Bit of a blog – Legend of the Seas - Ultimate Scandinavia & Russia – June 18th 2014

[paula2051]

Thank you for this wonderful review and all the pictures were beautiful. Loved how knowledgeable you are on all the port sites. It put so much more meaning into the photographs. I will be doing most of these ports next year in June. Was wondering if you could give me the temperature highs and lows that you encountered. Looks like most of it was of the light jacket variety..

[NorbertsNiece]

Thank you for this wonderful review and all the pictures were beautiful. Loved how knowledgeable you are on all the port sites. It put so much more meaning into the photographs. I will be doing most of these ports next year in June. Was wondering if you could give me the temperature highs and lows that you encountered. Looks like most of it was of the light jacket variety..

 

 

You're more than kind. Now that I'm home I can google the places to get the names!!

 

We had some really warm days and some somewhat wet ones. We had at least one day when shorts would have been appropriate to wear ashore.... Visby I think. As in Alaska think layers. I had a hoody with me and wore it daily pretty much. Carried a waterproof that folds up small in my backpack to wear over it in the rain. Jeans everywhere. You really need good walking shoes..... there are cobblestones in most ports of call if not all.

 

I wasn't going to post this but whatever.....

Me. Hoody. And waterproof.

 

[enidcruiser]

,

 

 

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[paula2051]

You're more than kind. Now that I'm home I can google the places to get the names!!

 

We had some really warm days and some somewhat wet ones. We had at least one day when shorts would have been appropriate to wear ashore.... Visby I think. As in Alaska think layers. I had a hoody with me and wore it daily pretty much. Carried a waterproof that folds up small in my backpack to wear over it in the rain. Jeans everywhere. You really need good walking shoes..... there are cobblestones in most ports of call if not all.

 

I wasn't going to post this but whatever.....

Me. Hoody. And waterproof.

 

 

Ooooo... I like your 'waterproof'. I'd ask where you got it from, but you'd probably say England!:D Will have to check on line for something that cute and folds up small. Rain on a cruise is a 4 letter word!:eek:

[NorbertsNiece]

Ooooo... I like your 'waterproof'. I'd ask where you got it from, but you'd probably say England!:D Will have to check on line for something that cute and folds up small. Rain on a cruise is a 4 letter word!:eek:

 

Marks & Spencer ;) More shower resist than waterproof. Is quite warm but still thin.....

It folds itself into one of the pockets.....

Pacamac is a trade name.... just found this really nice one on a UK fashion site.

Edited July 3, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[paula2051]

Marks & Spencer ;) More shower resist than waterproof. Is quite warm but still thin.....

It folds itself into one of the pockets.....

Pacamac is a trade name.... just found this really nice one on a UK fashion site.

 

Thank you so much!!

[enidcruiser]

Linda, you shared pics of places I will never see so I appreciate the time you took to share. Thanks so much.

 

 

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[seaofwonder]

I can't speak for Linda, but I am in Europe now (France, Netherlands, Germany) and temps have generally been in the 70s (low to mid). We're having a heat wave right now of the mid-80s. Subtract 5-10 Fahrenheit for the Baltics (at least according to my weather app).

 

However, as with anywhere the weather can vary considerably and next year could be some freakish heat wave.

 

I've been pretty comfortable in jeans, but capris would have been nice. Going into the 60s would definitely necessitate jeans all the time and lightweight jacket (I've been wearing a fleece jacket on colder days).

 

I'm going on this cruise (very similar at least) in 4 weeks and am looking forward to cooler weather.

 

 

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[NorbertsNiece]

Linda, you shared pics of places I will never see so I appreciate the time you took to share. Thanks so much.

 

 

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Good to hear from you! I see you are on Navigator again next year. That was a fun cruise (except for embarkation that is!!)

[Jason12]

Excellent blog thanks for sharing...now if all have a whip around we can send Linda off to blog us some more.. :) I'm sure you could make a living out of blogging..?

 

 

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[NorbertsNiece]

Excellent blog thanks for sharing...now if all have a whip around we can send Linda off to blog us some more.. :) I'm sure you could make a living out of blogging..?

 

 

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There's a Yiddish expression : From your mouth to God's ear..... :D

[I&J Cruisers]

Great blog. Thanks for sharing. Really enjoyed.

 

 

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[SF2AA]

Hi!! Please feel free to share any of your pictures here x

Will be on Oasis in September, Rhapsody out of Singapore in May..... how about that drink? ;)

 

I may be a little late but if there is any interest I could try to post some of my pics from the same cruise as a post script to this very interesting blog. I did not go to Moscow and spent 3 days touring St Petersburg ... thought you might find the contrast useful. Does this sound like a plan?

[NorbertsNiece]

yes!!! :d

[Bunny 43]

Hi Enjoyed reading about your travels Noticed that last year you did GC river boat to southern France.. Had some questions if I could ask you about Grand Circle traveling as a single My email BerPlat@aol.com Thanks Bunny

[NorbertsNiece]

Hi Enjoyed reading about your travels Noticed that last year you did GC river boat to southern France.. Had some questions if I could ask you about Grand Circle traveling as a single My email BerPlat@aol.com Thanks Bunny

 

You can ask your questions in the blog for the GC cruise or alternatively email me here :D

 

Currently uploading today's pics.

[traveler2005]

Linda - I so much enjoyed seeing your beautiful photos and commentary. Thank you for taking the time to do this. I know that many will benefit.

 

I am curious about your experience with wi fi on RCI. Did you do much of the uploading using it or did you do that with the plan that you set up with your phone? Did RCI have an unlimited plan?

[NorbertsNiece]

Linda - I so much enjoyed seeing your beautiful photos and commentary. Thank you for taking the time to do this. I know that many will benefit.

 

I am curious about your experience with wi fi on RCI. Did you do much of the uploading using it or did you do that with the plan that you set up with your phone? Did RCI have an unlimited plan?

 

Hey how are you?! :D

 

All the photos I posted up to Helsinki, I think, I uploaded on board to photobucket then posted to the blog. Without re-reading it I don't remember!! I bought a package, had extra minutes from C&A status and GS gave me a few minutes for kicking me off the connection once and wasting my time trying to get back and a few as a gesture of goodwill right at the end which I didn't really use.

 

I posted comments from my phone from time to time.... not pictures... that was via my phone provider not RCL.

 

Whilst I could get a couple of bars on the wifi signal in my room it was much too slow to be of any use..... I used to go to the traditional hotspots to blog.... mostly the Latte Tudes area where I got 5 bars wifi and a decaf cappuccino! Sometimes up in the Online area and a couple of times in the D Lounge where it was lovely and quiet in the late evening.

Edited July 6, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[traveler2005]

My experience with weather on the cruise was that it was chilly. We sometimes commented that it was not very warm for the end of June. Like Linda, I always had a fleece jacket and an unlined rain jacket with me. I would usually wear the fleece jacket and the rain jacket and umbrella came and went depending on whether it was raining. Sometimes it was warm enough to tie the fleece jacket around my waist, but I would not have wanted to leave the ship without it.

 

The fleece also felt good in exterior areas of the ship and in the solarium in the evenings.

 

Temperatures were mostly in the 60s according to my recollection. The forecast from the 11 Cruise Compasses list the following for each day (I don't know whether this is the expected high or the expected average):

72, 61, 61, 57, 59, 54, 57, 57, 54, 59, 54.

[traveler2005]

>Hey how are you?! :D

 

All is well. It took a few days to wake up and not feel like I was still on the ship. It was a wonderful trip and I appreciate so much all that you did on the Roll Call. The information that I got there played a big part in making the trip so successful.

[funnel]

Great blog Linda! Thank You!

 

Now I've realized that I have to go to Moscow some day.

I have been to Tallinn a couple of times and love to stroll around in the old town.

 

Temperatures were mostly in the 60s according to my recollection. The forecast from the 11 Cruise Compasses list the following for each day (I don't know whether this is the expected high or the expected average):

72, 61, 61, 57, 59, 54, 57, 57, 54, 59, 54.

 

Sorry, but you were going about a week too early, now it's in the 80's, at least here in Sweden.

That's our typical summer weather here; 55F one day and 80F the next. It can be rather cold for longer periods, but now I hope summer has finally arrived.

 

/Erik

[NorbertsNiece]

Great blog Linda! Thank You!

 

Now I've realized that I have to go to Moscow some day.

I have been to Tallinn a couple of times and love to stroll around in the old town.

 

 

 

Sorry, but you were going about a week too early, now it's in the 80's, at least here in Sweden.

That's our typical summer weather here; 55F one day and 80F the next. It can be rather cold for longer periods, but now I hope summer has finally arrived.

 

/Erik

 

That's what we're having in the UK this summer..... hot days then more rain than you need to water the plants ..... sigh....

 

>Hey how are you?! :D

 

All is well. It took a few days to wake up and not feel like I was still on the ship. It was a wonderful trip and I appreciate so much all that you did on the Roll Call. The information that I got there played a big part in making the trip so successful.

 

Do you think I should scan the Compasses and link them up here? Is anyone interested do you think? I have them all.....

[SF2AA]

Thanks, Linda, for inviting me to post some pics here in your blog. I've never blogged before, so we'll see how this goes.

 

We were on the same Legend of the Seas cruise to the Baltics, and we thought it might be interesting to contrast the different activities at the various ports, especially the three days at St. Petersburg.

 

But first, to test out the system (remember I've not done this before), let me tell you the story of how our paths cross. It all began at the beautiful international terminal of SFO (concourse G to be precise), where we boarded a nonstop flight from SFO to CPH. This nonstop flight access to the cruise was one thing that sold me on this particular cruise itinerary.

 

As the plane took off, I looked to my right out the window and ...when what to my wondering eyes did appear... the SF Bay Area beautifully laid out before me...

with Golden Gate Park at the bottom, the SF downtown, the Bay Bridge, the East Bay, crowned by Mt. Diablo.

 

The plane made a sharp right turn over the Golden Gate

...you can see the Golden Gate Bridge abutment on the lower left below the wings, and the Bay Bridge above. As a bridge enthusiast, I was in seventh heaven! A closer view of downtown San Francisco and the double suspension portion of the Bay Bridge...

...and even a closer look at downtown SF

[...you can even see the North Beach Playground (gray square at the lower left next to the street slanting to the left) where Joe DiMaggio played baseball as a kid (years later I played there as a kid, but without his success)].

 

Next we come to the controversial new Eastern span (opened 2013) to the tune of $6.4B (that's a B for Billion)

...it is a self-anchored suspension span with only one tower. Here is a closer look at it...

...the self-anchored suspension span goes from the pier on the left, the tower in the center, to the pier on the right. The old cantilever bridge behind it is being dismantled piece by piece.

 

It's almost 6pm local time, and we have just begun the 10-hour flight from SFO to CPH. I had communicated with Linda via the Cruise Critic Forum roll call for the Legend of the Seas. Her tips have been invaluable to my planning; we have even discussed sharing a taxi in Copenhagen to the Legend; but I have never met her. I thought to myself, How would I be able to identify her when we get to Copenhagen?

(to be continued in the next post; sorry, I just found out I can have only six pictures max per post, so I deleted two shots of Berkeley)

Edited July 6, 2014 by vk8cruiser

[SF2AA]

Hmmm.. seems like my pics did not load. Will have to try again. Glad I tested it with something not critical.

[basilisk43]

By clicking on the small photo icons that are shown in your post I was able to copy the links and view your photos. They look pretty amazing, great snaps!

Edited July 7, 2014 by basilisk43