St. Petersburg and the "blanket cruise visa"

I think all cruise lines play the same game implying that one needs to do a ship sponsored tour or get their own VISA

Current wording in the fine print from Oceania

All visitors to Russia must be in possession of a Russian Tourist Visa, however this requirement is waived for Oceania Cruise guests while they are participating on a tour or private vehicle arrangement organized through Oceania Cruises

Not quite the full truth ...they leave out the important detail that a Private licensed guide will also get you the RTV

People have been complaining about this misleading information from Oceania and other lines as well for a long time. On our summer cruise (on Nautica) that had three Russian ports we received multiple notices about the need for a visa, but no mention of the possibility with private groups of having a group visa. (With these ports there were VERY few private groups available however.)

The same thing happened on our Black Sea cruise in 2012 where we did have private tours scheduled.

However, despite misleading information that doesn't let passengers know that you don't HAVE to use a ship's tour, Oceania has never hassled us when we had private tours in Russia. (As others have said before me!)

Mura

I think all cruise lines play the same game implying that one needs to do a ship sponsored tour or get their own VISA

 

Current wording in the fine print from Oceania

 

All visitors to Russia must be in possession of a Russian Tourist Visa, however this requirement is waived for Oceania Cruise guests while they are participating on a tour or private vehicle arrangement organized through Oceania Cruises

 

 

Not quite the full truth ...they leave out the important detail that a Private licensed guide will also get you the RTV

I think the wording you've excerpted is actually fraudulent. (I hope you understand I'm attacking the message not you, the messenger!!)

The first part of the statement is an outright lie. The wording on the letter that I read was misleading but it didn't lie which is why I grudgingly admired it. This wording is an actual lie. Oceania mentions one exception -- its own tours -- but word "all" kicks in beyond that exception. We know that isn't true.

I'm really surprised the fine print reads as it does. At one time, Oceania's lawyers had a way of expressing the ship's tour VS touring "on your own". This allowed Oceania to be 100% truthful in so far as what was written. Sure, it left out another option, but what appeared in print was correct and legally defensible. I'm mystified that Oceania is flat out lying in its present version. Apparently, someone has decided that "all" really doesn't mean "all."

People have been complaining about this misleading information from Oceania and other lines as well for a long time...

However, despite misleading information that doesn't let passengers know that you don't HAVE to use a ship's tour, Oceania has never hassled us when we had private tours in Russia. (As others have said before me!)

Agree. This misleading information is not unique to Oceania.

One area where Oceania is actually better than some of the other cruise lines is disembarkation time in St. Petersburg. Princess was notorious for preventing cruisers who booked tours directly with Russian companies from leaving the ship until all the passengers on the ship's tours were off. The St. Petersburg port authority had to send a cease and desist letter to Princess to stop this practice; I believe things have improved. I learned about the cease and desist letter because press officer from the St Petersburg port began posting about two years ago asking for information about cruisers' experience inside the port itself. He shared the Princess story.

Here's the link to this year's post from the Press officer:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2425418

I think the wording you've excerpted is actually fraudulent. (I hope you understand I'm attacking the message not you, the messenger!!)

 

The first part of the statement is an outright lie. The wording on the letter that I read was misleading but it didn't lie which is why I grudgingly admired it. This wording is an actual lie. Oceania mentions one exception -- its own tours -- but word "all" kicks in beyond that exception. We know that isn't true.

Can you clarify?

Who would not need a VISA or a group tourist visa supplied by the approved Russian tour guide

I have only been once to SPB & used ship's tour back then when there were only 2-3 companies to choose from

Had to cancel 2nd trip but we had booked SPB Tours

In Murmansk there were no private guides then so did the ship's tour but because the Officials there were "being through" it took 3 hrs or more to get off the ship :eek:

Maybe someday I will get back to SPB :)

I think all cruise lines play the same game implying that one needs to do a ship sponsored tour or get their own VISA

 

Current wording in the fine print from Oceania

 

All visitors to Russia must be in possession of a Russian Tourist Visa, however this requirement is waived for Oceania Cruise guests while they are participating on a tour or private vehicle arrangement organized through Oceania Cruises

 

 

Not quite the full truth ...they leave out the important detail that a Private licensed guide will also get you the RTV

Looks like a bit of flim flam.... Not what a first class company should be doing. And for the most part I think Oceania is first class.

Can you clarify?

Who would not need a VISA or a group tourist visa supplied by the approved Russian tour guide

 

I have only been once to SPB & used ship's tour back then when there were only 2-3 companies to choose from

Had to cancel 2nd trip but we had booked SPB Tours

In Murmansk there were no private guides then so did the ship's tour but because the Officials there were "being through" it took 3 hrs or more to get off the ship :eek:

Maybe someday I will get back to SPB :)

The question is whether or not the document provided to a person who books directly for a tour with a private licensed tour company is really a visa. It certainly isn't a visa in the formal sense. Plenty of readers of this thread have gotten visas for different countries; I've even gotten a full-up, official, paste-in-my-passport Russian visa for a river cruise trip in 2001. We know the drill to obtain a visa and it bears no resemblance to what cruisers do when touring St. Petersburg with a licensed company. So, no, not everyone needs a visa. They only visitors who do want to wander on their own at will.

The following link to a Russian web site does a great job of explaining the three legal ways to visit Russia as part of an ocean cruise:

http://www.saint-petersburg.com/russian-visa/for-cruise-ship-passengers/

When we post on this board/the Northern Europe board about touring with a Russian company, we use words like "ticket" and "blanket visa" but no one is using the word "visa".

Here's what Irina, owner of White Nights Travel said when I asked about the terminology, " I do not know why they call it blanket visa. We do take your information to the Russian Immigration to get their approval, but in Russian it is called visa-free regime. You can read about the visa-free rules on our web site."

http://www.wn-travel.com/wnt/Info.html

Here are links to two Russian web sites about the rules for ocean-going cruise lines stopping fewer than 72 hours for a port call:

http://www.russiavisa.com/visafreeentry.htm

http://petersburgcity.com/for-tourists/visa/cruises/

Legally, there is no difference between the way ship-sponsored excursion cruisers and direct booking cruisers visit St. Petersburg. We're all required to be in the company of a tour guide while ashore. The fact that the ship's excursion desk contracted with a licensed tour company doesn't put its clients in a special legal category. The ship would like cruisers to believe otherwise, but it simply isn't so.

Our limited experience with these group visas (excluding the cruise line's version) is that we have to give them our passport numbers, etc., and then they are carefully checked by the guards. But we had no problem beyond that.

With a cruise line's tour, as long as you stick with the group (!) there isn't any hassle.

I was surprised at Pet Nit Noy's comment about taking forever to get off the ship in Murmansk because that was definitely NOT our experience. In 2010 (Lyn was on that cruise as well) we got off and onto our bus very quickly. We DID notice the men in "suits" hanging around the ship when we returned. They didn't look very friendly.

We weren't impressed with Murmansk so when we were there in July on Nautica we just stayed on board. We did take ship's tours in Archangelsk and the Soloveztky Islands, which were fine -- and no long waits to leave the ship.

Mura

The question is whether or not the document provided to a person who books directly for a tour with a private licensed tour company is really a visa. It certainly isn't a visa in the formal sense. Plenty of readers of this thread have gotten visas for different countries; I've even gotten a full-up, official, paste-in-my-passport Russian visa for a river cruise trip in 2001. We know the drill to obtain a visa and it bears no resemblance to what cruisers do when touring St. Petersburg with a licensed company. So, no, not everyone needs a visa. They only visitors who do want to wander on their own at will.

 

.

Ok got it

It could be less confusing to some people if it is called a VISA rather than a tour ticket :D

some people would read #1 & not the rest of the conditions

No-Visa Entry is only for 72 hours and only for cruise ship passengers.

But yes they could be more specific in there description of the rules for Russia

I was surprised at Pet Nit Noy's comment about taking forever to get off the ship in Murmansk because that was definitely NOT our experience.

I've never been to Murmansk and I have no idea what the passport control process is like there. I didn't comment on Murmansk.

I was surprised at Pet Nit Noy's comment about taking forever to get off the ship in Murmansk because that was definitely NOT our experience. In 2010 (Lyn was on that cruise as well) we got off and onto our bus very quickly. We DID notice the men in "suits" hanging around the ship when we returned. They didn't look very friendly.

 

 

Mura

It was I that said about the delay getting off

Some people had booked the 7 hr tour that was to leave at 8 am they did not start disembarking passenger until after 11 am

we were on the 3 hr tour so it went ahead without cutting out some of the tour to get back in time

We were supposed to leave at 9 or 10 am but it was later due to the Officials triple checking documents

Maybe your tour was scheduled later in the day so you may not have had to wait but we certainly did

Lyn

We used SPB Tours for their 3-day deluxe tour of St. Petersburg and it was the best tour we've ever taken. 14 people on lovely van, great driver, fantastic tour guide (red-headed beautiful Sveta). The tour was literally one-third the price of the Oceania excursions, totally comprehensive, we saw everything there is to see in SPB, and we loved every minute of it.

The tour company handles everything with visa -- your tour tickets WHICH YOU MUST PRINT OUT AND BRING WITH YOU -- along with your passport gets you right through Russian Immigration, which is a tiny building right at the dock. Process is totally quick, efficient, painless. The time of pick-up and drop-off is printed on your tour ticket, but tour dropped us back at ship 30 minutes early and we used that time to wander on our own, coming back about 45 late,and we had no problem at all.

I cannot say too many good things about SPB. We also used them in Estonia and Riga, I think -- just fantastic tours, and we almost always do our own tours, but in those particular countries, we just felt better doing tours, and they were great.

I was in SP last summer and took a private tour for just the two of us in a private car with a guide and driver. Very expensive, but not much more than what a ship tour would have cost. The misleading information from the cruise lines is reprehensible! We saw so much more than any of the ship tours, in total comfort, with a guide who got us past long lines and provided wonderful information on everything. She allowed us to determine how much time to spend where. Cannot do this on a bus! The private companies are very happy to answer questions about the "visa" requirement, which should calm the nerves of any worriers! (But that first-day line IS was unsettling!)

BTW, our company was Best Tours, which I cannot recommend enough!

I was in SP last summer and took a private tour for just the two of us in a private car with a guide and driver. Very expensive, but not much more than what a ship tour would have cost. The misleading information from the cruise lines is reprehensible! We saw so much more than any of the ship tours, in total comfort, with a guide who got us past long lines and provided wonderful information on everything. She allowed us to determine how much time to spend where. Cannot do this on a bus! The private companies are very happy to answer questions about the "visa" requirement, which should calm the nerves of any worriers! (But that first-day line IS was unsettling!)

BTW, our company was Best Tours, which I cannot recommend enough!

WE did a 3 day tour 2 years ago with Alla and it was wonderful. 4 of us with a driver and guide. Saw so much more than we could have with a ships tour. We even were able to put on extra stops to see more than we thought we would. Did not need a personal visa. Tour company takes care of all that. The way to go. :):):)

I've never been to Murmansk and I have no idea what the passport control process is like there. I didn't comment on Murmansk.

No, you didn't! I agree. Somehow I mixed up the posts I'd been looking at. It was actually Lyn who made that statement ... except we were on the same cruise and I don't recall having to wait several hours to leave the ship! Perhaps the difference is that we were on different ship's tours ... that's my only guess as to why our experiences were different.

Anyway, Pet Nit Noy, my apologies for the mistake!

Mura

(Lyn, after I posted this comment I saw your additional post ... otherwise I would have commented on it!) My guess is that we did have a later tour ... I avoid early morning departures if I can!

In case somebody is not going to read the entire thread:

July 2016, we booked an excellent private tour with one of the reputable companies mentioned on cc, TJ Travel. We showed our passport + the paperwork provided by TJ Travel to the Russian immigration officer in the port building. TJ Travel driver and guide waited for us outside.

The port is quite far outside the city on empty land and no taxis were waiting because every passenger needs to be on a tour. The port is almost horse-shoe shaped and had 4 ships inside, one of them an Oceania ship.

Our cruise line (not Oceania) did not try to sell us their tours anywhere on this cruise. I don't even know what the other passengers did because we left before their tours started and returned when nobody else was around on both days.

So my understanding from our O Cruise Consultant is that no separate Russian visa is needed if all we do in St. Petersburg are O excursions. Is this correct in everyone's experience? I'm just paranoid enough to have this nightmare about being refused at check-in if we don't have Russian visas of our own. How does the check-in staff even know whether or not we might have arranged our own tours? How does the "no separate visa" get policed in St. Petersburg? And relying on the blanket cruise visa also means no walking around on our own I believe.

 

Of course, this is a separate question from whether or not we should consider any private tours - in which case I know we'd need our own visas.

As I am sure many posts will tell you, you do not need Visa for Russia if you plan to stay on boat or use cruise line excursions OR you can book with various private tour companies that will include the visa in their package. We were there in June of 2016 and use TJ travel and they were absolutely wonderful. We had 3 days and did the 3 day tour which was St Petersburg on days 1 and 3 and high speed train to Moscow on day 2. Only 10 people per group so was really good experience. Highly recommend. There are other travel companies that get equally high reviews here so go look at the port section for more info. Enjoy.

One warning: if you are in St. Petersburg, the tour agencies generally offer the group visa. It isn't a problem here.

But in places like Murmansk or Archangelsk or the Solovestky Islands (where we were this summer), if you find a private guide you need to make sure that they DO offer the group visa. Not all of them away from the major destinations do.

But as has been said, if your tour agency offers a group visa, you won't have a problem no matter what the ship tells you.

Mura