Viking Sineus - Ukraine

[pontac]

We are on this cruise on 6 July, travelling Odessa to Kiev.

 

We booked it a few days ago, even though we are on Viking the month before, because

1) Discounted price

2) Last year of this itinery. We didn't fancy the long coach trip between the 2020 port Tulcea, via Constanta, to Bucharest, 225 miles. Google maps says 4h05 by car so it'll be longer by coach

3) Didn't fancy 2 nights in a hotel at Bucharest

Edited April 7, 2019 by pontac

[pogo50]

We are on the May 17 sailing out of Kiev. We only go as far as Odessa. Bucharest was not an option when we booked a year ago. We have been in Bucharest for the European Sojourn and the hotel and things to see in Bucharest were wonderful. I would go back again for all that we did not have time to see. Bucharest was worth spending time in.

We are booked for the dinner in Kiev and the Opera House in Odessa. I hope the cruise is better than the reviews. We are also doing the "pre" in Istanbul, and I'm excited for that. Anyone else going on the May 17th sailing out of Kiev?

[Peregrina651]

12 hours ago, pogo50 said:

We are on the May 17 sailing out of Kiev. We only go as far as Odessa. Bucharest was not an option when we booked a year ago. We have been in Bucharest for the European Sojourn and the hotel and things to see in Bucharest were wonderful. I would go back again for all that we did not have time to see. Bucharest was worth spending time in.

We are booked for the dinner in Kiev and the Opera House in Odessa. I hope the cruise is better than the reviews. We are also doing the "pre" in Istanbul, and I'm excited for that. Anyone else going on the May 17th sailing out of Kiev?

 

Have an open mind. this is not the typical Viking itinerary. You are not sailing on a Viking longship. Viking must lease the ship and they must staff it with Ukrainians except for some of the upper management on the hotel staff.  If you are expecting it to be like a sail down the Danube, you are setting yourself up for disappointment--and I think that is why you are seeing so many negative reviews, because people did not do their homework before sailing.

[MikeBR]

3 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Have an open mind. this is not the typical Viking itinerary. You are not sailing on a Viking longship. Viking must lease the ship and they must staff it with Ukrainians except for some of the upper management on the hotel staff.  If you are expecting it to be like a sail down the Danube, you are setting yourself up for disappointment--and I think that is why you are seeing so many negative reviews, because people did not do their homework before sailing.

We have done St.Petersburg to Moscow with Viking which we really enjoyed [Having done many Viking Longship cruises before] Looking at the photo's of the ship it looks very similar & size. 

[pontac]

What wines are served with meals?

 

Talking last night with the couple we are travelling with we were wondering (and hoping) they are local Ukrainian wines.

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, MikeBR said:

We have done St.Petersburg to Moscow with Viking which we really enjoyed [Having done many Viking Longship cruises before] Looking at the photo's of the ship it looks very similar & size. 

 

While they are similar in the number of passengers that they carry, Viking Sineus is not a Longship. It is neither as wide nor as long and it has a diesel propulsion system (in other words, noisy). It was built in 1979 and refurbished and renamed in 2014. One thing that I have not been able able to determine is if the steep, narrow staircases from one deck to another have been replaced with something that is easier to climb up and down.

[Happy explorer]

This is an interesting trip and a great way to see Kiev and Odessa and chat to local people.  We felt very safe in both cities and were happy to leave the boat even in the evening to go into the city on foot.  

 

Ukraine has struggled-both in the past and even today and understanding where it is in time and space helps.  It is really trying hard against difficult odds.  The crew are mostly Ukrainien, friendly, and more than happy to chat.  They come from different towns you will visit and just love it when you say something nice about their home town.  By talking to them you can gain some insight into the country.  Some are Ukrainien speakers and some Russian speakers but all saw themselves as Ukrainien.  They are in a difficult situation squashed between the EU and Russia and need all the support they can get.  

 

The food and the wines are locally sourced which is different from other Viking trips but the boat has been well refurbished and the cabins were excellent.  We went to the Opera House which was lovely and did most of the organised trips -  also wandered on our own.  Some lovely wee churches people are so proud of in surprising places. We also found the Chernobyl museum - not flashy but very humbling.

 

There is very little traffic on the river and Viking are doing a good thing being there. The locks were interesting too ........ enjoy 

 

[napoxoguk]

11 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

While they are similar in the number of passengers that they carry, Viking Sineus is not a Longship. 

Neither are any of the Viking's other ships running a rather busy route between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. That's what Mike must've referred to.

 

As to 

19 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

One thing that I have not been able able to determine is if the steep, narrow staircases from one deck to another have been replaced with something that is easier to climb up and down.

Here are some pictures of post-redesign interiors (including the staircases): http://www.meb.com.ua/pas/PV17.html

It also states that the ship had been retrofitted with a 4-person elevator.

[pontac]

1 hour ago, Happy explorer said:

The food and the wines are locally sourced which is different from other Viking trips

 

Thanks. I look forward to enjoying Ukraine wines.

 

Other Viking cruises which have locally sourced wines are:

 

 Douro, which had various local Portuguese wines (and the boat was crewed by a Portuguese company in Viking uniforms - so seems similar in operation to Sineus)

 

The Bordeaux cruise had different wines every day from the appellation we were in.

Edited April 8, 2019 by pontac

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, napoxoguk said:

Neither are any of the Viking's other ships running a rather busy route between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. That's what Mike must've referred to.

 

All of the ship that Viking uses in Russia are former Soviet river cruise vessels built in the former East Germany and bought by private firms when the USSR fell.

 

8 hours ago, napoxoguk said:

Here are some pictures of post-redesign interiors (including the staircases): http://www.meb.com.ua/pas/PV17.html

It also states that the ship had been retrofitted with a 4-person elevator.

 

Thanks for the link. Doesn't look like they have made any change to the staircases.

 

After refurb

 

Before rehab:

[mtbeales]

On 4/7/2019 at 10:17 AM, pogo50 said:

We are on the May 17 sailing out of Kiev. We only go as far as Odessa. Bucharest was not an option when we booked a year ago. We have been in Bucharest for the European Sojourn and the hotel and things to see in Bucharest were wonderful. I would go back again for all that we did not have time to see. Bucharest was worth spending time in.

We are booked for the dinner in Kiev and the Opera House in Odessa. I hope the cruise is better than the reviews. We are also doing the "pre" in Istanbul, and I'm excited for that. Anyone else going on the May 17th sailing out of Kiev?

 

My wife and I are sailing on May 17th, too. We booked last year before Viking added the extension to Bucharest for 2020 sailings. No matter as we will leave the ship a day early to fly to Bucharest via Istanbul to spend a few days in Bucharest and Transylvania before joining the Viking Aegir sailing Bucharest to Budapest. Last year we cruised Moscow to St. Petersburg and so enjoyed the people and the country that we decided to take this cruise.

Edited May 2, 2019 by mtbeales
Mis spelling

[pontac]

6 hours ago, mtbeales said:

 spend a few days in Bucharest and Transylvania before joining the Viking Aegir sailing Bucharest to Budapest.

 

HI @mtbeales - there's Roll Call for that cruise here:-

 

 

Post on it if you want to be added to the Roll Call and see if you're sharing that cruise with other Cruise Critics

[Horsedds]

Hi Pontiac I guess I DID get the link!!  Thanks!!  Seems like not everyone is on our July sailing, but some very interesting information in the comments!!  Thanks again!!

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, Horsedds said:

Hi Pontiac I guess I DID get the link!!  Thanks!!  Seems like not everyone is on our July sailing, but some very interesting information in the comments!!  Thanks again!!

 

Not enough people per sailing to support a roll call for each departure date, hence river cruises tend to have one roll call for each itinerary each year. Pooling resources  makes for better conversation. 

[Horsedds]

Just read back thru this post!  

I also got “bumped” from this cruise back when Sineus was first refurbished due to political upheaval. My husband, who likes travel less than I do, had a good time on the Danube two summers ago with CroisiEurope.  He saw this in a Viking catalog I had left among the motorcycle magazines and surprised me by suggesting it!  I wish Yalta were still in the itinerary, but overall I am thrilled to be going.  I am so ready to see the famous steps and gate!!!

It will be my husband’s first Viking trip but I have been on several, both river and ocean. I loved the Waterways of the Tzars trip especially the Moscow subways.  I am hoping for the Russian appetizer “Herring in its overcoat” as served on that trip to be on the menu!!

We will be taking the Vienna pretrip and I am hoping to get to hear a singer there we loved on the Danube trip, and to do some of the things we enjoyed so much there. It’s a good horse city which I especially enjoy!!

for the Sineus trip I have booked the Opera House excursion and also the Jewish trips, although I know they will be so sad. My husband’s roots are in Rumania, and although I know that is another trip, there are family stories that include Odessa. 

Peregrina651, thanks for the info about the group roll call!  Maybe that is why I could never find the right roll call for my river cruises!!

Pontac, 

are you and I the only ones posting who are on the July 6 sailing??  So happy to find someone to talk to about this exciting trip!!

 

[pontac]

On 5/4/2019 at 6:34 AM, Horsedds said:

Pontac, 

are you and I the only ones posting who are on the July 6 sailing??  So happy to find someone to talk to about this exciting trip!!

 

Sorry for long delay in replying, @Horsedds. Despite the excellent advice from @Peregrina651 there are now several posts on this forum about the Sineus and this one has been pushed down.

 

Yes, we, and the couple who encouraged us to join them, will be on the 6 July sailing from Odessa to Kiev. I don't know anything about the region and have no family ties. It's just an area we haven't been and we're running out of Viking Rivers.....

 

We haven't booked any optional trips but the male half of our friends has booked the museum of Soviet era cars. He's a motor aficionado. 

[Peregrina651]

On 5/4/2019 at 1:34 AM, Horsedds said:

and also the Jewish trips, although I know they will be so sad. My husband’s roots are in Rumania, and although I know that is another trip, there are family stories that include Odessa. 

 

We did the Jewish tour in Odessa and went to one of the synagogues in Kiev on our own.

 

The tour in Odessa was mostly a drive-by. If nothing else, it gives you a chance to see more of the city beyond walking range from the ship. It was Saturday, so we could not visit the synagogue that is usually visited on the tour. One of the old synagogues is now an archive (a trove for genealogists) and another smaller synagogue is still active. The Holocaust Memorial was quite moving. Yes, it will be sad, but on the other hand, the buildings and the people are still there, having survived pogroms, the Holocaust and Soviet rule.

 

We did the Kiev extension and so we had a chance to find and visit one of the synagogues. It is near the big indoor market whose name I can't remember (which is another fun place to visit if you like food markets --lots of herring and caviar). There was no tour but we had a chance to look into the sanctuary. The building was full of activity but not any English speakers to give us a tour or even a few words of orientation. Still, glad we got a chance to see it.

[Happy explorer]

We found the Chernobyl museum.  It is not glitzy and not large  but a tribute to those who lost their lives trying to stop things getting worse.  Full of information, photos and memories of people.   It was a real eye opener - especially the harm done and all the things we never knew at the time.  An eye opener about nuclear power if not regulated properly and about how the Soviet system worked.

[Horsedds]

Hello Shipmates (if any!?). My husband and I are on the July 6, 2019 sailing!  Getting excited to do this!!  I am thinking of going to the market in Kiev on our own instead of withViking ($$). Also, I found out the prepaid gratuities are $250 pp. wow!  More if paid on board due to foreign transaction fees, maybe??

ok hope to meet you soon!!

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, Horsedds said:

Hello Shipmates (if any!?). My husband and I are on the July 6, 2019 sailing!  Getting excited to do this!!  I am thinking of going to the market in Kiev on our own instead of withViking ($$). Also, I found out the prepaid gratuities are $250 pp. wow!  More if paid on board due to foreign transaction fees, maybe??

ok hope to meet you soon!!

 

Do the math but certainly pay in advance if your credit card charges a foreign transaction fee. 

[pontac]

On 6/9/2019 at 9:52 PM, Horsedds said:

I found out the prepaid gratuities are $250 pp. wow!

 

Reading this in your post I thought maybe our American friends were being taken advantage of, since on the Eastern European cruise we came off last week invoiced the cabin €15 pp per day, which is considerably less.

 

Comparing the two Cruise Document booklets, Eastern Europe cruise (Budapest-Bucharest) the default gratuities stated in the document are €15 pp per day and suggested €2 pp per day for a guide and €1pp per day for a driver.

 

But on the Ukraine (Odessa-Kiev) cruise the default gratuities stated in the document are $25 pp per day and suggested $2 pp per day for a guide and $1pp per day for a driver.

 

Current exchange rates from xe.com are

€15 = $16.82

  €2 =   $2.24

  €1 =   $1.12

 

$25 = €22.30

  $2  =  €1.78

  $1  =  €0.89

 

So while there is similarity between driver & guide suggested gratuities,  you'd pay more than $5  pp per day for onboard gratuities in Ukraine than on the tour ending in the neighbouring Romania or Hungary...…...

 

 

[pogo50]

On 6/9/2019 at 7:33 PM, Peregrina651 said:

 

Do the math but certainly pay in advance if your credit card charges a foreign transaction fee. 

I just came home from Ukraine on May 29. The reason for the amount of the tip is that you do not tip the guides each excursion. They travel with you on the ship, 5 of them, and are tipped from the overall tip paid. It's very nice because you don't get nicked and dimes each day and you get to know the women quite well, as they are on the ship all the time.

[mtbeales]

Pogo50 is correct. Our guides traveled with us from Kiev to Odessa. One item worth noting though is who pays gratuities.Viking offers free or reduced 'Air' to guests from the US. The same is not offered to Brits but they are offered 'Gratuities included". We learned that difference when receiving our shipboard invoices. So don't be surprised when you learn your British friends don't have to pay gratuities when cruising Kiev to Odessa (or reverse)..

We sailed on the Aegir from Bucharest following our Kiev to Odessa cruise. The gratuities charged on our shipboard invoice were less than on the Kiev to Odessa cruise, the reason being, as pogo50 points out, the guides travel with you between Kiev and Odessa. Should you cruise between Moscow and St. Petersburg, the same is true as on that route the guides travel on board with you. 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, pogo50 said:

I just came home from Ukraine on May 29. The reason for the amount of the tip is that you do not tip the guides each excursion. They travel with you on the ship, 5 of them, and are tipped from the overall tip paid. It's very nice because you don't get nicked and dimes each day and you get to know the women quite well, as they are on the ship all the time.

 

And the bus drivers, who drive us around all day and then drive to the next port to be there we we arrive the next day.

 

39 minutes ago, mtbeales said:

Pogo50 is correct. Our guides traveled with us from Kiev to Odessa. One item worth noting though is who pays gratuities.Viking offers free or reduced 'Air' to guests from the US. The same is not offered to Brits but they are offered 'Gratuities included". We learned that difference when receiving our shipboard invoices. So don't be surprised when you learn your British friends don't have to pay gratuities when cruising Kiev to Odessa (or reverse)..

We sailed on the Aegir from Bucharest following our Kiev to Odessa cruise. The gratuities charged on our shipboard invoice were less than on the Kiev to Odessa cruise, the reason being, as pogo50 points out, the guides travel with you between Kiev and Odessa. Should you cruise between Moscow and St. Petersburg, the same is true as on that route the guides travel on board with you. 

 

Everybody is asked to pay gratuities. Some pre-pay and others pay on board.

 

For UK/AUS/NZ, it is usually factored into the cruise fare and thus is not automatically added to their on board account. For US/CAN guests who do no not prepay before leaving home,  the gratuity is added to our on board accounts. Even then, it is voluntary and we may add or subtract from the amount or even have it removed completely. Viking does explain this in the cruise documents (just another reason to actually read the booklet).

 

Still, there are the occasional skinflints who walk off the ship without tipping anyone (which is why I wish Viking would include gratuities in the cruise fare and be done with it; we can always give additional grats in person to the people we feel have gone above and beyond).

[pontac]

2 hours ago, pogo50 said:

The reason for the amount of the tip is that you do not tip the guides each excursion.

 

Thanks for that info @pogo50. Surprised it doesn't say so in the Cruise documents which suggests the $2/$1 per day I put in my post. Did they tell you on board at  the start of the cruise?