Baltic shore excursions

[Bulldog61]

Does anyone have any experience with and evaluations of Shore Excursions Group for ports in the Baltic? Their website lists many interesting shore excursions with good pricing.

[Aruba]

Are you talking about Oceania's Destination Services department? I have done the Baltics cruise on Regatta but either toured independently or arranged private small-group tours in most of the ports. I have used O for a few shore excursions over the years and have always been satisfied. Although they will be more expensive than virtually anything you could arrange on your own, there is a certain level of security associated with using a ship's tour that should not be discounted -- such as if you're late in returning due to an unexpected delay, the ship will wait for you.

[pacheco18]

Go to the Baltics ports boards under "Europe." There are several major tour companies recommended there - Red October, Denrus, SPB, Anastasia among others. You should probably stick with one of those.

[Bruin Steve]

I'm doing my third Baltic cruise in a couple of months...and I've never heard of that company...doesn't mean they are not good...but, who knows...Anyone, nowadays can put together an impressive looking website...

 

One thing that's apparent from their website is that they are really just an agency, located in Florida, that merely arranges tours as an agent...they have no real presence in that part of the world (or any)...they just act as a middleman and get paid a fee...I would deal directly with a local tour provider instead...

 

For St, Petersburg, we've used Red October before, but this time, based on the experience of my niece and sister from last summer, we are going with SPB for both St. Petersburg and Warnemunde (Berlin)...

 

I, personally, don't like taking too many chances ...

Red October is the longest established tour company in St. Petersburg...DenRus also has a long history, Alla and SPB are also fairly well known in these parts...Those four might be safe bets for a good experience in St. Petersburg--where having a good tour is most important...Some of these companies also handle tours out of Warnemunde/Berlin...I know SPB actually has an office there as well...

 

Our cruise also docks in Rotterdam and we wanted a tour to take us to and around Amsterdam...finding tour guides there is a bit more of a challenge...We found an independent tour guide recommended on the Northern Europe Port Board and made a booking...

 

Some of the Baltic ports really don't require guides...Helsinki and Stockholm have HOHO bus tours that are inexpensive and efficient if you want to go that route...Tallinnm can be walked on one's own with a good guidebook...For us, having been to most at least a couple of times already, we're just using the ship's shorexes to book some of the more unusual tours to get us to parts other than the familiar cities...

 

I know that doesn't quite answer your question except, no, I have not heard of these folks...

Good luck...

[LAexNY]

We used Anastasia in St. Petersburg and were very pleased with them.

[Semolina]

I would use an independant tour company. Our group wasn't very happy with the ships tours. Don't go to the ballet. It was rubbish.

Jennifer

[Paulchili]

I can highly reccommend Alla's tours. We used them in 2006 and were most satisfied.

I recently wrote to her about an invitation letter for a Russian visa (for an independent visit to Moscow) and she promptly responded and sent me the letter - thus saving me the trouble of finding someone else and some expenses as well (and we are not even using their services as we will be in Moscow). That alone speaks volumes for me.

[Caseydown]

W used TJ Travel in St. Petersburg. They're a smaller outfit, prehaps a bit more personal attention. We were very satisfied.

[Aruba]

I can highly reccommend Alla's tours. We used them in 2006 and were most satisfied.

I recently wrote to her about an invitation letter for a Russian visa (for an independent visit to Moscow) and she promptly responded and sent me the letter - thus saving me the trouble of finding someone else and some expenses as well (and we are not even using their services as we will be in Moscow). That alone speaks volumes for me.

I agree. We used AllaTours also. Although she wasn't our personal tour guide (we had a guide named Viktoria who had been an English professor at the university there and told us she could make 10 times as much money as a licensed tour guide than she did as a professor), Alla was equally responsive to our pre-arrival requests...such as obtaining tickets for the Kirov (?) ballet. Alla also met us at the Hermitage on day 2 to make sure that everything was going satisfactorly.

 

You can find her by googling Alla tours St Petersburg. Actually I have her website address here: http://1.cekurs.z8.ru/ Despite the .ru extension, it is in English.

[comcox]

I just did a fabulous two-week Baltic tour with Hansa Travel, an agency based in Tallinn, Estonia. They also offer shore excursion services. This is a family-owned business and they really work to serve you well so I highly recommend them. Their website is www.hansatravel.ee.

[Aruba]

I would use an independant tour company. Our group wasn't very happy with the ships tours. Don't go to the ballet. It was rubbish.

Jennifer

You and I must have gone to a different ballet. We saw Giselle. It was wonderful, especially seeing it in Catherine the Great's private theater in the Hermitage.

[LJRVancouver]

Used Alla Tours in St Pete (2008) and they were wonderful and can highly recommend them. Found a tour group last minute on Roll Call found on Alla's site and all arrangements (including Visas) arranged by Alla.

 

We were a group of 3 couples who have become good friends - the "Alla 6". Had an excellent guide Valentina (uni prof with PhD) and driver. Very responsive to our requests and needs. Were able to make modifications on the fly to suit the group.

 

Don't know whether Alla's policy has changed but we didn't pay a penny (even deposit) or provide CC until our 3 day tour was complete.

 

Excellent excellent experience.

[cbb]

We were on Regatta 09/10 and did most of the ports on our own. I echo all of the praise for Alla Tours at SPB; we had Julia who was absolutely a joy to be with for 3 days and recommend her highly.

So here is what we did: (used Frommer, Fodor, Rick Steves walks)

Stockholm: we were docked @ Vartahamnen 523 which is across the parking lot from an ICA store which sells bus tickets. The bus stop was right in front of the store and it was dead easy to visit the VASA and Old Town using the bus system. (maybe 100-200 yds to the store from the ship)

Helsinki: berthed @South Harbour; walk through the market and then hopped on the tram system to do a huge loop and got off at the Rock Church and walked back.

Tallinn: docked @ Old City Harbour, Pier 25;very close to the old town gates & easy to walk in.

Riga: Passenger Terminal, Berth No. MK-4. Very easy to walk into town

Visby: we tendered very close to the old walls so it was definitely an easy DIY

Copenhagen: Langelinie Pier, between bollard 8-21. There was to be a city bus at the port but we tired of waiting for it so we took off walking one to one and a half miles into town but saw wonderful things on our way. Little Mermaid (she's currently in China but they had set up a "live" camera feed of people viewing her...cool!) and the changing of the guard so it was not a boring walk!

Warnemunde & Rostock: Warnemunde Cruise Center (WCC) Berth No. P7. Left ship, turned right, went through the tunnel to the train station. We bought a ticket to Rostock and walked around the lovely town and then took a tour boat back to Warnemunde which docked mere feet from the Regatta! Had lunch and then walked to Warnemunde which is a lovely beach town. Warnemunde was humming because it was a Sunday and most of the folks on the tour boat were locals from Rostock and area going to W to the beach!! (Rostock was very quiet because it was a Sunday)

(Kiel Canal: if you love this then you will love river cruising. I included this even though you obviously don't leave ship!!)

Amsterdam: Passenger Terminal Piet Henkade 27. Poured down rain but we walked from the ship to the nearest bus station and used it to travel throughout the city on our own.

Bruges: Leopold-II Dam (Berth 103); here is one of the places that needs to have a ship's shuttle. People were not allowed to leave and walk through the port facilities. There were O shorex buses waiting next to the ship & after they had filled and left, then and only then, were the taxis and private tour vehicles allowed to come to the port. We were traveling with a private tour so it was quite some time before our vehicle arrived. I imagine it took over an hour for the people relying on taxis to be able to get one. People were very upset and 2 guys gave up and returned to the ship. (not saying it was O's fault; it was obvious that only "X" amount of vehicles were allowed into the port area at one time either because of traffic control or port security)

Sorry to be so wordy but I would have loved to have had this info. Bruges and STP are the only places you will not be able to walk off the ship and strike out on your own!

[lmarmors]

W used TJ Travel in St. Petersburg. They're a smaller outfit, prehaps a bit more personal attention. We were very satisfied.

 

Glad to hear that....based on great reviews on CC Boards as well as Trip Advisor we booked a 3 day tour with TJ Travel in St.P for our July 2011 cruise.So far, I've been very happy with the quick email responses and suggestions from TJ Travel and we are looking forward to the tours.

[CintiPam]

Don't know whether Alla's policy has changed but we didn't pay a penny (even deposit) or provide CC until our 3 day tour was complete.

 

Excellent excellent experience.

 

Alla now wants payment first thing at pickup at the port on the first day. I was so surprised that I questioned this and the policy was reconfirmed. I never have paid before even one minute of touring with any tour company in Europe for a private shore excursion and certainly do not plan to start doing so in St. Petersburg next summer. All the others I contacted collect on the second day of two days.

[MightyQuinn]

Alla now wants payment first thing at pickup at the port on the first day. I was so surprised that I questioned this and the policy was reconfirmed. I never have paid before even one minute of touring with any tour company in Europe for a private shore excursion and certainly do not plan to start doing so in St. Petersburg next summer.

CintiPam, we chose Alla Tours for our 2 days in St. Petersburg in '08. I cannot imagine how our tour could have been any better, given that we had a wonderfully professional guide (Elena), expert driver, well planned itinerary & easy access to sites. At that time, Alla took payment, in person, at the beginning of the 2nd touring day. From what you report, it seems things have changed a bit. However, I don't understand why you would have an issue with her policy of taking payment on the 1st day? By then, you & she are both committed to a program of activities. I don't think Alla would deliver less because she got payment a day sooner. Just saying' ....

[kaimedia]

We used the HO/HO buses or boats in Helsinki, and Stockholm, and should have in Copenhagen (taxis were very expensive). In St. Pete we used Dan Rus. Bruges is far from the port so we did a ship's tour there and Hamburg.

 

The HO/HO buses and boats were by far the best. Use them when you can.

[MIRYAM]

hi there

i would like to know if all the tour companies for st.peterburg and berlin ask for your passport # and citezenship ?

 

that dosen"t looks normal to me ,we been to the baltic before but we did all the ship tours we were ony 2 but know we are 5 is a lot more money to go with the ship tours

 

thank you for your help with this

 

 

miryam

[LHT28]

hi there

i would like to know if all the tour companies for st.peterburg and berlin ask for your passport # and citezenship ?

 

that dosen"t looks normal to me ,we been to the baltic before but we did all the ship tours we were ony 2 but know we are 5 is a lot more money to go with the ship tours

 

thank you for your help with this

 

 

miryam

They need the info to get the group visa

No info no visa no tour

[bbwex]

We have not used Shore Excursion Group, but we have used Shore Trips (shoretrips.com) in the Baltic and elsewhere. They are also a U.S.-based company that has arrangements with operators in most ports. They have always been excellent to work with. For instance, on our trip, the worked with TJ Tours in St. Petersburg, and I would agree with some previous posters that TJ did a superb job. The one nice advantage, is that they will have tours in every port you go to. We have had a couple of complaints (just one really), and they very quickly made an adjustment to our fee when we complained that the one guide was only so-so. On another tour there was a weather problem that changed our tour in the middle, we had no complaints but they gave us a 100% refund. It is my understanding (from our TA who uses them all the time on many, many cruises) that they are constantly checking out who they are contracting with and are always a good company to deal with.

 

I would agree that you do not need a tour in Helsinki. We also used a ship's tour for a half-day tour in Stockholm and in Copenhagen. We did a walking tour of Brugge, taking a canal tour as we walked.

[cadreamer]

Since this thread started a few years back I want to update the information about Alla-tour and payment. She now collects payment on the morning of the second day and she accepts Visa and Mastercard, We have toured with her several times and highly recommend her. She has always been extremely professional and dependable and the tours are always outstanding.

[Baby Hughy]

Since this thread started a few years back I want to update the information about Alla-tour and payment. She now collects payment on the morning of the second day and she accepts Visa and Mastercard, We have toured with her several times and highly recommend her. She has always been extremely professional and dependable and the tours are always outstanding.

I have been dealing with Alla tours for our Aug 24 2013 cruise and she offers a 5% discount to C.C. members so I am happy to hear you have had great service and satisfaction using their service. Also we are looking at booking the 5 City Crown tour including Stockholm, Helsinki, 2 day comfort tour in St. Petersborg, Tallin and Berlin and she says that regardless where the tous start you make your payment the start of the second day in St. Petersborg. They recommend a 10% gratuity so I would presume you would tip each tour guide in each city at the time of the tours.

 

Bill

[cadreamer]

We did not do the 5 City Tour but it sounds like a great way to go.

[LHT28]

I would presume you would tip each tour guide in each city at the time of the tours.

 

Bill

 

That would make sense you probably will not have the same guide for all the city tours