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Author
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Topic: Baltic capitals
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hallsuk2
First Class Passenger Posts: 19
From:Bury,England
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 03-14-2001 11:33 AM
  
Just booked Legaend of the seas from Harwich visiting Oslo,Stockholm,Helsinki,St. Petersburg,Talinin and Copenhagen returning to Harwich.Anybody any comments about tours or proximity of the cruise ship docks to the attractions to do at least some things on your own.
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Malcolm
Cruise Director Posts: 2829
From:London (UK-Birth place of many of the worlds greatest ships)
Registered:
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posted 03-14-2001 12:54 PM
Hallsuk2, you have just booked a great Cruise!  I did a similar cruise last summer, and it was wonderful. You will visit some excellent ports of call - there is no chance of you getting boered!It can depend which berths that your ship is allocated as to how far the Cities are. We were pretty lucky and in just about ALL cases it was possible to walk from the ship to the city - 10 to 25 minutes. However, shuttle buses were run as well as the city tours. You can do your own city sightseeing on foot, by bus, by Tram or by Taxi at a fraction of the cost of the shore tours. If you want to do your own thing get a good guide book to help you. Plan in advance what you want to see. Stockholm's 'Vasa' ship museum in Stockholme was brilliant - don't miss it! The St. Petersburg shore tours were very good but rather expensive, but you just can't stay on the ship! In St. Petersburg, a guy, his wife and two young kids hired a Taxi very cheaply and done their own sightseeing. He saw a lot more that we did. (he had applied for a private Visa in advance). Please write a review for us on your return. We don't have an RCL/Baltic one, yet! Any more questions? Just ask?
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Willy Paul
First Class Passenger Posts: 104
From:
Registered: Jul 99
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posted 03-14-2001 03:44 PM
Great Cruise. No chance to be bored. Only regret we had was is that it ended.
Due to our kids request we went on ship tours in St. Petersburg - we went to the Hermitage( don't miss it ) we just needed about a week more to see it, we went to Pushkin and that okay, we did a city city and that was good, and then we went to Peterhof, it's right up there with the Hermitage - the fountains are spectacular.Copenhagen we went touring the city on our own, very easy to get around. RCL ran a bus from the port to downtown. We overnighted at the pier and went to Tivoli Gardens after dinner. One of the best nights we had on a crusie. The boat tour around Copenhagen was very good.
Tallin was intesting and worth the tour.
Stockhom -we took the morning tour around the city and then visited the Vasa Museum. Malcolm is right, it's a do not miss. RCL also ran a bus from the port to downtown in Stockhom.
In Oslo we were exhausted and just walked the city and spent time looking for a handmade Norwegian wool sweater. I found one in 80 degree heat.
We also spent the better part of a day on deck going through the Kiel Canal. a great relaxing first day of the cruise.
Have fun, I am envious. IP: Logged |
frances
Just Boarded Posts: 4
From:DARTMOUTH NS CANADA
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 03-15-2001 06:54 AM
We are also booked for this cruise. We were reviewing the optional tours on the rccl home page and had a few questions that we hope someone can help us with. If we take the ship excursions can we do more than one optional in a day for example in Russia could we do the city tour during the day and the evening folk tour on day one and The 8 hour grand tour of St Petersburg on the second day .Are the tours scheduled so people can do this? WE do not want to go to the trouble and paperwork of getting a personal visa if the ship will arrange one if we take a tour on each of the 2 days. Can you leave the ship if you do not get a personal visa and is the visa that Rccl arranges good for us to sightsee on our own
thanks
Frances IP: Logged |
Malcolm
Cruise Director Posts: 2829
From:London (UK-Birth place of many of the worlds greatest ships)
Registered:
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posted 03-15-2001 08:19 AM
quote:
Originally posted by frances:
Are the tours scheduled so people can do this?
Probably! I took two full tours, one per day, plus an evening at thr Ballet on my Fred. Olsen cruise. You will need to check with RCCL. You do not really need to take tour in the other cities. For example, Stockholme: After a short walk from the ship, we took a little Ferry to the 'Vasa' and had time to visit another Museum, have lunch and walk around the town. There was really no need to pay for an overpriced tour! Yes, don't miss the 'Hermitage'. IP: Logged |
hallsuk2
First Class Passenger Posts: 19
From:Bury,England
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 03-15-2001 09:35 AM
Thanks Malcolm,and thanks to everybody.We arrive in Copenhagen for an overnight stay.Has anyone visited Tivoli Gardens at night.I believe it will be well worth seeing. I understand that it is quite central and easy to get to.Also does anyone know what to expect in Talinin. IP: Logged |
Willy Paul
First Class Passenger Posts: 104
From:
Registered: Jul 99
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posted 03-15-2001 04:25 PM
We were on an RCCL Cruise and we were on the go in St. Petersburg.
Here was the itinerary:
Thursday - took a city tour in the morning, went to the Hermitage in the afternoon and the ballet in the evening.
On Friday went Pushkin in the morning and Peterhof in the afternoon.W were able to get back to the ship for some quick meals and clean clothes. But you had to move quickly. The cabin steward worked overtime during this stop. We were not the usual Mr & Ms. neat. Collapsed from exhaustion in the evening, but we did not know if we were ever going to return so we got the most in that we could. AS for Tvoli Gardens in copenhagen, there was bus service to and from the garden all evening long. It was a great evening. IP: Logged |
Terri Lee
First Class Passenger Posts: 228
From:Burlington Ontario Canada
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 03-15-2001 05:10 PM
When I went on my Baltics cruise last year,I had to get a Russian visa well before embarkation day. You can only leave the ship without a Russian visa,if you are with a tour group organized by the ship.If you want to go into St.Petersburg or wherever, on your own,then you must have a visa.The Russian security guards at the various check-points won't allow anyone through without an official visa. The cruise lines have a special visa arrangement for their official shore excursion groups.....AND you MUST stay with the group.
BTW,a Russian visa is not cheap.I think mine cost me well over $100 CDN.  Hope this helps. Terri
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Skyhawk
First Class Passenger Posts: 32
From:San Angelo, TX USA
Registered: Jul 99
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posted 03-17-2001 12:00 PM
hallsuk2,We were on the Baltic/Scandanavian cruise on the Crown Princess last year. Spent a couple of days in Copenhagen before sailing and found it very easy to get around. Walking was certainly acceptable to us in most cases. Our hotel operated a shuttle bus for other times. Tivioli was outstanding and very beautiful in the evening. Plenty of stage shows, rides and all the resturants that you could want. Tallinn to me was a very pleasant surprise. We did take the ship tour although you can walk this one yourself. The old town in clean and full of history. (remember for us anything over 200 years old is history) Walking through the new town is also clean and the locals that we were in contact with expressed strong national pride. And they should. This was one of our favorite ports. [This message has been edited by Skyhawk (edited 03-17-2001).] IP: Logged |
Malcolm
Cruise Director Posts: 2829
From:London (UK-Birth place of many of the worlds greatest ships)
Registered:
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posted 03-17-2001 01:16 PM
quote:
Originally posted by hallsuk2:
Has anyone visited Tivoli Gardens at night...Also does anyone know what to expect in Talinin.
Tivoli is a 'must see'. It is good during the day, but better at night. You will be able to get a bus, Taxi, or walk to it.
Tallinn does not really have any 'major' attractions. However, it is very un-Russian and it is very pleasant to walk around, shop, eat and drink. I would not bother with taking a tour, just take a shuttle bus, if you need to and take a gentle stroll.
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