Question for returning Baltic cruise passengers

[txd2]

Can any returning Baltic cruise passengers who did everything independently in St Petersburg comment on currency. Did you use rubles or US dollars for the taxi, metro, hydrofoil, tram fares, admissions and maybe a guide at the Hermitage?

Did you stay in the long line for the admission?

 

Thanks, TD

[SaylorGirl]

Can any returning Baltic cruise passengers who did everything independently in St Petersburg comment on currency. Did you use rubles or US dollars for the taxi, metro, hydrofoil, tram fares, admissions and maybe a guide at the Hermitage?

Did you stay in the long line for the admission?

 

Thanks, TD

 

TD - While I haven't been there yet, we are going in September, we are going independently in St. Petersburg so I have been doing alot of research. While you may be able to use US dollars for the taxis, you will need rubles for the metro, hydrofoil, trams, admissions and guides. I understand that it is not difficult to find ATM's or exchange booths.

 

There is a long post from Bollinge who recently came back and gives some very good information for being independent. It's just a few post down the page.

 

As for admission into the Hermitage you can pre-order your tickets on line for $16.00 US and that includes your camera fee. All you do then is take the printed slip up to the window so you do not have to wait in line.

 

When are you going?? Have you already gotten your Visa's? Ours came this week! Good luck!

[txd2]

Hi SaylorGirl,

I have my visa already, it took us two weeks to get it.

My husband and I will be on Westerdam July 30.

 

TD

[SaylorGirl]

Hi SaylorGirl,

I have my visa already, it took us two weeks to get it.

My husband and I will be on Westerdam July 30.

 

TD

 

TD - I will be anxious to see how your trip turns out. There's not too many of us that go independent. We are on the Star Princess, Sept. 12th. You must be excited being down to the final two weeks.

[BBWShowGirl]

Hi,

Just thought I would let you know since you are going independent that the Westerdam docks at a shipping port way out in the channel there and that from the ship to the main gate is about a 1 1/2 mile walk as there are no taxis allowed into the shipping yards. Once you do get to the main gates there will be taxis waiting there for you too use. There is an occasional bus that runs through the shipping yards when it wants too there is no schedule that I am aware of, it is used by the dock workers to get around and I think you can use it if it shows up.

 

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.

[tartangal]

I would say ATM's will be a better bet than exchange booths given my own recent experience. If you are pressed for time at any point and need rubles, you don't want to have to wait at an exhange booth for someone to even show up. One young local man was waiting at the window when we walked into one ot the exchange places, and after we also waitied a few minutes (with an impatient guide waiting for us in our van) the young man indicated he was still waiting to see if anyone showed up to assist him. We had to abandon the idea of buying the Russian tea I'd wanted in a shop that only took rubles.

[photofun]

Can any returning Baltic cruise passengers who did everything independently in St Petersburg comment on currency. Did you use rubles or US dollars for the taxi, metro, hydrofoil, tram fares, admissions and maybe a guide at the Hermitage?

Did you stay in the long line for the admission?

 

Thanks, TD

:) this is "photo fun".... yes, we enjoyed 2 days in St. Petersburg with Baltic Tours arranged by American Express. Heard from 4 table mates that Red October provided excellent tours as well. Celebrity arranged tours are also good but twice as much money! Must have a guide in Hermitage to avoid lines and to get in one hour before crowds. We never used any Rubles - credit cards were accepted everywhere as were US $s Red October can arrange private and/or small group tours with car and driver but true independent touring is not easy and not advised.

[SaylorGirl]

:) this is "photo fun".... yes, we enjoyed 2 days in St. Petersburg with Baltic Tours arranged by American Express. Heard from 4 table mates that Red October provided excellent tours as well. Celebrity arranged tours are also good but twice as much money! Must have a guide in Hermitage to avoid lines and to get in one hour before crowds. We never used any Rubles - credit cards were accepted everywhere as were US $s Red October can arrange private and/or small group tours with car and driver but true independent touring is not easy and not advised.

 

Photofun - you have to realize that many people go to St. Petersburg that are not on cruise ships and they do very well independently. If you do your research ahead of time and know what to expect it can very easily be done. We are really looking forward to seeing what we want to see on our schedule.

[daiseee]

Hey everybody! I just returned last week from the Westerdam Baltic. Russia on my own was the highlight of my trip! We used Denrus for the first day (two of us, a Sunday, no traffic, thus allowing us to stuff everything that most need two days to see, into one!) We went non stop from 7:30 - 7:30, came back, showered and then went to see Swan Lake! We purchased everything on our own, not using any of the ships tours. It was exhausting, but exhilarating....

 

The reason for such an ambitious day one? I wanted to go into St Pete on my own on day 2. I too was nervous. I had read all about the 'mafia taksi's' and later, a crew member told me about an 'incident' that had happend to him, which involved a disco, spiked drink, and waking up in a strange basement. So to be honest, I was a little spooked. Nonetheless, I was determined, and on day 2, I walked thru customs, asked someone where to get a taxi and was pointed to a little side area. Once there, I asked for the one who spoke the best English, and began my negotiation. I first established that I needed a ride in AND then to be picked up for a ride back to the boat at a specified time and place. "No Problem! 30 dollars each way" So I say to the guy..."how about 20?" He shrugs, "OK". I get into the taxi. The driver is a wholesome enough looking guy - has all his teeth, john denver glasses - in his late 20's - doesnt look like a mafia guy in any way shape or form. Though he doesnt speak a word of English, I hold up the amount of fingers for the time I want to return, and he gives me the no problem hand gesture. After a glorious day wandering about in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, I returned to the agreed upon meeting place at the agreed upon meeting time, and sure enough, my mafia taxi was waiting for me!

 

Moral of the story: Dont be afraid! I'm a single, thirty something female, I went by myself and couldnt have felt more safe. And just get the mafia taxi right into the city. By the time you catch that unreliable piece of rolling metal they call a 'shuttle bus', get to the front gate, and get a taxi, you will have to pay $20 to get into the city anyway! And you will have wasted a lot of time that you could have spent mingling with the lovely Russian people.....

[daiseee]

By the way...I had ordered Russian Roubles from my bank before I left the US and it was a wise move. Its just easier to use Russian currency if you are doing the city on your own. However, the mafia Taksi wanted dollars...go figure...... :)

[SCDH]

I had thought about seeing St. Petersburg independently, but decided to go with RO instead. My Russian friends had told me that 2 days wasn't nearly enough time to spend there, so we needed a way to see as much as possible. If we had gone by ourselves, we wouldn't have been able to see the countryside, dachas, and the Catherine Palace. We probably wouldn't have seen half of what we saw. I can speak some Russian, but my husband doesn't, and he didn't want to have to rely on me to get us around. He doesn't do any preparation for our trips, but still wants to be in control. He would have felt very helpless, not being able to even read signs, and having to believe everything I told him (I'm not always good with directions). It just wouldn't have worked. RO was great, though, and we had a wonderful time. As for mingling with Russians, there are plenty of Russians living in LA and Las Vegas (I live in Las Vegas and part-time in LA). We can mingle here--and see the sights there. We did get to meet and talk with Russians in St. Petersburg, anyhow. They spoke English, but our guide was available to translate, if necessary. And we learned about life there from talking with our guide--politics, education, religion, healthcare, etc. Now that we've seen the main sites, I'd like do a river cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg, and stay in a hotel in St. Petersburg and walk around and see some things on our own.