Holland America: Scandinavian & Russian Adventure
Hello Friends,
Here are the cruise details, as well as the pricing, for the group that Walt and Pam Goldman are escorting on July 4th-16th, 2008. It is a wonderful itinerary, featuring two days in St. Petersburg, or you can choose one day in Moscow and one day in St. Petersburg. You can also have a day in Berlin, departing from Warnemunde, Germany. A special inclusive with this cruise is the Virtuoso Explorer Club, which features a complimentary excursion in Tallinn, Estonia, a cocktail party aboard the ship, and a Virtuoso Host couple traveling with you on the ship. Special shore excursions will be planned for this group, similar to the ones outlined in this information.
Walt and Pam invite you to join them and their other friends on this wonderful journey in Northern Europe and Russia.
Summary
Scandinavian & Russian Adventure
| Company | Holland America |
| Ship | Rotterdam |
| Trip Dates | Jul 4 - 16, 2008 |
| Locations | Copenhagen to Copenhagen |
| Duration | 12 days |
| Info | Holland America Line believes in the adage, "It's not just the destinations, but the journey that counts." Of course, the cruise destinations are amazing, the shore excursions are unique and memorable, but your perfect journey is made complete by the special onboard amenities that have consistently made Holland America Line the world's highest-rated premium cruise line. All manner of delights await you as you step aboard a five-star fleet of premium cruise ships and into a world of gracious, unobtrusive service, elegant accommodations, spacious public areas, fine dining, comforting spa and salon treatments and glittering entertainment. |
Itinerary
| Day | Date | Location | Arrive | Depart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fri, Jul 04 | Copenhagen | 05:00 PM | |
| 2 | Sat, Jul 05 | Day-at-Sea | ||
| 3 | Sun, Jul 06 | Tallinn | 10:00 AM | 07:00 PM |
| 4 | Mon, Jul 07 | St. Petersburg | 08:00 AM | |
| 5 | Tue Jul 08 | St. Petersburg | 05:00 PM | |
| 6 | Wed, Jul 09 | Helsinki | 06:00 AM | 05:00 PM |
| 7 | Thu, Jul 10 | Stockholm | 08:00 AM | 05:00 PM |
| 8 | Fri, Jul 11 | Day-at-Sea | ||
| 9 | Sat, Jul 12 | Warnemunde | 06:00 AM | 11:00 PM |
| 10 | Sun, Jul 13 | Aarhus | 09:00 AM | 05:00 PM |
| 11 | Mon, Jul 14 | Kristiansand | 08:00 AM | 05:00 PM |
| 12 | Tue, Jul 15 | Oslo | 08:00 AM | 03:00 PM |
| 13 | Wed, Jul 16 | Copenhagen | 07:00 AM |
Unique Shore Programs
Copenhagen Highlights & Castles of North Zealand
Location : Copenhagen
Length : 7 hours (with lunch stop)
Begin with a drive through the heart of Copenhagen, past the Town Hall Square and the world-famous Tivoli Gardens. Drive along the canal to Christiansborg Palace, built on the site of the earliest fortifications of the city dating back to 1167 and the seat of the Danish Parliament. Cross the canal to reach the King's New Square, the Royal Theatre and the lively Nyhavn Canal.
Stop for photos at Amalienborg Palace, the royal city residence located on a spacious, octagonal Palace Square and comprising four separate, but linked mansions. One is the residence of the Queen; the second is used by the Crown Prince; the third is for visiting royals and the fourth is administrative offices of the throne. Pass Rosenborg Palace, where the Danish Crown jewels are house and arrive at Langeline Promenade to visit the Little Mermaid looking wistfully out to the sea for her prince.
Continue north of the city via the attractive coastal road, with views across the strait to Sweden, and pass through some of Copenhagen's most fashionable rural suburbs. Proceed all the way to the northern tip of Zealand to Elsinore to see the impressive Kronborg Castle, which Shakespeare used as the scene for his play "Hamlet". Kronborg castle was built between 1574 and 1585 to protect Danish interests and also to boost the Danish treasury by levying tolls on the shipping which passed through the narrow straits.
Continue inland through the undulating green countryside to Fredensborg and ass the Crown Prince's residence at Fredensborg Palace, surrounded by a beautiful park (photo stop).
Finally, on to Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød built in the Renaissance style by King Christian IV in 1625. The visit to the castle includes the very fine national historical museum, the Chapel, and the Knights' Hall.
NOTE: Lunch at a restaurant en route can be included (not included in the prices quoted).
A Day in Moscow
Location : St. Petersburg
Length : 15 hours
You have the option of spending the day in the exciting city of Moscow.
Travel by air approximately 500 miles from St. Petersburg (1 hour flight) to Moscow, the capital of Russia, one of the biggest cities of Europe with 850 years of history.
Upon landing at the local airport, begin with a panoramic tour of the city, including old mansions of Moscow's wealthy and new houses of the Soviet and post-Soviet Moscow.
See the most interesting sights of this intriguing city including the Red Square and Kremlin, the residence of the President. This unique complex of architectural monuments, surrounded by an ancient red brick wall crowned with 19 towers, is the heart and symbol of Moscow.
Also visit major ancient Cathedrals of the Kremlin such as Cathedral of the Dormition, the main temple of Russia and the burial place of the Moscow's metropolitans and patriarchs. In compliance with the Russian traditions the whole interior of the cathedral is covered with frescoes painted in the 17th century by the best craftsmen.
Also see the Archangel Michael Cathedral, which was the burial place of Moscow's Grand Princes and Tsars.
Visit the Armory Chamber, one of the oldest museums on the Kremlin Grounds founded in 1511 and the place where the Tsar treasures had been stored. The museum displays the unique specimens of applied art and precious utensils, i.e the collection of West-European silver utensils of the 13th-19th centuries (ambassador's gifts); the collection of elite arms and of golden and silver embroidery; the collection of fabrics and clothing of the 14th to the beginning of the 20th centuries; tsars' carriages; the collection of jewelry of the 12th-20th centuries and Faberge Eggs.
Also enjoy a visit of the Almond Fund with its collection of jewelry including famous emeralds and sapphires and the crown of Catherine the Great with more than 5000 diamonds.
Stop to view magnificent Cathedral of Our Savior that was fully destroyed during Stalin's time and was rebuilt some years ago. Now it functions as one of the main Russian churches.
If time permits, you may do a bit of shopping and sightseeing by metro.
During the day, stop for lunch (on your own account) and enjoy some local cuisine.
At the end of the day, return by air to St. Petersburg, arriving around 11 pm.
NOTE: We also offer a guide escort for the entire tour beginning meet and greet, continuing with the flight to Moscow, Moscow tour, return flight to St. Petersburg and transfer to the ship. This extra service is primarily recommended for elderly clients. Extra charge for this service is USD 410.00 disregarding number of people in a group.
Included
- Transfer from ship-airport-ship in St. Petersburg
- Round-trip economy class air St. Petersburg- Moscow-St. Petersburg
- Private air-conditioned vehicle/minibus
- Driver and English-speaking guide
- Entrance fees to museums
- Special gift for Virtuoso guests
- Lunch
- VAT
Impressive Palaces
Location : St. Petersburg
Length : 7 hours
In the region south of St. Petersburg, you will find the most exquisite summer palaces and mansions of tsars and noblemen.
Number one is Pushkin, formerly Tsarskoe Selo, favorite residence of Catherine the Great. A Rastrelli creation, this palace was revived from ruins caused by World War II. Last year the famous Amber Room was opened after many years of restoration. Millions and millions of people from all over the world come to see this unique chef-d'oeuvre. They wait in line for hours to enter the Palace. We arrange a special VIP entrance for our clients in order to avoid the crowd.
Next door is Alexander Palace, a wedding present of Catherine the Great to her favorite grandson. The palace became the retreat of the last Russian tsar, Nickolas II. Represented within its twelve halls are decorative and applied works of art, costumes, and personal belongings related to the life of its crowned owners.
Five miles away, is the most elegant and exquisite palace of all - Paul's Palace in Pavlovsk. More than anywhere else, it is here that you will feel the sophisticated atmosphere of the 19th century.
The private rooms of the Empress Dowager Maria Feodorovna are open again in the Pavlovsk Palace. The rooms once formed a charming shelter for the Empress. She was a hospitable hostess of Pavlovsk, a philanthropist, patroness of the arts, and an artist herself. Witness one of the most elegant interiors and romantic residences, which still holds the spell of the past.
During the day, stop to enjoy a lunch of Russian cuisine.
Included
- Private vehicle/minibus
- Driver and English-speaking guide
- Private entrance to Catherine Palace (no line)
- Lunch
- Special gift for Virtuoso guests
Russian History & Art - Old Icons to Avant Garde
Location : St. Petersburg
Length : 7 hours
Today, you will have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with Russian History and the development of Russian Art and see its masterpieces, all escorted by a professional Russian Art Historian.
Begin with historical and architectural highlights of St. Petersburg:
Drive down Nevsky Prospect – main thoroughfare of the city - and see Field of Mars, Smolny Cathedral, Neva embankments, Bronze Horseman, St. Isaak's Cathedral, and Spit of Basil Island.
Stop and visit the inside of St. Peter and Paul Fortress. See the Tombs of all Russian Emperors and Empresses from Peter I to Nicolas II, who were buried there.
In the afternoon, visit the world's largest museum of Russian art. Your guide, a top specialist in Russian art, will show you the unique collection which numbers some 4,000,000 works and covers the entire history of Russian fine art from the 10th century to the present day. It reflects every form and genre of art in Russia, including a unique collection of Old Russian icons, works of painting, graphic art and sculpture, decorative and applied art, folk art and numismatic, as well as the world's finest collection of Russian avant-garde.
During the day, enjoy a lunch of Russian cuisine at a nice restaurant in St. Petersburg.
Helsinki - Capital of the Land of Thousand Lakes
Location : Helsinki
Length : 3 hours
Info Helsinki was founded in 1550 by the Swedish King Gustav Vasa. In 1748, the building of the Suomenlinna Fortress drew more people to the city and gave it a more cosmopolitan air. As a result of the war of 1808-1809, Sweden was forced to cede Finland to Russia. In 1812, Tsar Alexander declared Helsinki the capital of autonomous Finland. In 1917, the city became the capital of the independent Republic of Finland. Cultural influences from both East and West have moulded the life of the city, which has nevertheless preserved an outlook on life that is inherently Finnish.
Among the most striking features of the Helsinki architecture are the areas built in a uniform style. The city thus has whole blocks and even districts representing Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, National Romantic, and functional or modern architecture.
The oldest area in Helsinki that has been preserved intact is Senate Square. Done in a simple neoclassical style, it is reminiscent of old St. Petersburg.
In the 1970s Helsinki acquired some important new public buildings - Finlandia Hall, City Theatre, National Opera house, the official residence of the Finnish President, and Temppeliaukio Church - which are now important landmarks on the Helsinki street scene.
This city tour includes all the essential sights in the city center including Sibelius Park with its unusual steel monument commemorating the great Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.
Pay a visit to Temppeliaukio Church (The Church in the Rock), completed in 1969, carved out of solid rock and topped with a copper dome. The excellent acoustics make this a favorite venue for concerts.
Countryside Visit to Wismar and Schwerin
Location : Warnemunde
Length : 6 Hours
Your car and driver will pick you up at the ship for an excursion through the countryside to visit the medieval town of Schwerin, where the city's fairytale castle, the 'Neuschwanstein' of the north, is magically reflected in Lake Schwerin.
Shortly after its founding in 1160, Schwerin became the seat of the court of the Dukes of Mecklenburg. It was too distant from the great trading routes of the Holy Roman Empire to blossom into a major economic and cultural centre, but it is this very absence of a great past that prevented generations of rulers and burghers from tearing down the old to make way for buildings in the most fashionable style of the day. This, together with the fact that the city centre was hardly bombed during WWII, makes Schwerin one of the best preserved cities in the North of Germany.
Enjoy a walking tour of the historic city centre, with its medieval half-timbered houses surrounding the Baroque town hall. Visit the neo-classical Marstall and stop at the High Gothic dome with its sturdy red brick facade, a potent reminder of a church militant and, ultimately, triumphant.
Then, drive through the countryside to the charming 'Seehotel', located on the shores of the Neukloster-Lake. This quaint ensemble of an old farm-house built at the beginning of the 19th century, and a reed-covered barn of the same time period, were bought and refurbished by two prominent Berlin architects who opened their country hotel there in 1993.
Enjoy lunch (no host) on the restaurant deck situated in the gardens of the hotel overlooking the picturesque lake. The regional cuisine is prepared with fresh seasonal produce and artisanal cheeses, local honey and offerings of the area, as well as the 'fresh catch of the day'.
Return to the ship.
Included
- Transportation to/from port in a luxury a/c vehicle (Mercedes "S class" or deluxe mini van)
- English speaking driver/guide
Discover the New Berlin (from Warnemunde)
Location : Warnemunde
Length : 6 hours + 3 hours drive each way
If you only have 6 hours to spend in one of Europe's great cultural capitals, which would you spend them with? What would you do?
While you are in Germany, let Culture Trip customize your Berlin shore excursion so that you can see the Berlin that interests you and enjoy it in the company of YOUR choosing!
New Architecture:
- Pariser Platz, Potsdamer Platz, New Embassy Quarter, New Government District
- Frank Gehry's DZ Bank with its amorphous, floating board room
Visit Berlin's world-renowned art collections housed in over 150 museums:
- The new Jewish Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind
- The newly-reopened German Historical Museum
- The Alte Nationalgalerie - 19th c German painting and Sculpture
- Mies van der Rohe's Neue Nationalgalerie – Modern Art Collection in a spectacular setting
- The Hamburger Bahnhof - contemporary art in a 19th c. railway terminal
- Old Master Painting Gallery – 13th through 18th c. European paintings
WWII and Cold War history and sites:
- Site of Hitler's Imperial Chancellery
- Former Ministry of Aviation,
- 40's bunker - indestructible piece of wartime architecture, which was incorporated after the war into a 50's tenement block
- East Side Gallery - a 1 kilometre long stretch of the Berlin Wall in an industrial district of Berlin, now painted with anti-war murals by artists from all over the world
- Check Point Charlie
- The Brandenburg Gate
Jewish History:
- Peter Eisenman-designed "Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe". A central place of remembrance and a place of warning in a 'Field Of Stelae', which cover 19,000 sqm in the heart of Berlin near the Brandenburg Gate
- Walk the "Scheunenviertel" – Historic Jewish Quarter, now bustling with galleries, boutiques, and cafes tucked away in charming 19th c. courtyards.
Lunch is on your own account and in the restaurant of your choice, depending on your mood when you get there!
* Please also inquire about art-historian led tours and pricing.
Included
- Transportation to/from port in a luxury a/c vehicle (Mercedes "S class", deluxe mini van or coach) -English speaking driver/guide
Djursland - Landscapes, Seascapes & Castles
Location : Aarhus
Length : 6 hours
Djursland puts out its nose - geographically this peninsula juts out into the sea of Kattegat.
Djursland has some of the most beautiful landscapes in Denmark. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, it has long and varied coasts with numerous beaches, steep chalky cliffs, and a fascinating flora.
Situated near the forests, are a number of old castles and manor houses such as Rosenholm Castle - Home of the Rosenkrantz Family for 437 years. The castle of Rosenholm is one of the most beautiful castles from the golden age of Danish manorial architecture 1550 - 1630.
Since 1559 Rosenholm has been the home of the famous Rosenkrantz family, which for centuries was among the richest and most powerful families of Denmark. The castle holds more than 100 family portraits, rare renaissance and rococo furniture, gilt leather tapestries, and interesting Spanish furniture from about 1500.
In the garden you will find the elegant renaissance pavilion "Pirkentavl". The second owner of Rosenholm, Holger Rosenkrantz, was a famous Lutheran theologian known as "Holger the Learned". He kept a private academy at Rosenholm and used Pirkentavl as a classroom. To commemorate that, Pirkentavl has been called "The First University of Jutland".
Djursland is also known for small picturesque villages or towns. The most famous one is Ebeltoft, which dates back to 1301. Ebeltoft gives a good impression of an old, small and provincial town with small half-timbered houses still in use.
The pride of Ebeltoft is the world's oldest warship, the Frigate "Jutland" - still in the water. The renovated wooden ship from 1860 has furnished cabins and saloons, 44 guns and shows a fascinating picture of life for a crew of 430 men on board a warship.
Located in Ebeltoft is also the Glass Museum, a relatively new museum with a collection of international studio glass from all over the world.
Oslo Highlights
Location : Oslo
Length : 4 Hours
Your English speaking private driver/guide will pick you up at the pier and take you on an interesting half day tour of the main sights of Oslo.
Your guide will start by showing you (from outside) City Hall, the medieval Akershus Fortress, the Cathedral, Stortinget - the Norwegian Parliament and the Royal Palace before you go out to the Bygdoy peninsula.
Here, your first stop will be The Viking Ship Museum where you will get an introduction to the Norwegian Viking History and see authentic Viking ships more than 1100 years old.
Afterwards, visit the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. This is one of Europe's largest outdoor museums and boasts a large collection of old Norwegian buildings dating from the 1200s up to modern time. This interesting museum gives you an overview of the whole of Norway in just a short time.
Continue to the famous Vigeland Sculpture Park. In this beautiful park you will be able to see more than 200 full size human sculptures depicting human life from birth to death.
The tour ends at the pier.
Included
- Transportation in a luxury sedan
- English speaking driver/guide
- All entrance fees
Group Fares
| Booked Category | Per Person Price with 2 people sharing a room |
|---|---|
| EE Ocean View | $2,779 |
| F Ocean View | $2,709 |
| K Inside | $2,379 |
Other Charges
Fuel Supplement $60.00
Taxes and Fees $180.54
Airfare Pricing
| Departure Cities | Price |
|---|---|
| Atlanta - Coach Class | $1,538.50 |
| Charlotte - Coach Class | $1,548.50 |
Flights from GSP may also be available — after deposit for trip is paid
