Viking 'Footsteps of the Cossacks' (Ukraine)

[ocean999]

Hi Peregrina, and everyone,

Was everyone able to stay healthy on this Ukraine cruise? Did you all eat the uncooked veggies on this trip? In Egypt, I didn't eat the uncooked, only cooked veggies. It was limiting, but I was the healthiest of the pack. I bring my own little pack of Emergen C, vitamins, etc, but would love any thoughs on this topic. Oh, and I wash my hands and my H does too, like we are really OCD! haha!

[Peregrina651]

Just realized, Perigrina, that I was addressing you incorrectly. Sorry! I got it now! Now, If I can only find your blog!

 

Madi, glad you are enjoying the blog. I did a lot of editing on existing pages last night. Go back a page in this thread to message#435 and click on the link that says 'travel blog'. I have not added it to my signature file yet, not until I've finished the whole blog. The Footsteps blog is not closed as far as I know; heck, if I am going to spend this much time writing, I want everybody to read it. :rolleyes: Let me know if the link in my message works; right now I can't check it out because I am in the middle of a post and don't want to lose it. I'll read the other blog you found when I've finished writing mine; I don't want to be influenced by what other people have said.

 

Also, please send me an e-mail using the link in my signature and we can continue to discuss the geography question; it's off-topic, so we should just carry on privately.

 

Health: a couple of people in the bridge club had health issues. One woman was down for a couple of days. IMHO, the playing cards were to blame. Of the people we talked with, no one complained of anything beyond a bit of the normal upsets many get while traveling (and those aren't enough to talk about).

 

You can eat anything that Viking gives you to eat; they have a vested interest in keeping you well. While on the ship, as it turns out, we didn't eat anywhere else; it is just the way it turned out. In Kiev after the cruise, we ate in local restaurants without a problem. I think by then our bodies had accustomed to the new germ pool and were able to cope.

 

Personally, I'm a big handwasher but I rarely use hand-sanitizer. I'm pretty sure that I used bottled water for taking my daily pills but I may have used tap water on my toothbrush. The tap water in the cabins is potable; there were no signs about as there were on our China cruise.

 

[ocean999]

Hi Peregrina,

I DID find your blog, and it is great. How about if we become FB friends? I can't find your email in your signature. Your blog is spectacular and I love how you put the pix in. Really wonderful! Thx again for all the info and I have to figure out how to write to you personally. I will,just a little slow haha! Madi

[altiva]

Funny, how all my post keep disappearing from this thread.

[Peregrina651]

Hi Peregrina,

I DID find your blog, and it is great. How about if we become FB friends? I can't find your email in your signature. Your blog is spectacular and I love how you put the pix in. Really wonderful! Thx again for all the info and I have to figure out how to write to you personally. I will,just a little slow haha! Madi

 

Madi, in my signature just look for the link that says Email Peregrina651.

[Grandcruisevirgin]

I've been reading more of your blog and noticed you're from Philly. I grew up in Oxford Circle, where did you live?

[Grandcruisevirgin]

Well, while Peregrina and I have been bonding through emails about shared Philly friends etc., I must now return to more practical matters:

 

My hair.

 

I think I'll have it washed, blow-dried, and hair-sprayed to within an inch of its life the day before I leave for Kiev on the pre-cruise extension.

 

I'm a disaster about blow-drying my own hair and having it come out the way I want it, I'm not sure how the yacht style shower will work, so I figure by the time the boat gets to Sevastopol, my hair is going to really need washing and the other passengers will start shunning me.

 

Did anyone notice a women's salon in Sevastopol (or at the latest in Yalta)?

[Peregrina651]

Well, while Peregrina and I have been bonding through emails about shared Philly friends etc., I must now return to more practical matters:

 

My hair.

 

I think I'll have it washed, blow-dried, and hair-sprayed to within an inch of its life the day before I leave for Kiev on the pre-cruise extension.

 

I'm a disaster about blow-drying my own hair and having it come out the way I want it, I'm not sure how the yacht style shower will work, so I figure by the time the boat gets to Sevastopol, my hair is going to really need washing and the other passengers will start shunning me.

 

Did anyone notice a women's salon in Sevastopol (or at the latest in Yalta)?

 

Sevastopol has a busy retail area close to the ship but I didn't really pay attention to what was there. However, Google is my friend and I just googled it on the map. There is a Best Western Hotel near the dock (Nakhimova Square), walking distance if you are good with maps. A bit of googling got me to the hotel website in English and according to the website, it does have a hair salon. This is closer to the ship than any other hair salon I was able to find via google --but that doesn't mean that it is the only choice. Of course, this information should be confirmed by contacting the hotel directly. Just to be clear, this is NOT a recommendation or an endorsement of the place.

 

BYO shower cap; I can't remember if the ship supplied them. Yacht-style shower is basically a hand-held shower, so you can, with a bit of practice, be much more accurate in where the water goes, but you still need to cover your hair.

 

A word about hair-dryers on board: They are standard equipment in the deluxe rooms (according to the departure info booklet) but not in the standard rooms. If there isn't one in your room, you can get one from the front desk on a first-come-first-served basis. If you do borrow one from the front desk, be sure to return it to the front desk at the end of the trip. Leaving it in the room does not count. They will hold up your whole bus until they have that dryer returned to the desk (and no, I am not joking).

 

[ocean999]

Hi. I can't find your signature. Nothing comes up anymore for me. Something has changed. I used to be able to see something that said "email me or send directly to me" but now, it just goes to general. I'm busy with work and frustrated by this. I love your blog, and the other blog was NOT a block, just a long note in the thread. Yours is great!

 

I'm planning on getting a small dual voltage hair dryer. I did see that you can borrow them from front desk, but not taking a chance. Going to read the rest of your blog and frustrated that I can't reach you personally, but maybe soon...I guess I'm not as technically savvy as I would like to admit.

m

Calling all cruisers past and present who have taken this cruise to join in an all-inclusive discussion of this Viking itinerary. I'm hoping that this will become the 'go-to' thread for all things Viking Ukraine.

 

DH and I are looking to book this trip for May or June, 2012. I have plenty of questions that I know can only be answered by those who have taken the trip--and I hope to find you and bring you to this cruise.

 

Let me start this rolling with a couple of question:

 

• When is the best time to take this trip?
  
• Any suggestions on flight arrangements? There is nothing direct, so tell us about your flight arrangements and how you thought they went.
  
• What about visas? Do we need them?
  
• What about finding ATMs?
  
• Can I drink the local water or should I stick to bottled water?
  
• For the most recent cruisers, tell us about the ship and the cabins.
  
• Please, share your reviews, photos and travelogues. Do you travel blogs and photos on other websites? Would you share the link here?
  

Cruise Critic members are THE BEST source of information and I thank you all in advance.

[Peregrina651]

Hi. I can't find your signature.

 

 

m

 

Ocean, I know that you have found me but others may be experiencing the same problem.

 

Sometimes signature files are blocked by your browser settings or other browser add-ons.

 

Also, there are CC viewing preferences to double check. Go to UserCP and look down the left side of the page for Edit Options and click. Scroll down to the section marked Thread Display Option and make sure that the Show Signature box is checked.

 

Also, I don't attach a signature to every post. I try to do it on the first post of each page and then after that I make sure to uncheck the Show your signature box (below the the submit reply button on the compose post page--scroll down until you see it).

[Peregrina651]

I just stumbled upon

on Youtube. She has posted a series of videos about her cruise on the Lomonosov. Edited January 31, 2013 by Peregrina651

[ocean999]

I need to purchase small gifts for about 30 friends and family from this trip to Ukraine. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Grandcruisevirgin]

I just stumbled upon

on Youtube. She has posted a series of videos about her cruise on the Lomonosov.

 

Ocean - I found that the easiest way to find Peregrina's Ukraine cruise blog is to click on the link in her top post on pages 23 and 24 and go to her China cruise blog - also well worth reading - and then find it from there.

 

Once you find it, bookmark it, at least until you've finished reading it all.

[Peregrina651]

Ocean - I found that the easiest way to find Peregrina's Ukraine cruise blog is to click on the link in her top post on pages 23 and 24 and go to her China cruise blog - also well worth reading - and then find it from there.

 

Once you find it, bookmark it, at least until you've finished reading it all.

 

I guess I better add a link to my signature file now instead of waiting until I finish the whole thing.

[ocean999]

Thx for the info, GCV. I was hoping you might be on this cruise with us in April. I will try that blog info!

[ocean999]

QUESTION: My grandfather was born and raised in the area called Pyortysak (sp?) It seems to be a mountain region and seems to be almost equidistant from both Kiev and Odessa, being a little closer to Odessa. Has anyone taken this cruise and traveled out to any mountain country? I KNOW it would be too far to head out there, although I would LOVE to see that area, but just wondering if any one took any side trips to the mountains.

[ocean999]

Hi Peregrina, I did check the CP options and I did have the Signature box checked, but I did recheck it and you do seem to come up easier! Thanks!

[Grandcruisevirgin]

Thx for the info, GCV. I was hoping you might be on this cruise with us in April. I will try that blog info!

Ocean, I'm sailing in September, silkismom is on my cruise.

My mother's family is from a town either an hour away from or 100 miles from Kiev and I may hire a guide to take me there while I'm on the pre-cruise extension, if I don't go Chernobyl that day.

My father's family is from the Odessa area, so I should have enough time on the cruise to see the places they may have been.

Regarding small gifts: for adults,I was thinking decorated eggs, for my 3 granddaughters, the nesting dolls and my grandson is always a shopping challenge!

[Peregrina651]

Oceanlady and I have been chatting off-line and she asked me about wardrobe. She is traveling in April. Here is what I wrote to her:

 

We lucked out in the weather department. It was cold and wet only when we arrived in Kiev; it is the only day that I wore the one pair of jeans that I had brought.

 

Wardrobe: IMHO, 1) except for the Captain's dinners, there is no need to change for dinner unless it is because you are sweaty from the days touring and want to freshen up. No one cares what you are wearing (and if they do, that is their problem, not yours). Most people dressed casually throughout but nicely--no rips and tears, etc. 2) You don't need to bring a dress at all; you can wear pants to the opera (but you will feel under-dressed in jeans). Why bring what you aren't going to get A LOT of wear out of? 3) If you are dressing to blend in to the scenery, you will find that Ukrainians tend to dress up rather than down. DH wore black jeans or black Dockers and a combination of easy-wash polos and easy-wash buttons downs in colors. He may have carried a striped dress shirt as well but I don't remember. We pack light and use the ship's laundry service. In April, you will need layers. 60s during the day on average can mean a cold-snap into the 40's even in April and it will certainly mean cooler evenings for the duration.

 

It will be too chilly for shorts (unless you are a Canadian), so you don't have to worry about not wearing shorts into the churches. Pants are acceptable. Remember to bring a hat or scarf for the churches.

[altiva]

QUESTION: My grandfather was born and raised in the area called Pyortysak (sp?) It seems to be a mountain region and seems to be almost equidistant from both Kiev and Odessa, being a little closer to Odessa. Has anyone taken this cruise and traveled out to any mountain country? I KNOW it would be too far to head out there, although I would LOVE to see that area, but just wondering if any one took any side trips to the mountains.

 

hi Ocean,

is this a name of a village? There are many of little villages and

towns in Ukraine. Can you provide a Cyrillic spelling?

I think you are talking about Carpathian mountains. It's the region

of breathtaking beauty. It has a long history, also.

First, people come there to see ancient cities. Lviv, Rivne. Lviv

was founded in 1240. It's a very beautiful city, with ancient

buildings and street, and old castles. There are tours called

"Ukrainian castles" in this region.

Second, there is a five star ski resort there, called Bukovel. People

come there to ski, and many prefer it to Switzerland, because prices

are lower, and the food and scenery is better.

Here is the link for their site:

http://bukovel.com/en

For their web cams:

http://bukovel.com/cams

There is a place there, famous for its mineral springs, Truskavets.

The resort was opened in 1827.

People come there to take waters, and to see beautiful nature,

mountains, covered in forests and so on. They don't have a web site

in English, but you can watch some photos here:

http://www.truskavets-city.gov.ua/

Also, people there have their own regional culture and traditions.

They make traditional Ukrainian clothes, which require a lot of

embroidery, and sell them. Then, specially embroidered bags. They

weave very beautiful carpets, using traditional Ukrainian colours and

symbols. They have very tasty sheep cheese.

People from Ukraine and Europe like to visit there. Europeans love

the place, and Americans have not discovered it yet.

You can't do it all in one day, of course. But, if you manage to

arrange a trip there, it will be one of the most unforgettable in

your life.

[altiva]

QUESTION: My grandfather was born and raised in the area called Pyortysak (sp?) It seems to be a mountain region and seems to be almost equidistant from both Kiev and Odessa, being a little closer to Odessa. Has anyone taken this cruise and traveled out to any mountain country? I KNOW it would be too far to head out there, although I would LOVE to see that area, but just wondering if any one took any side trips to the mountains.

 

Do you speak Ukrainian?

[HDS]

Ann, Viking Lomonsov, this is the thread you are looking for.

[Peregrina651]

Thank you, HDS. I posted a link on Ann's thread to help her and other readers find their way here.

[ocean999]

Hi. Peregrina, Thx for info on souvenirs. I wrote a question about asking others about their souvenirs, but no answer. I need to buy for 30 friends/family. Do youi think the Petrov. dolls, nesting dolls will be cheaper THERE or online? I'm seeing them for about $10-35 with shipping. Thanks!

[ocean999]

Hi Altiva,

No, just learning a few words in Russian or Ukranian. Sorry. I will take any info on where to get best price and quality on nesting dolls and great souvenirs. Thx!