial.

 

The trip we are looking at stops for photographs. It is an iconic symbol of the Russain revolution. It fired it's gun to signal the start of the Russian Revolution in 1917. As a history buff I would like to see it.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Is this the one Eleanor?

 

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Lots of weddings when we were there :)

 

[Little Nell]

Is this the one Eleanor?

 

 

 

Looks like it, Linda :)

[Little Nell]

Does anyone know where we are likely to dock in Warnemunde?

 

Is it far from the town itself?

[Little Nell]

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. They have been very helpful.

 

We have decided on:

 

Zeebrugge. A quietish day as it is a short day in port. Think we will take the tram along the coast and a wander about Zeebrugge.

 

Warnemunde. Train to Rostock in the morning and time in Warnemunde in the afternoon.

 

Tallinn. The old town but might do the hoho and see the Estonian museum. We like the commentary on the Hoho. A friend did a taxi tour and said it was brilliant, that they saw lots that others hadn't managed to see. I will ask him for more info on that.

 

St P. We decided on the private tour which includes more of the things we want to see than the ship's tours.

[kruzseeka]

Does anyone know where we are likely to dock in Warnemunde?

 

Is it far from the town itself?

 

Bang slap in the middle! :D

The ship docks parallel to the train station - turn right after disembarking past the ferry, turn left, left again so you've doubled back on yourself and there is the train station. Carry on once turning left at the ferry over the bridge and you're in the town! Cafes down the waterfront, walk past them to the lighthouse - beach on the left. Small, compact, pretty and a great stop for wandering and relaxing!

[Little Nell]

Bang slap in the middle! :D

The ship docks parallel to the train station - turn right after disembarking past the ferry, turn left, left again so you've doubled back on yourself and there is the train station. Carry on once turning left at the ferry over the bridge and you're in the town! Cafes down the waterfront, walk past them to the lighthouse - beach on the left. Small, compact, pretty and a great stop for wandering and relaxing!

 

Great info. Thanks Kruzseeka. Duly noted :D