Which is best cruise line for visiting St Petersburg, Russia?

[ann1bell]

I am not a first timer but did not know where to post this.

 

We are interested in a Baltic cruise which includes St. Petersburg, Russia. We are considering Celebrity, HAL and Oceania. Which would you recommend? Is late Sept too late to go.. too cold?

 

I would love to hear any opinions from those who have gone. Thanks.

[Kamloops50]

I am not a first timer but did not know where to post this.

 

We are interested in a Baltic cruise which includes St. Petersburg, Russia. We are considering Celebrity, HAL and Oceania. Which would you recommend? Is late Sept too late to go.. too cold?

 

I would love to hear any opinions from those who have gone. Thanks.

 

That is a load question , the answer depends on the persons opinion of

what line is better . I prefer Princess my DS prefers HAL . A coworker prefers Celebrity.

It really will depend on you to decided which one is better. I would consider which cruise line has the excursions

that will show what you want to see.

[paul929207]

We were in St. Petersburg in early September 2010. It was cool. You may want to check one of the online weather sites for normal temps.

[Essiesmom]

I think you will be pretty cool in late Sept. And the days will be getting shorter pretty fast. Of the three you mentioned, the only one visiting in Sept. is Oceania, with two nights in port. that would be my choice (if I could afford it). We were there in early Sept, and it was pretty cool then. EM

[LHT28]

We prefer Oceania for many reasons .no formal nights & very limited smoking areas

But you should choose the itinerary & budget that suits you & your interests

 

Do a private tour in SPB rather than the ship's tour

Go to the Baltic forum for more info on the ports

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=192

[alcpa1]

Look carefully at the length of time you will be in SPB. Three days would be best and you will leave SPB yearning to return for much more.

I have been there twice, once by land and once by sea for a total of 10 days and there are still so many places I did not see. One trip was in March so cool September would have been delightful. The other trip was in July and it was an abnormal 100+. Once again the cool days of September would have been even more delightful.

Oceania probably will dock near Lt. Schmidt's pier in central SPB while the other ships will dock at the new cruise facility miles away. The time you save by docking within sight of The Hermitage will allow you to see several more sites per day. We were on Azamara docked across the canal from an Oceania ship. While this is generally the docking site for the ultra lux and smaller ships there is no guarantee that the maritime authorities will utilize the canal side piers.

Do utilize the Ports of Call board for tours. Privately booked tours are arranged for small groups and this too will allow you to tailor your itinerary and see more with a small group. Your visa will be provided along with the guide. The majority of companies use Mercedes type vans with a max of 14 passengers.

Join the Roll Call for your sailing. This is a great place to form a group to tour.

Even in late September there will still be crowds at the major palaces and museums but they will be far better than during the summer months. By using one of the tour companies you can take advantage of their expertise and planning. They do know what time is best at which sites.

I have not sailed on Oceania but am familiar with the R class ships. The line has a very high approval rating. I have sailed on the other two lines and prefer Celebrity over HAL.

The other consideration is the port of embarkation and the port of debarkation if they are different. A Baltic port would be preferable. You will have a more in depth Baltic experience if you do not have to depart from England or Holland.

Have a great time planning and then sailing to the fascinating Baltic.

[gerryl12]

My choice would definately be Ociania. You are in St. Petersburg for three days , don't need any formal clothes, and visit a good selection of ports. The temperature will be a little on the cool side but not too cold.

[Ashland]

Oceania if cost isn't a factor for you...We sailed on RCI Jewel of the Seas 12 night Baltic and loved it..but we are loyal to Royal and had a prime cabin location JS 1100 corner aft..We sailed the end of August and had wonderful weather...Enjoy whatever cruise you decide will work out for you...We also opted for a private 2 day active tour (just the 2 of us) in St Petersburg with TJ Travel...You're time there will be an amazing visit !!

[bbwex]

While the weather will be getting cooler, we were there in August, and the weather was beautiful. We could have had cool weather too, but did not. This winter shows us all how fickle the weather can be.

 

The advantage of a smaller ship such as Oceania's Regatta (also similar sized Azamara ships, and some of the luxury lines' small ships) is that it can get all of the way up the river and dock within a stone's throw of the Hermitage. As has been said, this means less travel time to get to where the sights in St. Petersburg are located. Also if you get up late at night, you can go up on deck and see (and take pictures) of the lighted bridges.

 

Oceania also usually gives you three days in St. Petersburg, and that is a definite plus. There is a lot to see, and the trip to the summer palace and Catherine's Palace is a day in itself.

 

I strongly suggest finding a few others on the Roll Call and going with a private tour company. You will be in a smaller vehicle, will be more nimble, will learn more from the guide, and can make small additions to the places you are going. Not to mention that it will be cheaper if you have four to six.

[ann1bell]

Thanks for all the great info! We are looking at the 9/16 sailing of the Nautica from Stockholm to London. There is no one on the roll call right now but we are a few days away from final decision. You all are wonderful!

 

Anyone with other ideas feel free to post!

[LHT28]

Thanks for all the great info! We are looking at the 9/16 sailing of the Nautica from Stockholm to London. There is no one on the roll call right now but we are a few days away from final decision. You all are wonderful!

 

Anyone with other ideas feel free to post!

Just make a post in the ROLL Call

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1384612

 

I am sure you will get a response

[Langley Cruisers]

There is no one on the roll call right now but we are a few days away from final decision.

 

IMO, an active or inactive roll call is not a factor in our making a decision of ship or itinerary. You will meet lots of people regardless of how active your roll call is. You need to factor what is most important for you and make your decision. Just a suggestion. :)

.

[paul929207]

You may also want to consider a river cruise. On ours, we spent four nights in Moscow and four nights in St. Petersburg with six days sailing and visiting ports in between