Cost of Princess excursions St Petersburg

[mimlypops]

Hello

 

Please could anyone give me an indication of the Princess excursion prices in St Petersburg. The Princess website lists the excursions but not the prices.

 

Thank you

[Giantfan13]

Hello

 

Please could anyone give me an indication of the Princess excursion prices in St Petersburg. The Princess website lists the excursions but not the prices.

 

Thank you

 

I do not know exactly but I can guarantee one thing, they will be EXPENSIVE.

 

Have you considered using any of the several great independent tour comapnies that operate out of St Petersburg??. Most of us have used them and we simply cannot recommend them high enough. You get a great value using them, with better transportation, smaller groups, a chance to tailor the tour to what YOU want to see, spend less time waiting for others on those ship tours, spend less time at those ship appointed stops and shops, and spend more time seeing St Petersburg. There is NO way you will miss a ship using the independent tour comapnies, and bottom line, you get a lot more bang for your buck with the independents.

 

Again, if you are set on a ship's tour, go for it, but if you ask for advice here, we all will advice you to go independent. You will not regret it.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[TMLAalum]

My girlfriend who did a two-day with Princess insists that we were overpaying w/ SPB for a private custom tours at 340@! She says she only paid 200 and saw everything.

 

In late '09 Princess was posting their excursion prices and of course I checked on her accuracy:D...she was correct in saying it was only 200 but incorrect in saying it was for both days. That was the price for a one day tour so double it plus for both.

[caripoo]

The ships excursions are ALWAYS more expensive. They try to make it seem that you pay EXTRA for the visas if you do it independantly. Yes you do, but they include it in their expensive tours also. YOU do pay for them either way. Book with an independant company and design it the way you want!!:):)

[Cornishpastyman1]

Just to echo what has already been said, I estimated that for SPB the ships' tours cost roughly half as much again as the independents' equivalent, and are far inferior because of the larger groups and lack of flexibility, especially for unscheduled photo stops.

[mountainhouse]

Excursions have posted for our cruise. Pricing for their "most popular" 2 day is $399pp. Description:

 

The first day of this spectacular tour begins with a visit to the Peter and Paul fortress, which was originally built to protect the city from Swedish attack. The fortress soon became Russia's Tower of London, and a place for imprisoning political prisoners, including Peter the Great's own son. Here, you will also visit the city's second tallest structure, the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which boasts an ornate gilded interior, 18th century paintings, and the tomb of Catherine the Great.

 

Throughout both days, you will be driving through many of the city's residential and suburban districts - a truly excellent way to absorb the sights. Today, however, your next stop is the historic armored Cruiser Aurora, which is now a museum but fired her guns to signal the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution.

 

After a brief photo stop you will head to the impressive Hermitage museum, home to more than three million works of art. Explore the display rooms accompanied by your guide and enjoy viewing paintings by Da Vinci, Picasso, Rembrandt and Renoir.

 

By now you will have earned your delicious Russian lunch, which will be served in one of the best restaurants in St. Petersburg, and includes champagne, vodka, red caviar and local entertainment.

 

Your day continues with a visit to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, a magnificently restored building that was built on the site of the March 1st, 1881 assassination of Tsar Alexander II.

 

Your last stop, before heading back to the ship, is the awe-inspiring St. Isaac's Cathedral, which boasts a massive central dome, lavishly covered with 220 pounds of pure gold.

 

Day two begins with a tour of the Peterhof Palace and grounds, often called Russia's Versailles. The palace sits atop a hill overlooking the Gulf of Finland, and you will be able to explore the breath-taking 300-acre park and the Grand Cascade fountains, which feature Samson prying open the lion's jaws. Inside, you will marvel at the impressive Throne Room, Portrait Room and stunning White Dining Room.

 

Savor your traditional lunch feast served at another of St. Petersburg's finest restaurants before enjoying an hour-long canal tour in a small open-air boat along the Fontanka River, the Moika River and the Neva River. Your guide will be on hand to narrate your detailed route while you enjoy a glass of champagne, passing under many picturesque bridges.

 

Climbing back on to the bus you will head to the magnificent Yusupov Palace, noted as the site of the assassination of the monk Rasputin. Here, you will visit the palace's delicately restored apartments, and view an exhibition of photographs, waxworks, and the actual cellar room where Rasputin was poisoned then shot.

 

Your super-sized excursion ends with a stop at one of St. Petersburg's souvenir shops, where you will have time to browse and barter for many classical Russian gifts including lacquered boxes and painted nesting dolls.

[TLCOhio]

Hello. Please could anyone give me an indication of the Princess excursion prices in St Petersburg. The Princess website lists the excursions but not the prices. Thank you

 

To echo the comments by others, you can generally do much, much better in St. Petersburg with a carefully considered private tour. If there are six or eight in your party/group, you will save much more than the ship tours.

 

As Paul Harvey would say on the "THE REST OF THE STORY", cost is only part of the overall and total "deal".

 

Many ship tours are only half-day options that require lots of wasted time going back to the ship, having lunch there and then signing up to go out on another tour. Most cruise tours involve a bus with 20-40 people and your timing slowed to accommodate that large number and the SLOWEST party members. And more bathroom stops, etc.

 

Price is important, but you will find when you really compare closely, apples to apples, that the cost differences are not that huge among the major, most experienced firms in St. Petersburg. It's about quality and responsiveness! First, outline, in detail, what you need, like and want in what you will send as a request to each potential tour firm. Ask questions, etc. Make it personal and custom to your interests and needs! Don't grab the first firm you write to and assume "that's it" after reading a couple of positive reviews for only one firm. We contacted the top five firms, seeing what they said, how flexible they were, etc. Our firm would e-mail back a detailed spreadsheet that outlined and showed the various detailed costs and options. Some folks will "low-ball" you a basic, lower cost and then hit you later with added fees and extras that you assume were included. If you have a group of four, those total costs over two days are going to be better or about the same as doing a tour through the cruise ship. The key advantage with a private tour is having a tour focused on YOUR personal needs, going at a pace that works best for your interests. The better firms are great in making adjustments like an early admission to the Hermitage, dealing with two people who like to take lots of pictures, adjusting for one person with a healing hip and finding the right shop to buy a Russian-style military hat, etc. Details make an important difference! You get what you ask for and seek!

 

Read up ahead and consider, in advance, what you want to see and do. Don't just grab that easy "sampler" for what they tell you they offer. Make it personal and custom to fit your interests!

 

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 29,470 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

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

[Giantfan13]

Excursions have posted for our cruise. Pricing for their "most popular" 2 day is $399pp. Description:

 

The first day of this spectacular tour begins with a visit to the Peter and Paul fortress, which was originally built to protect the city from Swedish attack. The fortress soon became Russia's Tower of London, and a place for imprisoning political prisoners, including Peter the Great's own son. Here, you will also visit the city's second tallest structure, the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which boasts an ornate gilded interior, 18th century paintings, and the tomb of Catherine the Great.

 

Throughout both days, you will be driving through many of the city's residential and suburban districts - a truly excellent way to absorb the sights. Today, however, your next stop is the historic armored Cruiser Aurora, which is now a museum but fired her guns to signal the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution.

 

After a brief photo stop you will head to the impressive Hermitage museum, home to more than three million works of art. Explore the display rooms accompanied by your guide and enjoy viewing paintings by Da Vinci, Picasso, Rembrandt and Renoir.

 

By now you will have earned your delicious Russian lunch, which will be served in one of the best restaurants in St. Petersburg, and includes champagne, vodka, red caviar and local entertainment.

 

Your day continues with a visit to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, a magnificently restored building that was built on the site of the March 1st, 1881 assassination of Tsar Alexander II.

 

Your last stop, before heading back to the ship, is the awe-inspiring St. Isaac's Cathedral, which boasts a massive central dome, lavishly covered with 220 pounds of pure gold.

 

Day two begins with a tour of the Peterhof Palace and grounds, often called Russia's Versailles. The palace sits atop a hill overlooking the Gulf of Finland, and you will be able to explore the breath-taking 300-acre park and the Grand Cascade fountains, which feature Samson prying open the lion's jaws. Inside, you will marvel at the impressive Throne Room, Portrait Room and stunning White Dining Room.

 

Savor your traditional lunch feast served at another of St. Petersburg's finest restaurants before enjoying an hour-long canal tour in a small open-air boat along the Fontanka River, the Moika River and the Neva River. Your guide will be on hand to narrate your detailed route while you enjoy a glass of champagne, passing under many picturesque bridges.

 

Climbing back on to the bus you will head to the magnificent Yusupov Palace, noted as the site of the assassination of the monk Rasputin. Here, you will visit the palace's delicately restored apartments, and view an exhibition of photographs, waxworks, and the actual cellar room where Rasputin was poisoned then shot.

 

Your super-sized excursion ends with a stop at one of St. Petersburg's souvenir shops, where you will have time to browse and barter for many classical Russian gifts including lacquered boxes and painted nesting dolls.

 

By reviewing this itinerary, they are NOT going to Catherine's Palace,and it also doesn't say if you even get to go in some of the venues.

 

Again, no one here is selling a private tour. We all have done them and we all recommend them highly, probably all for different reasons.

Just for an example of our private tour with SPB tours.

We were given an itinerary of what we will do on day one and day two, just as Princess has detailed. Problem was, with our itinerary, there was a major accident on a road we were to take, so that part of our tour was put off until later. We also had magnificent weather on day one, so they also rearranged some of the itinerary to take advantage of this great weather to do more of the outdoor activities.

And lastly, we are of the Jewish faith. We wanted to see the Grand Choral Synagogue in St Petersburg. We inquired to Viktoria, who runs SPB tours, if that MIGHT be added to our itinerary. She immediately replied that it will be NO PROBLEM, and touring that Synagogue was a high light of our trip.

Try doing any of those things with any ship's tours. They are written in stone, and there are no deviations. They couldn't care less if it rains, snows, traffic whatever. as long as you get to each of the things promised, and back to the ship at the prescribed time. They couldn't care less if you spend 1 hour in the Hermitage to maybe make up for lost time, or the needed 3 hours to try and really appreciate this museum.

 

As you can see, we are all passionate about seeing St Petersburg the right way, and trying to get those going, to see it the best way also.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[gogogo8]

Sorry, didn't see recent post.

[TLCOhio]

As Len wisely notes, that scheduled offering does not include Catherine's Palace, its Amber Room, nor even close.

 

The outline notes: "Throughout both days, you will be driving through many of the city's residential and suburban districts - a truly excellent way to absorb the sights. Today, however, your next stop is the historic armored Cruiser Aurora, which is now a museum but fired her guns to signal the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution. After a brief photo stop you will head to the impressive Hermitage museum, home to more than three million works of art. Explore the display rooms accompanied by your guide and enjoy viewing paintings by Da Vinci, Picasso, Rembrandt and Renoir."

 

With all due respect, "driving through many of the city's residential and suburban districts" is NOT, in my view, "a truly excellent way to absorb the sights". It is, maybe, an "OK" way, if you're sitting on the correct side of the bus to see some things, briefly, in passing. I don't know that the Cruiser Aurora is regarded as a top, top attraction in St. Petersburg. Will that "stop" be a look out the bus window or getting out and actually being on and in this naval ship? They can walk you through the Hermitage in an hour to see a few painting by "Da Vinci, Picasso, Rembrandt and Renoir", but some of the tour guides do that in such a rushed manner that is hardly enjoyable.

 

Details are very, very important!!! Ask questions and think in advance what type of "tour" you want to have. Compare their quick, drive(walk)-by tour VERSUS getting the type of visit/experience you want. Make sure it fits your personal interests and needs.

 

That tour plan hypes "delicious Russian lunch" and "traditional lunch feast". They also say: "super-sized excursion ends with a stop at one of St. Petersburg's souvenir shop". They don't tell you how much of your time you will spend there as a shopping captive OR whether there is a kick-back, mark-up scheme that the tour company gets for bringing you to THEIR SHOP.

 

BUYER BEWARE!!! Look and think before you sign up for such arrangements through either a cruise or private tour.

 

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 29,500 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

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