St Petersburg, Visas?

[travelscot]

Can anyone help on this one????

I understand that no visa is required if you go ashore in St Petersburg with an organized shore excursion but if you go on your own you do. Is this in fact the case? If so if you go on an NCL excursion can you wander off some of the time away from the group? For example when the tour is finished can you get dropped off to make your own way back to the ship?? We like some time away on our own to explore more fully.

 

Thanks !!

[AFT_LOVER]

When we were there, we were stuck on the ship til our 7PM excursion (White Night River Cruise). We wanted to go to the sourvenior shop at the bottom of the ship, but the Gustapo pushed us back onto the gangway of the ship. We were on RCCL so we had nothing to do while they gassed up with a ship that came along side, no restaurants, no casino, no shops, BORING!

 

Also the bus ride from the ship is only to the end of the parking lot not into town. But that was where the excursion van picked us up. So get the VISA so you are not held hostage.

[Bennett'sCruise]

A US citizen may enter Russian w/o a visa for 72 hrs. or less but MUST be with an authorized tour guide. You also can NOT wonder off by yourself if you leave the pier with the tour guide. They will have to be with you at all times.

 

Here's the link to the US State Dept's website which explains all this ...

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1006.html

[Pennsylvania Sailor]

Can anyone help on this one????

I understand that no visa is required if you go ashore in St Petersburg with an organized shore excursion but if you go on your own you do. Is this in fact the case? If so if you go on an NCL excursion can you wander off some of the time away from the group? For example when the tour is finished can you get dropped off to make your own way back to the ship?? We like some time away on our own to explore more fully.

 

Thanks !!

There are only two ways to do it without a visa. (1) On the ship's tours. No, you can not wander off on your own. (2) On a tour operated by an "approved" company. As of last September, there were only three companies so authorized; Denrus, Red October and Alla. My wife and I were on Celebrity and took a two-day tour with Alla. There were two other couples, our guide, driver and a private Mercedes mini-van. The price was considerable less than two days of the ship's tours and we could pretty much set up where and what we wanted to see. It was excellent! We had similar reports from those who used Red October and Denrus. PLEASE NOTE that these tours much be booked in advance and an "invitation" sent to you from the tour company prior to leaving home!

[salty dingo]

Some countries, like Turkey, normally require a visa but make an exception for short-term cruise ship visitors. There, you CAN wander off on your own without a guide or a visa, even though a visa is normally required.

[travelscot]

Thanks for your help folks. Obviously info you need to know well before you go! :)