Onboard the Reborn Constellation in the Baltic - May 28-June 9 - Questions, Comments?

[Dan Askin]

So just returned from a full day in St. Petersburg, Russia (day 1 of 2), which included visits to Peterhof, the Summer Palace, a ride on the metro and a performance at the ballet. Day 2 will include the Hermitage, Peter and Paul Fortress, the Cathedral on Spilled Blood, etc.

 

Have to get a little sleep ... a trifecta of factors -- long, late dinner at Ocean Liners, slow Internet, and forward time change -- reduced my sleep hours to 3 last night. Incredibly, I stayed awake for all of Swan Lake (I asked the British gentleman next to me to throw an elbow if he saw me dozing). Photos and info on St. Petersburg, including some great news on the new cruise teriminals, tomorrow. If anyone has any SPB questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

So just returned from a full day in St. Petersburg, Russia (day 1 of 2), which included visits to Peterhof, the Summer Palace, a ride on the metro and a performance at the ballet. Day 2 will include the Hermitage, Peter and Paul Fortress, the Cathedral on Spilled Blood, etc.

 

Have to get a little sleep ... a trifecta of factors -- long, late dinner at Ocean Liners, slow Internet, and forward time change -- reduced my sleep hours to 3 last night. Incredibly, I stayed awake for all of Swan Lake (I asked the British gentleman next to me to throw an elbow if he saw me dozing). Photos and info on St. Petersburg, including some great news on the new cruise teriminals, tomorrow. If anyone has any SPB questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them.

 

Dying to hear about all of it, including how to get tickets to the ballet.

[Project_gal]

Dan

 

When you tour the suites, can you check out the bathrooms, please, especially in the Celebrity Suites. Their bathrooms have always been the only disappointing aspect of these suites, looking tired and run-down. I understand that they have not been remodelled but have they spruced them up in any way [other than new shower curtains]? Thanks.

 

Sue

[HLN500]

Hi Dan

Great job.

Surprised no one has asked but did they do anything for The Bar At THe Edge....It was a great observation lounge til X destroyed it for the failed Cirque de'Soliel experiment. We saw that as well as it's failed followup. It's a shame they didn't fix the space but hopefully they have in this refurbishment.

Have 3 cruises lined up on the Connie in coming months.

WE just did the Eclipse Baltic and enjoyed great weather. BTW they did run that rooftop tour.

For those complaining about laundry---the new Elite perks are great.

Internet aboud the Eclipse was abysmal.

[C 2 C]

Surprised no one has asked but did they do anything for The Bar At THe Edge....l.

 

Bar of the Edge no longer, The Reflections lounge is back:

[C 2 C]

Dan, on a more serious note, is Constellation still under Code Red?

 

I've heard from someone else on board the GI is worse than last voyage. A friend who will soon be boarding called Miami and they refused to confirm the seriousness of the situation.

[Dan Askin]

Dan, on a more serious note, is Constellation still under Code Red?

 

I've heard from someone else on board the GI is worse than last voyage. A friend who will soon be boarding called Miami and they refused to confirm the seriousness of the situation.

 

Hi Xellent,

 

I don't yet have the update from today on the latest numbers (everyone onboard is very tight-lipped), but according to Celebrity PR, it was 126 yesterday (with 25 crew). The ship is issuing reports to the CDC, but as of now, the CDC hasn't published outbreak info on its Web site for this cruise. I heard, but could not confirm, that someone had to go to the hospital. All measures are still in place (no drink self-service), and I'm seeing a lot of food deliveries to cabins, plenty of cleaning around the ship (with all crew, including folks from the art auction, getting in on the action), etc. If you want a daily schedule, which are typically available around reception, you can't take it yourself. You have to ask for it at the front desk.

 

We've had five straight port days, so I've been off the ship a lot, and don't as good a gauge of what's going on. Have a sea day tomorrow, so I'll certainly have a better idea of where things stand by the afernoon.

[swaluv]

First Don, thank you for the postings. We are doing our 1st TA May 2011 followed by the Baltic...I am ejoying hearing about the ship. We just did the Equinox ( 2nd sailing on her ) and were a little concerned about the crossing on the Constellation. Keep on the postings, they are great.

Eileen

[Bet & Peg]

Hi Dan ~ I know you've had a zillion request for photos/answers/etc. and I'm sorry to throw one more at you but I saw that you responded to a Stanley Cup question so.... the World Cup semi-finals are July 6th & 7th and the final July 11th. All three days we'll be on the Constellation in the Baltic. Is there any possibly that the games (8:30 to 11:30pm) will be broadcast???????

 

Thanks much!!!!!

[editor@cruisecritic]

My bad, should've been clearer. Michael's only got a new carpet; the PH got a full re-do. It's gorgeous :)

 

Carolyn

 

 

I thought when Carolyn said "it got a new carpet , I think thats it" that she was referring to Michaels Club but perhaps I misunderstood(or one of us did :) )....Carolyn if you're out there can you clarify ? I had understood from speaking with Celebrity that the penthouse suite was getting a full refurb...but heck the penthouse looked great from the photos imho before the refurb...lol....we're doing a 14 night carib...I just want that deck space:D

[Dan Askin]

My bad, should've been clearer. Michael's only got a new carpet; the PH got a full re-do. It's gorgeous :)

 

Carolyn

 

Thanks Carolyn. I'll be touring the ship during tomorrow's sea day, so stay tuned for some detail on the new additions, which are mostly on Deck 11 (Tuscan Grille, Reflections makeover) and the Deck 4 and 5 social hub (Martini Bar, Bistro on Five, Cafe al Bacio, Gelateria, etc.).

[Dan Askin]

Hi Dan ~ I know you've had a zillion request for photos/answers/etc. and I'm sorry to throw one more at you but I saw that you responded to a Stanley Cup question so.... the World Cup semi-finals are July 6th & 7th and the final July 11th. All three days we'll be on the Constellation in the Baltic. Is there any possibly that the games (8:30 to 11:30pm) will be broadcast???????

 

Thanks much!!!!!

 

No worries at all FotPeg, that's what I'm here for. So we've actually got a "World Cup coverage on cruise ships" piece we've been updating regularly. Here's the low-down on Celebrity:

 

"Guests sailing with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara won't have to miss out on any of the action either, as the lines have obtained rights to air all of the games (great for the the mix of nationalities and locations the ships will be cruising in) on every ship across the three fleets. Matches will be shown in staterooms and in designated lounges."

 

For anyone else curious, the line-by-line info can be seen here.

[Dan Askin]

St. Petersburg. What can you say about a city that, despite its relatively young age, has packed so much blood-letting, double-crossing, gold-leafed onion domes, grand palaces, literary geniuses and paranoia into its 307 years? I was on a two-day tour with Denrus (a popular Russian agency), and we covered a lot of ground, including visits to the Summer Palace, the Hermitage/Winter Palace, Peterhof (known for its ornate and whimsical fountains), Cathedral on the Spilled Blood, St. Isaac's Cathedral (just for photos), Peter and Paul Fortress (the city's foundation), a canal boat ride, a couple of lunches, and a few stops at souvenir shops (which also have free coffee, vodka and toilets). We also stuffed ourselves into a metro car, and traveled one stop. I don't want to get too long winded, so I'll just post a few highlights.

[Dan Askin]

Following an overview of the city by bus and a quick souvenir/bathroom/vodka/coffee stop, we headed outside St. Petersburg to the Summer Palace, or Tsarskoye Selo (Czar's Village), which is located about an hour away. There's so much pent-up desire for visitors to make the most of their time in SPB, so the top tourist spots are typically quite crowded (not unlike the Vatican, the Egyptian Museum or the Louvre). But while crowded, attractions like the Summer Palace, Peterhof and the Hermitage are as advertised: incredible. Here's a shot of the main hall (ballroom), a venue, like many others, where the urge to photograph is impossible to resist:

 

 

One of the most memorable moments of our St. Petersburg tour -- one of those experiences that transcends the "best of" packaged nature of the big-bus panoramic tour -- was when we heard a five-piece outfit sing a Russian folksong in the Grotto Pavilion, one of several fanciful structures located on the Summer Palace's Large Pond. The harmonies were tight, the acoustics reverberant and the mustached man on the far left was hitting low notes that seemed to come from the middle of the earth. The song, said our guide Elena, was about a robber who fell in love and was moved to repent for his crimes.

 

 

Speaking of our guide, I'm certain that Elena has read and re-read every Dostyevsky novel. She had a finely formed Russian tragi-melancholy, expressed by way of sighs, stern rebukes to those who strayed too far from the group ("I told you left not right!), and frequent tangents about the randomness of human existence ... "Unfortunately, the city skyline will soon be ruined ... Well, that's just life ... open, close, open, close, open, close [sleep reference] ... then 10 years are past ..." Here's a shot of the group and Elena, center left, doing a fine job "herding cats," as one of my tourmates called it.

 

[Dan Askin]

Like the British Museum or the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, the Hermitage is one of those places that you could spend a month straight in, and while you might sweat profusely (it can get very hot during the summer) and eventually starve to death, you would still not see everything. As Elena noted, "Wherever you look, you see something special. Walls, ceiling, doors, door handles..." It's more than just a fine building adorned with great art by Da Vinci, Rafael, Titian, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, etc. The building itself is one vast object of interest.

 

 

[Dan Askin]

Travel cliches are painful for me to write, but St. Petersburg is often called the "Venice of the North." Honestly, there are quite a few Northern European cities with great canal systems (Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen) ... and in each one, coasting along the hand-dug water troughs (and natural waterways; the Neva being SPB's river) provides a different perspective on the city. During the summer season, the bridges over the Neva are pulled up around midnight to allow ships to pass, so as some fellow cruisers returning late from Moscow found, it's possible to get stuck on one side of the city for several hours.

 

 

 

[Dan Askin]

Here's a shot of the chandeliers and ornate tiki torches of Pushkinskaya Station, brought to you by Stalin. We rode one stop from Tekhnologicheskiy Institut 2, a Soviet gray station from the 70's.

Cathedral on Spilled Blood, built to commemorate Alexander II's assassination by explosive device. The church was actually built over the point where he was mortally attacked (with the bloody pavement housed inside a mini-chapel inside the cathedral).

One practical tip. While you don't need rubles if you stick to the script -- souvenir shops will take dollars, euros and credit cards; museum entrances and lunches are included in the tour -- I still feel that picking up maybe $50 worth of roubles is a smart move. Sometimes dollar-ruble conversions are made quickly, other times, there may be little items, like the French hot dog stand I eyed hungrily, which only accept rubles. On any account, you can tip the guide with rubles if you don't spend them all.

The cultural institutions are often packed, regardless of when you go, but the wireless headsets everyone is give make for a much easier tour ... until you lose sight -- but not sound -- of your guide in the Hermitage.

[bellybutton530]

Hiya Dan:

 

I am really enjoying your posts. This cruise you're on reminds me of a similar one I did in 1983 on the NAC's Vistafjord. It was my first visit to St Petersburg; although it was still known as Leningrad at the time. A lot has changed since then. The customs officials didn't want me to take my video equipment off the ship....

 

Keep up the great work.:)

[Dan Askin]

If you're interesting in booking ballet tickets, there are three ways to do it. Book a shore excursion through Celebrity, which includes transportation and a chaperon (cost was $82 on our cruise). Book with a licensed independent tour operator, which includes the same (Denrus charges $69; other operators, such as TJ Travel and Red October charge similar rates). Get a Russian visa and book directly through the theater (cost is the visa, which you'd obviously use for the two days, taxi to the theater, which should be $20 - 30, depending on location, and ticket, which I've seen in the $30 to $60 range, depending on theater/seats).

 

My ballet experience was pretty touristy -- can't find the name of the venue in my notes -- all the attendees were from Pullmantur, Holland America and Celebrity ships in port, and the included "free Champagne at intermission" was a mob scene, a mad dash for the wine flutes and bottled waters. (Note: Photos were forbidden during the performance.)

 

If you want to go to the Marinksy, often considered one of the top spots in SPB, you could arrange it privately with an independent operator. I'm no expert on ballet though ... I have heard that the best companies tour during the summer.

 

The crush of Champagne (Russian sparkling wine) drinkers.

 

[Dan Askin]

Some might argue with me, but I think the Russian czars managed to out-French the French in terms of splendor. Inspired by Versailles, Peter the Great built Peterhof, one of the grandest of all the tributes to "Russian Greatness" (and its victory over Sweden in 1721; the Russians loved rubbing it in). While the buildings on the grounds garner a lot of attention, Peterhof is best known for its fountains, situated at various levels of the complex. The fountains rely on gravity, shutters and pipes of various width. There are no pumps ... and some of the jets spurt water 60 feet in the air. The main fountain features Samson ripping a lion in half at the mouth with his bare hands -- the lion being the symbol for Sweden. Second shot is of the main palace.

 

 

 

P.G. liked living by the sea, so he had another palace built on the estate, this one directly on the Gulf of Finland.

 

[Dan Askin]

Carolyn, Cruise Critic's Editor in Chief, described SPB's old cruise infrastructure as being "from the stone age," and I think a lot of cruisers who've docked in St. Petersburg's cargo port would agree. The new Sea Façade complex is a vast improvement. I met with a port representative while I was here, and she gave me the low-down on the project. So far, there are two terminals (there's a third one being built), and both have a taxi stand with set prices (600 rubels one-way to the Hermitage, for instance), a tourist info booth, four ATM's, 28 and 36 passport booths, etc. By 2011, the port will be able to handle seven mega-liners (up to Solstice-class size) simultaneously.

 

There was no line getting off the ship ... but Celebrity was up to its old tricks, asking people who weren't booked on ship-sponsored tours to make themselves known, and meet at a certain time in a certain place. I can't think of another port where you're asked to specifically let the line know if you're not on one of its tours. Unfortunately, the line's letter to passengers said that "due to Russian Immigration" rules, all passengers not booked on a Celebrity tour, and leaving before 9:30 a.m., would have to meet in the theater. Let me be clear: Russian Immigration does not distinguish between passengers booked on Celebrity tours (or tours on any other line for that matter) and those booked independently or those carrying a visa. Russian Immigration only cares that you have the proper documents, be that a visa or a tour ticket from a licensed operator. Still, there were zero issues with disembarkation. With so many passport booths open in the new terminal, where the vast majority of big ships dock, getting on and off the ship was a breeze.

[Dan Askin]

Not sure whose fault this is (SPB dock too high for some ships? Constellation docked too close?), but I've never seen a case where passengers have to limbo to board the ship.

[Bet & Peg]

Dan ~ thanks SO much for the good news about the World Cup on the Constellation!! DH will be SO happy!!

 

Your photos are FANTASTIC!! Less than a month till be leave can't wait!! I'm really enjoying your posts!!!!!

[geyer1]

Because of gi issues, will embarkation be delayed on june 9? any way to find that out in advance? Thanks.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Celebrity was up to its old tricks, asking people who weren't booked on ship-sponsored tours to make themselves known, and meet at a certain time in a certain place. I can't think of another port where you're asked to specifically let the line know if you're not on one of its tours. Unfortunately, the line's letter to passengers said that "due to Russian Immigration" rules, all passengers not booked on a Celebrity tour, and leaving before 9:30 a.m., would have to meet in the theater. Let me be clear: Russian Immigration does not distinguish between passengers booked on Celebrity tours (or tours on any other line for that matter) and those booked independently or those carrying a visa. Russian Immigration only cares that you have the proper documents, be that a visa or a tour ticket from a licensed operator. Still, there were zero issues with disembarkation. With so many passport booths open in the new terminal, where the vast majority of big ships dock, getting on and off the ship was a breeze.

 

So, did you report to the theater as ordered or just walk off, as was your right?