MAXIM GORKY review

[seabourndt]

hi all just back from 1st cruise on PHOENIX REISEN on maxim gorky from bremerhaven to norway and back here is my review.

 

GETTING THERE

flew on RYANAIR from stansted to bremen on the friday. changed from online check in to checked baggage as had too much weight. had to get up at 0245!! night bus to liverpool street, got the 0440 train to the airport. no problems at all. got the tram to the stn then train to hamburg where i went to see the fantastic MARITIME MUSEUM there was 9 floors of models,paintings, etc.... then back to bremerthaven to stay at the COLUMBUS HOTEL where a lot of the other ols people also going on this cruise. had a good nights rest.

 

SHIP VISIT-ALBATROS/EMBARKATION

after getting a lift to the port managedto leave luggage at check in. waited for the ship visit on ALBATROS, a shame we could not have had lunch on board but originally were going to be charged so did not bother. a lovely older ship i loved the ship models that were for sale in the (closed) shop. left the ship at 3pm. then boarded very quickly onto the MAXIM GORKY. through x ray and have a picture taken with 2 girls we went straight onto the ship. our boarding passes were in the cabin. everyone was actually showed toheir cabin by a stewardess(a lovely move)

 

CABIN

my cabin was an outside cabin on saturn(6 deck) at the very front of the ship 203. a single bed, a sort of sofa bed which was uncomfortable as a sofa! the portholes were very inacessable (you had to climb up) a real bath and shower. table and chair also.

 

DEPARTURE

we left bremerhaven at 1900, the ALBATROS leaving before us, a lovely view. no lifeboat drill until tomorrow. had a light snack to make up for the missed lunch in musicsalon of burger,frankfurter, and cakes, being being brought to you.

 

DINING

we were in crimea RESTAURANT on four deck. a small one all us brits werre in a small area at the back but i w had a table in the main dining room. it looked like a window but it was a light!!(there are no windows in any of the restaurants) they brought an english menu which we were relieved for! good food(nothing special) quite small portions. free wine with lunch and dinner which was nice.

 

TIPS

a funnn one this!! in the only info we had in english it was said that tips were included!! but at the last night it seems it was not true!! but nobody said anything untilthe last night so i did not give them anything(as i was a bit short of money!)

 

LIFEBOAT DRILL

we had a sort of pre drill the next day to explain what would happen in english. the actual drill was ok, the guides were not waiting outside the cabins to show us where to go, so was a little unsure where to go. it was on the lido deck outside. we just stood there, the captain said a few things in german then we went back to our cabins. then the crew had their drill(the lifebelt was a bit hard to get on!)

 

PORTS OF CALL

VIK only for excursions, FLAAM was nice just dids a walk around town.

ALESUND for excursions again then GEIRANGER where we tendered in was a very small place with a few shops. then BERGEN had 10 hours there things are so expensive in norway. 100krona for a fish and chips!! i did the funicular railway which was 70 krona return. a lovely view at the top and a forest to walk round.

 

SHOWS

i think these were quite good despite all being mostly in german. but as the time between the end of dinner and the show i never made it.

 

they took quite a few professional pictures onboard which were quite cheap 7 euros! but the video they did was mostly of the germans and not us and for 30mins it was 40 euros quite pricey!!

 

ALL IN ALL

as my 1st on a totally german ship it well well, the crew really workedv hard trying to help us fit in and translated the dailly programs and menus into english.

 

SHIP VISIT AMADEA

after disembarking the MAXIN GORKY put our luggage away and waited to the ship visit on the AMADEA a very different ship to the ALBATROS. a much nicer look inside, would love to do a cruise on her(she was the ship ASUKA)

 

DISEMBARKATION AND GETTING HOME

after breakfast and getting my hand luggage we walked off the ship straight away. never had the boarding pass swiped or taken. then after the ship visit got a lift to the stn in bremerhaven after a train trip to bremer, tram to the airport checked in my case had put on weight yto 15.9 but notjing was said. my hand luggage was check as it had a load of wires in it. a lot of people were in the queue for the flight but managed tpo get a window seat!

david templar

 

 

hope a few people reads this post

[franu]

Dave, Quite a detailed review. Thank you for sharing. I think that you enjoyed it but language was a problem. I am interested in what the ship was like as I will be sailing on the ship when it becomes the Marco Polo II. Was it a comfortable ship. Would you like it when it has an English speaking crew?

 

There will be changes to the the menu to suit an American and British palate. I am not sure about anything else. How easy is it to get around the ship and where did you find it most comfortable?

Thanks

Fran

[Kapricorn]

D Templar, thanks for the review! How did you get along with the German and other European passengers, or did you feel isolated?

 

Donald.

[franu]

Dave, I forgot to ask the most important question. How did the ship do in Norway and the North Sea? Was she able to handle the rough water?

Thanks

Fran

[seabourndt]

we left in very calm seas in the north sea coming back it was mirror calm. but in the norwegian sea was a bit choppy. i was in the front and you could feel it quite a bit. one said he was kept awake till 4am!!! when i was looking at the light from the deck it looked quite eratic up and down motion.

if i had not been with other english group it might have been a bit iscolated.

best place was the rossia bar like a observation lounge at the front. yes i'd like to try it with orient if i have the chance.

any more questions just ask away

dave

[Seemeilen]

Hi Dave, Thanks for the review. I remember now from your previous thread you where going on this trip and I was very interested to see how you got on.

I hear you went with a group of British I was wondering if there would normally be a kind of sub culture of English speakers on board.... I guess you are not sure as you went with a group.

I was also interested about the tipping. I noticed on the German speaking ships it says tips included, but this seems not to be the case in the end. Maybe you just don't have to tip so much, I cannot imagine without getting told before hand you have to pay a hundred or so in tips at the end of the cruise. Usually it is the case you have to pay around 10 dollars per person per nights, this really adds up….

[seabourndt]

i guess if you go on your own it might be a bit difficult, a friend i heard did it on his own with a friend and did ok despite not speaking german as far as i know. i would certainly like to try AMADEA on my own if it was as easy.

dave