Viking 'Footsteps of the Cossacks' (Ukraine)

[Peregrina651]

:):)Ahh, GCV, that little Snoopy dance of joy!! It is a year off but it is still exciting to see all the details coming together!!:):)

[altiva]

Pre-Extension: Kiev

 

 

 

2-night pre-extension - $499 per person

 

 

Day 1

 

Arrive in Kiev, then transfer to the superior first-class Radisson Blu (or similar).* The rest of your day is free to begin exploring the city and perhaps sample some of its distinctive cuisine, like borscht with pampushki (soft rolls).

 

Day 2

 

This morning, take a tour to some of Kiev’s most famous landmarks, including buildings, squares, monuments and parks, as well as the enormous Saint Sophia Cathedral. The rest of your day is at leisure; visit one of the city’s historical or art museums, relax in a café or take a riverside stroll. An optional tour to Babi Yar is available. Try some more Ukraine cuisine this evening, or perhaps sample one of the many other styles of cuisine available in this multicultural city. (B)

 

Day 3

 

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and we take you to join other cruise guests aboard your ship. Dinner will be served aboard as part of your regular cruise itinerary. (B)

 

THEY SAY that if we just want to fly in a day early and get our own hotel, the air credit isn't any good--at least that's how I understand it.

 

That sounds quite reasonable, if the tours and lunches are included.

Radisson is a nice hotel. That star is a little suspicious -like they are offering you a really good hotel, and switching to an inferior one at the last moment and pocketing the difference. Ask them, too, if you will have time to go inside the churches, they are magnificent

and a must see (look up my previous posts). Bon voyage.

[Grandcruisevirgin]

I booked the pre-cruise extension in Kien - $748.50 for a single traveler! :confused:

 

The way I read the brochure - I'll be staying at the Radison or what Viking considers to be a comparable hotel. I'm not concerned. Viking is a highly respected company and this far out, they probably get first crack at the good hotel rooms in Kiev. They probably have a block reserved for all of the pre-cruise extensions, then when they start sending out plane tickets for those of us who bought our flights through them, they give up the rooms that aren't booked.

 

The way I see it:

 

Day 1 - Viking picks me up at the airport, takes me to the hotel and then I collapse in exhaustion, as I have a very hard time sleeping on planes. Viking mentions trying out some of the local food. I'll pay close attention to what's near the hotel, if I see any likely places within walking distance, I'll go there, or else call room service. :o

 

Day 2 - Breakfast included, then the tour in the morning is included. This may be the only chance to go into St. Sophia's Cathedral - the time in Kiev on the cruise mentions a 'panoramic city tour,' so I don't know if it stops and lets us go in the cathedral. Then, there's some free time - the brochure/internet does not mention 'lunch included,' so don't count on it. Then, the afternoon features the optional tour to Babi Yar. (I'm indecisive about going to Chernobyl that day.) Dinner is on your own.

 

Day 3 - Breakfast is included, then they take you to the ship & you have some free time - more sleep, if I'm still jet-lagged, or maybe this is the time to take that riverside walk. I would guess that if you're on the ship at lunch time, lunch is included, same with dinner. (Day 3 of the extension is actually Day 1 of the cruise. )

 

Anyway - for me, doing the pre-cruise extension is the best way to resolve my jet-lag issues before the cruise tour starts and not be tired and crabby on the actual cruise.

[silkismom]

If I remember correctly, you are on the same cruise w/us--Sept 21. Did you have to pay for the extension right away? I assume the flt info won't be ready till Oct/Nov sometime. Larry is fighting me on the extension--but I told him that I'd pay for it. Just looking at flts now, we'll have at least 4 legs from CO to Kiev, at least the bags should get there by the sailing.

[Grandcruisevirgin]

Yes, we'll be shipmates. I did have to pay for the entire extension plus the insurance, since I hadn't bought it previously, at the time I booked the extension. I put it all on a credit card that currently has a 0% interest rate promotion and I'll have it all paid off before I go.

 

You should do it - the price for 2 of you is only $250 more than the price for one of me. Besides, how often do you plan to be in that part of the world? I know this is probably the only time I'll get to Ukraine.

 

I'm not worried about my luggage, I don't know why, maybe I'm being foolish? With the Viking air and transfers, I'm sure they'll look out for me from one end of the trip to the other.

 

At least, I hope so!

Edited September 30, 2012 by Grandcruisevirgin
to fix spelling mistake

[Peregrina651]

That sounds quite reasonable, if the tours and lunches are included.

Radisson is a nice hotel. That star is a little suspicious -like they are offering you a really good hotel, and switching to an inferior one at the last moment and pocketing the difference. Ask them, too, if you will have time to go inside the churches, they are magnificent

and a must see (look up my previous posts). Bon voyage.

The star is not suspicious; it is very common in American advertising and protects the company from false advertising charges in the event that they need to use another hotel. There is no need to worry that they will switch to an inferior hotel just to pocket the difference.

 

The tour included with the extension is a walking tour and does not include any interiors--or stops for shopping; it is simply a tour to familiarize you with the city.

 

Once you join the cruise, the tour for the day includes visits to St. Sophia and to the Lavra Monastery, where you will have a chance to visit the church interiors--and they are, as altiva says, magnificent and a must-see.

[Peregrina651]

If I remember correctly, you are on the same cruise w/us--Sept 21. Did you have to pay for the extension right away? I assume the flt info won't be ready till Oct/Nov sometime. Larry is fighting me on the extension--but I told him that I'd pay for it. Just looking at flts now, we'll have at least 4 legs from CO to Kiev, at least the bags should get there by the sailing.

 

Four legs from CO to Kiev!! How long is the total flight time? IMHO, that is reason enough to extend your trip. You will be exhausted when you arrive. GCV, has the right idea--arrive early and acclimate.

[Peregrina651]

BTW, the only meals included on the Kiev extension are breakfast. The Radisson has a fabulous international selection of breakfast items including an omelet bar.

 

Lunch and dinner are on your own. We ate one lunch in a restaurant which was pointed out by our walking tour guide and mentioned in the Lonely Planet Guide as well, called the 'Hut of the Pot-Belly.' You have to go in the door and down the steps; the restaurant is below ground leve. Meals are served cafeteria style and signs are in English, but you will still have to do some pointing. (Cash only). Dinner that night was at a little pizza place down the street from the hotel. For us, it was a good choice for dinner.

 

 

The next day our mid-day meal was more of an afternoon snack at a little cafe in the center of the huge glass structure on Independence Square. That huge structure hides a multi-storied little shopping mall and connects to the even larger under-ground mall that honey-combs the whole area. Again, no name.

 

Dinner that night was in the Italian restaurant in the hotel. It was the best meal we had on the trip and it was by far the most expensive. DH was hit by a fit of the lazies and decide that regardless of cost, that was where we were eating that night.

 

[silkismom]

Peregrina, thank you for all the information, you are definitely the "go to" person for this itinerary!!!

[Peregrina651]

Peregrina, thank you for all the information, you are definitely the "go to" person for this itinerary!!!

 

I was hoping this would become a 'go-to' thread for 'Footsteps' since there is really so little about it on Cruise Critic and I'm happy being the go-to person for now but a good thread has lots of people contributing--some who have been and some who are going.

[altiva]

Just booked a cabin for "Footsteps of the Cossacks" (Odessa-Kiev) and have a couple of questions:

 

My plane will arrive in Odessa (hopefully!) on July 6 at 9:00 p.m. This means I will need a transfer from airport to hotel, hotel for one night and transfer to dock on the morning of the 7th. Can anyone recommend a private driver or transport service? A hotel? A 2** is fine with me since all I'll be doing is crashing to reset my body-clock and recover from the four flights I need to get to Odessa!

 

Would also like to connect with others doing this departure since, in all probability, I will be traveling alone.

 

hi lstoner,

what is your budget for a hotel exactly?

Odessa is in Europe, everything is quite pricey here. There is a very

cheap hotel, they advertise it everywhere, called Zirka, but people

report having very thin walls, thin doors and they could hear

everything from the rooms next door, and from the passage, also.

It's more like a hostel. It costs about 30-35 US per night.

Better hotels will be quite pricey, count on something, staring from

75 US.

The best would have been to rent a private apartment, there are many

of those, but you need it for one night only, and as you arrive

during high season, it's unlikely that you will find one.

Whatever you decide to do, please, remember that Odessa is a holiday

resort, and in July, it's overcrowded to the bream. Make sure to book

your accommodation well well in advance. April is a good idea to

start.

[Grandcruisevirgin]

I thought I was being so clever, charging the Kiev extension and my travel insurance on myzero percent (through November, 2013) credit card from Citibank.

 

When I opened my bill yesterday, there was the charge - and a 3% Foreign Transaction fee. I called Citi about this and they told me the charge originated in CH - they couldn't tell me if it was Chile or China! (I'm so nearsighted, I looked at it and it looked like OH - for Ohio to me.)

 

When I paid my deposit and for the rest of the cruise, I put those 2 charges on American Express and there were no foreign transaction fees.

 

I'm wondering if I should call Viking to discuss this?

 

What's going to happen to the credit card I use when I check in on board the ship - if I use the Citicard, I guess that's going to get hit with that fee as well. If so, I guess I'll be taking my American Express Card!

 

All of the prices in the brochure were in US dollars, and at no time when I talked to anyone at Viking was I told I was making a foreign transaction. It's only about $42, but I'm pissed.

 

One question I have - I was going to get Ukrainian cash to take with on the trip, I was wondering how much to bring. I want to have a good time on the trip, buy a few souveniers, take a few of the optional excursions. Can anyone suggest an amount to bring? If needed, I can go through the brochure and list all of the excursions that interest me.

 

Thanks.

[HDS]

I had a similar experience paying Silversea direct with Mastercard. Had I paid through my travel agent there would not have been a foregin transaction charge.

Silversea's publicity about currencies and foreign transaction fees was somehere between ambiguous and misleading. No indication that my $AU payment on a $AU credit card to their Australian office would be processed through a UK account. I spoke clearly and distinctly to both, Mastercard refunded half the fee and eventually, after representations from my TA, Silversea rebated the rest.

 

When we cruised the Dnipro with Viking in 2008, we couldn't get Ukranian currency outside the country, not even in Romania its almost neighbour. We paid our arrival transfer driver in Euro and Viking took us to a bank on day one to get currency. Can't recall how much we spent, most large stores and markets set up for tourists will take Euro or US$ or cards. Everything you buy on board including optional excursions, will be added to your on-board account which you pay by card (or cash $US, I think, not local currency).

 

It's a fascinating destination, hope you enjoy as much as we did.

Edited October 28, 2012 by HDS

[Peregrina651]

I thought I was being so clever, charging the Kiev extension and my travel insurance on myzero percent (through November, 2013) credit card from Citibank.

 

When I opened my bill yesterday, there was the charge - and a 3% Foreign Transaction fee. I called Citi about this and they told me the charge originated in CH - they couldn't tell me if it was Chile or China! (I'm so nearsighted, I looked at it and it looked like OH - for Ohio to me.)

 

When I paid my deposit and for the rest of the cruise, I put those 2 charges on American Express and there were no foreign transaction fees.

 

I'm wondering if I should call Viking to discuss this?

 

What's going to happen to the credit card I use when I check in on board the ship - if I use the Citicard, I guess that's going to get hit with that fee as well. If so, I guess I'll be taking my American Express Card!

 

All of the prices in the brochure were in US dollars, and at no time when I talked to anyone at Viking was I told I was making a foreign transaction. It's only about $42, but I'm pissed.

 

One question I have - I was going to get Ukrainian cash to take with on the trip, I was wondering how much to bring. I want to have a good time on the trip, buy a few souveniers, take a few of the optional excursions. Can anyone suggest an amount to bring? If needed, I can go through the brochure and list all of the excursions that interest me.

 

Thanks.

 

CH is Switzerland I believe (stands for Cantones Helveticas, or something like that). I believe that Viking is a Swiss corp with HQ in Basel (but don't quote me).

 

Re foreign transaction charges: Call Viking (or have your TA call Viking) and tell them what happened. I've heard this before and folks seems to get satisfaction when they deal with Viking and not the credit card companies. Or contact them at TellUs@vikingrivercruises.com.

 

We got UAH from the ATM at the airport when we arrived; I have stopped buying currency before I leave home because the fees and the rate are a rip-off compared to what I pay through the ATM. I keep a small checking account with its own ATM card just for this purpose. It is not connected to any of my other back accounts and there is just enough in the account for the trip. That way, if my ATM/debit card gets lifted, I've limited my losses. Other than that, I do not use a debit card because it does not offer the same protections against theft and unauthorized usages that a credit card does.

 

As for the excursions, 1) you can charge them to your ship-board account and pay by credit card at the end of the cruise (use a card that does not charge a transaction fee such as CapitalOne); 2) 2013 excursion prices have not yet been published. There is a post a couple of pages back with the 2012 prices that will give you a ball-park but I expect that they will change for 2013.

 

 

 

 

[Peregrina651]

Everything you buy on board including optional excursions, will be added to your on-board account which you pay by card (or cash $US, I think, not local currency).

 

It's a fascinating destination, hope you enjoy as much as we did.

I just checked in the little booklet that Viking sent along with our travel doc. Shipboard accounts can be paid by credit card (AMEX, MC, VISA) or by cash in USD or euros--not UAH.

 

Your credit card will be charged in UAH--that's the law--which means it will be subject to a foreign transaction fee, if your cc company charges them.

[Grandcruisevirgin]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just called Viking and they told me to either mail or fax the credit card statement showing the Viking charge and the foreign transaction fee to them and they'll send me a check for the $40.42! :)

(Very good business practice on their part, as that small amount is not even 1% of what I paid for this trip, and since I didn't use a travel agent, they're keeping the full proceeds of what I paid for the trip + air + Kiev extension + insurance!)

I guess I'll be taking US dollars vs. Ukrainian money in my money belt, when I travel. I will also bring a credit card and ATM card - good suggestion about using an account that has no other money in it except what I budget for the trip. I do have a credit union account that I can fund next fall.

In the meantime, I received the 3 books on Ukraine that I bought (gently used) on Amazon) and have a lot of reading for the next 'less-than-11-months!' I may get one more book - the travel guide mentioned on the Viking website.

[altiva]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just called Viking and they told me to either mail or fax the credit card statement showing the Viking charge and the foreign transaction fee to them and they'll send me a check for the $40.42! :)

(Very good business practice on their part, as that small amount is not even 1% of what I paid for this trip, and since I didn't use a travel agent, they're keeping the full proceeds of what I paid for the trip + air + Kiev extension + insurance!)

I guess I'll be taking US dollars vs. Ukrainian money in my money belt, when I travel. I will also bring a credit card and ATM card - good suggestion about using an account that has no other money in it except what I budget for the trip. I do have a credit union account that I can fund next fall.

In the meantime, I received the 3 books on Ukraine that I bought (gently used) on Amazon) and have a lot of reading for the next 'less-than-11-months!' I may get one more book - the travel guide mentioned on the Viking website.

 

hi Grandcruisevirgin,

was glad to hear that you will get that strange fee back!

It's very tiresome and expensive to buy Ukrainian currency abroad.

It's better to come to Ukraine and withdraw it from the numerous ATMs

you can find on every corner (sometimes up to five on one corner).

It's not true that you have to go to a bank to withdraw some cash.

Any ATM would do. Well, almost any. You should look for a logo of

your card above the ATM, if it's there, it will work for you. Also,

make sure that your card is a "simple" card, meaning, American

Express, Visa, Master card, and not something like Visa Cirrus or Visa

Electron, for example. Because, all the ATM accept the Visa, and not

all of them - Visa Cirrus, so you will spend your spare time, galloping

from ATM to ATM and then from bank to bank to find the one which

processes them.

All you need it a card with a four digit pin code. Before you leave,

call your bank and tell them that you will be travelling overseas, so

they won't block your card when you are trying to use it abroad.

It's not true, also, that "all the large stores take euros or

dollars". In fact, paying with euros or dollars in supermarkets,

malls, shops is called "illegal trading in foreign currency" and is

punishable by law. If someone asks you to pay in dollars/euros, they

are crooks and trying to rip you off. The truth is, most of large

supermarkets and malls process major credit and debit cards. When you

enter the store, seek their logo on the door or above the check out.

Restaurants take all major cards also. You will need cash only when

you buy from souvenirs market and such.

Please, note, too, that if you want to tip someone privately, you can

give them dollars or euros (driver, guide, whomever). Purchasing from

somewhere which has a check out and paying dollars is against the

law.

As for how much you need for souvenirs, it's the question which

only you can answer. It mostly depends on what you can afford, rather

on how much. I saw very beautiful hand made things, which were sold

for 200 US! I think you should establish a budget and stick to it.

Because, there are so many nice things to buy, you will need to keep

yourself in check.

Edited October 29, 2012 by altiva

[Peregrina651]

Can we say this again in loud large letters!!!! How to ruin your vacation in a hurry!

 

 

Before you leave,

call your bank and tell them that you will be travelling overseas, so

they won't block your card when you are trying to use it abroad.

 

Edited October 30, 2012 by Peregrina651

[Peregrina651]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just called Viking and they told me to either mail or fax the credit card statement showing the Viking charge and the foreign transaction fee to them and they'll send me a check for the $40.42! :)

 

I thought they would. The topic has come up on other Viking threads.

[Peregrina651]

GCV--

 

Please send me an e-mail. There's an article in my genealogy newsletter that you might be interested in reading. Just use the e-mail link in my signature.

[TravelerThom]

CH is Switzerland I believe (stands for Cantones Helveticas, or something like that)...

Close, and a good guess as Switzerland is composed of 26 cantons. CH stands for Confoederatio Helvetica. Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh, and in an attempt to minimize controversy the official name of the country is in none of those, but rather in Latin.

 

Thom

[Peregrina651]

Close, and a good guess as Switzerland is composed of 26 cantons. CH stands for Confoederatio Helvetica. Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh, and in an attempt to minimize controversy the official name of the country is in none of those, but rather in Latin.

 

Thom

 

 

Thanks, Thom. I was just too lazy to go look it up, so I'm glad you've set it straight. ;)

 

Great trivia question , isn't it!! The CH for Switzerland has been in my storehouse of miscellaneous knowledge for years; it was on the oval national stickers on the European cars when we first traveled there in the 60s-- and about the same time I was learning Latin, so the Helvetica part really stuck. I just never really knew what the C stood for and for some reason thought that it was 'Cantones'.

 

I guess it also saves the bickering between China, Chile and Chad over who gets to the CH for domain names. Answer? None of them.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Peregrina651

[altiva]

Odessa Ukraine November 24

 

Today, all Ukraine and Ukrainian diaspora (Ukrainians in the USA,

Canada, Australia, France, the UK, Germany, and so on, in all, 32

countries on the planet) hold a memorial to the

victims of Holodomor - artificial famine, created by Russian

occupants in 1932 - 1933 to exterminate Ukrainians by hunger. By most

approximate calculations, from 3 to 5 million Ukrainians perished in

just 2 years. Russians forcibly removed all food from Ukrainian

families, leaving them to die. People became as thing as skeletons,

then puffed up and died.

At 4 p.m. your local time, please, light a candle and think about

innocent men, women and children, babies, toddlers, starved to death just because they

were Ukrainians. Let God rest their souls.

If you ever in Kyiv, please, visit National Museum "Memorial in

Commemoration of Famines' Victimes in Ukraine":

http://www.memorialgolodomors.org/Museum/Map-Engl.htm

And Baby Yar, where 25 thousand innocent starving people were first

shot and then burned alive, while they begged for bread.

[silkismom]

Yesterday I broke down and booked the 2 day pre-cruise in Kiev and also got our air taken care of. It's so far out that I know there will be several schedule changes, but what can you do--right now, they are as good as I can get. As soon as Viking tickets it, I plan to call UA and try for an upgrade.

[Peregrina651]

Yesterday I broke down and booked the 2 day pre-cruise in Kiev and also got our air taken care of. It's so far out that I know there will be several schedule changes, but what can you do--right now, they are as good as I can get. As soon as Viking tickets it, I plan to call UA and try for an upgrade.

 

We just loved our two days in Kiev and wished that it been longer! There is so much that we wanted to see.

 

From what I have gathered from all my reading on CC, not all ticket classes can be upgraded (especially using FF miles). For the most part, the really great prices that Viking offers are great because they are ticketed in classes that are not necessarily upgradeable. (Yes, the airlines are on to us and have closed many loopholes). IMHO, check into it before you decide that buying your tickets through Viking is the way to go, especially if getting the upgrade is really important to you.

 

 

ALSO, and again IMHO, pay for custom air so that you have some choice over your flights, otherwise, you may find that you have been booked on a flight out of Odessa that has you leaving the ship before the sun is up.

Edited November 25, 2012 by Peregrina651