Viking River Cruise to Russia?
 

Anybody ever take the Viking RIver Cruise "Russian Rhapsody"? It's a 16 day cruise. I asked this question in the "Cruises" forum but have not received any replies.

I know there have been trip reports on Viking River Cruises to Russia. If you search on Russia (click on Russia in the "View by Country" box and you'll probably see threads about them and about Grand Circle Travel Russia River cruises.

We went with Viking, Moscow to St. Petersburg, a few years ago, and it was absolutely fantastic. Sign up on their website to receive special offers - they've been having 2-for-1 promotions...

We did hire a private guide for our free days in St. Petersburg, rather than do the Viking "optionals", and were glad we did that as, by then, we were grateful to get away from going everywhere with a group.

We also planned our trip during the "White Nights" - amazing, and very pleasant weather at that time also.

djkbooks - Yes, I do get the 2 for 1 brochures from Viking. We had thought to go this Aug but we have a sick cat that needs to much care to be left for 2 weeks.

Hopefully, we will be able to do it in the fall, but we shall see how our cat is!

When you did the private guide for St. Petersburg - did you have specifics to give the guide about what you wanted to do? What was the fee? Was this for whole days or part days?

Thanks.

djkbooks - Are you there?

Anyone else use private guides for St. Petersburg or Moscow? What was the cost?

Hi, we hired "Olga" in St Peterserburg May '08 after recomendations of djkbooks and others on these and other forums. She charged 11 Euros per hour for full day "walking tours" (walk, bus, metro,walk). http://www.tourservice.sp.ru/

Hi crzn1 - We would probably be coming from a boat - so I guess we'd have to somehow get to Olga in St. P? Or can we be picked up? (If you know, of course.)

i dont know anything about cruises but we had our russian leg organised by a group called city realty in st petes ( did the moscow bit for us too)
we did russia independently and very well and now i realise that this could well be the way to travel in russia maintaining independence yet having support when needed - guides drivers bookings apartments etc

at least this company exists- i have their address and visited the premises twice - seems to run well ..speak good english too
it was a bit nerve wracking handing things over to the russians but i think id not hesistate to recommend them now

Hi lanejohann -
Could you tell me a bit more about your experience? For example: DId you spend the whole time with guides, or were there times you were completely on your own?

What was this company's fees for arranging everything for you? Did you just go to Moscow and St. P or other places as ell? Did you take the train between the cities? Etc.

Highly, highly recommend Olga...she is fluent in English and we had several e-mail exchanges ahead of our cruise. I stated our preferences and she made recommendations. She met us at our ship both days. The first day, Viking had a complimentary shuttle into the city and we all rode in on that. Second day, she met us at the ship at we took the metro into the city. Both days, she arranged a taxi for us back to the ship (about €10). We got much more accomplished with Olga that we would have with the Viking optionals. She is totally flexible and accommodating and will provide suggestions and details via e-mail.

djkbooks - Thanks so much for the information. I did look Olga up and will definitely consider your recommendations. Sounds like the metro is right near the ship (?) Sounds like a good way to get around, if I learn cyrillic!

You stated that the first day Viking had a complimentary shuttle and "we all rode in on that". You mean they didn't mind that Olga, non-paying customer, went on their shuttle? Wow.

Yes, there was no problem for Olga to ride the Viking shuttle with us.

Olga is fully licensed (with separate licenses for all the venues) and she was able to get us right into places we wished to visit and provided outstanding commentary for each. We especially enjoyed Church on Spilled Blood, Saint Isaac's, and a return visit to the Hermitage (where she got us into the Treasury). She also had wonderful recommendations for dining and shopping (along with taking us around to a few hotels for future reference).

I have never had a guide for the whole day. Does one have lunch with the guide and pay for the her meals?

We did invite Olga to join us for dinner one day and lunch the other (along with refreshments along the way). Of course, we paid the tab. The meals were not expensive (and she recommended restaurants) and we were thrilled to spend that additional time with her, as she is delightful and chock full of information. We also paid her an extra hour both days because her home is a distance from the city center, and she was so kind to meet us on the ship both days and escort us into the city. Olga took exceptional care of us, including phoning taxi drivers she knew personally to get us safely back to our ship. She instructed them to be SURE to find our ship for us before dropping us off. When returning to Port, all those ships look the same, the names on the side are in Russian, and they often move all around while you're gone so not docked in the same exact place.

djkbooks - You've been invaluable. Is your Visa with the invitation letter from Viking OK for the trips with the guide?

Thanks for everything. If you have any more info you want to impart, be my guest. Otherwise, thanks again.

I'm a new member and am planning to take a Viking River Cruise to Russia. Is it possible to get contact information for Olga?

Olga's website

http://www.tourservice.sp.ru/

Yes, the Visa we obtained through the agency recommended by Viking was sufficient. Note that Viking collects passports and holds them for the duration of the trip, but you can have yours back at any time - you just have to remember to pick it up (and they will remind you).

For Saint Petersburg, I highly recommend taking a look at the wonderful Eyewitness Guide...to determine the places you'd most like to visit (besides those Viking covers).

Olga is totally flexible, but will also help you decide.

For anyone going on a river cruise in Russia, invaluable is "Russia by River". Read it before you go, and take it with you!

http://www.russiabyriver.com/index.php?cPath=1_11

Also, be sure to pack any pharmaceuticals you typically use at home, as these are not conveniently or readily available during your travels. For example, I included cold medications (cough, headache, sore throat, decongestant). I never needed any of it, but one woman did come down with a miserable cold (which, fortunately did not spread around), and she had nothing for it and little was available in the gift shop on the ship (and I was happy to share with her).

And, you may want to consider "Off" clip-ons, or something for mosquitos. I packed towelettes in foil packets based on recommendations of others. We never needed anything, but you might.

Be sure to pack outerwear so as to be comfortable outside on the ship evenings, chillier days, while cruising - it's very breezy and cooler while cruising.

Also, I bought plenty of small bills and envelopes (I grabbed a stack at my bank), ignored the Viking, "one envelope" or add to your onboard bill, gratuity "recommendation", and tipped those who took care of us directly and personally. (The hotel manager even took me below so I could give an envelope to the crew.) (I was quite suspicious about whether or how much would get to the worker bees who all worked long hours and made our trip so pleasurable.)

We chose Moscow to St. Petersburg, and were very pleased, as the time spent in Moscow was plenty (Viking did an excellent job of including the best venues) and we really appreciated all the free time in St. Petersburg.

An acquaintance of ours who was born and raised in St. Petersburg told us that fall is one of the very best times to visit...that's when she goes when she goes "home" to visit her family.

dkjbooks - You mention the "hotel manager" taking you below to give an envelope to the crew. Does "hotel manager" mean someone/manager on Viking? Was the money you gave in rubles or US currency or Euros? Getting that much money in rubles in U.S. might be difficult.

Another money question - Did they have an ATM on the ship? How did you get rubles?

The Hotel Manager was one of the Viking staff.

On our visit a few years ago, American Dollars were accepted many places. Things may have changed since then. If you book with Viking, details will be included in your final packet.

You cannot get rubles outside of Russia. Best bet is to acquire some at the airport when you land (and try to get smaller bills). Or, Viking includes an ATM stop early in the trip.

I am taking a cruise in July on Viking from St. Petersburg to Moscow. I am interested in private guides and would like to hear experiences and recommendations.

How did other handle carrying money, credit cards, travelers checks..., in Russia?

We were admonished by Viking every time we left the ship to secure our valuables to avoid being pickpocketed. Don't bother with travelers checks - you probably won't be able to cash or use them.

Best bet for money, cards (and only what you need for the day) is some sort of under your clothing security pouch while out and about.

You probably won't have time for a private guide in Moscow, as Viking covers everything quite well and offers excellent optionals. With a half day and full day of free time in St. Petersburg, we were happy to have hired a private guide. Viking does offer optionals while there.

DO NOT carry a wallet. One gent, with a very fancy wallet with card slots and sections for various currencies, was relieved of same outside the ballet theater, and was totally unaware of how/when that happened.

Thank you, djkbooks.

How about safety in Moscow and St. Petersberg? Going off on ones own in the day, or evening?

I was in both cities on my own, and felt quite safe during the day. In Moscow my homestay was in an apartment block well out of the center, and I did feel a little nervous going home at night as the street was pretty empty, but if you stay in the center you shouldn't have that problem.

I used an ATM card, and always wear a money belt when I travel.

hi again
we didnt have a guide cos i studied the language years ago and am still fairly fluent - can read etc
but i did note that city realty had those kind of services that non-speakers would welcome
the transfer fee was 90aud for the two of us
the driver picked us up from the airport and we got to experience russian traffic lol

our travel agent arranged the invitations from city realty
on our voucher that we had to submit to the local consulate here at home read that we were staying at prebaltiski hotel in st petes and some asia hotel in moscow
they must have some deal with these hotels - i was a bit worried about this aspect but everyone assured me that that is how it is done''

we got an invitation then we had to get the visa organised ourselves through our local agent- took about 14 days
then we had to get the registration fixed up separately - the russian group did that so we didnt have to go to any police station or postoffice to let them know wed arrived
i already mentioned that when you go to the next city to stay ( not a daytrip) then you have to register again
but city realty did that for us


safety wise - it is fine
there are so many people in the streets and we stuck to the main ones when walking home to our apartments
the metro is very safe and there are lots of police around

i asked locals about the safety of the metro in the early hours and they reassured me that there are usually no issues
look out for drunks and just get into a carriage where people are behaving themselves -0 but again we saw nothing untoward and if there was something, the militsia would be onto it

i carried a tote bag and my debit card in my pants pocket
kept my passport on us - OH had them in his inside pocket of his jacket or i stuck mine down into the pocket of my cargo pants on one day trip out to sergiev posad

we wore walking shoes or hikers - certainly stood out from the locals but we encountered none of the hassles i dreaded
the police didnt so much as look at us - i certainly didnt approach any for advice on directions - just asked local folk if we got lost
OH did get whistled at by a policeman round the kremlin - cos he went on the grass but the cop didnt approach us and we just walked on by nonchalantly
( theyre funny in those oversized hats - just remembered the young skinny boys under their big mushroom caps lol)

people were well behaved - no loutish behaviour


we did see some gypsy kids go for a young girls bag right in front of us but i saved the day by screaming out a warning ( yep that was me saving st petersburg citizens - still waiting to see a mention of the incident in the newspaper lol)

the train trip was organised back home and we paid far too much
couldve got it for 80 aud frommoscow to st petes
but it ended up costing us 278 aud each
shouldve bought ticketsit when we arrived in moscow but we didnt feel confident
we got a coupe - shared with a couple from siberia
was a very comfortable trip
you have to take your own food - there was no food for sale on the train
we caught it around 10 pm and we got in at 630 or so
didnt look out the window cos we were chatting tothe siberian couple

we bought ballet tickets in st petes
its easy
the locals will show you where to buy them- cheap as chips and lots to choose from
but again the company can organise all of that for you - you willpay a foreigners price

i tried to get us in for the russian price lol but the cashier espied OH hanging round and asked outright if he was a foreigner - bummer
i guess it looked pretty obvious cos i expect that the guy would be paying for tickets normally
shouldve rehearsed our charade a little more lol

we found atms in railway stations and of course in banks
if you want to change a 1000rubles ( 40 aud) you need to show your passport at the bank
OH carried a wallet and we did things pretty normally- just were vigilant like in any big city

oh about the mozzies
i packed OFF but didnt use the stuff at all
we walked round the canals day and night and didnt see of feel any mozzies
none in norway either
this was late may and mid june
mozzies were a worry for me before we left - just sorry i had to lug that big bottle of the repellant all around
thought id be bathing in it lol