(First of two parts)
ITN subscriber Cynthia Rignanese of Lake Wales, Florida, wrote a useful piece on “what to do within the first few hours of boarding any cruise ship” (Dec. ’12, pg. 12). While her recommendations are helpful, I feel that many of her suggestions should be done, in fact, before you cruise in order to maximize your enjoyment.
We’re wrapping up our series on attending concerts, recitals, stage productions or music or dance performances outside of the US. The goal was to learn how travelers find out about and obtain tickets to any special events that are taking place and to, perhaps, inspire you to attend a performance of some sort in whatever country you’re visiting.
For our stop in St. Petersburg, Russia, June 21-23, 2012, during Oceania Cruises’ 14-day Stockholm-Dover cruise aboard the Nautica, our group of 12 preferred to have a private guide rather than take the ship’s big-bus tour. An ITN subscriber had given rave reviews (April ’09, pg. 59) to the guide Natalya German Tsarkova (phone +7 921 391 1894, email natalygerman@gmail.com, www.original-tours.com).
Viking River Cruises, known for its river cruise-tours in Europe, Asia and Egypt, announced on May 17 that it is launching an ocean cruise line, Viking Ocean Cruises (866/984-5464).
Viking placed orders for two 928-passenger ships, with options for more. The first, Viking Star, is scheduled to begin sailing in May 2015, with itineraries to Scandinavia, the Baltic Sea and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean area. The mid-size ship will be designed to have direct access to most ports.
The company in charge of all tourist cruises on the Tiber River through Rome, Battelli di Roma, has judged the water to be too trash-filled and dangerous to run the boats. In May 2013 the firm suspended the tours indefinitely pending a cleanup of the debris and rubbish in the river and along its banks, something that hasn’t been done since 2009.
The problem was compounded by the very high floodwaters of winter 2012, which left trash hanging in trees along the banks plus fallen branches and junk piled around bridges.
Dear Globetrotter:
Welcome to the 449th issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine. In ITN, in addition to a selection of hard news items and other travel-related information, we print our subscribers’ travel accounts and discoveries. Our subscribers are people who fly and cruise abroad frequently, and they write not for profit but for the benefit of other travelers.
In last month’s issue, we printed letters written in response to a request from Kathi Snouffer of Portland, Oregon, who lamented, “Is there anyone else out there who CANNOT brag about going around the world for years taking only a day pack?” She explained that — with a husband standing 6'6", and wanting to be prepared for all weather conditions and social situations but not wanting to launder clothes on the road — they pack what they need and always check a bag.
We had boarded our expedition ship in Kangerlussuaq, western Greenland, and a few days later headed east across Baffin Bay to the Northwest Passage. Eight days after that we would reach Kugluktuk, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, where we would disembark.
Getting from the port at Tianjin, China, where the cruise ships dock, to the airport in Beijing several hours away can be quite a challenge. The port, itself, is 45 minutes from Tianjin.
Cruise lines offer transfers, but they can be expensive. Cab drivers are sparse at the port, and many do not speak English.
If you read the general press, you probably believe that the following statements are true: