ms russ

[Coral]

Yeah, I was torn about some of the excursions. The Armory isn't listed there, and I believe that's also supposed to be an option. I've heard good things about the Moscow by Night tour, but I've heard some negatives about doing that in the summer since it doesn't really get dark- especially in June! Sergiev Posad is supposed to be pretty cool. I've seen pictures, but my daughter and I have discussed just taking the ride into town and going to Gorky Park then. We hope to see GUM and maybe go to the Bolshoi the day before the tour. I don't know yet. So many choices...

 

We very much want to see the ballet in St Pete's. I'll take your recommendation of Catherine's Palace and Peterhof. They are both so stunning in pictures, it would be amazing to see them in person.

 

We did Moscow by night at the first of June. It was very light the entire time. They do take you to some places you don't see during any other tour and for that reason, it is worth it. I just didn't get some fabulous night shots as others did because it was light. For us, that was the only tour that night so there was no reason not to take it. After we returned, I left for the airport about 2-3 hours later as I had an early flight in Moscow back to the states.

 

Catherine's Palace and Peterhof are a MUST.

 

I am in Lincoln - where in Nebraska are you from?

 

Theresa

[shoshona2]

Hi Coral,

 

I agree with you and 4774 Papa, touring inside Catherine's Palace and inside (not the grounds) Peterof Palace are at the top of the list of "must sees" in St. Petersburg along with the Hermitage.

 

Sheila

[pixiegirl-loves-travel]

Catherine's Palace and Peterhof are a MUST.

 

I am in Lincoln - where in Nebraska are you from?

 

Theresa

 

 

Theresa I'm just down the highway near York! Hi Neighbor!

 

OK, friends, got it. MUST see Catherine's/Peterhof! LOL, I'm highlighting it in red. ;) That's what's wonderful about these message boards. Otherwise, how would you know and decide?

[colorado35]

We are thinking of booking this cruise through Gate 1 (Ms Russ) at the end of May or in June. (probably Moscow to St. P). I noticed two people mentioned Gate 1 but are using Express to Russia and Travel all Russia for booking. My question is: by not going through Gate 1 (which shows the airfare immediately, etc) did you get better pricing through the other companies? Or, some other attractions. Also, has anyone arranged tours directly with someone in Moscow/St P on the free days that you can share the company names. If you prefer to discuss directly by emails, mine is johnlinda93 @ yahoo.com. Thanks for any information. Linda

[denny girl]

Colorado

We booked through Gate 1 using a Travelzoo special offer. Came in at $1650 but of course this didn`t include airfares as we are already in Europe before the cruise starts.

 

Chose the end of May sailing as that has an extra day and includes the Peterhof. Figure we`ll spend more time there and find our own way back to the ship.

 

Didn`t bother to pay for an upgrade as from what I have read, apart from the suites the cabins seem to be much of a muchness.

[pixiegirl-loves-travel]

Colorado, I was ready to book thru Gate1, I'd sent inquiries to a few travel agencies. Gate 1 sent a nice book. Travel all Russia sent me an e-mail and then called me. I spoke to a nice young gal named Vera who is from Russia. I got a slightly lower price than thru Gate1, though not quite as good as the travelzoo offer denny got. Ours came in at 1799 USD pp for lower deck twin, and then we booked our transfers and VISA thru them as well. We opted to do air on our own since we plan lengthy layovers in Amsterdam and London on the way home. I've exchanged lovely e-mails with Vera at Travel all Russia, and she's been extremely helpful with itineraries, costs, etc. They will book air for you and send you quotes ahead of time for you to approve/disapprove. I like the personal touch. We're booked on the Russ for June 19th, from Moscow to St Pete's. I think you'll do okay with any of the agencies, just pick the one that gives you the best deal- it's the same trip on the same ship! We picked June so we could experience the White Nights.

 

You can't book the optional tours yet (thru the ship). I haven't looked into any private tours yet. Right now my daughter and I are planning to explore a bit on our own. If we can meet up with some other people on our trip, we would certainly consider a group tour.

 

you can e-mail me at rankster@windstream.net if you want.

[4774Papa]

Colorado

We booked through Gate 1 using a Travelzoo special offer. Came in at $1650 but of course this didn`t include airfares as we are already in Europe before the cruise starts.

 

Chose the end of May sailing as that has an extra day and includes the Peterhof. Figure we`ll spend more time there and find our own way back to the ship.

 

Didn`t bother to pay for an upgrade as from what I have read, apart from the suites the cabins seem to be much of a muchness.

Our tour director told us that on a river cruise in May that ports had to cancelled due to ice.

 

The river ports are some distance from the city centers. Finding your way there could be difficult. I suggest arranging for getting to the port prior to arriving in Russia.

[pixiegirl-loves-travel]

You should be able to book a transfer (thru your agency) from the airport to the hotel (whenever you choose to get to Russia) and then another transfer from the hotel to the ship on the day of the cruise. I was told it would be MUCH more expensive to get a taxi and that taxi's in Russia are not all that reliable with time tables (and tend to individually set their prices in some cases).

[denny girl]

We will probably book airport transfer with our Moscow hotel. Kind of playing it by ear as I don`t think these things need to be planned too far in advance.

 

Have already received our letter of invitation from them. (Within the hour!) After filling in the document and returning it turned up in our inbox in 12 hours. Very efficient.

Next step will be to fill in the form and send the documents off to the embassy.

 

We`re pretty used to finding our own way round and a friend who has just returned from an ocean cruise and extra solo days in Moscow had no problems whatsoever. She caught the metro everywhere.

 

Have a couple of guide books and the internet is awash with any tiny details you could wish. Including the bar menu for your particular ship:-)

 

Must have been a really bad winter to be still iced up in May but as our cruise leaves Moscow in June I`m sure we`ll be ok.

 

If not it may turn into one of those hotel cruises everyone has been complaining about around Christmas.

[pixiegirl-loves-travel]

Denny, you're right. With all the information out there on the www and elsewhere, you really can eliminate most of the unpleasant surprises from travel (and be prepared for the surprises you can't plan for). Better yet, you can make the most of your travel by reading about other's experiences and learning all of your options for your own experience. I'm sure you'll do very well in Moscow and St Pete's . I only hope you get a chance to fill us in a bit before we leave on June 13th for our cruise on the 19th! Do you know where you'll be staying in Moscow? Our guide, Vera recommended Assambleya Nikitskaya. At $340 USD per night, it's one of the cheaper ones near Red Square (1 block away, I think) and it includes free breakfast buffet and wifi. Here's the link if you or anybody else wants to check it out. http://assambleya-nikitskaya-moscow.com/

 

Ice? Eek~ I hope it doesn't get too cold! I plan to bring a couple of hoodies for layering and I'm gonna buy a new rain coat. I MIGHT bring lightweight gloves and hat. But PLEEEEEASE, I hope it isn't too cold.

[rollingstone]

We are going on this trip Aug.20. Just when we were ready to book, the deal came up on Travelzoo. What good luck!!! I have been checking these boards since Aug. of last year. Glad that I found such great ideas for tours & packing.

We booked our airfare ourselves and arranged our transfer through Gate 1. I will be anxious to see the posts when some of you come back from your trips.

[denny girl]

Hi Pixie and Rollingstone.

That hotel does look in a good location. Steep price but that seems like Moscow. I missed it as TA lists it as BB or Inn. No 1 in that category so that`s good. We booked the Savoy as when I started looking (mid October) they had a 3 nights for the price of 2 offer.

The price went up while I thought about it but finished up $280 a night.I was looking at the Apple and the Budapest which were cheaper and just a bit further out.

Do you have overnights in St Petersburg? Have booked 3mosta which sounds in a good location and has good reports on TA It was only $200 a night. A real bargain!

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Hotel_Review-g298507-d1836825-Reviews-Hotel_3mostA-St_Petersburg_Northwestern_District.html

Location is always my main concern.

 

That offer was great Rollingstone. I actually missed it and I subscribe to 3 Travelzoos!

Came across it researching the Russ and was amazed it was still current. Grabbed it immediately.

[Swunky]

Pixiegirl,

I have to laugh about the showers. My husband is 6"2 so I think he is going to have a little trouble but he'll manage. It is all part of the experience!

 

Just wanted to let you know that we were in Paris/Amsterdam in Nov. We had a blast! Saw so many sights but one of the best things we did was to rent scooters and a guide for the day. (Left Bank Scooters)

 

Also in Amsterdam try to go to the Ice Bar. -10. They give you special jackets to wear. It was definately different. Also Anne Frank House was excellent.

 

I know you will have a great time.

[Coral]

Ice? Eek~ I hope it doesn't get too cold! I plan to bring a couple of hoodies for layering and I'm gonna buy a new rain coat. I MIGHT bring lightweight gloves and hat. But PLEEEEEASE, I hope it isn't too cold.

 

We are pretty close (York - Lincoln)! One of my co-workers lives in York.

 

I went mid to end of May (sorry, can't remember the exact dates) and had beautiful weather. Most days I wore jeans but one day I wore shorts. I always carried a jacket with me and often wore it in the morning.

 

Here are my pics: http://web.mac.com/tlassek/Russia/MS_Tolstoy.html

 

You can change the albums at the top of the page. You can see what people were wearing in some of the shots.

 

There have been some years recently that Moscow had record highs in July I believe. Expect anything and bring a small travel umbrella with you at all times.

[denny girl]

Thanks for the album Coral.

Pictures really are worth a thousand words. Don`t have to imagine and gets it sorted in your mind.

 

The berthing setup reminds me of the Nile a few years ago. Really got a good look at which ships you wished you were on and those you were thankful not to be.

 

As far as the weather sounds a bit like London, expect the best but be ready for anything.

[pixiegirl-loves-travel]

Coral, I actually live in Waco, but nobody ever knows where that is- it's easier to say York since we're so close to it. Thanks so much for the pictures, they are gorgeous! I'm getting so excited to go! We were wondering about jeans and shorts, my daughter especially. I'm glad to know that'll be ok.

 

I'm glad you found a hotel, denny. Researching hotels in another country is interesting- you have no idea WHERE the heck you might be ending up! It sounds like you are well travelled though, so you can probably handle whatever comes your way on the road. :D

 

Like our airfare, I haven't booked anything yet (just the cruise so far). Will probably book airfare in the next few weeks. If it doesn't go down a bit more in cost, I'll have to wait for the tax refund. Once that's done, then I'll start booking the hotels. I'm still not 100% on our itinerary, though I'm close. I'm still flirting with a 2nd extra day in Moscow (the flights from Amsterdam don't seem to come in until 5PM and later) and an extra day in St Pete's. At the same time, I really want us to have quality time in Holland and enough time in London so we can do the day trip to Paris. So we'll see what happens. I just know I'm trying to find those places that are budget friendly but not a dive, and are either walking distance to attractions or to public transport to the attractions.

 

Swunky, I feel bad for your hubby in those showers, lol! Just keep thinking of camping, ha ha! Actually I told my daughter, K, that I'm going to bring my swimsuit along. I know there isn't a pool, but there is a sauna. I also saw in the Russ pictures that there are nice showers at the sauna. I figured if the bathroom shower is too snug, or if the bathroom is going to start feeling or smelling "funky" that perhaps it would be better to use those sauna showers~ if it's allowed. Don't know why it wouldn't be... And thanks for the scooter and ice bar tip- sounds like fun!

 

We all need to switch our dates so we're on the same cruise, darn it! :eek:

[denny girl]

As far as flights Pixie we booked in mid November using Expedia. Just looked the other day and see the flights have gone down. Darn! Might be a good time for you to jump. Cost is now under $500 where I paid nearly $1000 for the two Oh well I was happy at the time.Shouldn`t have gone back.

 

We`re flying from Paris about 11 am, transferring at Frankfurt reaching Moscow about 6 We`re flying with Lufthansa. Some of the flight options were amazing. Took so long with transfers and flew to all kinds of different hubs. That first day doesn`t exist apart from perhaps a quick wander through Red Square.

 

Will fly out of St Petersburg to Copenhagen where we`ll have a couple of days before flying home with SIA. Our favourite airline.

[4774Papa]

As far as flights Pixie we booked in mid November using Expedia. Just looked the other day and see the flights have gone down. Darn! Might be a good time for you to jump. Cost is now under $500 where I paid nearly $1000 for the two Oh well I was happy at the time.Shouldn`t have gone back.

 

We`re flying from Paris about 11 am, transferring at Frankfurt reaching Moscow about 6 We`re flying with Lufthansa. Some of the flight options were amazing. Took so long with transfers and flew to all kinds of different hubs. That first day doesn`t exist apart from perhaps a quick wander through Red Square.

 

Will fly out of St Petersburg to Copenhagen where we`ll have a couple of days before flying home with SIA. Our favourite airline.

Lufthansa is great. Just a tip on transferring at Frankfurt. Make sure you have plenty of time to transfer. You will have to go through security before you board your flight to Moscow. You won't have to take your shoes off, but the German security folks are very thorough and not that speedy. Make sure you have two hours for the transfer.

[pixiegirl-loves-travel]

You have a much better flight deal than me! Right now my flights vary between $3600.00 USD and $4000.00 USD for 2 tickets thru Travelocity. Orbitz runs just slightly higher. I just checked the exact flight on Expedia and it quoted me $9419.50 USD! Yikes! :eek: I've been checking flights since early November when the idea for the trip first became serious. I've been actively looking since after Christmas. They're down about $800 total since then. I think they're probably at their best now, but we'll see. Those prices are for all of my flights booked together as a package: Nebraska to Detroit or Minneapolis (no direct flights from NE), from there to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Moscow, St Pete's to London and then back home. It's cheaper to do a package than seperately. And the way the flights have been turning up, we'll probably be flying on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (part of Delta). So we're paying as much for air (practically) as we are for the cruise! That's why I'm holding off for a couple more paychecks in hope of lower fares, or slightly bigger bank book, lol!

[denny girl]

Unfortunately our flight deal isn`t better as this isn`t counting the cost of our international flights from Australia. $3600 for the two of us.

Flights from the US are normally a lot less as you`re a lot closer to Europe than we are.

 

With a dummy booking on Expedia I can see Amsterdam Moscow and St Petersburg London for $560 for the two of you but of course I don`t know what your International flights will come in at.

 

You certainly get weird prices on those sites. Totally beyond my comprehension! It`s happened to me $2000 or $10000 for the same flight. Just depends who you`re checking with.

[pixiegirl-loves-travel]

Thats really weird! It's still quoting me $9419 for 2 tickets! Our Russian travel agent quoted me just under $500 per ticket (just on the Europe portion) when we were first looking into airfare. It's the Nebraska to Europe part that's costly~ probably because we have to fly to a "major" city first, and then fly to Europe. I have tried breaking the flights down to see if it's cheaper. So far, getting a package flight is our best option.

 

Oh well. Right now Travelocity is the site to beat for K and me at $3600. I'll keep tracking until it's time to book.

 

Thanks for checking for me though!

[pixiegirl-loves-travel]

Coral~ I finished looking through your pictures last night with my husband. I had no idea we'd be going through a series of canals and locks. My excitement level just grew even bigger (if possible)! I dream of someday being able to do a Panama Canal Cruise. This will give me a bit of a taste in advance- as if seeing Palaces and the Hermitage isn't enough, lol! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!

 

I guess another thing that shocked me in the pictures, was the huge lines at some of those places! It looked like waiting lines for Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland! Was that bothersome at all? Or is there enough to see as you wait that it's not an issue?

[Coral]

Coral~ I finished looking through your pictures last night with my husband. I had no idea we'd be going through a series of canals and locks. My excitement level just grew even bigger (if possible)! I dream of someday being able to do a Panama Canal Cruise. This will give me a bit of a taste in advance- as if seeing Palaces and the Hermitage isn't enough, lol! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!

 

I guess another thing that shocked me in the pictures, was the huge lines at some of those places! It looked like waiting lines for Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland! Was that bothersome at all? Or is there enough to see as you wait that it's not an issue?

 

I can't remember how many locks there are but there are plenty. At first, I would leave the dining room when we were going through them so I could be outside but after the 10th one or so, "it was just another lock" - too funny. I thought it was pretty strange to go through them at night. Sort of claustrophobic like (but for just a short time). I would wake up when I heard the ship slow down or so and look outside and it would be all black (when it should have been light due to white nights). It was definitely an experience.

 

Crowds - not sure we were greatly affected by them. Not sure which pictures you are referring to but let me guess Catherine's Palace - we arrived about 30 minutes before it opened so we were all standing around waiting for the Palace to open. The Hermitage was crowded but we were not standing around long - it was just crowded inside. Peterhof was obviously crowded but you could walk around somewhere else at the grounds. Some of the sites were definitely crowded but I don't think we waited in line anywhere for long.

 

Glad you enjoyed the pics. And I do know where Waco is :) I ate dinner there once.

[rollingstone]

Check Finn Air. They have had some good prices.

[colorado35]

So many decisions! I found a “Free Walking Tours” both in Moscow and StP should you arrive early/stay late in either of those two cities.

 

 

This is from a review on Travelocity: The tour is free but tips are welcomed. He suggested 200-300 rubles (which is $6.50 - $9.78). The tour started near the Kitay Gorod Metro. If you know where your hotel is located, this might be something to do especially if your near that Metro or its within walking distance. Linda