Shore excursions Vikings Homelands

[Nursekmr]

On Viking Homelands tour (Baltics) 8/2019. 2 days in St. Petersburg. We do NOT want to get a Russian visa so know we cannot tour St. Petersburg on our own. But can we do a tour with any tour company or does it have to be through cruise ship? Any recommendations? Would love a private tour if possible.

Edited April 29, 2019 by Nursekmr

[Mehroswitha]

You must have a Russian visa to go on shore--whether on your own or with a tour--but any reputable tour company will take care of it on your behalf just as your cruise line will if you sign on for one of their excursions. You don't need to send in your passport or anything like that. They just gather the needed information from you ahead of time.

 

We were very happy with Alla Tours, but if you check the Ports of Call section of Cruise Critic you can probably find lots of reports on them and other companies. We had a group of six--I don't know if that's typical or not. Another place to look for information is the Cruise Critic roll calls--not only for your departure but also others that include St. Petersburg. There you can read and benefit from the information others have gathered or possibly even connect with fellow passengers.

[JenRonn1104]

We were on this cruise in May and did a private tour through TJ Travel for two days in St Petersburg and they provided the Visa and all went smoothly when we got off the ship both days.  I would highly recommend trying them.  I have also heard that Alla Tours is excellent also.  You are going to love this cruise.

 

[ropomo]

Just to clarify regarding Visas.  Neither Viking or a private company obtain or provide a Visa.  Russian law waives the need for a Visa for visitors arriving by water, stay less than 72 hours and are accompanied by a tour company licensed by the Russian government.  There is no Visa involved, only a waiver of the requirement to have one.  The conversations on these boards is semantically incorrect.

[RetroRod]

You do not have to take the Viking tours in SPB. There are a number of private companies that offer 2 day tours that cover/visit essentially the same things Viking offers. I booked with one of these companies for about half the cost of Viking. 

[philw1776]

Private tours like TJ (we took them) and Alla are beyond excellent.  Easy to arrange. Print out as they instruct, their booking email to you.  You show that email & your passport of course to the frowning Russian agent.  After a minute or 2 of glowering, they feverishly stamp your documents and waive you thru.  Next day, they take a quick look and waive you thru again.  These tours are complete, well run, you see more and cost far less than the ship's tours.

[Nursekmr]

On 4/29/2019 at 9:13 AM, Nursekmr said:

On Viking Homelands tour (Baltics) 8/2019. 2 days in St. Petersburg. We do NOT want to get a Russian visa so know we cannot tour St. Petersburg on our own. But can we do a tour with any tour company or does it have to be through cruise ship? Any recommendations? Would love a private tour if possible.

Thanks all for your very helpful information. We are now confident in booking a tour! Thanks again.

[BruceB NYC]

Did Viking HL April-May 2018

and posted long CC Review. May be listed under “Viking Sky”. On the SP tour. Did a private 4 person tour with SPB Tour company. Needed to do some special stops. Particularly the French Impressionist Collection in a separate building and not part of regular tour. They were Excellent. A highlight for the 2 days. By far this is VIKING ocean best Itinerary. Happy Cruising. 

[Nursekmr]

On another note, (I posted this elsewhere but not sure if all of you will see it, so pardon the duplication), we are looking at taking the train to Berlin from Warnemunde. Were looking at getting a private guide in Berlin but just learned that Viking provides a 90 minute motor coach ride when we get there. Then 3.5-4 hours to explore on our own. Wondering if anyone did the train ride and motorcoach tour? Heard the train ride is fun, so we will do that, but wondering about the bus ride when we get there, and if we still need a private tour or not. Thanks!

[Dauntless]

36 minutes ago, Nursekmr said:

On another note, (I posted this elsewhere but not sure if all of you will see it, so pardon the duplication), we are looking at taking the train to Berlin from Warnemunde. Were looking at getting a private guide in Berlin but just learned that Viking provides a 90 minute motor coach ride when we get there. Then 3.5-4 hours to explore on our own. Wondering if anyone did the train ride and motorcoach tour? Heard the train ride is fun, so we will do that, but wondering about the bus ride when we get there, and if we still need a private tour or not. Thanks!

 

Did both the train and the bus but the free time was a waste on your own.  your experience may vary.  The train leave from a different station than it arrives.

[Nursekmr]

Thanks for your reply Dauntless. Did you think the bus was worthwhile? When you say that the free time was a waste on your own, does that mean you recommend a tour after the bus? I hate to waste 4 hours when I have never been to this city. Looks like our drop-off and pick-up for free time is Gendarmenmarkt, so if we do a tour after bus would start at these spots. Thanks.

[BruceB NYC]

32 minutes ago, Nursekmr said:

Thanks for your reply Dauntless. Did you think the bus was worthwhile? When you say that the free time was a waste on your own, does that mean you recommend a tour after the bus? I hate to waste 4 hours when I have never been to this city. Looks like our drop-off and pick-up for free time is Gendarmenmarkt, so if we do a tour after bus would start at these spots. Thanks.

Hi Nursekmr,

We did this cruise April 2018. On an earlier Viking trip we did the Viking Berlin bus tour which was fine for that trip.

On the HL trip we went back on the train and skipped the included bus tour and did our own tour. I did a long CC review of this HL cruise. You may find it under Viking Sky reviews and if not I can post it again. You must do research if going to do Berlin and  then after  the trainViking  bus the tour on your own. The 4 hours is good for seeing many sights. Skip a sit down lunch and take a picnic from the boat. If that's not your speed, take a private tour. Having been there twice and NOW knowing the drop off location, the Hilton Hotel, at the Gendarmenmarkt, you need a good map. There are many sights within walking distance of the hotel location. On the map things can be deceiving but in real time if you walk around and plan ahead, it's do able.  Rick Steves has a very good walking tour of Berlin. Look at videos on line. The Viking HL trip is great. 

Edited May 11, 2019 by BruceB NYC
punctuation

[Dauntless]

40 minutes ago, Nursekmr said:

Thanks for your reply Dauntless. Did you think the bus was worthwhile? When you say that the free time was a waste on your own, does that mean you recommend a tour after the bus? I hate to waste 4 hours when I have never been to this city. Looks like our drop-off and pick-up for free time is Gendarmenmarkt, so if we do a tour after bus would start at these spots. Thanks.

 

So I read Bruce's post and there's that.  The first time he did go with Viking and then he branched out.  This may be your only time there as it was for me.  We did it in 2016 and this was the second year of the line and some things might have changed by now but here's my opinion for what it's worth.  Any excursion with only 6 hrs in Berlin is going to be a 'snapshot'.   If there is something you really want to see, say a museum or attraction then can probably get a little deeper into that than a see as much as you can idea.  To do that, some will be more drive by and look with a few stops but you definitely will see things.  If you have no knowledge of German, either written or speaking then getting around on your own, while not impossible, will be hindered.   I saw people being greeted by guides when we got off the train and there might have been some that arranged for them to and from Gardermarket, I don't know.  The Hilton that is across the street can be used for bathrooms and there may be a table there for Viking but they are there for the river cruise people and your assistance will come from the booth in the park---which told us some false info.  Based on my experience, I would choose the Viking tour that covers the Train, with a panoramic tour at the beginning ,lunch on the Spree while traveling and then another tour after the lunch to other areas of the city.  You will be constantly seeing things.  Plenty of time on the train and during lunch to move about and there will be opportunities for some stops on the bus portions.  You don't have to worry about making connections or speaking the language.  The good thing about cruise touring is you see a lot and the bad thing is you don't really have time to get lost if you are there to see things you can't see from home.  Especially true if you may not get that second chance

[Nursekmr]

Bruce, is it easy for you to re-post your review of VH cruise? I find this website to be a bit cumbersome and haven't been able to find it. Thanks much. Appreciate everyone taking the time with such helpful information!

 

[BruceB NYC]

57 minutes ago, Nursekmr said:

Bruce, is it easy for you to re-post your review of VH cruise? I find this website to be a bit cumbersome and haven't been able to find it. Thanks much. Appreciate everyone taking the time with such helpful information!

 

Hi Again,

Glad to repost. It's a bit long. Also added a "Tip on Tipping". If other questions please don't hesitate. It was a great trip. 

 

VIKING SKY HOMELANDS REVIEW APRIL 28, 2018 VOYAGE

 

We were 2 couples (65+) on this wonderful cruise. Having 8 countries and 11 cities to visit was amazing. Previously we had been on 3 Viking River Cruises together, so this was our first ocean cruise, All agreed it was a great trip. Viking handled everything from beginning to end perfectly. An amazing itinerary. Great ship, excellent dining, an exceptional crew, a rating of 9.5/10!!

 

1. PRE CRUISE IDEAS -Do research using Rick Steves “Northern European Cruise Ports”.  Go on line and look at YouTube Videos of all ports and those by Rick Steves. Search past Cruise Critic postings. Many CC posts contain useful information like a complete set of the Viking Daily for a 2016 Homelands cruise. Some menus have been posted as well. Lots of good stuff on CC.

2. STUDYING VIKING MATERIALS  ---Go over the Viking website for information about each port and the various excursions. Reading the first 40 pages of the big Viking Ocean Brochure helps getting a perspective of the ship and may answer many questions you have. Look at the back pages for the “Deck Plans” to get a feel for where places are located. Helps to have a “heads up” advance to the cruise.

3. If you want to explore beyond the Viking Included Excursions, plan ahead. Cities like Helsinki, Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, & St. Petersburg have a lot to see.

4. Some of the day by day things we did. Day   Date   Description   Port Arrival   Port Depart

 

FRI APR 27, 2018 Depart Newark, NJ (EWR) – Economy  -SAT APR 28, 2018 Arrive Bergen, Norway (BGO) SAT @ 11:30 a.m. arrive on Viking Sky Veranda - 3088

SUN APR 29, 2018 Bergen, Norway 07:00 PM  If the first day is clear (we had a lot of rain) walk into town and do the funicular ride up Mount Floyen. Spectacular views.Return by 30-40 minute hike down or get the round trip (senior) tickets (one way was $6.50 pp). Day 2, we did the included bus tour, funicular, walk around town.

 

MON APR 30, 2018 Eidfjord, Norway 07:00 AM 07:00 PM Took the pricey “Scenic Flam Railway” excursion. DO IT. It one of best “once in lifetime” excursions. Includes a nice buffet lunch at the STALHEIM hotel. The view out the back was spectacular.

TUE MAY 01, 2018 Stavanger, Norway 08:00 AM 02:00 PM A nice walking tour with an amazing museum to visit.

 

WED MAY 02, 2018 Alborg, Denmark 12:30 PM 08:00  pm  A nice walking tour.

 

THU MAY 03, 2018 At Sea 01:00 At Sea 11:00 PM  Copenhagen, Denmark 08:30 AM 09:00 PM  --Skipped the included tour. Did our own thing. Left as soon as possible (8 a.m.) and followed the walking tour route into Copenhagen past the Little Mermaid, and various sights, Palace, Castle, etc. Did the Rick Steves recommended 1 hour Netto Boat tour from Nyhavn. Shuttle bus back to boat for lunch. Quick out to shuttle bus back to town. Walked along the famous Stroget, longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe. Got to City Hall and Tivoli. Shuttle bus back to ship by 6 p.m.

 

FRI MAY 04, 2018 Berlin, Germany 06:00 AM 06:30 PM  In Berlin we did our own thing. Viking does a great train ride in and out to Berlin. It includes a 1.5 hr or so bus tour. We skipped it having done it another time with Viking. Instead, from the arrival train station we took the S-Bahn metro towards the Reichstag. Walked along the Spree River to get there. Had reservations for a public free audio tour of the Reichstag Dome. (Do Dome reservations online). Picnic lunch in the park. Short walk to the Brandenbugh Gate. Long walk along the Unter Den Linden, then to the return Viking bus located outside the Hilton Hotel by far end of the Gendarmenmarkt. While waiting to load the return buses to the train, at the nearby Dom Curry, try the local Curry Wurst Sausage with a side of excellent sweet potato fries plus a roll (7.40 euros).

 

SAT MAY 05, 2018 Gdansk, Poland 01:00 AM 10:00 PM Did the 3.5 hour walking tour. A total gem and surprise of a city (once known as Danzig).

 

SUN MAY 06, 2018 At Sea

MON MAY 07, 2018 Tallinn, Estonia 07:00 AM 03:00 PM  A 2 mile 2 hour walking tour. Again a total surprise and gem of a medieval town. The harder walk was really easy.

 

TUE MAY 08, 2018 St. Petersburg, Russia 07:00 AM & WED MAY 09, 2018 St. Petersburg, Russia 06:00 PM --Did a 2 day customized private tour with SPB TOURS. Got to see the Impressionists Collection now housed in the new location-General Staff Building. Had a Metro ride and everything else you should see. Great and exciting tour. A+

 

THU MAY 10, 2018 Helsinki, Finland 07:00 AM 04:00 PM -Did the 8a.m. 3 hour bus tour. Got back for shipboard lunch. Took the shuttle back in and walked all around. Up and down the Esplanade and Markets. Shuttle bus back to ship by 3:30 p.m..

 

FRI MAY 11, 2018 Stockholm, Sweden 09:00 AM-Up at 5 a.m. for the entrance into Stockholm. The islands going in are a sight to see. Viewing on deck 3 forward, decks 7 or 8, or your veranda. Wow!! Got the first 2 hour bus tour out. Stayed in town to walk around Gamla Stan (old town). Visited two key places. A tour of the City Hall and then a long walk to the Vasa Museum. Shuttle bus back by 6 p.m. A long day.

 

SAT MAY 12, 2018 Depart Stockholm, Sweden (ARN)  -SAT MAY 12, 2018 Arrive Newark, NJ (EWR)

 

5. Some tips-things we learned  ---Being in the lower Veranda Deck cabin meant we had the last choice for selecting Included Excursions. Knowing this I got on-line at 3 a.m. EST when the day arrived for us to book the Included Excursions. In the big cities we wanted the earliest time slots. Many were “Sold Out”. Some we got the first time slots out.  Others a little later. Stockholm had no early time slots available. I contacted Viking about my issues. Viking indicated  that as we got closer to the cruise, there could be more slots available as well as people canceling. To some extant this did happen. In particular Stockholm, Viking added a whole new list of time slots.  TIP- Check every day for included excursion openings and changes.

 

DINNER RESERVATIONS AT SPECIALTY RESTAURANTS. Our cabin V-2 Veranda did not have pre-cruise reservations.On board the first night we did make reservations for Manfredi’s and the Chef’s Table in person at the front desk of the World Café. Better yet, use the on screen capability in your cabin to make reservations. It also gives the daily menus for all dining venues. We had 2 visits to each specialty restaurants. There were a number of tables that never got occupied. Suggest you go directly to the venue you want and see if they will seat you.

Dining- You will not go hungry on this cruise. The World Café (deck) is causal and buffet. The wait staff supply drinks and table clearing. Always there. The Restaurant is a fixed menu with a more formal sit down service. The selection of entrees at dinner from the World Café is large. It also has a nice Sushi selection, good size shrimp and crabs legs. You will see all this when you get there. It’s all very good. Recommend Chef’s Table the “Asian Panorama” menu. At Manfredi’s try the bistecca fiorentina-rib eye steak.

 

ENJOY AND HAVE FUN  

 

P.S. A tip on “tipping” --There’s always discussion on tipping for this cruise. Here’s what we found out. Tipping for tour guides & bus driver. Used Euros in euro countries. Germany, Estonia, Finland. PP 2€ tour guide 1€ Driver.  In non Euro countries. Used per couple $5 tour guide, $3 driver.  No one complaints. In non euro Countries guide/ driver took tips in € or $. Have a great trip.

 

[Nursekmr]

Thank you, Bruce! I have another question for those of you who have taken the Viking train and bus tour. As far as the bus tour part, are you able to tell me what you saw on the bus tour? And where did the bus stop? Did you feel you saw enough of the main sites or would you go back to them if possible during free time? We are contemplating a private guide tour during free time but wondering what is already sufficiently covered as we don't want to redo those sites in the short time we have. Thanks much.

[BruceB NYC]

1 hour ago, Nursekmr said:

Thank you, Bruce! I have another question for those of you who have taken the Viking train and bus tour. As far as the bus tour part, are you able to tell me what you saw on the bus tour? And where did the bus stop? Did you feel you saw enough of the main sites or would you go back to them if possible during free time? We are contemplating a private guide tour during free time but wondering what is already sufficiently covered as we don't want to redo those sites in the short time we have. Thanks much.

The two major bus stops I recall from are first Viking trip to Berlin are the Brandenburg Gate and the what is left of The Berlin Wall. At the gate you can walk around and take photos. Very little else is done. At the wall you have a little more time to walk around and view all the "art" on the wall. On our Viking HL return to Berlin we spent time back at the area around the Brandenburg Gate. There was no need to redo the wall. The Reichstag building and grounds offers a lot to see. In the four hours they give you, there is a lot that can be seen on your own. Do research in the area between the Hilton Hotel at Gendarmenmarkt, the Murdered Jews of Europe Memorial, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, etc. All in walking distance if planned ahead. 

 

[seveneleven]

I have question about all the foreign currency especially small change needed for Norway, Denmark, Poland, Russia, etc.

Viking just cited Euros for tipping. What about shopping for small items like post cards?

Can food and wine be brought on board?

[Heidi13]

None of the 4 countries you list use the Euro as their currency. In Russia we used credit cards for all purchases and tipped the guide in US $ or UK Sterling, both of which were acceptable. We were unable to purchase Russian Rubles from our local bank.

 

We picked up small amounts of each local currency, but used credit cards for all purchases in the other countries.

 

With Viking, unlike other cruise lines, you can bring unlimited alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks aboard.

Edited May 15, 2019 by Heidi13

[Nursekmr]

We booked a St. Petersburg tour through Alla. I asked them about the need for rubles. Here is their response:

(Q2) Also, do we need any rubles for this tour, or if we make a purchase somewhere are credit cards accepted most places? 
(A2) All souvenir shops accept major bank cards or foreign currency in cash: US Dollars and/or Euro. All street vendors accept foreign currency and many accept bank cards as well. So please do not worry about this. Still you might need a small sum of Rubles on your tour to pay for some stuff like postcards, stamps, maybe, beverages, ice-cream or such like. Apart from this, some restrooms are payable, you know. They are free of charge in the museums, but not on the route of your tour and I am afraid they do not take any foreign currency. In case of emergency, if you need to use a paid toilet, the fee is about 40-100 Rubles. They always have change but it is better to use small banknotes (50, 100 or 500 Rubles). 
If some Rubles are left unspent, you could use it as a part of tips for your guide or driver. We usually suggest having about $20 US per person exchanged to Rubles. By the way, it would be more economical for you to do it at home, rather than in Russia or on board a ship. 

[seveneleven]

I appreciate your comments regarding currency in Russia.  We sail June 20th on Viking Sea and I have been concerned about all the local currency especially Norway, Denmark and Sweden.  Getting coins for restrooms is always a problem for me in Europe.

[marpau]

Cool Cruiser:  

 

Thank you so much for all the fantastic info.  The Flam Railway Tour is of great interest to us but how pricey is pricey?   We don't sail until 2021 so we can't get any idea at all of tours prices. Thank you in advance for any help.

[Dukefan]

We are hoping to take the "Scenic Flam Railway" Tour in September of this year when we can book excursions in another few weeks.  It is currently priced at $229 per person.

[BruceB NYC]

5 hours ago, Dukefan said:

We are hoping to take the "Scenic Flam Railway" Tour in September of this year when we can book excursions in another few weeks.  It is currently priced at $229 per person.

As I noted above in my review of our April 2018 HL cruise, this all day bus and train excursion is "pricey."

But if your not getting back there -DO IT.  We may have been lucky that the guide we had was a local who made the bus portion a delight. She even sang us folk songs on the return bus ride. We like to do "on are own" where practical, or book a small group private tour like in St. Petersburg. In Eidfjord we had to go with Viking on this excursion. No regrets. This was a "big bucks" trip so for us,  and the "Scenic Flam..." and the private SPB added expense was not an issue just part of the overall cost of a great trip. ☺️ BruceB NYC

Edited June 1, 2019 by BruceB NYC
line spacing fix

[CCWineLover]

18 hours ago, Dukefan said:

We are hoping to take the "Scenic Flam Railway" Tour in September of this year when we can book excursions in another few weeks.  It is currently priced at $229 per person.

 

We were on the VIking Star for the Homelands Cruise last May 12-26.

We booked this Viking Scenic Flam Railway tour and were concerned about the "high" cost ahead of time.  However, this tour turned out to be likely the absolute best tour we've ever had on 3 Viking Ocean Cruises.  It was easily money well-spent, and an absolute amazing all-day journey.   Yes we could have pieced it together ourselves or taken another tour, but we enjoyed letting Viking handle it all, and they did an outstanding job!   You won't be disappointed.   I hope that it is available since it did sell out on our cruise, but we got it and were just DV.

 

As an aside - If you are a walker at all, a couple other surprisingly good tours were included walking tours of Stavanger, Copenhagen, and Tallin Estonia.  Not for those with any mobility issues, but for others - they were absolutely outstanding, especially being included.  We saw so much and learned so much.  In all 3 cities, we took the first tour out and then came back to the ship for lunch and headed out again on our own to walk and see additional sights.