Eclipsing Northern Europe by cruise : Basic black , and Baltic blues

[scubacruiserx2]

Have been quietly following (cruising!) along and must say thanks again for a wonderful blog on your journey.

 

The photos have been wonderful as well as the snippets of history thrown in. All ports look wonderul but SPB especially magical - so much history, art and architecture! Truly mesmerising!

 

Only the overcrowding at some of the attractions is off putting, but if your advise to travel outside of peak times can be achieved it sounds like it will add immeasurable value to the experience!

 

Some cruises will dock in SPB For 3D/2N which also allows a rather quick but rare opportunity to visit Moscow. Have you done this previously and would recommend if you did not have a chance to visit pre/post cruise?

 

Cheers!

Matt

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Hi Matt , and thank you for you kind comments and observations , and Oz is on our bucket list . But with that being said , we couldn't imagine doing a cruise from Sydney to NZ without a pre and/or post cruise stay to both of the beautiful locations - unless that was the only way to do it ! In other words , we would recommend a stay in either one of these great places !

 

We made several stays in SPB without going to Moscow and had plenty to see and do ! But if this is your only chance ( we never dreamed that we would have returned before our first visit to SPB ) - THEN YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER IT !

 

We have not done it from a cruise but we have done a day trip and a overnight trip , both from SPB . The day trip is found here :

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a very long 15 hour day ( 3 hours each way on the train ) and very expensive . But , if that's what you want to do by all means go for it !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2016 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

When we woke up on our last day in SPB it was cold and surprise , rainy !

 

 

 

 

And up on deck , we had some new visitors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And on the other side of the ship is the Lakhta Center ( Gazprom , the Russian oil company ) , which at 463 m , will become the tallest building in Europe .

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakhta_Center

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

When we met Anna she gave us a briefing of where we would first go - The Metro .

 

 

 

 

 

We would be entering a new line on the purple 5 near Sportivnaya .

 

 

 

 

We were surprised to find out that our spb cards weren't working . You

enter the tunnel here and it goes way down

 

 

 

 

From here we were hopping on a new tunnel which went under the river .

 

 

 

It moves quite fast and you can hear the wind whistling in our video clip !

 

 

 

 

There is a much better version here , in Russian :

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94YIowDjFro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

The purple 5 line is the newest line and the next exit is the closest to Palace Square , Admiralteyskaya .

 

 

 

 

 

This sign was up last May for Victory Day

 

 

 

Another stunning station on this line is Obovodny Canal .

 

 

 

 

 

We would be getting off where the new Zvenigorodskaya station meets the oldest line , the # 1 Red .

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

loving your review. I'm feeling the need to go to Europe again..soon very soon

 

Thanks , it reminds us until we go again . ;)

Edited August 4, 2016 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

We saw Pushkin as we changed lines to Pushkinskaya

 

 

 

As you can see , it's in English also

 

 

 

 

 

A quick ride on the train :

 

 

 

Here we picked up the library train

 

 

 

 

 

For a ride .

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

This stop , Baltyskaya

 

 

 

 

Anybody , Baltiyskaya ?

 

 

 

 

We will get off at the next station , Narvaskaya .

 

 

 

When the station was first being built, it was named Ploshchad Stachek (Translated "Square of the Strikes"), but several years before its opening, the name was changed to "Stalinskaya" after Joseph Stalin. Shortly before it opened in March 1953, Stalin died and the political structure changed. The station was renamed Narvskaya after the Narva Triumphal Gate, located opposite the entrance to the station. This place-name indicates that it was once the gate of the road to Narva. Source : Wikipedia

 

 

Finished in 1955 , this station has social realism art glorifying workers and the State .

 

 

 

 

 

 

And , reflecting the cold war , these metal decorations which are really - heavy bomb blast doors , can be slid closed if needed .

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2016 by scubacruiserx2

[liptastic]

Those underground stations look like a work of art in their own rights. How clean and well maintained they look. Again thanks so much for all these wonderful photos and posts. Jean.

[scubacruiserx2]

As we surface above the Narva station , we see the Narva Arch . The Narva Triumphal Arch (lit. Gate, Russian: На́рвские триумфа́льные воро́та) was erected in the vast Narva Square (known as Stachek Square since 1923), Saint Petersburg, in 1814 to commemorate the Russian victory over Napoleon . Wikipedia

 

 

We also see a building with a propaganda painting urging the workers of the world to unite .

 

 

 

Going back down

 

 

 

 

There was a diorama prior to descending urging " Glory to Work ! "

 

 

 

But this was not the original . The original featured Stalin .

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2016 by scubacruiserx2

[perfect match]

Figured I should pop in and let you know I'm still following along on your journey. Both pictures and narrative are amazing, as usual! :D

[scubacruiserx2]

Our final stop was at Avtovo

 

 

I love the photo of the library train speeding away !!

 

 

We asked Tyler to look serious while we were underground , and he took us serious !

 

 

 

 

This mosaic says a lot . Made 10 years after WW II , it shows the war years dates and a strong Mother Russia holding the future . The banner at the top using the same root word Mir , ( remember the space station ? ) means - World Peace .

 

 

 

They also have marble columns here .

 

 

 

And after meeting our driver here , we drove toward our next stop - Peterhof .

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

Ooops ! I forgot to put up the photo of Anna , Pat and Tyler on the happy train .

 

 

[afto]

This is a wonderful review; have enjoyed all your posts and learned lots from them too. Library train = amazing!!

[jonj]

I am sure I simply missed it but which company did you use for the tour in St Petersburg?

[scubacruiserx2]

This is a wonderful review; have enjoyed all your posts and learned lots from them too. Library train = amazing!!

 

Thank you , and we're happy that you enjoy it ! I think that they were trying to encourage reading , but I'm not sure that you can take the display books . The photo of the fire in the fireplace was a tip off and there's plastic in front of the shelves . ;)

[scubacruiserx2]

I am sure I simply missed it but which company did you use for the tour in St Petersburg?

 

We used a private guide/driver , Gennadiy Chentov , on day 1 . He charges $ 25 /hr for 1 or 2 people and $30/hr for 3 or 4 . We first met him back in 2009 , when Pat had dark hair ! ;)

 

 

 

On days 2 and 3 we booked with Polina V. a guide/driver which we met through Tours by Locals in 2015 .

 

 

 

We booked her independently , but she also works for TBL and Alla . Polina's daughter was sick , when we were in SPB , and so she sent Anna with a driver , and called us on Anna's phone to explain . Here's her TBL contact page :

 

https://www.toursbylocals.com/TBL/WebObjects/ToursByLocals.woa/1/wo/mGraQiE6XJrEPvYEdIfvRg/4.27.7.3.13.1.13.3.1.1

 

[Gracie115]

Thanks for providing the tour guides info, when we book a Baltic cruise(which I hope will be when the new itineraries come out this fall) we will definitely contact them....it is so worth spending a few more $$ to be able to avoid massive crowds!!

 

Really enjoying your journey, what was Tyler's favorite part of the trip?

[scubacruiserx2]

Thanks for providing the tour guides info, when we book a Baltic cruise(which I hope will be when the new itineraries come out this fall) we will definitely contact them....it is so worth spending a few more $$ to be able to avoid massive crowds!!

 

Really enjoying your journey, what was Tyler's favorite part of the trip?

 

You're welcome Gracie . And we also had a good guide and tour in Copenhagen .

 

Like so many cruisers , he loves to eat and he does enjoy sleeping in . And so he would probably love a TA ! :) :D

[ighten]

Great following this.. Loving the photos.

 

PS the link seems broken (well it goes to a session expired page)

[scubacruiserx2]

I found some photos which I had wanted to use yesterday , but my photo sharing site was ( and still is ) having some problems , and so I couldn't put them up yesterday . These are from the Narva station .

 

 

 

The arch decorated for Victory Day

 

 

 

 

The propaganda painting on the building

 

 

 

 

 

Statues in the station

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

Great following this.. Loving the photos.

 

PS the link seems broken (well it goes to a session expired page)

 

 

I don't think that we put up Gennadiy's site either :

 

 

http://www.guide-petersburg.com/

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure what's wrong , you made have to look it up . Here's her basic 2 day trip .

 

Day 1

- Meet at the ship

- Enjoy the beauty of the awakening city. Possible to visit St. Nicolas Cathedral.

- Drive to City of Pushkin (formerly Tsarskoye Selo)

- Catherine's Palace; the Amber Room is definitely the highlight here. Enjoy beauty of the park.

- Drive to Peterhof

- Enjoy the beauty of Peterhof (Kingdom of Fountains)

- Enjoy unexpected beauty of subway on the way back

- Return to the ship/optional evening program

 

Evening program option is also available as Folk show or Ballet in one of the best theaters of St Petersburg.

 

Day 2

- Meet at the ship

- Start the city tour

- Visit the the Peter and Paul's Fortress and the Cathedral.

- Visit St. Issac's Cathedral, Church on the Spilt Blood

- You will be able to take pics at the most picturesque places of the city: Spit of Basil Island, the Bronze Horseman, Nevsky Prospect and more.

- Lunch

- Hermitage tour

- Return to the ship

 

PLEASE NOTE: You can easily change the plan - add activity or even lower it. I am opened to help You to get the Dream Plan!

 

It's $740 for 2 , but only $780 for 4 . I think that it doesn't include admissions and so we bought the SPB card which has a lot of coupons , for $ 48 .

 

https://petersburgcard.com/en/about-card/petersburgcard/

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

There are many palaces in and around St. Petersburg like this one .

 

 

 

 

But the special thing about this one is the fountains . Watch them come on , with music , in this video clip :

 

 

 

The Grand Cascade

 

 

 

 

 

There are several ways to get here including hydrofoil

 

 

 

 

Here come several now !

 

 

 

Sampson opening the jaws of a lion

 

 

 

 

 

There are also beautiful grounds here

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

If you choose the hydrofoil , it's a fairly long walk along the pier .

 

 

 

 

Until you reach the canal which leads up to the palace .

 

 

But , if you should get hungry from you effort , there is a nice restaurant Standart there .

 

 

 

With Borscht

 

 

 

 

and Beef Stroganoff , which we can attest , is well made and delicious .

 

 

 

It is widely accepted that it was invented in the Stroganoff Palace in SPB .

 

 

[Gracie115]

You're welcome Gracie . And we also had a good guide and tour in Copenhagen .

 

Like so many cruisers , he loves to eat and he does enjoy sleeping in . And so he would probably love a TA ! :) :D

 

AH! He would indeed! We are going on the Equinox TA from Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale in October.....had no plans to do so but got a wonderful deal a few weeks back and couldn't resist...and glad we are because it is being repositioned to Florida permanently. This will be our 1st Westbound TA, we are looking forward to those 25 hour days!! :)

 

oh...and the Stroganoff looks wonderful!!!:D

[scubacruiserx2]

There are a number of different fountains there and this map may help locate and name a few .

 

 

 

 

The wind whipped French Fountain

 

 

 

 

A Roman Fountain , and in the distance , The Chessboard Fountain .

 

 

 

 

 

With the dragons on the top

 

 

 

One of our favorites is the Water Road Fountain , which must be seen in video to truly enjoy it !