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Cruise with stop in St Petersburg

Lexington_Smythe
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Lexington_Smythe

Lexington_Smythe

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Hi all!

 

It's our first time cruising (Celebrity Eclipse) and we've booked the Russia and Scandinavia cruise through Celebrity Cruises. We're having a little trouble with the visas, however. Has anybody done a cruise which docks at a Russian port and can advise the best course of action? Getting a little overwhelmed by it all!

 

Many thanks for any advice at all you can offer,

 

Alex

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Lexington_Smythe

Lexington_Smythe

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Hi all,

 

Thanks for the replies! We were planning on going out independently as we don't like the lack of freedom that comes with a tour. Also, after breaking my ankle pretty badly a few years ago, I sometimes need breaks after extended periods of walking, which may not be provided with a tour. May I ask, Paul, why you say that we shouldn't explore on our own?

 

Thanks,

Alex

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1025cruise

1025cruise

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If you plan to go independent, you will need a visa. In all honesty, the effort to get the visa is not worth it. St. Petersburg is the one port where a pre-planned tour is recommended, either ship's tour or approved tour vendor. Going that route will take care of the visa.

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Sauer-kraut

Sauer-kraut

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When you hire an independant tour they will tailor the excursion to you and your needs. Doing St. Petersburg on your own is really not suggested at all, go on over to the Europe Ports of Call board for the Baltics. Usually recommended tour operators are TJ, Alla, and SBP Tours, Red October as well. They will get the visa for you, you don't have to do any of the leg work at all.

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paul929207

paul929207

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Hi all,

 

Thanks for the replies! We were planning on going out independently as we don't like the lack of freedom that comes with a tour. Also, after breaking my ankle pretty badly a few years ago, I sometimes need breaks after extended periods of walking, which may not be provided with a tour. May I ask, Paul, why you say that we shouldn't explore on our own?

 

Thanks,

Alex

First reason you know about, you have to get a visa to enter Russia on your own. The application is not easy. We flew to Moscow for a Russian River cruise. The tour operator pretty much told us what to fill in on each line. It was still a pain. You will not have that kind of help.

 

English is not widely spoken in Russia, so unless you speak Russian, communication will be difficult.

 

They have their won alphabet.

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Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen

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Hi all,

 

Thanks for the replies! We were planning on going out independently as we don't like the lack of freedom that comes with a tour. Also, after breaking my ankle pretty badly a few years ago, I sometimes need breaks after extended periods of walking, which may not be provided with a tour. May I ask, Paul, why you say that we shouldn't explore on our own?

 

Thanks,

Alex

 

Just because you book a tour with a guide in St. Petersburg doesn't mean you give up your freedom. If you book the tour for just the two of you (or however many there are in your party), that's exactly how many there will be in your tour. You don't want extended periods of walking? NO problem. Our guide arranged for a wheelchair for DH at the Hermitage. She also had a pedicab meet us on the grounds of Peterhof to take DH to the hydrofoil. Neither of those would have happened on a tour through the ship - but can with a private tour.

 

My DB does speak Russian. He wanted to go thru the hassle (and expense) to get the visas and wander around on their own. I've never told him what to do since we were children, but for the first time as adults I played the 'older sister' card. Given the logistics of the distances and the early admission to sites available with a private guide, he finally listened to my sage advise. ;) Even now, several years later, he and his wife still thank me for putting my foot down on this one .

Edited by Mary Ellen
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kitty9

kitty9

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Your other problem with going off on your own is that Celebrity docks in an industrial port, with lots of security, and they will not allow you to walk through the dock area to the town. Plus, it's a long walk. The only vehicles they allow into the port are tour buses and private cars for tours.

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Quilting_Cruiser

Quilting_Cruiser

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As Mary Ellen pointed out, booking a tour doesn't automatically mean losing control. I echo the recommendation to book with one of the vendors repeatedly recommended on the port of call board. If you book a private tour, they will tailor the itinerary to your preferences and you can factor in as many breaks as you think you may need or simply let them know you'll be asking for breaks throughout the day whenever they're needed.

 

One of the great things about a non-ship tour is that while 100s of people on ship's tours were waiting in the rain in line for the Hermitage to open, our group of 16 walked right past them and in the front doors as our tour guide (Alla is who we booked with) had arranged for early entry for us. :D

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Sea Green

Sea Green

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I agree with all the advice to book an organised tour with the ship OR a local company, for various reasons.

 

1) Getting a Russian visa yourself seems to be complicated and time consuming.

2) The ships tend to dock in industrial areas with no facilities meaning you will pre-arrange all your transport etc.

3) Russia is a very unfamiliar territory for most travelers and probably not somewhere you want to stick out as a tourist wandering about on your own. If you suddenly found yourself, ashore in St Petersburg speaking no Russian and needing to get back to the ship in a hurry, would you know what to do?

4) A guide with local knowledge will be best place to maximise what you can see in your time (early entry to the Hermitage? what sites are near each other?) rather than you thinking 'now where shall we go next?'

 

I normally just go ashore by myself but decided it was to difficult in St Petersberg and went with the ships tour. It was a very good two day package and I didn't regret it.

 

The companies offer various packages, 'active' tours for those who want to see as much as possible, and 'comfort' tours for those who want a slower pace. And they normally do groups of maximum 16 people, which make sit less rushed again. If you really dont want to give up control, you could always book one of the private 'design your own' tours.

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silentbob007 "Live from...." Rare

silentbob007

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It's very different than almost any port I've been to. The immigration process is very strictly monitored and takes a bit of time ... I literally had an agent staring at me, my passport, and her computer for 5 minutes before she waved me (and just me ... one at a time) through. Once you get out of the terminal, I don't remember any taxis or independent conveyance waiting ... so few people are not on arranged tours that there are not a lot of options.

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wheezedr

wheezedr

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Have to agree with the above posters. Just off a 21 day Med cruise and booked everything myself. Generally do the same and did so for the Baltics, except that the do it myself was to find a local operator. That was ten years ago and there were fewer available. Do not think you want to walk off in SPB.!! It is not like the rest of the touring world and a truly independent must have their own Visa as well as make sure of some form of transport from the dock. Do not feel obligated to use the ships tour but book an independent that fits your needs

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diane.in.ny

diane.in.ny

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Just because you book a tour with a guide in St. Petersburg doesn't mean you give up your freedom. If you book the tour for just the two of you (or however many there are in your party), that's exactly how many there will be in your tour. You don't want extended periods of walking? NO problem. Our guide arranged for a wheelchair for DH at the Hermitage. She also had a pedicab meet us on the grounds of Peterhof to take DH to the hydrofoil. Neither of those would have happened on a tour through the ship - but can with a private tour.

 

 

What tour operator did you use? This is exactly the same type of assistance we would need for DH.

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kitty9

kitty9

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What tour operator did you use? This is exactly the same type of assistance we would need for DH.

 

I'm disabled and used Denrus for my my private tours in St P. They were fantastic and took me wherever I wanted to go.

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