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#1
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Baltic Cruise
We're sailing August 1 on Holland America's Noordam to the Baltic. We're
wondering about must-do shore excursion activities in Helsinki, Visby, Tallinn, Warnemunde, and St. Petersburg. Has anyone been on this cruise? Do you recommend HAL's shore excursions or going out on your own? We've heard about a group in St. Petersburg, Russia, called Red October that does excellent shore excursions, and supposedly, we wouldn't need a visa to do their events. Does anyone have experience with them? We're afraid of getting there & finding out they're not legit and then not being able to get off the ship since we won't have visas. Thanks, Linda |
#2
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Baltic Cruise
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 20:16:17 GMT, "Lewis Clark" lewis_clark_644 @
yahoo.com wrote: We're sailing August 1 on Holland America's Noordam to the Baltic. We're wondering about must-do shore excursion activities in Helsinki, Visby, Tallinn, Warnemunde, and St. Petersburg. Has anyone been on this cruise? Do you recommend HAL's shore excursions or going out on your own? We've heard about a group in St. Petersburg, Russia, called Red October that does excellent shore excursions, and supposedly, we wouldn't need a visa to do their events. Does anyone have experience with them? We're afraid of getting there & finding out they're not legit and then not being able to get off the ship since we won't have visas. Thanks, Linda Red October is great and very respectable, about half the cost of your ship's excursions. No need for excursions in any other countries, afaik, although I haven't been to Visby. I very highly recommend that you catch the train to Schwerinn when you get to Warnemunde -- it was our favorite stop of our 14-day Baltic cruise. No need for an excursion -- the train to Schwerinn is inexpensive and good, and runs from Rostock every hour or so. It is a charming little town, with no modern development but lots of restoration, a huge pedestrianized section, a pretty lake, and the ornate gingerbread castle of the Dukes of Mecklenburg for a destination. In Tallinn, just catch a free shuttle to the Old Town and walk around. It's like Medieval Estonian Disneyworld. Helsinki is a small, friendly city and easy to get around. The language is completely indecipherable, but a LOT of people speak English. Mason Barge "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee." -- Abraham Lincoln |
#3
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Baltic Cruise
St Petersburg - Do as much as you can possibly fit in. Summer Palaces, the
Hermitage, the Ballet, and so on and so on. You probably won't be back there any time soon, so go what you can. We were doing three trips a day when we were there. No matter who you use, don't waste a minute of time on the ship. Tallinn is a great city. If you are into crafts, fabrics, crystal, all good local work available, and it's incredibly inexpensive. Tallinn is all within walking distance from the ship, though if you want they have the school kids lead walking tours in English with time for shopping and the rest. Everything was incredibly inexpensive, at times it seemed like we were getting more money back then we were paying for stuff. Helsinki we also did on our own, canal boat ride around the city which was interesting, then some of the main sights. If you do need a visa for Russia, get it in early, they take a bit longer (or they did when we did it) then they say they will. Wasn't a huge deal then as you didn't have to give up your passport to get it, but now you do. "Lewis Clark" lewis_clark_644 @ yahoo.com wrote in message ... We're sailing August 1 on Holland America's Noordam to the Baltic. We're wondering about must-do shore excursion activities in Helsinki, Visby, Tallinn, Warnemunde, and St. Petersburg. Has anyone been on this cruise? Do you recommend HAL's shore excursions or going out on your own? We've heard about a group in St. Petersburg, Russia, called Red October that does excellent shore excursions, and supposedly, we wouldn't need a visa to do their events. Does anyone have experience with them? We're afraid of getting there & finding out they're not legit and then not being able to get off the ship since we won't have visas. Thanks, Linda |
#4
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Baltic Cruise
Red October is great, much better by far than the ship tours. I used tham last year and they are very reliable. |
#5
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Baltic Cruise
You might also want to consider using DenRus - we used them a few weeks ago
and then were great. From what I've red of Red October they are very comparable!!! Rich "Skwir" wrote in message ... Red October is great, much better by far than the ship tours. I used tham last year and they are very reliable. |
#6
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Baltic Cruise
I have read the boards on www.cruisecritic.com and everyone recommends Red
October. However, I believe you will still need a visa though they will go through the paperwork for you, but it takes a good 6 weeks. |
#7
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Baltic Cruise
Just did that tour with Red October and no visa needed. They handle it all...
Have a great trip... I have read the boards on www.cruisecritic.com and everyone recommends Red October. However, I believe you will still need a visa though they will go through the paperwork for you, but it takes a good 6 weeks. |
#8
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Baltic Cruise
What did you think of their operation?
"FRUTH123" wrote in message ... Just did that tour with Red October and no visa needed. They handle it all... Have a great trip... |
#9
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Baltic Cruise
Red October was fabulous. We saw more in 1 day with them then most others saw
in 2. Everyplace you go with them you go the the front of the line...No waiting. I highly recommend it... What did you think of their operation? |
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