New Disebarkation Rules for St. Petersburg in 2018

I have not pick one yet as well. We have plenty of time.

Have you contacted Alla tours?

USA & Canada Toll Free 1-800-317-706

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I have sent emails off to Alla, SPG, DenRus and TJ.

Thanks for sharing this.

Keith

I have sent emails off to Alla, SPG, DenRus and TJ.

Thank you and please us posted

I

Seeing that the Baltic Cruising Season is back up and running I'm hoping we will get some updates on what's happening now in St Petersburg in regards to the new disembarking rules that are supposed to be applying.

Watch this space!

Disembarked yesterday for day 1 of 2 in SPB. Off Celebrity Silhouette, docked at 7. We were warned that all ship excursions would get off first, then independent travelers. Long line formed in atrium, and we were allowed off around 7:35. In line for passport control, I could see people wearing excursion stickers in other lines, so we were let off not much later.

I made my 8:30 a.m. Alla tour easily.

Disembarked yesterday for day 1 of 2 in SPB. Off Celebrity Silhouette, docked at 7. We were warned that all ship excursions would get off first, then independent travelers. Long line formed in atrium, and we were allowed off around 7:35. In line for passport control, I could see people wearing excursion stickers in other lines, so we were let off not much later.

 

I made my 8:30 a.m. Alla tour easily.

Thanks for the report. Did you line up with those that had ship excursions or was it a separate line? How did you know where to line up?

Thanks in advance. :)

Thanks for the update.....

subscribing....

Thanks for the report. Did you line up with those that had ship excursions or was it a separate line? How did you know where to line up?

 

Thanks in advance. :)

The ship's excursions met in the theater as usual, and we were told that if we tried to join that line without a sticker, we'd be in trouble.

I just lined up in the atrium as I have for other ports. They kept telling us to "sit comfortably," but everyone ignored that announcement. :):)

The ship's excursions met in the theater as usual, and we were told that if we tried to join that line without a sticker, we'd be in trouble.

 

I just lined up in the atrium as I have for other ports. They kept telling us to "sit comfortably," but everyone ignored that announcement. :):)

Ha ha, of course they did! Thank you!

The ship's excursions met in the theater as usual, and we were told that if we tried to join that line without a sticker, we'd be in trouble.

 

I just lined up in the atrium as I have for other ports. They kept telling us to "sit comfortably," but everyone ignored that announcement. :):)

Curious...what time did you line up? We are doing an Alla tour in July that starts at 8:30 as well.

Curious...what time did you line up? We are doing an Alla tour in July that starts at 8:30 as well.

Probably around 7:10-7:15.

The new rules were a big surprise for me, and I asked Celebrity Cruises for clarifications. This is the response I received:

Regarding the disembarkation of guests, one reason that guests who have booked their excursions through Celebrity may receive priority disembarkation is that the ship is aware of their excursions in advance, as it is part of their reservation. We have no record of guests who have made 3rd party excursions, and so we have no advance knowledge that they need to be off of the ship by a certain time. However, were you to select a 3rd party vendor to book a shore excursion with, simply let guest relations know of your need to disembark at a specific time and they will accommodate you, regardless of who you select to book your excursions.

This is not the information that was provided on the Silhouette a few weeks ago. People with private tours were clearly told that they would not be able to get off the ship until the ship's tours disembarked. As it happened, the ship was cleared fast enough that those on private tours were able to disembark around 7:40 a.m., which allowed plenty of time for me to meet a private tour by 8:30 a.m.

Having been told by the "Destination Concierge" that I couldn't disembark until after the ship's excursions, I'd have been pretty annoyed to see another group or ten waltz in front of me and the other hundreds in line to get off.

The new rules were a big surprise for me, and I asked Celebrity Cruises for clarifications. This is the response I received:

Regarding the disembarkation of guests, one reason that guests who have booked their excursions through Celebrity may receive priority disembarkation is that the ship is aware of their excursions in advance, as it is part of their reservation. We have no record of guests who have made 3rd party excursions, and so we have no advance knowledge that they need to be off of the ship by a certain time. However, were you to select a 3rd party vendor to book a shore excursion with, simply let guest relations know of your need to disembark at a specific time and they will accommodate you, regardless of who you select to book your excursions.

 

This is not the information that was provided on the Silhouette a few weeks ago. People with private tours were clearly told that they would not be able to get off the ship until the ship's tours disembarked..

Hmmmm - a discrepancy between what a cruise line head office says & what ships' crew say?

Surely not :rolleyes:

Glad to hear from you & others that things are working out.

JB :)

Thank goodness I have already been....3 days with a private company......would not want to deal with this now

I sure the private tour agencies will figure out how to deal with this. Also, I would still take the private tour even if it left later because you will be on a van with ten people and will be able to go places the large bus can't. Plus waiting for 50 pax to get off and on the vehicle eats up lots of time too.

I sure the private tour agencies will figure out how to deal with this. Also, I would still take the private tour even if it left later because you will be on a van with ten people and will be able to go places the large bus can't. Plus waiting for 50 pax to get off and on the vehicle eats up lots of time too.

I have been in touch with SPB tours about this, they plan to leave about 90 minutes after the ship is scheduled. The private companies plan for thsi

Thank goodness I have already been....3 days with a private company......would not want to deal with this now

Thanks for your positive post for those touring SPG this year!!!