SPB tours with no lunches question

Hello,

We are trying to decide on our tour company. For those that do not include lunch is it easy to find somewhere to grab something to eat on your own? Would that give us more time on our own to shop around while others are having their lunch?

I think on the one hand it would be nice to have a sit down lunch but on the other maybe we would rather have the time for ourselves.

Anyone with experience please let me know what you think. I am looking at the Alla Faberge tour and we can choose either with or without lunches.

Thanks

We did the Alla Grand Tour which included lunch each day--a box lunch for the hydrofoil trip to Peterhof and a sit-down lunch on the 2nd day. I really liked not having to worry about finding a place to eat nor about having the right amount and kind of money (I.e. rubles). The box lunch of Stolle pies was delicious as was our sit-down lunch. (Both meals were much better than I expected). The sit-down lunch was served quickly so we didn't waste any time with that.

Whatever tour you decide to do, I recommend you get one with lunch included.

Thank you. Were you able to buy wine or beer to have with your lunch at the restaurants?

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Thank you. Were you able to buy wine or beer to have with your lunch at the restaurants?

 

 

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I can chip in with this one.

We used Alla, & had restaurant lunches both days.

Water is supplied on the table.

Yes, you can buy beers & sodas, I don't know about wine

But neither restaurant accepted plastic or foreign currency.- just roubles.

Fortunately I always like the reassurance of having local folding-stuff in my pocket, so I had brought with me enough roubles for the guide's tip - knowing that I could dip into it if I needed, but wouldn't be stuck with unused roubles if I didn't.

So we had beers with our lunches, and the guide's tip at the end of the second day was a mix of roubles & euros.

Worked out very well.

(elsewhere for souvenirs etc we could use plastic or euros)

JB :)

We are considering the same tour for June with Alla. They seem to have the best option that includes the eggs [and of course the other Faberge treasures but it's really about the eggs right? haha ] which for me is a must see. I think the price difference is only $40 [$20 per day] more to include lunch so we figured it to be a fair deal. It will save the hassle of trying to find something on our own. My other half lived in Moscow many years ago for grad school and he remembers food in Russia to be quite expensive so it may not be much of a savings to buy on your own [of course SPB is a different city and times change but something to consider].

We took a small group (12 people) two day tour with TJ. The first day's lunch was included in the tour and was in Pushkin (we were off to visit Catherine Palace). The second day we stopped at the really popular MarketPlace on the Nevsky Prospekt - think the amount we spent on our lunch and drinks (fantastic fresh mint tea and a decent espresso) worked out at just over USD 10 for the pair of us. The great thing about being in a small group is you can easily grab tables without feeling that you're taking over an entire restaurant. No complaints about food or company on either day...

If you have lunches included are they set menus at restaurants or did you have options on what you wanted in the boxed pie lunches? We have a couple of picky eaters! Also if you don't chose their lunch options are you given an hour or so to find and eat your lunch? Thanks

If you have lunches included are they set menus at restaurants or did you have options on what you wanted in the boxed pie lunches? We have a couple of picky eaters! Also if you don't chose their lunch options are you given an hour or so to find and eat your lunch? Thanks

With our Alla tour, there was a set menu at the sit-down lunch. We might have had a choice of chicken or fish, but the salad, veggies and dessert were the same for all.

For the box lunch, there was no choice. There was one meat pie, one fruit (apple) pie, an apple, a bottle of water and a Russian "Snickers"-like candy bar.

There was one couple in our group who chose, for whatever reason, not to eat the included sit-down lunch. They sat in the lobby of the restaurant and ate some snacks they'd brought. On these tours, you aren't allowed to wander off on your own without your guide, so if you don't eat what is offered, you can't go out to another place to eat.

I would recommend booking the lunches included in your tours. Also, I believe that Alla Tours does offer beer/wine with their restaurant lunches - I would contact them to be certain.

For the boxed lunches, you can stipulate your food requirements - such as no meat, no fish, vegetarian, etc.

If you don't include the lunches on your tours, I would recommend that you bring a packed lunch from the ship. You will not be allowed to wander about on your own and there may be no restaurants that appeal to your tastes in the area where the others eat their lunch.

If you have lunches included are they set menus at restaurants or did you have options on what you wanted in the boxed pie lunches? We have a couple of picky eaters! Also if you don't chose their lunch options are you given an hour or so to find and eat your lunch? Thanks

I do know that Alla Tours accommodates some dietary restrictions, with choices available at time of booking. I would email your tour company in advance if you have food questions. There is always the option to carry commercially wrapped protein or granola bars. We have generally found that meals offered on excursions are designed for guests who may not be "food adventurers."

Approximately how much does beer and soda cost in St. Petersburg? We like to try different beers and sodas in other countries so knowing costs will help me decide how many rubles we need to purchase.

Our SPB tour did not include lunches, but it wasn't a problem. The guide took us the first day to a cafe in the gardens at Peterhof and the second day to Stolle. We could use credit cards both places and order whatever we liked.

Our SPB tour did not include lunches, but it wasn't a problem. The guide took us the first day to a cafe in the gardens at Peterhof and the second day to Stolle. We could use credit cards both places and order whatever we liked.

Right - Alla does the same if you don't purchase the set menu lunches. You will be taken to the restaurant where the others in your group will eat their lunch (Stolle pie shop on one day and another restaurant on the other day) and you are free to order something from the menu on your own.

Approximately how much does beer and soda cost in St. Petersburg? We like to try different beers and sodas in other countries so knowing costs will help me decide how many rubles we need to purchase.

I usually don't order domestic sodas or beer in St. Petersburg restaurants - I usually order Coke, coffee, cappuccino or wine. The price will vary depending on the restaurant. Looking at one of my credit card receipts (restaurant) from October, 2016, the price I paid for a coke was 51.81 rubles (as I recall, the price of the imported soft drinks such as Coke and Pepsi is about one and a half times the cost of their domestic soda. FYI: Coke and Pepsi are widely offered on menus - in fact, more often than the domestic varieties but you will find a variety of the domestic soft drinks in supermarkets). The price of one beer (pint, draught) was 100 rubles.

Right - Alla does the same if you don't purchase the set menu lunches. You will be taken to the restaurant where the others in your group will eat their lunch (Stolle pie shop on one day and another restaurant on the other day) and you are free to order something from the menu on your own.[/

 

I'm wondering if there is a cost savings for getting the lunches in the tour vs just ordering on your own?

 

 

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I'm wondering if there is a cost savings for getting the lunches in the tour vs just ordering on your own?

 

 

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I doubt it. The tour companies are going to get a discount for buying I need bulk. You won't.

 

I'm wondering if there is a cost savings for getting the lunches in the tour vs just ordering on your own?

 

 

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I doubt it. The tour companies are going to get a discount for buying in bulk. You won't.