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Moscow excursion on Oceania Nautica


Roseypoet

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I am thinking of taking a Baltic cruise on the Nautica next year. I was looking for s ship that

is docked for 3 days in St. Petersburg because I would like to go on an optional excursion to Moscow. I hear that trip is cancelled alot due to lack of participation. Any thoughts on this?

Has anyone done this? I hear Oceania is just fabulous! I have only been on Princess.

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I am thinking of taking a Baltic cruise on the Nautica next year. I was looking for s ship that

is docked for 3 days in St. Petersburg because I would like to go on an optional excursion to Moscow. I hear that trip is cancelled alot due to lack of participation. Any thoughts on this?

Has anyone done this? I hear Oceania is just fabulous! I have only been on Princess.

 

Expense aside, I suppose that if you are someone who has been to St. Petersburg a dozen or more times then the Moscow trip might be an interesting diversion, but otherwise it just eats up too much time of your stay in a World Class destination city.

St_Petrsburg-10.jpg

 

The ship will not dock until 8AM on day one of your three days, and it sails out at 6pm on day three, so that middle day is the only 24 hour day that you will have in Russia.

peterhof_palace_outside_saint_petersburg_russia_photo_gov.jpg

 

The flight to Moscow is only an hour and a half, but by the time that you factor in getting to and from the airport, and checking in and out of the hotel, you've lost 8 precious hours. Meanwhile, St. Petersburg is just outside your cabin window.

Hermitage%20St%20Petersburg%20Russia_20090303112028.jpg

 

Moscow is on our bucket list too, but we will probably get there in conjunction with one of those marvelous Russian river cruises, which are such a fabulous bargain right now.

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In 2009 we were on Azamara which docked in St Petersburg for 3 days and did their Moscow extension - just as the other posters have said - even though the flight is short very long day - left ship at 645AM and returned back at 1145PM - great day and something I am glad that we did - however - if I was doing it again - since our cruise started in Copenhagen - would have done a 3 day pre-cruise tour (obviously would have to be with another tour company so that we would have the necessary Visas and sightseeing) - then we would have flown from home to Moscow, stayed 2 or 3 nights there - had more time for really exploring and then flown to Copenhagen for the cruise and kept all 3 days in St Petersburg - however if time is the problem and Moscow is on your high list as it was with us - then better to do it and wished you had more time than not to do it all and the time does not come around again - keep in mind however the shore excursion is very pricey - I think in 2009 it was $750 per person for that one day.

 

Have not sailed on Oceania but will be in a couple of weeks so very anxious to see for myself.

 

Enjoy

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I, too, looked for a 3-day stay in STP for next summer. That itinerary doesn't exist any longer on Oceania or Azamara. Both lines only have 2 days scheduled for next season.

Oceania has trips next summer with 3 days in St. Petersburg. They are Scandanavian Splendors (which we did in 2009) for June 19, Aug 19 and Sept 16, 2012 and their Czars & Vikings on Aug 5 and Sept. 2, 2012. These are in the new 2012 European Collection catalogue for Oceania. Hope this helps.

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We did the Baltic on Regent Voyager a few years back and didn't do the Moscow excursion for all the reasons cited. If you're open to a different kind of experience, take a look at Lindbad's Baltic voyage on the National Geographic Exlorer coupled with their Moscow pre-cruise. We did this last fall and it was great - four days in Moscow - fly to St.P to meet ship and 3 days there - also had Gorbechev and Walesa spend time with us. It was a great trip - but different.

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