squeakers Posted March 31, 2005 #1 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Hi out there, we're looking for others to join us for st. petersburg excursions via red october for July 20th cruise. days there are july 29th-31st. hope to hear from you. if you've been there, which sights do you recommmend? thanks everyone. judy:p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sancarlos Posted April 15, 2005 #2 Share Posted April 15, 2005 There are 4 of us traveling on the Regatta July 20 and we too are considering Red October for our days in St. Petersburg and private tours to any of the other cities we will be visiting. Red October told us that in order to see the Gold Rooms at the Hermitage we will need 10 people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrannyLorr Posted April 16, 2005 #3 Share Posted April 16, 2005 The Hermitage would be the first "must see" in St. Petersburg. Also the Catherine Palace is beautiful. A canal cruise is a good way to see the City without having to walk too much. I believe Peterhof is another "must see" but we missed it!:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfb128 Posted April 16, 2005 #4 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Do not miss Peterhof. We enjoyed that much more than the Gold Room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeakers Posted April 22, 2005 Author #5 Share Posted April 22, 2005 thanks for the st. petersburg info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanj Posted April 22, 2005 #6 Share Posted April 22, 2005 A lot of information about the city and tours can be read on the Ports of Call>Baltics board. I am an American who moved to St Petersburg about 2 years ago and have written a lot about the details and current information(current is important since all guide books are pretty much obsolite when dealing with a society changing as fast as Russia is. Getting advice about what is a "must see" really misses the point until the interests of the visitor are considered. St Petersburg has so many potential must-sees that someone can be pretty selective and still have too many to choose from. I am a museum fan so that would be important to me and the over 120 museums in the city could fill up months beyond the maximum 72 hours non-visa cruise shiip based visitors can stay. Same with art and performance fans, choosing between the number of world class concerts, ballet and operas that will be stages every day of your visit is the hard choice. Finding the right tour method also involves choice. Going it on your own(getting a visa and exploring ), ship sponsored tours(generally the poorest way to see a city and worst value), independent tour company(primarily two companies that require choices again between different styles) If flexibility and doing it your way the best choices are the visa route or Den Rus which would create a program that fit your interests without telling you can't do something, like seeing the Gold Room or take a canal cruise without illogicial restrictions, or forcing you to only use their partner restaurants and shops. Red Oktober is also popular particularly if a standard tour is wanted with fewer choices to make yourself. They offer a good value compared with the ship sponsored tours and like Den Rus have early entrance to museums and good guides. My only complaint with them is that they will cite a false claim in explaining why you can't do something that might be less profitable for them. Such as wanting to shop somewhere other than their own store, or eating in a cafe or restaurant of your own choice using the excuses that all other stores are dangerous or too high priced, and fear of getting their clients sick is any restaurant is used other than those which give them a commission for bringing groups...both obviously false. There are many independent tour services in the city but they are primarily for land based visitors because they do not have the authorization required to host cruise passengers who do not have visas. If you do have a visa, they are good choices also and often a great value. What type of touring most interests you and your group? I can suggest sights and activities based on your interests. Have a great visit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeakers Posted May 7, 2005 Author #7 Share Posted May 7, 2005 i have been in touch with four others for this cuise for red october. just waiting this weekend to book. what toursare you doing. laura from russia office sent us 3 day itinerary while in the city of st.petersburg. judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sancarlos Posted May 8, 2005 #8 Share Posted May 8, 2005 Has anyone done the extra evening activites with Red October? We are wondering about the Cossacs Performance, worth the time and money? So often just tourist performances. Have also heard of an evening canal or river cruise which is delightful. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanj Posted May 8, 2005 #9 Share Posted May 8, 2005 Has anyone done the extra evening activites with Red October? We are wondering about the Cossacs Performance, worth the time and money? So often just tourist performances. Have also heard of an evening canal or river cruise which is delightful. Thanks I don't know what is offered by R.O. specifically but all tour companies have options for ballet, concerts, jazz river cruises, canal cruises, dinner cruises, general sight seeing(because it is fully daylight until very late during the summer), and the daily special events that occur during the summer. I think R.O. has posted that you will need a group of 20 for them to consider a canal or river cruise but others do not have that restriction. If you do get 20 people together, the canal cruise and river cruises are certainly a nice way to see another aspect of the city. But what is an evening in St Petersburg without Russian ballet or a concert, art that is St Petersburg to its core? There are many venues to chose from. The Cossack show and the folkloric shows are strictly for tourists and have nothing to do with St Petersburg traditions or history, those are rural and southern region traditions that St Petersburg was designed to minimize the influence those cultures(along with Moscovite) had on the new capital city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeakers Posted May 8, 2005 Author #10 Share Posted May 8, 2005 There are 4 of us traveling on the Regatta July 20 and we too are considering Red October for our days in St. Petersburg and private tours to any of the other cities we will be visiting. Red October told us that in order to see the Gold Rooms at the Hermitage we will need 10 people. we are going on July 20th. Just about to book the two of us with 4 others who have contacted me through this message board. We will use Red October for the day tours they sent us. I will forward your names to these others.ok? Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mam41 Posted May 9, 2005 #11 Share Posted May 9, 2005 To all of you on the July 20 Baltic cruise on Regatta, you should sign up on the Yahoo message Board for the cocktail party. So far there are only 6 signed up - and we're all of then - and 20 is needed for a cocktail party. Hope to see you there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeakers Posted May 14, 2005 Author #12 Share Posted May 14, 2005 we have registered for july 20th cocktail party-2 of us judy and peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriC Posted May 17, 2005 #13 Share Posted May 17, 2005 Judy, My husband and I will be on the Regatta with you in July. We also would like to go with Red oCtober for touring. Every time I read these message boards (asl0 cruise mate.com) I get more confused. Can we join with you? Please tell m,e what to do. This is our first cruise on Regatta and our first attempt at private touring. We always take the ship's tours and they're never great. Hope you can guide us a bit. Thank you. Terri Cohen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeakers Posted May 17, 2005 Author #14 Share Posted May 17, 2005 to Terric thanks for your reply. Since we posted that we have changed to Denrus since they are more customized rather than the run of the mill. I am in contact with four others so if you want to join us (our first time too) please do because the price decreases drastically as you add more to your party. I am waiting for a price quote from Denrus so should know very soon. You can contact me thr e-mail jpmate@aol.com What is your address so I accept mail you might send me. Where are flying from to Dover? We're coming from Miami going to UK for a few days them driving down to Dover day of embarkation. Also we are looking for company in evening while in St. Petersburg. Ballet or concert, interested? judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriC Posted May 18, 2005 #15 Share Posted May 18, 2005 Judy, My husband and I would love to go with Red October, as well. We are Jewish and would love to incorporate something Judaic in our tour. Does that interest you? Please reply. Terri50@aol.com. Thanx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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