Baltic Cruise - July 2008

[travelin nonna]

We will be taking the cruise tour 19 Day Cathedrals & Castles July 11 starting (the land portion) in Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Berlin then to Copenhagen to board the Crown Princess July 19th for the Baltic Cruise.

 

#1 Has anyone done this itinerary and if so any advise will be appreciated. The land portion has free time and they offer side trips. I would like to go to the "Vienna Woods" Also the ones that have dinners, are they worth the price. Some days meals are not included, what would be a low cost way to eat at these different cities.

 

#2 We have booked the 2 day intensive shore excursion with Princess in St. Petersburg and I am having second thoughts since so many cruisers have done the private thing. I would like to hear from some of you that have used the Princess 2 day tour and how you liked it. It's too late now for us to change our plans Any advise about anything will be appreciated. Also how is the Russian Folk Dancer Show on the ship. I think we will be too exhausted for the night shore excursion that's why we feel we would rather see the show on the ship, is it any good?????

 

Any advise is sooooo welcome. Thanks Cruis"n Nonna

[CruisinMinnie]

We will be taking the cruise tour 19 Day Cathedrals & Castles July 11 starting (the land portion) in Budapest' date=' Vienna, Prague and Berlin then to Copenhagen to board the Crown Princess July 19th for the Baltic Cruise.

 

#1 Has anyone done this itinerary and if so any advise will be appreciated. The land portion has free time and they offer side trips. I would like to go to the "Vienna Woods" Also the ones that have dinners, are they worth the price. Some days meals are not included, what would be a low cost way to eat at these different cities.

 

#2 We have booked the 2 day intensive shore excursion with Princess in St. Petersburg and I am having second thoughts since so many cruisers have done the private thing. I would like to hear from some of you that have used the Princess 2 day tour and how you liked it. It's too late now for us to change our plans Any advise about anything will be appreciated. Also how is the Russian Folk Dancer Show on the ship. I think we will be too exhausted for the night shore excursion that's why we feel we would rather see the show on the ship, is it any good?????

 

Any advise is sooooo welcome. Thanks Cruis"n Nonna[/quote']

 

 

Hello. We have a roll call for the Crown Princess Baltic cruise on July 19th. If you post over there, someone may be able to help you. I'm new to Princess and have never been to the Baltics, so I'm always asking someone on our roll call questions. :)

[travelin nonna]

You said to go over the roll call, what's that and how do i do it. I'm not to good on the computer. Cruis'n nonna

[rb517]

I have not done the excursions with Princess to vienna Woods, but when I was in Vienna a few years ago, we took the bus to the woods, took a nice walk in the woods, and had dinner at one of the restaurants in the area, took the bus back to the city. It was easy, more flecxible than the tours, and much cheaper.

[CruisinMinnie]

You said to go over the roll call' date=' what's that and how do i do it. I'm not to good on the computer. Cruis'n nonna[/quote']

 

 

O.K. - let's see if this works:

 

Click on Cruise Forums-Cruise Message Boards-Cruise Critic top of this page

Scroll down to Roll Calls - Members Only

Click on Roll Calls - Princess Cruises

Click on Roll Calls - Crown Princess

Click on Crown Princess - 7/19/08 - Baltics (Berlin)

[LHT28]

It is much easier to just post the link for newbies

 

cruis'n nonna

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=524965

enjoy your cruise

[cruisecountess]

We are on the July 9 sailing of the Azamara Journey to the Baltics. We just

booked our private tour last week. We went with OPTIMA, dealing as

travelinrussia. In the three to four days it took before I first heard back from other companies, I heard from Alexandra at OPTIMA several times. I even began to wonder if she ever slept. She revised the proposed itinerary until it met my husband's and my needs and desires, and her prices were competitive with the other tour companies. You may want to give it a try. We are getting to see so much more this way than we would have with the ship's tours.

[CruisinMinnie]

It is much easier to just post the link for newbies

 

cruis'n nonna

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=524965

enjoy your cruise

 

 

I'm still one of the newbies (computer challenged to say the least) Thanks for the advice. :)

[Peregrina651]

 

Also we have booked the 2 day tour in St. Petersburg with Princess Tours' date=' In reading the reviews I see many of you have taken private tours. [b']It's too late for us[/b] to change our plans now

 

Nonna, unless you have contacted the private companies and they are all booked, it is not too late. Or if the reservations you made with Princess cannot be canceled.

 

You have nothing to lose contacting the companies. It is even possible that folks on your roll call have space available on one of the groups they are putting together. Ask them.

 

Personally, I think that private tour is the way to go in St. P, the biggest advantage being the amount of time not spent waiting for people and the shorter lines (the private guides just walk their groups up to the front of the line or, many times, in separate entrances).

 

Never say never!

[LHT28]

It's too late now for us to change our plans Any advise about anything will be appreciated.

 

Any advise is sooooo welcome. Thanks Cruis"n Nonna

 

You can usually cancel ships tours up to 48 hours prior to the excursion .

I would check the cancellation terms if you can find an alternative tour with someone on your roll call

 

Also try SPB Tours they may have people looking to share http://www.spb-tours.com/flash.html