New to Viking, Question about port times Baltic cruise

[KB1976]

Quick question.  I’m an avid cruiser but just starting to get into smaller ships. Have a cruise on Oceania booked for the med next year and am looking at Viking for Baltic cruise next summer. When I booked Oceania it showed time in ports ( ie: where you stayed late got in early) and it was a big factor in choosing that itinerary. I see Viking spends 3 days in Saint Petersburg. No times are listed on the website and I’m wondering if anyone knows if that’s 3 full days or really 2.5. 
I will be asking my travel agent but thought I’d try here with the experts too.

Thanks in advance!

[ropomo]

To see the actual times, you will need to book the cruise, so to speak.  You can have your TA book a cabin with a 72 hour complimentary hold with no deposit required and you will receive an invoice showing the port times.  If it does not meet your satisfaction, cancel the booking, no harm, no foul.

[DGHOC]

Hi, we're on the Russia and Baltic cruise on the Sky in May.

 

Our itinerary is arrival St P @ 11am day 6, depart St P @ 6pm day 8. We booked an Alla three day tour which they have rejigged into 2.5 very full days!

 

Hope this helps.

[DGHOC]

Whoops sorry, days are wrong as they include our pre stay in Stockholm. Arrive  St P day 4 leave day 6.

[KB1976]

52 minutes ago, DGHOC said:

Hi, we're on the Russia and Baltic cruise on the Sky in May.

 

Our itinerary is arrival St P @ 11am day 6, depart St P @ 6pm day 8. We booked an Alla three day tour which they have rejigged into 2.5 very full days!

 

Hope this helps.

So you are doing a private tour and they were fine adjusting the itinerary to your needs? Just thinking that is ideal  

[mhb1757]

Well it’s not exactly private. 😁. We are on the same cruise as DGHOC and I think there are about 20 of us signed up with Alla (they limit group size to 16 so I’m sure we will have multiple groups)   But a private tour is certainly an option and they are willing to modify group or private tours to meet the ship schedule. Vikings Homelands Cruise has 2 full days in St Petersburg and the Russia and Baltic cruise has 3 days (with an 11 am arrival on the first day). 
I have seen Oceania is offering a similar itinerary with a full 3rd day in St Petersburg. 

[millybess]

We did the Baltic Cruise last July.  This was the itinerary at that time.

 

Day 1 - Overnight in Copenhagen

Day 2 - Depart Copenhagen 5:00 pm

Day 3 - Arrive Bornholm 7:00 am Depart 5:00 pm (This port was skipped due to rough seas.)

Day 4 - Arrive Visby 8:00 am Depart 2:00 pm

Day 5 - Arrive Tallinn 8:00 am Depart 2:00 pm

Day 6 - Arrive St. Petersburg 8:00 am

Day 8 - Depart St. Petersburg 6:00 pm

Day 9 - Arrive Stockholm 6:00 pm

Day 11 - Disembark

 

[lackcreativity]

When we did Russia and the Baltic Sea last spring, we arrived early on the first of the three days and were able to complete the full three day tour with Alla tours. I think it was more or less 8:30 to 5:30 all three days of the tour. Of course, I don't know if DGHOC's sailing represents at change for all itineraries going forward, or just a deviation for that one cruise. 

 

We usually do Viking's tours, but on this one occasion we did the group tour with Alla. Both that tour and the entire cruise were excellent. Tallinn was delightful, and Visby was a pleasant surprise. If you choose to give Viking a try, hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

[Lizmore]

This is our Itinerary for Viking Homeland Cruise In August.  Hope it is of help.

[DGHOC]

As mhb1757 said, Alla have been really helpful and hugely organised in their responses to us. We have an itinerary set out which includes all on the full 3 day tour. We do finish later on the first day though. Our trip starts in Stockholm and ends in Copenhagen though I think some on the trip continue on.

 

Thanks lackcreativity, I still have all of the hot tips you kindly suggested. We decided that we'd just do the early included tours in both Talin and Visby and then just do our own thing and wander. Were there any particular optional tours that you'd recommend there?

[lackcreativity]

DGHOC,

We didn't do any of the optional excursions this time, just combined the included ones with extra time on our own. The Vasa Museum in Stockholm is a really popular one, according to many posters on here, but we wanted to to go to the Nobel Museum so had to pass on it. 

 

The included Scenic Bornholm was our only disappointment. Unfortunately, we hit the perfect trifecta of a Sunday at the very beginning of the season with totally dreary weather and a lackluster guide. I imagine that it could have been a charming little port, but not on that day.

 

Unexpectedly, the sail in to Stockholm (sail out for you) was really a treat. People gathered all over the ship to watch the scenery, and there were complimentary beverages and nibbles passed by the crew. It was an environment unlike any we had seen before, and fun to imagine how nice it would be to have one of those little cabins on one of those little islands. We didn't have to get up early like you might need to do, but I am glad we didn't miss it. 

[DGHOC]

9 hours ago, lackcreativity said:

DGHOC,

We didn't do any of the optional excursions this time, just combined the included ones with extra time on our own. The Vasa Museum in Stockholm is a really popular one, according to many posters on here, but we wanted to to go to the Nobel Museum so had to pass on it. 

 

The included Scenic Bornholm was our only disappointment. Unfortunately, we hit the perfect trifecta of a Sunday at the very beginning of the season with totally dreary weather and a lackluster guide. I imagine that it could have been a charming little port, but not on that day.

 

Unexpectedly, the sail in to Stockholm (sail out for you) was really a treat. People gathered all over the ship to watch the scenery, and there were complimentary beverages and nibbles passed by the crew. It was an environment unlike any we had seen before, and fun to imagine how nice it would be to have one of those little cabins on one of those little islands. We didn't have to get up early like you might need to do, but I am glad we didn't miss it. 

 

I saved your recommendations especially about the sail away from Stockholm. We leave at 5am but sunrise is just after 4 so it'll be light. It sounds wonderful!

 

I'm going to reserve the earliest Bornholm included tour as I thought it would give us the opportunity to get out and experience the island outside of Ronne which I believe is the port. It would then give us the rest of the day to wander Ronne. Sadly none of the optional tours appeal to either of us so it seems the included is our only option other than staying in Ronne the whole time. Let's hope we get a decent guide as they can make or break a tour!

 

We have four days in Stockholm and have decided we'll get the pass that gives us the freedom to access transport and venues. We'll do DIY there as there's so much to see and do. We've made a list, the Nobel Museum is on there!

 

Not long to go now, all very exciting!

[Dauntless]

11 hours ago, DGHOC said:

 

We have four days in Stockholm and have decided we'll get the pass that gives us the freedom to access transport and venues. We'll do DIY there as there's so much to see and do. We've made a list, the Nobel Museum is on there!

 

Not long to go now, all very exciting!

 

Good plan.  We had 5 days in Stockholm, including the cruise days.  We got the passes you are talking about.  We stayed in Gamla Stan and could see the ship from our hotel window.  We used Arlanda Express to get from the airport.  It was so easy.  Took Rick Steves advice on seeing Drottingham-included in the pass.  City Hall, Vasa, Norse Museum, Boat cruise(2 hour), HOHO.  We did the 3 day pass and it was our transport to the ship, all included in the pass.  Did the Ice Bar as we had never been to one and the AE passed right by it as we entered the station.  Changing of the guard is better on Youtube than in person.  Stockholm was not a bucket lit city but it sure deserve to be on everybody's list 

[DGHOC]

Thanks Dauntless, I had saved all of your previous fab advice too!

We just love cities and have always been independent travellers so prefer to do our own thing! Hot tips are always welcome and I added yours to our list when you and lackcreativity were discussing your experiences here last year. I don't think we'll bother with the included tour in Stockholm, we'll have probably seen what we'd like to.