charlie murphy

wisRiver,

did you tour on your own with your visa, or did you use your guide the entire time. Also, did you do the Hermitage on your own or was it the guide that got you into the museum? we are traveling with our own visa as well and I am beginning to consider the logistics of independent travel in St. Petersburg.

I do not known if this would work but if you are in LA. Call the federal building . you can get an appointment in the morning and go back and pick up the passport in the afternoon . you have to pay for the service but it can be done. do not know what documents you need but maybe they can help you. (LA on Sepulveda and 405)

so once i have this added to my card I just make a payment to princess toward the balance of the cruise and I will receive the 100 $ credit

Thanks, you as well. We enjoy soccer and are catching an actual WC soccer match in Russia while on the cruise, so we're excited.

trying to do the same. Do you have your tickets yet ? We are waiting to for the random draw for our game right now..

how do you access this offer? I called Amex and they told me the last time this offer was valid was 12 / 2017.

I would agree with doing Barcelona on your own. the Hop on hop off buses are also very easy to use. I think there are only 2 loops and you will likely see as much or more in a 4 hour span. If you have a private driver that would be idea but if not tour on your own. There are places in Barcelona that seem better to walk , stand and admire than drive by and be told what you are looking at.

does anyone have experience with regard to independent travel in St. Petersburg. Are the visa requirements the same for cruise travel as they are for arriving into the country by train or flight? I see where when booked thru a tour company they get your visa and you are subject to the supervision of the tour. are there any "tours" out there that would allow for a more independent experience , perhaps with the opportunity to sample restaurants and performances of one's own choice. to this point thank you for your informative response . also If there is another board that is specific to this topic please direct me there so i do not sidetrack the board here.

If I was you I would hope for the international feed. I once saw the Olympics while traveling and watching a broadcast from another country was very interesting . nbc seems to focus only on popular Americans doing popular events, with fluff pieces to promote drama. I like the 'other' sports the Olympics offers.

thank you for bringing up this subject : I have been thinking about the same . My question is respect to a 2 day stop over in St. Petersburg. Does anyone have information on independent travel and staying off the ship . does the ship stay at the port with gangway down or does the ship leave and come back . we had a two day in cabo once, after one of the ports was closed to cruises. the ship had to leave the bay and return the next morning. other than that experience I have never been at a port 2 days.

I love a good stout. I don't find Guinness to be a good stout. It is without body and without flavor. I know this may be blasphemy to some but I just really don't care for Guinness at all. I've tried other nitro beers and haven't cared for them either. Give me a stout like the Chuli Stout from Denali Brewing Company in Talkeetna, Alaska or even Sierra Nevada Stout. There are a lot of other stouts out there that are wonderful but they all have lots of body and flavor. Guinness... meh. However, I will definitely give it another chance when I finally manage to get to Ireland. Hopefully it will live up to the hype.

Just not your taste . Guinness and SN are not of the same style, though both stouts . I have not had the pleasure of chuli stout , but this beer hunter will be on the look out . Guinness is definitely lighter. True to style for an Irish stout. You can have several pints - you will be fine. Maybe not so for Sierra Nevada several pints and you may be under the table. SN is bigger , bolder and hoppier, true to style for an American Stout. You may not like Guinness but rest assured lad... have excellent taste . Dilly... Dilly. .

should I be concerned if I am planning a trip on this ship? do you think things will change when the ship repositions? I feel that this is the ship we will cruise on out of South Hampton in the summer.

stella , bass and becks are all inbev beers. blue moon is Molson / Coors brewing. I am sure that these are huge corporate contracts and if given the option of something different these kegs would stay full. I am surprised that given the locations in the world that these ships port they do not support the local beers of the region. London -great beers ( better get a hand pull for those casks) . Ireland ( enough said) , Belgium ( pop those corks baby) , Germany ( every region has a different style) , eastern Europe ( we are talking pilsner) , US west cost vs. east coast (hop heads ?) and every thing between ( thank you brewers of the Midwest !) , Mexico ( cold and refreshing ) What a wonderful world it would be if they just sent a guy off the boat in port to pick up a pallet of local flavor.

I would pick any seat on the Lido deck or any deck for that matter............... I am sitting at my desk at work .................The WORST seat on the lido deck is better than the one I am in now. I know that doesn't answer your question but that is my two cents. I hope there is an answer to your question and you get that seat , but if you don't remember it beats the seat of the guy reading these treads!

thanks for sharing your pictures! It's going to be a long work day. soon I a will be in your shoes though and I will wake early to get that glorious view. One request .... hope you have cheers ..... have one for me. ( or should I say for all of us here wishing we were there. )

I will try to answer a few.

 

1) it can get very crowded and loud around dinner times. I would always go when it opened at 4, so I could actually have conversations with the mixologists. I was usually gone by the time the crowds got there or it got to loud

2) it is a martini bar, so no beer or wine, or normal mixed drinks. They do have their own menu.

3) you can get get your basic martini, Cosmo, appletini at other bars, but I think the Alchemy specialties you can only get there, but not 100% on that

4) the mixologists (not bartenders..haha) will make up anything. They have containers of infused vodkas, and if you tell them you like strawberries, basil and spicy, they will come up with something. That's the fun of the Alchemy bar.

5) lots of places to drink on board. You will find something. If you have a Red Frog Pub, it is a lot of fun also.

 

Have fun!

 

Debbie

thanks for the great replay and also to the others : raspberry martini , cucumber surprise --- on the list!

It sounds like the alchemy bar is the place to be. I will find my way there often, I am sure but a few questions:

1)does it get overly crowded?

2) is it only mixed drinks, do they have wine / beer ( full bar) too ( my wife is a wine girl)

3) do all the bars serve the same drinks , alchemy seems to be just that.

4) is the a 'secret menu' or are the drinks they make on the menu. for example if you give the bartender latitude will they come up with something off script that is new and inventive?

5) if it is crowded or just not the vibe of the night is there another recommendation or favorite.

ps. some time after the cruise I hope to be the one giving suggestion not the one asking all the questions. but man you guys are a wealth of information!

not a problem. thanks for the info and thanks for helping me thru a Friday!

I was happy it was Friday here at work until I started to read your posts. Fridays are good days but I can not wait til my Friday is poolside. Instead of my mouth watering because you are posting about food. Soon, I will be telling the person in the chair beside me. "don't let anyone take this chair I am going to get some of those fish and chips , you want some or are you good, then they are going to remind me I need something to wash those fish and chips down " NOW THAT'S A GOOD FRIDAY! thanks for your posts.

could you get a picture of the wine list. in the MDR , the steakhouse , and at the wine bar. wine by the glass is what I am wondering. if there is a wine bar. thanks for the offer.

thanks book bug ,

can you go to the steak house for just a glass of wine. or do you have to have an entire meal? my wife is more of a wine girl and I want her to enjoy the wines that are part of the cheers program. I hope not to buy additional bottles of wine ( even at 25% off) thanks to any and all in advance.

two questions : with respect to the cheers program:

1) has anyone found the holy grail of the 50$ drink? or even close to it?

2) the wine by the class list is fairly limited. Is there a wine bar on board the Glory that has a more extensive wine by the glass list.