A question for anyone having taken the Northern Caps and Russia trip - is the coach with you the entire trip? If so that answers my carry-on question - usually you can ask the driver to store it in the underbelly - or, if you are continuing on after getting back to Berlin, you can store it with the bellman at the hotel when u get to Berlin and get it when you get back! Any comments re this?? Thanks!!!!

Hi Dukemom
On the Northern Caps & Russ. you have an alternate coach (not as good!) for the 3 days in Moscow as your usual driver has his time off. It picks you up from the train at Moscow station. Our perm. driver was very obliging & allowed us to leave anything we did not need in Moscow on the coach. But I wouldn't leave any valuables! Have you heard anything about an alternate hotel in Moscow yet? We are still talking to Insight about our experience. Regards Aldor.

Dukemom when I read the itinerary for Northern Capitals it seems we will need a small bag for the overnight ferry to Finland as we will not have access to our luggage. The Insight bag might do, but I plan to use the carry on bag I will take with me on the airplane. In past tours I have always checked my empty Insight bag in my big suitcase on the flight over, then switched on the tour using the Insight bag on the bus as a day bag, with the empty carry on bag in the big suitcase.

Aldor my TA checked with Insight and she said the Hotel they have been using is the Enigma Wel Hotel in Moscow. If you try a google search the address is Staraya Basmannaya 12B11. It looks OK, a modern hotel in a gutted 19th century building. Of course always being careful my TA added the note "subj to change" so we shall see...and what will be will be. Good luck with your talking with Insight. From past messages about other problems I understand that this can take months.

quote:

Originally posted by kathrynd:
Dukemom when I read the itinerary for Northern Capitals it seems we will need a small bag for the overnight ferry to Finland as we will not have access to our luggage.

That is correct.

Your luggage will remain locked under the coach which will be parked on the lower transport decks of the Ferry.

You will need the Insight bag or a small carry-on packed with whatever you need for your overnight on the ferry because you will not see your luggage again until you reach your hotel in Helsinki.

Thanks for the info all - we were also told that on our hotel for 9/22 departure was the Enigma --- looks interesting when we googled it - we shall see!

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On my last trip, I put all my jackets/sweaters daily needs into a nylon Totes bag and it stayed with me at my feet on the coach. I actually put my empty "carryon" into the underbelly and never got it out until the trip was over. Driver was quite comfortable about that.

I am glad I read these posts. I have been really concerned about losing my luggage. I had friends who went on Insights Scandinavia trip and BA lost one of their bags for 5 days and the other one never got her bag until after she returned home from the trip! If the driver won't mind leaving an empty carry on in the underbelly I may try that and give myself some peace of mind! Thanks for the info!