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Cruise Day #6 – St. Petersburg, Russia

Jul 15th, 2011 by

Note: this post was also delayed due to Internet connectivity problems

Today, we had an early wake-up call (6:45) as our shore excursion departed by 8:45 and frankly it takes us (with Emerson) a while to get changed, groomed, and fed in the morning. Unfortunately, Emerson was also fairly restless last night (we’re not sure why—maybe the endless sequence of time changes), and we all ended up losing a couple of hours sleep. In any case, we were assembled in the theatre for our “Walking Tour of St. Petersburg” shore excursion by the appointed time.

After leaving the ship, we were escorted to the terminal building and through Russian immigration. Despite six(!) ships in port (Costa, MSC, Norwegian, P&O, Princess, and us), the lines weren’t too long and our tour departed within 7 minutes of the scheduled departure at 9:15. We proceeded to drive into the city from the cruise port into the city center. Traffic in St. Petersburg is utterly horrendous. The drive wasn’t especially far but probably took us 30-45 minutes—with the majority of the time spent in the final mile or two.

Our “walking” tour (which really didn’t involve much actual walking) started at St. Isaac’s Cathedral. We then proceeded through Senate Square, visiting the statue of Peter the Great (The Bronze Horseman), passing by the Admiralty Building (façade largely under scaffolding), and on to Palace Square, home of the splendid Winter Palace.

Winter Palace

Winter Palace

After this brief walk, we rejoined the bus for a pointless ride across a bridge (why didn’t we just walk?) and quick exit for a photo stop at the Rostral Columns. This offered a good vantage point of the Neva River waterfront, including a nice view of the Fortress of Peter and Paul. From there we drove past the Military and Artillery Museum (which was the only part of the day that felt somewhat ‘Soviet’ era) and the Fortress of Peter and Paul. We then made our final stop at the Summer Gardens and Field of Mars. We crossed the Field of Mars, viewing St. Michael’s Castle in the distance, and walked on to visit the magnificent Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. If you’re wondering, “who’s spilled blood?” It was the site of the assassination of Czar Alexander II. Interestingly, it’s never been used as a public place of worship, as it wasn’t completed until 1907, was looted during the Russian Revolution, used as a morgue during the Leningrad siege, and served as a vegetable warehouse during the Soviet era following WWII (which is almost incomprehensible… this magnificent structure serving as a sort of ornate Communist Whole Foods supplier, formerly in honor of Jesus / Alex II).

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Following this final stop, we returned to the ship and had a late lunch around 2pm.

Tonight, we had a vaguely Russian-themed dinner in the MDR. Emerson had… more guacamole (times two) and a less interesting entree. All went well again, making for happy parents.

At 8pm, I attended a standing-room only, folkloric performance by the Russian Military Song and Dance Ensemble from St. Petersburg. I’m a complete git when it comes to dance knowledge, but I was struck by how generally similar folkloric dances seem to be from country to country in Europe (say, Germany, Greece, and Russia). I’m not sure why this is the case, but it seems like something that would make a good expose on 60 Minutes or some such show. I also enjoyed the music though I didn’t understand the words at all. However, the songs seemed to come in two genres: melancholy (e.g., I’m going to Siberia to die a cold, hungry death) or drinking (e.g., I’m on a Russian submarine downing vodka with my comrades).

Overall, we liked St. Petersburg, but it wasn’t a standout for us. Three reasons: 1) it was completely overrun with tourists today, 2) our tour wasn’t especially good – we saw the sights but it’s not the same as freely exploring, and 3) high expectations (especially for Libby), which is always setting yourself up for disappointment. And, while it’s attractive, it also felt a little too—how can I say this—“grimy” to be truly “magical,” especially when compared to Copenhagen or Riga. What’s more, unlike Egypt and Albania—which raised “grimy” to an art form—I didn’t feel connected to contemporary Russian life or how it’s evolved since the Soviet break-up either. Thus, St. Petersburg—unlike Egypt or Albania—left no significant impression on me. In the end, I come away from Russia mostly ambivalent. That said, I expect we’ll (happily) return someday, as we really only scratched the surface of this city and country.

Today’s box score: +1 country (Russia)

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Cruise Day #5 — At Sea

Jul 13th, 2011 by

Last night we set our clocks ahead another hour. As a result, we got a later start than usual on the day, but that’s fine because today’s just a day at sea anyway. We had breakfast in an uncrowded Windjammer this morning, as well as mochas from the onboard Seattle’s Best Coffee shop.

We didn’t do much in the morning… just relaxed and played with Emerson At 1pm, I attended the “Captain’s Corner” — a Q&A session with the ship’s senior officers. I learned a few new bits of information, such as the fact that local pilots are usually compulsory at ports around the world but are also largely unneeded by the crew. While I was at the event, Libby and Emerson played in the toddler room.

Afterwards, we had lunch. I then put Emerson down for her nap and read in the cabin while Libby went to the gym. When Libby returned, I went to another ship-related presentation about the crew’s life aboard the ship.

This evening was the second and final formal night. So, we skipped the MDR and ate in the Windjammer. Vision’s Windjammer seems to have fewer selection options (and less serving area room) than on RCI’s newer ships. But, the quality of what’s on offer is generally high and the options still compare favorably with our recent experience on Princess and Celebrity.

Overall, it was another relaxing day at sea. But, we’re looking forward to more ports, including Russia tomorrow (which is enormously exciting for us, having grown up at the end of the Cold War — when the idea of visiting the then Soviet Union was almost unimaginable by most Americans).

Posted in Europe, Vision of the Seas | 2 Comments »

Cruise Day #4 – Riga, Latvia

Jul 12th, 2011 by

We arrived in Riga to cloudy skies, light rain, and blustery winds.

After breakfast in the (again) overcrowded Windjammer, we departed to explore this Baltic capital on the banks of the Daugava River. Yesterday, Libby said that Copenhagen reminded her of Vienna; if so, Riga is more like Prague or Budapest—comparing with them very favorably. Following decades of occupation, Riga’s made great strides in the past twenty years and is a wonderful place to visit.

Vision of the Seas docked very close to the historic city center. After a short walk along the river, we entered the cobbled streets of the largely pedestrian city center. We strolled about the warren-like streets and managed to take in the major sights without really trying: Blackhead’s House, Museum of Occupation in Latvia, the town hall, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, St. George’s church, the Dome Cathedral, etc.

Old Riga -- Blackhead's House and St. Peter's Church

Old Riga -- Blackhead's House and St. Peter's Church

Having explored Old Riga, we walked to Central Riga crossing the City Canal and passing by Freedom Monument, as well as a splendid Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Our destination was the heart of the Art Nouveau district from which we planned to follow the Lonely Planet’s self-guided “Art Nouveau in Riga” walking tour. While I suspect only a minority of our cruising compatriots made the trek, it is well worth the added effort to leave Old Riga. In fact, Riga has more Art Nouveau (or “Jugendstil”—youth style—in German) architecture (over 750 buildings) than any other city in the world. And, it’s simply splendid!

Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) District in Riga, Latvia

Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) District in Riga, Latvia

After exploring the Art Nouveau district, we returned to the Old City via Esplanade Park, once again crossing the City Canal, and passing by numerous embassies, and the Latvia National Opera. By this time, the weather had turned very pleasant – blue sky, sunshine, and a comfortable temperature. We allowed Emerson to play in the parks and retook some photographs that had been (literally) washed out in the morning.

We returned to the ship for a late, light lunch and put Emerson down for her nap.

We ate our evening meal in the main dining room again. Libby had a spinach dip (good) starter and potato gnocchi (good, but rich) for her main course. I had French onion soup (very credible; nice broth) and NY strip steak (meh… not worth the calories). I finished with key lime pie (again, very credible and I think a good choice for cruise cuisine), and Libby had some sort of chocolate-cake-brownie-thing (which she seemed to enjoy). Meanwhile Emerson ate… you want to guess? Right! Guacamole! In fact, she had a second order tonight along with her chicken and potatoes entrée. Honestly, our ability to have a relatively peaceful, one and a half hour meal—despite horrifically slow service—with a 17-month old has made us very, very happy. Our waiter is apologetic and keeps mumbling something about the chef/kitchen being overwhelmed by the number of kids on this sailing. Thankfully, our section’s head waiter remains very helpful and always tries to engage Emerson—she’ll get (and have well earned) a generous extra tip from us.

Tonight, I also went to see the first (and perhaps last) performance by the ship’s vocal and dance ensemble. As tonight is 70’s theme night, they did a performance called “Boogie Wonderland.” It was a fairly typical ‘cruise ship’ performance with a lot of numbers that I didn’t know and uninspiring renditions of the songs that I did. In particular, I thought that the ABBA medley should have brought the house down on this cruise. But, not so much. Having seen the ABBA-based musical once in Toronto and twice in London’s West End (why—as a non-ABBA fan—is an even longer story to tell), I can assure you that these performers aren’t destined for roles in Momma Mia!

Tomorrow is our second and final day at sea before our two remaining ports of call and arrival in Stockholm.

Today’s box score: +1 country (Latvia)

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Cruise Day #3 — At Sea

Jul 12th, 2011 by

Note: this post was delayed due to Internet connectivity problems yesterday.

Having set our clocks ahead last night, Emerson and Libby awoke a little later this morning. Fortunately, we avoided the main breakfast rush in the Windjammer Cafe. Following breakfast, we went to see the future cruise consultant to book our Dubai (03/12) and Western Med (06/12) sailings. Assuming we keep with these itineraries, this will make for four Royal Caribbean cruises in a row! That wasn’t really intentional, as we’re not especially loyal to any particular line, but the itineraries just worked out well with our needs/schedule.

After sorting out our future travel plans, we played with Emerson and then put her down for a nap. Around 1pm, we had lunch in the very crowded Windjammer (this ship has the same problem as Brilliance — when al fresco dining is less appealing due to suboptimal weather, there’s not sufficient room in the Windjammer to seat everyone at peak times).

After lunch, Libby and Emerson went to the well-supplied Fisher-Price Royal Babies / Tots room to play. Being my anti-social self, I opted to avoid having to interact with other parents, who’s children I’m not interested in (come to think of it, I’m not especially interested in the parents either). Indeed, that’s probably the single biggest “problem” with traveling with kids — it’s like going about with a “talk to me” sign on. The once acceptable interference is from crew members, who often don’t get to see their families for months on end. Their enthusiasm for Emerson is as heartwarming as their obvious longing is heartrending.

While the girls were off playing, I donated $10 to the casino and retired to the cabin to read.

Libby returned and deposited Emerson with me before heading off to the gym. We played together and read books before Emerson took a second nap for the day. She seems to have fully embraced the “relaxing day at sea” theme. :-)

This evening, we returned to the main dining room. Once again, dinner was a success. Service was a bit slow from the wait staff, but the header waiter was extremely helpful. Most importantly, Emerson was again angelic during the meal, happily munching on guacamole and her entree while using plates and utensils in a proper, if somewhat uncoordinated, manner. Our meal (crab cakes, shrimp dumplings with ponzu, and a lemon tart / “berrymiso”) was excellent by cruise ship main dining room standards.

After dinner, we strolled around the decks and listened to musicians in the various venues until we returned to the cabin for Emerson’s bed time. I thought about attending the headliner performance–some dude singing–but I stopped in briefly and opted to save my ears from bleeding. 😉

Tomorrow’s port of call: Riga, Latvia.

Posted in Vision of the Seas | 1 Comment »

Cruise Day #2 – Copenhagen, Denmark

Jul 10th, 2011 by

Breakfast (mostly for Emerson) arrived at our cabin this morning at 7:30am. This seemed like a good idea because we wanted to get an early start, but we learned it’s harder to feed Emerson in the cabin (too little space, yet too much potential freedom for her).

We arrived in Copenhagen on time, around 9:00. We departed the ship around 10:00 and used the shuttle bus (10 euro per person; infants free) service to take us into the center town. As it turned out, we could have easily walked to/from the center of town. However, Copenhagen has a number of piers at a variety of distances from the city’s center, and since we’ve never been here before I had no way to easily judge which one we’d arrived at this morning. What’s more, I didn’t want to repeat yesterday, causing us to lose precious time by marching through uninteresting docklands.

Here’s one of my travel truisms (especially when on a cruise in Europe): when in doubt, spend money to save time. Don’t believe me? Divide the total cost of the trip by the total number of hours you’ll spend on land. You’ll find the 20 euro taxi ride (or whatever) between things you really care about seeing / doing to be an absolute bargain.

But, I digress… back to Copenhagen.

It’s a spectacular city! The shuttle dropped us of in Kongens Nytorv (King’s New Square). From there, we walked to Tivoli Gardens via Christiansborg Palace. I must confess that I went to Tivoli with lackluster interest and low expectations. But, it seemed Emerson-friendly and Libby-pleasing (as she’s far more of an amusement park aficionado than I am), which usually makes for a good combination. For those of you that don’t know, Tivoli (which dates back to 1843) was the inspiration for Walt Disney’s theme park creation. And, I could see the similarities, especially to early Disney creations, such as “Small World.” However, while Mickey Mouse has gone corporate and thus now feels perhaps a bit contrived, Tivoli retains its charm… an eclectic mix of high- and low-brow dining and entertainment that’s playful, charming, and captivating. Oh, and it’s affordable too (~$18/pp; kids under 8 free)!

We all came away smitten.

Libby & Emerson @ Tivoli Gardens

Libby & Emerson @ Tivoli Gardens

We left Tivoli a little after 1pm. Emerson was tired and promptly fell asleep in her stroller. We proceeded to return to Kongens Nytorv via Rick Steves’ suggested “Copenhagen’s Heart and Soul” self-guided walk. This took us by the impressive City Hall and along the city’s grand pedestrian corridor, called the Stroget. As it was Sunday, a number of shops were closed. But, I managed to grab a Danish (keeping with my penchant for eponymous-themed foods, which began with Belgian waffles). All told, we spent an hour or so wandering back to the shuttle departure point. We arrived at the ship before 3:00, which was about an hour before the ‘all aboard’ time.

View of Copenhagen (Nyhavn)

View of Copenhagen (Nyhavn)

My only complaint with Copenhagen? Not enough time! This city is squarely on the list of places to return for an extended visit in the future.

Tonight was formal night aboard Vision. As is our pattern on any cruise not departing from Florida, we skipped this event completely. Instead, we ate in the Windjammer, which once again didn’t disappoint. After our meal, we walked around the open decks, returned to the cabin for a little play time, and put Emerson to bed.

Tomorrow’s a day at sea. After a busy long weekend (starting on Friday), it will be nice to have a bit of a respite before we hit our next port of call.

Today’s box score: +1 country (Denmark)

Posted in Denmark, Vision of the Seas | No Comments »

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