When Overnighting in St. Petersburg

[jresn02]

Is the Casino open on the boat (eurodam)? If I understand this we can't go anywhere off the boat without a guide is that true? If so does anyone have some Guide recommendations or someone who will just tag along with us and allow us to explore and people watch on our own? Also, recommendations on the Eurodam or any of the stops is appreciated! First time to HAL.

 

Thanks!

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Casino will not be open will you are in St Petersburgh.

Have you joined your Roll Call to see what others are doing? That is where you can find out about private excursions, etc.

[NCSunshine]

a US Citizen is required to have a Visa for Russia. However, when you arrive on a cruise ship you may disembark with out the visa ONLY if you have a pre-booked tour. This can be either with the ship or with a local tour company.

 

we cruised the Baltic a few years ago, on another Cruise Line and decided, with the age of our children at the time, to take a Cruise Line Tour. On the tour, the guide was very very adamant about NOT venturing away from the group.. 1.. you DON'T speak Russian.. and 2..Russians DON'T, for the most part, speak English. full stop.. said it would very very difficult for you to get back to the ship, if you "got lost"..

 

this was our experience.. someone else may have something else to say..

 

If you want to go out on your own, you will need to apply for a Russian Visa, which will mean sending your passport to a Russian Embassy, time to get it done.. and all the other things to go along with that.

 

Also. our ship was berthed at the very very end of an Industrial Pier area. not your standard run of the mill Cruise Ship dock, where you can get off have a look around and get back on... Not sure where the Eurodam berths

 

(and I believe as you are still in port, the ships casino does not open)

[jtl513]

Some commonly recommended tour guides are Alla, Denrus, SPB, and Red October. Google those names for their websites. Also see the Baltic Ports of Call forum for more info:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1848735

[cruisemom42]

a US Citizen is required to have a Visa for Russia. However, when you arrive on a cruise ship you may disembark with out the visa ONLY if you have a pre-booked tour. This can be either with the ship or with a local tour company.

 

we cruised the Baltic a few years ago, on another Cruise Line and decided, with the age of our children at the time, to take a Cruise Line Tour. On the tour, the guide was very very adamant about NOT venturing away from the group.. 1.. you DON'T speak Russian.. and 2..Russians DON'T, for the most part, speak English. full stop.. said it would very very difficult for you to get back to the ship, if you "got lost"..

 

this was our experience.. someone else may have something else to say..

 

If you want to go out on your own, you will need to apply for a Russian Visa, which will mean sending your passport to a Russian Embassy, time to get it done.. and all the other things to go along with that.

 

Also. our ship was berthed at the very very end of an Industrial Pier area. not your standard run of the mill Cruise Ship dock, where you can get off have a look around and get back on... Not sure where the Eurodam berths

 

(and I believe as you are still in port, the ships casino does not open)

 

Things have changed a lot in St. Petersburg over the past few years.

 

Cruise ships now dock at a new facility that was completed in 2011; very modern and not far from the city, though still probably a short taxi ride.

 

More people speak English and there is more English signage.

 

It's probably still not a place where most people would choose to see things on their own, especially on a first trip, but it's not as daunting or bureaucratic as it was just a few years ago.

 

You still need a visa in hand to get off the ship if you are NOT on a tour -- that much hasn't changed. But there are some tours now that will let you actually have a little time to wander on your own (within parameters).

 

When I was there, we went with a private tour for 4, because my son was just 13 and it seemed easiest. It was a very nice two days (and my son loved the guide, so money well spent), but I didn't see anything that looked like it would be a terrible impediment to touring on one's own, if that's what one wanted to do, despite all the dire warnings I'd read on the Baltics board. And it's only gotten better from everything I've heard.

 

In the next couple of years I'd like to go back with visa in hand and do this port under my own steam. :D