St Petersburg - 2 day ship excursion?

[cmgallag]

We're spending two days in St Petersburg in August with Jewel of the Seas and are now looking round at excursions etc. Royal Caribbean do a 2 day trip for about £189 pp I think and I know that other companies do similar trips (Alla, SPB tours etc). Many of these trips are quoted in US$ which isn't that great for us at the moment.

 

I was just wondering if anybody had ever taken the Royal Caribbean trip? I know that lots of posters have recommended the other companies so I wouldn't have a problem going with them.

 

thanks!

[Got2Cruise]

I know that SPB accepts Euros as payment. The other companies do too. Why don't you email them for a quote in Euros? Most likely it will be less than the RCI, and you will only have ten people in your van instead of 45 on a large bus.

 

We're spending two days in St Petersburg in August with Jewel of the Seas and are now looking round at excursions etc. Royal Caribbean do a 2 day trip for about £189 pp I think and I know that other companies do similar trips (Alla, SPB tours etc). Many of these trips are quoted in US$ which isn't that great for us at the moment.

 

I was just wondering if anybody had ever taken the Royal Caribbean trip? I know that lots of posters have recommended the other companies so I wouldn't have a problem going with them.

 

thanks!

[cmgallag]

thanks for the tip but the Euro is even worse for us! It used to be 1.50 to a £ when it was first introduced and now if you get 1.15 to a £ you've got an amazing deal. It's making travelling to the continent very expensive.

 

Having said that the idea of being in a smaller group is very very appealing. When we've done trips before we've never done the ship excursions, just picked up a trip when got into port.

[Bet & Peg]

Small tours are terrific - we were with SPB with 3 other couples for 2 days in St. Petersburg and had a fabulous time and saw SO much. I'm sure if you e-mail the tour companies regarding the prices they'll respons in pounds.

 

To get off in St. Petersburg you'll need a visa - from a ship's excursion, private tour company, or one you obtain yourself - unlike other ports you just can't "walk off" and create your own tour by hiring a taxi or van. We booked with SPB and within hours of finalizing and sending the required info - names, passport numbers, etc. - we received the vis via e-mail, printed it and had NO trouble going through customs - took just seconds. Cruise lines often imply that you must take their excursions but isn't so - and you can read volumns on this tread about it!

 

If you are interested in a small tour I'd suggest you contact tour companies for their prices (in pounds) and suggested itineraries. Then check out what they suggest and what you'd like to see. Go on you cruise's roll call and see if others are interested in sharing a tour - there might even be one already planned that needs people to fill it. That's how our tour's 4 couples "met" - through our roll call.

 

First day in St. Pete we saw the sites, had lunch, toured some more and then went to a 7pm FolkLore Show before being taken back to our ship - got "home" about 9:15pm - it as a fabulous day!! 2nd day met our guide about 8am to see some more getting back about 5pm - I think we sailed at 6pm. In all, we saw so much more than the ship excursiion - and it was so easy just 8 of us getting in/out of the van - ACed and plenty of room.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!!

[Giantfan13]

We're spending two days in St Petersburg in August with Jewel of the Seas and are now looking round at excursions etc. Royal Caribbean do a 2 day trip for about £189 pp I think and I know that other companies do similar trips (Alla, SPB tours etc). Many of these trips are quoted in US$ which isn't that great for us at the moment.

 

I was just wondering if anybody had ever taken the Royal Caribbean trip? I know that lots of posters have recommended the other companies so I wouldn't have a problem going with them.

 

thanks!

 

If you are asking this forum, which you should do, or even which is better, ship's tours or private, I would believe, almost to a man/woman, everyone here will tell you PRIVATE tours. There are just countless threads on this subject here already, just do a quick search and you will find them.

But to just be brief

Ships tours will herd you into a large bus, take you to places that they are scheduled and bring you back to the ship at the appointed times. You WILL see St Petersburg, and you will probably enjoy it. BUT,and it is a large BUT, they do not care if you ahve a good time, a marvelous time, they have supplied what was promised and their job is done.

On any private tour, they do care because they want your recommendation. They will bend over backwards to help you have the best time possible in their city. They will adjust the schedule to fit weather, traffic, crowds and other things. We had a glorious day on day one so they readjusted our schedule to take advantage of that great weather to do more of the outdoor activities and the canal boar tour. No ship's tour will do this.

WE also wanted to visit a place not originally listed on our itinerary, the Choral Synagogue,and it WAS added gladly, with no extra charges.

There are much smaller groups, smaller buses or vans so you can get around much easier, and no waiting for all those laggers to get back to the ship's tour bus. You are treated like royalty and you WILL have that 'once in a lifetime experience'.

Take my advice and the advice of all others here, forget the ship's tour and go private.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[Bet & Peg]

Len is SO correct about the ability to personalize small tours! I said our 2nd day tour began at 8am - and we were right there - earlybirds all! I guess that might be a bit unusual since our guide said our first stop was to be Sts. Peter & Paul Fortress and it opened at 10am. So she took us to a local Church that was fabulous. DH and I mentioned wanting to buy stamps - we had addressed all our post cards the night before - they were ready to go! So she had the driver stop at the main PO in St. Pete. We bought stamps and sent the cards on their way - they arrived home before we did - while almost everyone else complains about how slow the PO is!!

 

Read up about St. Pete and decide what you want to see, tell your tour company and then let them guide youa s to the day and time and what might be the best itinerary - after all they do know and understand their city! Let them know if its history or shopping or art, etc. that's you prime interest. And then, have a fantastic trip!!

[cmgallag]

thanks for the info everyone. I actually emailed SPB tours last night to see if they fill the tour or if we have to find others to come with us, there seems to be varying reports of what you have to do. I signed up to the roll call for the cruise a while ago and need to trawl through those posts as well to see if people still need two to join them on their trips. As it's our third holiday this year we can't really afford to pay the 2 pax prices so the cheaper the better!! :)

[TLCOhio]

We're spending two days in St Petersburg in August with Jewel of the Seas and are now looking round at excursions etc. Royal Caribbean do a 2 day trip for about £189 pp I think and I know that other companies do similar trips (Alla, SPB tours etc). Many of these trips are quoted in US$ which isn't that great for us at the moment.

 

As Len, Peg and others have wisely noted, doing a private tour is your smartest option for super great St. Petersburg.

 

A personal guide is best and ideal, especially if you can have pre-tour communications and establish that "connection" for what you need and seek to fit your travel style and personal interests. We love having a "CONVERSATION" with our guide. I like to ask lots of questions. Take many pictures. Those factors make all of the positive difference to enjoy and experience things in the best manner. I like to learn the history, how real life works there, the current events, etc. A personal, custom guide/tour is much better than being "forced marched" through a great museum or place in a group of 25-35 people with a guide barking out details to us as we walk quickly by these great treasures. Also, in a large group, it can be hard to hear and understand everything that is being shared, asked.

 

Below is a little visual sampler for some of my favorite pictures about what is wonderful to see and do in their great, historic city.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 40,180 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Lots of beautiful church towers and buildings are located all over in historic St. Petersburg:

 

 

 

Private, personal tours can be worth it, especially in St. Petersburg. Here our group of four, with our guide, Jane or Zhenya, we are viewing one of the two da Vinci masterpieces at the Hermitage after an early admission. There are only 17 such painting by this artist existing in the world. We did an early admission at the Hermitage, adding to the enjoyment in this spectacular place AND museum. It is both!:

 

 

 

These St. Isaac interior green columns are covered in the semiprecious stone malachite:

 

 

 

Fountains and water from the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg:

 

 

 

As we entered Catherine's Palace, here was the welcoming band.:

 

 

 

Here is a wider shot of the Spilled Blood Church interior in St. Petersburg. Its exterior design is more traditionally "Russian" or Orthodox than St. Isaac.:

 

[KirkNC]

Great pics Terry, you are wetting my appetite!

 

Kirk

[TLCOhio]

Great pics Terry, you are wetting my appetite! Kirk

 

THANKS,Kirk! Where are you sailing in mid June? Which port stops? Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 40,180 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[KirkNC]

THANKS,Kirk! Where are you sailing in mid June? Which port stops? Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 40,180 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Rotterdam, SPB, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Stockholm, Berlin, Bergen, Flam, Alesund, and Stavanger. We will start in Paris pre-cruise. We can't wait!

 

Kirk

[TLCOhio]

Rotterdam, SPB, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Stockholm, Berlin, Bergen, Flam, Alesund, and Stavanger. We will start in Paris pre-cruise. We can't wait! Kirk

 

Looks like a spectacular, great trip. Have not been to Rotterdam, Berlin and Stavanger, but have been to and super loved the other eight locations. Lots of great things to do and see during those many stops, PLUS wonderful Paris. Below are a few more of my visuals for certain of these Baltics stops that you and the original poster might be seeing in the coming months.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 40,180 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Copenhagen's historic 1695 Church of Our Saviour is a baroque church with its famous corkscrew spire as seen on the canal tour in the Christanshavns canal area:

 

 

 

Dancers marching in Tallinn’s festival parade near the stone towers of the famous Viru Gate:

 

 

 

From the harbor in Stockholm, here is a view of the Royal Palace, the historic Saint Nicolaus Church, or as commonly known Storkyrkan. To the left in the picture is where the Gamia Stan area starts.:

 

 

 

At Stockholm’s Royal Palace, the changing of the guard:

 

 

 

Helsinki’s Church of Rock, or Temppeliaukion Kirkko, is carved out of solid stone with a unique contemporary design.:

 

 

 

Helsinki’s City Hall in the main downtown overlooking the market area:

 

[dogs4fun]

We're spending two days in St Petersburg in August with Jewel of the Seas and are now looking round at excursions etc. Royal Caribbean do a 2 day trip for about £189 pp I think and I know that other companies do similar trips (Alla, SPB tours etc). Many of these trips are quoted in US$ which isn't that great for us at the moment.

 

I was just wondering if anybody had ever taken the Royal Caribbean trip? I know that lots of posters have recommended the other companies so I wouldn't have a problem going with them.

 

thanks!

 

If you are concerned about currency conversion rates, I know for a fact that Alla Tours accepts payment in UK pounds. :)

[lynnfromwigan]

Hi, I have Just booked with Alla and they quoted £200.00 or $300/person, as at the moment it would be cheaper to bury $300.00 as this works out at about £190.00. Also Alla guarantee numbers limited to 16 and even if only 2 people are booked the trip will still go ahead. A further consideration is that you do not need to make up your own party. I posted a query on SPB to see if anyone on our cruise wanted to make up a group but received no replies. Enjoy your cruise. Regards Lynn

[caripoo]

Did the Jewel Baltic 2 years ago. We used Exeter and there were 4 of us. We had 2 FABULOUS days that we designed. No waiting, no lines, for WAY less than the cruise lines. Remember, whichever way you go, you WILL pay for a visa. Theres are just in with the price of the tours. I have seen people write that with the cruiseline tours, you don't need or pay for a visa!! ENJOY this trip, it is WONDERFUL!!!

[beckster94]

Terry, thank you for so much good information and these amazing pictures. I am convinced that a private tour of St. Petersburg is the way to go.

 

Perhaps this question should be re-posted in another thread, my apologies, but do you have a recommendation for Stockholm, given that we have to tender in Nynashamn and will have limited time in Stockholm itself? Is the Vasa tour worth the expense, or should we concentrate on Gamla Stan? Thanks for your opinion.

 

Becky

[Cornishpastyman1]

Terry, thank you for so much good information and these amazing pictures. I am convinced that a private tour of St. Petersburg is the way to go.

 

Perhaps this question should be re-posted in another thread, my apologies, but do you have a recommendation for Stockholm, given that we have to tender in Nynashamn and will have limited time in Stockholm itself? Is the Vasa tour worth the expense, or should we concentrate on Gamla Stan? Thanks for your opinion.

 

Becky

Hi Becky

I wouldn't have missed Vasa for anything

Last June it cost 120 SwKr and you'll want at least an hour there.

 

Even though you're coming from Nynasham you will still have over 5 hours in Stockholm itself.

 

Full set of Baltic Cruise videos (Copenhage, Tallinn, St P, Helsinki & Stockholm) http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1277047

 

All the best

Tony

[beckster94]

Tony, thank you for that information, and especially for the video. That is very helpful.

 

Becky

[NKG6002]

ITravelSPB (anastasiaworld.com) accepts Mastercard :).

[janina]

Tony...I didn't plan to see the Vasa, but after watching the video, we won't miss it. Thanks for the info.:)

[Cornishpastyman1]

Tony...I didn't plan to see the Vasa, but after watching the video, we won't miss it. Thanks for the info.:)

Hello Janina

It's a terrific story, with a mixture of comedy, tragedy and superb craftmanship despite what happened, and there will never be anything like it again. One thing I would say is that as soon as you are in the museum head for the information desk to ascertain the time of the next showing of the 25 minute film about how Vasa was raised and restored. It's superb. Then head for the theatre about 5 mins before 'showtime'.

 

There is also a guided tour of Vasa (about 20 minutes) which was very good, and you can check on the times for that too while you're at the info centre.

Tony

[CintiPam]

The Vasa IMO is the number 1 must-see in Stockholm; I was in Stockholm four years ago for a few days on a land trip and absolutely bowled over by this state-of-the-art museum. I spent much more time there than I planned because it was so fascinating.

 

Tony, I look forward to a similar experience when the Mary Rose (from Henry VIII's time) is ready to put on full display at Portsmouth.

 

Also, Tony's wonderful videos are brilliant (that's British-speak for your benefit, Tony!:D). I spent one afternoon watching as many as I could find, and they were delightful and such a nice appetizer for my upcoming Baltic cruise.

[Cornishpastyman1]

The Vasa IMO is the number 1 must-see in Stockholm; I was in Stockholm four years ago for a few days on a land trip and absolutely bowled over by this state-of-the-art museum. I spent much more time there than I planned because it was so fascinating.

 

Tony, I look forward to a similar experience when the Mary Rose (from Henry VIII's time) is ready to put on full display at Portsmouth.

Hi Pam

 

Thanks for your kind words. Mary Rose ? I never thought about that. Now you mention it, I'm sure one day I will go to Portsmouth (it's nearly 300 miles from St Ives http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIkJBTrJ_M so I don't know when) and if I do I will complete the 'double'.

 

But way before that I wish you (and everyone going to the Baltics) a fantastic time, and look forward to your reports :)

Tony