Cosmos Russian River Cruise on Dr. Zhivago

[martek]

Sorry to say this was not a great trip. We have been home for a week now and I can better tell our story of this trip of a lifetime. First, this was and probably will be our only trip overseas. My husband has been ill and this was to be the one to remember. We had planned this vacation for over a year. We had originally booked with Globus for the new ship Anastasia that would be on its maiden voyages this year. We purchased plane tickets separately per our travel agents advice and they had been secured for us by Christmas time last year. Sometime this spring we received the news that due to the harsh winter, the Anastasia would not be ready for the 2006 season and we were offered this budget tour with Cosmos at an additional 40% discount. We accepted as we were all geared to go and had already purchased the plane tickets.

Well, on August 30th we set out on our trip. First problem was our flight from Detroit was late getting out by 35 minutes and this made us miss our connecting flight in Atlanta. My husband was to have wheelchair help to ramp at each airport. In Atlanta we had nothing but problems. They picked us up with others in a shuttle bus and had us waiting in a small hot room for over 30 minutes and then we had to walk up 2 flights of stairs where he had to stand and wait again. I was so upset over missing our flight and the lack of wheelchair for him that it was hard to even think of enjoying this time. Finally we just had to walk to the desk to rebook.

Now, please realize we are not experienced travelers. I did everything through our travel agent as we know next to nothing about flying.

I found the desk and the agent was very helpful in getting us a connecting flight thru Copenhagen and then direct to Moscow. Ok, we were again hopeful for a good vacation.

We had a very hard time on all the flights as they are crowded, as you all know, and we are big people and the over 8 hrs of time in a cramped seat is very tireing. One more gripe about planes is that the people who use their seats to recline should be more considerate of those behind them. We had to ask numerous times for the people in front of us to upright their seats as we could not use our trays with them in the recline possition. Planes are just not for us, Ugh!!

Ok, we finally get to Moscow and the fun really starts!! We were not met at the airport as stated and after trying to locate the information counter and asking about Cosmos or KMP group we finally had to realize we were on our own without Cosmos's stated help. If this was not enough to make me wish I was home, they also lost our luggage. The last thing I asked the agent in Atlanta after we were rebooked through Copenhagen was about our luggage and he assured me it would travel with us. Ok, this is so far the trip from hell and it was to get even better.

We were told if no transfer to use only marked Taxi with receipts available. All we could find were individuals who bombarded us with wanting to take us to our hotel. I was very upset and finally we just relented and took the cab.

Now, I must digress some and explain before I continue that it could have been even more of a disaster if it had not been for my calling my agent when we missed our connection in Atlanta. When I called her to tell her this, she advised that she had been calling my home and left a message that Cosmos had, just that morning, faxed them info that the hotel in Moscow had been changed. Now mind you we were already in the air when they faxed them this info. If I had not called home I would never have realized about the change in hotels and we would have been taking the taxi to the wrong hotel!!!

The airport is around 12 miles from the hotel, but it took our driver over 2 hrs. to get there. It was a real challenge as there traffic is beyond anything you could imagine! We did finally get to our hotel and thank god we were registered. Finally something positive! We did have a nice night and enjoyed our beautiful view of Moscow out our 21st floor window.

Next morning at the breakfast buffet we met some fellow Americans who would become good friends during the cruise. We all met our group leader at 10 and were told we would have to check out of the hotel by noon but not leave for the boat until 3. Most of us just sat around the hotel lobby as we knew nothing about where to go in Moscow. I had to buy some necessary items in the hotel since we had no luggage. I also spent the better part of the day on the phone trying to locate our luggage and make sure it got directed to the boat before we left Moscow.

Finally after 3 we were on our way to the boat. The boat was like all the others and we were not pleasantly surprised to see our cabin. We were on the bottom level, which was ok, but the room was so small that we had to alternate to get up or move around. Beds were very small and hard and we had one wool blanket and muslin sheets with some holes in them. We were advised not to flush toilet paper down the toilet and just put it in the trash. Some did this and some did not. We did at first, but the smell was awful and finally just flushed them. Also the maids would not replace the plastic garbage bags, they just emptied them and put them back, Ugh!!

We explored the boat and found 2 bars and one jewelry shop and one souvenouir shop.We had our first meal at supper time and after supper we were pleasently surprised to find our luggage had been delivered!! The day was finally getting better. We enjoyed the first night and were ready to start a new day. We again looked around the ship for some shops for snacks etc. No supply shop or coffee shop. Bars only opened at certain times and you had to buy coffee or water then. Would have loved to have had somewhere to get coffee or water any time of the day. We had assigned dining rooms and times for meals. No where in between to get anything. Food seemed to get worse as the week went on, or maybe we were just getting tired of the same menu. Usually fish dish and a beef or chicken dish. Also rice and potatoes. They had a soup which was usually very good and a salad which was full of mayonnaise. Desserts were usually fresh fruit. Nothing fancy. Coffee, tea, or water were free at meal times and after awhile I filled up my water bottle at the table with this water. We had medications to take daily and I felt it was unfair to have to pay for drinking water in our cabin. After we were on the river and we stopped at a few stops we found places that sound pop, beer, chips, and candy so we stocked up on some. We did have a refrigerator that was not working or even plugged in when we boarded. I had to move it to a spot where there was an outlet and then keep playing with it all throught the cruise to keep it working. My husband takes insulin and we needed the fridge to work to store it in.

Entertainment was sub par. Would have been nice if there was just someone who could play a piano, or a trio or something other than the folkart group they had that only played the accordian. they did have daily history lesson and such, but not entertaining to me.

Now for the excursions, we found out early that they were much more physical then we were led to believe from the flyers. The busses were great and my husband would have been more than happy to see the sights from the bus, but they made him get off and he could not walk like the others and after the 3rd day he just didn't go. This was unfortunate as he missed a lot of what we paid for. At one point at the Kremlin we was going to have to stand at a fence for over 3 hrs, because the guards would not let him sit on the benches inside the grounds. The tour guide did manage to get the guard to let him sit and he enjoyed watching the people even though he did not get inside the Kremlin. Also on the subject of excursions they changed some of the optional ones and people who were excited about those were very dissapointed. for instance the Moscow Circus was changed to a traveling circus with a tent and trained seals. Also the planned trip to see the inside of Peterhof was changed to go to Pavlosk instead. The whole thing was just really disorganized. Everyone was saying this was the worst trip ever and they all had a lot of past experiences. Actually since my husband had nothing to compare it to, he thought the cruise itself was very nice.

I will say we did enjoy the view and loved that we could open our window and see the Russian countryside float by. It was very relaxing to be without any TV and just enjoy the country. The Russian people were very nice for the most part and we loved our travelmates. My husband discovered Baltica dark beer and wishes he had some here at home. We liked the Borsht and the Blinis.

Our trip home was uneventful and we were ready to be back home. We have now started the process of getting reimbursed for our $80 taxi ride to the hotel. We will never regret this trip it was a wonderful experience to see Russia and the people were wonderful. Would we do it again, no, I am sure not. I would hope that all of the cruises are not what we experienced and from reading this board I am sure ours was the exception. We have many, many wonderful pictures and memories to keep our trip alive to us for many years to come. I would just hope that Cosmos would look into this particular trip and do some fine tuning.

Hope this does not come off as one big gripe, I have just been honest about our experience.

Mary

[letsgo39]

It is really a shame that you and DH did not enjoy your trip. I am sure we would all agree that overnight flights are a nightmare(pun intended).I always get aisle seats to allow myself a little more room.As far as the seat in front of you being reclined,people are going to sleep on a overnight flight.I wish I could but I am usually to excited.That is MY fault.

 

If your flight was ONLY 35 minutes late leaving Detroit and you missed your connection ,your connection was way to tight.I try to allow at least 2 hours to make the connection for my flight to Europe.Your travel agent is responsible for that.Lost luggage,happens all the time. You were lucky to get it before you sailed.That is why 1/2 of my stuff goes in DH suitcase and 1/2 of his goes in my suitcase. In addition we both have carryons which hold enough clothing for a couple of days.

I will acknowledge that alot of what we do was learned from prior experience.

 

Group tours,cruises are not for everyone,research,research,research. It is important that you know exactly what you are getting before you buy.Cosmos is a discount company but I have been on several Globus tours where there were Cosmos people on the same bus and in the same hotels. The transfers(a shuttle bus) from the airport to hotel are for people who book their airfare through Cosmos or Globus. These transfers leave the airport about every 2 hours for the hotel. You have to pay extra for the transfer,usually about $20.00,if you did not book your airfare through the tour company.Your travel agent probably did that,I hope,but you would have been charged extra for it.Since you were on a different inbound flight they probably had no idea where you and your DH were. I do not use the airport transfers as I can always find a cheaper way to get to the hotel.I also like to go a day early to explore the city on my own. I do my reasearch ahead of time for this.As far as the $80.00 taxi ride ,you got ripped. He took you the scenic route.LOL. This can also happen in Detroit or Chicago!!!

So anyway ,I am very sorry that you did not enjoy yourself but most of what you say is not the fault of Cosmos but rather just the way it is.

What would you suggest COSMOS change based on the things they have control over??

I think your complaint should be with your travel agent. Sounds like she was not familiar with the product she was selling. In addition by booking your airfare for you she made extra commission. She should have advised you as to the amount of walking,cabin size etc on the tour.Nobody can control the cramped conditions on the plane. Everytime I board an overnight flight to Europe I eye the 1st class and business class sections with envy! I ALWAYS book my own airline on the net. I do not use a travel agent nor do I use the tour company airline offers.I do get an estimate from Globus but I have not used them since my first trip to Europe. I like to be able to choose my own seats and my own flight times. In every case I have actually saved money by making my own air arrangements.

 

In order to enjoy international travel you have to be flexible and looking forward to the differences in cultures.I don't think of the overnight flight as part of the trip but rather just a means of getting to a place to start my new adventure..If you can, think of any little problem as just part of the fun and adventure of traveling around the world. I just feel blessed that I have the means to travel and explore this amazing world.

I hope this experience does not ruin you quest for adventure. The next time could be better but you have to be up for the adventure.

Thank you for posting about your trip.I see you found your way over here from the other travel board.

 

LETSGO

[martek]

Hi, thanks for your reply. yes, I agree the plane flight is not part of the actual cruise and I know what you mean. Also it is our own fault for our being too large to be comfortable. Oh well, live and learn. As far as the connecting flight, I also agree with you about the tight time period to catch a connecting flight. Actually we were in Detroit a good 3 hrs. before our flight and watched 2 other flights to Atlanta leave before our scheduled flight. I was not happy with the arrangements by my travel agent at this time. this is my fault for my inexperience and will not make this mistake in the future. I knew about packing incase of lost luggage and we did have medicatiions and extra undies, but due to new security regulations I could not carry toothpaste, deodorant etc. in our carryons. also they lost both mine and my husbands luggage. ugh!! One of the couples on our trip said their travel agent told them to not expect a vacation, but an adventure. We did view it as such and again, we enjoyed Russia itself. Also we did pay in advance for the transfers and also we are very aware of the $80 being a rip off and are getting this money back. Also I did call my agent once we missed the connection in Atlanta and told her about our arriving later and she said she would advice Cosmos so they would be aware of our arrival time. I do know that if I cruise again I will use the air with trip package. I took a Celebrity Cruise 2 yeaars ago and did it that way and it went very smoothly with no problems. I love to travel and it won't stop me, but I am afraid my husband has had enough. He is not a very tolerant person with day to day, let alone any major problems in a strange land. I do just want to add again, that our trip seems to be the exception, but most everyone on our cruise had major complaints. From all indications there are many, many wonderful river cruises without these kinds of blips. Thanks again for the reply!!

Mary:)

[letsgo39]

What a shame that things went so badly on your first trip.

 

Come join us on Avalon Budapest to Amsterdam next July 7th and I bet we will have a great time.!!!!! We are traveling with my best friend and her DH and I can assure you that no matter what she and I will have fun.

Regarding the taxi ,it happens to everyone at least once.

So really,you said Cosmos needs to fine tune this trip. What do you feel they could do to improve the experience?

Were there optional excursions? Were they worth the money?. How was your guide? Food and wine ok? I am aware that the onboard entertainment is all local talent.I think that sounds interesting..

If DH was grumpy that does not help to have a good time doies it.Maybe he wasn't feeling well. It would be really difficult to be away from home and not feel well.

The offer stands to join us next July! The more the merrier!!!

Also there was a post from someone who just did a Russian River cruise on the Tolstoy and she also stated the cabins were very small but she really loved the rest of the trip..How big were the cabins?

For our cruise next summer on the Tranquility the cabins will be 172 sq ft.I think that cabin size is the largest for a regular cabin on the river cruise ships.Even if they feel small we probably will not spend much time in our cabin.

[relevart]

I think it was very ambitious to choose a Russian cruise as your first trip abroad! It might have been a bit easier to do an European cruise as it is not quite so foreign.

In Moscow there are two airports. When I was there in the spring it seemed that the people getting air through GCT were at one airport and those who flew in on their own were at the other airport. It cost one lady $100.00 to get to the boat from the airport.

Don't give up on travel. It might be easier if you took a cruise ship if your husband is in a wheel chair, they have people that can help you out. Also, if the entertainment is important to you, you might prefer a ship. Traveling isn't for wimps! It's hard work.

[Coral]

Mary,

 

I want to thank you from writing a very honest review of your trip. I have no doubt that you will have helped people by writing in detail the problems that you encountered and hopefully they can make different choices.

 

In reference to the plane ride - I know exactly what you mean. I flew to Japan this year and the people in front of me kept reclining. I am tall and I had no place for my knees - those seats are just plain uncomfortable. I will be doing the Russia trip next year with Amadeus and I booked FF miles Business class just to be a little more comfortable.

 

You are probably right - a more experienced traveler would have handled things differently - but remember those more experienced travelers probably made many mistakes previously and are now wiser because of it. Think of this trip as a learning experience for future trips.

 

I think it is a disgrace that they skipped Peterhoff - was it on a day they were closed?? I love Peterhoff and I can't wait to go back and see it. Pavlovsk is not an acceptable substitution. Though I would think if it was closed one day - they would switch things around a little.

 

I really hope you try cruising again and wish you all the best on your future travels.

[steamboats]

Mary,

 

I totally agree with letsgo and relevart. Russia is always some kind of adventure and maybe not the best choice for the first river cruise. The other thing is that river cruise ships might have elevators and very few do have wheelchair accessible cabins. But even if you get a wheelchair accesccible cabin this does not mean that all excursions are "accessible" too. Reading this board for quite a while I remeber that changing shore tours is quite "common" on Russian river cruises due to not annouced closings for whatever reason. No cruise company is doing changes in the shore tours just for fun as it always do cost them a lot more money.

 

There have been questions about using a scooter or a wheelchair on river cruises some time ago on this board. I replied that it can be done but you have to do your homework. You have to contact the cruise company asking about the accomodations onboard. You have to check if shore tours can be done with a wheelchair (how about the busses? are there ramps or elevators? ...).

 

It sounds very much like your TA got you into a vacation without knowing what she is selling.

 

I´m sorry that your trip has been spoiled.

 

steamboats

[martek]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Please understand this was not a total loss we will never regret seeing Russia. It was fantastic. As you have said it was just too much for the inexperienced traveler. My husband is not in a wheelchair, just uses a cane and is very slow. Hard for him to keep up and we did not understand from any of the literature that there would be all the walking involved. We will definetly check into this in the future. As far as Peterhof being missed they switched the itinerary to a day when it was closed. Several people were upset enough to walk out of the meeting over this as they also wondered why it was not planned better. It was originally listed for one day and then switched then completely not available and they subbed Pavlosk. Those that went said it was very nice. I am looking forward to another ocean cruise with all the ammenities that come with it. I guess our days of roughing it are behind us and we are just not up to it. I love reading all the posts and will continue to do research on our next trip, albeit, closer to home!

[Faith77]

Hello,

I did a GCT rivercruise to Russia in June, 2006. In the tour guide there was a warning that stated clearly that the tour partipants needed to be in good physical condition to enjoy this trip.

We crusied on a fairly new riverboat, the Tikki Don. There was an elevator on the boat but it did not reach the top floor where the main meeting room was located. Some people on this trip complained bitterly about not being able to access this room. Also, there was a fair amount of walking on the excursions-one could not tour these places any other way.

The OP story for me is a lesson to research all my trips as best I can and not to rely on a travel agent for all information.

Faith