Russian Visa'

[happytraverler]

My Husband and I are booked on the Prinsendam July 1 to the 15th 2013.

14 day kiel canal & Baltic Explorer. Russia is one of the most important ports that we visit. I am taking Holland America excursions but I'm still contemplating whether or not I should get a Visa. They say we don't need one as long as we are not traveling on our own. Any suggestions? Should we get one to be on the same side?

[sapper1]

My Husband and I are booked on the Prinsendam July 1 to the 15th 2013.

14 day kiel canal & Baltic Explorer. Russia is one of the most important ports that we visit. I am taking Holland America excursions but I'm still contemplating whether or not I should get a Visa. They say we don't need one as long as we are not traveling on our own. Any suggestions? Should we get one to be on the same side?

 

If you are taking HAL excursions a visa is not needed. If you are taking a tour with one of the private companies such as Alla or DenRus you will not need a Visa. You would only need a Visa if you plan on taking off on your own somewhere.

The tour companies provide blanket visas for their people as they collect our passport info well in advance of the tour.

 

The cruise companies try to insinuate that you will need a Visa if you don't book through them but myself and many others who have taken private tours will tell you this just isn't so.

[kazu]

If you are taking HAL excursions a visa is not needed. If you are taking a tour with one of the private companies such as Alla or DenRus you will not need a Visa. You would only need a Visa if you plan on taking off on your own somewhere.

The tour companies provide blanket visas for their people as they collect our passport info well in advance of the tour.

 

The cruise companies try to insinuate that you will need a Visa if you don't book through them but myself and many others who have taken private tours will tell you this just isn't so.

 

Just seconding what sapper1 has said. There is great info on the Baltics ports boards as well, but in a nutshell whether touring with HAL or a reputable private company, they arrange the visa - you have no worries :D

 

Certainly St. Petersburg is a highlight but there are other very nice ports and some fabulous scenery as you sail. Be sure to check it out.

 

If you haven't done so, do join your roll call.

 

Sorry I just realized this is for your first cruise critic post. Welcome to cruise critic and to the HAl boards. Here is the link to the roll call for your cruise - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1564329&page=5 This will take you to the most recent post (last page) and you can review the other ones.

 

You'll find others there doing research which may be helpful and it gives you a chance to meet your fellow cruisers.

[catl331]

You should be glad you are booked on a HAL tour for Russia. The Visas are very expensive but are not needed for cruise tours.:)

[Windsailer]

A visa actually is not needed if you do a private tour with a reputable company, such as Alla Tours, even though the cruise company would like you to think so. And wandering around on your own (for which you would need a visa) isn't recommended, unless you speak Russian.

[shsdawg]

If you are touring with HAL or one of the local companies you don't need one. It's only if you want to go off on your on, which from what I could see wouldn't be that easy to do anyway. We used SPB Tours last summer and they were fantastic. No combination of tours with Hal would have enabled you to see what we saw in the two days and one evening. Those were two of the best days I have ever spent anywhere.

[Lucky Dave]

Wow, excellent info! We had just priced them out (plus the fees) to cost over $500 for the two of us & gave up plans for a private tour. This changes our options dramatically. THANKS.

[kazu]

Wow, excellent info! We had just priced them out (plus the fees) to cost over $500 for the two of us & gave up plans for a private tour. This changes our options dramatically. THANKS.

 

 

$500 for a tour? seriously? sign on for the group tour - it's only $300 in Saint Petersburg. $575 will do the five cities including Berlin:)

 

somethings not right in Denmark here

[pv girl]

You will probably get a letter from HAL advising the need for a Russian visa - we did. They are doing their job to advise you of the need for one. What they don't tell you is that the private tour companies get a blanket visa for you, included in the cost of the tour. They make you think you need a visa if you don't take the HAL tour.

 

I urge you to compare itineraries and prices on the HAL tours vs. private tour companies - Alla or SPB. The private companies pack in more sites, cost less, and have smaller groups - we only had 10 in our Alla group and they organized the group for us. We saw so much more in our 2 day - $300 - tour than the HAL tours.

 

You can cancel your HAL tour and get a refund if you do it before final payment date.

 

Side note - if you want to do Berlin, take a tour there. The other ports can be done on your own, using public transport or HOHO, and a taxi here and there. For instance, in Tallinn, we took a taxi for very little money to the top of the hill and then walked down to all the sights and walked back to the ship.

[sapper1]

$500 for a tour? seriously? sign on for the group tour - it's only $300 in Saint Petersburg. $575 will do the five cities including Berlin:)

 

somethings not right in Denmark here

M

Jacqui, I was thinking that the $500 was for the visas and that is why he decided not to do private tours until we told him he didn't need a visa. When I re read it I saw it could be taken either way.

[shsdawg]

If you are touring with HAL or one of the local companies you don't need one. It's only if you want to go off on your on, which from what I could see wouldn't be that easy to do anyway. We used SPB Tours last summer and they were fantastic. No combination of tours with Hal would have enabled you to see what we saw in the two days and one evening. Those were two of the best days I have ever spent anywhere.

 

 

I forgot to add, we were a family group of six on the cruise. We were our own small group of six with SPB. We had a van, driver, and guide all to ourselves. It was cheaper than what we would have spent with HAL and we saw way more. It was great!

[billie5]

And wandering around on your own (for which you would need a visa) isn't recommended, unless you speak Russian.

 

Okay, I have wandered around St. Petersburg and Moscow on my own a number of times, do not speak a word of Russian (well, except for da and nyet), and have never had a problem. In fact, I never hesitated for a moment on any of these occasions. Of course, I am an experienced traveler, so the idea that you need to speak the language is just not true.

 

Having said that, I think taking an organized tour of St. Petersburg is an excellent idea. I have done it both ways, on my own using local buses and trains, and (for the first time, on my last visit this past fall) on a tour. If you are not very experienced in independent travel, a tour is highly recommended. And yes, no additional visa will be needed.

[kazu]

M

Jacqui, I was thinking that the $500 was for the visas and that is why he decided not to do private tours until we told him he didn't need a visa. When I re read it I saw it could be taken either way.

 

ah - get your point - apologies to the OP if I misunderstood.

[happytraverler]

Thank you all for your input on the Russian Visa's. Its such a hassle to get one for the 2 days we're there. We looked into it and were just discouraged. We plan on doing excursions just thought if we wanted to get off the ship it might be nice Thanks again I'm new at this cruise critic and appreciate all the reviews I read