st. petersburg

[ehogan]

Can anyone tell me how long of a trip it is from the pier to the major sites in St. Petersburg. I am trying to choose NCL ship shore excursions, but I want to choose two to three per day, so I need to know if I will have enough time to return to the ship for meals and for the next excursion. (We want to avoid the all day excursions that include lunches - our prior experience is that it just takes too much time away from actual sightseeing, the meals are rushed and not of much value. We are not interested in private excursions.

 

So far, I am thinking of the Peterhof (a must see for me) in the morning, till 12:30 the tour of the Metro and markets in the afternoon starting at 2:15 and the Russion ballet at 7:15. Any opinions on these tours?

 

Thanks for your help.

__________________

[Bruin Steve]

Can anyone tell me how long of a trip it is from the pier to the major sites in St. Petersburg. I am trying to choose NCL ship shore excursions, but I want to choose two to three per day, so I need to know if I will have enough time to return to the ship for meals and for the next excursion. (We want to avoid the all day excursions that include lunches - our prior experience is that it just takes too much time away from actual sightseeing, the meals are rushed and not of much value. We are not interested in private excursions.

 

So far, I am thinking of the Peterhof (a must see for me) in the morning, till 12:30 the tour of the Metro and markets in the afternoon starting at 2:15 and the Russion ballet at 7:15. Any opinions on these tours?

 

Thanks for your help.

__________________

 

We did exactly what you are thinking of doing when we last cruised the Baltic on Princess in 2001...At that time, we were cruising with our two then-teenaged daughters and were trying to be thrifty and save some money...and we were not aware of too many private excursion companies in the city at that time...

 

We figured that two half day excursions were cheaper than one full day...and we already had lunches paid for on the ship...

 

Now know that when we return to the Baltic THIS COMING summer, we will be doing a two day tour through one of the local tour companies...

 

Here's our experience from 2001:

 

First, note that the cruise lines try to schedule tours so that you CAN take 5 tours--an AM tour, a PM tour and an evening activity the first day...and an AM tour and a PM tour the second day...

 

We booked The City Tour for the first morning, the Peterhof for the first afternoon, the Ballet for the evening, then the Hermitage for the second morning and the Yusopov for the second afternoon...

 

The ship, for whatever reason, pulled into port late the first morning and our morning tour was somewhat truncated, then ran late...They got us back to the ship just in time to run back out (zero time for ANY food) on our afternoon tour, which also ran late...So, we had to skip dinner in order to get to our ballet excursion...my daugters sprinted to the buffet and back to pick us up a couple of croissants and some chees...which we ate on the bus to the ballet...

e

The next day, our morning excursion ran late and we had not enough time to get lunch in the dining room--only to run to the buffet and wolf down some food before heading out again...

 

The port is actually a bit of a drive from anything we visited...The time riding the bus back and forth was NOT well spent...The combined time driving to and from port and eating anything on the ship would be far better spent eating a lunch in town...

 

For this next cruise, we have put together a group and are doing a private two-day excursion with Red October (we also inquired with Alla and DenRus and all three are good and reputable...and the prices we're paying--$347 per person for a two day tour in a party of eight--actually save us money over the ship's tours--and we'll be in a small group rather than a busload...We won't kill as much time waiting around for everyone...You may also be able to influence the itinerary to your desires and interests)...

 

Go to the "Roll Call" for your cruise and see if you can join in a private group tour...I know you said you don't want a private tour, but trust me, it IS the best option here

 

That's my recommendation--and I'm usually one of the first ones on these boards to defend the ship's excursions--just not in this port...

 

Good luck...

[Essiesmom]

And do remember that if you take a private tour, you will need a visa...EM

[Bruin Steve]

And do remember that if you take a private tour, you will need a visa...EM

 

This is not correct.

 

The large private tour companies supply a "group visa" as part of the package in the same way the ship's excursions do.

 

The cruise lines do not really conduct their own shore tours or supply visas. They contract with large local providers...the local company arranges for the group visa. If you use Red October, DenRus, Alla or others, they do the exact same thing.

 

If you wish to merely venture off the ship on your own, that is when you would have to acquire your own personal visa.

[Gram Cape Cod]

Bruin Steve is correct regarding private shore excursions. You get to see a lot more, includes your visa, very organized and actually costs less than ship excursions. We were a group of 10 with Alla Tours and our private excursion cost $250 for 2 full days. We did not spend a lot of time eating lunch and our guide Viktoria knew the best places to eat. You can make up the excursion to your own liking. Go to Roll Call and look for someone to share or perhaps someone has already organized a group and is looking for more to join. Good luck!

[Len3]

We have put together a mini-group of 8 people from our "roll call" and are doing a 2 day tour with Alla. A few sights have been switched so that our time is well spent. We'll be long gone while the people on the ship's tours will still be gathering to get ready.

[dbh62ark]

ehogan, Steve and others have given you very good advice regarding the advantage of private tours. I have cruised the Baltics twice and observed the ship's excursion passengers standing in long lines (for an hour and up to two hours based on the reports given to me by those passengers) while the private tour operators wisk their small groups to the front of the line for timed reservations. If you read back to previous Baltics seasons, you will see notes from ship's passengers who were required to stand in line in the rain. Also, the private tour groups not only allow you the option to customize your tour to your interests, but you'll save a lot of time moving around in a small group as opposed to waiting for approx 50 passengers to load/unload, potty, etc. at every stop. We have toured with Red October Russia and Denrus and highly recommend Denrus. I hope you'll consider the private tour option using your roll call thread to form a group to reduce costs because I think it will add a lot to your trip.

 

Happy travels,

Donna

[itsjb1]

All of the above posters are bang on accurate. Another advantage of private tours that I do not often see mentioned is rest room breaks. You can wait a very long time for 40 of your not so closest friends to have a restroom break. On a private tour the guide will be able to take you where the lines are short, so you are not wasting time waiting around.

[dbh62ark]

On a private tour the guide will be able to take you where the lines are short, so you are not wasting time waiting around.

Yes, and as an added bonus, most of our private tour bathroom breaks were at stores with great selection and prices that served free chocolates and vodka! :)

 

Donna

[pepidog]

We did exactly what you are thinking of doing when we last cruised the Baltic on Princess in 2001...At that time, we were cruising with our two then-teenaged daughters and were trying to be thrifty and save some money...and we were not aware of too many private excursion companies in the city at that time...

 

We figured that two half day excursions were cheaper than one full day...and we already had lunches paid for on the ship...

 

Now know that when we return to the Baltic THIS COMING summer, we will be doing a two day tour through one of the local tour companies...

 

Here's our experience from 2001:

 

First, note that the cruise lines try to schedule tours so that you CAN take 5 tours--an AM tour, a PM tour and an evening activity the first day...and an AM tour and a PM tour the second day...

 

We booked The City Tour for the first morning, the Peterhof for the first afternoon, the Ballet for the evening, then the Hermitage for the second morning and the Yusopov for the second afternoon...

 

The ship, for whatever reason, pulled into port late the first morning and our morning tour was somewhat truncated, then ran late...They got us back to the ship just in time to run back out (zero time for ANY food) on our afternoon tour, which also ran late...So, we had to skip dinner in order to get to our ballet excursion...my daugters sprinted to the buffet and back to pick us up a couple of croissants and some chees...which we ate on the bus to the ballet...

e

The next day, our morning excursion ran late and we had not enough time to get lunch in the dining room--only to run to the buffet and wolf down some food before heading out again...

 

The port is actually a bit of a drive from anything we visited...The time riding the bus back and forth was NOT well spent...The combined time driving to and from port and eating anything on the ship would be far better spent eating a lunch in town...

 

For this next cruise, we have put together a group and are doing a private two-day excursion with Red October (we also inquired with Alla and DenRus and all three are good and reputable...and the prices we're paying--$347 per person for a two day tour in a party of eight--actually save us money over the ship's tours--and we'll be in a small group rather than a busload...We won't kill as much time waiting around for everyone...You may also be able to influence the itinerary to your desires and interests)...

 

Go to the "Roll Call" for your cruise and see if you can join in a private group tour...I know you said you don't want a private tour, but trust me, it IS the best option here

 

That's my recommendation--and I'm usually one of the first ones on these boards to defend the ship's excursions--just not in this port...

 

Good luck...

 

 

Can you tell me Alla's e-mail address? Thank you.

[pepidog]

Can anyone tell me the e-mail address of Alla?

[amd92602]

pepidog,

It's "Alla Ushakova" <info@alla-tour.com>

 

I am booking our July 7, 8/2008 visit with Alla this afternoon to get 2007 pricing (book before 12/1/2007). Have decided on the 'comfort tour'.

[ehogan]

Thanks for your comments re the Denurs, etc. tours. Are your experiences with the small, private tours they offer? or have you had experience with their value tour (could be up to 30 people per tour)

 

Because of cost issues, we would be leaning toward the value tour.

 

Are your recommendations on the private tours based on the small size of the tours? I am hesitant on small tours because we have taken these type of tours before (8 - 10 people) but have found that there always seems to be one agressive person who hijacks the tour and monopolizes the tour directors time. If we were travelling with others that we know, the situation would be different.

 

Also, which sites are the most congested and likely to have very long lines. My guess is the Hermitage would be the worst scenario and since we are more inclined towards architecture rather than art, I might rather consider the smaller tours to Peterhof and the city walking tour.

 

Again, thank you, I am finding this the hardest city to plan for - and of all of them it is the one I would most definately not want to be stranded in should anything go wrong with the tour. - cowardly, I know, but I can't see going on a tour and spending the whole time worrying about getting back.

 

I am willing to pay NCL a bit extra for their assistance in case of a problem.

[dbh62ark]

Yes, I understand what you’re saying, but I’ve seen guide hogs on the ship’s shore excursions too. :) I have had two different tour guides in Russia and think that if this is a concern for you, you should communicate this to your tour operator along with any other concerns. The guides that I had in Russia spoke with all the passengers individually, and I think that most of the private tour guides have very good skills in handling different personality types.

 

I have been reading these boards since 2001 and have never heard of a passenger being left behind in Russia. As I’ve said on other threads, you’re only allowed into Russia without a visa for a period of less than 72 hours with a licensed tour operator that provides a group visa. I promise you that the tour operators don’t want to be responsible for you being left behind when your ship sails. :) Ask your tour operator about contingency plans in the case of vehicle breakdowns, etc. One of the reasons that we chose Denrus for a return trip is that this company (and Red October as well) has great resources to solve problems. No one wants to have a problem, but you definitely want to have a good tour operator with good judgement and problem solving skills to handle situations that might (or hopefully might not) arise. No disrespect to anyone who chooses Alla, but there was a big thread recently on issues that arose during one of her tours, and I think the situations was mishandled on several levels, so that’s not what I’m looking for in a tour company (the last tour group that I coordinated in Russia was for a group of 25 from our roll call thread traveling in 3 separate vans with 3 guides and 3 drivers). It sounds like you have the same needs, so I would suggest that you stick with Red October Russia or Denrus.

 

I understand what you’re saying about paying NCL extra for the security, but I think it comes at a high price in terms of your time. It is a personal decision though, and only you can decide what is best for you.

 

The Denrus value tours are receiving good reviews on these boards, but I encourage you to contact some of the tour operators to determine the price difference between a value tour and a customized tour because it may not be as great as you think. The small groups of 8 – 10 are ideal in my opinion because they offer the best price while still keeping the groups small.

 

The Hermitage can be very crowded, depending on when you visit, but you will LOVE the architecture there. The palace is amazing. I think that if you travel that far, it would be a shame to miss it. Peterhof can be very crowded, but there’s room for lots of people out in the magnificent fountain gardens. But if you book a private tour, I wouldn’t worry about the crowds because those issues are part of what you pay for when you use their services, so they’ll find a way to work around that.

 

Donna

[ehogan]

Thank, you Donna, for your last message. I have come to value your comments and advice on these boards. I am going to make some enquires re Denrus and perhaps consider a tour with them.

 

Thanks to all for your input, these boards are a wonderful resource.

[dbh62ark]

Thank, you Donna, for your last message. I have come to value your comments and advice on these boards. I am going to make some enquires re Denrus and perhaps consider a tour with them.

 

Thanks to all for your input, these boards are a wonderful resource.

ehogan, you're welcome, and I have also received a wealth of information to make the most of my travel time and dollars on these boards too. I remember my hesitation in booking a private tour company in Russia even after having used private tour companies with great success in the Med on previous trips. There's something a bit daunting about visiting Russia. But I'm SO glad that I researched tour options and decided to go with the private tours because when I compared what I could see with ship's excursions against the private tour itineraries, I found that I could see so much more in limited time in St. Petersburg. So that was the deciding factor for us.

 

Since you mentioned that you love architecture, you might consider the canal boat ride. Seeing the buildings from the water is amazing, and you really cannot appreciate the scale of the Hermitage (Winter Palace) unless you see it from the water). We found the canal boat tour to be a very relaxing addition to a busy tour schedule and loved it.

 

Happy planning,

Donna

[ontheweb]

I have been reading these boards since 2001 and have never heard of a passenger being left behind in Russia. As I’ve said on other threads, you’re only allowed into Russia without a visa for a period of less than 72 hours with a licensed tour operator that provides a group visa. I promise you that the tour operators don’t want to be responsible for you being left behind when your ship sails. :) Ask your tour operator about contingency plans in the case of vehicle breakdowns, etc. One of the reasons that we chose Denrus for a return trip is that this company (and Red October as well) has great resources to solve problems. No one wants to have a problem, but you definitely want to have a good tour operator with good judgement and problem solving skills to handle situations that might (or hopefully might not) arise. No disrespect to anyone who chooses Alla, but there was a big thread recently on issues that arose during one of her tours, and I think the situations was mishandled on several levels, so that’s not what I’m looking for in a tour company (the last tour group that I coordinated in Russia was for a group of 25 from our roll call thread traveling in 3 separate vans with 3 guides and 3 drivers). It sounds like you have the same needs, so I would suggest that you stick with Red October Russia or Denrus.

 

Donna

 

I do not think it is fair to say that about Alla tours based on one thread. Yes, there was one group that did run into problems, but how many threads contain posts by people who were extremely pleased by their experience with Alla?

 

We used her services last summer. I had e-mailed all 3 services. My e-mail back from Red October said they were on vacation, so I eliminated them. The response from Den Rus described the value tour and gave a list of the locations you could pick for personalized tours. Alla's response gave her 3 levels of tours and what each visited. She also said they could be personalized. Since I thought we needed a framework that her tours provided as a starting point, I went with her. I just did not know enough about St. Petersburg and how long attractions would take or how long travel was between them to totally fashion a tour a la Den Rus.

 

I put together a group from our roll call. Alla was always quick to answer questions from me and other group members. One of us really wanted to see a synagogue. When we told Alla that and that there were no objections to that, she added the Choral Synagogue to our comfort tour. My wife is an art teacher, and wanted more time in the Hermitage. I proposed adding an hour, taking away our lunch. Alla thought that was impractical and proposed adding a half hour and leaving the other half hour for lunch. That was what was done.

 

I remember reading a thread in the Baltic section about photgraphy fees wanting to know if they are a rip off or worth it. Our Alla fees included one photography fee for each couple for every attraction that required those fees. I'm not sure of the policies that the other companies have concerning these fees.

 

Another advantage of Alla tours is that as a smaller outfit, she can give more personal service. I happened to e-mail her that we were celebrating our 30th anniversary on our cruise and another couple had an anniversary and birthday on our first day in St. Petersburg. Alla e-mailed back asking if we would prefer champagne or chocolates as a present. Since we are not really drinkers and my wife may be the only woman in the world who does not like chocolates, I suggested flowers. (The other couple also said they were not drinkers.) On the first day, our guide left the group at one point while we were all taking photos. She came back with beautiful bouqets as presents from the company. We also all received a dvd of St. Petersburg from Alla herself at the very end of the tour. I have not heard of the larger companies doing these things.

 

BTW, I wrote a review of the cruise in the member review section. It can be found at http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=33517

[amd92602]

I want to add that we just booked Alla for July, 2008! After pouring over many threads on this site and many, many e-mails with Alla I have booked her 'comfort tour'. I have to say that Denrus and Red October were not as forthcoming with information, and not as responsive as Alla. It seemed difficult to get clear pricing from the other tour providers where Alla was direct and very clear with what you get for what price! Sometimes you have to just trust your gut!

[dbh62ark]

I do not think it is fair to say that about Alla tours based on one thread. Yes, there was one group that did run into problems, but how many threads contain posts by people who were extremely pleased by their experience with Alla?

That is your opinion, and I am certainly entitled to mine as well. It's not "fair" for you to try to say that I'm somehow not entitled to post my opinion on a public message board! Are you saying that all the good experiences somehow cancel the bad experience that those passengers had? I don't agree. Those who want to be informed on this matter can start reading post #73 at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=589312&page=4&highlight=sarh and make their own decision. Of course it will now be confusing to sort the story out because the board member who posted Alla's rant then asked for their posts to be removed. Quite a mess. Yes, if one incident is so bad like this one was, that is enough to convince me that this tour operator does not use good judgement in solving problems that arise during the day. And then Alla wanted information posted publicly to chastise the passengers who had a horrible experience on her watch. I find it inexcusable and have never read of a group being so mistreated by any tour operator on these boards or elsewhere. As I said, I want to use tour operators who are able to handle problems as they arise. Everyone else can decide what is best for their own group. For those who have read of the incident and want to take a chance with Alla, then that's their decision. But my comment was addressed directly to ehogan during our ongoing conversation on this thread in response to his/her concerns.

 

Donna

[Gram Cape Cod]

I agree with ontheweb that you can't base the opinion of a tour company by one thread that had a bad experience. I booked with Alla after reading all that was said and am hapy that I did - we were not disappointed at all. We had a very positive experience with Alla.:)

[dbh62ark]

Gram Cape Cod, who was the board member who posted Alla's attacks on the passengers who had the bad tour in an attempt to try to discredit those board members and then asked for those posts to be removed?

 

Donna

[Gram Cape Cod]

It was so long ago I don't recall. All I know is that I had a great experience and the Baltic cruise was a trip of a lifetime.