Viking 'Footsteps of the Cossacks' (Ukraine)

[altiva]

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.

 

 

Hi Grandcruisevirgin,

I think it's much easier than you think!

For the photo, why pay and translate and wait? Just scan the part

with the photographer signature, or photograph it, and post it

on-line and share it with us! Surely we will be able to figure it

out!

The marriage certificate for the father's parents - nothing easier.

Odessa Government archive is in the Brodsky synagogue. You should

apply for the certificate there, and give the people about 3 weeks to

search for it. Then you come there, and 2 things happen:

1. They found the paper. They show you what they found. If it's what

you want, you pay them and they give you an official certified copy.

2. They find nothing (it may happen, too). Then they give you an

official certificate that the info for the people you search is not

in their archive!

All you need is some friend or a helper to submit the application on

your behalf three weeks prior for your arrival. Then, when you are

here, you can go and fetch it yourself.

You will need the names of your grandparents, full names with

patronymics as they spelled them themselves, maybe you have some

family papers or such, and can photograph or scan them. Then, you

will need to know their faith. Back in 19-20 century people

registered their marriages, births and so on through their churches.

So, if you know if they were Jewish, or Christian Orthodox, or

Catholic, or Protestants, it will be a tremendous help.

Of course, please, note, that if you want a full family history

research, it's not like just applying for a paper. It's researching

old papers and ads, archive, and you still may find nothing

and might cost a pretty penny.

[loum140]

Welcome home! Thanks so much for all your reports. We're very excited to be going to Ukraine and appreciate all your helpful hints. Finally getting down to packing.

 

How did your packing scheme work out? Did you need more of anything or were there items of clothing you packed and didn't need? I know it all depends on the weather and we're sailing south from Kiev so it should be warmer as we go.. How about the daily tours? Sneakers/walking shoes every day? Or can I get by occasionally with comfortable rubber soled velcro-strap sandals (not flip flops). I plan to wear my heaviest (weight) clothing on the plane and am taking 2 pr. long (to the knee) bermuda shorts for day (plus the capris I'm wearing) with 4 sleeveless tops and 5 T-shirts (plus sweater and windbreaker) for days.

 

DH is a shorts kind of guy (for days) Haven't quite gotten his wardrobe worked out yet.

 

Thanks again for all your assistance. Can't wait to see your photos. Marsha

[altiva]

Welcome home! Thanks so much for all your reports. We're very excited to be going to Ukraine and appreciate all your helpful hints. Finally getting down to packing.

 

How did your packing scheme work out? Did you need more of anything or were there items of clothing you packed and didn't need? I know it all depends on the weather and we're sailing south from Kiev so it should be warmer as we go.. How about the daily tours? Sneakers/walking shoes every day? Or can I get by occasionally with comfortable rubber soled velcro-strap sandals (not flip flops). I plan to wear my heaviest (weight) clothing on the plane and am taking 2 pr. long (to the knee) bermuda shorts for day (plus the capris I'm wearing) with 4 sleeveless tops and 5 T-shirts (plus sweater and windbreaker) for days.

 

DH is a shorts kind of guy (for days) Haven't quite gotten his wardrobe worked out yet.

 

Thanks again for all your assistance. Can't wait to see your photos. Marsha

 

Hi loum,

with bermuda shorts, forget visiting all the churches. Women in

bermuda shorts are not allowed in.

[loum140]

Hi loum,

with bermuda shorts, forget visiting all the churches. Women in

bermuda shorts are not allowed in.

 

Guess I'll pack a skirt that can be popped over my shorts for church visits?

What about bare arms (sleeveless tops - not tank tops)? What about men's attire for church visits?

 

Guess I'll have to examine itinerary closely to see how many church visits there are.

Edited May 18, 2012 by loum140

[Peregrina651]

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.

 

Well isn't that interesting, on Cruise Critic you can't use the name of the party running Germany during WWII, as if it were one of the 7 words you can't use over the airwaves!! What makes me sad is that such censorship must take place at all. I can understand it for names of companies whose names violate the CC terms of use but for a legitimate historical entity, I am saddened.

[altiva]

Guess I'll pack a skirt that can be popped over my shorts for church visits?

What about bare arms (sleeveless tops - not tank tops)? What about men's attire for church visits?

 

Guess I'll have to examine itinerary closely to see how many church visits there are.

 

hi Loum,

you are absolutely correct. A long short over the shirt is what smart

people, like you, do. I don't know when you are travelling, but it

can get very hot in Ukraine in summer, up to 35 C in the shadow 95°

Fahrenheit. So, in general, shorts are fine.

In church:

1. Women cover their heads. They don't wear shorts, pants, short

skirts, short dresses. I suggest one of these long skirts on elastic

bands, which you can put on quickly through your head, and a

headscarf. They take very little space in a purse, and you will always

be ready. For hands - if you wear a normal T-shirt with short

sleeves, it's fine. But not these with tiny straps on top.

2. Men, in the church, bare their heads. So, if a man, wears, for

example, a baseball cap, he takes it off. Some think, wrongly, that

a man can wear whatever to the church, but it's not true. Short

shorts, especially tight and those which looks like underwear, any

shorts at all, which show knees and below, and these huge baggy

shorts, which look like enlarged male underwear - are no no. It's

long pants. If, on account of the summer, you decide to go with these

linen ones, make sure they are not see-through! Also, no wife-beaters,

no unbuttoned on the bellies shirts, and no see-through T-shirts, and

no sleeveless T-shirts. A usual T-shirt or a shirt is fine.

[altiva]

 

Guess I'll have to examine itinerary closely to see how many church visits there are.

 

For church visits, Peregrina is the official expert.

I just wanted to say, that Kyiv churches are must see, no matter what

they do show.

 

Gate Church of the Trinity (Pechersk Lavra), interior, in Kyiv Ukraine

 

Archangel Michael Cathedral in Kyiv

 

 

Archangel Michael Cathedral in Kyiv interior

 

[altiva]

St Sophia cathedral

 

 

And, there are many more!

You can't take photos in a church as well.

[Peregrina651]

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!

 

WOW! Do you really think that this agency is trying to rip people off by selling them tickets to non-existent events? That is what you imply.

 

Since I can't believe that the Opera House management doesn't know what will be playing on its stage in the coming month, I find it harder to believe that the box office can't provide that information. So, yes, I do believe that someone situated many hundred of kilometers from Odessa knows the schedule because that person is obviously talking directly to Opera House management and not relying on the box office for the very little information they seem willing to share with callers. What I don't understand is why OH management is reluctant to put information about future production dates on its website. I guess that is my cultural bias.

 

Even more so, the info given is false.

 

Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the information given is incomplete, since it is entirely possible that the company whose website we are talking about is not handling tickets for the International Arts Festival and therefore it is not listing that information on its website. Incomplete information is not false information; it is just incomplete.

 

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.

Perhaps 'ticket seller' has a specific meaning in Ukraine but I think that native English speakers understand that I was using a generic term for anyone who sells tickets to an event regardless of how he makes his money off the transaction. Most of the readers here, after visiting the website, realize that they are not dealing with the Opera House box office but with a value added agency that is making its money off the ticket buyer by providing value added services and by adding to the price of the ticket. Nevertheless, we appreciate your explanation of the ticket selling industry in Ukraine. Just let me repeat, no one ever said that it was suggested to buy tickets through this website or that the website was an Opera House website. It was suggested merely as a source of information in English that seems easier to deal with that trying to find things on the Opera House website.

[Peregrina651]

 

How did your packing scheme work out? Did you need more of anything or were there items of clothing you packed and didn't need? I know it all depends on the weather and we're sailing south from Kiev so it should be warmer as we go.. How about the daily tours? Sneakers/walking shoes every day? Or can I get by occasionally with comfortable rubber soled velcro-strap sandals (not flip flops). I plan to wear my heaviest (weight) clothing on the plane and am taking 2 pr. long (to the knee) bermuda shorts for day (plus the capris I'm wearing) with 4 sleeveless tops and 5 T-shirts (plus sweater and windbreaker) for days.

 

 

Well, I can't say that my packing was perfect. If I had tried on the tank tops before packing them, I would have left them home. :p When it turned 50 I was glad that I had thrown in the extra layers--and the jeans. Comfortable shoes are really important and I alternated between a pair of flats and sneakers. I am not one who dresses up for dinner and even for the Captain's Dinners and the trip to the opera I was in my comfy clothing. I have to say that there were only three things that I packed and never wore and those were layering type things for extra warmth.

 

DH wished he had packed a pair of shorts; there were a couple of days when it was quite warm. One pair of pants is probably all you need for church visits and fancy nights. Beyond that be comfortable -- although as altiva points out, track-type shorts are probably not a good choice. DH also regrets not having brought sandals and he is generally not a sandals kind of guys.

[altiva]

 

 

WOW! Do you really think that this agency is trying to rip people off by selling them tickets to non-existent events? That is what you imply.

 

Since I can't believe that the Opera House management doesn't know what will be playing on its stage in the coming month, I find it harder to believe that the box office can't provide that information. So, yes, I do believe that someone situated many hundred of kilometers from Odessa knows the schedule because that person is obviously talking directly to Opera House management and not relying on the box office for the very little information they seem willing to share with callers. What I don't understand is why OH management is reluctant to put information about future production dates on its website. I guess that is my cultural bias.

 

 

 

Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the information given is incomplete, since it is entirely possible that the company whose website we are talking about is not handling tickets for the International Arts Festival and therefore it is not listing that information on its website. Incomplete information is not false information; it is just incomplete.

 

 

 

Perhaps 'ticket seller' has a specific meaning in Ukraine but I think that native English speakers understand that I was using a generic term for anyone who sells tickets to an event regardless of how he makes his money off the transaction. Most of the readers here, after visiting the website, realize that they are not dealing with the Opera House box office but with a value added agency that is making its money off the ticket buyer by providing value added services and by adding to the price of the ticket. Nevertheless, we appreciate your explanation of the ticket selling industry in Ukraine. Just let me repeat, no one ever said that it was suggested to buy tickets through this website or that the website was an Opera House website. It was suggested merely as a source of information in English that seems easier to deal with that trying to find things on the Opera House website.

 

Opera House has a performance every Sunday, so what I am openly

saying, that your friends travel agents sell tickets to an event,

which may or may not be Lucia de Lammermoor. There is bound to be a

performance of some kind, so you get some tickets to some performance.

It maybe all the same for you, that your friends are making money by

providing inaccurate and false information, but others may feel

different.

You said:

" since it is entirely possible that the company whose website we are

talking about is not handling tickets for the International Arts

Festival and therefore it is not listing that information on its

website."

Yet, they do list the info on their web site. Out of six performances

of the festival, they list three, calling two of them by wrong names,

and presenting the wrong info. So, it's not incomplete, it's wrong.

Also, the header states: "Odessa opera and ballet theater schedule",

not "The performances we sell the tickets to". So, they mislead

people with their statements.

Yes, it's a tradition in Odessa Opera to disclose their performances,

to give the public an element of surprise. We are all very sorry that

it does not feel very cultural for you.

I liked it how you said, that I was some lowly element, who goes to

the Opera box ticket for tickets, and your friends travel agents are some highly

connected people, who "talk directly to the management". Yet, at the

same time, you agree, that they simply go to the box office and buy

you tickets, and then charge you extra for doing so! So, the box

office in ODESSA OPERA HOUSE DOES NOT SELL ANY TICKETS for June, and

NOT FOR JUNE 10, so what are your friends are selling to people?

Or, perhaps, your friends are selling TICKETS, THAT THEY GOT FROM THE

MANAGEMENT? The management does not sell tickets. And if they do, it's

not legal and lawful.

So, your friends are either not buying you tickets to these

performances, and simply wait till they appear in a box office, or

else they sell some false tickets, since it's not possible to buy any

tickets in official Opera House box office right now.

Also, they pass city gossip and inaccurate info, collected on local

forums, as "value services" to people.

For a person, who does not advertise these people, you do talk a lot of

them, and repeat the link to their site a lot. What valuable services

did they provide to you, exactly, that you are praising them that

much?

[altiva]

In fact, you do not advertise them at all, just saying that this

travel agent web site is way, way better than the Official Opera

House web site, and that their book ticket office!

[Grandcruisevirgin]

I can get the writing on the back of the photo translated at no charge. The man who services my heat pump lives around the corner from me, and he is from somewhere in the former Soviet Union, so I'm sure he speaks and reads Russian and I can walk over to his house when I see his truck parked there and ask either him or his wife to do this for me. This will probably take until next week, as i have a busy weekend ahead of me.

 

Viking sent me an email advising that I can get a $50 US shipboard credit by paying by 8:30 Pacific time tomorrow, as they're expecting heavy call volumns at the end of the month.

 

With all food, beer and wine included and not being much of a hard liquor drinker, what else is there to buy on the ship? Do they sell the nesting Russian dolls? (I have 3 grandaughters!) If so, what do they cost?

 

The pictures are absolutely breathtaking! I can't wait to see more of them.

 

I'm thinking that if I go, I'm going to skip the Kiev extension. I'd have to hire a car and driver to get to the town where my maternal grandparents were from and i don't know if anything from 100 years ago would be left. :confused:

 

Also - I missed my chance to buy the travel insurance from Viking and am thinking of getting it from American Express - if I decide to go, it looks like I can pay for the trip and still change my mind and lose no more than $100 if I cancel at least 121 days before the trip. Just wondering if the American Express policy is comparable to the one from Viking?

 

Edited to add: my paternal grandparents somehow made their way up river to Bremen, Germany and sailed to the US from there, I do have the ship's manifest for their journey.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Grandcruisevirgin
To add something else

[Peregrina651]

 

Edited to add: my paternal grandparents somehow made their way up river to Bremen, Germany and sailed to the US from there, I do have the ship's manifest for their journey.

 

They may have gone by train, which is how my grandmother's family went from Kyiv to Bremenhaven. They made a few stops along the way to visit family (I don't remember in which towns).

[loum140]

grandcruisevirgin: You might want to check out insuremytrip dot com. They will provide you with a number of companies who sell travel insurance and you can compare coverage and cost side by side.

 

Thanks everyone for responding re: clothing to pack for our trip. :)

[altiva]

I can get the writing on the back of the photo translated at no charge. The man who services my heat pump lives around the corner from me, and he is from somewhere in the former Soviet Union, so I'm sure he speaks and reads Russian and I can walk over to his house when I see his truck parked there and ask either him or his wife to do this for me. This will probably take until next week, as i have a busy weekend ahead of me.

 

Viking sent me an email advising that I can get a $50 US shipboard credit by paying by 8:30 Pacific time tomorrow, as they're expecting heavy call volumns at the end of the month.

 

With all food, beer and wine included and not being much of a hard liquor drinker, what else is there to buy on the ship? Do they sell the nesting Russian dolls? (I have 3 grandaughters!) If so, what do they cost?

 

The pictures are absolutely breathtaking! I can't wait to see more of them.

 

I'm thinking that if I go, I'm going to skip the Kiev extension. I'd have to hire a car and driver to get to the town where my maternal grandparents were from and i don't know if anything from 100 years ago would be left. :confused:

 

Also - I missed my chance to buy the travel insurance from Viking and am thinking of getting it from American Express - if I decide to go, it looks like I can pay for the trip and still change my mind and lose no more than $100 if I cancel at least 121 days before the trip. Just wondering if the American Express policy is comparable to the one from Viking?

 

Edited to add: my paternal grandparents somehow made their way up river to Bremen, Germany and sailed to the US from there, I do have the ship's manifest for their journey.

 

Hi Grandcruisevirgin,

I am sorry, I must seem very interfering to you. I just like solving

such puzzles, and photographers often used special stamps or logos,

for example, like a "photographer of his highness the shah"

and I thought, that if I saw the original, I could, perhaps,

recognize one. When you seek such things, not only the text is

important, but print, stamps, logos, calligraphy.

I understand that you don't want to share your family

info on-line.

Your grandparents did what all the other people, who immigrated from

Eastern and Southern Europe in 19 century, did. Starting from 1890,

there was a massive wave. The immigration route led through Germany.

As a result, there was considerable amount of Ukrainians in German

port cities of Bremen and Hamburg. Wrote the contemporaries: "They

(Ukrainians) wander around the city, like sheep without a shepherd.

Different agents transfer people, like cattle, and charge huge prices".

There was a company in Bremen, called “Norddeiutscher Lloyd”. It has

a concession and a monopoly on recruiting immigrants to US in

Ukraine. Their agents came to Ukraine, and told people how wonderful

their life would be in the US, and how they could easily go to the US

on their comfortable and cheap boat.

This company, “Norddeiutscher Lloyd”, had a lot of sub-agencies and

subsidiaries, which work to bring immigrants to them. The main agency

was controlled by Freidrich Missler.

For every passenger that Missler brought to “Norddeiutscher Lloyd”,

he received 15 German marks. It brought Missler 1 million 160 thousand makrs

in yearly income.

“Norddeiutscher Lloyd” was a very important maritime company back

then. They had powerful ships of the class SS Kaiser Wilhelm. Also,

in Bremen, they kept a special immigration hotel, which could

accommodate 6112.

Edited May 19, 2012 by altiva

[travelling fools]

Can anyone please tell me if Viking supplies maps of the towns ?

If not I plan to print some off the computer before we go.

[loum140]

Can anyone please tell me if Viking supplies maps of the towns ?

If not I plan to print some off the computer before we go.

 

I seem to recall city maps during our European river cruises. Don't remember if there were maps on our Moscow/St. Petersburg cruise, but that was ten years ago. Perhaps someone who has already done "Footsteps" will respond.

[Grandcruisevirgin]

Hi Grandcruisevirgin,

I am sorry, I must seem very interfering to you. I just like solving

such puzzles, and photographers often used special stamps or logos,

for example, like a "photographer of his highness the shah"

and I thought, that if I saw the original, I could, perhaps,

recognize one. When you seek such things, not only the text is

important, but print, stamps, logos, calligraphy.

I understand that you don't want to share your family

info on-line.

Your grandparents did what all the other people, who immigrated from

Eastern and Southern Europe in 19 century, did. Starting from 1890,

there was a massive wave. The immigration route led through Germany.

As a result, there was considerable amount of Ukrainians in German

port cities of Bremen and Hamburg. Wrote the contemporaries: "They

(Ukrainians) wander around the city, like sheep without a shepherd.

Different agents transfer people, like cattle, and charge huge prices".

There was a company in Bremen, called “Norddeiutscher Lloyd”. It has

a concession and a monopoly on recruiting immigrants to US in

Ukraine. Their agents came to Ukraine, and told people how wonderful

their life would be in the US, and how they could easily go to the US

on their comfortable and cheap boat.

This company, “Norddeiutscher Lloyd”, had a lot of sub-agencies and

subsidiaries, which work to bring immigrants to them. The main agency

was controlled by Freidrich Missler.

For every passenger that Missler brought to “Norddeiutscher Lloyd”,

he received 15 German marks. It brought Missler 1 million 160 thousand makrs

in yearly income.

“Norddeiutscher Lloyd” was a very important maritime company back

then. They had powerful ships of the class SS Kaiser Wilhelm. Also,

in Bremen, they kept a special immigration hotel, which could

accommodate 6112.

 

No, not at all nosy, there are some stamps on the back, I'll see if I can figure out how to work my scanner, and if so, how to upload it here.

thanks, no sense bothering the poor Russian man whose name I never remember. To be fair, he never remembers mine either. OK, I'm on a mission now, I'm going to try to do it this afternoon.

 

Edited to add: Well, I'm not even sure what cord goes to the scanner/printer.

 

Here's what I can make out from the back of the photo:

I think the company was called K. Mymmahr - can't make out the last letter. The city is definitely Odessa, even I can make that out from the Russian letters. They had a telephone the number was N. 951.

There's a Grand Prix seal, then some other medal from 1895, 4 other medals and about 5 coins - front and back of 4, just the heads of the last one.

I'm not at all sure about exposing this to the light from a scanner.

If there's anywhere on line where I can find a Russian alphabet to English alphabet translator, I'll have a go at the address.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Grandcruisevirgin
To add more information

[Peregrina651]

Can anyone please tell me if Viking supplies maps of the towns ?

If not I plan to print some off the computer before we go.

 

Yes, there were maps for Odessa, Sevastopol, Yalta and Kiev--any place where we had free time to wonder on our own.

[travelling fools]

Yes, there were maps for Odessa, Sevastopol, Yalta and Kiev--any place where we had free time to wonder on our own.

 

Thanks !

[altiva]

 

With all food, beer and wine included and not being much of a hard liquor drinker, what else is there to buy on the ship? Do they sell the nesting Russian dolls? (I have 3 grandaughters!) If so, what do they cost?

 

hi Grandcruisevirgin,

not sure about the ship, there is a crafts market in Odessa, which has much more than just RUSSIAN dolls:

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=33837513&highlight=odessa#post33837513

[altiva]

No, not at all nosy, there are some stamps on the back, I'll see if I can figure out how to work my scanner, and if so, how to upload it here.

thanks, no sense bothering the poor Russian man whose name I never remember. To be fair, he never remembers mine either. OK, I'm on a mission now, I'm going to try to do it this afternoon.

 

Edited to add: Well, I'm not even sure what cord goes to the scanner/printer.

 

Here's what I can make out from the back of the photo:

I think the company was called K. Mymmahr - can't make out the last letter. The city is definitely Odessa, even I can make that out from the Russian letters. They had a telephone the number was N. 951.

There's a Grand Prix seal, then some other medal from 1895, 4 other medals and about 5 coins - front and back of 4, just the heads of the last one.

I'm not at all sure about exposing this to the light from a scanner.

If there's anywhere on line where I can find a Russian alphabet to English alphabet translator, I'll have a go at the address.

it may be Mulman.

Akiva (Kiva) Mulman, was the second best photographer in Odessa, after a Mr Belotsrekivsky. He had many awards and even courtier titles. He opened his studio in 1899 on Preobrazhenskaya street, near Uspenskaya (Assumption) cathedral! His studio continued till 1930-ies. The address was 60 Upsenskya street, and later on became 68 uspenskaya street.

You do not need a scanner, you can photograph the seal and what not

with a camera or mobile and post a photo.

[altiva]

It should be something like this:

 

originally, Akiva Mulman was from Bratislava. In 1904-1905 he received

numerous awards on international exhibitions in Florence, London and

Paris, the award for "Special Achievements" from Imperial Technical

society and more. But the most interesting thing is, that somewhere in

1915 Mr Mulman received a title of "The personal courtier photographer

of his highness Shah of Persia"! I felt it would be the photographer

of shah of Persia.

[Peregrina651]

 

With all food, beer and wine included and not being much of a hard liquor drinker, what else is there to buy on the ship? Do they sell the nesting Russian dolls? (I have 3 grandaughters!) If so, what do they cost?

 

 

Wine and beer are included with meals in the dining room for English speaking passengers. Except for water, all drinks served in the bar cost--hard and soft alike

 

[FYI, just in case we have any German-speaking passengers reading this thread, Viking's German-speaking market pricing does not include wine and beer at meals.]

 

As for on board shopping, the ship has a lovely but small gift shop and they do carry matryushka dolls in both the Russian and Ukrainian styles, which I did not price since I wasn't buying any this trip. I thought the prices were reasonable (in US terms if not in UA terms) and we actually bought a number of items in the shop. IMO, shopping there was convenient, easy to accomplish and of decent but not necessarily high-end quality. You could easily spend your on-board credit in the shop.