Patrish

My sister-in-law Paula and I choose this cruise because we both had Russia on our bucket lists. We sailed August 12-24, 2011 on the Holland America Eurodam.

I just completed 6 pages of pictures/information, plus a review. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions,

http://www.funbeaches.com/Holland-America-Baltic.html

Percy

Nice pictures;

Too bad about the rain in St.Petersburg

How come you wanted the ship to confirm your flight back home for you.?

I have not heard of this before, unless Holland America Eurodam booked your flight .

I was wondering why you seemed to have seen so little ( going by your pictures)in Tallinn and Stockholm... you did the ship's tour ( ?!)

qwovadis

nice pictures thanks for posting...

Patrish

Hi, Percy! Yes, we used a Holland America travel consultant to book the trip and flights, as well as the excursions, except St. Petersburg.

This was my first HA cruise, and I did not realize they don't confirm return flights. I guess I should not have assumed, although I believe it would be good customer service to do so. In the long run, good customer service is what most of us remember, no matter where we travel. The confirmation problem was compounded when the front desk said we needed to go online and confirm the flights ourselves. (The wi-fi issues are addressed fully in my trip review.)

I really didn't want to overwhelm people by loading too many pictures on my site,and I thought a rounded number of about 30 photos per page was sufficient. I took over 1000 shots, and can certainly add more later.

Yes, we booked all the excursions through the Holland America website before leaving home, with the exception of St. Petersburg. The HA excursions included Copenhagen, Berlin, Tallinn, Helsinki and Stockholm.

qwovadis, thanks so much for looking, and for your comment!

Percy

Glad you had a great time.

Okay you only posted a "few " pictures. Wow ,you took over 1000 pictures.

I took about 250- 300 !!! and some short little 1 minute movies.

You can post more pictures if you want.. I would enjoy seeing more for sure.

Yes I agree the computer on cruise ships are notoriously slooooow.

By the time you logged in ,it already cost you $ 5.00 !!

I usually tell the person in the computer room "Don't start charging me until I log into my site ".

( I just have never heard of a crusie line confirming flights.)
Anyway, your flight went okay.


How long was the bus trip to Berlin and back?

Patrish

Percy, I think the bus trip took 2.5 to 3 hours from Warnemunde to Berlin. Long ride, but interesting countryside.

>...By the time you logged in ,it already cost you $ 5.00...
Argggg.....don't remind me. LOL! I can tell, you've been there, done that!

Percy

Yes, those ship computers are slow and that is an understatement.

You are trying to log in and that line at the bottom keeps jerking ever so slowly and then it just stops !!!

I just looked again at your Berlin pictures, I am sure the tour took you to the major places ( including the Charlottenburg Palace).

Thanks again for posting your pictures

madison13

Thanks for all your wonderful news and pictures. We just booked a cruise very similar to this for next summer on Holland America - we are so excited I wish it were leaving tomorrow. Particularly after looking at your pictures. My question is, did you book your cruise excursions way in advance to ensure you got what you wanted? I am assuming it was worth going to Berlin - did you do the excursion where you had some time to do what you wanted? Also, which St. Petersburg tour did you take? Did you take one on the first day and one on the 2nd day?

thanks - Mary

Percy

madison13

I would like to know your intinerary (time in each port) and your ports of call.!

madison13

We start in Stockholm and on day 2 will be in St Petersburg from 7 am the first day until 6 pm the following day. Did you find people speak english there if you are on your own?

When we dock at Warnemunde for the Berlin option, we have from 6 am to 10 pm. When I was in Germany before, some people speak English - did you find it easy to get around on your own after your tour?

Any suggestions for Copenhagen - we have from 8 am to 5 pm.

Thanks! Mary

Percy

madison13:

I assume that you have a full day in Stockholm.

I will let Patrish add to anything I have to say.

If you are embarking in Stockholm, then you should come one full day before the embarking.

Where are you staying in Stockholm...or are you coming in on the same day as you are embarking .

Also after St. Petersburg, where is your next Port of Call.?

I had no problems with people speaking English in Stockholm.

In St. Petersburg, I had a private tour guide , which you should do also, unless you want to take the ship's tour .

madison13

Thanks for the info. We are arriving 2 days before cruise leaves Stockholm so will have 2 days to explore. No hotel yet - any suggestions for mid-price option? So it sounds like you did not take the ship's excursion into St. Petersburg? How did you find a private tour? Did you do both the city and the town with the palaces? We have 2 days there so I was thinking one on each day??

Any problems with English in St. Petersburg?

Percy

Good you are coming 2 days before ...then you will have time to see some of Stockholm.

There are Several mid-price raneg hotels but if you book now you can get a better rate........ or e-mail and ask what is their best rate.

I would look at the Sheraton and ask for a room with a "South view".

I say Sheraton only because it is walking distance to 90% of the places you will want to see.

Hopefully other.. like Patrish.. will tell you of a better choice

That way you will be facing Gamla Stan ( old Town) and also the City Hall...

and my favourite building.. The Stromsborg ,it is on a tiny island all by itself right in the centre of Stockholm.

Don't worry , you will see it !!

From here you can walk to Gamla Stan, past the Parliament building.

You are almost next door to the Rosenbad Palace and the Sager House ( home to the Prime Minister).

Across from the Rosenbad Palace is the Bonde Palace and the Swedish House of Lords(take a picture inside) also called Riddarhuset.

It is better tobe right "downtown so you can walk everywhere, rather than taking a bus or taxi.

The number one place you will want to see is the Vasa Museum.

This ship sank on it's maiden voyage in 1628 after sailing less than a mile !!

It was lifted backout of the sea in 1961...so it is easy to remember than 333 year later they raised up this ship.

Very interesting to read about the ideas they had on how to raise the ship.

Buy postcards of the vase ...it is too dark toget good pictures and the ship is tooo large.

Right beside the Vasa Museum building is the very lovely ornate Nordic Museum...you will want to take a picture of this building.

No matter where you are staying , you can take the # 47 Bus to the Vasa or the # 7 Tram.

Both go every 10-15 minutes,so if you miss one , the next one will arrive soon.

Most of your time will be spent in Gamla Stan ( Old Town).

The Royal Palace is here as is the Parliament Building, The Storkykan Chathedral, the Stortorget Square and the Nobel Prize Museum.

You will also vist the Riddarholmen Church ...you cannot miss it is has the very tall Steele Spires and if you are at the Sheraton..... you can see many of these places out your hotel window.

Many of the Swedish Kings were crowned at the Storkykan Cathedral and buried at the Riddarholmen Church.

and Don't miss the City Hall tour...cost about $ 10.00 and is for 1 hour - 15 minutes


For St.Petersburg I went with Alla Tours and I recommend her highly.

it is not cheap but you can form your own small group and the price is reduced.

You can contact Alla at:

[email protected]

She will explain everything to you.

I had no trouble speaking English in St.Petersburg

Patrish

We used a St. Petersburg tour company. I found it mentioned on the cruisecritic.com forum. More information is on this page:
http://www.funbeaches.com/St.Petersburg_Russia.html

madison13

THanks so much for all the info! Although our trip isn't until July-Aug., I'm ready to go - maybe not right now, they get winter....

jmvp

When you are ready to do your research on Copenhagen ,we can all help you .

Percy wrote an excellent trip report on his Baltic Cruise.
I am sure you can search it on Fodors

madison13

We only have one day in Copenhagen via the cruise ship - what would be the highlights to see or can you recommend a tour?

Percy

madison13

How many in your group.?

Are you able to do a lot of walking and strolling?!

Do you have any specific things/places you would like to see in Copenhagen?

madison13

We are totally up for walking - 2 in our group. No pre-conceived ideas about Copenhagen - don't know anything about that Port. ANy thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Percy

I assume you are docking at theLangelinie Port which is a mile and a half from the City Centre.

You have several options:

1. Take a taxi into the City for a cost of about $ 20.00 + ( 100 DDK = Danish Krona)

2. Take the # 26 Bus for a cost of about $3.00 US. (15 DDK)

3.Most ship havea shuttle..if yours does the shuttle usually drops you off at King's Garden called Kongens Nytorv.

4. You can walk.

<B> What would I do?! </B>
I would walk.

But you have to know where you are walking to. <u> So do this:</u>
1.get off the cruise ship and walk towards the city.
2.You will come to Langelinie Promenade.
3. You cannot miss it...just keep the water on your left.. you really have no choice unless you want to walk into the canal !!!

But look across the canal and on the other side (on your LEFT)you will see five white smoke stacks with a black cap.. so you know you are walking in the right direction.

This is what you will see along your walk :
1.Green Polar Bear Statue right on the Harbour.( on your left)
2. Guardian Angel Staue on your RIGHT.
3. A Statue of a man wiping off his legs called " After the Swim"..this is on your LEFT.....there is a slight curve here of the Langelinie Promenade

4. Walk another 30 feet and look down on your LEFT on the rocks beside the water...and what do you see here !!

"The Little Mermaid".

Walk down and stand by the Mermaid and have your picture taken.

5. All finished with the Mermaid!!, then keep walking along and soon you come to a small green area with the Huitfeldt Column standing here.( read about why it is here.)

6. Keep walking and then you come to in this order:
Princess Maria Statue
King Frederik IX Statue
Gefion Fountain...the nicest and biggest in Copenhagen
( It is very interesting to know about the Gefion Fountain)
St.Alban Church

All the above are on your RIGHT as you walk along.

From St.Alban Church walk back to the water ( only a short block away and you can always see the water)

7. By the water right here you will see an Anchor and a Dragon Lampost....turn RIGHT ( you have no choice)

8. Walk along the very edge of the water for about a short 2-3 blocks and you come to a Fountain right in the middle of your walk.

Look across the canal...that very flat roof building is the new Opera House.

This is Amaliehavn and it is a nice square ...now look to your RIGHT...

9. That is Amalienborg Palace and Square.
The Statue in the middle is King Frederik V on a horse.
The Four Palaces complexes face each other almost like on a baseball diamond... with

the one at home plate facing the one on second base and first and third bases face each other.

But what will catch your eye first is the huge dome of Frederick's Church ( Marble Church).

10. When you are done here (maybe you will be lucky and see the changing of the guards.
The guard changing is everyday at 11 AM AND you can talk to the guards and have your picture taken.

11. Now walk back to the water to the large Fountain..it is always in your sight from the Amalienborg Square...

turn RIGH and keep walking for two short block , you are walking on Larsen Place...you see come to street called

St.Annae Plads, which has a tree lined median in the middle
walk right down the Median and you will see some nice statues, the first one is C.F. Teitgen..
the next one is a bust of President Roosevelt.

12. Walk another block down and you will come to a statue of King Christain X on a horse and the Garrison Church right beside him on your LEFT.

13. Okay, now at the King Christain statue turn LEFT.

14. you are now walking on Bredgade Street...walk about 2 blocks and you will come to a large open square.

Now just stand here and look for a moment.

On your immediate LEFT is the Amber Museum..you can see the sign.
One your immediate RIGHT is the French Embassy..you can touch the building , there is no fence in front of it.!!!!

That lovely Square in front of you is called Kongen Nytorv ( King's New Garden)

This is where the ship's shuttle would have dropped you off at.

The Statue in the centre is King Christian V.

When King Christian built this Square in the 1680's it was at the very edge of town !

Now look to your LEFT, you can see the canal..of course you do ,...and you see the Anchor right in front of the Canal...well this area is called

Nyhavn ( New Harbour)

This is where the canal tours start.
I want you to take a Canal Tour now...yes right now !!!

The Canal Boat Tour takes about 50- 55 minutes and costs about 10 euroes....but worth it to see all those places.

One of the main tour companies is called DFDS Tours ..but there is another cheaper one , if you walk half a block down the canal side..

Yes it is the SAME tour with commentary.

The Canal Tour is a very good idea because you will see many of the places you will see later on in your walk through Copenhagen.. and places you will NOT see on your walk.

The Canal Boat Tour will take you past the very Lovely Stock Exchange Building , which is next to the Christianborg Palace ( Danish Parliement is here now )..
also the flat roof Opera house and you WILL go to the Little Mermaid BUT you will not be getting off the boat..

so any picture you take will have to be from the boat, that is why I wanted you to walk to the Little Mermaid because it is near your cruise ship docking.

Okay , enough for right now.... after the Canal Tour you get off back at Nyhavn and this lovely area is known for lunch and beer..

so I think it is lunch time now and you better have a Tuborg or Carlsberg beer..you are in Copenhagen!!!

I will let you digest and look up the places I have mentioned.

When you are ready...I will walk you down from Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv (where you are now) all the way down to the City Hall Square.