Viking River- Rurik - St. Petes-Moscow 2013

Hi everyone out there

We are on the Viking river cruise - St. Petes-Moscow on Sept 26th (Helsinki as a pre) -- anyone out there on that river cruise as well?

Our neighbours are presently on the same cruise so we await their comments.

We have not booked our air as yet but note various comments re timing and getting off the ship at a decent time.

Is anyone staying post in Moscow? We are undecided.

We would enjoy being in touch and hearing your comments.

For Sugar (Pat & Erik - Ottawa, Canada)

Hello Pat and Erik, yes we are on that cruise (should this thread be on a roll call?)

We are also doing Helsinki but not organised with Viking but under our own steam arriving 26 Sept from London England after leaving Sydney Australia Sat 15 Sept.

We have made our own bookings on the Allegro fast train from Helsinki to St P 30 Sept leaving 1000 hrs and have booked into the Radisson Blu Helsinki.

We will not be doing post in Moscow as after a month away from home we consider we will be toured out by then and have decided to veg out in Dubai for 3 nights on the way home. But you are probably a lot younger than us (don’t ask) and will be champing at the bit to see more. (I believe power hang gliding with Siberian cranes may be fashionable – or is that in Vladivostok?).

I have not found much useful info on the Rurik however there are a couple of good threads especially all Russian River Cruises – 2012 – All Lines if you have time to wade through it.

This is also good reference and shows you the exact location of the ship (hit last position received) as well as a photo:

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?mmsi=273368610

I have tried to learn some Russian but find it very difficult as it is nothing like anything else but am confident I can say hello, goodbye, how much, where is the toilet and recognise places on the Metro.

If you are also staying at the Radisson Blu, no doubt we will catch up with you.

Am I seeing things? - Or are my eyes deceiving me? - Or is it you see what you want to see? – Or has something really changed on this thread? - Or is it that I am just too old?

I could have sworn I did not see 2013 on this thread - but now I do.

Deepest apologies For Sugar. We are going next week! I can now understand why you haven’t booked Air yet.

But I will make sure I will give you a comprehensive report of our experiences in 2012. Keep ploughing those $’s in the kitty and keep well.

Am I seeing things? - Or are my eyes deceiving me? - Or is it you see what you want to see? – Or has something really changed on this thread? - Or is it that I am just too old?

 

I could have sworn I did not see 2013 on this thread - but now I do.

 

Deepest apologies For Sugar. We are going next week! I can now understand why you haven’t booked Air yet.

 

But I will make sure I will give you a comprehensive report of our experiences in 2012. Keep ploughing those $’s in the kitty and keep well.

King of Cool -- I am so glad you are going next week! :eek: We are booked for October 12, the reverse route. Can't wait to hear your comments!

Macsback

We are booked for October 12, the reverse route.

If it’s 2012 then I am afraid it will be too late for you as I will not be giving a running commentary. We will probably be in the dining room getting half sozzled on white wine waiting for our dinner (as one reviewer reported) or soaking up the entertainment rather than punching a cabin key board with an intermittent wifi connection. UNLESS you wish to know anything specific that you are worried about then I will make an effort to give you an on the spot report.

If it is 2013, then fine I will try and write an informative report when we get back and reflect on the whole thing with some photos attached that may be of benefit to future cruisers. Pity we are not on the same cruise. There are lots of things we would like to learn about SF and Yosemite NP.

Which year?

 

Pity we are not on the same cruise. There are lots of things we would like to learn about SF and Yosemite NP.

King of Cool -- October 12, 2012. Aw, come on, do a day-by-day review. In exchange, I'll tell you all about SF and Yosemite. No charge!

Macsback

Macsback - sorry no deal. I am no good at doing a Michael Palin and would like to go through the entire package before summarising the whole experience. And every-one’s tastes are so different.

If, however I come across a hurdle that I think you may trip over I will promise to try and get on this board and warn you. How about that?

And hey what is happening over there in Yosemite? We were actually researching a big USA tour next year going across with Amtrak from Washington – Chicago - San Francisco with a stop at Emeryville to visit Yosemite. We thought about 3 days in the park would be about right and looked at accommodation from the bottom end (Curry Village) to breaking into our life savings to stay at the Ahwahnee. But after reading that 22,000 visitors may have been exposed to the deadly mouse borne hantavirus which kills over a third infected with the lung disease - for which there is no cure - whoa - hold your horses - we are having a big rethink.

Sounds a bit like the Hendra virus which broke out here in the 1990’s where the virus is transmitted from fruit bats to horses and humans. The fatality rate is 60% humans, 75% horses - scary. And they are still trying to develop a vaccine.

So - it might be safer for us to look at a hiking tour of Afghanistan or power hang gliding in Vladivostok rather than expose ourselves the bullet strewn streets of San Francisco or the virus laden glens of Yosemite?

My God, the life of the intrepid traveller is a precarious one these days isn’t it? Might be easier to stay at home and die of heart disease?

Macsback - sorry no deal. ... If, however I come across a hurdle that I think you may trip over I will promise to try and get on this board and warn you. How about that?

 

And hey what is happening over there in Yosemite? ... But after reading that 22,000 visitors may have been exposed to the deadly mouse borne hantavirus which kills over a third infected with the lung disease - for which there is no cure - whoa - hold your horses - we are having big rethink?

Note: Everyone else, please excuse a very brief diversion on this thread.

King of Cool, I understand your hesitation about going to Yosemite, but the fact is that MILLIONS of people visit there every year. According to today's report from Yosemite's website "The National Park Service has received confirmations from national and state public health agencies of HPS cases linked to eight individuals who stayed one night or more in Yosemite since June of this year. Three cases have resulted in fatality; the five remaining individuals are either improving or recovering." Come visit the US. You won't regret it. For more discussion, you can email me at mcopenhagen at gmail dot com.

Back to this thread, I would be grateful if you find time to post any optional tours that were particularly wonderful. Have a great trip!

I would be grateful if you find time to post any optional tours that were particularly wonderful. - macsback

On the digression - thanks for the offer. Just having some fun before. I can assure you that we will not let a few mice put us off visiting the West just as we did not let a few mentally unstable animals prevent us visiting New York. Have a good trip also. Might catch you as you get on and we get off. LBII!