St. Petersburg Excursions Question - Serenade of the Seas July 1, 2018

Hi everyone. This is my first post on here and my first cruise ever! I have booked the Serenade of the Seas Baltic Cruise for July 1, 2018. I am working on choosing excursions for St. Petersburg and I am a little confused as to how scheduling works. I do not want to just book one of the big 2 day tour packages because I want to see specific things and not just do a whirlwind tour of everything. I specifically want to do the cathedrals tour, Peterhof, Tsarkoye Selo, and the Hermitage (I am also interested in Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, but have not figured out how to include this). I have found four tours that sound great, but I am wondering how close together one can book excursions? For July 3 I am looking at the Peterhof Grand Palace and Fountains tour 8:30am-1:30pm and the St Petersburg Cathedrals tour 1:30pm-5pm. If booking with Royal Caribbean, is it possible to book back to back like this? Or is this too much? (my plan for the second day is Tsarskoye Selo 7:15am-11:45am and the Hermitage 2-5:30pm, so I think this will be okay. If anyone has a better suggestion please let me know! This is my first time so any advice would greatly help. :)

I would join the roll call for your cruise and then look for a private tour with an agency like Alla or SPB who are highly recommended, smaller tours, cheaper and more flexible! I know SPB are even running a small evening tour to the Faberge museum. Hopefully someone on the RC will already have got things organised so you can just tag along.

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Please consider carefully and hopefully you'll book a private tour. I would highly recommend TJ Travel. We did a private 2 day tour with them that was just myself, husband, guide & driver...We were easily able not only to see the main sites but to add particular thing we wanted too even at the spur of the moment make changes. The tour they gave us was an amazing VIP tour experience. We felt very sorry for those large cruise ship bus herds wasting time as they waited in parking lots for straggler's to get back on the bus and then standing in long lines to get in any where...we on the other hand were whisked to the front of lines and never had to deal with parking lots.

It's more than likely a trip of a lifetime...don't cut this short...get the most out of your time there with a guide and driver.

Book this yourself online...you'll be amazed at the response. I emailed TJ Travel so many times with questions by the time we arrived I felt like our arrival and tour was being handled by a new best friend in St Petersburg.....Thanks Tatiana & Julia for an amazing visit to your city !!!

Even though our trip was a few years ago I still get a Xmas card from them every year...they never forget.

Hi everyone. This is my first post on here and my first cruise ever! I have booked the Serenade of the Seas Baltic Cruise for July 1, 2018. I am working on choosing excursions for St. Petersburg and I am a little confused as to how scheduling works. I do not want to just book one of the big 2 day tour packages because I want to see specific things and not just do a whirlwind tour of everything. I specifically want to do the cathedrals tour, Peterhof, Tsarkoye Selo, and the Hermitage (I am also interested in Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, but have not figured out how to include this). I have found four tours that sound great, but I am wondering how close together one can book excursions? For July 3 I am looking at the Peterhof Grand Palace and Fountains tour 8:30am-1:30pm and the St Petersburg Cathedrals tour 1:30pm-5pm. If booking with Royal Caribbean, is it possible to book back to back like this? Or is this too much? (my plan for the second day is Tsarskoye Selo 7:15am-11:45am and the Hermitage 2-5:30pm, so I think this will be okay. If anyone has a better suggestion please let me know! This is my first time so any advice would greatly help. :)

I am going in May & have booked the 2 day tour with Dancing Bears Tour. They are smaller than Alla or sPB but you see the same thing & the group is no more than 12 people. They came highly recommended. They take care of everything & you do not need a visa.

I am going in May & booked with Dancing Bear Tours. They are not as big as the other tour companies but came highly recommended. They have smaller groups, I believe no more than 12 in group. They all take you to the same places. You do not need a visa as they take care of everything. Julia is the owner of Dancing Bears & is a pleasure to work with. She even recommended reading Peter the Great by Robert Masse before we come. I have already read it, along with many other Russian history books. It has been my dream to visit Russia. I have heard that St. Petersburg is breathtaking.

Another vote for TJ Travel. We were there last July and booked a wonderful 2 day tour with them. We even added a couple of stops, St. Isaac's Cathedral and Yusopov's palace with no extra charge. They are wonderful to work with and our guide was spectacular. She arranged the day so we would be at Peterhof at the end of the day with no crowds to speak of and were able to watch the ceremony where they shut off the fountains.

As you can see, there are great third party options. Look at each website and contact them with your desires. I think you will be much happier. They supply all visas, etc. TJ Travel also included lunch both days and all entry fees.

Private 2 day tour with Viator. Just car, driver, guide, self, and husband. Visas handled, pickup and drop off at the port. Itinerary is preplanned but agreeable to adjust - I asked to be taken to a salon for a haircut. Enjoy.

If you want to do it yourself you'll need a visa. If you do one of the St Petersburg tour companies, they cover the visa. We've used SPB twice, very good service. They do several different itineraries in St Petersburg. They also do packages that cover other Baltic ports of call. All the trips significantly cheaper than cruise lines own trips. When we went last summer, the summer palace Peterhof was closed but the gardens open as usual. Be aware World Cup is on, but not certain if a game is being played when you visit. I do remember seeing at least one cruise line offering a trip to one of the games. Enjoy St Petersburg

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Royal likes 45 minutes between tours, but if you book this way you will be taken back to the ship between the tours. Since ship will likely dock at the new port this is eating up an additional hour and a half of your time there. Plus you might have to go back through customs to meet the next tour.

Do yourself a favor and either book the two day ship package or through one of the excellent private operators suggested by other posters. The two 9 hour days are grueling but will let you see the most with less transit time. Cruise ship tours have large groups that take a lot of time getting on and off the buses (and negotiating roads) but do have some great meals included. But the itinerary is fixed. In our case the guide was an art major and concentrated on paintings in the Hermitage. With an independent they will tailor the tour to what you want to see.

My vote TJ travel. Group tours for 2 days with small groups up to 16 max. They will do tour, with any number. You can prepay or pay on the same day. They offer extended evening options. The other choice, is using them and book a private tour. They will customize it for you, but this is much more costly. Some things to note. If you did this on your own, you would pay $230.00 to get a VISA per person, than the cost of taxi's etc plus, long lines, and admission prices.

If you know what you want to see, and if a group tour goes to these places, than just take the group tour. You might get some extra stops, but it will still be dramatically cheaper. No need for a VISA with the tour company, and they get front of line passes. If you don't mind paying the extra money, or have more than just 2 people, than get it private.

I would also avoid using the ship tours, since they are filling busses.

We will be on Navigator of the Seas in St Petersburg on 3rd/4th July 2018. There is a round of the world cup in St Petersburg on 3rd July. Fan Zones are being set up in 1 of the squares and with the number of people attending traffic diversions are likely to be in place. £600 for a ticket to the match I voted to miss it!

We are travelling the week before you and I have been working with SPB tours. We booked a two-day guide just for the two of us and they are answering all our questions and giving us a very tailored itinerary. I expect to be thrilled. A friend of ours went on a ship excursion to the Hermitage and his report: "We couldn't wait to get out of there. They wouldn't let us go to the bathroom." Imagine not being able to wait to leave the Hermitage!

We are travelling the week before you and I have been working with SPB tours. We booked a two-day guide just for the two of us and they are answering all our questions and giving us a very tailored itinerary. I expect to be thrilled. A friend of ours went on a ship excursion to the Hermitage and his report: "We couldn't wait to get out of there. They wouldn't let us go to the bathroom." Imagine not being able to wait to leave the Hermitage!

I LOL at your bathroom comment. We had the exact same problem. Our tour guide was a drill sergeant and refused to let people go to the bathroom. We finally walked past one and myself and a few others just broke off and went. Guide was furious and let us know it. We were treated like a 3 year old. The Hermitage tour was way too long and boring. My advice is to NOT go on the ship tour. Do as others have said and book a private tour. You'll enjoy it more and see more.

We are travelling the week before you and I have been working with SPB tours. We booked a two-day guide just for the two of us and they are answering all our questions and giving us a very tailored itinerary. I expect to be thrilled. A friend of ours went on a ship excursion to the Hermitage and his report: "We couldn't wait to get out of there. They wouldn't let us go to the bathroom." Imagine not being able to wait to leave the Hermitage!

Oh what a difference a private tour can make...It was just the two of us with a guide and driver...She made the Hermitage so interesting and tailored to what we wanted to see....and the bathrooms...she knew exactly where to take us to the "nice" ones that the public doesn't know of.

That continued to be the theme....one bathroom break was at an amazing hotel where many dignitaries and celebrities stay at...just beautiful...it actually ended up being one of our favorite unplanned stops. The flexibility and VIP treatment from TJ Travel was unforgettable.

We also used TJ Tours last summer (2 day tour). Small group (9), great English speaking tour guide, skipped lines and saw eveything we wanted to see with no "herding".....

Please consider carefully and hopefully you'll book a private tour. I would highly recommend TJ Travel. We did a private 2 day tour with them that was just myself, husband, guide & driver...We were easily able not only to see the main sites but to add particular thing we wanted too even at the spur of the moment make changes. The tour they gave us was an amazing VIP tour experience. We felt very sorry for those large cruise ship bus herds wasting time as they waited in parking lots for straggler's to get back on the bus and then standing in long lines to get in any where...we on the other hand were whisked to the front of lines and never had to deal with parking lots.

 

It's more than likely a trip of a lifetime...don't cut this short...get the most out of your time there with a guide and driver.

 

Book this yourself online...you'll be amazed at the response. I emailed TJ Travel so many times with questions by the time we arrived I felt like our arrival and tour was being handled by a new best friend in St Petersburg.....Thanks Tatiana & Julia for an amazing visit to your city !!!

 

Even though our trip was a few years ago I still get a Xmas card from them every year...they never forget.

Might be a bit late if the OP's sailing in July, but I'd echo the comments above and recommend a private tour with one of the local companies - we used Alla, but SPB and TJ Tours also had excellent feedback from the folk that used them.

Overnight in St Petersburg onboard the ship had a HUGE queue at the Excursions desk with folk complaining about how rushed the RC excursion was, and how little they were able to see at each of the stops. We spoke to a few folk, and it really did affect their holiday badly, as this was the "big" attraction for the cruise - which is shocking considering the RC trip was more expensive than the local operators but the service was abysmal.

Please consider carefully and hopefully you'll book a private tour. I would highly recommend TJ Travel. We did a private 2 day tour with them that was just myself, husband, guide & driver...We were easily able not only to see the main sites but to add particular thing we wanted too even at the spur of the moment make changes. The tour they gave us was an amazing VIP tour experience. We felt very sorry for those large cruise ship bus herds wasting time as they waited in parking lots for straggler's to get back on the bus and then standing in long lines to get in any where...we on the other hand were whisked to the front of lines and never had to deal with parking lots.

 

It's more than likely a trip of a lifetime...don't cut this short...get the most out of your time there with a guide and driver.

 

Book this yourself online...you'll be amazed at the response. I emailed TJ Travel so many times with questions by the time we arrived I felt like our arrival and tour was being handled by a new best friend in St Petersburg.....Thanks Tatiana & Julia for an amazing visit to your city !!!

 

Even though our trip was a few years ago I still get a Xmas card from them every year...they never forget.

Pretty much word for word what I would say, especially the recommendation for a private tour and especially TJ Travel. They are a fabulous company and it was a fabulous experience touring with them.

We couldn't believe how much we saw on our 2 day tour as we weren't out early or back late (having our four year old son with us).

The small mini bus was able to get down side streets that a coach couldn't and our guide would swop the itinerary around a bit if she heard from the head office if certain attractions were busy or roads congested.

Our two day private tour for the three of us was only slightly more than filling the two days with Royal tours seeing a lot less.

We still get a Christmas card as well from them :)

Hi I'm booked on serenade of the seas 1st July and have booked St Petersburg 2 day tour with Alla tours. My cruise ticket booklet states we cannot disembark unless we have booked the tour through RC. Has anyone travelling with RC had any problems disembarking at St Petersburg.?

Hi I'm booked on serenade of the seas 1st July and have booked St Petersburg 2 day tour with Alla tours. My cruise ticket booklet states we cannot disembark unless we have booked the tour through RC. Has anyone travelling with RC had any problems disembarking at St Petersburg.?

I think you will be told like we were a few years ago to stay on board when you dock to allow the ships tours to leave.

I would ignore this and be ready to leave when the gangway opens, you will have the paperwork from Alla (like we did with TJ Tours) to show the customs officers.

Enjoy your tour, its a fabulous city :)

Thank you. We'll be ready.

We are going in mid-July and have booked a private tour for just my wife and I through Alla Tours. Not cheap ($680 per person) but so worth it to me, for it to just be the 2 of us, and to be able to go see what we want, when we want, and for how long we want (within reason). Also allows so much more flexibility with regards to eating out, bathroom breaks, etc. Again, spending almost $1400 for a tour is a little crazy, but, I figure these 2 days will be the only 2 days most likely that we will ever be here, so why not splurge? Plus we are doing our own thing in every other port stop, so $1400 for the full trip isn't so bad.

If you are not on a ship tour be prepared for a battle to be let off on day one.

This was ours and many others experience on Navigator in St Petersburg.

You will be bombarded with information and surveys prior to the first day asking about your arrangements etc. You will be told that the ship's tours must be disembarked first due to local laws and that other tours can only leave 90 minutes after docking. We were advised by Alla Tours that this, in fact, is only the case if there are 5 or more cruise ships in port and that here were only four on the day we arrived.

After reading on here the way to go is to just present yourself at the gangway and you'll be let through I just wanted to warn that it might not be the case.

Our tour was at 08:30 so we confidently went down to the gangway at 07:45 only to be met by RCL staff telling us we must go to Studio B and wait to be led off the ship. so we went up to Studio B where 2 officials were waiting at the entrance.

We were asked if we had a visa. I explained we don't require a visa as we have a tour ticket which is in fact our visa as stated in the previous days Cruise Compass. 'Oh, oh, I don't know about that I'll have to make a phone call' said one of the officials.

After 2 minutes another official came along, looked at our passports and Alla Tour tickets and told me we required an official document to leave the ship. I told them the tour ticket is our official document and that they didn't know what they were doing.

After a few minutes and getting very agitated with them they told us to go into the studio and wait with group 1. This was at 8am already.

When we got to group one there was already some people arguing with the RCL official in charge of leading group 1 off the ship. we were then told that we may as well sit down because we won't be going off the ship for 40 minutes at least anyway. At that point there was almost mutiny.

After she then went away to talk to another official she was told she could lead us off the ship straight away and we did manage to make our tour on time. Others didn't as it was taking approximately 3 minutes for immigration to pass each person.

After talking to many others over dinner that night the feeling was that this was all to inconvenience non ship tours as much as possible and the stress of the whole situation was totally avoidable.

Everyone was tense about day 2 but it was a completely different experience and we were let off the ship without challenge.

Now I am worried again. We are booked with Alla and have been reassured by other comments on here. Having booked this tour for 5 people for the 8.30 tour, we were planning to leave the ship ASAP.

hi,

Did you let Alla know? We received the same communication with them regarding just get in line with everyone else. They also said that they cannot stop you from getting off the ship. I will be there this coming week, and hope that I do not experience what you did.

Thank you for the heads up.

ML