Did you enjoy St. Petersburg?

[CruiseMGM]

<snip>

We were privileged to see the Faberge museum also and I do wish we could have had just one picture of those exquisite little trinkets. <snip>

 

Hi, TeaBag!

 

We just got back from our cruise and we also visited the Faberge museum. EVERYONE at the museum (on the evening we were there) was taking pictures, albeit without a flash, and I'm sure we have some buried in the 3000+ pictures we took on our trip. Feel free to drop me a line at mgm530 at aol dot com if you'd like me to send you some. Not saying how good they'll be, but hopefully a good memory.

 

IMO, St. Petersburg was amazing. Moscow, on the other hand, was a different story. Equally amazing, but we didn't feel it was anywhere near as friendly as St. Petersburg.

 

Best wishes!

[TeaBag]

Hi, TeaBag!

 

We just got back from our cruise and we also visited the Faberge museum. EVERYONE at the museum (on the evening we were there) was taking pictures, albeit without a flash, and I'm sure we have some buried in the 3000+ pictures we took on our trip. Feel free to drop me a line at mgm530 at aol dot com if you'd like me to send you some. Not saying how good they'll be, but hopefully a good memory.

 

IMO, St. Petersburg was amazing. Moscow, on the other hand, was a different story. Equally amazing, but we didn't feel it was anywhere near as friendly as St. Petersburg.

 

Best wishes!

Thank you so much for your kind offer. There were only 10 of us and we thought we were being watched very closely, so no one took any pictures. I so want to turn the clock back and be back on that cruise! Will definitely have to do it again some day but there are other places we need to see first, like the Norway Fjords.

[Bollinge]

There were only 10 of us and we thought we were being watched very closely, so no one took any pictures.

 

Where did you think you were being watched and by whom?

 

Who told you not to take any pictures?

 

We were in St Petersburg two weeks ago and no-one bothered us. We were watching the Russians!

[Carolla5501]

Where did you think you were being watched and by whom?

 

Who told you not to take any pictures?

 

We were in St Petersburg two weeks ago and no-one bothered us. We were watching the Russians!

 

 

We just finished 2 days there without the "protection" of a tour guide

 

 

I did not feel watched or restricted at all

 

 

I also had a lot of interactions with Locals and hardly felt they were oppressed. Now they may be the worst drivers I have seen in a while. LOL

 

 

I will post a thread on our experiences when we get home next week

[Langley Cruisers]

Please book your Baltic cruise and enjoy St P. Sorry you had to cancel because of health problems.

 

Yes, we are looking at 2017, and as well I think I will be more fit to visit then. I still get very tired and have a few lingering effects from the chemo and radiation treatments. But God is good, and I am alive to cruise another day. :)

[TeaBag]

My post in #52 was in response to the one about the Faberge Museum ONLY. That was where we were being watched, NOT in the rest of St P. which was delightful. The Faberge museum we were taken to was in a very small room with 2 guys watching us. Our guide was watching also and we didn't want to get her in trouble by ignoring the camera signs with the X on them.

[Carolla5501]

My post in #52 was in response to the one about the Faberge Museum ONLY. That was where we were being watched, NOT in the rest of St P. which was delightful. The Faberge museum we were taken to was in a very small room with 2 guys watching us. Our guide was watching also and we didn't want to get her in trouble by ignoring the camera signs with the X on them.

 

 

The Faberge Museum was a large 3 story building. But they were strict about photography. Never even occurred to me to ignore the no photography signs. Have no idea why you even felt that taking a photo would have been at all acceptable

[hun]

Such an interesting thread - thanks for starting it! We're going on our first Med cruise in the fall and would like to do Baltics next primarily for overnighting in St Petersburg, so it's very interesting to read folks' comments.

[TeaBag]

The Faberge Museum was a large 3 story building. But they were strict about photography. Never even occurred to me to ignore the no photography signs. Have no idea why you even felt that taking a photo would have been at all acceptable

Take a deep breathe before you criticize everyone! Here is what I first said about the Faberge museum in post #50

We were privileged to see the Faberge museum also and I do wish we could have had just one picture of those exquisite little trinkets.

What makes you think I felt it was acceptable to sneak a picture when the signs were everywhere forbidding it? I said I wished we could take a picture.

[classicmovies]

I just recently returned from the Baltic cruise and got just the opposite impression. The people in SP were very friendly and atmosphere in town did not seem to be bad. It reminded me of times past when everything was so simple and not the rat race we seem to live in our big cities here. I would definitely like to return to spend more time in SP and possibly Moscow. I definitely found Russia very intriguing and more interesting than I expected. It was the high point of our trip and is not to be missed!

 

We feel the same way. St Petersburg was the highlight of the trip and not to be missed. Sun was our second SPB tour day with Julia who was excellent. There was so much to see and we found the history very interesting. Our transportation consisted of the subway, hydrofoil, canal cruise, and bus. I think it is a matter of one's perception and wouldn't have minded staying one more day as there was so much to see and do.

The Fabrege would have been fascinating and a possibility but after a full day in St Petersburg and an early day the following morning for day 2 of our tour, we didn't think we would have the energy.

Edited July 7, 2015 by classicmovies

[Carolla5501]

And we wonder why people don't like us? The signs say "no photography" but "everyone did it anyway" Sigh.....

[Giantfan13]

And we wonder why people don't like us? The signs say "no photography" but "everyone did it anyway" Sigh.....

 

And they are proud of that fact, and brag about it.

 

Double sigh :(:(:(:(:(

 

Cheers

 

Len

[scubacruiserx2]

And we wonder why people don't like us? The signs say "no photography" but "everyone did it anyway" Sigh.....

 

We only took photos of the stairway and the No photography sign . We were given this book :

 

 

 

 

We also purchased this book :

 

 

 

 

Would anyone object to seeing photos from this book ? Or , you can search the internet they have photos there .

[lfcmannebach1075]

My husband and I just returned from our Baltic cruise and we loved everything about it with St Petersburg ranking right at the top!!!!

[tetleytea]

We were glad to have seen Saint Petersburg for the experience--which was quite different--but after having gone we don't feel a need to go back.

[Pet Nit Noy]

We were glad to have seen Saint Petersburg for the experience--which was quite different--but after having gone we don't feel a need to go back.

 

My husband and I had taken a river cruise in 2004 that included 3 days in St Petersburg. As a result, when we selected our itinerary this time , we looked for two day stays rather than three day port calls. We assumed this visit would be pleasant but not jaw dropping since we weren't repeating the Hermitage, Peterhof, or Catherine's palace, the first tier destinations. We booked through White Nights Travel, company and a guide (Asya) that especially enjoys working with repeat visitors and atypical itineraries. SPB turned out to be the highlight of the cruise. We were blown away by the depth of wonderful places to visit. Faberge Museum. The launch of the Peterhof fountains. Yusupov palace. Cottage Palace. Backstage at the Mariinsky. And more.

 

Our guide Asya was honest in saying life was good at the moment. She could criticize the government without fear. But she was also uncertain about the future. She had some concern that this good situation could end at any time. She even asked if the passport officials smiled. ( Answer: one did. Most did not. Asya said the government is actively working on smiling.) This is a country that is undergoing a major cultural shift and it's social norms are very different from the West.

[tetleytea]

My wife and I differ on this, but I felt I saw NO ONE smile or laugh--not just the government. We visited Faberge, Peterhof and Yusupov (among a host of other first-time-visitor places), and we felt they were very ornate, but not as pretty as we would expect given the vast amount of riches poured into it. Things were very spotless (particularly the park), but we felt that stemmed from all the rules. You couldn't do anything. Naturally when you let people walk on the grass, things are going to get a little messy, but we deem that a worthy price to pay for freedom. Also, the pickpocketing problem was the worst in St. Petersburg that we saw in all the ports.

Edited July 16, 2015 by tetleytea

[mickeysgal]

Incredibly interesting thread. We are planning our trip to the Baltics next year and currently debating on two itineraries..one with 2 days, one with 3 days in St. Petersburg.

[tetleytea]

I should add that one time the border agent was not just not smiling: she was crying. We are still a bit worried about her even now.

[Langley Cruisers]

I should add that one time the border agent was not just not smiling: she was crying. We are still a bit worried about her even now.

 

Respectfully, I have to say this could have absolutely nothing to do with her job. It could be personal. Perhaps she or a loved one is ill; maybe she got some bad news on her phone just then... I mean, it could have been anything. I understand you didn't enjoy your time there or felt the people were oppressed and not smiling - like I described in my initial post when I started this thread - but I think it's a stretch to equate a crying border agent with something dire at her job.... maybe?

 

Thanks to all for your continuing contribution in this thread. :)

.

[tetleytea]

I never said we didn't enjoy our time there. It was a different experience. We just don't care to go back; and there are other places like northern PEI where I long to go back something serious. The border guard was crying at her station--that's just the facts.

[KikiKruiser]

I've seen posters mention Alla Tours' 2-day SPB Grand Tour or 2-day Comfort Tour, but has anyone taken their 2-day Imperial Splendors & Faberge Museum tour? The itinerary says 1 hr in the Faberge Museum... is this true and was it enough time? Thanks for any feedback.

[dogs4fun]

I've seen posters mention Alla Tours' 2-day SPB Grand Tour or 2-day Comfort Tour, but has anyone taken their 2-day Imperial Splendors & Faberge Museum tour? The itinerary says 1 hr in the Faberge Museum... is this true and was it enough time? Thanks for any feedback.

Actually, the Faberge is a privately owned museum and the entrances are all timed. Everyone spends approximately an hour (or perhaps slightly longer) viewing the collection. Regardless of with whom you book the tour, you will spend the same amount of time viewing the collection - it is not at all like the state owned museums wherein you can as much time as you wish lingering.

[Pet Nit Noy]

I've seen posters mention Alla Tours' 2-day SPB Grand Tour or 2-day Comfort Tour, but has anyone taken their 2-day Imperial Splendors & Faberge Museum tour? The itinerary says 1 hr in the Faberge Museum... is this true and was it enough time? Thanks for any feedback.

 

One hour will be enough to do the following: put on your paper booties (mandatory in that and other historic sites) and listen to the detailed audio guide description of the fourteen eggs at the room immediately at the top of the stairs. This Easter Egg room -- the centerpiece of the collection -- is flanked by other rooms filled with cases of picture frames, cigarette cases, ornamental desk clocks and more. You won't have time to focus on each of these items but you'll have time to stroll past all the cases, stopping to focus on a few items that attract you.

 

Note: We entered after 6:00 PM which may have slightly different rules. Our guide escorted us into the museum, took care of admissions, audio guides, and guide book for the cases other than the eggs. She said she would be back in one hour , although if we wanted to take an extra ten or fifteen minutes this would not be a problem

Edited July 21, 2015 by Pet Nit Noy

[KikiKruiser]

Actually, the Faberge is a privately owned museum and the entrances are all timed. Everyone spends approximately an hour (or perhaps slightly longer) viewing the collection. Regardless of with whom you book the tour, you will spend the same amount of time viewing the collection - it is not at all like the state owned museums wherein you can as much time as you wish lingering.

 

Good to know - THANKS for the info!