Russian Visa Requirement for St Petersburg

[HazedGrey]

Our TA sent along an info sheet today prepared by someone (anonymous) in the Holland America organization regarding visa rules for Russia. It describes three situations under which a Russian visa may or may not be required. The third situation which they described is quoted as follows (emphasis mine): "Sightseeing on own or going ashore prior to, or after participating on a Holland American Shore Excusion, visa required". If literally interperted, it appears that HA would deny disembarkation to a passenger (me) who holds tickets issued by an independent St Petersburg tour company which has obtained their own (blanket) group visa. Has anyone utilizing non-HA tour company shore excursions ever been denied permission to leave the ship to join their private tour agent's group? It appears to me that the info sheet is merely a poorly-disguised attempt to dissuade cruisers from using competing shore excursion companies! Any advice?

[gratefulguy]

I think they are trying to be sure "newbies" don't try to just walk off the ship in St. Petersburg they way they can in almost all other ports, even if they will go, or have gone, on a ship's excursion at some time while in port. Most cruise lines have stopped trying to "scare" pax into taking ship's excursions only--there is too much info on the Web (like CC!) which makes it clear that the approved (by Russian authorities) travel agencies can/do obtain the necessary blanket visas. Before a trip last year, I read many threads/posts on CC by cruisers, on various lines, who had heard many different stories (depending on whom they asked) about the situation. If you are planning a shore excursion with one of the agencies you see mentioned on CC, you are "safe".

Enjoy St. Petersburg, but be prepared to be overwhelmed by the riches on display!

[jtl513]

"Sightseeing on own or going ashore prior to, or after participating on a Holland American Shore Excusion, visa required".

Since you emphasized the "prior to", I think it means that if, for example, you have just a HAL afternoon excursion booked, you can not go off on your own (without another tour operator like Red October) for a few hours in the morning unless you have an individual visa.

 

In St. Petersburg is that there is a small building about 30 yards from the ship for Passport Control. There is a fence running from that building around the entire dock area, so there is no way to go anyplace off the dock except through that building.

 

On our 2nd day in St Pete we had only an afternoon excursion booked with HAL, and in the morning I was allowed by HAL security manning the gangway to go out onto the fenced-in dock area to walk around and take pictures as long as I understood that I was not to enter that building!

 

I presume your private tour operator must meet you on the ship side of that Passport Control building.

[jhannah]

There will be no problem with meeting your independent tour operator dockside. Happens all the time. HAL just wants everyone to be aware that you can't just wander around in Russia as you can do in the other countries of your itinerary.

[prplspud]

I have yet to embark on our first cruise (August), but I have travelled quite a lot and I can tell you that Russia is one country I would never want to be caught in without the correct paperwork. I was in Moscow and St. Petersburg in September. In this case I would say that the cruise line is trying to protect you.

 

This is a country where as a citizen you can't even move from one city to another without the government's permission (or so locals told me).

 

Am I a nervous traveller. Yes, but regardless I would want to make sure I've done everything the cruise line suggests for here.

[dakrewser]

Your independent tour operator will provide you with documentation (most likely in electronic format which you'll need to print out) to present to the visa/passport authorities in the "little shed" along with your passport.

 

The warning is specifically for those attempting to do a self-organized tour without an official tour sponsor (whether ship-sponsored or independent).

 

Do not joke with the passport/visa people by the way - they have even less of a sense of humor than our own TSA airport inspectors!

[RuthC]

I presume your private tour operator must meet you on the ship side of that Passport Control building.

My experience in '03 was closer to what Dave described.

Red October met me on the other side of Russia Passport Control. They had sent me a ticket that served as the pass (along with my passport, of course). As I had planned three separate meetings I had a separate ticket for each outing.

The Russian authorities didn't give me any problem; they seemed to have a clue.

[Charliesmom]

Prplspud is correct. Russia is a place where you MUST have the correct documentation or you are in a pickle.

 

Visas are written in Russian and they are for the exact time you will be there. Should you miss the ship for some reason, it will cost you thousands of dollars to exit Russia because you will need to get an extension of your visa.

 

If you think the U.S. is bureaucratic, Russia is 100 times so.

 

If you are traveling on a group visa, stay really, really close to your group.

 

When we were there in 1998, they checked our passports and visas every time we left the ship.

 

We were there again on a land tour in 2005. We had our own visas with an extra day tacked on. We were quite concerned because British Air (our carrier) was having labor troubles and had had a wildcat strike earlier which had not yet been resolved. Thankfully, they flew (without food - it was the food service that was on strike). But it was scary.

 

My husband had ptomaine poisoning and we left with him sick. We didn't want to have visa problems. It was not a pretty sight. Thankfully, the ptomaine was resolved by the time we got to London (thanks to Zithromax).

 

That is another consideration. If you are planning to eat in Russia at all, be sure to take an antibiotic with you for such an eventuality. One other caution - DO NOT DRINK THE WATER unless it is bottled water (preferably from the ship). They have giardia there which is an intestinal parasite.

 

On that happy note - I'll sign off.

 

Roberta

[LMac]

When we went to St Petersburg a few summers ago, we got a visa. We spent 3 days with a guide, but she did not get a blanket visa for us...and we didn't even know that was a possibility. I had met her in the US before, and she was a registered guide. She was able to get us to the front of every line. It was wonderful, and worth the price of the visa. I wouldn't THINK of breaking a rule while in Russia.

I would go back to St P in a heartbeat. Fascinating city.

 

Leslie