St. Petersburg, AllaTours

[maggie3]

I am the original poster. I am looking at Alla Tours, because they seem to include more than all the other companies I have looked at for the $300. for the Two Day Complete St. Petersburg Grand package tour. They include the Yusopov Palace and inside visits to St. Isaacs and the Chapel on the Spilled Blood, along with early visits inside the Hemitage and Catherine's Palace, and extras such as a canal ride, hydrofoil and metro ride. There is also city sightseeing with many photo stops. They are a small company, and I can see where they may have been burned in the past by people who did not show up on the second day. So far, I am not reading reports from anyone who has had a negative experience with them. The only decision here seems to be on whether a traveler is comfortable with paying on the first day of the tour.

[TLCOhio]

I am the original poster. I am looking at Alla Tours, because they seem to include more than all the other companies I have looked at for the $300. for the Two Day Complete St. Petersburg Grand package tour. They include the Yusopov Palace and inside visits to St. Isaacs and the Chapel on the Spilled Blood, along with early visits inside the Hemitage and Catherine's Palace, and extras such as a canal ride, hydrofoil and metro ride. There is also city sightseeing with many photo stops. They are a small company, and I can see where they may have been burned in the past by people who did not show up on the second day. So far, I am not reading reports from anyone who has had a negative experience with them. The only decision here seems to be on whether a traveler is comfortable with paying on the first day of the tour.

 

It's your choice. Personally, I would not take a risk with an advance payment. Most of the companies don't require that "gamble" by you. My view is to NOT lock into one company too soon, too quick. Sample the major players. Ask the right questions. Get what best fits ALL of your needs and travel style.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 25,500 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Cornishpastyman1]

I am the original poster. I am looking at Alla Tours, because they seem to include more than all the other companies I have looked at for the $300. for the Two Day Complete St. Petersburg Grand package tour. They include the Yusopov Palace and inside visits to St. Isaacs and the Chapel on the Spilled Blood, along with early visits inside the Hemitage and Catherine's Palace, and extras such as a canal ride, hydrofoil and metro ride. There is also city sightseeing with many photo stops. They are a small company, and I can see where they may have been burned in the past by people who did not show up on the second day. So far, I am not reading reports from anyone who has had a negative experience with them. The only decision here seems to be on whether a traveler is comfortable with paying on the first day of the tour.

 

Hello Maggie

That tour is a superb one, both in terms of hitting all the big sights and for the money. Alla have a very good reputation and paying on day 1 is effectively no different to leaving credit card details or what you do when you buy a ship's excursion. Or make a hotel reservationin advance. Or pay for a non-refundable flight ticket etc.

 

Have a great time - how can anyone not in St P ?

Tony

[SuzieSmith]

I am the original poster. I am looking at Alla Tours, because they seem to include more than all the other companies I have looked at for the $300. for the Two Day Complete St. Petersburg Grand package tour. They include the Yusopov Palace and inside visits to St. Isaacs and the Chapel on the Spilled Blood, along with early visits inside the Hemitage and Catherine's Palace, and extras such as a canal ride, hydrofoil and metro ride. There is also city sightseeing with many photo stops. They are a small company, and I can see where they may have been burned in the past by people who did not show up on the second day. So far, I am not reading reports from anyone who has had a negative experience with them. The only decision here seems to be on whether a traveler is comfortable with paying on the first day of the tour.

 

I think is will be OK because the first time they "burn" a tourist their business will be done for. So it wouldn't be worth it for them to do that. CC and all other travel boards would have their name plastered all over with a "WARNING DO NOT USE"

 

I am seriously considering them for the Grand Tour @ $300 pp - it goes no matter how many sign up and limited to 16 persons.

Have fun whatever you decide!

[Gran2five]

I think is will be OK because the first time they "burn" a tourist their business will be done for. So it wouldn't be worth it for them to do that. CC and all other travel boards would have their name plastered all over with a "WARNING DO NOT USE"

 

I am seriously considering them for the Grand Tour @ $300 pp - it goes no matter how many sign up and limited to 16 persons.

Have fun whatever you decide!

 

We too are looking at Alla but will also send our wish list to all the major tour operators and see what happens. Our interest is in seeing the beautiful sites and also in photography. I wonder if payment is in cash or will they accept Credit Cards.

[TLCOhio]

We too are looking at Alla but will also send our wish list to all the major tour operators and see what happens. Our interest is in seeing the beautiful sites and also in photography. I wonder if payment is in cash or will they accept Credit Cards.

 

I did a combination of cash and credit card. They are flexible and creative. They "get it". It's business and most of the better firms generally like to make the customer happy. Now is a good time to be starting that planning, asking questions, making arrangements, etc. Don't wait until May or June to to start communicating with the top firms.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 25,500 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[gkkapp]

As stated before, we REALLY thought Alla did a wonderful job on our tour.

 

Almost 2 years ago we, along with 14 others, paid a deposit to a tour company for a two-day tour in Cairo, Egypt. Had to be wired to Cairo as they couldn't take credit cards. Caused some worry and others in the original group decided to use another tour company that didn't require a deposit. Here's the difference:

 

We stayed at a 5 star hotel, they didn't.

 

We had a small bus with a restroom, they had a van without one.

 

We were always well taken care of, two of their members were left at a rest stop on the way to Cairo. They did go back for them but time was lost.

 

As they say, "You pays your money and takes your choice".

 

Alla does take credit cards but you get a discount for cash.

 

<<<Karen>>>

[Tess111]

My view: you are only there once (at least many of us), so do both the canal cruise, which normally only is one hour long, having dinner a little bit later on day 1, and also the Yusupov! :)

 

I asked the question about trading Yusupov for the canal boat ride so we could see the ballet in the evening, or to do the canal boat ride in the evening, and every response I received said to do the Yusupov. My reasoning for doing the evening canal boat ride instead of the ballet is because I can go and see the ballet close to home (5 hour drive), but it is a lot farther to go to do a St Petersburg canal boat ride.

 

I am booking a private deluxe tour with either SPB or I Travel SPb because we want to go to an active fire station during our time in St. Petersburg. Because we want to do this "additional" thing, we probably won't have others joining our tour, which is OK either way. Cheaper if they do, OK with us if they don't. If it is just us, we can pace the day according to our wants/needs.

[CintiPam]

I asked the question about trading Yusupov for the canal boat ride so we could see the ballet in the evening, or to do the canal boat ride in the evening, and every response I received said to do the Yusupov. My reasoning for doing the evening canal boat ride instead of the ballet is because I can go and see the ballet close to home (5 hour drive), but it is a lot farther to go to do a St Petersburg canal boat ride.

 

I am booking a private deluxe tour with either SPB or I Travel SPb because we want to go to an active fire station during our time in St. Petersburg. Because we want to do this "additional" thing, we probably won't have others joining our tour, which is OK either way. Cheaper if they do, OK with us if they don't. If it is just us, we can pace the day according to our wants/needs.

 

Just my opinion, but I went to the ballet on my visit to St. Petersburg three years ago (a four-day land trip), and although it was fun/pleasant because I was in Russia, you will be seeing the "tourist" ballet, not the Kirov or the Bolshoi. So I agree with your instincts on this issue.

 

Also, I (and it sounds like you as well) am stuffing so much into my two-day custom tour with SPB-Tours that I know I will be much too exhausted to attend the ballet the evening of my first day, and much prefer to have a nice dinner on board and rest up for the second day's early start on touring.

 

I loved my visit to the Yusopov three years ago because the building is original, not a reconstruction, plus the Rasputin element makes it a great stop. However, I also believe that a canal cruise is a must for a visit to St. Petersburg, and we will get to do both with SPB. With only two or four in your group, you really can fit a lot into a couple of days.

 

BTW, you only need an hour for a nice canal cruise, not an entire evening.

 

Enjoy!

[Giantfan13]

I asked the question about trading Yusupov for the canal boat ride so we could see the ballet in the evening, or to do the canal boat ride in the evening, and every response I received said to do the Yusupov. My reasoning for doing the evening canal boat ride instead of the ballet is because I can go and see the ballet close to home (5 hour drive), but it is a lot farther to go to do a St Petersburg canal boat ride.

 

I am booking a private deluxe tour with either SPB or I Travel SPB because we want to go to an active fire station during our time in St. Petersburg. Because we want to do this "additional" thing, we probably won't have others joining our tour, which is OK either way. Cheaper if they do, OK with us if they don't. If it is just us, we can pace the day according to our wants/needs.

 

Don't say that. You will be surprised as to what others on your cruise may like to see. What you have suggested sounds great and I would bet if you asked others, say, on your roll call, if they would like to do something like that, some would probably say yes.

We used SPB tours and we asked Viktoria if we could see the Choral synagogue which wasn't part of our set tour. It wasn't part of the itinerary, but when it was told to the rest of the group, everyone wanted to see it also.

 

If you would rather do the tour by yourselves, fine, but there are always others who would love to see parts of St Peterburg that the average tourist doesn't get to see.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[mommamd]

I am waiting to here back from Alla re the payment policy. They do want it at 8 am the first day according to the itinerary plan they emailed me.

[TLCOhio]

Just my opinion, but I went to the ballet on my visit to St. Petersburg three years ago (a four-day land trip), and although it was fun/pleasant because I was in Russia, you will be seeing the "tourist" ballet, not the Kirov or the Bolshoi. So I agree with your instincts on this issue. Also, I (and it sounds like you as well) am stuffing so much into my two-day custom tour with SPB-Tours that I know I will be much too exhausted to attend the ballet the evening of my first day, and much prefer to have a nice dinner on board and rest up for the second day's early start on touring. I loved my visit to the Yusopov three years ago because the building is original, not a reconstruction, plus the Rasputin element makes it a great stop. However, I also believe that a canal cruise is a must for a visit to St. Petersburg, and we will get to do both with SPB. With only two or four in your group, you really can fit a lot into a couple of days. BTW, you only need an hour for a nice canal cruise, not an entire evening. Enjoy!

 

Tess111: I asked the question about trading Yusupov for the canal boat ride so we could see the ballet in the evening' date=' or to do the canal boat ride in the evening, and every response I received said to do the Yusupov. [/quote']

 

Excellent points by Pam, Len, etc. There are vastly different qualities of ballets and theaters within St. Petersburg. Those "details" make a huge difference. Doing a lengthy three-hour ballet in the evening after a long day and then a full day the next might be possible, but it is not always the best choice for your overall plan.

 

A canal boat ride can work out well. It gives you a chance to rest a little from all of the standing and walking, plus you can see St. Petersburg from a nice and different angle. Lots of interesting things to see and enjoy during a canal boat trip. It's gets you away from the congested streets. Below are a few visual samples from doing that canal boat option. It's not for everyone, but we liked it. We enjoyed both Yusupov and the canal boat. They are different. Much depends on your personal tastes, interests and how the overall "plan" works or flows for you and your party.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 25,700 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

From the canal boat, this is a view of an original palace built by Peter in St. Petersburg:

 

 

 

An example of the many buildings and bridges you will see on the canal boat tour in St. Petersburg.:

 

 

 

Another royal structure seen on the canal boat tour:

 

 

 

An example of bridge details you will see on the canal tour:

 

 

 

On the canal boat in front of the Hermitage, here is a speed boat enjoying the water:

 

[lauderdalebob]

Maggie3: We've booked with Alla Tours for our NCL Sun cruise in May 2011. After doing endless reading of reviews and comparisons, we decided Alla Complete Tour for two days would cover just about everything at a reduced price compared to some, so Alla it is. Also, Alla was VERY responsive to my e-mails with questions.

[maggie3]

Thanks, lauderdalebob. We'll be sailing later in 2011, so hope you will write a review on your return. That would be helpful and most appreciated.