Cruise Ending in St Petersburg

[CruzR887]

Anyone know if we will need a Visa to get from the ship to the airport and to exit Russia? We will not need a visa for our tours, just wondering about flying home. Is a ship's transfer to the airport the easiest way to get there?

[dogs4fun]

Anyone know if we will need a Visa to get from the ship to the airport and to exit Russia? We will not need a visa for our tours, just wondering about flying home. Is a ship's transfer to the airport the easiest way to get there?

 

Yes, you will need a visa if you intend to depart via air. No visa needed if you depart via cruise ship.

[FraudBroad]

Yes you will! And I'd assume a transfer from the cruise line will be the easiest way to get to the airport.

 

 

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[Pet Nit Noy]

Anyone know if we will need a Visa to get from the ship to the airport and to exit Russia? We will not need a visa for our tours, just wondering about flying home. Is a ship's transfer to the airport the easiest way to get there?

 

Visitors to St. Petersburg do not need a visa if...

... their visit is less than 72 hours

... they sleep on the ship

... they arrive and depart via ocean-going cruise ship.

 

 

Since you'll be leaving the city via an airplane, you don't qualify for visa-free status. With the visa you'll have to get from the closest consulate/visa service, you'll be able to travel through the city on your own.

 

You write that you will not need a visa for your tours. Are you talking about touring with a licensed Russian tour operator or with the ship?

Edited January 22, 2017 by Pet Nit Noy

[Travelanni]

Visitors to St. Petersburg do not need a visa if...

... their visit is less than 72 hours

... they sleep on the ship

... they arrive and depart via ocean-going cruise ship.

 

Have the Russian visa rules changed because I would interpret this to mean that I could arrive in SPB on a cruse ship, get off and wander around unaccompanied for three days, provided I returned to the ship each night, and leave on the cruise ship. All without a visa. :confused::confused:

Anni

Edited January 22, 2017 by Travelanni

[Pet Nit Noy]

Have the Russian visa rules changed because I would interpret this to mean that I could arrive in SPB on a cruse ship, get off and wander around unaccompanied for three days, provided I returned to the ship each night, and leave on the cruise ship. All without a visa. :confused::confused:

Anni

 

 

I can understand your confusion, but please understand I was replying to the OP. The OP wrote, "We will not need a visa for our tours..." I took those words at face value and understood them to mean the OP was either touring with ship-sponsored excursions, or was touring with a licensed private guide. (You'll notice that my last sentence in Post #4 directly asks whether the OP will be touring with the ship or with a licensed Russian operator) If either of those touring options were true, the OP's exit question and my reply are both accurate and make sense.

 

However, visiting St. Petersburg really involves two related-but-separate topics: the need for a visa while touring and the need for a visa because of a visitor's arrival/departure method. Let me try again for readers not the OP.

 

There are two ways to tour St Petersburg without getting a visa from a Russian consulate or visa service. If cruisers (not people arriving by airplane) book a tour with the ship's excursion desk or with a licensed Russian tour operator, they will enter St Petersburg showing their original passport and a copy of a tour ticket provided by the Russian company. They will be required to stay with their tour guide throughout their time ashore. (Note: there are some limited exceptions like brief shopping shops, dinner or evening entertainment. However, let's get the basics in place first.)

 

Additionally, if those cruisers stay in St. Petersburg fewer than 72 hours, sleep on the ship on the overnight, and exit by ship, they will still have no need for a visa from a Russian consulate or visa service. However, if their cruise ends in St. Petersburg and they will be flying home, they no longer meet the requirements for a visa free port call. They must get the full-up Russian consulate visa. Once they have this full-fledged visa, they are actually free to make a choice about how they want to tour -- with or without a licensed tour company or ship's excursion.

 

If you've been reading this board for any time, you'll have noticed that "everyone" has a great touring experience with the many popular Russian tour companies. Few of us would give up the memorable experiences that guides provide: quicker access to crowded places, interesting explanations, effortless travel from one place to another, good lunch choices, and more. But if anyone has to get a visa because of their flight home, they could tour the city independently and at will. In fact, a limited sub-group of board posters have done just this, and were very happy with their choice.

 

Hope this helps you.

Edited January 22, 2017 by Pet Nit Noy