Question for those who have reserved a tour with DenRus

[NancyIL]

I know DenRus doesn't ask for a deposit when you reserve a tour. Other than passport info for all the participants, is there a form that everyone signs, similar to Red October USA's "Terms and Conditions"? I know I can ask DenRus directly, but it will be tomorrow before I receive an answer. Thanks.

[Compass Rose Monica]

Hi,

 

Ilya, my point of contact at Denrus, just needed our passsport information in order for him to process our visas. We'll pay for our tours either the first or second day. He'll be sending me everyone's documents that we'll need when we disembark the ship in St Petersburg. I hope this helps!

 

Monica :)

[tartangal]

We are considering Denrus for our May trip after reading here that they are great and wonder whether they have cars big enough to sit 6 people comfortably. Since we had a great lunch from room service taken as a picnic on an Alaskan cruise and saw someone on this board recommend it for St. Petersburg I thought we might do the same if it wouldn't be awkward with the tour company. Any input from anyone?

[stanj]

We are considering Denrus for our May trip after reading here that they are great and wonder whether they have cars big enough to sit 6 people comfortably. Since we had a great lunch from room service taken as a picnic on an Alaskan cruise and saw someone on this board recommend it for St. Petersburg I thought we might do the same if it wouldn't be awkward with the tour company. Any input from anyone?

 

Normally, a tour with 6 passengers would be done with a van instead of a car. A van is a lot easier to see out of and has more room so filling only 6 of the 9 seats will even further the advantage over a passenger car.

One cruiser mentioned they were prevented from taking food into Russia by customs but I've never had a problem doing so upon several attempts over the years. Check with Den Rus for the correct answer.

 

Concerning the deposit, Den Rus works on the honor system by not requiring a payment until services are rendered. I asked Ali about this since some others require a deposit to start the documentation needed for the group tour visa. He said he trusts his clients and his trust has not let him down so it’s not a problem with cancellations or double booking.

He might offer prepayment in the near future however for visitors who want to pay by credit card or check before departure to get it out of the way. That will be an option as soon as he opens his office in the US as a contact and guidance source. As he explained, the USA based office will offer same day response and help with any sort of question or advice a new or seasoned cruiser might wish answered. Also the office will offer lectures and presentations for travel clubs about St Petersburg.

 

 

Someone previously asked about keeping food fresh or at least healthy during a van excursion. I think it was NancyIl who asked that question. I wanted to make one comment about food in Russia. I remember my mother always being very careful about handling foods during the summer that had mayonnaise as an ingredient. It was common experience that it spoiled quickly once out of the refrigerator. In Russia foods are left out all day or days and this is not a problem. I was leery of this at first but after being prodded to accept offerings of food stored that way and not knowing anyone who got sick from it I finally accepted that whatever they call mayonnaise is not particularly fragile in handling. I still do not know the difference but apparently their dairy products are processed differently and go bad very slowly. Mayonnaise is used a lot more in Russia on many more things than in the west and does taste somewhat different. Sour cream (Smetlana in Russian) is used with everything I have grown to love it but again it tastes different in Russia. I use it, like Russian so, on all sorts of foods. Other foods that seem to stand up well to room temperature storage are sausage, dried or smoked fish or meat so packed lunches eating after being packed away all day on the job seems to be of no health or safety concern for locals.

 

Restaurants in St Petersburg get inspected by health departments a lot more often than in the west so I’ve gotten used to not even questioning the safety of foods despite having second thoughts watching how meat and poultry is handled in open air markets.

 

 

So to answer the food safety question: if the lunch is prepared with traditional Russian made products I suspect it would stand up well if in a cooler or not. If it comes from the ship it will not be as fresh and will be processed differently so a cooler would probably be required.

 

 

Have a great trip

Stan

[aztex]

I am working with Ilya on a two day tour for June 25 and 26. For a group of six to eight they use an air conditioned van that will comfortably hold everyone. They rent vehicles for the tours and base size on your group and needs. Just work with Ilya - he will get things done for you.

[tartangal]

Stanj, thanks for the food info and Denrus vehicle size. A van sounds perfect. Re mayonnaise: I remember when studies came out showing that contrary to old notions about mayonnaise causing dishes prepared with it to spoil, the opposite is true. It seems to retard spoilage. Interesting that Russians don't have the same fears as Americans about food spoilage and they don't seem to suffer. I have enjoyed all your incredibly informative postings about St. Petersburg. As far as American tourists are concerned you must have seen it all.

[tartangal]

Hoser,

Regarding tour mates in St. Petersburg,we already have 6 in our party and I am just now exploring options for our family.

[stanj]

Stanj, thanks for the food info and Denrus vehicle size. A van sounds perfect. Re mayonnaise: I remember when studies came out showing that contrary to old notions about mayonnaise causing dishes prepared with it to spoil, the opposite is true. It seems to retard spoilage. Interesting that Russians don't have the same fears as Americans about food spoilage and they don't seem to suffer. I have enjoyed all your incredibly informative postings about St. Petersburg. As far as American tourists are concerned you must have seen it all.

 

Hi Tartangal.....Tartan....Girl, must be a Scottish lass. I am a Graham and a Forbes Clan product myself;>)

 

I've been to many countries and I've always been interested in food and traditions regarding food and hospitality. I'm not much of a cook but I am a skilled and experienced eater;>) Most dishes in Russian cuisine are borrowed from other cultures, particularly the older Ukrainian food traditions but St Petersburg had a lot of European influence beginning in the early 1700s when chefs were actively sough from Europe for the new Imperial Capital after is founding in 1703. French was used in the Tsars court as well as the kitchen after Peter the Great in fact. The connection with the beginning US with the new Russian court was very strong from those days and is something I will write about later if people are interested.

As a long time visitor myself I guess you are right, I have seen a lot, both the best and worst of visitor behavior are Americans. Mostly I am just an observer since I do not deal with tourists other than befriending them on the street when I see the tell tale looks of bewilderment, head scratching and squinting at the tiny print in a guide book of the "lost" tourist. Usually these scenes are in the early morning before locals are even out of bed yet when Nevsky prospekt is the private domain of early rising western tourists. I'll stroll up to a above described visiting couple and ask if they need any help. There are two predicted reactions, either occurring in equal probability, one is a sign of relief that someone is coming to their rescue and their shoulders relax and wrinkled brow ease. The other reaction is sheer terror that someone is actually talking to them and the next step in their imagination is that I am going to rob them as they clutch their money belts under their clothing and scurry away without making eye contact. They will have tales to tell back home of how their well deserved wariness saved them from mugging or a kidnapping by a cunning thug who learn California English in order to con them into letting down their guard. For those not scared out of their wits and who answer that they could use some help I offer a few suggestions about how easy it is to see their way around by pointing out a few unmistakable landmarks and signs. It REALLY is a easy city to see on your own if you stick to the city center, easier than any other city I can think of where the signs might as well be in Chinese or other alphabet you don't know.

My sure fire way to predict how much fun someone has and what they experience is like is to ask how they last destinations were. When the response is "the people were rude and not friendly, most tried to rip up off, and everything was dirty or not up to our standards" be it France or Kenya. My answer to their question about what they will find in Russia is " about the same, except more".

When the answer to my question is "I loved it, we were treated so well, with great hospitality and warm receptions, it was better than we expected". My suggestion will be that they will find pretty much the same in Russia except more so. Ask 100 Americans about the reception they get from Parisians for example. No one is without a strong opinion, 50% will say Frenchmen are rude and treat foreigners who do not know French badly, the worst people on earth. The remainder of visitors will report how warm and hospitable, gracious and helpful the French were. No one will answer "they are just like everyone else neither good or bad, friendly or not. You will find the same but 10 times as much with visiting Russia. Either people fall in love with it or they have their worst imagined thoughts confirmed. I am one of those who falls in love with where ever I go but never so much as with St Petersburg. Some will look hard to find and complain about Russian society's rough edges or signs of decay while other see the same view and are in awe of the beauty of place and depth of Russian soul, the connection between vastly different peoples and finding unimagined similarities and empathy.

I sense that most people on this message board fit into the latter mode because there is a civil and appreciative public image projected by the members. This one reason I encourage returning for extended stays after getting a taste of it because people on this board are the type who would fall in love just as I did. Many visit do not and are not well suited to exploring cultures much different than their own.

 

Have a great trip and fall in love!

Stan

[tartangal]

Stan,

Sorry I haven't responded to your kind posting until now. I have been doing so much exhaustive research for our upcoming trip I forgot to check back here. I do have Scottish ancestry somewhere in the distant past but confess I'm more Anglo-Saxon than Scottish. I just love Scotland and things Scottish. I am prepared to fall in love with St. Petersburg! I live in Hawaii, hence my comment on seeing it all with tourists. I've seen alot here and can only imagine what you encounter with Americans abroad, having witnessed the "ugly American" in other countries. You are right about people who expect to be taken advantage of and disappointed in their destination generally seeing the worst. Having said this do you feel the reports of pickpockets in St. Petersburg that other cruisers have warned about are exaggerated?

[stanj]

Stan,

Sorry I haven't responded to your kind posting until now. I have been doing so much exhaustive research for our upcoming trip I forgot to check back here. I do have Scottish ancestry somewhere in the distant past but confess I'm more Anglo-Saxon than Scottish. I just love Scotland and things Scottish. I am prepared to fall in love with St. Petersburg! I live in Hawaii, hence my comment on seeing it all with tourists. I've seen alot here and can only imagine what you encounter with Americans abroad, having witnessed the "ugly American" in other countries. You are right about people who expect to be taken advantage of and disappointed in their destination generally seeing the worst. Having said this do you feel the reports of pickpockets in St. Petersburg that other cruisers have warned about are exaggerated?

 

Hi Tartangal

No problem being part Anglo-Saxon as long as the other part, your heart, is Scottish;>)

Pick pockets are primarily in two locations, the Gostiny Dvor metro station during extreme rush times and the tourist souvenir “Flea Market” as people on this list call it across the street from the Church on Spilled Blood. Both of these are crowded and easy for team pickpockets to find victims. The main victims are visitors and locals alike who ignore the warnings not to keep wallets in back pockets or backpacks. There is no reason to breing wallets away from the ship at all, the documents in them are useless on shore and other than a credit card and a little cash, a copy of your passport, what else is needed?

 

 

 

There was one other risk: two bands of Roma Women who were quite aggressive with locals and foreigners alike. They roamed the sidewalks and stalked their prey and would surround them and within a second or two, steal everything of value in broad daylight within sight of a thousand other pedestrians. It happened so quickly that no defense seemed to work. Finally, last April, the police decided to stop it, and stop it they did. Few if any of the Roma were legal immigrants so the police began stopping them and when they could not produce legal immigration documents, the police started actions to deport them. By May, I saw no more Roma bands and no more thefts

 

 

Are there a lot of pick-pockets? No, fewer by far than somewhere they are more of a problem such as Rome or NYC but the rumors get exaggerated in the absence of facts or experience. But by the same token, thefts of opportunity do happen so don’t present opportunities. Reducing the already low risk is a matter of common sense rather walking around in a state of suspiciousness that will lower your enjoyment. I think it is safe to say that you will be safe, no one is going to mug you, and no one is going to attack you or even pay much attention to you. It is an unusually safe city for visitors with a better safety track record than larger US cities. I had my wallet taken in the metro during condition perfect for it, an extremely crowded train car and forgot about the rule about not riding the metro with a wallet in my rear pocket. I never replaced the wallet because I found that I really do not need the things I carry in my wallet in Russia. I used to ride that section of metro everyday during peak crush, an appropriate word for certain times of the day. Tourists usually do not ride the metro by themselves because the Cyrillic signs are so confusing for first time visitors.

 

 

 

Try this little test: What is your gut reaction to the thought of stepping to the edge of the sidewalk or into the street, at 3:00 a.m. in any part of your city, dressed in your best and skimpiest go-dancing-outfit and flag down the first car that happens by and tell them to take you home? Not something you would want to risk I bet.

 

Now ask anyone in St Petersburg about the wisdom and safety of that same episode anywhere in their city and you will get a shrug and quizzical look that says “what’s the big deal, everyone does it, it is the best way to get around”. We all do it, it is a form of using any private car coming down the street as our own private taxi for fee based hitch-hiking. This is possible due to the feeling of security locals have concerning public risk. Being able to walk in any part of a vast city at any time of day or night in safety is something locals take for granted and assume it is the same in other countries as well.

 

 

Have a great visit TartanGal

[ellron]

It would appear that many visitors to St. Petersburg use the services of Red October or DenRus. I thought that I might like to use a smaller company and found a company called Alla Tours. They seem to offer similar services to the larger companies. Stanj, if you see this post perhaps you could let me know if they are reputable and what your thoughts are to using them as tour guides. If anyone else has any information I would appreciate your comments as well.

 

Thanks

Ron

[ellron]

It would appear that many visitors to St. Petersburg use the services of Red October or DenRus. I thought that I might like to use a smaller company and found a company called Alla Tours. They seem to offer similar services to the larger companies. Stanj, if you see this post perhaps you could let me know if they are reputable and what your thoughts are to using them as tour guides. If anyone else has any information I would appreciate your comments as well.

 

Thanks

Ron

 

I had posted this comment under a different heading and feel that it was better posted here.

 

Thanks

 

Ron

[tartangal]

Thanks again Stan. I assumed the theft reports were exaggerated, but having been surrounded by a swarm of Roma kids at the Vienna train station years ago I recognize what you were referring to. (No, they didn't get anything. I had been forewarned and advised to yell and wave my arms and act agressive and it worked. It helped that I carried nothing in my pockets and kept my money in a neck pouch worn underneath my sweater.) Glad the authorities have stopped it in your adopted city.

By the way I want to say I am adopting your clothing suggestions which you addressed in another post. I am very appreciative that you shared this fascinating information and glad that there are still people in this world who feel that the way they present themselves to other shows respect. I have watched this change over the years as the comfort clothing of America has spread to places where once not so long ago shorts and Tshirts were only worn on the beach or for sports. Frankly living in a place where that's all anyone wears I am ready to Dress!

[stanj]

It would appear that many visitors to St. Petersburg use the services of Red October or DenRus. I thought that I might like to use a smaller company and found a company called Alla Tours. They seem to offer similar services to the larger companies. Stanj, if you see this post perhaps you could let me know if they are reputable and what your thoughts are to using them as tour guides. If anyone else has any information I would appreciate your comments as well.

 

Thanks

Ron

Hi Ron

I do not know Alla Tours personally but I have heard the name. I can probably find out by asking around. There are probably at least 100 agencies which offer tours but almost all are aiming their services toward land-based tours because very few tour operator have the authorization for the group visa that is uniquely required of cruise ship passengers. Handling the tight timing and compressed shore experience is different skill set than is needed for the more relaxed and flexible land based tourism. For those with visas and more flexibility in their time, some of the independent tour operators are goo deals. In land based tourism, a missed opportunity to visit a particular sight can always be rescheduled for the next day or week. But even "flexibility" requires careful planning and tight schedules to have a shore excursion come off successfully when everything needs to be accomplished in 2 8-10 hour days.

One thing I learned long ago is that schedules and timing are not things locals have ever taken seriously. I don't anymore;>)

Most of the well known and larger tour services are Russian language only because that market is many times larger than the number of foreign visitors. St Petersburg is the #1 tourist destination among Russians from other areas. As a result I don't ever recall hearing canal boat guides using any other language than Russian for their descriptions of the sights.

I'll let you know if I learn anything of interest about Alla Touris

Have a great trip

[cadreamer]

I have contacted Alla of Alla tours and find her extremely knowledgeable and professional. I learned of her from a Reader Recommendation in the LATimes. I also contacted one of her personal referrals in the US. Her English is excellent. So far I am very pleased with her. Of course I have not yet personally used her services. I have used Red October and Denrus in the past but neither could accommodate the very personalized itinerary I am requesting. Let me know your experience and, Stan, I will look forward to reading what you learn.

[cbee]

I am interested in information you may have on the ALLA tours. . .it would be interesting to compare. Usually, the LA Times is a good source. . watching to see what Stan has to say.

[cadreamer]

I contacted her several months ago and have been corresonding with her ever since. I have booked three days with her and she is handling getting our visas.

She is also arranging a trip for us to Moscow on the train. I could give you the name of the referral I emailed about her. The LA Times recommendation was from a woman in Beverly Hills who used Alla and a driver and van in 2004 for her family of 14 and spent 2 days with her. She said "she is fabulous, a college graduate who speaks excellent English. She offered marvelous details of Russian history as well as information about the art at the Hermitage."

My interactions with her have been very impressive and I have a lot of confidence in her at this time. I am getting very personalized service and it seems clear she is very conscientious and knows her job. I will still be interested to hear anything Stan reports. What has your experience been?