Question about St. Petersburg and Helsinki Excursions

[Nodakboiler]

We are on the Vision of the Seas sailing July 16 from Stockholm. My research indicates that the Hermitage Museum is closed on Mondays and that is the only day we are in port. The RCCL site offers excursions for that Monday to the Hermitage. Is that accurate or does RCCL get special dispensation and entry to the Hermitage on Mondays?

 

If you had a choice, would you go see the Hermitage or the Pushkin and Peterhof combo?

 

Also, since we are in Helsinki on Sunday, are there museums and items of interest closed on Sunday?

 

Thanks for all of your comments and thoughts.

[fabnfortysomething]

We are on the Vision of the Seas sailing July 16 from Stockholm. My research indicates that the Hermitage Museum is closed on Mondays and that is the only day we are in port. The RCCL site offers excursions for that Monday to the Hermitage. Is that accurate or does RCCL get special dispensation and entry to the Hermitage on Mondays?

 

If you had a choice, would you go see the Hermitage or the Pushkin and Peterhof combo?

 

Also, since we are in Helsinki on Sunday, are there museums and items of interest closed on Sunday?

 

Thanks for all of your comments and thoughts.

 

that sounds really bad planning by RCCL if you only have one day in port when museums are closed

 

I would email several of the private tour operators recommended on these boards to ask what your chances are of getting to see as much as you can in one day

 

in 2 days we saw peterhoff 1 day and hermitage the next with loads of extra trips arranged through a private operator

[Cornishpastyman1]

 

If you had a choice, would you go see the Hermitage or the Pushkin and Peterhof combo?

 

Thanks for all of your comments and thoughts.

What a choice to have to make. Both options are very good so in that sense you will have a great time either way but I'm undecided having done both ! Do these help ?

 

The Winter Palace/Hermitage State Museum

 

The Fountains of Peterhof

 

The Catherine Palace at Pushkin

 

Whatever I hope you have a great day, Tony

[ConnieInNewJersey]

We are on the Vision of the Seas sailing July 16 from Stockholm. My research indicates that the Hermitage Museum is closed on Mondays and that is the only day we are in port. The RCCL site offers excursions for that Monday to the Hermitage. Is that accurate or does RCCL get special dispensation and entry to the Hermitage on Mondays?

 

If you had a choice, would you go see the Hermitage or the Pushkin and Peterhof combo?

 

Also, since we are in Helsinki on Sunday, are there museums and items of interest closed on Sunday?

 

Thanks for all of your comments and thoughts.

 

You have a very difficult decision. The Hermitage is closed on Mondays to everyone except cruise ship tours. If you take the ships 3 1/2 hour tour you would only be there 2-2 1/2 hours. To make it a worthwhile choice IMHO you would need to arrange a private tour with the ship and spend a minimum of four hours at the Hermitage (which I'm sure would be wonderful). To get the maximum amount of SPB sightseeing given your time constraints, you should consider a private tour with a top SPB company followed up with an evening excursion with the same company. This way travel time to get places is kept to a minimum, especially if you end the day tour and go right into the evening portion.

 

Regarding Helsinki, most attractions are open on Sunday but often with shorter hours.

[Giantfan13]

With only one day in St Petersburg, it is impossible to see and do everything, so there ARE choices to be made. Even with a private tour and the Hermitage being open, you would still have to make big time choices. To go to Peterhoff and Catherine's Palace takes time. They are not in the city and it takes about an hour drive to get there. Doing that would in itself, limit your time at the Hermitage. You simply cannot go into the Hermitage and spend an hour.

 

So, you must decide which is more important to you, seeing the Hermitage or seeing many of the other major sites in St Petersburg??> Personally, if it were me, I would bypass the Hermitage in favor of doing more things and seeing more places. It's only one day, and you have to decide what things are most important for you to see. It is a tough call

 

Cheers

 

Len

[CintiPam]

The Hermitage will be available for private ship's tours that day.

 

Although I am an art museum docent, I would choose the excursion to Peterhof and Pushkin if I had only one day. Most people only really can absorb a limited amount of art work at one time, definitely less than three hours max, more like two at the very most. BTW, at Catherine's Palace, you will get to see the amazing reconstructed Amber Room, one of the great art treasures and art mysteries of the past century.

[MDKINFL]

My wife and I are on the July 16 sailing. Found private guide who can get access to the Hermitage on Monday. Attempting to get a small group together 6 people? ANy interest?