The 2009 Notes will be revised later
Notes in preparation for the 2008 Cruise

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1. Emergency Numbers: Communication
Direct Phone and Fax to Reception on the Dnieper Princess, the cruise ship
Phone 011-380-50-384-4505
Chervona Ruta Cruise Company Offices, Kiev
011-380 44 253 6909, if busy try 253-5236, 253-3792, 253-34003, 253-3404.
E-mail: office@ruta-cruise.com

There are no visa requirements for citizens of the EU, Canada, USA. These were abolished in 2005. Customs & Immigration entry is relatively simple and quick.

There is no e-mail connection on the ship. There are several Internet Cafes in cities along the route. We advise passenger to inform friends and relatives that it will be difficult for you to send messages home during the cruise. Nonetheless we know how to deal with emergency communication. It is important to note that most North American cell phones do not work in Ukraine.  If you are technically advanced, there are a number of ways to achieve mobile (cell) phone accessibility in Ukraine.

1. About luggage.
Although we have never had a bag lost, we have had bags arrive several days late. We suggest packing your overnight wear and one change of clothing in your carry-on, along with any medication you need and any important documents.
Please keep your boarding pass and ticket receipt for proof of travel if you are collecting air miles.
Baggage Allowance For Passengers to Europe:
The airlines will allow 2 free checked bags with specific dimensions and weight
Maximum weight  50lb (23kg) per bag      Maximum linear dimensions  62in (158cm) per bag
Charge for excess weight: Between - 51-70lbs and up to 62in     $35CAD/$25USD per bag
Carry-on bag should weigh no more than 10 kg/22lbs.      Maximum linear dimensions 55x40x23cm     
Note: only liquids in 100ml  or 3.4oz containers carried in a clear plastic bag are allowed in your carry-on.

2. Currency:
Hint: Bring recent U.S. dollar bills or the new Euros in cash in a body money belt. Ukrainian banks are obsessed about not accepting older US bills or bills with marks on them. 50s are better than 100s, plus smaller denominations. Do not bring Canadian money. Travelers checks  are not generally accepted, but bank cash stations are proliferating and give reasonably good exchange rates . We suggest you take along $500 USD or 400 Euros per person, more if you are participating in private trips and intend to do some serious shopping for friends and family.  The currency in Ukraine is called Hryvnia (pronounced "grieve-na"): one U.S. dollar = approx. 4.6 Hryvnia or UAH; one Canadian $ = 4.57 UAH, one Euro = 7.3 UAH. There are exchange kiosks everywhere. You cannot buy Ukrainian currency outside Ukraine. You can pay ship bar bills with VISA or Mastercard.
Credit cards are generally accepted but remember your home bank charges you multiple exchange and transaction fees.  Marina and I have learned to bring cash (Walter).

3. Tipping on the Cruise:
Hint: Most tipping is done for you. Tipping in a strange country is often a nightmare for North Americans. We have tried to help you. Most tipping fees are included in your cruise package. All the boat-related tips are handled directly by Marina and Walter. The excursion-related tips (to guides & drivers) will be handled by our resource leaders. Exceptions: On services you incur yourself, such as bar bills, laundry or special requests of ship’s staff, tipping is expected. You may also want to take off on your own excursions, apart from the cruise itinerary. If you do, you are on your own for cab costs, museum entrance fees, tipping, etc. See also #12 Private Excursions.

4. Things to Buy:
Hint: If you see something you really like, buy it. You will not likely see it again. Street purchases can generally be made in US dollars or Euros. Some shops will bargain, others will not. Street vendors expect to haggle. Since you will want to bring home some souvenirs and small gifts of quality, some shopping opportunities are included in the itinerary. You will find treasures in the shops and street markets of  Odessa, Zaporozhye and  Kiev as well as  the museum shops at Livadia Palace and Vorontsov Palace  in Yalta.

5. Cabins on the Ship:
Hint: Bring soap, shampoo, wash cloths. The ship cabins are small but well designed, with ample storage space. The bathrooms have an unusual but eminently sensible design. The entire bathroom becomes a shower! Just remember to draw the curtain in front of the toilet and the door. Towels are not of North American quality but are replaced daily. There are no wash cloths. The soap may not be to your liking.

6. Medical, Health, Food Issues:
Hint: Bring tea bags , instant coffee, plastic water bottle and sunblock: There is a ship's doctor on board.
The passenger list includes medical specialists and many experienced nurses. If you have any special health problems,  you will want to discuss the trip in advance with your own physician. Bring plenty of imodium tablets. The excursions are not strenuous but there is some walking involved. Bring packaged tiny wet towelettes to clean up from time to time. “Purell”, a  liquid hand sanitizer which is applied and then simply evaporates, is excellent. There are no special shots required for Ukraine. The locally grown fruit and vegetables served onboard are really very fine and you will find the ship restaurant reliable. Do not drink from the taps. Bottled water can be bought at street kiosks (simply called Voda) and on the ship. The ship will supply bottled mineral water with your bagged lunches at Zaporozhye. The ship supplies three meals a day. Unlike a Caribbean cruise, this ship does not offer non-stop eating. Note: bottled water, soft drinks and wines will be an additional charge at mealtimes; coffee and tea are included. Bring along your favorite sunblock. Californians have learned to pack dried fruit for snacks.

7. Weather and Suitable Clothing, voltage on the ship:                                
Hint: Bring layered cottons, hat or cap, waterproof jacket and good walking shoes. It will be autumn. Days will probably still be warm but evenings cool.  Bring a sweater and a warm shirt or two. The ship is air-conditioned.. There is a room equipped for ironing. The cruise is very informal. There will be one occasion - the captain's dinner - to dress up. The dressiest you need to be is jacket with optional tie. We will attend a few occasions off the ship. People dress very simply. Out of respect, do not wear shorts on the 2 or 3 days when we visit Orthodox churches. A daily itinerary will be delivered to your cabin over  night. There is a basic laundry service on the ship. Electricity on the boat is 220 volts, 50 hz., plugs are recessed & require the round European posts (same as required for Germany). Most recent hair dryers have voltage options for both 220 or 110 volts. Please check this before you rush off to buy a voltage converter for the cruise. Similarly, most recent laptops and digital camera re-chargers can deal with both voltages. In which case all you need is the appropriate plug adapter .

8. Taking Pictures, Video:
Hint: bring lots and lots digital memory or film:  There will often be a $1 fee for still photos in churches & museums and $5 for video. Take along lots of digital memory or film - much more than you think you will need, along with appropriate spare batteries.  We will have a digital video unit on board -  the Kuzyks. Their NTSC (North American) instant documentary DVDs will be ready by the time we disembark in Odessa. Cost: about $40 US each. The video unit will also offer still photos.

9. Security & Assistance:
Hint: Your rooms are safe; excursions are well organized . Security on the MS Dnieper Princess is good. Cruise Director Galyna Zadorovska will go through the key instructions on opening night. Basically, you have the only key to your room. If you want your room made up, leave your key at the reception desk. Also make sure to leave the key at the desk during excursions. There is a ship's safe. Since the cruise is extremely casual, you do not need to bring valuable jewelry. Our own resource leaders along with the guides, will make sure you are present and cared for on all excursions. 

10. Special gifts and Humanitarian Aid: (see below)
In this mailing we provide baggage tags. Insert the appropriate color on the side which says “Mennonite Heritage Cruise”. These bags will go directly to special lockups on the ship and be delivered from there. Baggage tags without any color cards will be delivered automatically to your cabin on the ship:

11. Tax receipts for Ukraine Mennonite Agencies (this information will be given on the ship)
You will also be invited to think about creating your own project for Ukraine. Many former passengers have done so. Many have also given generously to Ukraine historical archive projects, of which this cruise is a beneficiary.

12. Private Excursions:                                        
Hint: take along some extra cash.  We now have many ways in which you can organize small private trips. Rates for car, driver and guide are approx. $35 US per hour. A typical full day trip with car, driver and interpreter will cost US$ 245 plus 10% tip to the guide and 5% tip to the driver.

13. Finally, be patient - Ukrainians are really trying:
Hint: Be prepared for the unexpected despite meticulous planning:  Life in this part of the former Soviet Union is still challenging and often haphazard for the citizens, let alone for the tourists. There are few roads in Ukraine we would really call a freeway. The phone system is often unreliable. And yet friends - if you come with the right attitude - you will have the greatest experience of your life! The Ukrainian people are warm and generous. It is perfectly safe to travel in Ukraine, especially in our fashion. We have consciously chosen a cruise ship to make this trip a satisfying communal experience. We look forward to greeting you on the Dnieper Princess. Over two thousand Mennonite pilgrims ahead of you all had a great time. Many of them told you about it and that's why you're now coming too.

Humanitarian Aid and the Cruise

First of all, there is no requirement or expectation of passengers to participate in bringing aid items. Some of you have itineraries that will mitigate against bringing extra bags of aid. International fuel surcharges may tell you that this is no longer the best way to help. There will be options made available to you on the ship about tax receiptable givings. When in doubt, simply give money and receive a tax receipt.

During our first cruise back in 1995, the passengers were deeply moved by the needs of many of the people they met, especially in the former Mennonite villages: “We wish we had known what we could bring along.”  And so, over the years, a cruise humanitarian aid dimension was developed.

On the last cruise the most welcome gifts were non-prescription drugs and school supplies. They were generally given to churches, schools and trusted agencies rather than to individual people, thus insuring fair distribution.

In this mailing please note the colour coded tags for these bags for the following destinations:
Red - Zaporozhye Mennonite Church
Blue - Mennonite Centre in Ukraine at Halbstadt/Molochansk (wide distribution network including Petershagen church, schools, hospitals, clinics and orphanages in Molochna and beyond)
Green - village schools in many places you will visit
Yellow - Christian Medical Association of Ukraine (Zaporozhye Oblast):
Suggested Aid categories:
a) Personal hygiene items for individual children and adults in a ziploc bag: soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, combs, hair brushes, shampoo, mirror, lotion, face cloth, generic painkillers & multi-vitamins. You cannot bring enough of these packages.
b) Sunday school and village school handicraft & art supplies: paints (water and poster) and brushes, modeling clay/plasticine, scissors, glue, pens, pencils, pencil crayons, pencil sharpeners, rulers, felt markers, crayons, construction paper, felt pieces, beads, glitter, small notebooks, materials to make banners. If you are collecting these items, keep some or most of them in your cabin to take with you on village school visits.
c) Non-prescription drugs: generic painkillers, anti-histamines, multi-vitamins for adults, babies, children and also for pregnant women (50+ vitamins are much prized), sunscreen, lotions,  basic first aid supplies.
d) If you have medical contacts, sutures for clinics and hospitals are desperately needed

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