St Petersburg tours

[Margarita!]

Hello.  We are cruising the Baltic in May next year and have two days in St Petersburg. The last time we did a Baltic cruise, a few years back, we were able to book an 'excursion' that basically allowed us a free day in the city.For visa reasons, it was classed as an excursion as we had a guided bus trip in and we had to meet at a certain place, a gift shop, for the guided bus trip back to the ship.  This trip, there is no free day excursion available.  However, there is a half-day excursion to the Hermitage with free time to wander the city after.  If we booked this do you think we  would  be allowed to slip away from  the Hermitage tour as we do not want to spend a half-day in a museum?  Any other suggestions would be welcome.  Cheers.

[Toofarfromthesea]

15 hours ago, Margarita! said:

Hello.  We are cruising the Baltic in May next year and have two days in St Petersburg. The last time we did a Baltic cruise, a few years back, we were able to book an 'excursion' that basically allowed us a free day in the city.For visa reasons, it was classed as an excursion as we had a guided bus trip in and we had to meet at a certain place, a gift shop, for the guided bus trip back to the ship.  This trip, there is no free day excursion available.  However, there is a half-day excursion to the Hermitage with free time to wander the city after.  If we booked this do you think we  would  be allowed to slip away from  the Hermitage tour as we do not want to spend a half-day in a museum?  Any other suggestions would be welcome.  Cheers.

Rules may have changed since you did that.

"The 72-hour exemption for cruise ship passengers does not mean that visitors have three days free in St. Petersburg. Not only will you have to sleep on the ship (not a problem for most cruise passengers), you will also have to be accompanied at all times on shore by a licensed tour guide. In other words, from the moment you leave the ship in the morning to the moment you step back on board in the evening, you will have to follow a pre-arranged schedule and will not have the opportunity to explore the city under your own steam. Cruise operators will expect their clients to book the St. Petersburg tours offered on-board or during booking. In fact, there are essentially three options for cruise passengers visiting St. Petersburg:"

 

http://www.saint-petersburg.com/russian-visa/for-cruise-ship-passengers/

 

 

[Margarita!]

Thank you, Toofarfromthesea.  I looked up the link and, at least decided I did not want to go through the visa application.  I am still confused though as Princess cruises definitely offer an excursion to the Hermitage with a few hours free after in the Nevsky Prospect.  It is tour LED -280.   Perhaps I will post on the Princess board.

[John Bull]

You didn't mention that the free time was on Nevsky Prospekt, the main shopping street.

I have very little doubt that you will be taken by tour bus to Nevsky Prospekt, told when you must be back at that point, then left to your own devices to explore the street & shops - probably with the guide on-hand for those who would be happier stick with them.

This is very much what the local tour operators do when their tours include "free time on Nevsky Prospekt. 

 

Just how much time you'll have on Nevsky Rrospekt will depend on whether the tour is on-schedule - same as most tours anywhere in the world that end with "free time". 

 

JB 

 

As to why the terms are different to last time, check the responses from myself & Dogs4fun to your question at 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2018 by John Bull

[Lagerta]

As far as I know, this is right, you have to be accompanied by a guide all the time. However, if you book an individual tour, you can ask for just a guide and a driver, without any particular schedule. They will take you to the city center, and you will have a chance to walk around wherever you want and at any pace you wish. The guide will be with you, however, with a good one it feels more like just a pleasant walk with a local friend. If you suddenly decide to stop for a coffee or go inside a museum, that's usually doable. Only the large venues like the Hermitage require booking beforehand, and as you have been to St Petersburg already, you might want to see something different.

[AdrienneTB]

On 12/11/2018 at 3:55 AM, Margarita! said:

Hello.  We are cruising the Baltic in May next year and have two days in St Petersburg. The last time we did a Baltic cruise, a few years back, we were able to book an 'excursion' that basically allowed us a free day in the city.For visa reasons, it was classed as an excursion as we had a guided bus trip in and we had to meet at a certain place, a gift shop, for the guided bus trip back to the ship.  This trip, there is no free day excursion available.  However, there is a half-day excursion to the Hermitage with free time to wander the city after.  If we booked this do you think we  would  be allowed to slip away from  the Hermitage tour as we do not want to spend a half-day in a museum?  Any other suggestions would be welcome.  Cheers.

 

Hi I was on the P&O Britannia this year to the Baltic.  My first ever cruise and I was recommended a local tour guide for St Petersburg rather than use P&O's tours.  I took the plunge and contacted Elena of Red Sun Tours.  She owns the company which is only small which makes it more personal.   I cannot recommend Elena enough.  My daughter and I went on a tour with 10 other people in a very comfortable air conditioned mini bus and we had two really wonderful days in St Petersburg.  Elena tailored the tour to our requests.  None of us wanted a running around all over the place tour, she suggested certain places and we were happy.  We didn't queue once.  In the Hermitage Museum we went in the front door and saw all the poor souls from P&O queuing in the rain in a very long queue.  We didn't spend a half a day in the museum. 

 

Elena had qualified as a  tour guide herself in the actual places we went to so had so much knowledge it was really interesting.  We all fell in love with St Petersburg and I would go back in a flash and I would ask Elena to be my tour guide again.  

 

She happily arranged evening entertainment for our group and we all chose something different and she organised it all including pick up and drop off.  Four of us went to Elena's home with her family for a Russian dinner and it was wonderful and I would do the same again if ever invited.  

 

I cannot recommend Red Sun Tours enough but whomever you go with I hope you love St Petersburg as much as I did.  My favourite place was the Church on the Spilled Blood, the walls and ceiling are beautiful.  

 

We did not have to get our own visas etc, Elena arranged everything including tickets and entrance fees before we even went on the tour.

[Second seating]

This summer we used Alla Tours for 2 days and could not have been happier.  We wanted more time in the Hermitage and no shopping time.  Our tour was private for me and my husband so we had a guide and driver for 2 days!  We gave them our list of things we wanted to see they set it up and we never stood in line!

 

Second seating

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, cansas.piligrim said:

As Toofarfromthesea wrote it is not allowed to explore the city on your own unless you have Russian visas. I guess some guides/tour companies  break the rules and let tourists walk around on their own. The officials control your return to the ship but I'm not sure they can control foreign tourists in Nevsky prospect. But I prefer to stay within the rules.

 

Hi Pilgrim,

 

I don't think it's a case of any tour operators breaking the rules.

As per the posts in the thread that I linked I think it's more a case of interpretation of the rules, of finding how far the rules can be stretched.

Different operators seem to allow different limits of freedom - at no point are folk tied to their guide's apron-strings but nor can they wander miles from their group,  .

 

But it seems very clear that the Princess' tours mentioned by the OP, which simply dropped folk in the city centre & collected them 3 hours later, blew too big a hole in the rules because those very popular tours are no longer offered. I don't know if Princess' local operator had their knuckles rapped but certainly the cruisers themselves weren't breaking any rules and I've seen no reports of any being sent to gulags 

 

As long as cruisers stick to the the limits imposed by their guide, no problem 

 

JB 

 

[KittyloverCA]

I would book a private tour (we used TJ) and tell them what things you’re interested in doing and they will customize it 

[IM1969]

We're visiting St Petersburg in July, trying to find the right balance of freedom to explore and cost.  We went to Italy last year and visited Lake Como on a guided tour, it was a poor experience.  I don't want to trudge round wearing headphones, it's horribly restrictive.  I'm not interested in any tour that requires the use of headphones.  Very excited about visiting Russia (and the other Baltic destinations), really want to make the most of it.

Edited January 6, 2019 by IM1969
poorly worded

[dogs4fun]

1 hour ago, IM1969 said:

We're visiting St Petersburg in July, trying to find the right balance of freedom to explore and cost.  We went to Italy last year and visited Lake Como on a guided tour, it was a poor experience.  I don't want to trudge round wearing headphones, it's horribly restrictive.  I'm not interested in any tour that requires the use of headphones.  Very excited about visiting Russia (and the other Baltic destinations), really want to make the most of it.

If you aren't required to obtain a visa to visit Russia, you can get off the ship, hop in a taxi and explore at will. If a visa is required, the cost of the visa makes little sense for a short port visit (in this case you may wish to consider a private tour).

The only visa I require is for Russia - for all of the other Baltic countries, my US passport suffices. I found all cities relatively easy to DIY after planning - even St. Petersburg.

[fabnfortysomething]

On ‎1‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 7:23 PM, IM1969 said:

We're visiting St Petersburg in July, trying to find the right balance of freedom to explore and cost.  We went to Italy last year and visited Lake Como on a guided tour, it was a poor experience.  I don't want to trudge round wearing headphones, it's horribly restrictive.  I'm not interested in any tour that requires the use of headphones.  Very excited about visiting Russia (and the other Baltic destinations), really want to make the most of it.

if you do a private tour in a 7 seater minivan you wont need headphones as you will be so close to the guide it will be like walking alongside and having a conversation

how many are in your party?

 

[KittyloverCA]

 

 

On 1/6/2019 at 11:23 AM, IM1969 said:

We're visiting St Petersburg in July, trying to find the right balance of freedom to explore and cost.  We went to Italy last year and visited Lake Como on a guided tour, it was a poor experience.  I don't want to trudge round wearing headphones, it's horribly restrictive.  I'm not interested in any tour that requires the use of headphones.  Very excited about visiting Russia (and the other Baltic destinations), really want to make the most of it.

 

I don’t think possible to have much freedom in SPB, however we found our (private) tour with TJ absolutely fantastic and worth every dime. We didn’t have or need headphones. I understand your apprehension as we decided to do a ship’s excursion in Stockholm and it was completely mediocre.

[IM1969]

I've booked a private 2 day tour using Viator, just for the two of us.  It was a bit more expensive than I'd hoped, but this is a once in a lifetime trip (unless we do it again  ).

Edited January 8, 2019 by IM1969

[fabnfortysomething]

15 minutes ago, IM1969 said:

I've booked a private 2 day tour using Viator, just for the two of us.  It was a bit more expensive than I'd hoped, but this is a once in a lifetime trip (unless we do it again  ).

you do realise that viator is a third party operator?

who is the company who is actually providing the tour-you may be able to book with them directly for less cost and certainly more control over tour 

[dogs4fun]

1 hour ago, IM1969 said:

I've booked a private 2 day tour using Viator, just for the two of us.  It was a bit more expensive than I'd hoped, but this is a once in a lifetime trip (unless we do it again  ).

Agree with fabnfortysomething - I would also recommend booking directly with the tour operator.

[Lagerta]

On 1/9/2019 at 12:13 AM, fabnfortysomething said:

you do realise that viator is a third party operator?

who is the company who is actually providing the tour-you may be able to book with them directly for less cost and certainly more control over tour 

That's right, there is much more sense booking directly with the tour operator. First, it is less expensive, as the price does not inlude the third party's commission, and second, it gives you much more flexibility and the freedom you are looking for. You can plan some visits in advance (like the Hermitage or Peterhoff, that are not very easily done), and then just have some time to walk around the center with your guide and do whatever you feel like at any particular moment.

[Polina Ivanova]

On 1/9/2019 at 4:29 PM, cansas.piligrim said:

I’m sure you will be allowed to leave your group in the Hermitage and skip the museum. Only one question - what will you do if you miss your ship or lose your passport/wallet?

Its not a problem to separate from the group, but you just need to be attentive to time and place for meeting - each day a lot of people get lost there, no surprise - one room - five doors)

 

What you shouldn't do is to loose your passport in Russia!

💣 for example American embassy is in Moscow, and to make new one will cost you a fortune! 

💣red tape is more than alive, and you will turn grey before they will let you go. For example, you fill the card in port, (it is important to keep it safe!), and without it they can stop you from leaving from the airport with new passport🔫, so you will have to beg and probably bribe. 

[Lagerta]

On 1/9/2019 at 4:29 PM, cansas.piligrim said:

I’m sure you will be allowed to leave your group in the Hermitage and skip the museum. Only one question - what will you do if you miss your ship or lose your passport/wallet?

As far as I know, without a Russian visa you have to stay with a representative of your tour operator all the time, when in St Petersburg. Perhaps it is not difficult to leave your group and go on your own, but I probably would not suggest breaking the rules. And it is safer to stay with your guide, because you will know that you will not be late/get lost/get in trouble. If something happens, you have a local to help you. I think an individual customized tour would be a thing to do if you want certain flexibility and plan to skip some of the popular attractions.

[napoxoguk]

On 1/14/2019 at 2:20 AM, Polina Ivanova said:

 

What you shouldn't do is to loose your passport in Russia!

💣 for example American embassy is in Moscow, and to make new one will cost you a fortune! 

💣red tape is more than alive <...>🔫, so you will have to beg and probably bribe. 

That's a mixture of true statements and ... not quite true statements.

 You don't want to lose your passport - absolutely!

Yes, if you do, you will have to travel to Moscow.

Yes, the process of leaving the country will be quite involved.

No, passport replacement will not cost you a "fortune". I mean, it's all relative, but we're talking hundreds, not thousands of dollars.

No, you won't have to bribe (if my experience is anything to go by, I would advise you against trying to bribe anyone, let alone immigration authorities, in Russia).

Edited January 16, 2019 by napoxoguk

[Margarita!]

On 1/14/2019 at 8:31 PM, Lagerta said:

As far as I know, without a Russian visa you have to stay with a representative of your tour operator all the time, when in St Petersburg. Perhaps it is not difficult to leave your group and go on your own, but I probably would not suggest breaking the rules. And it is safer to stay with your guide, because you will know that you will not be late/get lost/get in trouble. If something happens, you have a local to help you. I think an individual customized tour would be a thing to do if you want certain flexibility and plan to skip some of the popular attractions.

Thank you for the reply.  We don't do customized tours for a few reasons.  I think as long as we stay in the main area, as we did on our last trip, and we are aware of pickpockets as you must be anywhere, then we will be fine.

[Margarita!]

On 12/12/2018 at 9:10 AM, John Bull said:

You didn't mention that the free time was on Nevsky Prospekt, the main shopping street.

I have very little doubt that you will be taken by tour bus to Nevsky Prospekt, told when you must be back at that point, then left to your own devices to explore the street & shops - probably with the guide on-hand for those who would be happier stick with them.

This is very much what the local tour operators do when their tours include "free time on Nevsky Prospekt. 

 

Just how much time you'll have on Nevsky Rrospekt will depend on whether the tour is on-schedule - same as most tours anywhere in the world that end with "free time". 

 

JB 

 

As to why the terms are different to last time, check the responses from myself & Dogs4fun to your question at 

 

 

 

Thank you.  I am sure you are right and we will be fine.  Cheers.

[Earl Rosebery]

There seems to be the usual confusion about Visas in SPB.

For the record, if you want to go off on your own, you need a real Visa which is time consuming and expensive.

If you choose either a ship's tour or an independent tour, the tour co. will arrange a visa waiver. They do this routinely. The visa waiver is included in the price of the tour.  You are supposed to stay with the guide.

I recommend a private tour with no more than 6.  That way there is no need for headphones and you will go to the front of every line.  I believe Viatour uses Ulko tours.  We booked directly with Ulko for 2 days ( 6 of us) and were very satisfied.  There are at least a dozen well recognized and recommended tourcos on Trip Advisor.

[AdrienneTB]

6 hours ago, Earl Rosebery said:

There seems to be the usual confusion about Visas in SPB.

For the record, if you want to go off on your own, you need a real Visa which is time consuming and expensive.

If you choose either a ship's tour or an independent tour, the tour co. will arrange a visa waiver. They do this routinely. The visa waiver is included in the price of the tour.  You are supposed to stay with the guide.

I recommend a private tour with no more than 6.  That way there is no need for headphones and you will go to the front of every line.  I believe Viatour uses Ulko tours.  We booked directly with Ulko for 2 days ( 6 of us) and were very satisfied.  There are at least a dozen well recognized and recommended tourcos on Trip Advisor.

 

Totally agree re the info about the visa.  I did a lot of investigating that.  We used Red Sun Tours who are high up in Trip Advisor and would recommend over and over and would use again without hesitation. You can book a private tour or you can do what we did.  There were 12 of us which was perfect actually.  We could choose to use an ear piece or not.  I chose to as when we wanted around the Faberge eggs we could still hear Elena's superb narrative whilst we were looking around all the eggs etc.  Much more freedom in that respect and it was so clear.  We booked directly with Elena at Red Sun Tours and no middle man.  She was very on it with the timings of getting us back to the ship as she did not wish to us to miss it of course.