Best-Non HAL cruise ship small group guides for Baltic

I am doing my first cruise -- Baltic for 12days (HAL), starting July 28, 2016.

We am looking for recommendations of several tour companies.

We would like to hire different local guides for a small group of 2 - 7 adults, for the various cities such as: Warnermunde, Rostock, Tallinn, Helsinki, Stockholm, Lubeck, Gothenburg, and Helsingborg along the Baltic.

We would like the tours groups to be 11 or less, for flexibility, small van transport vs large bus in traffic, and a guarantee to be back in easy time to catch the ship before departure, without the cost of a private guide.

The St. Petersburg 2 day Showcase tour by Holland America Line was already booked before I found comments that there are other options.

What are a few company names that an experienced cruiser would suggest?

This is my first question (thread) and I think I am doing it correctly.

I am doing my first cruise -- Baltic for 12days (HAL), starting July 28, 2016.

We am looking for recommendations of several tour companies.

We would like to hire different local guides for a small group of 2 - 7 adults, for the various cities such as: Warnermunde, Rostock, Tallinn, Helsinki, Stockholm, Lubeck, Gothenburg, and Helsingborg along the Baltic.

We would like the tours groups to be 11 or less, for flexibility, small van transport vs large bus in traffic, and a guarantee to be back in easy time to catch the ship before departure, without the cost of a private guide.

The St. Petersburg 2 day Showcase tour by Holland America Line was already booked before I found comments that there are other options.

What are a few company names that an experienced cruiser would suggest?

This is my first question (thread) and I think I am doing it correctly.

Yes, you're doing it correctly. :D Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Cruise Critic has a Ports of Call section and I suggest you visit there to post your question. Here's the link to the Baltics Port of Call board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=192. There you'll find tons of information about a Baltic cruise and recommendations for independent vendors.

When we did our Baltic cruise, we booked a two-day tour with Alla in St. Peterburg. They offered tours in other cities and if you booked multiple cities you received a discounted price. I believe the other well-known tour guides in St Petersburg also have multi-city options. We didn't book with them in other cities but those from our St P tour who did were pleased.

Personally, I wouldn't use the cruise line for the St Petersburg tour (I'm not sure, but it sounds like you're saying you've already booked that one?)--I'd cancel that booking and book with Alla or one of the other St P independents. When we were in St P there were many benefits to booking outside the cruise line--we had early entry to some stops and a much smaller group than the cruise line tours.

Have a great first cruise!!

My wife and I used this tour company in 2011. They were great. Check them out. http://www.insider-tour.com/

We used SPB tours. They were great.

I have booked private tours with this company. I believe they cover all three of the locations you mentioned.

https://www.spb-tours.com/index.php?pageid=27

Their reviews...

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298507-d2216909-Reviews-SPB_Tours_Day_Tours-St_Petersburg_Northwestern_District.html