St. Petersburg

[cjjersey]

We are cruising to St. Petersburg in July, where we will spend 3 days. We have seen 3 day excursions on both Seabourn and on Tripadvisor, does anybody have experience of either of them?

Thanks CJ

 

[SLSD]

We were in St. Petersburg last summer on a Seabourn cruise.  We did not take the three day excursion, but did take an excursions through SB each of the three days we were there--and took two different excursions on one day.  We were very pleased with the excursions.  We had excellent guides and saw the things we wanted to see.  I think you just have to take a look at everything offered and choose on the basis of what you want to see.  

[AJCM]

On Azamara, through  the CC roll call we got onto a 16 person 3 day tour with SPB Tours. Comprehensive and excellent.

[angie7911922]

We didn't do the Seabourn excursion. The ship excursions are always so expensive, and I don't really like being stuck in a group of 30+ people and getting herded around. We went with a local tour guide (Anastasia's Travel). This allowed us to avoid some of the lines, and do what we wanted to do. There wasn't a limited amount of time to spend at things - we were able to do everything at our pace and get in what we wanted to see. 

If there are certain things you have your heart set on, I'd recommend doing something like this instead of doing the ship's excursion.

[Dusko]

5 hours ago, angie7911922 said:

We didn't do the Seabourn excursion. The ship excursions are always so expensive, and I don't really like being stuck in a group of 30+ people and getting herded around. We went with a local tour guide (Anastasia's Travel). This allowed us to avoid some of the lines, and do what we wanted to do. There wasn't a limited amount of time to spend at things - we were able to do everything at our pace and get in what we wanted to see. 

If there are certain things you have your heart set on, I'd recommend doing something like this instead of doing the ship's excursion.

That's interesting.  I believe we may be on the same cruise as cjjersey and I was wondering about the excursions.  Our TA pointed out that sticking with the SB excursions meant that we would be covered by their blanket visa whereas to go private meant getting our own visas. Any experience shared would be appreciated.

[SLSD]

I think it's great to use a local private guide.  But, just you will know--we did three different excursions through SB--and we waited in no lines.  In each case, we were the very first group at each site each day (by design of the tour guide) .  We did not feel rushed--and we had excellent guides.  

[rols]

1 hour ago, Dusko said:

That's interesting.  I believe we may be on the same cruise as cjjersey and I was wondering about the excursions.  Our TA pointed out that sticking with the SB excursions meant that we would be covered by their blanket visa whereas to go private meant getting our own visas. Any experience shared would be appreciated.

Not totally correct. As long as you take a tour with a registered Russian tour guide (ie most of them you'd be likely to find on an internet search) you don't need a visa for any day you're touring. You give them your details, you get a piece of paper which lets you through immigration. You only need to actually get a Russia visa if you are 

1) wanting to wander around on your own or leave the ship on a day you don't have a tour 

2) have found a tour guide who do not offer such visas although I don't remember seeing a lot of those. 

The ship does not have a monopoly on tour visas (and I thought Seabourn were fair enough to make that pretty clear when we travelled). 

We used TJ Travel and thought they were great, it wasn't a cheap day but we enjoyed doing whatever the two of us wanted to do. The second day we stayed on the ship as we didn't have a tour nor a Russia visa which, had it been slightly less rapacious, we'd have arranged and gone wandering. 

[cjjersey]

We have decided to book the 3 day tour with Alla Tours as they tailor the first days pick up to take into account the 90 minute period after docking when the port authorities do not allow any tour operators, except the ones working with the cruise ship, to enter the port.

It seems a great itiniary and gets a good rating on TripAdvisor

[naata]

Four of us used SPB tours in St Petersburg 3 years ago ..... they were great, and across 4 pax it worked out cheaper than Seabourn offerings for the two day's we had them.   A nice well presented MB Van/wagon with driver and an English speaking guide who enabled us to dodge the crowds, and make chances on the run - which we did!.  As for entry permits, SPB handled all that no problem.

Just take some Roubles, for quick simple purchases.    Great city, and the locals were very happy to see us, but with Putins recent antics that may have changed a touch now!.

[Emperor Norton]

We are cruising to St. Petersburg in July, where we will spend 3 days. We have seen 3 day excursions on both Seabourn and on Tripadvisor, does anybody have experience of either of them?
Thanks CJ
 

I’ve done Seabourns tours in St. P. I’ve seen Regents tours there. Go with a private company. You won’t regret it.


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[cjjersey]

Many thanks for all the posts CJ

[Dusko]

We looked at the options and decided to do the SB 3 day plan with day 2 in Moscow.  It’s not likely that we will have a chance to go there in the future and the price is really reasonable. Also like having  SB person along on the excursion in case of any issues.

[srkramer127]

Our cruise leaves from St. Petersburg on July 31st.  We’re going to be there a few days earlier and are planning on doing private tours for the 3 days before.  We would welcome another couple to join us if anyone is interested.

[shyla100]

We did a three day tour with TJ Tours and it was one of the best tours we have ever done. Our tour person was Alexander 

[deeg]

Hi

When in July are you cruising?

We are on the 7/27 cruise from Stockholm and I am trying to join a private small group tour of St Petersburg (6-10) people. If you are sailing then and might be interested please let me know

 

[Linda Whitten]

On 2/12/2019 at 6:59 AM, cjjersey said:

We have decided to book the 3 day tour with Alla Tours as they tailor the first days pick up to take into account the 90 minute period after docking when the port authorities do not allow any tour operators, except the ones working with the cruise ship, to enter the port.

It seems a great itiniary and gets a good rating on TripAdvisor

I was very impressed with Alla.  Is it too late to form a group?  We would be interested in doing a small group rather than the 2 of us.

 

[koalapanda]

On 2/12/2019 at 10:59 PM, cjjersey said:

We have decided to book the 3 day tour with Alla Tours as they tailor the first days pick up to take into account the 90 minute period after docking when the port authorities do not allow any tour operators, except the ones working with the cruise ship, to enter the port.

It seems a great itiniary and gets a good rating on TripAdvisor

We have used Alla Tours in the past, they organised the Visa's for the three days. We were very happy with guides . The tours were great, long days but totally inclusive of you would want to see . A great experience and very potent in our memories of our many journeys.

Edited June 14, 2019 by koalapanda
sp

[Dusko]

OK I’m going to play devil’s advocate.  What does Alla Tours offer that the SB tour does not? Do they have the 2 day in St. P and 1 day in Moscow option? Do they go to places that the SB tour does not? They are going to leave 90 minutes later than an SB tour, are they going to make up the difference? Maybe they have smaller groups. I don’t know. Maybe it’s the lure of “we went private, not with the herd”. Also understandable.

 

It can’t be price as anyone who is on this cruise, ourselves included, are spending enough to keep a Mexican family of four in comparative luxury for 2 years. Price is irrelevant. We are rich. Seriously, why wouldn’t I just book with SB?

[SLSD]

Dusko, I think many just don't like to tour with others  Just to be clear, the ship's St. P. tours arrived early at venues---we were always the very first tours into wherever we went.  We had great guides.  But, of course, we went in a bus.  Many prefer to go by car with a very small group of people that they know.  

[Dusko]

Thanks for responding  SLSD. I do understand that aspect and hadn’t considered it. I can think of a couple of more reasons but I wondered if I was missing something. Clearly I was. Anyone else?

[Sirius 10]

 

Had a tour with Open Russia, probably not the cheapest but supplied a great guide and Mercedes S with driver.S  As a regular visitor to St Petersburg on business I would recommend the biggest car you can hire, due to the frequent collisisions I see on every visit.

Advantage with Seaborne, should be that you dock on a River Berth and not the huge cruise terminal, with extra travel time and delays.

 

If you appreciate a little Russian Bling visit the Grand Hotel bar, and also a little further away Nevskaya Zhemchuzina Restaurant on the Banks of the Neva, Obukhovskoi Oborony Ave. Many high end vehicles with blacked windows in parking area, but very safe. Take your own Sunglasses to blend in !

 

 

[SLSD]

On our SB trip to SP, the Ovation did dock at the large cruise terminal.  There was an Azamara ship docked in the city.  

[Emperor Norton]

This might be TMI or something...

Why private?

 

1:

RTFM: Tour of Chichen Itza - Description 4/4 + (for difficulty/mobility) excessive heat/humidity.
Reality: Mother and son arrive in wheelchair (mother) walker (son).  We wait 55+ minutes while the local guide finds people to physically CARRY the mother/son from A to B.  1hr lost.

 

Arrive.  Waste 45 minutes waiting for the guide to find people to carry them through the site.

 

Return: Waste another 1hr+ finding people to carry them to the airport.

 

2. Lunch stop gone wrong

Tail end of a world cruise the pervoid gets loaded during lunch (150lb body with 2+ bottles of wine over < ~1hr).  Visit historical summer home/museum.  He moves rope sits in century+ year old chair.  Threatened police involvement.  Tour ends early.

 

3. Passengers who need "help"
Last cruise on Seabourn -
Guide: A

Passenger: Q

Guide A
Passenger: kiwi
Guide: A
Passenger: zebra
Guide: A
Passenger: 2
Guide: A
Passenger: Purple guanacos?
Guide: A
Passenger: (loudly) YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID A from the start!
Other passenger (before me): THEY SAID A FROM THE START

 

4. Walking speed.  I'm not Bolt but I'm also not uber slow.  If you have a speed you like a cruise tour may not be your cup of tea.

 

5. Tour timing: Be at point G at 1400
Most of tour: at point G @ 1400 
Tour: Held up until the "lost" people show up - sorry you've lost time at every other stop

6. Random stuff: if you see something interesting the cruise tour can't stop.  Your private tour will. (eg: a WW2 monument to where the Soviets stopped the Wehrmacht)

 

7. Number of people - You don't always meet your super best friends on the ship.  (eg: The "marine" that left his garbage on the bus was appalling - police your own parade deck).

 

8. Comfort - the back of even an E-class MB is still IMO better than a bus.

 

9. Food - see 6.

I've done both private and cruise tours in the SpB/Moscow area.  Aside from the evening tour at Catherines Palace I would NEVER do the cruise tour again.

 

English Embankment FTW (of course the bigger the ship the less likely this will be).

Edited June 15, 2019 by Emperor Norton

[SLSD]

Emperor Norton, It sounds as if you have had some very unfortunate experiences on group tours from the ship.  We have been fortunate.  I do agree that some people are so disabled that they are indeed a worry on a group tour.  We worry for their safety.  On our St. P. tours, the groups were small and everyone was able to keep up.  

[offtoalaska]

I used to agree that any vehicle for a tour would be better than a bus on a cruise ship sponsored tour and then....

This May in Lisbon after our TA on the Quest we arranged to be part of a small group tour.  We had a wonderful tour of Sintra and Cascais with this tour group in 2014.  Clean van, wonderful guide, excellent experience and just my DH and me - no one else had booked.  Different story this year - fully booked van with six pax and the driver.  The other pax were not from Seabourn but were independent travelers.  So let's see - we were stuck in the back next to a woman with a bad cold (sneezing, coughing constantly.)  Mobility issues with one person; long line to get into Pasteis de Belem restaurant; some in the group wanted to sit down and get beverage instead of just getting a to go pastry - so one hour wasted here.  A negative experience.  So I've now decided that a large, clean bus with 20 (I think Seabourn limits each tour group to that size) fellow pax is a better bet.  Regarding St. Petersburg, the evening tour of St. Catherine's Palace was excellent;  our excursion (Crystal Serenity tour) included dinner, wine, vodka and folkloric dancing and music not sure the SB tour does this.

 

Don't miss the Hermitage tour.  We found the people of St. Petersburg to be lovely.  We even had afternoon tea and cookies as part of a home visit (arranged by Crystal) which provided a stark contrast between Imperial Russia and everyday life which is quite modest. Enjoy your time in St. Petersburg.

 

The bottom line here is that I will probably opt for SB tours.

 

Edited June 15, 2019 by offtoalaska
additional thoughts