Thomson The Baltics Cruise 28th June

[djmutters]

Hello we are doing the Thomson cruise on the 28th of June from Newcastle and are looking to make new friends on the cruise :) we are a middle aged gay male couple(Not camp:p ) but just love making new friends and meeting new people from all walks of life,age or gender not inportant.

 

My partner has been on a cruise before however this will be my first cruise so I'm really excited and a little bit scared :eek:

 

Would also be great to visit some of the lovely places we go,with new friends (safety in numbers)

 

Please feel free to email us or reply on the forum

 

northborough22k@btinternet.com

 

Kind regards

 

Nigel & Robert :)

[djmutters]

:)

[Billym1507]

Nigel, Robert.

I am not sure which one of you has not been on a cruise, but there is nothing to be scared about, I would quite confidently take a bet that you will do another one.

As for meeting people it is the best holiday you can get for donig this.

If you take the Thomson tours you will be with a lot of people but this can be a bit expensive.

When getting your dinner setting dont ask for a table for 2 get on a large table as this is a great time of the night and the company I am sure will be very good.

We were at a table on one of our cruises and met a gay couple, one of them was a bit nervous but that was gone in a day. We even got an invite to the wedding.

What ship are you on?

Do you like a drink? Because if you do the drinks package is good.

You will have a great time and remember and give a trip report afterwards.

Any questions just ask.

Billy.

[djmutters]

Billy thank you for your reply :) Yes it's me Nigel that's a little nervous :eek:

I think I've seen to many documentarys about the Titantic :)

 

I don't think we will do many if any of the Tours as we tend to like going off the beaten track,we have also sorted out our own Visa's so we can look around St Peterburg on our own.

 

We did ask about the drink package and was told we booked too late and was unable to get it :mad: so I think it will be duty free G&T's in the cabin :D

 

Yes we will sit a larger tables hopefully as we both enjoy meeting and talking with new people.

 

We are travelling on the Celebration (Thomson)

 

Do you know how much Duty-free you can bring home ?

 

Thank you

 

Nigel

[Billym1507]

Hi Nigel.

I dont understand how you are to late for the drinks package.

Do you mean the free package? Because if you do you can buy it.

I bought it the first time and being a Scotsman I got my moneys worth.

A little tip that you are not supposed to do is rather than buy 2 packages buy one as you are allowed 2 drinks with one order.

I am not sure about duty free it varies but they will keep you right on the ship,they have a meeting explaining all this and take questions.

The Celebration is a lovely ship.

I am going to look up your itinnery as I havent done this route.

Look after your cabin steward and he or she will make sure you have an ice bucket and glasses in your cabin.

And as I have already said have a great time.

Billy.

[djmutters]

Billy did you buy this whilst onbord ? I was to late for the free package and was told I was to late to buy it as well from the Thomson shop in my city.

 

The itinnery of this cruise just sounds great, eight weeks to go and I feel like a lad waiting for Santa I'm so excited :)

[Billym1507]

Niglel.

I could not buy it on board but I called Thomsons and done it over the phone.

Billy.

[djmutters]

Billy,

 

Spoke with them again and they are still insisting that I can not buy the drinks package because I have booked so late (Only 8 weeks untill we sail)

[djmutters]

Spoke with them again and they phoned there agent support dept and was informed they are not doing a drink package for anyone on this cruise :mad:

[cruiseanywhere2]

Hi Nigel, there is no need to be nervous, I was the first time and I have been on 8 cruises since with 2 in the pipeline.

 

The Celebration is a great ship and everyone is friendly.

 

We visited the Baltic and loved it, we stuck with the ship excursions in Russia because I couldn't face sorting out visas for us, the ballet was great.

 

The drinks are reasonable but like yourselves we have never been able to get the drinks package when sailing in the Baltic, Norway or Iceland it seems to relate to where you sail.

 

We got a free drinks package for the Med this summer and for the Black sea in September, by the way all members of your party have to purchase the drinks package.

 

Hope you both have a good time and I look forward to seeing your post when you come back. :)

[djmutters]

Cruiseanywhere2,

 

Lol I think I've stopped feeling nervous and just excited instead :) 8 weeks seem's so far away :eek:

 

Still waiting for my Visa to be sorted (Has been paid & sent)

 

We are trying to sort a private tour guide to show us around St.Pete.

 

Did you take just Euros and Dollars or did you take a mixture for the diffrent countries ?

 

Will be sure to post a review on my return :)

 

Nigel.........

[djmutters]

Still waiting for my Visa to come through :mad:

[kruzseeka]

Hi, I may be wrong on this but I believe I was once told that Thomson never do AI on their exUK sailings and I haven't spotted any on offer how ever early you book. But as we read here on many occassions, people are given different and often conflicting information. Has anyone ever managed to book AI on these routes (Fjords, Baltic etc?) or was that for the Med, Egypt, Canaries etc?

 

As for the Baltic cruise we've done it twice (once on Celebration, once on Spirit) and think it's fantastic! The ports of call are so interesting and varied.

 

We managed everywhere with Euros for coffees,souvenirs, postcards and even stamps (Helsinki, Tallin, Gdansk) etc. Most shops and all market stalls price in local as well as euros. We also used Mastercard for entry to the Vasa Museum and canal trips in Copenhagen, Stockholm. Russia is a 'closed currency' whatever that means but does create problems in some shops which will only deal in roubles for cash sales but a bookshop on Nevsky Prospekt was very willing to take a Mastercard for a video of St P which was excellent quality (photography, music and 3 hours long for £3.81 - although the thick russian accent was hilarious - a bit like the policeman on Allo, Allo!). The souvenir shops, all the street traders and market stalls outside tourist destinations in St P were more than happy to haggle in £, $ or E.

 

Have a great time. Will look forward to hearing how you got on.

[djmutters]

:) :) kruzseeka,

 

Yes you are correct it seems the don't do the AI on the Baltics cruise :confused: I have no idea why maybe someone else will know ??

 

Did you do the ship excursion or did you have your own Visa ? we have (At last) sorted our own Visa's out and intend to visit St.Petersburg on our own the first day and do a excursion with the ship the second day,I was just woundering how you felt around St Pete in respect of personal safety etc as I've read a lot of diffrent storys on the internet about visting alone.

 

I shall be ordering some Roubles for St Pete and maybe a few hundred dollars just in case and the rest I will use Euro's

 

Cheers

 

Nigel

[kruzseeka]

Hi Nigel,

 

No, we didn't have our own visas - we just did the ship's trips. The only time we were 'out on our own' was for about an hour of free time after visiting the Church of the Spilled Blood (which incidentally was stunning). We were actually very surprised to be allowed to go without our guide but it was a real treat! There was a small market across the road and Nevsky Prospekt was almost around the corner so we were in the centre of the main shopping area. It was quite busy with a lot of people around but not at all threatening - much like any city/town in the UK on a Saturday afternoon. But I'm not sure whether this would be so in other parts of the city.

 

The only other places we went were the tourist sites such as Catherine Palace, Peterhof (both out of the city) and the Hermitage where we were dropped off, lead in and were then collected by the coach directly outside the museum again so we had little contact with the people or opportunity to walk around.

 

At each location there were souvenir sellers who were quite persistent in trying to persuade you to buy their goods but I didn't feel intimidated by them so I don't think you need to be concerned on the type of excursions we did but I've no idea how travelling independently would compare with our experiences.

 

On the Destinations Forum for Northern Europe there are a lot of postings from people who have used tour companies in St P so perhaps you could find some info there, or post a specific question. Hope this helps.

[djmutters]

:) Hi kruzseeka,

 

I've looked at a few tour guides but they seem to charge top dollar :mad: I think that because we are from the UK and on a cruise ship they think we are rich lol

 

 

My visa arrived this morning so that's one less thing to worry about !!

 

Thank you for your advise

 

Nigel

[djmutters]

Not long now to go,anyone else doing this cruise ?

[kruzseeka]

It must be about time you will be getting back - how did you enjoy your first cruise? Hope it was as good as everyone assured you it would be! Please let us know. Best wishes.

[djmutters]

kruzseeka thnkyou for asking :) I have just posted a short review (should show up in 24hrs)

 

In short it was Fab Fab Fab and we booked for the Fire and Ice next year.

 

The Baltics is not a cruise to miss you visit so many wounderfull ports.

 

Food out of this world the staff each deserve a medal and the only thing I personally found lacking was the entertainment.

 

9/10 Just great :D