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Question regarding Russia / Baltics


captain102
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We'll be travelling in June to the Baltics and Russia. Both the Cruise line and our agent are adamant that all excursions in Russia MUST be booked via the ship to avoid having to get a visa or running into other disembarkation problems. We have looked at a few independent tour operators in Russia who come well recommended on various review sites, and they are saying that if you book via them in advance then NO visa will be required because they are registered / approved by / recognised by xyz etc etc. Any experiences would be very helpful and appreciated

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We'll be travelling in June to the Baltics and Russia. Both the Cruise line and our agent are adamant that all excursions in Russia MUST be booked via the ship to avoid having to get a visa or running into other disembarkation problems. We have looked at a few independent tour operators in Russia who come well recommended on various review sites, and they are saying that if you book via them in advance then NO visa will be required because they are registered / approved by / recognised by xyz etc etc. Any experiences would be very helpful and appreciated

 

The tour guides are correct

The cruise lines like to scare people into taking the ship's tours

Book a licensed guide for SPB & enjoy

There are lots of these stories of the cruise lines & uninformed TA's giving false ino

Check on the Baltic forum for reputable guides to use

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=192

Edited by LHT28
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You do not have to book through the cruiseline. There are loads of independent excellent guides available for St Petersburgh. Check on line reviews. We booked a private guide and driver that was highly recommended in Rick Steves book. It was a splurge but we were able to customize our 2 days and skipped ahead of all the larger groups. We even had time to browse in local grocery stores, small non tourist shops and stopped in a lovely cafe for tea and cake.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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The private tour companies are absolutely "Correct".... I can understand there are some cruiselines (not RCI) that tend to scare their cruiser's...but I would be very unhappy if a TA did this as well....they should know better or their just putting their cruiseline commission ahead of what's best for their client :(

 

We did an amazing 2 day private tour (just DH, myself with a guide & driver) using TJ Travel when we were in St Petersburg... We saw and did more in those 2 days than I thought was possible and everything with VIP treatment and no payment of any kind was made until day two. They handled everything..it couldn't have been easier.

 

Book your private tour yourself...you won't be sorry !!

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When you book a private tour (in St Petersburg) the licensed tour company will e-mail you copies of your "Group Visa" and tour tickets. When you exit the cruise terminal you pass through a Russian Passport/Visa control checkpoint. The Officer will stamp your Passport and inspect the tour documents (which you printed out) and wave you through. Your tour company/guides will meet you in the terminal building (which is a very nice place) and take you out to your transportation.

 

There is no way we would consider a cruise excursion over a private tour. There are many excellent private tour companies (Alla,SPB, TJ, etc) which all get rave reviews here on CC (for many years). The private tours will give you much more for your money then the cruise line, and you are generally in much smaller groups.

 

Hank

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The private tour companies are absolutely "Correct".... I can understand there are some cruiselines (not RCI) that tend to scare their cruiser's...but I would be very unhappy if a TA did this as well....they should know better or their just putting their cruiseline commission ahead of what's best for their client :(

 

We did an amazing 2 day private tour (just DH, myself with a guide & driver) using TJ Travel when we were in St Petersburg... We saw and did more in those 2 days than I thought was possible and everything with VIP treatment and no payment of any kind was made until day two. They handled everything..it couldn't have been easier.

 

Book your private tour yourself...you won't be sorry !!

 

I can second this company, we used them for 2 days in St petes in 2013.

 

People seem to suggest Alba? Or something but I read on here thet left 2 passengers alone due to a mix up...good job the Russian agents didn't question them.

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Your Cruise line and travel agent are telling you a fib...or they are very ignorant of the facts.

We used SPB Tours and about 100 of us walked ashore in St. Petersburg in Spring of 2016 and we paid about 1/2 of what the Cruiseline charged for the VERY SAME tour. SPB had our Name, Passport # etc. prior to us leaving on our cruise from the USA. We chatted with some Holland-America led people at some of the sights. Some of them wanted the 'Security' of a CruiseshipTour. Others realized they were ripped off. Each to their own. Go to the Ports of Call Forum for Northern Europe and you'll get an earful. LocoLoco1

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Your cruise line isn't by any chance Princess, is it?

 

All cruise lines use careful phraseology to make you think that you take a ship's tour or you get a visa, for instance " our tours include your Russian visa, but if you wish to go ashore independently you will have to attange a Russian visa in advance"

Perfectly correct, yes you need a visa if you wish to explore on your own.

But they omit to mention that a pre-booked tour with an approved local operator (all operators mentioned on this forum are approved) has the same visa-free status as ship' tours.

 

I mention Princess because they're the exception.

They don't try to mislead you - they LIE to you. Including on their printed literature and website.

In the past they've also tried holding independent operators' customers back in order to get their own folk through immigration first, and they've also tried to "manage" the immigration lines by putting independents into one long line. And they've had their knuckles rapped by local officials for doing so.

 

Cruise line staff are simply saying what they've been told to say.

Your TA probably isn't deliberately lying - just believing what they've been fed.:rolleyes:

 

JB :)

Edited by John Bull
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In June we travelled to St Petersburg on Regal. We took a number of ship tours, just suited us. Others chose private companies, Alla, TJ, SPB. They organised a visa for them and everyone we spoke to were impressed with the private tours.

The ship and the privates offer two day tours. Most found them to be very tiring and full on. That is why we chose two tours per day, with a break in the day. Also went to the ballet. A marvellous city, enjoy.

There was no drama going through customs, Princess tours lined up in one line, others in the other lines, all moved through smoothly. At no time did the customs officers ever smile back at me.

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