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Tom Ogg's
MEGA Reviews
Tom and Mary's
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R Seven MEGA Review
Tom Ogg
CruiseReviews at AOL.com (format like an orthodox e-mail address
Group of 50
Occupation: Travel Agents
Number of Cruises: Most were seasoned International cruisers
Ship: R-7
Sailing Date: June 11th, 2001
Itinerary: 15 Day, Dover to Stockholm (Northern Europe
and the Baltic)
About This Review
This review is the result of 50 travel professionals that sailed on the R-7 June 11th, 2001 and represents an attempt to answer many questions about Renaissance and the Northern European and Baltic cruises that Renaissance offers.
This review is broken into 4 distinct areas; The Ship , a look at the R-7, The Cruise , a day by day look at the ports and cruise, Shore Excursions , what to expect and finally, FAQ about the R-7 .
Getting to the Ship
I was doing two cruises back-to-back and came off the R-1 in Barcelona,
Spain. I flew to London and took the Underground to my
hotel (the Glouster), which is situated right across from the Glouster Street station on the
Piccadilly Line that runs directly from Heathrow Airport to the city.
I spent three nights at the hotel before leaving for Dover to board the R-7.
I would strongly suggest that folks on this itinerary spend at least a couple of days in
London in advance of the cruise to get acclimated to the time change and also take in London’s
wonderful sights. No matter how many times you visit
London it is always a wonderful experience.
On the morning I was to board the R-7, I simply boarded the Underground’s
Circle Line to Victoria station (Nominal amount of money) and connected to the National Rail line at
Victoria Station and to the train to Dover Priory (about $US33.00, one way) The ride takes a little
over two hours and makes several stops throughout England’s countryside.
All in all, it is a very pleasant ride. Folks
flying into either of London’s international airports can take the underground right from the
airport to Victoria Station (If you are Piccadilly Circus Line you may need to connect to the Circle
Line) and connect to the train to Dover. Once in Dover there are taxicabs that will take you directly to the R-7 in the
harbor (about $US5.00).
As always, embarkation on Renaissance is painless.
I was in the terminal at about 11:45, checked in by 11:50 and on the ship unpacking by 12:05.
This embarkation process is a wonderful experience however be aware that the R-7 sails promptly at
5:30. Unless you are on Renaissance’s air program I
would strongly advise against trying to make it to the ship on a same-day connection.
Should your flight be delayed, you have luggage problems or you simply miss connect you run
the risk of being left behind and then having to pick the ship up in France the following day.
Why risk it?
The Ship
The R-7 is the seventh of a series of new ships for Renaissance.
Launched in October of 2000, she is practically a brand new ship and she looks every bit of
it. All of the R class ships feature the same
configuration and décor. Once you have sailed on one R
class ship you know your way around all of the ships in the fleet as they are all the same.
Everyone in our group loved the décor of the ship and the immediate ambiance the ship
exudes. I have included a good number of pictures so
you can get an idea what each area looks like and also get a feel for the R class ship’s appeal.
The cabin
Our group was all in balcony cabins on the seventh and eighth decks.
The first thing that struck me when I entered the cabin was the generous use of wood and
mirrors. My cabin (7042) had an unobstructed ocean
view from its floor to ceiling sliding glass doors with floor to ceiling drapes that closed to keep
the light out during the daytime (usually 20 hours or so on this itinerary). The balcony was just
large enough for two to sit and enjoy their coffee, cocktails, breakfast or simply watch the
scenery go by. This is a great itinerary for enjoying a balcony as many of the ports have
interesting approaches.
My cabin featured a king sized bed that was very comfortable and enough
room to get all around the bed. There was a floor to
ceiling mirror at the foot of the bed that gave the cabin an even more generous appearance. A very
generous vanity area with 2 110-volt outlets provided a great place for my computer and printer with
tons of space to spare. There is a television with 3 first run movies running concurrently along
with several channels of programming (including CNN). There
is a very generous closet area consisting of two full-length hanging closets and an additional ½
length closet with 4 drawers below. The vanity offers more drawers and other storage areas.
There is a safe as well hidden on one of the storage areas below the TV.
Everything is a rich teak that gives the cabin lots of charm unlike many ships that are using
plastic for everything. Next to each side of the bed is
a nightstand again with more drawers for storage and a mini sofa resides in the sitting area of the
cabin. All in all, there is just enough square footage
over the traditional cabin to give you the feel of spaciousness and a quality higher than cabins of
other cruise lines in the same price range.
The bathroom is very typical of cruise ships in its size (compact) only
the use of porcelain instead of plastic gives the bathroom a quality feel about it.
There is a hair dryer and ample storage space for toiletries.
A Tour of the Ship
The R-7 is exactly the same as all of the other “R” class ships.
She is a smaller ship at only 30,277 gross tons and a guest capacity of only 684 lucky
adults. R-7 (in fact, all of the “R” class ships)
does not allow children under 16 and all of the ships are completely non-smoking.
The first thing one notices is the “homey” feeling about her.
Upon entering the R-7’s main lobby you notice that the chairs are full sized living room
chairs that can be moved wherever you want them. The
carpets are a fine simulation of India Rugs laid into of beautiful carpet with lots of colors.
There is an abundance of teak paneling with gold inlaid designs.
The ceilings make excellent use of textures, crown moldings and various skylight reliefs so
that the overall feeling is one of a richness not usually found on most mass market cruise ships.
Fortunately this theme permeates the R-7 with lots of nooks and crannies
and an abundance of places to meet in large and small groups with many intimate spaces to escape the
crowd. R-7’s space ratio of a very generous 44.16 is
quite evident as you explore the ship. The ship is well suited for her passenger demographics and repeat adult cruisers
that enjoy sophisticated elegance in a casual atmosphere will not be disappointed.
The Restaurants
R-7 has an open dining policy so that you may eat when you desire and with whom you desire. Some of the restaurants require reservations while others you may simply arrive and be seated. This is a great feature of Renaissance as everyone can have the exact dining experience they are looking for. With a group of 50 it was very difficult to dine as a group so I arranged to be available in the Club Restaurant every evening to dine with whomever wanted to sit with other members of the group. This was an effective way of handling the situation as I got to dine with most of the members of our group at one time or another. Most dined on their own as couples and had a variety of dining experiences.
I think that one's expectations interpret their experience and here is a
great example. In
Walt and Arlene's critique
of the R-7
The cuisine on Renaissance is not gourmet and while the ship is simply
gorgeous, the restaurants beautiful, the place settings fabulous and the servers well heeled, don't
expect six star dining at the rates that Renaissance sells their cruises for. I find the food
wonderful and there are always healthy selections. But I don't eat anything but fruit,
vegetables and fish. Most Californians would find the food very much to their liking.
Steak and potato eaters may have a different perspective.
The Club Restaurant (Deck 5, Aft)
This is the main restaurant on the ship and does not require advance
reservations. You may simply decide when you would
like to dine and head for the restaurant to be seated. The
restaurant is elegant and offers many ocean view tables. We
experienced good service and the food was generally good to very good.
Trying to please 50 well-traveled travel agents is no small task and other than a few
suggestions our group was satisfied with The Club Restaurant. There
were always several entrees to select from including fish every night. One problem we encountered on this itinerary was that when shore excursions
returned to the R-7 the Club Restaurant would become instantly crowded and it took a while to get
seated. I have not had this problem on other Renaissance ships and I believe the problem was created
by the normal flow of folks returning at the same time.. Also
the Club is open for breakfast and lunch as well as dinner.
The Italian Restaurant, (Deck 10, Aft)
The Italian Restaurant requires advance reservations (while reservations are
required, at the alternative restaurants there is currently no additional gratuity suggested as with
other cruise line’s alternative dining which makes the experience that much more enjoyable) I
thoroughly enjoyed the Italian Restaurant and I stuck with fish and salad and was never
disappointed. One of the nice things about the various restaurants is that if you ordered a
bottle of wine in the Italian restaurant and did not finish it you could arrange to have the wine
follow you to the next restaurant. The Italian
Restaurant’s menu consisted of fish, veal and other meats, pasta and salads.
The Grill Restaurant (Deck 10 Aft)
This is everyone’s favorite along with the Club Restaurant.
The Grill Restaurant offers steaks, chops and fish in an elegant setting.
Rack of Lamb was offered every night and was a favorite choice for many of the agents.
I stuck with the fish that was consistently wonderful. Overall, I enjoyed the Grill
Restaurant the most as it was intimate and the service was very good to excellent.
The Panorama Buffet (Deck 9, Aft)
This is the ship’s buffet restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I found ample fruit, yogurt, cheese and other healthy choices were consistently available. The ship offered pineapple, cantaloupe, grapefruit, bananas, citrus and apples
every morning. Lunch always offered several choices of
salads, entrees (including fish daily) and vegetables (excellent) The Panorama was open for the
evening meal and offered the same menu as the Club Restaurant. There
are two coffee and juice stations that are open all hours as well in the Panorama.
The B-B-Q (Deck 9, Poolside)
This is the poolside lunch venue that offers excellent hamburgers and
hot dogs with French fries. The quality of these items
is one step above most other cruise lines and they also offer one additional B-B-Q item every day.
I saw teriyaki beef sticks, Lamb skewers, pork chops among the offerings everyday. There is no salad offered at the B-B-Q so one has to go into the Panorama to get
it.
The Pizzeria (Deck 9, Aft)
The Pizzeria is located inside of the Panorama Restaurant as a
separate food venue. The pizza was excellent and the
only complaint that I heard was that it was not open long enough and should have been open in the
evening and that the pizza, while good, was not the best.
The Entertainment Venues and Lounges
The Northern Europe and Baltic Itinerary is very rich in daytime
activities and many folks couldn’t manage to stay up for the entertainment after a full day of
touring, shopping or whatever they did. Generally there
was a show after every dinner in the Cabaret Lounge and other choices such as a piano bar and a
dancing venue. It was hard to find anyone up and around
much after 11 pm. Over all the entertainment was good with some very good.
The Cabaret Lounge (Deck 5, Forward)
This is the main showroom and entertainment venue on the ship.
Shows mainly consist of song and dance productions (very good) and magic acts, singers and
such. The Cabaret Lounge is a quality showroom and
offers folks that “up close and personal” experience with the entertainers.
There are tables right up next to the stage for those that want to almost be part of the
show. The room is terraced
so that all seats have a view. The thing I liked most
about the Cabaret Lounge is that the chairs are “living room” type chairs that can be arranged
to suit anyone’s needs and desires, as they are not bolted to the floor.
The showroom offers excellent acoustics and the central stage can be seen from all position
in the lounge.
The Horizon Sports Bar: (Deck 10, Forward)
This is the primary dancing and meeting place venue.
The Horizon Sports Bar is broken into several different areas that can be isolated from the
others. Forward in the bar is a floor to
ceiling full-length picture window that extends from one side of the ship to the other.
It is an excellent place to witness the arrival or departure of the R-7 into or from ports.
It is also an excellent place to spend quiet moments just taking in the beauty of the
Northern and Baltic Sea. In the early evening and then
later into the night the Sports Bar offers dancing and other types of entertainment (karaoke and
such).
The Upper Hall (Deck 5, Mid Ship)
The R-7 differs from other R class ships in that they have removed the
piano bar from the aft
portion of the casino in favor of moving the slot machine down from the Sports Bar.
It makes the casino seem much more like a viable casino than having the slots separate from
the other gaming tables but it also removed one of my favorite spots on the R class ships.
Instead of a nice cozy bar to sit and listen to the piano R-7 offers the piano bar in a more
open area outside of the shops known as the upper hall.
The Casino Bar (Deck 5, Mid Ship)
With the elimination of the Casino piano lounge and the increase in slot
machines, the casino bar has taken on a new identity. There
are several stools that you can use to order drinks but the bar sits directly in the center of
the casino and most folks simply use it to obtain a drink while they are playing.
Folks enjoying the music in the Upper Hall are also served from this bar as well. In
addition to the stools there is always at least one full time waitress serving drinks in the Upper
Hall and Casino.
The Pool Bar (Deck 9, Poolside)
The Pool Bar was open every day even though most folks were off the ship
on tour. However, on the day at sea, it was closed. I never did understand the logic behind
it..
The Club Bar (Deck 5 Aft)
The Club Bar sits right outside the entrance to the Club Restaurant and
is a perfect place to meet for cocktails and conversation prior to dining in the Club Restaurant.
It is decorated so that it feels like a homey environment where you can simply relax in
absolute comfort. I liked the Club Bar on the R-7 the
best of all the lounges on the ship and found myself there just relaxing on several occasions
The Grill Bar and The Italian Bar (Deck 10 Aft)
Both the Grill and the Italian Restaurants had small bars
with
bar stools that one could use while they waited for their reservation time.
The Grill Bar is especially quaint with its “Old New York” feel.
The dark mahogany wood and rustic feel give the Grill Bar a very special feeling.
Other Public Areas
The Library (Deck 10, Aft)
WOW! The library is without
a question one of the best that exists on any cruise ship at sea.
Its lavish use of textures, ceiling reliefs, dark hardwood
bookshelves, sofas and overstuffed chairs give the library a feeling of richness and lavish
comfort. Best of all the library is open 24 hours a day
and the books are taken and returned on the honor system. Besides
being absolutely beautiful, the library is large and functional as well.
The books are categorized by book type (just like a large library) and it is quite easy to
find books to read if you know what you are looking for.
The Internet Café (Deck 9, Forward)
R-7 offers a full service Internet café consisting of 6 fully automated
workstations. The connection speed is fast which is
good because on this sailing Internet access was a full $1.00 per minute.
They were offering a special of unlimited usage for the entire cruise for only $149.99.
I took this option and was glad I did. However the Internet Cafe was down a good portion of
the time. In some ports they simply could not get a connection or the connection was so slow
that it made using the Internet impossible.
The manager of the Internet Cafe was useless as far as I could
see. Its funny, Charlene (the Internet Cafe Manager on the R-1) is an outstanding addition to
the Cafe and this guy was just the opposite. He was only available for a short period of time
He should have posted a sign on the Internet Cafe door advising that the connection was slow and he would have saved many people a lot of grief. (Message to who ever operates the Internet Cafes on Renaissance. Get rid of this guy and clone Charlene).
The Card Room (Deck 9, Forward)
I rarely use the card rooms on ships as they are usually designed for playing cards and that is about it. However, the card room on the R-7 is an excellent getaway spot as it is rarely used and offers a wonderful ambiance. I found myself going there when I wanted to ponder something or work without interruption.
The Fitness Center (Deck 9, Forward)
As you may have guessed by now I am a health and fitness nut. While most ships allocate enough space for a reasonable fitness center they usually just don't equip it right to obtain a reasonable workout. The R-7 (in fact all R Class Ships) have done an excellent job of designing and equipping their fitness centers. They are broken into four distinct areas,
First, the aerobics area is large enough so that folks can spread out during their
aerobics classes, R-7 offers quite a number of cardiovascular machines and a nice variety as
well. There are tread mills, a Stair Master machine, bikes and ski
machines. I never saw all of the machines in use so there was no waiting for anyone to
complete their workout before starting. The weight machine area offers just the right Cybex machines
to stay toned. There is a chest press, a back/chest butterfly, lat pull down, triceps push down,
preacher's bench biceps curl, leg lift, leg curl and a crunch machine. The dumbbell section
offers dumbbells to 50# (not the usual 30# cutoff) and two separate weight benches.
The Spa (Connected to the Fitness Center) offers a steam room and two superb showers that are free to use after your work out. Taking a nice long steam bath followed by a hot shower is just an excellent way to end a work out. The Spa also offers full Steiner services.
The Pool Area (Deck 9, Mid Ship)
Aaahhhh, the R-7 Pool area. No kids, adults only, no splashing, yelling,
running, falling, crying, "Marco Polo", none of that. The R-7's pool area is exactly
as the other R-class ships. There are two Jacuzzis that are never crowded and a swimming pool
that is kept at around 80 degrees so that it is always comfortable. Around the pool area is
covered chairs and sun chairs and there is a table between each lounge chair so getting in and out
of the chairs is easy. There is a pool bar close by with tables to sit at and their is also
pool service by the waiters that are non-invasive. It is a wonderful experience for adults and
in my opinion one of Renaissance's best features.
The Self Laundry (Deck 7, Mid Ship, Port Side)
Thanks again Renaissance. The R-7 offers a complete self-service
laundry facility for those that did not pack enough. Tokens for operating the machines are at
the Registration desk and their are two ironing boards with irons to boot. The R-7 also
offers full laundry and dry-cleaning services as well. On this itinerary they offered three
"$10 for everything you can jam into a laundry bag" specials that I used to its fullest
advantage.
The Casino (Deck 5, Mid Ship)
The R-7 consolidated the casino and slot machines into one large area and it serves
the casino atmosphere much better than on the earlier R-class ships where many of the slots are
found outside the Sport Bar. Now the casino seems like a casino and everyone seemed to be
using it often.
The Shops (Deck 5, Mid Ship)
R-7 has a couple of excellent shops. One sells primarily Renaissance signature
items (hats, coffee mugs, wind breakers, sweat shirts and so on) plus sundry items one needs when
one runs out of (or forgets to pack) them. The other shop sells fine items of jewelry,
perfumes, watches, and so on. They are spacious enough so that you do not get that cramped
feeling you do on some ships that simply overstock their limited space.
The Registration Area (Deck 4, Mid Ship)
The registration desk on the R-7 is open 24 hours a day and offers many
services. On this itinerary you will find yourself exchanging currency quite often. R-7
is unique as they will not change currency as they would rather simply charge any currency to you
cabin as a "hotel charge". This works nicely as you can then exchange-left over
currency for a "hotel credit" against your initial charge. In many of the countries
on this itinerary local currency exchange folks would board the R-7 after it was cleared through
immigration. This created lines for those wanting to exchange currency into the local
currency. I found that if there was a line that it was easier to simply find an exchange
business in whatever town that was being visited and exchange it there.
Karen, who worked the registration desk was a wonder. I saw her field some of the most ridiculous questions and demands with the ease of a professional. If you ever get bored on a cruise and want something entertaining, simply head on down to the registration desk and listen to your fellow passengers. You will find it hard to believe that people can be so outlandish.
The Shore Excursion Desk (Deck 4, Mid Ship)
The R-7 has a sophisticated way of confirming shore excursions. There is no
need to wait in line to book with a shore excursion salesperson as you can simply grab a form and
indicate how many tickets you want and drop it into the shore excursion box. The tickets are
delivered to your cabin shortly thereafter. The shore excursion talks are continuously televised so
that you can watch them at your leisure. Many in our group were not too excited with the Shore
Excursion Manager as confrontations at the Shore Excursion Desk seemed ongoing. The feeling
was that the gentleman needed some sensitivity training in order to deal with demanding passengers.
The Staff
This was a very interesting cruise for me as I was able to gain some behind-the-scenes glimpses of the reality of managing a ship. I have developed a whole new appreciation for the on-board operations of a ship such as the R-7 and it amazes me that I was as unaware as I was. Folks simply take for granted what is actually a very complex undertaking. Dealing with problems that pop up is demanding and a very real issue for every cruise ship that deals with a diverse group of passengers.
Renaissance should be proud to have Anja Hoffman as their Hotel Manager, Jannie Close as their Cruise Director and Martin Alexander as the Assistant Cruise Director on the R-7. They handled a most difficult situation with extreme professionalism and expertise.
The Cruise
(Top of Page)
This is a unique itinerary that seems to visit a new country every day.
In its 15-day itinerary the R-7 visits England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway,
Denmark, Estonia, Russia, Finland and ends up in Sweden. That is a whopping 10 different countries
in 15 days. The itinerary is also very port driven with
lots of optional shore excursions that this review is going to try and capture.
Day One, Dover, England
I boarded the R-7 promptly at noon and since there was such a large group on this
particular sailing, I spent the afternoon finalizing the arrangements for the group (cocktail
parties, dining, seminar space etc.) I always carry a notebook computer and portable printer with me
so that I can print flyers to distribute to the group to keep them abreast of what’s going on so I
spent a good deal of the afternoon printing and running flyers all over the ship to get the group
prepared for the upcoming events of the cruise.
The R-7 had the mandatory lifeboat drill at 5pm and we were under way at
5:30 pm sharp. Sailing from Dover is wonderful as you
can watch the white cliffs of Dover fade away as you cross the channel…. it truly is a wonderful
sight. Since it was the first evening and most of the
group members were bushed from their flight to England it was dinner on their own.
However, I usually try to set a meeting time and place for those that want to join a group
and I was pleased that 14 of the group members were there to start the bonding that always takes
place when traveling as a group. I was in bed early
Day Two, La Havre, France
I was up early for our arrival into La Havre and took an early breakfast
in the Panorama Café. I had booked an all-day tour to Paris on the ship and one of the agents and I
took off to board the motor coach for the 2-½ hour ride into the city.
Our guide was informative but had a thick accent that made it difficult to follow her for
very long. She was quite knowledgeable and certainly
took
the guesswork out of what it was that everyone was seeing. We
made our way into the city through miles of beautiful countryside, forests and large farms and
ranches. Once in Paris we drove directly to the Eiffel
Tower for our first stop. It is somehow always reassuring to see familiar sites that are known the world
over and viewing the Eiffel Tower is no exception. From
the tower we then visited many of Paris’ sights, which are nothing short of spectacular.
We finally stopped for a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral and for a 3-hour
lunch and shopping period. We spent time visiting
Notre Dame and many of the shops in the area before settling into a French café for a wonderful
lunch. Wine, salad and bread made for an excellent
experience just watching the Parisian pedestrian traffic go by.
Eventually it was time to meet the motor coach and continue the tour of Paris’ wonderful
sights Unfortunately, the Louvre was closed for the day but we were able to circumnavigate the
structure before making our way through the shopping streets of Paris.
We finally called it a day and started the trek back to the R-7 in La Havre.
Once back on the R-7 we stopped for a cocktail to watch the evening
unfold in the Horizon’s Sports Bar before having a late dinner in the Club Restaurant. After
dinner I went to back to the Horizons Sports Bar and listened to Shaun Best, a piano/singer who
plays wonderful songs that I can relate too. I enjoyed
his music until closing and then turned in for the night.
Day Three, Zeebrugge, Belgium
I admit to sleeping in after a late evening but then we were not due to
arrive in Zeebrugge until noon. After getting up late
and taking a late breakfast in the Panorama Café I noticed that the R-7 was ahead of schedule and
was preparing to dock by 10 am. Wanting to get a taste
of the area I decided to strike out on my own to make my way down to the town of Bruges, an ancient
town with narrow pedestrian streets and winding canals that create a maze of shops, restaurants,
pubs and the like. One of the agents wanted to go along
so we struck out on foot to make our way to the town that we could see from the top deck of the R-7.
We walked about 2 miles and finally came upon a somewhat quiet town where we thought we could
find a taxicab. Unfortunately about the only thing that
was open was a small pub so we decided to have a beer and consider the situation.
On our second beer we noticed a bus had stopped in front of the bar and we decided to see
where it went. Fortunately,
it did go all the way to Bruges and we boarded the bus continuing the adventure.
It stopped at every little community on the way to Bruges and the bus ride was an excellent
way to see how folks were living in the area.
After a half hour or so the driver indicated that we should get off the
bus and enter the town of Bruges by walking down a road that she had pointed out. In about a
half-mile the town opened up for us and it was indeed as beautiful as promised.
There is a 13th century cathedral in Bruges that has a 47-bell carillion that
rings every 15 minutes. To get to
the top of the belfry requires a hike up some 350 stairs to climb its 272 feet height.
We made it to the top of the narrow stairway and took in the view of all of Bruges before
descending back to the street
level. We walked the entire town and one of the locals
recommended the canal boat tour so we took that as well. Bruges
is an excellent place to visit and I would highly suggest everyone on this itinerary include it in
his or her plans.
We finally decided to make our way back to the R-7 and since the last
local bus was at 4 pm, opted to hire a taxicab to take us back.
Once on the ship I had to hurry to get ready for the NACTA Welcome Aboard cocktail party
where I was able to meet most of the members of our group and set up the seminars and cruise review
meetings. A group of us left the cocktail party and made our way to the Club Restaurant for dinner.
We had an absolutely wonderful dinner that continued in the Horizon Sports Bar after dessert.
I stayed up too late once again and didn’t get to bed until about 1 am.
Day Four, Antwerp, Belgium
I slept in until 8am and enjoyed a breakfast of fruit, yogurt and juice
and then got ready to explore Antwerp. The R-7 docked
quite close to the
center of Antwerp’s old town and it was an easy walk into the various squares, cathedrals and
shops. Antwerp is a wonderful town with numerous
shopping streets and cafes. The main cathedral in
Antwerp is well worth investigating, as it is an absolutely stunning structure some 400 feet high
with an incredible ornate facade. It houses a huge
collection of art by Ruben that is almost as stunning as the structure itself.
The diamond district is just to the right of the railway station at the foot of the main
shopping avenue and consists of dozens of small shops all competing for attention with elaborate
window displays of jewelry. I found the setting unusual
for the sale of jewelry but it did give one the impression that there were bargains galore.
We stopped at one of the cafes on the main square next to the cathedral
and enjoyed a 2-hour long lunch of just sitting there watching the culture move by.
The Belgium people are sophisticated and friendly and are wonderful to be around.
After lunch we explored Antwerp’s numerous narrow winding pedestrian streets in old town
and I was impressed with the quality of the shops and environment that Antwerp offered.
Once back on board the R-7 I quickly got ready for our pre dinner
meeting and then made my way to the Club Bar to meet the group that was assembling for dinner.
We enjoyed another wonderful dinner in the Club Restaurant and then simply wandered the R-7
entertainment venues until I decided to turn in for the evening.
Day Five, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
I had been looking forward to Amsterdam for some time.
Not for the port (I have visited Amsterdam several times before) but because Raoul Fiebig,
the author of Cruising & Beyond and a friend I had never met was going to meet me for the day on
the R-7. Raoul had started his journey at 3am from his
home in Germany and took the train into Amsterdam’s new terminal that was only 10 minutes from the
ship. I finally met Raoul in the cruise terminal at
10:15 and we enjoyed the day together on the R-7. It
was a completely enjoyable time and we spent the day talking about everything under the sun.
It left me with the comfortable feeling of friendship that had been spawned over the Internet
and consummated with the evolution of personal interaction. Raoul
is quite an impressive young man and it is my pleasure to call him a friend.
I walked Raoul to the Amsterdam train station to catch his 4:30 train
and then reboarded the R-7 to prepare for our nightly 6pm get together.
After our meeting some of us made our way into the Club Restaurant for another wonderful
dinner. We finished dinner in time for the evening’s
show a musical performance put on by the Paramount performers and the Renaissance Orchestra entitled
“Music Makes the World go Round”. This was a song/dance show of various tunes everyone could
relate to and was done extremely well. One song sung by the two female singers “Mr. Bo Jangles”
was star quality. Everyone enjoyed the show and the
Paramount Performers put every ounce of energy they had into their performance.
It was wonderful.
After the show I went into the Horizon Lounge for a nightcap and visited
with some of the group before going to bed.
Day Six, Day at Sea
As this was our first day at sea it was also the first of two seminars
aboard the R-7. I was up early getting my notes ready
and preparing for the seminar, had breakfast in the Panorama Café and then made my way to the
Italian Restaurant to prepare for the arrival of the group to the seminar.
It was the first day of bad weather with heavy fog and light rain that
turned into a medium rain with occasional downpours. I
try to be prepared for such occasions by having optional seminars for the group to attend in lieu of
a lack of other activities (sunning, pool and so on) We completed the seminar as scheduled at 12
noon and then took a 1 ½ hour lunch break before reconvening up in the Horizon Sports Bar to build
some web sites. It turned out to be a great afternoon
with everyone enjoying conversations and getting to know one another.
We finally broke up at about 4:30 and I went to my cabin to get ready for the captain’s
cocktail party that started at 6:00 pm in the Cabaret Lounge. Renaissance
generally puts on a Captain’s champagne party once during a cruise for everyone to get a chance to
meet the Captain and his staff.
I had been invited to join the captain’s table for dinner and took
advantage of the offer. Captain Alexis Kountourakis was a very gracious host and proved an
interesting conversationalist as well. Captain
Kountourakis holds the distinction of being the world’s youngest captain earning his first ship at
the age of 29. He is a dedicated and focused young man
that every passenger can feel safe having charge of the ship. After
dinner I attended the evening’s entertainment a talented performer named Johnny Stafford.
The highlight of the program for me was when he selected two of the ladies from our group to
accompany him for a song that he had orchestrated with two small harmonicas. While the skit was
funny, the music was actually wonderful. After the show I toured the various entertainment venues
before turning in for the evening.
Day Seven, Oslo, Norway
I know quite a few Norwegians that live in the Southern California area.
After visiting Oslo, I am in amazement that anyone would leave this wonderful city (and
presumably country) for anywhere. The R-7 docks right
downtown with the Akershus Castle and Fortress directly alongside the ship.
You can see the castle directly across from the sun deck and it beckons you to come explore.
Actually you can see a lot Oslo from the ship’s parameter as Oslo is built in a large bay that the
R-7 has a spectacular view of. I left the ship and
inspected the tax-free shops along side the R-7 and walked into the marina section of Oslo.
There were many
restaurants serving the local community who all seemed to come out to enjoy the sunny day at the
wharf. It reminded me of any sunny day in the summer by San Diego’s many marinas and wharfs.
Practically all of the stores were closed, as it was Sunday so I took a
long brisk walk into the heart of Oslo. It is quite cosmopolitan city with large office buildings, department stores,
specialty shops and international restaurants. I
finally made my way back to the R-7 stopping to investigate the castle and her treasures before
returning to the ship. I enjoyed the Jacuzzi while the sun was still shining before getting ready
for our group photograph at 7 pm. We took our group
shot and then made our way into the Club Restaurant for yet another wonderful dinner filled with
conversation and laughter. There was another major show
put on by the Paramount Performers in the Cabaret Lounge and this was another excellent production
with lots of energy. I was bushed so I decided to turn
in for the evening.
Day Eight, Copenhagen, Denmark
We arrived in Copenhagen 2 hours early and the sun was shining bright
first thing in the morning. I took a quick breakfast
and then decided to spend the morning by the pool and Jacuzzis and made good use of the first hot
sunshine of the trip. I enjoyed the sun until about 1pm
when I decided to take a long walk and also ride the Copenhagen tourist bus for its entire circle.
I left the pier area and walked towards town paralleling the coastline until I past a
small marina and worked my way back to the coastline. I
found the “Little Mermaid” by chance but immediately understood why it was so recognizable and
loved. She is a bronze statue the sits atop of large
rock outcropping and actually looks like a real person in the sun. I took a few pictures and stayed
to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding beach and ocean.
Once I was satisfied with the experience I walked up the hill to where
one of the tourist buses was waiting for people it had dropped to go see the Little Mermaid. I paid
100 Danish Krones (about $US12.50) for a two-day pass for the tourist bus that allows you to jump on
and off at any of its fifteen stops that include all the major attractions in Copenhagen.
It follows some of the canals with their fabulous city scape. I made the
circle trip in about an hour and one half and decided that the following day I would walk the world’s
longest pedestrian shopping Street and also visit the Rosenborg Castle or some other attraction.
A group of us were going to visit Tivoli Gardens in the evening so that would round out the
“must sees” in Copenhagen. We met shore side and
took a van to Tivoli Gardens where we gained entrance and made our way to a restaurant that one of
the group members was told was an excellent place to eat.
The name of the restaurant was Visesigrofteni and it is the first
restaurant on the left as you enter the restaurant area. We
had an absolutely horrible dinner. The prices were
outrageous, service ridiculously horrible and the food (when it finally came) lousy.
If you intend on attending Tivioli Gardens in the evening I would suggest dining somewhere
else first and then going to the park. After dinner we
enjoyed the park and wandered through its Disneyland like atmosphere.
Some say that Walt Disney got the idea for Disneyland after visiting Tivoli (built around
1890) and it would be easy to see how. It offers a
wealth of rides, entertainment, gardens and just lots to do. We
had hoped to see the fireworks that Tivoli displays but they are only offered on Wednesdays, Fridays
and Saturdays. The park closed at 11 pm and we managed
to close the park and catch a taxicab back to the R-7.
Day Nine, Copenhagen, Denmark
I was up early again as the days keep getting longer and longer and
first light came at 4 am after getting dark at approximately 11 pm. (HINT: If you are sensitive to
the daylight I would strongly suggest that you take an inside cabin on this itinerary.
Even though the cabins on the R-7 are equipped with black-out curtains that do an excellent
job of keeping the cabins dark, I woke up every morning around first light as I am an early riser
and was feeling the impact of little sleep. On the day that we are to visit Helsinki, Finland there
is to be a whopping 22 and one half hours of daylight.) I had a leisurely
breakfast in the Panorama Buffet and then made my way to meet some of our group members for a day
in Copenhagen. We boarded the tourist bus right
at the ship and took it to the Town Square for the changing of the guards ceremony at noon in front
of the Amalienborg Castle. The castle has been the residence of the royal family since the 1800s.
We toured the Amalienborg museum, which is a section of the residence
that is open to the public for viewing the rooms, furnishings and collectibles of the royal family.
It is well worth the small admission price to experience the wealth that is obviously housed
throughout the entire complex. The guards approach the
square in a formal group marching in
cadence and ceremoniously replace guard by guard in a centuries old tradition.
It is very interesting to watch the process. From
the castle we made our way on foot to Straget, the old city shopping area of Copenhagen and home of
the longest pedestrian shopping street in the world. The area is populated by a labyrinth of pedestrian shopping streets and is
bustling with as much activity as any mall in the United States a couple days before Christmas.
There are quality stores everywhere and shopping for just about everything is available within the
area. I noticed numerous furniture and antique stores down the side streets and the main street is
simply a cornucopia of quality retail stores selling everything you could imagine a fine mall would
offer.
After several hours of shopping and wandering through the area we
settled into the Palace Hotel’s street café (excellent) for a lingering lunch and some
relaxation. One of the agents and I wanted to climb to
the top of the Rundetarn, a Christian church built in the 17th century that has a tower
some 600 feet high and an spiraling exterior staircase that ascends to the very top. The view of the
old city from the top is supposed to be spectacular. We left the others and took a taxicab for the three miles to the church.
When we arrived we visited the chapel first (which is simply gorgeous in its own right) and
then decided to start the climb. When we got to the staircase it was being closed for the day and we
had missed our opportunity. We left the church and
walked around the area and were surprised that the church marks the boundary of Copenhagen’s “free
area”; a sleazy side of Copenhagen one doesn’t experience anywhere else. It was after 5 pm and
we were quite far from where we thought the nearest point that we could catch a tourist bus so we
started walking. It was so much fun exploring the city
this way that we ended up walking all the way back to the R-7 seeing many sights that we would have
otherwise missed.
I got ready for dinner in a hurry just in time to make it to our
appointed meeting place and to share yet another wonderful dinner in the Club Restaurant. After
dinner we attended the evenings entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge, a magic act performed by Gerry
and Leonora Frenette. Their act consisted of card
tricks, magic tricks and illusions and they were very entertaining. We were no more that twenty feet
from all of the acts and still could not figure out how they were done.
We decided to go to the Horizon Sports Bar for a nightcap and enjoyed the sounds of Shaun
Best who really puts everything he has into his act. He
is truly an excellent performer. I then turned in
totally bushed from the long day that I had.
Day Ten, Day at Sea
I was up early preparing for the second seminar of the cruise and had
eaten breakfast and was ready to go a full hour early. We
held our seminar in the Italian restaurant and I needed to set up for the “Ideas for Prizes”
contest that we were going to do in the morning. We
broke from the seminar at noon in time to enjoy a nice lunch in the Panorama Buffet and then I
intended on spending the afternoon in the Jacuzzi and the pool area.
While it was quite foggy and cold a number of us managed to spend a couple of hours in the
Jacuzzi having a wonderful time talking, laughing and just enjoying one another’s company.
I had scheduled a meeting at 6 pm in the Horizon Sports Lounge and barely made it on time. We then moved to the Club Bar to assemble the evening’s dinner group and we
enjoyed a wonderful dinner in the Club Restaurant once again. I had been up for a long time so
called it an early evening and turned in.
Day Eleven, Tallinn, Estonia
I was up early doing some computer chores for the group and took an early breakfast
in my now daily routine. A group of us had decided to explore Tallinn on foot and agreed to meet in front
of the registration desk at 10 am to disembark the ship and explore Tallinn.
What a wonderful surprise Tallinn is. There is
an “old city” that is actually a compact walled city area that dates back to the 11th
century that is quite intact. The city has rough
cobblestone walkways and roads and is a maze of pedestrian streets lined with fabulous shopping.
Everyone in our group felt that Tallinn was the most charming city so far on this itinerary
and offered excellent shopping selection and value as well. The
shops in Tallinn offer all of the Russian collectibles at outstanding prices. Nesting dolls, hand
painted eggs, amber jewelry, porcelain dishes and other collectible items, as well as sweaters and a
wealth of other products are widely available.
All of the ladies made several purchases even before getting to the open
air market where vendors lined the Tallinn streets with market after market selling all types of
merchandise. Even the flower section of the open-air
market was a treasure trove of bargains. I loved
Tallinn and regretted not being able to spend more time in its wonderful ambiance.
We stopped for a beer in the Town Hall Square and sampled some Saku, a local Estonian brewed
beer. It was wonderful and I purchased some of the “Saku”
glasses that we drank from as gifts for the folks in our group that enjoyed the beer.
Tallinn is a wonderful place and I highly recommend spending as much time in the old city
section as you possibly can.
Back on the ship we departed for Russia at 3 pm sharp. I committed some
time to the Jacuzzi and then got ready for meeting some of our group in the Club Bar for our usual
pre dinner get together and we then enjoyed yet another excellent meal in the Club Restaurant. The ship loses 2 hours during its transition from Estonia to Russia and this made
it quite late quickly. Since I was on a tour the
following morning I decided to turn in directly after dinner and I was rewarded with an excellent
night’s sleep.
Day Twelve, St. Pertersburg, Russia
I was up early for the approach to St. Petersburg and found the entrance
to the city fascinating. It is as if a pathway was
dredged from the ocean floor creating a narrow channel lined with rocks along both sides.
Understand that there is no breakwater for protection from surge or waves simply what appears
to be debris piled so as to create a reef that the R-7 carefully navigated.
The interesting thing is that this “reef” started miles from the eventual entrance to the
harbor. My guess is that there must be a shallow shelf that protrudes from the harbor that was
dredged to allow for the necessary depth to get large ships in and out of the harbor.
We had been blessed with sunny skies and a very moderate temperature
projected to reach 70 degrees during the day. I
immediately went to the Panorama Buffet for breakfast, the Internet Café and then the gym for a
short workout before getting ready for our 9:30 departure for the day’s tour.
Since I had not obtained a Russian visa I could not go on my own into Russia but needed to
take the ship’s tours and use their group visa.
HINT:
If you want to explore St. Petersburg on your own be sure to obtain a Russian visa in advance of
your arrival into Russia. Also do not wait until the
last moment as the cost goes up quickly.
We boarded the air-conditioned motor coach and took off for downtown St.
Petersburg. We drove the streets of St. Petersburg
taking in its sites and flavor. We stopped for a
panorama view of many of its prime sites and also at a local outside market. The Russian souvenirs are wonderful and are also available at great prices.
Nesting dolls, hand-painted boxes, fur hats, ceramic dolls and many other fine items were
gobbled up
in mass at excellent princes by the R-7 passengers. We
then visited the burial place of Peter the Great in the Peter and Paul Fortress. One stop
at St. Isaac’s Cathedral with its dome of pure gold seemed to yield the best prices and variety
in the open street market adjoining the cathedral. There
was also a large street market across the street from the Spilled
Blood Cathedral. This cathedral is absolutely stunning
to see, as its architecture is simply breathtaking.
We enjoyed a wonderful lunch of fresh baked salmon, a wonderful salad,
excellent soup and all of the surrounding condiments (including champagne and vodka) at the St.
Petersburg Sheraton Hotel. After lunch we drove for
about an hour to
Catherine’s Palace and Park. What an outrageous
structure. The wealth it must have taken to construct
such an ostentatious structure when the people of Russia were starving is simply overwhelming.
No words can describe the extent of the palace and its ornate use of gold, wood
and minerals used in its construction. The palace is simply outrageous. After
inspecting Catherine’s Palace we drove back to the R-7 arriving about 5:30 in the early
evening.
A group of us had made reservations in the Grill Restaurant and met in
the Grill Bar for a social period before sitting down for an excellent dinner with exceptional
service. After dinner we watched as one of our members gambled for a while and then went to the
Horizons Sports Bar for a nightcap. I was bushed from
the day and turned in for the night.
Day Thirteen, St. Petersburg, Russia
I was up quite early as the sun came up at around 4:30 in the morning.
I worked on the computer for a while, checked e-mail and then decided to take an early
breakfast in the Panorama Buffet. After breakfast our
group made its way to the Cabaret Lounge to obtain our bus tickets for the tour to the Hermitage,
one of the world’s largest museums famous for its elaborate collections a Russian history and of
the arts. Nothing prepared me for the scope of the
Hermitage. I would suggest everyone that visits St.
Petersburg visit the Hermitage, as it is certainly one of the most interesting things to do in the
world.
After a short drive through St. Petersburg we arrived at the Hermitage
(along with numerous other folks from a variety of cruise ships) and gained entrance to the fabulous
museum. Helen, our escort did a fantastic job of
walking us through the structure and showing us the highlights of the museum.
The amount of artwork is almost unbelievable with rooms dedicated to every famous artist that
was ever recognized. The sheer
volume of art is staggering. After three hours or so
in the museum we left for the motor coaches and back to the ship. While there was only nominal shopping while at the Hermitage, there is excellent
shopping in the cruise terminal for quality Russian gifts.
Once back on board I chose to spend the afternoon in and around the
Jacuzzi and prepared for a late dinner in the Club Restaurant. The show “Rhythm and Song” by the
Paramount Performers was well presented and very entertaining.
I personally like the Cabaret Lounge as it allows passengers that “up close and personal”
interaction with the entertainers. Many ships have lost
the personal interaction between the performers and their audience, which has always been one of the
things about, cruise entertainment that rewarded the audience with a unique experience.
After the show I decided to make my way to bed for the evening.
Day Fourteen, Helsinki, Finland
I was up early for an early
breakfast in the Panorama Café and then spent some time in my cabin working on my computer. Before
going to meet some from our group to spend the day in Helsinki.
It was the mid-summer holiday in Finland and all of the shops and restaurants were closed for
the first 24 hours of the celebration but were be open starting at noon on this day.
We left the ship and walked directly to Tuomiokirkko, a huge Lutheran Church that
dominates Helsinki’s downtown skyline. Built in 1852 the structure is well worth a visit.
Since there was still a good amount of time until the shops were to open we decided to walk
to the furthest site of interest to our group, which was the “Church in the Rock”, an elaborate
church that was built right into solid rock. Its walls
are the rock that the church was carved into and the ceiling supported by beams attached to the top
of the rock walls. It really is something to see.
From the church we walked back into the downtown shopping area and
enjoyed a lunch at an outdoor café that overlooked the main promenade in the area.
It was a bright and sunny day and a couple of hours went by before we decided to continue our
exploration of the city we walked its streets enjoying the wonderful population of Helsinki and then
decided to enjoy one of the cruise tours offered in the main harbor.
We boarded a tourist boat for the 1 ½ hour cruise of Helsinki’s gorgeous homes and rural
areas on the
islands that make up Helsinki’s community. It is
truly a wonderful place and one lady in our group fell madly in love with Helsinki.
Back on the R-7 just in time for its departure to Stockholm I hurried to
get ready for our farewell cocktail party in the Horizon’s Sports Bar.
We had a great time talking about the cruise and our experiences and socializing with the new
friends that we had made on the cruise. Then it was
down to the Club Restaurant for another excellent dinner. I was completely bushed and passed on the evening’s show in favor of turning in
quite early for a full night’s rest.
Day Fifteen, Stockholm, Sweden
After a great night’s sleep I woke up early and made my way to the
Panorama Buffet for breakfast. A group of us had decided to visit Stockholm on our own as one of the
couples had previously been to Stockholm and knew the city well.
Unfortunately the R-7 was not assigned its usual dock space close to town but was directed to
another dock some three miles or so from town. After
several cups of coffee, we disembarked the ship and made our way to the local bus stop to take a
city bus into the city. After a ten minute wait, we boarded the bus and for about a dollar was
treated to a ride into the center of
Stockholm. Stockholm is a beautiful city of numerous
islands holed together by bridges and separated by numerous canals.
The city is a flourishing mecca for shopping and entertainment and offers myriad sightseeing
opportunities as well. We walked towards the palace and
old town area and stopped at an outdoor café or some drinks and a small snack in the perfect
74-degree weather.
We decided to take one of the “Open Top” city sightseeing tours and
boarded the bus that was available at a stop directly across the street.
The tour was so-so as the bus was an off and on bus and every stop saw quite a bit of time
wasted as new passengers got on and others got off. About
half way through the tour we disembarked the bus so that the ladies with us could shop while the men
enjoyed one of the sidewalk cafes that flourish in
Stockholm. We had a great time.
After quite a while and a long lunch we decided to board the bus and finish the tour. As it
was getting quite late we then elected to take a taxicab back to the R-7 as we had dinner
reservations for the Italian Restaurant at 7:30 pm. We had a great last dinner on the R-1 with lots of laughter and joke telling.
After dinner we made our way up to the Horizon Sports Bar (by this time we had renamed it the
Horizontal Lounge) as some of the folks we had met during the cruise were going to perform with the
piano player. It is funny how close you can become with
folks that you have just met on the cruise and through the common experience bond with.
We had a great time. Then it was off to bed for
me.
Day Sixteen, Stockholm, Sweden
My flight back to San Diego wasn’t available until the day
following disembarkation from the R-7 so I had arranged to spend the night at the
airport in Stockholm and since the airport is some distance from the downtown area I had planned on
spending the day in Stockholm and then taking the train to the airport and then transfer to the
hotel. Because I had my luggage I elected to take a taxicab
to the train station where I stored my luggage in a storage locker for the day.
I wandered and blended all day and thoroughly enjoyed the Palace and the changing of the
guards ceremony. Old Town (which adjoins the Palace) is a myriad of pedestrian streets forming a
complex maze with small covered alleyways and narrow twisting cobble stone streets that
abound with boutiques and small shops with specialty items for sale. From the Palace you can go
under the archways to enter Stockholm’s major shopping street that extends for what seems like an
endless array of stores selling everything under the sun. All in all, I had a wonderful day that I
was sad to see ending with the train trip on a high-speed train to the Stockholm airport and my
hotel.
The Shore Excursions
(Top of Page)
La Havre, France
Paris Classic Highlights, Full Day, $99.99
We left the R-7 in an air-conditioned motor coach for the three-hour drive to Paris.
Upon arrival we drove through the streets of Paris and saw its most popular sights, monuments
and buildings. Of note was the Arc de Triomphe, the
Eiffel Tower, The Greek-style La Madeleine church and the Louvre (the famous museum.) We also past
the Place de I’Opera (an elaborate opera house) Pont Neuf and the I’lle de la Cite. We stopped at Notre-Dame Cathedral for 2 ½ hours so that we could enjoy the
cathedral and also spend time shopping and to have a wonderful Parisian lunch.
After lunch, we boarded the motor Coach and toured many more shopping streets of Paris before
making our way back to La Havre, which also took 2 ½ hours.
Paris On Your Own, Full Day, $79.99
We left the R-7 for the three-hour drive to the city of Paris. During the drive we enjoyed the
narration of the escort on where and what to do in Paris. They
dropped us in Paris and arranged to meet us in 4 hours. We
elected to take the tourist sightseeing bus (about $12) that allowed us to circle Paris’ major
attractions and get on and off the bus as many times as we wanted to explore the areas they stopped
in. This was a good way to experience Paris for the first time but having four hours in Paris is
like having 1/10 of a second in a candy store. I would
definitely go back to Paris in a heartbeat for a week of longer…it is simply a wonderful city.
Normandy Landing Beaches, Full Day, $99.99
We left the R-7in an air-conditioned motor coach and drove directly to Arromanches where the
invasion of Normandy was orchestrated. We saw the
remnants of an artificial port that was used to enable the landing (Mulberry B) and took over 1-year
to manufacture in England. (I had never heard the story
before and was amazed by the facts as they occurred.) We hen visited the landing museum where models
and films recreate the entire landing operation and events. We
continued to Arromanches where we had free time for shopping and lunch before continuing to
Colleville Saint Laurent to visit the American cemetery. 9,385 marble crosses and stars of David
stand in perfect alignment on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach.
If this sight doesn’t touch you, nothing will. I
would recommend this tour to anyone even remotely interested in U.S. history, It is not only
enlightening but it brings the reality of World War Two into your senses in a way nothing else
could. I would give this tour a 10 on a scale of 1 to
10. If you have already been to Paris, then I would
strongly suggest this tour as an option when in La Havre.
Fecamp and Etretat; Taste of Normandy, Half Day, $59.99
We took a moderate motor coach ride to Fecamp and the Benedictine
Palace (treasuries and distillery) We had a short walking tour of some of the artwork and a short
time to sample the products of the distillery. We then
drove to a beach resort named Etretat for the balance of the day. We viewed the town and walked the strand seeing the white cliffs, windsurfers and
so on. It was a very pleasant and laid-back day and a
nice taste of country life in Normandy.
Zeebrugge, Belgium
Bruges, A Medieval Fairyland, Half Day, $59.99
We boarded an air-conditioned motor coach at the ship for the 45-minute drive to Bruges where we
took a nice walk through the town before boarding canal boats for a tour of the city by boat. The boat tour was surreal with tiny low hanging tunnels going under quaint
bridges (like you would see in Disneyland.) The canals were all lined with storybook houses in some
places and large building in others. I would highly
recommend the boat tour for anyone. Once off the boat
we continued on land to visit the cathedral “Church of our Lady” where we viewed some of
Michelangelo’s works and then continued past several interesting structures. I entered the
Basilica of Holy Blood and viewed a piece of cloth said to have been soaked in the blood of Jesus
Christ. This was very awe-inspiring. We then had some
free time for shopping and exploring in the main square in town before boarding the motor coach back
to the ship. I would highly recommend this tour with
the caveat that if you have any trouble walking be aware that Bruges is an old town with cobblestone
streets and is very difficult to walk around on.
Glorious Ghent, Half Day, $59.99
We departed the ship via air-conditioned motor coach and made our way towards the town of Ghent
(took about an hour each way.) Our first stop was at
the St. Bavo’s Cathedral where we spent a good amount of time exploring its treasures.
In my opinion there was way too much time spent explaining the minute details of each
painting which, while interesting, was not consistent with the amount of time we had to explore
Ghent. We finally left the Cathedral and walked past
several other interesting structures before having limited free time to explore Ghent’s shops and
old town area. Frankly, I couldn’t recommend this
tour to anyone not keenly interested in the minute details of ancient art as way too much time was
spent on the Cathedral and gave too little time allocated to explore Ghent.
Bruges on Your Own, Half Day, $39.99
We boarded air-conditioned motor coaches and made our way to Bruges (about 30 minutes) and parked in
the area that buses are allowed to park. Unfortunately
it was a hefty walk on cobblestone street to get to the center square of Bruges and some folks were
bushed by the time they got to the town center to start their tour.
I would strongly suggest that folks take a taxicab form the bus to the town center if they
have any difficulty walking whatsoever. Also, some
folks on the ship elected to take taxicabs from the ship to Bruges and the fare was only $40 or so.
We personally would have taken a taxicab if we had known this in advance as the taxicabs drop
you right in the town square.
Bruges is well worth the visit and once rested from the walk, I
thoroughly enjoyed the town and its shops, attractions, restaurants and people.
Be sure to do the canal boat ride for a very interesting view of Bruges.
Also I didn’t do it but the folks that climbed to the Bell tower in on of the Churches said
it was a wonderful experience. Have fun!
Antwerp, Belgium
Highlights of Antwerp, Half Day, $39.99
We departed the R-7 via air-conditioned motor coach and made our way into Antwerp.
Our first stop was at Market Square where we took about a half hour to explore the buildings
and the town hall. Antwerp is truly a beautiful city
with its distinctly European architecture complete with ornate fountains and building facades. We
then continued on to the Cathedral of Our Lady (a uniquely ornate church) and viewed several
paintings by Rubens that were on display inside the church. From
the cathedral we continued to Rubens House that is an elaborate home hinting of Antwerp’s affluent
past. The house contains more works by Rubens and other
famous painters from Belgium’s past. Then it was
shopping time as we went to the diamond center and watched as cutters made gemstones from what
looked like small quartz crystals. It was very
interesting watching the process and I was impressed that Antwerp was the diamond capital of the
world. We had free time for shopping and then made our
way back to the R-7. Overall I would give the tour an 8
on a scale of 1 to 10 simply because I felt more time for shopping could have been allowed.
Brussels – The Capital of Europe, Full Day, $59.99
We took a pleasant ride to Brussels where we made a short stop at Atomium (a large structure of
335-feet built for the 1958 World Exhibition) before continuing to Brussels for a well-planned tour
of the city, which included the Royal Palace and other historical buildings.
We also saw the NATO headquarters and EU buildings and were offered an extensive explanation
of why Brussels was chosen for so many international organizations.
The reason is that the Belgians are not a threat to anyone militarily or economically. Many
with the tour enjoyed lunch together before ample time for shopping and wandering around.
I made a mental note that Brussels was worth another visit.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam – The Heart of Holland, Half Day, $54.99
We left the R-7 and immediately boarded one of the great canal boats that vie Amsterdam’s many
canals that permeate Amsterdam’s city. We cruised by an older section of town that was quite
picturesque and then by Anne Frank’s house. We
continued on past several interesting bridges and buildings before leaving the boat and boarding our
air-conditioned motor coach and headed directly to the Rijksmuseum where we spent some time and
enjoyed one of Rembrandt’s famous paintings. After we
left the museum we drove along “Dam Square” a large and beautiful square in Amsterdam (we were
all laughing about that Dam Square) and continued on past several important buildings and areas.
This tour is an excellent way to become oriented with Amsterdam and I would give it a 9 on a scale
of 1 to 10. It is well worth the money (especially for
first time visitors to Amsterdam) and is certainly better than striking out on your own.
Merken and Volendam – Images from the Past, Half-Day, $44.99
It was a moderate length drive to the island of Merken. We did a short easy walking tour of the
small village, which has been a fishing port. We walked
between the green and white homes to the harbor. There
were a few shops open; a typical home was open for inspection and many boats in the small harbor.
Merken was a nice taste of small-town Holland.
We then stopped for a short stay at a cheese farm where there was a
short lecture and display of cheese making and a chance to taste many of the chesses.
Many bought chesses to take home. Next, the tour
took us to a functioning fishing village named Volendam. There
were many nice restaurants, nice shops and a few hotels. There were vendors selling fresh cooked
herring, eels and other treats from the ocean along the main harbor streets.
There were lots of boats as well in the harbor. Volendam
was a very interesting stop with enough time to really see it all.
This was an excellent tour and well worth your time.
The Windmills and Cheeses of Holland, Half-Day, $44.99
Great tour! We left the R-7
via motor coach and drove directly to Zaanse and then through the countryside of northern Holland.
The traditional buildings were relocated here from areas endangered by dyke failure and date
back hundreds of years. We drove past numerous
windmills and discovered their uses and lots of interesting information about Holland’s rural
past. We stopped in a village where we visited a working windmill and had time to wander its small
cobblestone streets and quaint shops. After visiting
the village we continued on into the countryside where we visited a cheese farm before continuing to
Edam a small town with picturesque bridges narrow streets and structures. We spent time walking
through Edam before returning to the R-7. I loved this
tour because it gave us a great look at Holland’s rural environment and would give it a 10 on a
scale of 1 to 10.
Oslo, Norway
Highlights of Oslo, Half-Day, $44.99
We left the R-7 (docked right downtown Oslo) and drove through the city of Oslo past many of Oslo’s
famous buildings to Vigeland Sculpture Park. The 80-acre park features over 150 sculptures of human
and animal figures…some quite complex. We then
continued to the Holmenkolllen Ski Jump and enjoyed the view of the city of Oslo and Oslofjord.
We then went to the Oslo city hall and toured its artwork and architecture. Overall I would
give this tour a 6 or 7 on a scale of 1 to 10 as it just seemed anticlimactic to some of the cities
we have seen so far. I would have rather just walked
through Oslo on my own.
Norwegian Adventure Tour, Half-Day, $44.99
We departed via motor coach and tour downtown Oslo’s more famous buildings and sites before making
our way around the bay to the Viking Ship Museum. I
found the museum fascinating but I have to admit that I love ships (especially older ships) and we
were able to tour the artifacts, treasures and remnants of Norway’s past glory on the sea. It was
an excellent treat if you like the history of shipping and/or old ships and shouldn’t be missed.
From the museum we then continued on to the Kon-Tiki Museum to view the original Kon-Tiki
that was used to cross the pole. It was interesting but I would have rather spent the entire afternoon at the
Viking Ship Museum. I would give this tour a high
rating as we saw everything Oslo had to offer in one afternoon.
Akershus Castle and Resistance Museum, Half-Day, $34.99
When I first saw that the R-7 docked directly across from the Akershus Castle is regretted buying
this optional tour as I could have simply walked right across the street and gained admittance to
the castle. However, the guide that took us into the
castle and museum was outstanding and well worth the price for the tour.
The guide offered us great insight into what we were seeing and into the subtleties of the
Resistance Museum as well. Well worth the price if you
are going to explore the castle and I would recommend it even though the castle is right across the
street from the ship.
Copenhagen, Denmark
City Highlights and Harbor Cruise, Half-Day, $64.99
It was a very short ride to town center and then on to the Little
Mermaid for a photo stop. We then continued on to
Amalienborg Palace (a complex of buildings around a square) to see the changing of the guard. We
then continued on to a one-hour cruise (the highlight of the tour). You get a very different and
interesting perspective of city life from a tour boat. This was a very complete and historically
interesting tour.
City Highlights and Harbor Cruise, Half-Day, $64.99
We left the R-7 via motor coach and made our way to downtown Copenhagen and its famous “Town Hall
Square”. We then drove past the Tivoli Gardens
amusement park and made our way to Amalienborg Palace and its spacious square with formal guards
posted everywhere protecting the royal residence located there. We continued on to Christiansborg
Palace for a visit and then continued on to visit the “Little Mermaid” sculpture (I wasn’t
impressed) before going to the old fish market and boarding a canal boat for a wonderful
canal/harbor cruise through Copenhagen’s (Christianhavn”s) rich culture and architecture. I especially enjoyed the buildings and their relationship with the canals. We
finished by returning to the R-7. This is a great tour as it gives you an excellent overview of
Copenhagen in a very short period of time and allows you to decide where you want to spend more time
(shopping in Copenhagen).
Castles and Countryside, Half-Day, $64.99
We left the R-7 via motor coach and drove along the coastline to Helsingor and the Kronborg Castle. This was the site of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
We walked around the castle enjoying its splendid views.
We then continued on to Frederiksborg Castle, which is located on several islands located in
Castle Lake. It is made up of several buildings and the
overall impression is one of huge wealth and power. The church’s organ is huge and the furnishing
wonderful. We then continued to the village of Fredensborg where we stopped for pictures of
the Fredensborg Palace, the summer home of the Royal Family. I enjoyed this tour and especially
enjoyed the beauty of the countryside of Denmark.
The Land of Vikings, Half-Day, $64.99
If you are into ships….don’t miss this tour!
We visited Roskilde and saw many old ships that dated back over 1,000 years.
There was plenty of time to inspect the ships and also the town of Roskilde.
Great tour if you like ships (I love them) but not so great if you don’t.
Tallinn, Estonia
Medieval Enchantment, Half-Day, $39.99, (Note: Extensive Walking)
We had a short ride through town to the auditorium for a local children’s folkloric dance show,
which was very good. On the way in we had a sample of Estonian liquor and coffee.
We drove to Upper Town and started our walking tour at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
It was very impressive. We then walked through
the streets to Parliament and to a spot that gave us a view of the whole city.
From here we made our way down stairs to Lower Town and Town Hall
Square. We had about ½ hour to shop before boarding
the bus back to the ship at 12:10 pm. We had a
wonderful guide (Anneli) who gave us lots of history and information about Tallinn and Estonia.
I would highly recommend this tour.
Tallinn By Coach, Half-Day, $39.99
We departed the R-7 via motor coach and drove through Tallinn’s streets making our way to the 15th
century St. Brigitta Convent. The row houses along the
way documented the Russian occupancy of Tallinn quite succinctly.
After visiting the Convent we continued driving Tallinn’s streets past the houses of
several of Estonia’s more famous writers and artists. We
continued to the heart of Tallinn passing by numerous churches with their high spires and imposing
facades. Our last stop was in Old Town, a medieval
walled city dating back many centuries. Old Town is a
wonderful maze of cobble stoned pedestrian streets with an unbelievable array of shops offering all
kinds of goods. I enjoyed this tour and would recommend it highly for those that want to avoid
extensive walking on uneven surfaces that abound in Europe’s older areas.
St. Petersburg, Russia
The Glories of St. Petersburg, Full-Day, $144.99
We left the R-7 going through immigration in the cruise terminal on the way and boarded a motor
coach and made our way into St. Petersburg. Our first stop was along the river where we could see
the panorama of many of St. Petersburg’s famous landmarks. There
were numerous shops at this stop with excellent values on Russian collectibles (nesting dolls, hand
painted boxes and the such) We continued on to Peter and Paul Fortress and entered its walled
interior that houses several old buildings. We toured
the area and entered the cathedral where Peter the Great’s tomb is located.
The gold covered interior was breathtaking. As is the ornate alter. We then continued on to
St. Isaac's Cathedral where the gold dome (230 lbs of it) of St. Isaac’s Cathedral is stunning.
Once again there were many shops located at St. Isaac’s that offered excellent shopping. From St.
Isaac’s we drove around St. Petersburg seeing many of the more famous buildings and made our next
stop at the fascinating Spilled Blood Cathedral. This
structure is so ornate it is almost unbelievable. Next
to the Spilled Blood Cathedral is a large flea market area with more shopping for Russian
collectibles of all kinds.
Since it was almost noon we made our way to the Sheraton St. Petersburg
for a lunch that was included with the tour. Lunch was
excellent with four courses and entertainment while we enjoyed the salmon and variety of dishes.
Wine and vodka were even included with the lunch. I
certainly did not expect such a wonderful dining experience either on the tour or at a Sheraton
Hotel.
After lunch we boarded our motor coach and took a 60-minute drive into the country to visit Catherine Palace and Park. What an unbelievable structure. Catherine Palace is simply breathtaking. The front of the palace is over 1,000 feet long and its blue, white and gold façade is breathtaking. There is over 200 pounds of gold in the exterior gilding alone. To think that so much wealth was focused on a summer home while tens of thousands of people were starving in Russia is upsetting to me personally. Inside, the palace continues with room after room of gold gilding, exquisite woodwork and luxurious amenities. The palace also offers a large park in what used to be the palace grounds. Fountains, gardens and pathways meander about the area. All in all, I would give this tour an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. There was not enough time made available for shopping and the fact that the best shopping was at the very first stops should have been made clear as many on our coach waited thinking that shopping time was going to be made available. While there is a shopping area in the cruise terminal the deals at the first stops were much better.
Majestic St. Petersburg, Half-Day, $54.99
This tour is simply the first part (up until lunch) of the Glories of St. Petersburg described
above.
We drove to the Golden Dome of St. Issacs Cathedral (photo and shopping stop) and then to Peter and Paul Fortress and a tour of the cathedral and the grounds. Helen said the cathedral was well worth the time spent. We then drove on f