Private tours St. Petersburg

[pinkpanther52]

Ok going to be cruising the Baltic in 2017 and going to St Petersburg.

 

I will admit I have never done a private tour before, always a ships tour or just explored on my own.

 

BUT it does look like a private touring company in St Petersburg offers the better option.

 

My concern is how (can) the tour companies deal with the selfish "Johnny come latelys" you know the ones you have on every tour that don't think the rules apply to them and wander back to the bus when THEY want NOT when you are meant to be back.

 

Yes we were the pier runners on one of the tours on my last cruise ( on a ships tour) because of some selfish idiots 😡

 

Has this happened to anyone?

 

I have to say my anxiety levels would be sky high and I would be very "annoyed" Tardiness is one of my pet peeves 🙄

 

Any comments or personal experience of this would be most appreciated.

[threetowner16]

Basically on the private tours you are only going to have 10/12 people on each,unlike ships tours on a big bus. Also given the nature of the visa covering these tours, all passengers must stay with the group, and cannot go wandering off on their own.

[John Bull]

Basically on the private tours you are only going to have 10/12 people on each,unlike ships tours on a big bus. Also given the nature of the visa covering these tours, all passengers must stay with the group, and cannot go wandering off on their own.

 

Agreed. :)

A maximum of 16 in a group doesn't just mean fewer folk likely to hold you up - folk are more involved with each-other rather than just a mass of 50 strangers, so won't want the embarrassment of holding others up

And in SPB although you're not tied to the guide with apron-strings, folk can't just wander off & disappear.

 

A good place for a small-group tour

 

JB :)

Edited April 17, 2016 by John Bull

[Nitemare]

Or you can do a TRUE private tour, where it's just your family. It'll cost a bit more, but you'll get to do exactly what YOU want to do, and no worries about other folks' agendas.

[Pet Nit Noy]

Ok going to be cruising the Baltic in 2017 and going to St Petersburg.... My concern is how (can) the tour companies deal with the selfish "Johnny come latelys" you know the ones you have on every tour that don't think the rules apply to them and wander back to the bus when THEY want NOT when you are meant to be back.

 

Yes we were the pier runners on one of the tours on my last cruise ( on a ships tour) because of some selfish idiots ��

 

Has this happened to anyone?

 

I have to say my anxiety levels would be sky high and I would be very "annoyed" Tardiness is one of my pet peeves ��

 

Any comments or personal experience of this would be most appreciated.

 

 

You don't say whether you'll be forming your own small group through your roll call or whether you'll be adding your name to a list created by the tour company. The answer in these two situations is somewhat different yet, happily, the bottom line is the same. There's little chance you'll be hustling to the ship at the end of the day.

 

Roll call: You will have spent the weeks prior to the cruise having both public and private conversations with at least the tour organizer. You will have become acquaintances rather than number four and five in a 12-person tour. Everyone should begin to feel invested in the success of the tour and there should be few problems. (Many roll call groups hold meet and greet events early in the cruise and this further cements everyone's commitment to one another.)

 

Tour-company-created group: The rules of visiting Russia under a tour-company issued visa require that everyone stay with the licensed guide. Sometimes a guide will permit some limited independent shopping, but unlike tours in other countries, the group must stay together for the vast majority of the time. The guide will ensure that you spend your day in such a way that you're not running along the pier at the last minute.

 

If you are still truly concerned, make sure you're dealing with a tour company that doesn't allow any independent time. And, perhaps, make sure you choose a tour where people each a set meal at lunch so the process of ordering is not held up by some individuals who are indecisive or are timid about Russian food. (The set meals have been developed as the safest, most popular choices to serve tourists.)

Edited April 17, 2016 by Pet Nit Noy

[GradUT]

Remember Tom Hanks' iconic line from "A League of Their Own"--"There's no crying in baseball." Well, last summer we found the (unsaid) version on our group tour in SPB, "There's no straggling in St. Petersburg"!

 

Seriously though, you've gotten some great information and advice here. The bottom line is that the tours are not set up for shopping (where lots of delays occur) and everyone is invested in seeing as much of SPB as they can in 2 days, so straggling just isn't a problem. The guides do a great job in keeping folks together and moving according to schedule.

[pinkpanther52]

Thanks all that makes sense. 😀 Round up those stragglers 😀

 

I am cruising solo so would either join one of the pre set tours I have seen a couple that I like the look of or we might set up one on our roll call

 

I do have one other question did anyone do the evening option I was thinking of the ballet. The cruise line price is only about £15 difference. Do you go to a "better" ballet with the private tour companies?