Have you taken ship's car tour of st. Petersburg?

[Tybro]

Hi all,

I'll be going to St. Petersburg on Celebrity Eclipse. I've aready been in touch with SPB tours, so now I'm just trying to compare what they offer against what the ship offers. I do not want to go in a bus. I've already read many good things about SPB tour company, but I haven't seen anything from anyone who did a car tour booked with the ship. If you booked a car tour in SPB with the ship, please let me know how it was.

Thanks

[Ashland]

Have you compared price of ships offered private car/guide..vs..private tour company..we did :eek:..We went with TJ Travel just the two of us with a guide and a driver and it was the best decision we made...:)

[Tybro]

I have compared the prices. I can see that it's a better deal to go with the tour company, but I just wanted to know if the car tours fromthe ship were any good too. No one ever mentions them.

Did you go to Peterhof and Puskin on the same day? What are the things you would suggest that I absolutely don't miss?

[TLCOhio]

I have compared the prices. I can see that it's a better deal to go with the tour company, but I just wanted to know if the car tours fromthe ship were any good too. No one ever mentions them. Did you go to Peterhof and Puskin on the same day? What are the things you would suggest that I absolutely don't miss?

 

Ship private car tours are possible, but they are much, much higher in price than arranging your own through one of the companies in 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.

 

Price is important, but you will find when you really compare closely, apples to apples, that the cost differences are not that huge among the major, most experienced firms in St. Petersburg. It's about quality and responsiveness! First, outline, in detail, what you need, like and want in what you will send as a request to each potential tour firm. Ask questions, etc. Make it personal and custom to your interests and needs! Don't grab the first firm you write to and assume "that's it" after reading a couple of positive reviews for only one firm. We contacted the top five firms, seeing what they said, how flexible they were, etc. Our firm would e-mail back a detailed spreadsheet that outlined and showed the various detailed costs and options. Some folks will "low-ball" you a basic, lower cost and then hit you later with added fees and extras that you assume were included. If you have a group of four, those total costs over two days are going to be better or about the same as doing a tour through the cruise ship. The key advantage with a private tour is having a tour focused on YOUR personal needs, going at a pace that works best for your interests. The better firms are great in making adjustments like an early admission to the Hermitage, dealing with two people who like to take lots of pictures, adjusting for one person with a healing hip and finding the right shop to buy a Russian-style military hat, etc. Details make an important difference! You get what you ask for and seek!

 

It all very easily done in a one day, plus much more. We did a private tour over two days. On the first day, we visited Pushkin or Tsar's Village for seeing Catherine's Palace. It is about 15 miles south of St. Petersburg. Then we went the Peterhof, had lunch there, took hydrofoil into St. Petersburg, did a canal boat ride, saw the two great historic cathedrals in the early evening and then back to the ship.

 

Then, the second day, we did the Hermitage, plus much more. Below are some of my visual samples for just a little of what we saw and did. Are you looking only at what this one firm/group offers or have you checked with some of the other major firms? What is most of interest to you in visiting this great city? Tell us more!! Don't be shy. Happy to share more and answer added questions.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 44,422 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 52,038 views.

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

 

Appreciate those who have “tuned in” for these two posts. Don’t be shy and feel free to comment and/or ask any questions of interest.

 

 

Private, personal tours can be worth it, especially in St. Petersburg. With our guide, Jane or Zhenya from Anastasia, two of our group are examining one of the highly-detailed tables in the vast Hermitage collection that includes more than just paintings:

 

 

 

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, just one of many, many great galleries:

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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.:

 

 

 

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

 

[Giantfan13]

We seed SPB Tours for our time in St Petersberg. Check out what I just posted about them in a different thread

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1502710

 

They are a great company to work with and they will try and accommodate you in any way possible. You must remember, that any of the independent tour groups livelihood depends on you having a grand time on their tours. that way you will return here and sing their praises. I can guarantee no ships tour could ever say that.

 

Here are a few more pix of St Peterberg to get you going

 

At Catherine's Palace, the gardens are equally impressive

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster712.jpg

 

At Peterhoff, with all the fountains in full force

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe730.jpg

 

View going down the escalator in the Subway. Notice the artworks on the walls

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe848.jpg

 

At Yusupov's Palace, there is a private theater box just for the Tsar

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe897.jpg

 

In the Hermitage you will view artworks by Leonardo Da Vinci

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster944.jpg

 

We also visited the Grand Choral Synagogue

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe981.jpg

 

You will have a great time and any questions, no matter how small, just ask away.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[petersburgguide]

Ship's car tours are very good, professional and flexible, operated by experienced tour-operators, however, when using local tour-companies, you get personal touch and prices, which will be much more lower.

 

Just FYI: big operators pay guides less

 

Another hint: as a rule, the best guides opt for big groups, at least 10-15 passengers or more