Missing ship, private excursion St Petersburg

[shoreham01]

I want to book up private excursions in St Petersburg rather than use the ships tour. Has anyone been unlucky enough to miss the ship because of traffic or whatever. I am wondering how the tour companies look after you if this should happen.

[SuzieSmith]

Don't worry...they are well aware of traffic and how to get around it. Book your tour with one of the companies that are frequently mentioned on this board and you'll be fine. I used Alla and it was a wonderful 2 days! Enjoy your cruise!

[Mexfolkart]

We have taken many private excursions and never missed the ship or even been close. We always request that we are back by at least an hour before sailing. Last cruise, in May, they had to hold the ship for the ships tour in Athens..all the rest were back!! Sherry

[shoreham01]

Thanks for the reassurance. Will start doing serious research, we are not going until next year but will book up as soon as we decide who to go with.

Hope no-one else has bad experiences, will check back here with fingers crossed.

[marlin48]

We did a private 2 full days tour with Red October and i think we covered as much or more than the ships ones, never had to queue and back on both days before the ships ones. The courier was updated by mobile of traffic problems.

Martin

[KirkNC]

You will find the main stream companies know that a missed ship will put them out of business. We easily made our ship with SPB.

 

Kirk

[Bet & Peg]

We did a two-day tour with SPB last year in July. There were 4 couples who had met here on CC Roll Call. We discussed back and forth just what we would see - and indeed we saw all, and more, that we had requested.

 

But the tour company worked out the sequence and details. We were in St. Pete on a Friday and Saturday. Friday we began in town and then went out to Catherine's Palace and then Peterhof. We took the hydrofoil back into St. Pete saw a few more sites and then went to a FolkLore Show getting back to the ship about 9:15pm.

 

The second day, Saturday, we stayed in town seeing, among other things, SS Peter & Paul, Yusupov Palace, the Hermitage. There was hardly any traffic and we arrived at the ship in plenty of time for the sailing.

 

The good tour companies know their city and, while a traffic delay can happen anywhere at anytime, they seemed to pre-plan the best places for the best timing. I'm sure the last thing any of them would like to see is a post here about missing the ship!!!! [And the ship people as well as the tour people all monitor these boards!!!]

[Giantfan13]

You will find the main stream companies know that a missed ship will put them out of business. We easily made our ship with SPB.

 

Kirk

 

Ain't that the truth;););););)

 

That is why we all recommend you book with any of the several well known companies that are frequently mentioned here. Several times a year people come here and ask about some little known company and if they should book with them. We always say the same thing WHY. Why chance a little known company when you can book, for about the same price, with a well known company and be assured of seeing St Petersberg entirely and getting back to the ship with plenty of time to spare.

If it would worry you, have the company do the further our sights on day one and the sights right in the city on day 2, so that might ease your mind some.

But PLEASE, do not even concern yourself with that thought. it will never happen.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[don2738]

We just had a great two day tour with:

http://www.spb-tours.com/st-petersburg/en/

 

They won't let you miss the ship. We even asked our guide about it, and believe me, they are as concerned as you. I had no fear, between our very competent guide and driver, the subway system if need be, or I'm sure Viktoria would dispatch a vehicle or get a cab(s) on their way to you if a breakdown. It's never happened as far as I could tell, and our waiter and room steward never heard of passengers getting left in St. Petersberg. And last but not least, I knew on our itinerary there were trains to the next city our ship was heading to!

[Ashland]

As many above have said...private tour is the way to see this amazing city..their timing is "Spot On"...TJ Travel made it the trip of a lifetime for us with their active private (just DH & myself) 2 day tour..Enjoy !!!

[crusingnut]

This is always one of our concerns -- missing the ship. We did a 2 day excursion with spb as well. I believe Viktoria said they have back up vehicles if one should break down and not to worry. As another post states, they plan the 2nd day closer to the ship and know traffic patterns to avoid delays. As a precaution we arranged our 2nd day tour to get back to the ship 2 hrs before sailing. It was a wonderful 2 days, we went places the big tour buses couldn't possibly go. Have a great cruise!

[Got2Cruise]

If you look up "Nervous Nellie" in the dictionary, you will see my picture.:);) Don't worry about missing the ship, the way they have things organized, they take you furthest away from the ship first. You are very close to the ship when it time to get back. I also read that these tour companies are responsible for you off the ship according to the Russian government. They can get in big trouble if they don't get you back.

[GA almost empty nester]

We used TJ Travel, and they had us back an hour before "All aboard". Our guide had been given the earlier time even, and she was always in contact with other guides and folks in the company about traffic and pickpockets and lines.

 

We saw much more than the ships tours, for a lot less money too. Small groups are the way to go!

 

The only ship's tour I would consider was the evening tour to the Hermitage. I am not a big art lover, but my hubby is. Seeing the Hermitage was the highlight for him, but it was crowded and he likes to linger. Going at night when it is closed to the public would be nice.

 

Lastly, don't worry, there are ferries to the next port. And all the major hotels have places in St. Petersburg. You won't miss your ship with any of the companies mentioned on these boards, but if something extraordinary happened, you will be safe, comfortable and reunited shortly. And have great stories to tell!

 

Cathy

[janina]

You will find the main stream companies know that a missed ship will put them out of business. We easily made our ship with SPB.

 

Kirk

We did a private tour with just two of us. I asked the guide to be back early enough in case of delays. She told us she would be in big trouble if we missed the ship. She was the owner of the company...so leads me to believe that the visa authorities/port officials would report her and there would be consequences.

[CruiseDirections]

We also did a private tour with 2 other couples we met on the boards for the 2 days we were in St Petersburg. It was fun planning what we all want to see and do, our guide and driver were very professional and gave us personal attention you cannot get from the ship's tours. Plus we could not have seen and done everything we did any other way. We got back to the ship in plenty of time to rest up for the next day's adventures. I will never regret our private tour vs the ship's excursions.

[jtamchay]

We also did a private tour with 2 other couples we met on the boards for the 2 days we were in St Petersburg. It was fun planning what we all want to see and do, our guide and driver were very professional and gave us personal attention you cannot get from the ship's tours. Plus we could not have seen and done everything we did any other way. We got back to the ship in plenty of time to rest up for the next day's adventures. I will never regret our private tour vs the ship's excursions.

 

On our Berlin day, 4 August 2011, we were slowed by a car accident on the way back to the ship with SPB Tours... I knew we would not have an issue when we were at the comfort stop with 3 busses from the ships tours and we all arrived about 15 minutes from the onboard time...however, another one of the ships busses was more than an hour late and the ship waited for them.

All the bus drivers private and ship know each other and it seems are in contact with each other as they return the passengers to the ship.

[Dusty Wren]

We are sailing next July 19, 2012 on Celebrity Constellation roundtrip Amsterdam Baltic cruise. This is our first baltic cruise. Any rec on good private guides to St Petersburg and Berlin? I see plenty of ads here on CC and read about a few on trip advisor, but would be great to hear about them first hand from people who have used them. Thanks!

[jtamchay]

We are sailing next July 19, 2012 on Celebrity Constellation roundtrip Amsterdam Baltic cruise. This is our first baltic cruise. Any rec on good private guides to St Petersburg and Berlin? I see plenty of ads here on CC and read about a few on trip advisor, but would be great to hear about them first hand from people who have used them. Thanks!

 

If you look through CC you will find many very current postings on Private tours...use the search thread and print in private tours...and you can always contact people privately...I am open to that...jtamchay@yahoodotcom

[bakery]

When we returned to the ship after our second day in St. Petersburg, Viktoria (the owner of SPB) was there, personally ensuring that every excursion made it back. She was also in constant contact with all of her guides. I was really impressed by this attention to detail. I agree with the earlier poster that her company depends on not making a mistake of that magnitude, and she takes it very seriously.

[cathy82]

I was nervous about the idea of a private excursion in St. Petersburg, but there was no problem.. We used Alla Tours and everything was perfectly timed. We returned with plenty of time to spare. We had a much better tour experience than those on larger ships tours. In fact the only problem I heard about was a couple getting lost on a ships tour during a shopping stop, and failing to return with the group. This was on the first day. They didn't miss the ship when we sailed but had to find their way back (without their visa) back to the ship. You should be fine with any of the tour companies frequently recommended on theses boards.

[Vicki2]

Just got back from a Baltic Cruise on the Rotterdam (Aug 14 sailing) and we used SPB because they had a great package for 4 ports--Berlin, Tallin, St. Petersburg and Helsinki. I think I sent them over 30 emails back and forth because our big group had complicated needs, and each of those emails were answered thoroughly, patiently and in perfect idiomatic English first by Viktoria who eventually turned me over to a person named Evan. Evan was exceptionally attentive and detailed.

 

They delivered in all ports with wonderful guides.

 

Viktoria is a hardworking hands-on owner/operator/entrepreneur and we wish her company all the success she deserves!:)

[Moose Tracks]

Don't believe all the threats the cruise lines throw at you about being delayed getting off the ship if you're taking a private tour. They're just trying to convince you to take their excursions.

 

Be forewarned that once you were on the cruise, experiences with Celebrity (ourselves) and HAL (friends) both had them making it sound as though it would be difficult for you to get off the ship in a timely manner unless you were taking one of the ship's excursions. Were told that people taking the ship's tours would be allowed off the ship first and those with private tours would have to wait. About 3 days before we reached St. Petersburg we received a form asking whether we were taking a private tour and if so what time we were meeting the guide. We filled out the form stating we were meeting at 8:30. The day before reaching port we received a letter saying we should meet in one of the lounges at 8:15. We were then escorted off the ship to customs and met our guide at 8:30. So, no delays at all.

 

The 2nd day we were in port there was some huge meeting of dignitaries with military police and backed up traffic everywhere. Our guide knew this, adjusted accordingly and had us back to the ship in plenty of time. We sailed about 2 hours late though because 12 buses of people on the ship's excursion were stuck in traffic!

[LindaM]

We were on a 2 day tour with SPB tours Aug. 24. I would highly recommend them. Everything was done to perfection. Comparing what we saw during those 2 days with the tours on HAL----we saw EVERYTHING!!

 

We were also told we would have to wait to get off the ship. In fact, our ship arrived about an hour late. However, we were off ASAP---no questions asked. Just were told to enjoy our tour!

 

It is amazing how few people know about CC and private tours. The people I met thought for sure it wouldn't work out and they couldn't figure out how we got Visa's. It was sooo easy to book with Viktoria!