ncrmd

We just got back from a 2 day stop in St. Petersburg on the Regal Princess and went with SPB tours. The private operators arrange for a visa with no problems and we got our passports and tour tickets checked by immigration with about a five minute wait on the first day and had about the same wait on the second day. We were able to get off the ship by 8:15 after the RCCL tours got off and had no problems meeting our tour guide by 9:00. Having to wait for the ship tours to get off first was a minimal inconvenience but being in a small group of 12 was much more convenient rather than a 40+ person cruise group--we got around much quicker, had more time at the stops, had better access to the tour guide, and got to go more places than the cruise groups. The cost was about 50% lower and I felt the quality of the tour was much better.

Visa?

Are we supposed to get one ahead of time or does Princess provide if we are on a private tour?

Did you need your passport (I'm US) to get through the Russian immigration?