TasKaz

We were on B509 and were given a time of 8;15am in the Special Assistance group meeting in the Limelight Club. As my broken ankle had come along so well and we also had a car booked for 8:30pm we chose self disembarkation. We were told to meet in the Atrium at 7am and disembarkation would be between 7am and 8am. We actually got there around 7:10am and there was virtually no-one there. So we had a clear run and were sitting in the terninal within 10 minutes. Very easy process for us :D

Thanks for the update :D

Thanks for the clarification re tube :) Enjoy your trip :D

Thanks for the heads up John. We need to use the tube from Heathrow to London on the 28th May and Megatrain on the 30th May. Fingers crossed all will be fine!

Ar you able to tell us which company you are using hobbess?

I just checked the itinerary for the company we are using and on Day 1 we are picked up at 8:30am and returned to the ship at 5:30pm. On Day 2 we are picked up at 7:30am and returned to ship at 5pm and sailing off at 6pm. I presume there may be a possibility of this changing slightly but I wouldn't expect any dramatic changes.

Do you mind if I ask which company you are going with? Hope it all works out.

Which tour company was this flexible? Is it a private excursion where you needed a certain number of passengers to bring the cost down?

 

I'm looking at a private excursion but an excursion to Faberge has become more trouble than I thought it would have been. The Faberge museum only sells tickets for private tours for groups up to 15 people at a fixed price, regardless of how many people are in the tour. So, if its just two in a private excursion, you're paying the same price as if there were 15 people.

I'm not sure if I am allowed to name the company as we are yet to take their tour but it's just a statement of fact not a recommendation. We're using Alla Tours. I just put it up on our Roll Call a few months ago and we've just started a third minibus it's been such a popular option. They did one full bus for the same price as their Grand Tour and a further reduction when we filled the second.

hobbess have you thought about "tweaking" one of the existing tours? We have done that with the "Grand" tour of one of the tour companies and they were most amenable. We have taken out Yusupov Palace and replaced it with the Faberge Museum. We still have St Isaacs, Peter and Paul Cathedral, Church on the Spilled Blood, the hydrofoil ride to Peterhof and all the other inclusions. There has been so much interest in this bespoke tour on our roll call that the price has now been reduced to less than the original Grand tour. Just a thought :)

My pleasure alilenny :) You still got an absolute bargain for £4 each! I believe the normal price is £38 each. Hubby and I have saved a total of $150 aussie dollars all up so we're thrilled and you've saved not far off that amount too :D

I've just booked with Megatrain to travel from London to Southampton to commence our cruise. I got our tickets for a pound each departing London at 09:39 an arriving at 11:12 in Southampton. I am from Australia so it was easy to get online at midnight UK time. Within 30 minutes the price had gone up but was was still around 30 pounds each cheaper than the regular ticket. Definitely worth a try if you can get the tickets for next to nothing :D

Fabulous video - thank you :D

Thanks for the pics - especially the balcony one :D

Thank you for such an informative and balance review :D We are also in an obstructed balcony (G315) and, looking at the deck plans, we have the same style of life boat as you and a similar aspect (without the white mechanisms in the way also) so I was thrilled with your description. Hopefully, in time, you will be able to post some pics.

The lift saga sounds disappointing but forewarned is forearmed :)

Keep us informed Timbos. My husband and I had always planned to use Scenic for a river cruise but after reading about their response to the floods and hearing of the experiences of yourself and others we decided to go with APT and will be traveling in April 2016. I wish you all the best and hope you have a positive outcome.

My understanding is that you can purchase day tram tickets from the cruise terminal (Adult tickets NOK 90 and Seniors NOK 45). I was wondering if it is also possible to purchase single use tickets from the cruise terminal. We will be paying by credit card. I know there are ticket machines and convenience stores around the city but thought this may be somewhat easier as it's on the way to the tram stop. We are planning to get the #12 tram to Vigeland Park and back in June. Many thanks.

Does anyone know if it's possible to purchase single tickets from the Cruise Terminal in Oslo. I've heard you can get day tickets there but I wasn't sure if single tickets could be purchased. We are also planning to take Tram 12 to Frogner Park :)

Don't know if you are in Tasmania as per your profile but things might be different. Alla's price on their website is $300 but when I registered I got an email offering me a special price reduction offer of $25 off the "original price" of $325 so "reduced" to $300. I might be only an accountant but the maths of that beat me.

 

Also I know its only a few pounds but the Dollar / Pound Tourist exchange rate today is about $1.44 to £1.00. The pound is at its lowest against the dollar for years. At that rate my price converts to $335, effectively the prices are the same.

 

My wife is always more comfortable if she "stays with ship" and since the prices and trips appear to be similar there seemed to be no point trying to convince her,

 

We have mixed feelings about ST Petersburg but only because we went about 12 years ago and had an absolutely fabulous time in a fantastic sunshine.

We may not get that again but I'm sure we will enjoy it.

 

We went to the ballet last time and weren't going to do an evening trip but friends who went to the folklore last year said it was not one to miss.

P&O to the ballet is £74 -10% @1.44 = $95. Alla is "from" $100 + 15%

Again little different.

 

John

Thanks heathcharnock. I don't think things are different here in Tasmania, even though we're halfway across the world :D From my research into Alla Tours, which I started last year, my understanding was that the original price was that which you have stated and it was reduced to $300USD for 2014. Alla have kept that discount going this year.

When I google the Dollar/Pound tourist exchange rate it's coming up at around $1.47 to £1.00 in the UK at present but that's neither here nor there. My point was that the prices were very similar and that myself and others in our Roll Call are actually paying less than that. As Antmadmanda has said, the tips are not compulsory but discretionary and Alla Tours reminded me of that when I emailed them re currency for tips. I am planning to pay the recommended amount if the service is good and I think it will be. So the base price with Alla is actually cheaper in comparison and roughly the same with the 15% discretionary gratuity if you get the Peninsular discount. As stated in my previous post, if not eligible for the Peninsular discount (which of course you are) then Alla are significantly cheaper in my view. You would have more knowledge than me about tipping for P&O's shore excursions. I have no idea if it's expected for good service or not but I have left tips for your tour off the comparison. My understanding is that P&O do use a local tour operator.

We are not eligible for the Peninsular discount and to take P&O's similar shore excursion for St Petersburg that you have mentioned compared to the price we are paying with Alla tours (including 15% gratuity) would cost my husband and I an extra $150 (Australian). That's a significant saving for us and we are thrilled :D

In saying that, the offering from P&O suits both you and your wife and I can understand her wanting to "stay with ship". The Peninsular discount also makes the pricing far more attractive for those that are eligible. I am quietly confident we will all enjoy our excursions and I hope we all get that fantastic sunshine you experienced 12 years ago :D

heathcharnock when I convert your P&O Grand Tour price of £259 less 10% discount - approx £233 to USD I get approx $350USD which is around the same price (slightly more) as Alla's Grand Tour $300 USD plus 15% tip - approx $345 USD.

We have booked with Alla and are paying less than that amount but I cannot comment further on that as per CC rules because we have not taken our tour with them yet.

For those of us that don't have the Peninsular status to get the discount with P&O, other options may well prove to be cheaper (by a considerable amount for us anyway).

My understanding is that Alla's evening ballet option is cheaper than P&O's offering (we are not doing any of the evening excursions), but I think you have got a great deal from P&O for the "Folkloric" show.

Enjoy your time in St Petersburg. We can't wait to visit in a few weeks time :D

Just booked tours of St Petersberg with Alla-tours, for visit on the new P&O ship Brittannia, in June

Hi lakeswest :D Are you on Britannia's B509 cruise (departing 30th May 2015). If so we have a big Roll Call with lots of info on this board that you may be interested in:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2020229

I'm also booked with Alla Tours but on a special one off tour :D

Hi

Thanks TasKaz for your advice. We are first time cruisers and new to Cruise Critic so we are sorry if we got the protocol wrong.

Best wishes

Hedgehogs United

No worries at all Hedgehogs United. As I said, I completely forgot about it myself. I've gotten too used to discussing the tours over on the Roll Call :D

Hope you enjoy exploring all the forums. There's lots of info here that's for sure. Hubby and I are first time cruisers so we need all the help we can get :D

Great review - thank you for taking the time to do it. We're on board at the end of May :D

Hi again Hedgehogs United. ISADOD has already booked our bespoke tour in St Peterburg. I just realised that, as per the rules on this site, I believe we can only discuss the details of shore excursions on the Roll Calls, unless we have already used a particular tour operator ourselves. I think that is why your other thread was deleted possibly. I made the same mistake when I replied to your post on the other thread and put in a few details about the tour most of us are doing.

The link for the Roll Call is in my original post above so feel free to pop over. There's heaps of info about a meet and greet and other details to do with the cruise. See you on board :D

Thanks for the wealth of pics Linda. What a wonderful job you've done :D

Would love a pic of an obstructed view balcony cabin (we are specifically in G315) but I understand that may not be possible. Enjoy your day :D

Thanks for that June :D I quoted my original price range is USD as I thought that would get the most response. Have been busily converting to Aussie dollars on google. Some of the prices are still looking reasonable luckily :D