Amsterdam -- July 12 -- St. Petersburg

[rustguy]

The G8 Summit in St. Petersburg this summer is causing both the seaport and airport to be closed from July 13 to July 17. This is affecting several ships, including the Amsterdam. Below is a message I received from DenRus. It must be a logistics nightmare to reschedule a 10-day itinerary with only one at-sea day. My TA has contacted HAL, but they have no information on any changes. Hopefully we'll be able to visit all the ports in a different order.


The Amsterdam is one of the 24 ships that will be denied port access from the 13th until midnight of the 17th. The ships were not told until only 2 weeks ago so are scrambling to re-arrange the schedule and route for their visit to St Petersburg. All the larger ships have announced their intention of visiting for the full original duration, in HAL's case, 2 days. We have not heard from them about alternate dates. The port authority tries to keep up up to date with frequent publications of all arrival and departure information that is available to the 4 tour companies who have port access contracts. As soon as the port confirms new arrival dates we will know and will rearrange our tour appointment dates for entrances.

[carole52m]

I am on the July 12th cruise of the MS Amesterdam as well and didnt hear of this - where did you find out this information -

I will be extremely upset if I dont get to go to St Petersburg - I have already booked the shore excursions and they took my money

[rustguy]

I first heard about it on the Baltic forum and then got confirmation from DenRus. As a further check, I checked airline schedules into St. Petersburg during that time and found there are no flights. You didn't say from whom you booked your excursions, but I expect they will reschedule you when the Amsterdam is in port. I'm glad I'm not the people at HAL, Celebrity, etc., who have to reschedule the ports.

[Ine]

This will not help you, but according to this message at: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=248985&page=2
Celebrity has cancelled St. Petersburg on its July 9th Century sailing and made a different itinary.....

[carole52m]

I just called my travel agent - I cant change dates - this is when we can vacation - a real bummer - I want to see what can be done

[rustguy]

Good news for Amsterdamers. HAL has been able to shift ports around and still keep St. Petersburg. This is the new schedule on their web site.

0 Copenhagen, Denmark (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=CPH&dest=E) 5:00 pm 1 Warnemunde, Berlin (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=BER&dest=E) 7:00 am 11:00 pm 2 Visby, Sweden (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=VBY&dest=E) 1 3:00 pm 9:00 pm 3 Stockholm, Sweden (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=STO&dest=E) 8:00 am 6:00 pm 4 Tallinn, Estonia (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=TLL&dest=E) 10:00 am 8:00 pm 5 Helsinki, Finland (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=HEL&dest=E) 6:00 am 6:00 pm 6 St. Petersburg, Russia (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=LED&dest=E) 2 7:00 am 7 St. Petersburg, Russia (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=LED&dest=E) 3:00 pm 8 At Sea 9 Arhus, Denmark (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=AR1&dest=E) 1:00 pm 8:00 pm 10 Copenhagen, Denmark (http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/port.do?portCode=CPH&dest=E) 7:00 am

[croman02]

I wonder what HAL will do about the port shore excursions already booked for the original July 12 sailing. We haven't gotten any word from them about the change, only that our excursion in Tallin was to leave at 11:30 instead of 10. No notice about change of dates. Thanks for the heads up!!!!!

[carole52m]

I checked the tours that I booked and they have moved with the schedule.

:)