Are Visas required??

[ochreman]

Are visas required when going ashore in European countries? I am interested in taking the Baltic cruise and the eastern Med cruise. If required, how long does it take to obtain them? Thanks

[johnql]

The only visa that was required on my Baltic cruise (Baltic capitals plus St. Petersburg) was Russia, but ONLY if I went ashore on an independent excursion. If you booked a ship's excursion, you were covered by a group visa.

[jaxon41]

If you book an independent excursion in Russia through a state sanctioned agency, you do not need a visa. We used DenRus -- many use Red october -- and we found them to be excellent. If you are going off the ship on your own -- you will need a VISA. I would never recommend that because there is a lot of corruption in Russia and you cannot even trust the police. For example, it is not uncommon for them to shake you down in order for you to get your passport back after they have asked to see it. Happened to someone on our ship last year. Stick with the ship or the DenRus/Red October.