Viking 'Footsteps of the Cossacks' (Ukraine)

[Peregrina651]

There is both a breakfast buffet and a lunch buffet. Breakfast offers cooked to order as well as hot buffet items (potatoes, bacon, etc.). The lunch buffet is mostly salads and a light usually high carb entree item. BTW, Mattias makes the most wonderful salads.

 

You can leave the ship any night it is docked in port --Odessa, Sevastopol, Yalta and Kiev. We didn't in O and S because we were just exhasted with the time change but by Yalta we just really wanted a nice stroll after dinner.

[Grandcruisevirgin]

You are making it VERY difficult for me to think about cancelling... It sounds like a wonderful trip, I very much want to do it, the only thing concerning me is going myself.

 

I guess there might be 4 single travelers on your ship - have you met them? Is there any way you could take a picture of one of their cabin's (CS 414 is the one I'm supposed to be in) and then post is somehow, somewhere, or when you get back, I'll send you my email address and you could email it to me.

 

I want very much to go to this area, but am thinking that it might be better to reschedule and arrange a meeting with people in Kiev and Odessa who could help me with geneology.

 

But, I'm booked for this trip next year now, all I have to do is pay for it (charge it!) and then maybe I should just go while I'm fairly healthy, as I'm not getting any younger.

 

Oh, decisions, decisions...I'm not good at them.

 

Are you heading right back to the US after your trip or are you doing the Kiev extension, which I'm thinking of adding, if I go? Looking forward to hearing from you.

[Peregrina651]

We sailed into the Dnieper River Delta this morning and through our first lock this evening. It has been a very busy day. We heard a lecture on Ukrainian history, then lunch on the Sun Deck before docking in Kherson. We toured Kherson for a few hours and I fell asleep on the bus because it was hot out--not because I was board. Tonight was Pirate Night in the dining room and then cruising through the lock.

 

There are bunches of singles on our trip and not all of them are in the CS cabins. There is a tour group on our cruise and about half of them are singles in double cabins. It makes it hard to figure out who has the singles. But everyone is so friendly that it doesn't matter.

 

Some more about the ship (description, not criticism). This is the smallest ship I have ever sailed on but the Dnieper and its locks limit the size of the vessel. There is no elevator and there is no pool--not even a hot tub. The steps are steep. There are four passenger decks--three decks of cabins plus the sun deck. Though there are two dining rooms, only one is in use right now. I haven't looked for an exercise room. There is a little shop for souvenirs. I find the ship cozy. It is showing its age but it is clean and well-kept.

 

[Cruzer Two]

I recently returned (April 2012) from a cruise of the Black Sea that included three port calls in the Ukraine. For information on viewing videos of these shore excursions please click on the links below. Hopefully, this information will be useful in helping you plan your activities for these ports.

 

Yalta, Ukraine

Highlights include Alupka Palace, Swallows Nest, Chekhov’s White Dacha, and Livadia Place (Setting for the Yalta Conference in February 1945)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=33666297&postcount=255

 

Sevastopol, Ukraine

Highlights include Crimean War Panorama Museum, Malakhov Hill, Balaklava Harbor, Balakalava Valley (Valley of Death for the Charge of the Light Brigade)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=33687562&postcount=257

 

Odessa, Ukraine

Highlights include the Odessa Opera House, Preobrajensky Square, Transfiguration Cathedral, Shevchenko Park and the Khutorok Restaurant

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=33723613&postcount=258

 

Ron

[travelling fools]

Thanks for sharing the videos !

 

Seeing videos/photos and hearing about others trips just makes me more anxious.

 

I would like to know from others what extra tours were worth it and which were not in their opinions.I know we will not go on all of the extra tours so we would like help in choosing.

[Peregrina651]

Yesterday was Zaporozhye/Cossack Day. We were surprised at how really well done the Cossack Museum was--really worth the time. Alla pointed out the highlights and while I didn't stay with the group, I stayed plugged in listening to the descriptions.

 

The Cossack Horse show was a lot of fun. I'm not going to give s detailed description.

 

Shopping alert: There are local handcrafts for sale here. Some of it so-so, but there are a couple of painters whose work is outstanding--expensive but outstanding. I saw a plate I would have liked to buy but it was out of budget. The artist was right there selling her work. Another artist was doing wooden dolls that were painted with such details but her inch tall dolls were $25.

 

Today has been our 'at sea' day an we have been just as busy as on tour days.

 

DO NOT miss Alla's talks on the history of the Ukraine!! EXCELLENT!!

 

Don't forget DEET. Don't forget a HAT--the sun gets really strong on deck and it is only May. Ladies, tuck a scarf into your bag; you need to cover head to enter any church.

 

Tomorrow we are in Kiev and Monday the cruise is over. This time has just flown by and we will be sad to leave. This has been just a fun, wonderful, enlightening twelve days.

[loum140]

Cruzer 2: Thanks so much for the link to your photos/video. They're wonderful. Our level of anticipation is rising.

 

Peregrina651: Really enjoying your updates. Sounds like you are having a terrific time. Has the trip met (or exceeded) your expectations? Thanks for the reminder about taking bug spray -- I would not have thought of it. Always travel with hats/visors but will also carry a scarf as you suggest.

 

Re: the lectures/enrichment talks -- do they happen during the day or in the evening? If during the day is the sound piped to the deck area? (We like to sit outside when we can) Or must you be in the lounge to hear?

 

Almost ready to start packing!!!

[Peregrina651]

Marsha -- yes, we are really enjoying this cruise--emphasizing the positive and glossing over the negatives. As I have said earlier in this thread, having done China with Viking and having read between the lines on various forums, my expectations were low for certain aspects of this itinerary. Ukraine has not developed its tourism infrastructure yet (and certainly not to the extent of China and other European countries). I have commented that I felt that I expected the food to be better than China (where I thought that chef did a lousy job of choosing what to cook with the quality of ingredients he had available) and it was much, much better. I did not expect the guides to be as well trained as in China, where one goes to a college program to become certified; in this regard, China has set the bar SO high that I will be comparing all future guides to this standard. Bottom-line: The food is great. The tours have room for improvement.

 

The lectures take place while we are cruising. They are not piped throughout the ship, so if you want to hear them, you will need to attend. Do not miss the vareniki demonstration and do volunteer to be one of Henry's "Country Cats." Alla's history lectures are not to be missed; they are only 45 minutes and they cover a lot of ground in that short time.

 

Internet has been good. There were only a couple of times when I could not connect or lost a connection.

 

BTW, I said that Alla was the head guide but I was wrong; the chief guide on this trip is Svetlana, who had the German bus. Natasha was the third guide; she was on the group tour bus (a group of bridge players traveling together

on a 30 day tour of Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia and Turkey).

 

[Peregrina651]

More stuff just keeps coming to mind. Some of the places don't allow pictures inside (the churches in particular) and some museums charge a few UAH for the privilege.

 

ATMs at the airport. When you come out of customs. Make sure to let your card issuer know when and where you will be traveling.

 

The tipping situation is very confusing. The booklet that came with our docs says one thing and when we start asking questions on board to clarify how things are handled, everyone has a different answer. It is very awkward and we don't want to insult anyone by tipping too little and at the same time, we don't want play the Ugly Americans flaunting their wealth. It is really a delicate balance and some clear guidelines would be helpful. The tips for the hotel staff are pooled and dining room and housekeeping get a share along with the program director. But what about your guide and what about the bus driver? If you want to give extra to your cabin steward or someone in the dining room, what is reasonable?

 

BTW, any little bonuses should be given directly to the person and not put in an envelope with a name on it and then into the bin because it will not get to that person. Everyone has the same name --Svetlana, Natasha, Elena, Irina, Katya--it will not get to the right person.

[Cruzer Two]

Cruzer 2: Thanks so much for the link to your photos/video. They're wonderful. Our level of anticipation is rising.

 

 

You are so welcome! I really can’t understand why more companies don’t offer cruises to the Black Sea ports. We found this to be one of our more interesting cruises. The ports are filled with history and interesting places to visit. We had a marvelous time on our cruise and wish you the same experience.

 

Ron

[Peregrina651]

We disembarked this morning and are now at the Radisson Blu, doing the post cruise extension. We loved the cruise. It doesn't have quite the 'wow' factor that China does but Viking still rises to the occasion and has pulled together an enjoyable while eye-opening package

 

 

About our hotel room--I haven't seen ceilings this high since I was in elementary school!! Actually, it is quite lovely. Think Marriott. It is much better than I was prepared for.

 

Kiev has been my favorite so far and a partial day here is just not enough.

[Peregrina651]

I forgot to tell you the weather here in Kyiv. It turned cold and rainy and the temps for the past two days have been in the upper 50s. That means that in the past 12 days temps have ranged from not quite 90 to barely 60. Good thing we threw in some turtlenecks at the last mi ute but we should have brought shorts as well.

 

BTW: for the visit to Lavra in Kyiv, no shorts and women must bring a head=covering.

[oofroggie]

I just booked this river cruise for May 24 2013 and after reading the posts here I can wait to go. I am a solo traveler that has gone around the world 3 times and am now looking for a more in depth traveling in specific parts of the world. I have done the China trip with Viking in 2009 and was very pleased with the experience. For me the people are the most pleasant part of the trip. If any one else is going on this trip I would love to hear from you. Solo or double travelers welcome.

[Peregrina651]

We got home about an hour ago. It was a long day. Kiev airport not only did not give us boarding passed for our next flight but they made us check our carry-on bags because they were too heavy (more than 8kg each). They were check through to Frankfurt but by the time we repacked them (had to get the electronics bag out of the suitcase so as not to freeze one B-Berry and 2 cameras) and returned to the desk it was too late to just have them checked right through to Boston (although the way the day was going, we probably would have lost them in the transfer).

 

So when we got to Frankfurt (which is HUGE), we would have to retrieve our bags, get boarding passed and get to our gate--with no idea of where we would have to go to do any of this. The first thing I did on boarding was talk to the stewardess (yes, sorry, I still call them stewardesses) and explain our dilemma. Realizing the relatively short period of time we had (or maybe just seeing how upset I was about the ordeal to come), she arranged for us to be met at the gate and escorted from place to place. Heck, all I was expecting was an explanation of the process and to be pointed in the right direction.

 

The stewardess gave me a bit of paper with instructions. I handed it to the first agent I saw as I walked off the plane; all the ground agents are connected by hand-helds. She sent us to wait outside the gate and the person there connected us with the young men on the golf carts who drove us through the airport. All in all we were escorted through customs, into baggage claim, to get our passes, back through gate security and right up to passport control at the entrance to the boarding area. Because of passport control, it took two different escorts to get us from place to place. The waiting time between escorts was barely a minute and the whole process took under an hour to complete, from landing to arriving at our departure gate. Each escort was friendly, explained what was going on step-by-step, spoke very clear English and was just as patient and as helpful as can be.

 

BTW, did I saw we were flying Lufthansa?

 

So why all the explanation? Because I have heard so many airport horror stories of late. Ours would have been, too, if we had not spoken up and asked for some help--and if the airline and the airport did not have the infrastructure in place to routinely help passengers on a one-to-one basis. Boy, I hope this is the wave of the future.

 

If you have any questions about the cruise or about the ship, please speak up. I'm happy to answer any questions I can.

[Grandcruisevirgin]

Welcome home! Can't wait to see some pictures and find out about the Kiev extension.

I still haven't decided if I'm going in September, 2013 or not and whether to do the Kiev extension if I go. I'm running out of time to decide and pay the balance. I am more interested in Odessa than Kiev - my father was born there; my mother's family was from the Kiev area, and I have the name of the town they were from, which is outside of Kiev, but that's about all I know about them. For my father's parents, I have the name and address of the photo shop in Odessa :) where their wedding photo was taken and while it's probably not a photo shop any longer, I could at least go to that address.

Did you get any pictures of a single cabin?

[altiva]

Welcome home! Can't wait to see some pictures and find out about the Kiev extension.

I still haven't decided if I'm going in September, 2013 or not and whether to do the Kiev extension if I go. I'm running out of time to decide and pay the balance. I am more interested in Odessa than Kiev - my father was born there; my mother's family was from the Kiev area, and I have the name of the town they were from, which is outside of Kiev, but that's about all I know about them. For my father's parents, I have the name and address of the photo shop in Odessa :) where their wedding photo was taken and while it's probably not a photo shop any longer, I could at least go to that address.

Did you get any pictures of a single cabin?

 

Hi Grandcruisevirgin, your problem can be easily solved.

I knew two women, who used toursbylocals and had a "find your roots"

tour, trying to trace their Ukrainian born mother in Odessa, and they

succeeded!

The photographer you mentioned may be traceable only if he had

his studio in the centre of the city. Then, as sure as not, he would

be mentioned in Odessa chronicles. Your better bet would be tracing

your father's and mother's marriage certificate, which can be

obtained from Odessa archive, if you have their names, surnames and

patronymics. Also, all the other possible papers, like birth

certificates of their children, if any, and so on.

As for now, if you don't feel that it's an invasion of your privacy,

you can tell the name of the photo studio or of the photographer and

the address, and we can check.

[Peregrina651]

Welcome home! Can't wait to see some pictures and find out about the Kiev extension.

 

Coming but probably not until next week.

 

I still haven't decided if I'm going in September, 2013 or not and whether to do the Kiev extension if I go. I'm running out of time to decide and pay the balance.

We just loved wondering around Kiev. We walked for miles--never used public transportation.

 

One couple from our group took the Free Walking tours that leave from the Blue Globe on Independence Square and recommends them. We weren't that organized and just decided what we wanted to see and started walking. The walking tour provided by Viking was very helpful in getting us oriented and to a certain extent, we repeated the tour on our own with some added detours.

 

I am more interested in Odessa than Kiev - my father was born there; my mother's family was from the Kiev area, and I have the name of the town they were from, which is outside of Kiev, but that's about all I know about them. For my father's parents, I have the name and address of the photo shop in Odessa :) where their wedding photo was taken and while it's probably not a photo shop any longer, I could at least go to that address.

 

Start by Googling the address and checking it out on Google maps. Maybe it is close to where the boats will be docked and you can walk there. Maybe you want to arrive in Odessa early so that you have to wander around on your own. The ship docks near the Potemkin Steps. The Odessa article in Wikipedia has an historic map of Odessa which may be of interest as well.

 

We did not get down to the town where grandma was born and even more disappointing was that we passed by it in the middle of the night. One of the locks is located there (Kanev) and so at least the area around would have been lit up but I could not even lift my head off the pillow to look out the window let along get out of bed and run up on deck.

 

 

 

Did you get any pictures of a single cabin?

 

Sorry, but I didn't. But, I did get pictures of our cabin and will try to get them posted but probably not until after the weekend. The single probably is just a bit narrower an has just one bed.

 

More stuff oozing out of my brain:

 

We did not use credit cards very often. We used cash (local currency not $$$) for most of our purchases. We did not bring any with us but used the ATM at the airport to get it (and then a couple of more banks along the way).

 

Here is the link for the schedule at the Odessa Opera House. This is not the website for the Opera House but it is the only place that I could find the schedule. Unfortunately, it only shows a couple of weeks at a time, so there is no way to check what is schedule for later in the summer.

[altiva]

 

 

 

 

Here is the link for the schedule at the Odessa Opera House. This is not the website for the Opera House but it is the only place that I could find the schedule. Unfortunately, it only shows a couple of weeks at a time, so there is no way to check what is schedule for later in the summer.

 

Odessa Opera House Programme is here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=33804413&highlight=odessa#post33804413

For May.

and June 1-6

First International Festival of Arts in Odessa Opera House

The programme for June is not up yet at the theatre.

[Peregrina651]

Odessa Opera House Programme is here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=33804413&highlight=odessa#post33804413

For May.

and June 1-6

First International Festival of Arts in Odessa Opera House

The programme for June is not up yet at the theatre.

 

The website I gave the link for above is constantly updated and seems to shows four weeks at time. Currently, it shows the schedule through June 10, or about a month from today. It is a ticket seller's and I am not suggesting or recommending the ticket service; I am just telling you where you can get information about what the Opera House is offering.

 

BTW, we saw the company's production of Don Giovanni. I regret not buying a program for the evening (no Playbill given out at the door; if you don't buy your program you have none at all).

 

May sure that you check out the Grand Staircase of the Opera House.

 

I managed to post a couple of pictures on Photoblog while we were traveling; this is all that I have posted so far. Day 1 was a little strange and to a certain extent, the pictures reflect that. :eek:

[Peregrina651]

I just booked this river cruise for May 24 2013 and after reading the posts here I can wait to go. I am a solo traveler that has gone around the world 3 times and am now looking for a more in depth traveling in specific parts of the world. I have done the China trip with Viking in 2009 and was very pleased with the experience. For me the people are the most pleasant part of the trip. If any one else is going on this trip I would love to hear from you. Solo or double travelers welcome.

 

Hello, oofroogie, and welcome. Glad you have joined the chit-chat.

 

There were a number of solo travelers on our cruise-- not all of them were in the single cabins. The lady next to us was in a double; she, too, is a frequent traveler. She says she just calls up Viking and tells them where she wants to go.

[travelling fools]

Are there maps and info available on the ship for each town that you can take so it will make it easier to find your way around?

[Grandcruisevirgin]

Hi Grandcruisevirgin, your problem can be easily solved.

I knew two women, who used toursbylocals and had a "find your roots"

tour, trying to trace their Ukrainian born mother in Odessa, and they

succeeded!

The photographer you mentioned may be traceable only if he had

his studio in the centre of the city. Then, as sure as not, he would

be mentioned in Odessa chronicles. Your better bet would be tracing

your father's and mother's marriage certificate, which can be

obtained from Odessa archive, if you have their names, surnames and

patronymics. Also, all the other possible papers, like birth

certificates of their children, if any, and so on.

As for now, if you don't feel that it's an invasion of your privacy,

you can tell the name of the photo studio or of the photographer and

the address, and we can check.

 

I am going to have to have the information on the back of the photo translated from Russian - because that's what it's in, because Russia had taken over at the time my grandparents were married (approximately 1909 or 1910) - again :eek: and this time I'll write it down!!

 

My dad left Ukraine in 1914, he married my mother in the US in 1949, so I have that marriage certificate. It would be wonderful if I could find the one for his parents in Ukraine.

 

Anyway, I'll work on the translation over the weekend - the address of the shop on the back of the photo actually says something like - 'around the corner from the steps to the ----- Church' so I think the shop and church are in the actual city of Odessa.

 

From watching 'Who Do You Think You Are' I know that there is a lot to be found with local geneologists, and if I can connect with one in Ukraine before my final payment is due on 5/31 and arrange to meet, I'll probably do the trip.

 

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

[Peregrina651]

 

My dad left Ukraine in 1914, he married my mother in the US in 1949, so I have that marriage certificate. It would be wonderful if I could find the one for his parents in Ukraine.

 

.

 

If you are lucky, the church was not destroyed by the ****s as was a lot of Odessa. You should be able to find the church on the current map if it is still standing.

 

Do you have the ship's manifest for your grandparents' arrival in the US? There is always helpful information to be found there--and also sometimes on the 1920 census. Ancestry.com is very helpful. I found my great grandfather listed listed on the Duma voting lists for Kiev. It always helps if you have a somewhat uncommon surname.

 

Ukraine had part of the Czarist Empire for a while at that point and there were many Russians living there who continued to identify as Russians. The far Western parts of the country kept flip-flopping their borders and were parts of various political entities over time, including Russia and Poland.

[Peregrina651]

 

Ukraine had part of the Czarist Empire for a while at that point and there were many Russians living there who continued to identify as Russians. The far Western parts of the country kept flip-flopping their borders and were parts of various political entities over time, including Russia and Poland.

 

Ukraine had been

 

Sorry, my brain moves faster then my fingers, which don't know how to type in the first place and my eyes don't always see, even if I do proofread.:D

 

I've lost track. Who goes next?

[altiva]

The website I gave the link for above is constantly updated and seems to shows four weeks at time. Currently, it shows the schedule through June 10, or about a month from today. It is a ticket seller's and I am not suggesting or recommending the ticket service; I am just telling you where you can get information about what the Opera House is offering.

 

I am providing the link to the official Odessa Opera House site:

http://opera.odessa.ua/ru/repertuar/tekuschiy-repertuar/

 

insert this link into a Google translate for translation.

There is NO programme for June. More so, in the Opera House book

office they confirmed today, that they do not yet know the programme

for June. Yet, this travel agency, situated many hundred kilometres

from Odessa, knows it!

Even more so, the info given is false.

On June 1-6 Opera House has First International Festival of Arts in

Odessa Opera House. This site never mentions the info, and they

don't show you that on June 1 and 2 there are also performances.

On June 1 Open air Opera Giuseppe Verdi Aida, on the square before

the Opera House. It starts at 20.00. On June 2 - Dancing Voice -

choreographic scenes from operas. The rest show minor mistakes, like

calling a benefit concert a gala concert, but these are not

important.

Here are the posters (one is in English) to prove my point:

 

Even more so, they are NOT ticket sellers. They charge you for

buying you tickets! If you want tickets to the Opera House, you can

buy them yourself on-line for the same price, as in the Opera,

without any additional charges! Real ticket sellers have an

agreement with the Opera House, and they sell the tickets for the

same price, and get the commission from the Opera House, not from

you! You can buy the tickets yourself on-line, using the real Opera

House programme.