Many thanks for the review Danger Man. Unfortunately it could be a couple of weeks before it is approved as the Admin who approves Cruise Reviews is away from the site at the moment.
luci
luci
why not post it in the mean time
OK - here it is:
This was our fourth cruise with Thomsons and our second on the Celebration so we had a good idea what to expect. Check-in was a fairly painless process and we were settled and unpacked by around 4 o'clock to see the ship leave a rather grey Harwich.
So - onto the full cruise review!
Ship Cleanliness.
Our cabin was spotless and was kept nice and tidy by our cabin "boy", Husni, throughout the cruise. The ship itself is pretty clean but some of the carpets are a little worn. Ship maintenance is a never ending task and there was always something being painted or repaired. The inside smoking ban has helped to make the interior more pleasant with no more nasty stale tobacco smells.
Crew
What can you say? They bend over backwards to help and are always smiling and joking. Nothing is too much trouble for them. I cannot say a bad word about any of the crew.
Ship Food
We ate at both the Lido buffet and Meridian restaurant. The food was of a high quality at both. The buffet is not "help yourself" but the servers will put as much or as little as you want on your plates. Finding seats was a little trickier on this cruise, perhaps because the weather meant more people ate inside. The Meridian food is superb and as good as any hotel or restaurant I've eaten at. The service was fast and efficient and we had two very good waiters - Bem and Richie - who kept us entertained.
Onboard Entertainment
The quality of entertainment is in the eye of the beholder. I heard one person compare it to Butlin's in the 70's but as someone who used to holiday every year at Butlin's in the 70's, I can reassure people it isn't that bad. We didn't think the evening stage shows were very good this year and the quality of the singing in particular was poor. The evening game shows were generally good, but did get a little silly at times; the "Miss Celebration" contest was very cringeworthy, although my kids loved it. During the day there were plenty of games, quizzes, lectures and films to keep just about everybody amused.
Now, let's deal with the ports of call:
Stockholm
Some problems with the weather meant we were late arriving at Stockholm and our visit there was cut to a little less than three hours. The journey in to Stockholm is a complete joy; a three hour trip through the small islands and inlets of the archipelago. Once in the city, we wandered around the old town and the Royal Palace and took a pleasant stroll along the water front.
Helsinki
The ship was forced to berth some distance from the city, probably due to our late arrival. A complimentary shuttle bus was provided to the city but the queues were horrendous and we had to wait 40 minutes before we caught the bus. Apparently only two buses were available. That was the only hiccup, though, but it did give the moaners a chance to air their voices! Once in the city we took the 3B tram which is a circular route taking in the main sites, wandered around the shops and watched some street performers that were quite entertaining.
St Petersburg
As you are not allowed ashore without a visa, we took three excursions at St Petersburg. These are not particularly cheap (£30 - £40 per adult) but there is a good selection. We went to the Hermitage which was OK, but very crowded and rushed. Our guide was very good. Public toilets are rare so take the opportunity to go when you get one! In the evening we went to the ballet, "Swan Lake". This was excellent. Getting out of the theatre was a farce; around a thousand people were funnelled through two tiny exits. One shudders to think what would have happened had there been a fire. The other trip was a guided coach tour around the city with plenty of photo stops.
Tallinn
An absolute delight of a city, helped by the warm weather! The city is not big and it was easy to wander from the ship, through the cobbled streets to the main sites. We enjoyed a drink at the town square and visited the oldest pharmacy in Europe!
Warnemunde
This is a very pleasant seaside resort with frequent rail services to nearby Rostok. We spent the day wandering around Warnemunde, though, as there are lots of shops, bars and general "goings on" to keep you amused.
Kalundburg
The excursions to Copenhagen were fully booked so we decided to explore the town. We were pleased we did as there is loads to do. A shuttle bus dropped us in the centre, right next to a small flea market. The church is a short walk away and right next to that was a small museum. Entrance to this was free for cruise passengers and you got the impression that we were special guests at the town. They even provided a brass band to see us off!
All in all it was a very good cruise. The weather wasn't brilliant but we didn't expect that for northern Europe. The sights and the enjoyable time onboard more than made up for it!
This was our fourth cruise with Thomsons and our second on the Celebration so we had a good idea what to expect. Check-in was a fairly painless process and we were settled and unpacked by around 4 o'clock to see the ship leave a rather grey Harwich.
So - onto the full cruise review!
Ship Cleanliness.
Our cabin was spotless and was kept nice and tidy by our cabin "boy", Husni, throughout the cruise. The ship itself is pretty clean but some of the carpets are a little worn. Ship maintenance is a never ending task and there was always something being painted or repaired. The inside smoking ban has helped to make the interior more pleasant with no more nasty stale tobacco smells.
Crew
What can you say? They bend over backwards to help and are always smiling and joking. Nothing is too much trouble for them. I cannot say a bad word about any of the crew.
Ship Food
We ate at both the Lido buffet and Meridian restaurant. The food was of a high quality at both. The buffet is not "help yourself" but the servers will put as much or as little as you want on your plates. Finding seats was a little trickier on this cruise, perhaps because the weather meant more people ate inside. The Meridian food is superb and as good as any hotel or restaurant I've eaten at. The service was fast and efficient and we had two very good waiters - Bem and Richie - who kept us entertained.
Onboard Entertainment
The quality of entertainment is in the eye of the beholder. I heard one person compare it to Butlin's in the 70's but as someone who used to holiday every year at Butlin's in the 70's, I can reassure people it isn't that bad. We didn't think the evening stage shows were very good this year and the quality of the singing in particular was poor. The evening game shows were generally good, but did get a little silly at times; the "Miss Celebration" contest was very cringeworthy, although my kids loved it. During the day there were plenty of games, quizzes, lectures and films to keep just about everybody amused.
Now, let's deal with the ports of call:
Stockholm
Some problems with the weather meant we were late arriving at Stockholm and our visit there was cut to a little less than three hours. The journey in to Stockholm is a complete joy; a three hour trip through the small islands and inlets of the archipelago. Once in the city, we wandered around the old town and the Royal Palace and took a pleasant stroll along the water front.
Helsinki
The ship was forced to berth some distance from the city, probably due to our late arrival. A complimentary shuttle bus was provided to the city but the queues were horrendous and we had to wait 40 minutes before we caught the bus. Apparently only two buses were available. That was the only hiccup, though, but it did give the moaners a chance to air their voices! Once in the city we took the 3B tram which is a circular route taking in the main sites, wandered around the shops and watched some street performers that were quite entertaining.
St Petersburg
As you are not allowed ashore without a visa, we took three excursions at St Petersburg. These are not particularly cheap (£30 - £40 per adult) but there is a good selection. We went to the Hermitage which was OK, but very crowded and rushed. Our guide was very good. Public toilets are rare so take the opportunity to go when you get one! In the evening we went to the ballet, "Swan Lake". This was excellent. Getting out of the theatre was a farce; around a thousand people were funnelled through two tiny exits. One shudders to think what would have happened had there been a fire. The other trip was a guided coach tour around the city with plenty of photo stops.
Tallinn
An absolute delight of a city, helped by the warm weather! The city is not big and it was easy to wander from the ship, through the cobbled streets to the main sites. We enjoyed a drink at the town square and visited the oldest pharmacy in Europe!
Warnemunde
This is a very pleasant seaside resort with frequent rail services to nearby Rostok. We spent the day wandering around Warnemunde, though, as there are lots of shops, bars and general "goings on" to keep you amused.
Kalundburg
The excursions to Copenhagen were fully booked so we decided to explore the town. We were pleased we did as there is loads to do. A shuttle bus dropped us in the centre, right next to a small flea market. The church is a short walk away and right next to that was a small museum. Entrance to this was free for cruise passengers and you got the impression that we were special guests at the town. They even provided a brass band to see us off!
All in all it was a very good cruise. The weather wasn't brilliant but we didn't expect that for northern Europe. The sights and the enjoyable time onboard more than made up for it!
We had a fantastic time on the cruise too. My daughter didn't mix with the group of teenagers, preferring to spend most of her spare time in the gym with her dad.
I cannot add much more to the cruise review above, except that in Helsinki, whilst standing in a stagnant queue for almost an hour waiting for a shuttle bus, we were impressed that the Cruise Director put in an appearance, he gave the port shuttle bus leader "what for" and spoke to sections of the aggitated crowd. Things started to move after that and it didn't take long to get into the centre of Helsinki.
In St. Petersburg we also opted to do 3 tours, a panoramic bus tour, a river/canal cruise at night instead of the ballet, and a walking tour. The latter we were extremely disappointed with as we didn't do much walking, spent 2 separate half hour sessions at souvenir shops/markets plus our guide didn't communicate with us that much either.
The crew show put the entertainers to shame.
The weather wasn't brilliant, but it could have been worse. We had a couple of bright days at sea, and sitting in Tallinn square, listening to a brass band & supping local brew was absolutely delightful.
Roll on the next one - Caribbean on the Destiny March 2009!!
I cannot add much more to the cruise review above, except that in Helsinki, whilst standing in a stagnant queue for almost an hour waiting for a shuttle bus, we were impressed that the Cruise Director put in an appearance, he gave the port shuttle bus leader "what for" and spoke to sections of the aggitated crowd. Things started to move after that and it didn't take long to get into the centre of Helsinki.
In St. Petersburg we also opted to do 3 tours, a panoramic bus tour, a river/canal cruise at night instead of the ballet, and a walking tour. The latter we were extremely disappointed with as we didn't do much walking, spent 2 separate half hour sessions at souvenir shops/markets plus our guide didn't communicate with us that much either.
The crew show put the entertainers to shame.
The weather wasn't brilliant, but it could have been worse. We had a couple of bright days at sea, and sitting in Tallinn square, listening to a brass band & supping local brew was absolutely delightful.
Roll on the next one - Caribbean on the Destiny March 2009!!
In ST.P is you do not need to get your own visa if on organised tours these do not have to be ships tours they can be through private opperators in St.p and the ship should not stop you leaving if on a private tour since your tour ticket is your Visa.
We used http://www.alla-tour.com/ and did two full days well worth the cost packed loads in, looking at the prices quoted for the ships tours they seem OK compared to the American ships where going private gives much better value for money.
Wonder if the buffet is like that all the time, usual reason for service in the buffet is Noro on board.
Interested that you don't rate the shows/singing, it has been some time(Topaz days) since we did a Thomsons and they were ok then somthing to consider if we try Thomsons again.
The Cheezy cruise stuff work if done with enthusiasm and can be a lot of fun, makes a change from the stuffy atmosphere some ships have, the likes of thomsons,Islans and the old Sun cruises see mto do this stuff better than the US branded ships.
At helsinki, if that dock is the one we did, I seem to remember that there was a normal bus/HOHO stop near the gates so that could be used to avoid the shuttle queues, would need to look it up to be sure, definately worth anyone going to do a bit of research in case you do dock out there.
Kalundburg sound like a pleasent change from Copenhagen one to look out for on our next baltic trip.
Thanks for the review good to get up to date feedback.
We used http://www.alla-tour.com/ and did two full days well worth the cost packed loads in, looking at the prices quoted for the ships tours they seem OK compared to the American ships where going private gives much better value for money.
Wonder if the buffet is like that all the time, usual reason for service in the buffet is Noro on board.
Interested that you don't rate the shows/singing, it has been some time(Topaz days) since we did a Thomsons and they were ok then somthing to consider if we try Thomsons again.
The Cheezy cruise stuff work if done with enthusiasm and can be a lot of fun, makes a change from the stuffy atmosphere some ships have, the likes of thomsons,Islans and the old Sun cruises see mto do this stuff better than the US branded ships.
At helsinki, if that dock is the one we did, I seem to remember that there was a normal bus/HOHO stop near the gates so that could be used to avoid the shuttle queues, would need to look it up to be sure, definately worth anyone going to do a bit of research in case you do dock out there.
Kalundburg sound like a pleasent change from Copenhagen one to look out for on our next baltic trip.
Thanks for the review good to get up to date feedback.
Hi Dangerman / Luckeebe (& anyone else who has recently been to this area), we are going on the Celebration to the Baltic on 31 August & I wonder if you can help me with a few queries.
I notice that kettles are not allowed in the cabins, is there anywhere that hot water is available for a hot drink in our cabin at night?
Boarding time is between 2pm & 4pm, how soon before that time can you arrive in the car park & book in?
Is there a fee for using a credit card for paying the bill at the end?
8am seems early to have to vacate your cabin, is it definite?
Was currency a problem? We will probably take Euros & Sterling & change others as necessary, is this logical?
All these questions may have been answered elsewhere but I thought I would tap into recent knowledge.
I hope someone can help. Thank you
Derek
I notice that kettles are not allowed in the cabins, is there anywhere that hot water is available for a hot drink in our cabin at night?
Boarding time is between 2pm & 4pm, how soon before that time can you arrive in the car park & book in?
Is there a fee for using a credit card for paying the bill at the end?
8am seems early to have to vacate your cabin, is it definite?
Was currency a problem? We will probably take Euros & Sterling & change others as necessary, is this logical?
All these questions may have been answered elsewhere but I thought I would tap into recent knowledge.
I hope someone can help. Thank you
Derek
Hi Smee94,
We have just returned from the same cruise as Dangerman and we had a fantastic time.
To answer your queries:
Kettles are not allowed in cabin but hot water and coffee available from the Lido Restaurant 24 hours. We always popped in for a cup of tea on our way to bed and took it back to our cabin.
I seem to recall we arrived at Harwich at about 1.30. There was only a short queue and we were on board fairly swiftly. You register your credit card at the check in desk before you board the ship and they take your passport off you at this stage for a couple of days. There is no charge for paying by credit card, in fact this is their preferred method of payment.
We had to be out of the cabin by 7.30am, but this is not so bad as you put your clock forward 3 hours (at one hour intervals) in the first few days and 3 hours back towards the end. I'd had a few glasses of pop on the last night and put mine back twice, so I got everybody out at 6.30! I was not popular with my husband and children when this was discovered, but at least we avoided the huge queues at breakfast!
We did buy local currency on board ship for Stockholm, Tallin and Copenhagen, but there was no need as everywhere seemed to take Euros. We only took 100 Euros which was plenty for the odd drink here and there and we put one or two other things on credit card. In St Petersburg they take anything.
One or two other tips:
If you intend to go to the Hermitage, try and get on the morning excursion. We went in the afternoon and it was packed. The morning trip is combined with a trip to the gold room which has limited tickets, so you need to book early for that one. You do not have to book all your trips at once and you can just fill in the form by the excursion desk (and in your cabin) and post it in the little box. If there is anything you know you really want to do, I wouldn't even wait for the excursions talk, I would just book it straight away.
Peterhoff Gardens and Fountains tour was breathtaking. We were very lucky and had lovely weather. Someone had recommended Peterhoff to us and we were so glad we went. Ask the guide if you can meet up at a point at the end, otherwise you spend your time waiting for others and being counted! The guides are reluctant but will agree.
This was our fourth cruise and like I said, we had a wonderful time. I have just booked for the Fjords on Spirit next year.
I hope you have a great cruise and please let me know if you need any more info.
Hera
We have just returned from the same cruise as Dangerman and we had a fantastic time.
To answer your queries:
Kettles are not allowed in cabin but hot water and coffee available from the Lido Restaurant 24 hours. We always popped in for a cup of tea on our way to bed and took it back to our cabin.
I seem to recall we arrived at Harwich at about 1.30. There was only a short queue and we were on board fairly swiftly. You register your credit card at the check in desk before you board the ship and they take your passport off you at this stage for a couple of days. There is no charge for paying by credit card, in fact this is their preferred method of payment.
We had to be out of the cabin by 7.30am, but this is not so bad as you put your clock forward 3 hours (at one hour intervals) in the first few days and 3 hours back towards the end. I'd had a few glasses of pop on the last night and put mine back twice, so I got everybody out at 6.30! I was not popular with my husband and children when this was discovered, but at least we avoided the huge queues at breakfast!
We did buy local currency on board ship for Stockholm, Tallin and Copenhagen, but there was no need as everywhere seemed to take Euros. We only took 100 Euros which was plenty for the odd drink here and there and we put one or two other things on credit card. In St Petersburg they take anything.
One or two other tips:
If you intend to go to the Hermitage, try and get on the morning excursion. We went in the afternoon and it was packed. The morning trip is combined with a trip to the gold room which has limited tickets, so you need to book early for that one. You do not have to book all your trips at once and you can just fill in the form by the excursion desk (and in your cabin) and post it in the little box. If there is anything you know you really want to do, I wouldn't even wait for the excursions talk, I would just book it straight away.
Peterhoff Gardens and Fountains tour was breathtaking. We were very lucky and had lovely weather. Someone had recommended Peterhoff to us and we were so glad we went. Ask the guide if you can meet up at a point at the end, otherwise you spend your time waiting for others and being counted! The guides are reluctant but will agree.
This was our fourth cruise and like I said, we had a wonderful time. I have just booked for the Fjords on Spirit next year.
I hope you have a great cruise and please let me know if you need any more info.
Hera
If you don't have tea making in the cabin take an insulated cup with a lid on to take drinks back to your cabin. You can get them at camping shops also Dunhelm Mill shops.When we went a cruise to the Baltic on NCL Jewel although we had the facilities we did notice some people had these they said you only get small cups in the cabin and these are much larger, also I think they filled them with fruit juice at breakfast. Have a great time . 
Wow
That was a quick response!!! Thank you both for the info. That has made things much clearer and if I should need any more info I will post again.
Thanks again
Derek
That was a quick response!!! Thank you both for the info. That has made things much clearer and if I should need any more info I will post again.
Thanks again
Derek
hi
by now you should have been on the Baltic Capitals cruise with your 17 year old daughter - how did she find it as we have booked the same for 14 nights in Aug 09 sailing from Harwich with our 15 yr old son who actually asked for this cruise as he is "fed up with beach holidays"! To be honest we aren't actually bothered if the ship isn't heaving with kids but I presume the majority will be teenagers anyway?
any advice or tips you can give would be much appreciated
by now you should have been on the Baltic Capitals cruise with your 17 year old daughter - how did she find it as we have booked the same for 14 nights in Aug 09 sailing from Harwich with our 15 yr old son who actually asked for this cruise as he is "fed up with beach holidays"! To be honest we aren't actually bothered if the ship isn't heaving with kids but I presume the majority will be teenagers anyway?
any advice or tips you can give would be much appreciated
There wer equite a few teenagers on board but my kids kept themselves to themselves, despite our prompting. Both my daughter and son thought the cruise was better than they expected :). Can't really give any advice, other than to try and ix with other kids of his age as soon as he can if, of course, he is the sort of teenager to do so.
It's a very good cruise - you will enjoy it.
It's a very good cruise - you will enjoy it.
My teeanagers (boy nearly 14 and girl nearly 16) had an absolute ball and can't wait for the next one! There were no scheduled activities for teeangers, but the crew arranged get togethers and 'teen only' viewings at the cinema. After that they all made their own arrangements to meet up and on the last night they all got together to have dinner together. It was lovely.
I'm sure your son will have a great time.
Hera
I'm sure your son will have a great time.
Hera
Doing the Baltic Cruise Aug 2009 on the Liberty taking our 12 yr old grandson, looking at
the tours for St Petersburg most are for 2days we think this maybe a bit to much for him
and wondered does any one have any information on a one day and stay on board for the
2nd day many thanks
Ann
the tours for St Petersburg most are for 2days we think this maybe a bit to much for him
and wondered does any one have any information on a one day and stay on board for the
2nd day many thanks
Ann
Look at independant tours you can do one or two days and get something customised to your needs
there are a lot of historical sites some may not be of much interest to a 12yo,
The underground system is worth a look not sure if the ships tours do this.
there are a lot of historical sites some may not be of much interest to a 12yo,
The underground system is worth a look not sure if the ships tours do this.
Thank you Windjammer will try and look them up,may stay on board and O/H
can do the tours without us he,s really looking forward to seeing it all,we can
do our own thing in the other ports
ann
can do the tours without us he,s really looking forward to seeing it all,we can
do our own thing in the other ports
ann
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