Saint Petersburg guide

[deck chair]

Hi:

 

Aan anyone recommend a good english speaking guide for Saint Petersburg, Russia. Thanks.

 

Deck Chair

[patwell]

You will get a lot more helpful information about this if you go to the ports of call forum.....http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=192

 

There is much discussion there about the various guides to use if not using a ship tour. Just read for a few pages and you will get a lot of good help and information. I'e been doing just the same thing with respect to St Petersburg and the other Baltic countries. You will get input from people who have been there on various ships, not just Cunard. There's a lot of good stuff to read...

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continued...did it ever!

 

October 16,2008...the “Affair” goes transatlantic as we sail in tandem with the grand QE2 on her final transatlantic voyage...what a thrill!

 

December 9, 2008....the “Affair” resumes again....Life is good!

 

July 30, 2009....transatlantic again...some “Affairs” just get better

 

August 7, 2009....the “Affair” goes on...this time “home” to Norway

 

Feb. 7, 2010....the “Affair” takes a sunny detour when Penny meets a Princess

 

Aug 14, 2010....the “Affair” returns to Norway, all the way to the top!

[southwestie]

Hi:

 

Aan anyone recommend a good english speaking guide for Saint Petersburg, Russia. Thanks.

 

Deck Chair

 

 

When are you planning to go, we are hopfully booked on the new QE for August 2011, we have already pre registered.

 

this is a good all round guide to the city

 

http://petersburgcity.com/

 

I am lucky in that my neighbours are russian speaking, so im larning some good stuff right now

[sbhdmh]

There was recently a thread started called "Must Sees" and in it I provided a detailed primer on St Petersburg. Unfortunately I think that thread was removed so I guess we'll do it bit by bit again...

 

The main guides mentioned over and over for St Petersburg are Alla, Anastasia, Denrus, Masha (now BestGuides), Red October, SPB and TJ. You will find that everyone is convinced that they had the best tour, the best guide and the best experience in St Petersburg. I suggest that you email each of them with your dates and interests. You will get a feel pretty quickly for who you are most comfortable with.

 

Several of the sights (BestGuides, Denrus, etc) have information on the different sites to see as well as ideas for pre-packaged tours. This is a good place to start. Some of these companies will put you together with others from your sailing. This is less work but you have less input into your exact itinerary or the number of people you will tour with. The other option is to go to your roll call and post your tour or look for one someone else has posted. That way you can customize your visit more and limit the number of people.

 

There is a ton of information on this board. Read through and feel free to post with any specific questions. We are happy to help. Enjoy your trip!

[southwestie]

There was recently a thread started called "Must Sees" and in it I provided a detailed primer on St Petersburg. Unfortunately I think that thread was removed so I guess we'll do it bit by bit again...

 

The main guides mentioned over and over for St Petersburg are Alla, Anastasia, Denrus, Masha (now BestGuides), Red October, SPB and TJ. You will find that everyone is convinced that they had the best tour, the best guide and the best experience in St Petersburg. I suggest that you email each of them with your dates and interests. You will get a feel pretty quickly for who you are most comfortable with.

 

Several of the sights (BestGuides, Denrus, etc) have information on the different sites to see as well as ideas for pre-packaged tours. This is a good place to start. Some of these companies will put you together with others from your sailing. This is less work but you have less input into your exact itinerary or the number of people you will tour with. The other option is to go to your roll call and post your tour or look for one someone else has posted. That way you can customize your visit more and limit the number of people.

 

There is a ton of information on this board. Read through and feel free to post with any specific questions. We are happy to help. Enjoy your trip!

 

 

Thank you so much for your helpful and interesting post, we are looking a long way off, but then time flies by.

[Giantfan13]

Hi:

 

Aan anyone recommend a good english speaking guide for Saint Petersburg, Russia. Thanks.

 

Deck Chair

 

Are you looking for a private guide just for yourself, or are you thinking about being part of a group that has private guides show you around??

As was said, look thru some of the threads already on here which have a wealth of knowledge about all the private tour groups that work in St Petersburg. that should get you started.

We all can recommend the group that we used as they are all very good. Each has maybe a bit difference, so you need to contact them, tell them what you are looking for and when they reply, feel for the one that suits you the best.

We used SPB tours when we were in St Petersburg and enjoyed our tour immensily. We used them because they included several things we wanted to see and do, and just the way they responded to my emails and questions, just won me over. Each person here has their own reasons why they chose a particular group. We cannot decide for you.

Whichever way you go, you will have a marvelous time.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[trvlrs]

Hi:

 

Aan anyone recommend a good english speaking guide for Saint Petersburg, Russia. Thanks.

 

Deck Chair

 

My husband and I took a Baltic cruise Aug 2009 and we had 3 days in St Petersburg. We hired a Private tour through "Red October" for our 1st day. We were soooooooo satisfied that we booked them again for the next 2 days. Our guide was "Tanya", soft spoken and very knowledgeable. We felt like VIP's. We were whisked into the Hermitage, past all the groups but very low key and when it rained, one quick call out of Tanya and our driver would appear almost instantly.

The office was very profesional from the moment we started communicating with them via e-mail.

We keep great memories of our guided tour in St Petersburg and We can't find anything to criticize.

We sailed Regent Seven Seas and our shore excursions were inclusive but we decided to pay the extra money and go with a Private tour and we have no regrets.

Let me know, if you need more details. Good luck..