Baltic cruise experience and shore excursions

[Sunviking]

I am considering a cruise in the Baltic next summer with my adult daughter. I have sailed once on the Regent Voyager on a transatlantic in 2010. My daughter has cruised before but not on Regent. I'm interested in hearing about people's experiences with Regent's included shore excursions on voyages in the Baltic, especially St. Petersburg. On cruises we've done together on other cruise lines we've done both private and cruise line shore excursions. She and I have sailed most of our mother-daughter cruises on Princess, but next year Princess has their new megaship the Royal Princess doing an itinerary we like and I'm not interested in sailing on her. It also looks like Princess has significantly increased their prices on cabins we would be interested in and, by the time we add the various costs, Regent's prices look pretty good. Any information from people who have cruised the Baltic recently would be greatly appreciated.

[wripro]

Perhaps you should post this on the Regent board.

[wripro]

My mistake in the above post. I forgot where I was. Oops!!!!!

[forevertravel]

Our first cruise with Regent was on the Voyager for the Baltic cruise. We have never looked back. It is a very port intensive cruise but it was fabulous. All the tours we took were very good and the ones in St. Petersburg were excellent. We were in St. Petersburg for three days so we got to see all the good sights. The passengers were a good mix including some children and young people. Regent has been our preferred cruise line since that trip. My husband won't consider other lines for cruises outside US. I think you and your daughter will have a great time.

 

Forever travel

Has cruised on Mariner, Voyager and Navigator

:)

[RachelG]

I have done 2 Baltic cruises on Voyager, one with my husband and teenage son in the days before included tours, and one last year with my adult son. Loved both.

 

We tend toward more active tours, so we did the bicycle tours when they were offered and any tours involving hikng. All of those were really good. In St Petersburg, the first time (without included tours), I hired a private guide for the three of us through Anastasia. Very good and would definitely do again if tours not included. Last year, we used part of our OBC and went in with 3 other friends, so 5 people total, to get a private car and guide through Regent. It is a good use of OBC, but I wouldn't do it otherwise as the tour was pretty much identical to that that I got with Anastasia. Anastasia would be less expensive.

 

We also did group tours in St Petersburg to Pushkin's house (my son loved this one as he is really interested in history), to the Hermitage (don't pay the extra for the Gold room--not worth it IMO--and I thought it would be less crowded but it wasn't), and to Peterhof--a must do.

[H20TGP]

Just got back from the Baltic on Voyager.

 

We had a fantastic time. We only did the Regent inclusive tours so they were quite busy. We had to adjust our chosen excursions in Warnemunde due to a change in time which caused a clash.

In St Petersburg we did two tours on day one and just one tour on day two.

We found the first day tiring so would prefer to only do one tour per day.

 

This would leave time to enjoy the ship more.

 

My only complaint about St Petersburg was the two " Shopping " stops.

These were in my opinion rubbish.

Mainly tourist tat at vastly inflated prices all priced in Euros?? I wanted to spend Rubbles! So if your excursion includes shopping do not expect anything authentic.

 

We did attempt the mountain biking in Roca al Mare but had to bow out half way due to Sue's back giving her trouble. We transferred to a horse drawn cart....far more sedate!

 

The weather was mixed during our week and the sea day was a washout due to high winds and heavy rain. If you are hoping to sunbathe during your cruise you may be lucky.

 

Very enjoyable first cruise with Regent.

 

I can see why people keep coming back!!

[Sunviking]

I thank all of you for your replies. My husband and I enjoyed our Voyager cruise and this one would give me an opportunity to try another. Now I just have to see if it fits with my daughter's schedule.

[OrpingtonT]

I thank all of you for your replies. My husband and I enjoyed our Voyager cruise and this one would give me an opportunity to try another. Now I just have to see if it fits with my daughter's schedule.

 

Happy Cruising, Ann. Barbara and I would love to do that itinerary.

[ajax]

Happy Cruising, Ann. Barbara and I would love to do that itinerary.

 

Penny and I are currently on Voyager on the last three days of the Stockholm-Copenahgen itinerary. What a fabulous time we are having! Three days in St. Petersburg was wonderful. We spent two full days (8:30 to 6:00) with a private tour guide from Alex's Tours & Travel. We shared with another couple and really got our money's worth...as well as a lot of exercise and more interesting history and information than we ever could have hoped for. We also really enjoyed Helsinki and Tallinn, and are currently en route to Klaipeda, Lithuania. This is our second time on Voyager and it has fully lived up to how we remember it from five years ago. The only thing we miss is having a couple of sea days, but this itinerary just doesn't have the option to be out of port for more than overnight.

[OrpingtonT]

Penny and I are currently on Voyager on the last three days of the Stockholm-Copenahgen itinerary. What a fabulous time we are having! Three days in St. Petersburg was wonderful. We spent two full days (8:30 to 6:00) with a private tour guide from Alex's Tours & Travel. We shared with another couple and really got our money's worth...as well as a lot of exercise and more interesting history and information than we ever could have hoped for. We also really enjoyed Helsinki and Tallinn, and are currently en route to Klaipeda, Lithuania. This is our second time on Voyager and it has fully lived up to how we remember it from five years ago. The only thing we miss is having a couple of sea days, but this itinerary just doesn't have the option to be out of port for more than overnight.

 

It all sounds superb, but I don't think we could manage the activity nowadays. We are very envious of you though on Voyager enjoying being pampered.

[Swyre]

Glad Voyager is looking good Ajax. We're off on Voyager next Wednesday.

 

R

[Travelcat2]

It all sounds superb, but I don't think we could manage the activity nowadays. We are very envious of you though on Voyager enjoying being pampered.

 

Really think that you and Barbara could manage the Baltics itinerary. Private or small group tours is the only way to go in St. Petersburg. Our tour guide took us to the crowded sites early in the morning..... we bypassed the extremely long lines and were able to leisurely wander through Catherine's Palace, etc. She was able to take us to as many (or as few) places that we wanted to visit. We loved Tallin and can be easily walked and enjoyed without being on a big group tour. We did three half day tours with our guide so we were able to spend quality time on the ship.

 

You may want to rethink this itinerary:-)

[RachelG]

Tom, you and Barbara would love this trip, and you could handle it if you got a private guide or did the regent offered private car in st. Petersburg. The hermitage, catherines palace, and church on the spilled blood are wheelchair accessible for sure. Also, my favorite spot (weird to others) the memorial to the siege of st Petersburg during WWII is wheelchair accessible.

 

Give it a go! You won't be sorry.

[OrpingtonT]

Thanks, Rachel & Jackie for your encouragement. We'll get our November cruise out of the way and then, if all goes well, look to the Baltic next year. I must say it sounds very appealing.

[newlondon]

RachelG, More accurately the Memorial to the Siege of Leningrad. DW and I thought it was fantastic. Seeing the pieces of bread or whatever they survived on was incredible. I read William Manchester's book so visiting this site was so meaningful

[RachelG]

RachelG, More accurately the Memorial to the Siege of Leningrad. DW and I thought it was fantastic. Seeing the pieces of bread or whatever they survived on was incredible. I read William Manchester's book so visiting this site was so meaningful

Yes, that is correct. The film clips they run were very heart rending. What made the biggest impression on me were the letters from men in their 60s and 70s to the army, begging to be allowed to enlist and fight so that they would have food. How hungry and desparate would one have to be to beg to enlist in the Russian Army in WWII!