russia/netherlands/sweden cruise, advice on daytrips

poppy-glos

Dad and his partner are off on the msc cruise in May and stopping in Amsterdam, Stockholm, helsinki, st petersburg and copenhagen. They have been posted the pages of daytrips offered by msc, but are interested to find out if any are so local/easy to get a cab to/interesting attractions just off the boat that they don't need to go with the daytrip and can arrange their day themselves.

Does anyone have any advice or experience to share with me please?

thanks

poppy

consultant31

Ooh, shall be watching this thread with interest, we're doing this cruise in May.

We've not had any info from the cruise line yet, should get that next month....what has your Dad done about currency for all the different ports?

Alan_Bowen

St Petersberg is the problem, if you haven't applied for a Russian visa you will have to utilise the cruise company's trips but the other destinations are easy to see on foot. In Copenhagen the local bus company run a public service direct to the Railway Station which is right next to Tivoli Gardens and the main shopping area. From Nyhaven you can take a boat trip around the harbour to see the Little Mermaid (very little!)

The ships normally dock very close to the centre in Helsinki and Stockholm and with maps you should have no diffficulty exploring either city, both are very worthwhile but if you explore on your own, which will be much much cheaper than the cruise company, it is your responsibility to be back on board on time, they won't wait. Have a look here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/columnists/sophiebutler/7496951/Travel-advice-Guide-to-DIY-cruise-excursions.html

poppy-glos

thanks, i have had a look at cruise critic, which was a link off the telegraph article, and will print out the port info for dad.
I hadn't thought about currency, i will ask him..

Pelican_eats_pigeon

Check where you will dock in Stockholm, there are 3 or 4 possible different places, some are very close to the centre but one of them in particular is a very long way away.

poppy-glos

thanks pelican, i have printed out the cruise critic /port info to share with dad but will also print off this thread for him too.

So far dad has decided to do the daytrip in st petersburg through the ship he's on, as visa needed and does not want to go with other organised agency off of the boat. Otherwise we are still thinking about what he will go to and where.

MatyMoo

We did a private tour in St Petersburg through Anastasia (not through the cruise line) and used cruise critic to find other people to join us so we ended up with 6. It cost less than the ship's tour and we had some input to the where we spent our time. Also we didn't have to wait around while 40+ people got back on the bus after each place or comfort stops. Antastasia organised all the visa's in the total cost. They also managed to get us to the front of the queues at some places.

Stockholm - Gamla Stan is the old town and I could have wandered around there for ages. Also, tell them to get up early (5am ish) so that they do not miss the archipelego (sp?) on the way in.

Helsinki - Aim for the market and fish market. From there you are very close to a huge main street with a park in the middle containing a lovely cafe.

Copenhagen - Tivoli Gardens is well worth a visit but I think a little expensive to get in to. I think Stroget is the main shopping street and Tivoli Gardens is at the other end to the water. The Opera House is impressive, the little mermaid (if she is back) worth seeing but much smaller than expected. Google Hans Christian Anderson as there are some specialist tours available.

We have found that it is so much cheaper to organise yourself rather than doing ships tours and make use of Cruise Critic. The people there know everything!

Hope that helps

Hope this helps.

spiro

Amsterdam - Anne Frank's house/museum.