Comparing SPB & Alla Tours in St. Petersburg

[ChucktownSteve]

Did you form a group with your roll call? We have factions on ours that some are with SPB and others are with Alla. I'm in the SPB group. They gave us a $30pp discount because of CC and if we hit 16 people, we'll get the equivalent of one free tour which we're having split amongst all the participants. That will be another $22pp discount.

 

We're doing the Three day deluxe tour. Two weeks ago we were at 12 so I expect if they haven't already started the second group, they will soon as we get closer.

 

I liked the itineraries, the fact that we'll be eating in restaurants all three days included and I liked their reviews on TripAdvisor...although both companies get rave reviews. I don't know if Alla offers this but SPB groups of 10 or more get headsets to hear the tour guide.

Edited March 26, 2017 by ChucktownSteve

[ChinaShrek]

Did you form a group with your roll call? We have factions on ours that some are with SPB and others are with Alla. I'm in the SPB group. They gave us a $30pp discount because of CC and if we hit 16 people, we'll get the equivalent of one free tour which we're having split amongst all the participants. That will be another $22pp discount.

 

.

 

I am not interested in starting a "group" and trying to recruit paying customers for a tour company. I find the entire idea slightly worrisome and time consuming. What I do like to do is book a tour and never have to worry about it again. The more anonymity the better. I also refuse to hawk tours for any company (even if it will save me money). It's the companies job to find customers and not mine. Furthermore, what happens when something goes wrong? I do not want my name attached to the tour in any way.

 

 

Your comments about SPB tours are helpful, though, and I will probably still book with them.

[ChucktownSteve]

I am not interested in starting a "group" and trying to recruit paying customers for a tour company. I find the entire idea slightly worrisome and time consuming. What I do like to do is book a tour and never have to worry about it again. The more anonymity the better. I also refuse to hawk tours for any company (even if it will save me money). It's the companies job to find customers and not mine. Furthermore, what happens when something goes wrong? I do not want my name attached to the tour in any way.

 

Your comments about SPB tours are helpful, though, and I will probably still book with them.

 

To each their own. :D We've done tours with just us, strangers and roll calls. We have found the camaraderie usually more fun on the latter. I have a partial hearing loss, especially when someone is speaking in the opposite direction or with background noise thus I like the headphones for groups of 10 or more.

 

I have nothing to do with the actual tour or who goes along though. I booked it and then they offered discounts to anyone who joined me. If we hit 16 people, that's a $100 discount per couple. Since I made my decision / booking prior to the group, I would have been paired up with strangers anyway had we not formed the group. I didn't want to incur the cost of a private car/guide.

 

The people read their own itinerary, decide to book or not and book directly with the tour company. After they book if they mention the group name, they receive the discount. Otherwise they pay regular fare for the same itinerary. I receive no compensation that others don't receive. If something goes wrong, it's on the tour company not me.

 

Regardless of which anyone chooses, I hope y'all have a great tour.

Edited March 26, 2017 by ChucktownSteve

[BPCruiser]

I agree completely with you ChucktownSteve.

We joined in on our cruise roll call back in 2013 for a 10 person tour of St Petersburg for 3 days with SPB Tours. It was excellent, truly one of our trip highlights. We had the restaurant lunches, headphones and equally enjoyable was the camaraderie of 3 long, busy days touring together. Having all 10 tour participants from our ship and our roll call made it extra easy and great fun. We also all booked together for a similar tour by SPB for Berlin.

We all booked directly with SPB under the group name of the couple who initiated the tour listing on our roll call. We all knew clearly via direct communication from SPB what was included and never once would have thought ill of the organizing roll call couple if there was any glitch, and there were none. SPB and ALLA both know what they are doing, professional and easy to work with.

We had an awesome tour guide, nice sit down restaurant lunches and time for shopping. Cannot say enough about the great experiences.

Private roll call tours organized by me or tours others organize from our roll call have always been successful and we have met wonderful friends from these excursions whom we continue to travel with.

I have not done a ship purchased excursion in over 15 years.

But to each there own....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[upwarduk]

The SPB Deluxe tour includes two full sit-down lunches and offers an evening tour for shopping and drinking vodka along Nevsky Prospect. So, that is why I am leaning toward them.

 

 

I am Lactose Intolerant and was put in a van with a few other who had special dietary needs.

The guide in charge of our SPB tour ,Luba, taught the other guides during the winter. On the second day when we went to the pie restaurant, she made sure we were served appropriate meals which didn't involve pastry. She also made sure we were back at the ship on our last day with 1hr to spare. I cannot recommend too highly.

[ChinaShrek]

To each their own. :D We've done tours with just us, strangers and roll calls. We have found the camaraderie usually more fun on the latter. I have a partial hearing loss, especially when someone is speaking in the opposite direction or with background noise thus I like the headphones for groups of 10 or more.

 

I have nothing to do with the actual tour or who goes along though. I booked it and then they offered discounts to anyone who joined me. If we hit 16 people, that's a $100 discount per couple. Since I made my decision / booking prior to the group, I would have been paired up with strangers anyway had we not formed the group. I didn't want to incur the cost of a private car/guide.

 

The people read their own itinerary, decide to book or not and book directly with the tour company. After they book if they mention the group name, they receive the discount. Otherwise they pay regular fare for the same itinerary. I receive no compensation that others don't receive. If something goes wrong, it's on the tour company not me.

 

Regardless of which anyone chooses, I hope y'all have a great tour.

 

I have contacted several tour companies in Spain and Italy about group tours. There response to me: "Recruit 8 people on Cruise Critic, we'll give you a free tour." That's a bit different than what you are talking about, which sounds OK to me.

[ChinaShrek]

I am Lactose Intolerant and was put in a van with a few other who had special dietary needs.

The guide in charge of our SPB tour ,Luba, taught the other guides during the winter. On the second day when we went to the pie restaurant, she made sure we were served appropriate meals which didn't involve pastry. She also made sure we were back at the ship on our last day with 1hr to spare. I cannot recommend too highly.

 

This is very helpful and reassures me about SPB Tours. Thank you

[ChucktownSteve]

I have contacted several tour companies in Spain and Italy about group tours. There response to me: "Recruit 8 people on Cruise Critic, we'll give you a free tour." That's a bit different than what you are talking about, which sounds OK to me.

 

To be candid, SPB offered me one free tour for 16 people however I asked if they'd be willing to split the amount amongst the 16 because I wanted the roll call peeps to know that they'd share in it. SPB agreed. That way I didn't have to recruit just post and take no responsibility. My thought was if they were going to do it anyway, why not save.

[TravelingAPor]

Taking the free tour, only benefits one person. However, when you take the cash amount and divide it with the people in your group, the whole group benefits. I usually ask that everyone get a discount and not take the free tour.

[truel1111]

What is washroom break like in St. Petersburg, I mean did you have to pay to use toilet like other European cities ?

[upwarduk]

We were shown 'toilets' in places that we stopped at on our tours, cafes and tourist shops and we didn't have to pay.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[truel1111]

Paid for our tour with a CC, the day we were in St. Petersburg. Found out when I returned, we were charged an additional $26 U.S. If you don't want surprises, bring cash.

 

May be the extra $26 is for tip? There is a 10% tip for the guide, 5% tip for driver.

[activeCruiser77]

We had a hard time deciding which to go with, so I did up a chart to help with the comparison. It showed when and how long we were at each stop, prices, etc. It was much easier to make a decision once we had all that info laid out in front of us!

 

Would you mind sharing this chart?

[newlaxfan]

Would you mind sharing this chart?

 

It's 5 years old now so it's best if I don't. I'm sure the info on it is all wrong now. Sorry!

[upwarduk]

May be the extra $26 is for tip? There is a 10% tip for the guide, 5% tip for driver.

 

Or the poor exchange rate more likely.

Ours was the reverse, we gained in August 2015 because of an excellent exchange rate.

[truel1111]

We were in St. Petersburg on June 8,9. Seems Alla had more vans than SPG, that's just my impression.

[TravelingAPor]

We were in St. Petersburg on June 8,9. Seems Alla had more vans than SPG, that's just my impression.

I've been stalking the CC boards and my observations seem to agree that more cruisers are using Alla Tours. The cruisers on my ship are mostly using Alla. There are a few using other tour companies. I think the first 3 most popular tour companies fluctuate with being first, second & third most popular, each year.

[Cindy]

They all offer similar products, and they all have mostly good reviews. Just remember no matter how carefully you choose, your tour is only as good as your guide, and not all guides are created equal. I thought our guide in SPB was excellent, but I knew of others on our ship who were disappointed in their tour with a different company. We recently had a similar experience with the guide from a very popular and highly rated company in Venice. Unfortunately despite one's best efforts it can happen.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[TravelingAPor]

Yes, Cindy! I agree with you 100%. Things happen, people are different, etc.

[truel1111]

The most important factor is the people in your group. If everyone is in sync, on time, follow the guide, you should be fine.

 

If you have one person who is late, does not follow instruction, ask stupid questions, walk slow, the rest suffers.

[ChinaShrek]

The most important factor is the people in your group. If everyone is in sync, on time, follow the guide, you should be fine.

 

If you have one person who is late, does not follow instruction, ask stupid questions, walk slow, the rest suffers.

 

That sounds like everyone I know. I guess you don't do many group tours.

[Got2Cruise]

We were in St. Petersburg on June 8,9. Seems Alla had more vans than SPG, that's just my impression.

 

 

 

Usually folks on CC are followers. Someone on the roll call does all the research and sets it up and then others read about it and join in. lol. Your ship/sailing might have had Alla and maybe another ship/sailing had another company. Plus how could you really notice for sure as everything is so hectic and aren't the vans unmarked? Regardless being in the majority doesn't make it better.

[truel1111]

Usually folks on CC are followers. Someone on the roll call does all the research and sets it up and then others read about it and join in. lol. Your ship/sailing might have had Alla and maybe another ship/sailing had another company. Plus how could you really notice for sure as everything is so hectic and aren't the vans unmarked? Regardless being in the majority doesn't make it better.

 

Vans are unmarked, buy tour guides have signs with either ALLA Tour or SPB Tour. I am just stating what I saw. Of course majority/more/popular does not equate better.

[sysy007]

I was very surprised that a lot of people that I met on Regal Princess come to know SPB or ALLA thru tripadvisor. They don't know about CC or roll call. I suppose tripadvisor is a more popular site for searching local tours.

[Cindy]

I was very surprised that a lot of people that I met on Regal Princess come to know SPB or ALLA thru tripadvisor. They don't know about CC or roll call. I suppose tripadvisor is a more popular site for searching local tours.

 

 

 

I usually start my research on Trip Advisor, then verify on CC. A cruise passenger's needs can be a bit different than those of a land traveler, so I like to make sure a company works well with port schedules.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums