St Petersburg 2-day tour

[Cymrucruiser]

Hi, has anyone experience of this Celebrity tour? The details are a bit vague, the duration is 'at your leisure'. The brochure says it can only be booked in advance, which has also thrown me. I was wondering whether to book two separate tours to the Hermitage and Peterhof but was worried about overlap. It is all quite expensive so don't want to make a mistake. Sailing on Eclipse July 31.

[steamboats]

I suggest to check out the roll call for your cruise! I´m pretty sure that there have been private tours arranged. Those are usually 2 day tours as well (or mainly 19 hours within 2 days).

 

Forget about the Hermitage - for me it´s a waste of time. Most of the tours have only 1.5 hours and you´re literally pushed through. The masterpieces is more like being pushed, stand there for a second and being pushed away immediately. I had two hours in there and actually the most impressing was the architecture as there wasn´t hardly any time to have a look on the masterpieces.

 

As for separate tours log into My Celebrity and you can check out the dates and times. A lot of tours are offered on both days and at different times. Peterhof is offered with a boat ride over to the castle. There´s a longer tour which also includes the inside of the castle.

 

If you haven´t been there yet then I´d suggest a private tour operator (SPB, Alla, Red October or any other). They have a good reputation and you have a smaller group.

 

steamboats

 

There a combo tour offered for Catherine´s palace and the Hermitage.

[Cymrucruiser]

Thanks for your help, I will check out the roll call.

[ClaudiaB]

Every single person I've talked to or have read about says that the absolute best way to "do" St. Petersburg is through a private tour. I have never heard where someone liked the X tour better. There are quite a few well known ones. Head to your Roll Call on here and check the internet.

You'll get more tour, better tour and for less $$.

[Bollinge]

The X tour involves being badged up, banged up in the theatre on board until your tour is called, loaded on to 50-seater buses, joining mammoth queues to enter all the venues, and waiting for the last of your 50-strong group to return from having a tinkle!

 

A private tour of say, 8 pax, meets you outside the Marine Façade Terminal in your own minibus, when you are ready, you skip the queues at the sights (don't ask me how that happens), you have your own guide and driver and you can adapt the itinerary to suit yourselves.

 

And they are much cheaper than the ship's tours. A no brainer really.

 

I would recommend Tickets and Tours and the American guy "SPB Stan" who's affiliated with them in some way.

[crusingnut]

IMHO a private tour is much more personal with Q&A with the guide. We had an exceptional 2 day tour with SPB-tours for a lot less $ than the ships. It was one of the best tours we have ever had. Enjoy your cruise!

[Riocca]

We did the Celebrity 2 day tour a couple of years ago and found it quite OK, it worked out cheaper than some of the private tours. There were only about 20 pax per group we had early entry to the palaces so avoided the crowds, had a very good guide who gave us plenty of free time. As we have not done the private tours we can't make comparisons, the reason it has to be booked in advance is probably because a group visa has to be obtained. Certainly if you don't do a pre arranged tour you will need to obtain a visa for Russia.

[A Sixth?]

As other have said SPB does a great job AND I couldn't imagine a trip to St P without a visit to the Hermitage, truly one of the great museums in the world.

 

A week wouldn't be enough time... but something is better than nothing.

 

The tour companies mean no line.

 

The other thing is that as I recall you need a visa to enter Russia UNLESS you have a pre booked tour arranged. Less than three days with a recognized agent you avoid the visa issue.

Edited May 20, 2016 by A Sixth?

[upwarduk]

I booked our tour about 3 months prior to our visit on Eclipse 25.07.16. We needed to provide our passport numbers, as our tour ticket acted as our visa.

About a month prior to sailing, we were contacted with a form which needed to be downloaded and printed, as we had chosen to pay by Credit card ( you could also pay with € or $, but they needed to be new notes)

We had a fantastic guide, Luba. She teaches the guides during the winter.

We gave her our pre filled in sheet, with Credit card details.

The tour was advertised as $600 which when we were given our receipt on the second day actually worked out at £90 p.p per day.

This turned out to be one of the best tours we have ever done- it included church visits, Peterhof by hydro foil and a ride on an underground train, to view the architecture!

We didn't change any money into roubles; the only place we couldn't buy souviners we a in the churches, as they only took roubles. I waited to buy mine at the port, as they took € & $.

Edited May 20, 2016 by upwarduk

[roxievegas]

We just got off the ship for the Baltic and did the two day tour with Celebrity in St Petersburg. There were at least 10 bus loads that booked the tour, but you go with your bus only, so there were only 40 of us total. We were allowed in the Hermitage 45 minutes before the public, and were there 2 1/2 to 3 hours and they move you through at a nice speed. After that you do a city tour and stop at other sites for pics. Day two is the Peterhoff and it is a drive to the countryside and there is a lot of walking in the gardens, no tour in side. Both days include an russian lunch. Also you get off the ship first thing and don't have to wait hours to go through immigration that is required by the Russians. We were one of the first off and it only took us 15 minutes, others later were waiting over an hour.

Because of the visa requirements in Russia we did the Celebrity tour. Others went with SPB - both covered the same things. Our cost was $329, SPB was around $290. I was happy with our tour

[Cymrucruiser]

Thanks for all the comments, really helpful! We are looking forward to the cruise, only our second 'big'cruise ... The first was the Oriana in 1995!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We just got off the ship for the Baltic and did the two day tour with Celebrity in St Petersburg. There were at least 10 bus loads that booked the tour, but you go with your bus only, so there were only 40 of us total. We were allowed in the Hermitage 45 minutes before the public, and were there 2 1/2 to 3 hours and they move you through at a nice speed. After that you do a city tour and stop at other sites for pics. Day two is the Peterhoff and it is a drive to the countryside and there is a lot of walking in the gardens, no tour in side. Both days include an russian lunch. Also you get off the ship first thing and don't have to wait hours to go through immigration that is required by the Russians. We were one of the first off and it only took us 15 minutes, others later were waiting over an hour.

Because of the visa requirements in Russia we did the Celebrity tour. Others went with SPB - both covered the same things. Our cost was $329, SPB was around $290. I was happy with our tour

 

In my view, 40 people is far too many to be touring with. There are always those who think the return time to the bus is only a suggestion and certainly doesn't apply to them. You spend a lot of time waiting for people.

 

I would highly recommend using a private guide in St. Petersburg. The private tour company will take care of the visa just like Celebrity does. Ours took us to Peterhof on a hydrofoil. Much quicker than the bus ride. We also had sufficient time in the Hermitage. Museum fatigue tends to set in after a couple of hours anyway. We told our guide what we wanted to see. No lines. We did see the Celebrity guide and her 40 or so folks standing in line outside the Hermitage. Our van dropped us right at the entrance and in we went.

 

Our private tour guide also made arrangements for us to go to the ballet. We had our choice of performances. Our seats were center section, fourth row--perfect. I thought I would be too tired after touring all day, but the ballet was magical. Well worth it. I probably won't get another chance to enjoy another ballet in Russia.

 

[Cymrucruiser]

The only thing holding me back from a private tour is the thought of missing the boat on the second day.

[ECCruise]

The only thing holding me back from a private tour is the thought of missing the boat on the second day.

 

That would be the last thing I would worry about. Probably 75% of cruise visitors do private tours. This is not the Caribbean where some independent taxi driver is offering an "island tour." These private tour companies do thousands of tours a year and their reputation demands that the pay attention.

 

For example, we were on a private tour in SPB and the van broke down, stranding us a good 8 or 10 miles from the port. We originally thought that we would hire a couple of taxis to take us back to the ship but that was a no-go because we would then be separated from the guide (and thus, our visa).

 

The tour company dispatched a "rescue vehicle" and we were on our way to the ship less than 15 minutes later, which still put as at the port 1+ hours before all aboard.

[morbihan]

I am on the Silhouette sailing out of St Petersburg as we speak.

 

We did a two day private tour and everyone that I have spoken to this evening all agree that we are shattered.

 

We were just three people but we almost asked to return to the ship. Oh dear!

 

Tomorrow Helsinki but I am resting. I really couldn't do another day.

[A Sixth?]

I am on the Silhouette sailing out of St Petersburg as we speak.

 

We did a two day private tour and everyone that I have spoken to this evening all agree that we are shattered.

 

We were just three people but we almost asked to return to the ship. Oh dear!

 

Tomorrow Helsinki but I am resting. I really couldn't do another day.

 

I don't think I was ever so tired in my life. It is an intense tour

 

I was so tired I got married.... it didn't last the winter.

 

Edited May 20, 2016 by A Sixth?

[Desertbelle]

On our cruise to Russia we booked the ship tour to Moscow, which was amazing, and was on the first day....all day, about 18 hours long, but worth it! One of the best things we have ever done on a cruise. Moscow is incredible. The Kremlin was spectacular. So much to see and take in, I was overwhelmed but very happy.

 

None of the private tour operators wanted to do a 1 day, second day, tour, and we called them all, so we booked a private car and driver and a tour guide through the cruise line. There were three of us and we had our own car and driver and a guide for the whole day and went wherever we wanted and stayed as long as we wanted. Plus, the guide was able to prearrange things like the Gold Room at the Hermitage and front of the line entrance to other locations. We wanted to see Impressionist paintings, so she took us directly to that area of the museum...we lingered a long time. She took us to a wonderful local restaurant for a great lunch. It was fabulous!

 

Yes, it was all pricey, but I have no doubt we will never go to Russia again and it was worth every penny.

[JGaleCPA]

One of the best things I have ever spent money on a cruise, by far, was booking a private two day tours with ALLA in St Petersburg. Our own driver and guide, went where we want (no canal cruise at 730 am, but lets go shopping mid day). Had super easy access to Hermitage, St Catherines, Peterhof, etc. Had some rooms completely to ourselves.

[surebeatssailing]

The only thing holding me back from a private tour is the thought of missing the boat on the second day.

 

If you look at the itineraries of the major Russian tours for 2 days you will note that day 1 usually covers the sites that are a greater distance . Day 2 covers sites closer to the cruise port.

 

There is no way any reputable Russian tour company would let you miss the boat...you are their responsibility & are on the visas that they secured.

[daydreamer16]

We did a two day tour in 2010 with Anastasia, it was magical. Our tour guide was great, we saw so much in our group of six people. On the first day we went to a small restaurant for lunch that would never accommodate a bus tour. By the end of the second day we were exhausted but it was well worth the money!

[mandream]

We did a two day tour in 2010 with Anastasia, it was magical. Our tour guide was great, we saw so much in our group of six people. On the first day we went to a small restaurant for lunch that would never accommodate a bus tour. By the end of the second day we were exhausted but it was well worth the money!

 

We used Anastasia as well. They were so flexible. We decided last minute that we wanted to go for a ride on the river. Our driver and guide pulled over, found a guy with a boat and paid him to take us on a little tour. Try that on a big bus.

 

Mike

[Mr. Click]

Another vote for the smaller private tours. SPB, Alla, TJ Tours, Denruss and a few otehrs all get great reviews. We did a Jewish heritage tour with TJ and it was a wonderful, exhausting 2 days. We were just 11 people and our guide was great. She was a wealth of information, got us in and out of all of the museums and palaces without standing on lines, showed lots of local color so we could understand what it really is like to live there now. Yes, you need to sign up early whether it is a ship's tour or private tour because they do need time for arrange your visas. Being in a smaller group was great for us.

[Bollinge]

 

There is no way any reputable Russian tour company would let you miss the boat...you are their responsibility & are on the visas that they secured.

 

 

They are all "reputable" in that they are government vetted and licensed to offer visa-free tours.

 

I doubt the ship would be cleared to leave without its full complement of passengers, barring a medical emergency.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Bollinge

[upwarduk]

We confirmed with our tour guide the time that the ship sailed, early on the 2 nd morning and the mini bus arrived back 1 hr before sail away. Many other mini buses were at the port as well.

I think the Celebrity tour buses must have been on the other side of the terminal, as I did see lines of passengers taken through to another room for immigration, but didn't see any large buses. There were plenty of people in the terminal shops though.