Please, help us with St Petersburg itinerary!!

[Baltic05]

We are a group of 10 traveling in the Westerdam, taking a 2 day private tour of StP. We book through Holland with Baltic Travel, and we've been ask to prepare a list of the places we want to visit. We're including a visit to Catherine's Palace, St Isaac's Cathedral, Hermitage, and short visits to Peter & Paul Fortress, Church on Spilled Blood, Mariinskiy Theatre, Fountains at Peterhof (Monplaisir), Russian Museums, and needless to say, we'll love to do some shopping (souveniers, ambers maybe?). Are we missing a highlight? Is our list possible to accomplish? I must mention that we have reservations for the Yusupov Gala, departing at 7:30pm from our ship! We wellcome suggestion on lunch spots, dress codes, best palce to buy caviar and fine vodka, how to avoid crowds, etc. Can't wait to hear your comments. Many thanks in advance...

[Compass Rose Monica]

If you go to my journal (scroll down to May 13-14), you can read what we did both days in Saint Petersburg. http://www.luvtotravel.homestead.com/BalticJrnl.html Why isn't your tour agency not helping with suggested itineraries? How about checking out the company I used? Denrus - wonderful company and great service. Email Ilya at sia@denrus.ru.

 

Monica

[dbh62ark]

I also highly recommend Denrus. We are doing all that you mentioned and more in our 2 days of touring, so it is possible. We are eating in the van and starting early on day 2 to save time to ensure that we don’t rush at the attractions. For example, we have 3.5 hours at the Hermitage instead of the standard 2 or 2.5 hours. One note to you is to ensure that you go INSIDE Catherine’s Palace too because many standard tours don’t go inside the palaces.

 

Our other additions were a metro ride (the metro stations look like palaces!), a canal cruise, Gold Room at the Hermitage, a walk on the Nevsky Prospect, and the hydrofoil. You can do a search on these boards for information on any of those options, and they were important to my group. We’re also going to Yusupov’s Palace if the weather prohibits the canal cruise (we hope it doesn’t!). I also understand that many passengers go to the synagogue, the famous grocery store on the Nevsky Prospect, lunch with a Russian family (takes two hours), and there are several other palaces such as Anichkov and Grand Duke Vladimir’s, but you’re hitting the highlights with your palaces so don’t think I would add any more of that. There are many options, so we had to choose what was most important to us in the time alloted, and naturally that will vary from group to group.

 

I have our active itinerary in Word and .pdf versions, so please feel free to e-mail me at dahillark@yahoo.com if you’d like to review it.

 

Hope you have a great trip,

Donna

[Baltic05]

Thanks for the info. I realy don't know how or why we ended up with Baltic Travel. We are not Americans and all we know is that our travel agency contacted Holland in order to get the visas. Maybe it is because we took Holland's "Signature Collection 2 day minivan" instead of us going directly to other tour services and Baltic is the one that offers their service. I don't think there is anything we can do now to change that. As I said, on embarcation day we have to present a list of places we want ot visit. Thanks again.

[dileep]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=3928472&postcount=2

[2martini]

RED OCTOBER Land-Sea Travel

 

 

 

 

St. Petersburg, Russia

 

2-day Shore Excursion Program

 

DAY ONE – 5 ½ HOURS

 

July 02, Saturday

 

 

00:00 PM

 

- Ship’s arrival in St. Petersburg

 

00:30 PM

 

- Start from the pier

 

- City highlights:

 

main streets and squares of St. Petersburg, Nevsky Avenue the central street of the city, Winter Palace – official residence of Russian Tsars – on the Palace Square with General Headquarters of Russian Army semicircular building and Alexander Column in the center, imposing panorama of the Neva Embankments and Peter-and-Paul Fortress seen from the Spit of Vassilievsky Island, majestic St. Isaac Cathedral, “Bronze Horseman” – the most famous monument to Peter the Great etc.

 

01:45 PM

 

- Visit to St Isaac's Cathedral (architect Montferrand), one of the finest architectural monuments of the XIX century, the former principal Cathedral of the Russian capital, the largest cathedral in town able to accommodate about 10,000 audience. The cathedral is beautifully decorated inside: marble of 13 colors, malachite, lapis-lazuli, paintings and mosaics made by the most famous Russian artists, impressive stained-glass image of Christ seen through the open doors of the magnificent Icon-Stand etc.

 

02:45 PM

 

- inside visit of Peter-and-Paul Fortress, place where the city was founded in May of 1703, incl. the Peter-and-Paul Cathedral (1712 1733), burial place of the Romanovs

 

03:45 PM

 

- Shopping opportunity at the biggest and best souvenir shop of St. Petersburg – Red October ( wooden dolls of various dimensions and quality, authentic lacquer boxes from Palekh, Mstera etc., splendid amber, china, Russian shawls etc.)

 

04:15 PM

 

- Continuation of the City drive

 

05:00 PM

 

- Visit to the Savior on the Spilled Blood Cathedral built in 1907 as memorial church to honor Russian Emperor Alexander II murdered on the spot by the terrorists. It is a sample of "Russian style" architecture and decorative art of the edge of the XIX-XX centuries. Mosaic attire of the church (over 7.000 sq. m) was created by the most famous Russian artists of the epoch.

 

05:30 PM

 

- Drive back to the pier

 

06:00 PM

 

- Return on board

 

 

 

 

The per person cost of the program is:

 

if you are 2 people USD 156 pp

 

The above costs include air-conditioned car transportation, highly qualified English speaking guide services, entrance fees to the museums as mentioned in the program.

 

 

DAY TWO – 8 hours

 

July 03, Sunday

 

 

08:00 AM

 

- Departure for Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin), drive 25km/15 miles south of St. Petersburg

 

09:00 AM

 

09:15 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

10:00 AM

 

- Arrival in Tsarskoye Selo, official residence of Russian Tsars.

 

-Visit to the Catherine Palace founded by Peter I for his wife Catherine I and re-built and enlarged for their daughter Empress Elizabeth by Italian architect F.B.Rastrelli; the striking luxury of the interior decoration of the palace was created by the best artists of XVIII and XIX centuries. The most famous Amber Room with the walls paneled with amber was completely lost during the WWII is restored completely (Early admission to the Catherine’s Palace on special arrangement included in the cost)

 

- Stroll in the beautiful Catherine park with its numerous pavilions and small palaces, ponds and canals, marble statues and monuments.

 

10:30 AM

 

- Drive back to St. Petersburg

 

 

 

00:00 PM

 

- LUNCH AT A CITY RESTAURANT – EXTRA CHARGE – USD 21 pp

 

 

 

01:15 PM

 

- Tour of the Hermitage Arts Museum

 

· Excursion to the West-European Masters’ collection (Rembrandt, Rubens, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, El Greco, Murillo, Van Dyck etc.)

 

· Living and gala halls of the Winter Palace,

 

· French Impressionists and art of XX century.

 

• Optional visit to the Gold Rooms (Treasury) of the Winter Palace for additional
  

$ 15 per person (we operate this tour if we have minimum 10 persons on this date)

 

03:30 PM

 

- Drive back to the pier

 

04:00 PM

 

- Return to the ship

 

08:00 PM

 

- Ship’s departure

 

 

 

 

The per person cost of the program without lunch and Gold Room is:

 

if you are 2 people USD 213 pp

 

The above costs include air-conditioned car transportation, highly qualified English speaking guide services, entrance fees to the museums as mentioned in the program.

 

 

[WYB!]

I didn't think you need a visa for Russia when you signed up for the tour excursion offered by the ship.

 

http://petersburgcity.com/for-tourists/visa/cruises/

 

Russian tourist visa information for cruise ship passengers

 

All visitors to Russia must be in possession of a Russian Tourist Visa – however this requirement is waived for passengers of some liners while they are participating on their liner's tour. During your stay in St. Petersburg, a very special program of tour choices is available on such liners . Usually passengers who have purchased one or more of the available liner's tours will not require a visa to go ashore while participating on the tour. Passengers that wish to go ashore while not participating on one of the liner's organised tours, must be in possession of valid Russian Tourist Visa.

[dileep]

All visitors to Russia must be in possession of a Russian Tourist Visa – however this requirement is waived for passengers of some liners while they are participating on their liner's tour. During your stay in St. Petersburg, a very special program of tour choices is available on such liners . Usually passengers who have purchased one or more of the available liner's tours will not require a visa to go ashore while participating on the tour. Passengers that wish to go ashore while not participating on one of the liner's organised tours, must be in possession of valid Russian Tourist Visa.

 

Same applies if you book a tour with Red October, Denrus, or other authorized tour operator. You don't need a visa.

[Live the good life]

I also highly recommend Denrus. We are doing all that you mentioned and more in our 2 days of touring, so it is possible. We are eating in the van and starting early on day 2 to save time to ensure that we don’t rush at the attractions. For example, we have 3.5 hours at the Hermitage instead of the standard 2 or 2.5 hours. One note to you is to ensure that you go INSIDE Catherine’s Palace too because many standard tours don’t go inside the palaces.

 

Our other additions were a metro ride (the metro stations look like palaces!), a canal cruise, Gold Room at the Hermitage, a walk on the Nevsky Prospect, and the hydrofoil. You can do a search on these boards for information on any of those options, and they were important to my group. We’re also going to Yusupov’s Palace if the weather prohibits the canal cruise (we hope it doesn’t!). I also understand that many passengers go to the synagogue, the famous grocery store on the Nevsky Prospect, lunch with a Russian family (takes two hours), and there are several other palaces such as Anichkov and Grand Duke Vladimir’s, but you’re hitting the highlights with your palaces so don’t think I would add any more of that. There are many options, so we had to choose what was most important to us in the time alloted, and naturally that will vary from group to group.

 

I have our active itinerary in Word and .pdf versions, so please feel free to e-mail me at dahillark@yahoo.com if you’d like to review it.

 

Hope you have a great trip,

Donna

 

Highly recommend Ilya from Denrus. He was a PH.D. level licensed tour guide who was very enthusiastic about sharing with us the history and culture of Russia. He also had great attitude, and of course good looks was a bonus...We talked to another group who had Nadya as a guide and thought she was outstanding. So in addition to the itinerary, the experience really depends on whether one is lucky and assigned to a guide who is knowledgeable and has great personality...The human element can often flavor one's experience and impression of the city!

 

Kim

[edinburgher]

On the way to/from Catherines Palace, do ask your guide to divert to let you see the Chesme Church. Its unique and both guide books rate it highly. Only approx 1/2 mile off your route so will delay you by no more than approx. 15 minutes. Our guide suggested it himself otherwise we would not have known. It wasnt on our itinerary as such.

 

My guide book says that tourist purchase of caviar is resticted to 250g per person.

 

This is because illegal poaching has meant that sturgeon face extinction.

Also warns that while most of the caviar in SPB is legal, you must be careful when buying and only buy from shops, only in sealed jars or tins and to make especially sure that the jar or tin is sealed with a CITES label. This is a new international trade control measure to reduce poaching. www.cites.org

 

As for vodka, our guide told us there are almost 1000 brands and varieties (both clear and flavoured). "Eeeny meeny mini mo" springs to mind! :0)

 

 

I can recommend both of the following guide books. They are very informative and make a good read although the DK one has less info but stunning pictures which are lacking in LP.

 

Lonely Planet SPB

and

DK Eyewitness travel guides SPB.

[BBWShowGirl]

We also went with DENRUS for our tour from the Westerdam, we were there July 3 and 4th. We had Oxana and she was fantastic. I really liked the way we could interact with her because it was just the 2 of us with the guide and the driver. It was great to be able to ask a lot of questions and not feel like you were monpolizing the guides time because she was there just for us. and with a group of ten like you are you will have the same opportunites. We did not need a separate visa just our passports and tour tickets and we went right through. The ship does give you that scare tactic that you cannot even get off the ship unless you take THEIR tours but as long as the independent tour company is licensed you are fine. All in all it was a GREAT experience. I think we might like to go back because you cannot see even a small fraction of what there is to see in just 2 days. If we do I would use DENRUS again in a heartbeat.

 

Royal Carribean - Mexico Feb 2000

Holland America Westerdam - Baltic June 30, 2005

Monica

 

"Life's journey is not to end by arriving at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, "...holy mackerel...what a ride!"

Work like you don't need the money.

Love like you've never been hurt.

Dance like nobody's watching.

Sing like nobody's listening.

Live like it's Heaven on Earth

 

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

[2martini]

if you' re there on a Sunday,be sure to go to church! We went to St. Nicks. incredible.

[soraya]

Hi, I had just completed the final touches to our trip with Ilya when I got an email from DenRus saying that he's left and they don't know what we'd agreed!

 

Hope this pans out OK, but disappointed as Ilya has had good reports from everyone.

 

Soraya

[Baltic05]

Many thanks for all your help. It's been fun and very informative. I feel now we have a good idea of what we want and can see!! :)

[Host Anne]

Baltic ~ no matter what you end up doing, you will be overwhelmed so you won't feel like you've missed anything. One place is more dazzling than the next. However, you aren't going to escape the crowds. They were everywhere. A good tour guide (we too used DenRus) will help avoid the crowds as much as possible. Have a great time.

 

Soraya ~ what in the heck happened to Ilya? He was there ten days ago when we were in St. Petersburg. Our guide was Elena and she was awesome. Ask for her to step in. I can send you our itinerary if you need one. Good luck!