ROBIN ROBINSON
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Disembarking the Viking Star in St. Petersburg, I heard three words that made me do a double-take: “Welcome to Russia.” This was not my first time in Russia and – based on my first visit – the warm welcome at the port was unexpected.
About 14 years ago, I arrived in St. Petersburg on another cruise ship. We were herded into what can only be described as a shack, where the two stern-faced customs agents on duty eye-balled us with suspicion, and a couple of heavily armed soldiers made sure we didn’t bolt before our passports were scrutinized.
This time we disembarked, were greeted by friendly ground staff, and queued up in a modern cruise terminal with many customs agents, who – like customs agents everywhere – were all business. While most didn’t crack a smile, some did, and there was an overall sense of routine to the process.
Unless you want to explore Russia in depth, visiting on a cruise is an easy way to go. Canadians, who normally require a visa to enter Russia, don’t need one if they visit on an ocean cruise and take shore excursions from the ship. (You still need a visa if you want to explore on your own.) While this type of visit only provides a taste of the country, it’s enough for most travellers.
This cruise was part of the Viking Homelands itinerary, which samples the best of Scandinavia and its capitals, plus Russia, Estonia, Poland and Germany in one fairy-tale voyage on the Baltic Sea. The 15-day cruise includes overnight stays in three popular ports – Stockholm, Copenhagen and St. Petersburg.
While regular passengers sail from Stockholm to Bergen, Norway, our group of journalists was aboard for the first leg of the trip from Sweden to Warnemunde, Germany.
while strolling around any part of Stockholm, Sweden,
Our journey began in leafy, lovely Stockholm, which is comprised of 14 islands connected by 50 bridges. Sweden’s capital has lots to offer so it’s worth going a day or two early.
Like its river cruises, Viking offers one complimentary shore excursion in every port. It’s usually a guided bus/walking tour with some photo stops and free time, which provides a destination overview. In addition, they offer some great paid excursions from educational to soft adventure.
In many places they also run a shuttle bus to the town centre, making it easy to tour on your own.
In Stockholm you are spoiled for choice. You can’t go wrong with a walking tour of Gammla stan (the charming old town), a paddle around the harbour, or a visit to the Vasa Museum to see the world’s worst-designed but best preserved 17-century warship.
In 1628, the top-heavy Vasa capsized and sank before leaving the harbour on its maiden voyage. The wooden ship rested beneath the waves for 333 years, until it was raised in 1961 and restored.
On the second day, after reboarding Viking Star, it was “go time.” The late afternoon sun cast golden light over the heavily forested landscape as we sailed out to open ocean through the Instagram-worthy Stockholm archipelago, home to 30,000 islands.
Next stop: Helsinki, Finland. But first, time to explore Viking Star’s nine decks.
officer, gives a tutorial on Viking Star’s navigational equipment.
Launched in 2015, the 930-passenger vessel is Viking’s first ocean ship. Famous for its river cruises, in just four years Viking’s ocean fleet has grown to five ships and won many awards including Cruise Critic’s 2018 Consumers’ Choice awards: Best Overall, Best For Cabins, Best For Dining and more. Viking Orion launched earlier this year, Viking Jupiter is set to sail next year, and more new vessels are planned through 2027.
The sister ships are almost identical. As I had cruised on Viking Sea in 2016, I felt immediately at home. That feeling is reinforced in the Living Room – a popular gathering spot with a bar, a library, lots of comfy seating and a relaxed vibe.
Most new cruise ships carry 3,500-plus passengers, and are loaded with things like a casino, skating rink, wave pool, water slide, golf simulator, extra pay restaurants, etc. You won’t find any of these on Viking ships, which embody Scandinavian concepts such as hygge, lykke and lagom.
Instead the ships are a refined but comfortable home base from which to explore the shore, and enjoy fine food, drink and fellowship when on board.
There are swimming pools – a main pool with a retractable roof and an infinity pool, many places to dine, a winter garden for afternoon tea, a theatre and the Explorer’s Lounge at the top of the ship, which offers sweeping ocean views.
The formula seems to be striking the right note as more than 70% of guests are repeat cruisers.
Monument and park, which is a tribute to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.
We took the complimentary tour in Helsinki. It included a stop at the Sibelius Monument (a tribute to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius), a city tour and free time to browse at the waterfront market, stroll along the shopping streets or visit the sparkling white cathedral.
From there it was on to St. Petersburg – the so-called Venice of the North.
I’ve visited a few places that call themselves the Venice of this or the Venice of that but, really, there is only one magical Venice. However, St. Petersburg comes closest, perhaps because many of its grand buildings were designed by Italian architects.
On my previous visit, I visited the Hermitage, the sprawling state museum crammed with some of the world’s greatest art treasures.
This time I opted for tours of the gilded, seaside Peterhof Palace, built by Peter the Great and nicknamed the Versailles of Russia, the Catherine Palace, home to the recreated Amber Room (the original disappeared during the Second World War), as well as a canal and city tour with inside visits at the gold-domed St.Isaac’s Cathedral and the colourful Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, which marks the place where Emperor Alexander II was fatally wounded by assassins in 1881.
Some in our group attended the ballet at the renowned Mariinsky Theatre. Viking is one of its sponsors.
Stormy weather turned our two-day stay into three when the port was closed. Excursion staff quickly pulled together a roster of shore trips for the unexpected extra day.
and a charming place to meander.
Unfortunately, the delayed departure meant we missed our visit to Gdansk, Poland. But we did spend a sunny afternoon in Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, where we toured the Old Town. It’s a UNESCO site, and one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe.
Then, suddenly, after one relaxing day at sea, it was time to say goodbye to new friends and disembark in Warnemunde.
All’s fare
On a previous cruise, Torstein Hagen, Viking’s founder and chairman, said he doesn’t believe in “nickel and diming” guests. Therefore, while Viking’s basic fare is higher than a large ship fare, more things are included.
For instance: Beer, wine, liquor, soft drinks and fancy coffees are extra-pay items on most cruise lines. A beverage package easily runs about $70 per person per day, and many lines require that if one adult in a cabin buys a package, all adults in that cabin must also buy one. That adds $1,960 per couple to a 14-night cruise. On Viking, wine and beer at lunch and dinner are included, as well as special coffees, soft drinks and snacks in mini bars.
It’s not unusual to pay an extra $1,000 or more per person for a veranda cabin. All of Viking’s staterooms have verandas.
Viking fares includes tips. The recommended combined tip for ship staff is about $15 per passenger, per day, or about $420 per couple for 14-nights.
Viking guests can use the Nordic spa facilities – mineral pool, hot tub, steam room, sauna, cold plunge pool and the “snow grotto” – for free.
Viking provides one complimentary excursion in every port. Mass market cruise lines provide none.
Other Viking freebies: Dining in Manfredi’s and the Chef’s Table specialty restaurants, unlimited WiFi, transfers between the airport and the ship, and a self-serve laundry.
For details on Viking Ocean cruises, see www.vikingcruisescanada.com/oceans.
Published December 2018 in the Toronto Sun
