Bit of a blog – Legend of the Seas - Ultimate Scandinavia & Russia – June 18th 2014

[Bailey & Sophie]

It was Al Gore.;)

Of course. He also invented the internet.

[Clarea]

How does legend compare sizewise to Adventure, does it sail well?

Legend is the smallest ship in Royal's fleet (along with Splendour), significantly smaller than Adventure. We took a transatlantic cruise on Legend last year and could not tell any difference in motion between Legend and other Voyager class ships.

Edited June 23, 2014 by clarea

[Lynne95]

It was Al Gore.;)

 

I live in Tennessee...this made me laugh out loud!

 

Thank you!

[NorbertsNiece]

Linda....I'm enjoying your review. Your pictures and commentary are wonderful. Thanks for taking us along.

 

We'll be on Legend Sept 7 for the Transatlantic from Hamburg. RCI is in the process of having vouchers for 3 drinks/day on your Seapass card for Diamond and above. If you get a chance could you ask Sascha if he knows when Legend will be starting this? Thanks.......and enjoy. :)

 

Sat in the D lounge watching the world pass by..... uploading Visby pics. Much quieter sat in here after dinner.....

 

Sascha says the roll out will be across the fleet in September..... no specific date.

[NorbertsNiece]

How does legend compare sizewise to Adventure, does it sail well?

 

Hi Nev,

 

She's more compact that's for sure. I prefer the Centrum shops area to that on Radiance class and I miss being able to walk around some decks.... having to come inside to go out again if that makes sense. Crew are lovely... it's being cleaned continually..... still haven't seen my room steward since check in. Did not think I would like being so low.... deck 2 but I love it.... wonderful to come back from being on shore and get to the room quickly.

 

I like the Latte Tudes coffee very much indeed..... was able to get GF biscuits to take ashore on Adventure.... nothing like that here...

 

I also like running in to the same people often. Makes for a happy ship. I'm very relaxed and dance around along the corridors to the centrum music which repeats nightly.... lol

[NorbertsNiece]

Here's a sunset from Riga

 

 

Currently 1035pm ish.... light enough out to read by still..... no sign of a sunset tonight, tad overcast.

 

Clocks go forward again tonight and I am meeting the group Nancy arranged on the roll call for our Day 1 tour of St Petersburg really early in the morning. Not sure when I will be able to catch up with you all again. Visby at least is uploaded now.....

 

Here are our itineraries for both St Petersburg (days 1 & 3) and Moscow (day 2).

 

 

 

You have been on for 23392541 minutes for a total of $N.aN

Well that's helpful......

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Sat in the D lounge watching the world pass by..... uploading Visby pics. Much quieter sat in here after dinner.....

 

Sascha says the roll out will be across the fleet in September..... no specific date.

 

Thanks for asking. :)

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Here's a sunset from Riga

 

 

Currently 1035pm ish.... light enough out to read by still..... no sign of a sunset tonight, tad overcast.

 

Clocks go forward again tonight and I am meeting the group Nancy arranged on the roll call for our Day 1 tour of St Petersburg really early in the morning. Not sure when I will be able to catch up with you all again. Visby at least is uploaded now.....

 

Here are our itineraries for both St Petersburg (days 1 & 3) and Moscow (day 2).

 

 

 

You have been on for 23392541 minutes for a total of $N.aN

Well that's helpful......

 

What a wonderful and exciting itinerary for Russia. We were on Legend in April/May but only had 1 day in St Petersburg. The crew was looking forward to this itinerary and 3 days in St Petersburg.

 

A bit OT but a funny tidbit about our stay in St Petersburg. Helsinki was our next port after our 1 day in St. P. Imagine my surprise when I opened the curtains and saw we were still in St. P. and not in Helsinki. A bit disconcerting considering where we were in the world and the political situation close by. A bit later in the a.m. the Capt came on and told us it was because there were very high winds the previous night and we had a window between 11pm - 1am to leave. The channel is narrow and outgoing traffic is stopped at 1am to allow incoming traffic into the harbor. Made perfect sense and at 9am we got to see the narrow channel as we cruised out of the harbor. We also weren't aware that they had 2 tugs pushing us against the dock through the night. We were sorry we missed Helsinki better safe than sorry.

[dutchclogs]

Here's a sunset from Riga

 

 

Currently 1035pm ish.... light enough out to read by still..... no sign of a sunset tonight, tad overcast.

 

QUOTE]

 

Beautiful photo Linda... excellent blog as always and your posts on Berlin and Riga give an extra dimension. Thank you for sharing. I avidly await your posts on St P and Moscow -- how are you getting to Moscow? I made the trip from the then named Leningrad to Moscow by overnight train as a schoolgirl in the 1970s

Gill

[chloes nana]

What a wonderful blog you have written so far! I have sailed exclusively with Holland America, but with your wonderful accounts and the " I am very relaxed and dancing in the corridors" and the sheer happiness in your posts, it makes me seriously want to give RCL a try. Maybe for the Panama canal to start??? Thanks again and keep it coming! I am so enjoying you!:D

[CruiseMGM]

<snip>

Here are our itineraries for both St Petersburg (days 1 & 3) and Moscow (day 2).

<snip>

QUOTE]

 

The photo from Riga was beautiful, actually, all your photos have been beautiful! I've really been enjoying your blog and am definitely looking forward to your comments about St. Petersburg and Moscow. I'm working with Alla Tours for our June 2015 cruise (very similar itinerary to yours now, on the Serenade), so it's of particular interest to me. Happy and safe traveling, have a GRAND time!

[IrishLassie]

Really enjoying your review & your pictures are great. :) Thanks for sharing.

[NorbertsNiece]

In line SPB immigration. Disembark was quick. Many immigration booths. I have chosen slowest line...... 15 mins so far

 

ETA My booth was the training one. They didn't like my ticket. Others in other lines have sailed through

Edited June 24, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Had an absolutely outstanding day today.....

 

Just want to say that the negative comments I have read about Alla Tours are totally unfounded as far as we are concerned. Elena, our guide in SPB, is knowledgeable, fun and extremely caring. We did soooo much today. Lunch.... 4 courses in a restaurant..... really good.... 2 different souvenir shops..... no hard sell whatsoever. Multiple currencies accepted.

 

Am exhausted. We have a 530am start to get to to Moscow tomorrow. Will give all details when my feet hit the ground next....

 

спокойной ночи

[suncityga]

Looking forward to the SPB/Moscow update!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Clarea]

Had an absolutely outstanding day today.....

 

Just want to say that the negative comments I have read about Alla Tours are totally unfounded as far as we are concerned. Elena, our guide in SPB, is knowledgeable, fun and extremely caring. We did soooo much today. Lunch.... 4 courses in a restaurant..... really good.... 2 different souvenir shops..... no hard sell whatsoever. Multiple currencies accepted.

 

Am exhausted. We have a 530am start to get to to Moscow tomorrow. Will give all details when my feet hit the ground next....

 

спокойной ночи

You are going to need a vacation from your vacation Linda. Next time, you should book one of these cruises just prior to a transatlantic, so you've got a few sea days to recover.:)

Edited June 24, 2014 by clarea

[khr316]

Linda, Thank you so much for this blog. We were booked on the July 27 Legend cruise, but had to cancel because of a close family member's illness. We are now booked for the July 26, 2015, cruise. We, too, were planning to do the RCCL Riga "Jewish" tour (one of my grandmothers grew up nearby, another was from Palanga, near Klaipeda). It sounds like the tour was very moving, I cried just reading the description. Nevertheless, we feel like we should do it . . . Now I am looking forward to hearing about St Petersburg. We, too, were going to use Alla. Enjoy the rest of your cruise and I know that I will enjoy reading about it!

Karen

[rednancy1]

We are also booked with Alla on our Brilliance cruise to Scandinavia and STP in August this year. Looking forward to it. :)

[care67]

Beautiful post!

The food on Park Cafe' is free?

[Clarea]

Beautiful post!

The food on Park Cafe' is free?

Yes, Park Cafe is complimentary.

[NorbertsNiece]

You are going to need a vacation from your vacation Linda. Next time, you should book one of these cruises just prior to a transatlantic, so you've got a few sea days to recover.:)

 

Sat in sun in Kremlin area. Everyone gone into another Church. My legs are done! Oasis B2B in Med September.

 

3 hours 50 on train. Worth it. Home midnight.....

[Missus Makkem]

just keep going Linda for all of us followers.

[NorbertsNiece]

Back on board.

 

What a day!! And a Half!!

 

Quite an adventure including time out alone with a roll call member on a mission to the Hard Rock Cafe (mission accomplished!!)

 

Kremlin..... awesome.... more time needed....much more....

 

Wanted to post pics of how light it is outside but connection in my room just imopossible...

 

Met people on RCL tour to Moscow via plane..... would suggest that as a way forward...... if finances allow..... train journey whilst pleasant enough is really really long.

 

I have critique of Alla today..... I think we all do.... will write it down first before sharing.....

[CruiseMGM]

Back on board.

 

What a day!! And a Half!!

 

Quite an adventure including time out alone with a roll call member on a mission to the Hard Rock Cafe (mission accomplished!!)

 

Kremlin..... awesome.... more time needed....much more....

 

Wanted to post pics of how light it is outside but connection in my room just imopossible...

 

Met people on RCL tour to Moscow via plane..... would suggest that as a way forward...... if finances allow..... train journey whilst pleasant enough is really really long.

 

I have critique of Alla today..... I think we all do.... will write it down first before sharing.....

 

That last line sounds a little ominous! Hope not, but looking forward to reading more, Linda Hope you had a great last day in St. Petersburg, and that you have time to rest up before your next port.

Best wishes!

[NorbertsNiece]

That last line sounds a little ominous! Hope not, but looking forward to reading more, Linda Hope you had a great last day in St. Petersburg, and that you have time to rest up before your next port.

Best wishes!

 

It was ok. Was a problem regarding logistics..... and the fact we had no headsets really impacted the day. The guide was efficient and more than competent.... I am so glad I went to Moscow.... phenomenal place. And being given free time just added a touch of spice to the mix.

 

We had an amazing day in SPB today... just fabulous..... over way too soon..... you're going to have to wait whilst I post Visby and Helsinki!!