Ukraine

[dwlmg]

I would suspect cruise lines are scrambling to fine alternative ports in the Baltic for Saint Petersburg. Certainly Saint Petersburg is the crown jewel destination of Baltic itineraries. It will take some time for the dust to settle but I hope Viking makes some statement soon with their intentions. We are booked on Homelands in September 2022. Things may be resolved by then, they may not. I would be very disappointed to miss Saint Petersburg but would still consider the cruise if alternative ports are found. I would hope we go somewhere and not fill with sea days. An extra day in Stockholm or Copenhagen would be fine but I realize there will be a scramble to get in there as they are probably fully booked with existing itineraries. Perhaps there are opportunities up the coast of Norway or the British Isles. The comparatively small size of Viking ships may allow them into ports larger ships cannot use.

Edited February 24, 2022 by dwlmg
Changed Iceland to British Isles

[KarenTK]

I think you are correct, @dwlmg.  I was just chatting with Viking regarding another matter and since we are booked on the Homelands in June, asked about St P.  The rep said it is “likely” another port will be substituted.  That Viking is “monitoring the situation closely” and is putting safety of crew and passengers first.  

[sabrefan]

We are booked for Homelands in May 2023. It would be too bad for some to miss St. Petersburg but much worse is what is currently happening to the independent people of Ukraine. I for one am considering canceling this cruise for May 2023 because I certainly don’t want to contribute to the Russian economy. I hope that Viking makes some itinerary adjustments because it is the right thing to do. The free world needs to stick together. 

[KBs mum]

We would have been happy to miss St Petersburg, getting a visa to be able to escape the minders (guides) was too expensive to justify for two days. They will show you the nice shiny bits, not the parts inhabited by the locals. 

Would rather have spent longer in Gdansk, certainly one day in Russia would have been sufficient, we found it quite oppressive. We were pleased to leave. 

[KarenTK]

@sabrefan  so in agreement with you.  Saddened and horrified regarding what is happening to the Ukrainians. Seeing or not seeing St P, and cruising or not cruising, is a total nothing in comparison.  

[Mrs Miggins]

So glad we did St Petersburg some years ago.  It is a really wonderful place with such interesting history.  You do not need a separate visa if you book with a company such as Alla.  Many Cruise companies give you incorrect information so that you book their inferior excursions. The young guides were so refreshing and open about the problems they had, at least whilst we were on the minibus.

In my airline days I worked with Ukraine International so I am deeply saddened by the awful news today.  

[DebraLeeW]

Also glad for a 3 -day visit to St. Petersburg with Viking Baltic cruise several years ago. TJ Tours was excellent. Our minibus had 8 and guides were open and honest about the problems of living in their country. I am so sad to hear this news about what is happening in Ukraine. I also see that thousands in St. Petersburg and other areas of Russia are protesting.

[shorton]

Here is a story from The Points Guy:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/cruise-lines-russia-calls-ukraine/

[KBs mum]

2 hours ago, Mrs Miggins said:

So glad we did St Petersburg some years ago.  It is a really wonderful place with such interesting history.  You do not need a separate visa if you book with a company such as Alla.  Many Cruise companies give you incorrect information so that you book their inferior excursions. The young guides were so refreshing and open about the problems they had, at least whilst we were on the minibus.

In my airline days I worked with Ukraine International so I am deeply saddened by the awful news today.  

If you don't need a separate visa you are supervised by minders. 

 

[Vineyard View]

NCL and subsequently Oceania just notified passengers that St Petersburg is cancelled for 2022. They have not announced replacement ports as of yet. 
 

I agree that TJ was a great private tour company. We learned and saw so much. I am grateful we had the opportunity. 
 

My heart breaks for Ukraine and her citizens. . Such a horrifying situation. 

[SJD117]

20 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

If you don't need a separate visa you are supervised by minders. 

 

Our Alla Tours "minder" gave me free rein to wander around Palace Square in St. Petersburg, on my own, while the rest of the tour spent an hour in the nearby art museum. Great fun!

[KBs mum]

Just now, SJD117 said:

Our Alla Tours "minder" gave me free rein to wander around Palace Square in St. Petersburg, on my own, while the rest of the tour spent an hour in the nearby art museum. Great fun!

We escaped for a while, but without a visa it is impossible to wander about interacting with the locals as you would on any other country on that itinerary. 

Visiting Russia is many things, but fun is not a word I would use, unless someone happens to be visiting family there, and is enjoying their hospitality. 

 

[Mrs Miggins]

29 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

If you don't need a separate visa you are supervised by minders. 

 

Our two guides were splendid.  I am very interested in European history and never thought I would have the opportunity to visit such wonderful places.  You didn’t like it. Fair enough.  However I suggest that I saw more and had the opportunity to talk with our guides since there were only six of us.

The current situation is tragic especially for those young intelligent girls that I had the pleasure to meet.  Funnily enough they referred to the ‘caretakers’ in The Hermitage as the KGB.

[KBs mum]

Just now, Mrs Miggins said:

Our two guides were splendid.  I am very interested in European history and never thought I would have the opportunity to visit such wonderful places.  You didn’t like it. Fair enough.  However I suggest that I saw more and had the opportunity to talk with our guides since there were only six of us.

The current situation is tragic especially for those young intelligent girls that I had the pleasure to meet.  Funnily enough they referred to the ‘caretakers’ in The Hermitage as the KGB.

Those guides are not free to express all of  what they think, and are selected to have acceptable mindsets (or they can pretend to have) the tourist areas have more freedom than the non tourist areas, we found it oppressive because we purposely avoided the tourist traps as much as possible, and looked at how things are for the average person. Something we do everywhere. 

Did you not see the badly maintained roads that the tourist busses don't go on, or the nice landscaping that stops after the turn off for whatever Palace is being visited? Also the lack of 'life' in the city compared to others on that itinerary, or other ex soviet places? 

[Azulann]

Protests in St. Petersburg last night. I expect them to continue and more arrested . Cruise ships including Viking will delete this port of call IMO to save the summer cruises in the Baltics. I am all for it!
 

[SJD117]

1 hour ago, KBs mum said:

We escaped for a while, but without a visa it is impossible to wander about interacting with the locals as you would on any other country on that itinerary. 

Visiting Russia is many things, but fun is not a word I would use, unless someone happens to be visiting family there, and is enjoying their hospitality. 

 

My experience was fun in a narrow but very real sense. I enjoyed myself in the moment because I was given the opportunity, albeit brief, to wander on my own in an architectural and visual extravaganza (Palace Square). I made no judgment then, and make no judgment today, as to what life is like elsewhere in Russia.  

[lackcreativity]

1 hour ago, SJD117 said:

My experience was fun in a narrow but very real sense. I enjoyed myself in the moment because I was given the opportunity, albeit brief, to wander on my own in an architectural and visual extravaganza (Palace Square). I made no judgment then, and make no judgment today, as to what life is like elsewhere in Russia.  

We very much enjoyed, and yes had fun, on our three day Alla tour in St.Petersburg on our Viking cruise three years ago. At the time, I strongly felt that one should not judge an entire nation of people based on the actions of their leaders. Just as I have often hoped that visitors to America do not judge me based on ours!

Edited February 25, 2022 by lackcreativity

[Cienfuegos]

It's a shame that many hard working Russian guides and people in the travel industry will suffer due to the decisions of their leaders. And, that people will die in Ukraine. None of it makes sense.

 

I had similar feelings on my 2018 visit to Cuba. It seemed the guides were as interested in the American tourists, and in our reactions to Cuba, as we were to them. Being a guide was a high income occupation, and a chance to sharpen their English language skills. I'm sure it's the same in Russia

[dwlmg]

The following is posted under Cruise Updates on Current Sailings:

 

The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our top priority. Given recent events and the developing conflict in Ukraine, our team is actively monitoring the situation and is in close contact with our field offices in the region. We are currently evaluating itineraries that call in Russia in 2022, which will require modifications. Viking Customer Relations will directly notify all impacted guests and their travel advisors as soon as details are finalized in the coming days.

[shorton]

We just received the e-mail. Not unexpected. We don't want the Russian government to profit whatsoever from our cruise. We applaud Viking for quickly reacting. 

 

[duquephart]

"At this time, we will operate your Viking Homelands voyage with modifications to the itinerary. We will notify you directly as soon as details are finalized in the coming days."

[KBs mum]

7 hours ago, lackcreativity said:

We very much enjoyed, and yes had fun, on our three day Alla tour in St.Petersburg on our Viking cruise three years ago. At the time, I strongly felt that one should not judge an entire nation of people based on the actions of their leaders. Just as I have often hoped that visitors to America do not judge me based on ours!

Nobody is judging the Russian people, but it is possible to judge the leadership of any country by looking at the lives of its people. 

It is the Russian leaders who make the place oppressive, not the Russian people, who have no say about who those leaders are. 

It is difficult to have fun knowing that whilst we are free to leave and openly criticise/discuss our leaders the average Russian is not. One of the main reasons we travel is to be able to see and assess things for ourselves. The Situation in St Petersburg was worse than we expected, given that it is one of the 'showpiece' areas. 

The population of democracies can be assessed to a certain extent by looking at voting patterns and possible reasons for them. 

 

An example, of what I meant by why we like to be able to get away from the tourist traps when we travel: When visiting the USA can you form an opinion about how things are for the average person by looking at the architecture around the capitol in DC, or is it better to go to a few non tourist bars and talk to some of the locals, or even just people watch? 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by KBs mum

[uktog]

I have an interest in 19th century history.  For me, our first visit to St Petersburg was an absolute delight.  The guides were so well versed in accurate historical facts and seeing the various places put some of my learning jigsaw in place.  I was very happy to be “minded”. Sometimes I don’t need to get under the skin of a place and this was a prime example.  That said, in the intensive two day trip put together by Red October there was only limited time on our own but that was what we wanted, we had stacked everything in  to the trip, palaces, Hermitage, the Cathedral, boat trips, Peterhof etc etc etc.  We thought we would only be there once, though of course life changes.

Our second visit was unusual because we had visas by virtue of having World Cup tickets. So one day we were on our own exploring by day and going to the game at night. The second day we did an organised ships tour with guide part of which visited the Faberge museum.  Again wonderful and the highest quality guide ever.  So yes maybe she was hand picked but for what we wanted she was picked for the right reason. 

You can have a wonderful time in St Petersburg even with a state controlled guide and you can learn a lot by looking out the bus window at other things and also reading between the lines in what is or is not said. It was clear in 2018 our guide was telling us ordinary people did not agree with Putin, she never said that but what she did say was enough to give you an inkling if you listened to her carefully.  

 

The current situation is tragic, in St Petersburg these educated guides will be the losers.  I hope in time they are able to return to the jobs they love. 
 

[Mrs Miggins]

Well said Ann

In my airline days I worked closely with Aeroflot and Ukraine International so I had more opportunity than most to interact with ordinary people

The news is dreadful for both countries.

[duquephart]

On a different and perhaps personal/selfish level the question becomes: What is Viking going to do? I believe that for a substancial number of cruisers the St. Petersburg portion of the cruise is going to be a deal breaker. Will viking allow those folks to "break the deal" without penalty? Put another way: Under what circumstances would the cruise still be attractive enough to make?