Who includes all excursions?

We are starting to plan a trip to the Baltic, Norway Fjords, or both. In cost comparing among the many cruise lines, we are overwhelmed with excursion-included issue.

For example, we realized that one line advertises that excursions are included, but upon closer examination, it turns out that only ONE per day is included, which it seems would only fill one of the three potential touring timeslots in a day (morning, afternoon, evening). So that means lots of extra costs to go anywhere while in Saint Petersburg!!!

Here is our question -- in the Baltic/Norway area, who truly offers "all you can eat" in terms of excursions/lectures/exploration activities? Thanks!

Regent is the most inclusive cruise line, but as a luxury class, it's expensive. In addition they do offer more than one excursion per port included, but some excursions are extra cost. Yeou can see the excursions on their website.

as you've discovered excursions included lines tend to be more expensive and also limit your choice

looking at less expensive lines where you pay excursions on top will give you more flexibility

some ports you can easily DIY or arrange private excursions at less cost than ships excursions

key to this is join your roll call and see who is putting together tours and need more tourmates to bring costs down

exception to DIY tends to be St Petersburg where unless you get your own visa you need to be on an organised tour

however that doesn't have to be a ships excursion-there are many private tour guides discussed here on the boards who provide the same visa waiver as ships

If you go with Regent, you won't regret it. When you work out the costs on some other lines it really is not much more. A few of you have realised how expensive private excursions can cost. Plus no gratuities as well.

Thank you dabear and fabnfoty for your feedback. Regent would put the cost into the five digits, and DH & I were sorta hoping to keep it under $10K for the two of us!

We are perfectly happy with DIY in general, but the days in SP do present a challenge for us, especially since I have already been there. In 2014, I did a land-based visit to Russia with a friend, booked through Go Russia with traditional tourist visas, so we had the freedom to do some tours with the Go Russia guides and other things on our own. Because I have seen so many of the typical tourist sights already, I will appreciate lots of excursion choices...... I hope to make it to the ballet in the evening of the first day, somehow.

In 2014, I did a land-based visit to Russia with a friend, booked through Go Russia with traditional tourist visas, so we had the freedom to do some tours with the Go Russia guides and other things on our own. Because I have seen so many of the typical tourist sights already, I will appreciate lots of excursion choices...... I hope to make it to the ballet in the evening of the first day, somehow.

I would suggest to check Best Guides. They have "off the beaten path" tours.

Jess

Jess, thanks for the suggestion about the Best guides. Here is the link for their listing of "off the beaten track" tours in case anyone else is interested: https://www.bestguides-spb.com/tour2.html

..... I hope to make it to the ballet in the evening of the first day, somehow.

Some of the tour companies listed on here do offer night time excursions and I remember reading about people attending the ballet. Don't disregard the offerings of the several private tours for your SPB port of call.

Yes, I am really hoping to see a ballet performance at the Mariinsky Theater, if that's what's on the night we are there. II think their shows alternate between opera and ballet. It is a beautiful space!

When I went to SP a few years ago (not on a cruise so we had our own visas), we arrived from the Moscow train kind of late at night, around 10 pm perhaps, but since it was still sort of light outside, with the "white night" the city was still alive, so we hopped on one of the tourist boats that go around the harbor which departed from a spot near our hotel. The narration wasn't in English since those have a more limited schedule, but it was still a fun ride & a great introduction to the city. And the scenery was spectacular to see as night closed in! I know this doesn't answer your question completely but I do recommend it. Take a jacket tho, as it gets cold out on the water as darkness falls, even tho it's the middle of summer.

Regent and Viking Ocean are the ones that come to mind.......

On Regal Princess in 2016 we did a ship’s tour to Ballet. Sensational night and pricing quite reasonable. I understand Alla tours and SPB will also organise a visit to Ballet, just contact them via their website.

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