Near riot on Silhouette on 5/27

[hubofhockey]

I am going to side with the OP here. It sounds as if people were already off the ship when Celebrity did this and that's wrong. They should be able to control what happens when you are on the ship, but NOT at Russian Immigration. That's just wrong and I agree the cruise ship personnel were out of line. I don't know what your definition of a riot is. It sounds like a bit of hyperbole and I am sure everyone got to enjoy their tours, including those using SPB, Alla and Celebrity tours and others.

[Hlitner]

Grrrrrr is how I feel about the subject. As long time cruisers (for over forty years on far more then 100 cruises) who seldom use cruise line excursions, we have long had big issues with cruise line excursions getting priority. In St Petersburg, many of the reputable private tour companies even warn cruisers not to be conned by the cruise line...as the Russian authorities do not give preference to tours. The Russians simply use a first come first serve policy. The problem here is Celebrity! I should mention that last August we visited St Petersburg on HAL's Zuiderdam and HAL did not shove their tour groups ahead of those who were waiting. The ship's tour groups simply got into line with everyone else.

 

Hank

[Fish Lover]

I am going to side with the OP here. It sounds as if people were already off the ship when Celebrity did this and that's wrong. They should be able to control what happens when you are on the ship, but NOT at Russian Immigration. That's just wrong and I agree the cruise ship personnel were out of line. I don't know what your definition of a riot is. It sounds like a bit of hyperbole and I am sure everyone got to enjoy their tours, including those using SPB, Alla and Celebrity tours and others.

 

Ship sponsored tours leave at all different times. Therefore, it doesn't matter that others were already permitted off the ship. When the tour was ready to leave, they were permitted to go to the head of the line and g through immigration. Everyone knows this is how it works. The OP is whining and contributed to any discontent.

[Bryce1962]

The key seems to be when you are in the line for immigration, at that time Celebrity should not have any control other than having a dedicated exit for their excursion guests. Leaving the ship is a totally different matter....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[keesar]

If you read the Celebrity tour brochure, you will see the advantages of booking through Celebrity. You have a choice of booking thru them or on your own. You are also in a foreign port subject to their rules and regulations.

 

OP, relax as you are on vacation. Next time, take a ship sponsored excursion.

[hubofhockey]

Ship sponsored tours leave at all different times. Therefore, it doesn't matter that others were already permitted off the ship. When the tour was ready to leave, they were permitted to go to the head of the line and g through immigration. Everyone knows this is how it works. The OP is whining and contributed to any discontent.

 

Not sure if you have been to St Petersburg. Cruise lines have no role in lines for immigration. I believe you are wrong in this case.

[Bryce1962]

Not sure if you have been to St Petersburg. Cruise lines have no role in lines for immigration. I believe you are wrong in this case.

 

 

I have and you are correct.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[luvtheships]

The key seems to be when you are in the line for immigration, at that time Celebrity should not have any control other than having a dedicated exit for their excursion guests. Leaving the ship is a totally different matter....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

I agree but none of us really know exactly where this took place

 

Even though the op says line to immigration. What exactly does that mean?

 

Line to scan your card to get off the ship?

 

Or line to show your documents to Russian authorities?

 

The op is clearly not as seasoned a cruiser or traveler as many of us are or they wouldn't have pushed someone on line in the way they describe...

 

If this took place on Russian soil then the op is very fortunate they are able to make these posts

 

However I'm thinking all of this actually took place on the ship and gangway

 

If it didn't I can't believe celebrity crew would be so callous as to risk it on Russian soil

 

Bottom line is I'd like to know if the op missed their private tour or not

 

If they didn't then the op just wants to complain about what amounts to nothing

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[lynncarol]

Disheartening to learn that disembarking in St. Petersburg is still a hassle with Celebrity. In June of 2007, I, my husband and parents were scheduled on an Alla tour of the city when an announcement was made that all folks on private tours must first gather in a lounge on the 11th floor (far from the exit gangplank) before disembarking. Fortunately, I had a copy of a letter that my favorite travel magazine (ITN) had sent to the president of Celebrity about just such an issue. His response was to categorically deny any attempt to delay disembarkation of passengers taking private tours. When I showed this letter to guest relations, she personally escorted us off the ship, after insisting "But don't tell the others".

[hathaway42]

Russian immigration is a slow process to get thru . We waited several years ago in line for over an hour and we did have a private tour . When you travel with teens they want to see different things than the general cruise passengers and we wanted them to be able to ask questions . As a group of seven the private tour was also less expensive . I believe celebrity should arrange with immigration to have a separate line for the cruise tours .

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[luvtheships]

You know this "don't tell the others" stuff is starting to bother me

 

The internet Mgr on ncl told me the same thing when I showed her I was entitled to X number of extra minutes

 

She sounded just like those telemarketers that think we are stupid

 

I really can't believe how she made it sound that she was breaking the rules for little old me.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Sue1260]

It sounds like things weren't communicated to passengers how disembarking works when getting off for excursions. Maybe Celebrity should have made an announcement that excursions booked via cruise line will get off ship first. I agree they over paid by booking thru cruise line and have a guarantee that excusuon will take place and that they will be returned to ship before sail away time.

 

It's the same when you embark ship priority goes to those who played the most suite passengers or higher loyalty groups.

[hubofhockey]

Well, you are right. I am taking the OP at face value that they were off the ship and in line and Celebrity was playing games. If this happened on the ship, then I agree that it's a different story. I did a private tour (SPB Tours) and there was no preference on leaving the ship or in immigration. SPB surely would have waited for us. With an overnight, we never really felt rushed in any case.

 

For what it's worth, I would advise everyone to try to put together a group of 8 and not latch onto a 16 person group with SPB or Alla or even a larger group with a cruise line. It's a great port and worth a few extra dollars.

 

I agree but none of us really know exactly where this took place

 

Even though the op says line to immigration. What exactly does that mean?

 

Line to scan your card to get off the ship?

 

Or line to show your documents to Russian authorities?

 

The op is clearly not as seasoned a cruiser or traveler as many of us are or they wouldn't have pushed someone on line in the way they describe...

 

If this took place on Russian soil then the op is very fortunate they are able to make these posts

 

However I'm thinking all of this actually took place on the ship and gangway

 

If it didn't I can't believe celebrity crew would be so callous as to risk it on Russian soil

 

Bottom line is I'd like to know if the op missed their private tour or not

 

If they didn't then the op just wants to complain about what amounts to nothing

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[hcat]

They do this all the time.....for excursions and as we learned recently for self disembarkation,

 

We waited more than an hour...closer to 2 due to late clearance, for Infinity self disembark in Port Ev....were about number 5 in line...which by time we got off snaked all the way around the lounge..

 

. People arriving late to the line wanted to go ahead...they had early flights but so did most of the line and Celeb tepidly held them back...

 

As the elevs were declared ready to take us down ( no luggage allowed on the stairs) a huge group of folks who were in suites and had seats for waiting were brought ahead to the elevs..The place went wild.

 

Worse yet, after we did get off Celebrity combined 2 lines so latecomers got ahead anyhow...

 

The procedure had not been explained and there were not enough staff to keep it organized. Unfair that not everyone gets the same shot to get off early but that's how it goes on Celeb...

[CruiserFromMaine]

Celebrity certainly can control the flow of pax off the ship. But if this incident happened off the ship, then I agree Celebrity was wrong. Nobody has any sympathy for people complaining about "how Celebrity messed up disembarkation in [whatever port]." And that is correct, it's local Customs and Immigration that has control. No one would ever want Celebrity to let people through Miami Customs first because they booked Celebrity Air or something. Same thing here. Once off the ship, you're on your own. Plus, Celebrity will hold the ship for people on their tours, so what's the rush?

[Fouremco]

I am going to side with the OP here. It sounds as if people were already off the ship when Celebrity did this and that's wrong. They should be able to control what happens when you are on the ship, but NOT at Russian Immigration. That's just wrong and I agree the cruise ship personnel were out of line. I don't know what your definition of a riot is. It sounds like a bit of hyperbole and I am sure everyone got to enjoy their tours, including those using SPB, Alla and Celebrity tours and others.

 

Not sure if you have been to St Petersburg. Cruise lines have no role in lines for immigration. I believe you are wrong in this case.

How is this any different than Celebrity and other cruise lines taking suite and other priority guests to the head of the US immigration line when disembarking in Port Everglades? This past March, DW and I had to cool our heels in the priority Global Entry line while a group of suite passengers were placed ahead of us. We weren't happy to see a cruise line program taking precedence over a government program, but as Peter Trueman would say, "that's not news, but that too is reality."

[bigbenboys]

Again-I don't have a problem with Celebrity tours getting off the ship first-thats fine. But not an hour late and then put in front of everyone in the immigration line. Thats the issue-the immigration line. Our private tour was due to leave at 8:30 am so we were in line at 7:30-ships tours were already off the ship by the time we got off. It was people who were late-sorry but thats not my problem and I shouldn't be penalized for it.

How do you know they were late for a tour? Celebrity tours start at different times. If Celebrity tour passengers were told to meet in the theater at 9am for a 9:15 tour they would be taken right off the ship. Then right though customs. Our cruise to the Baltic was on RCL and we had tours through RCL. All went great for us. What I dont understand is why customs were not done on the ship ahead of time. When we have cruised in Asia if they want a face to face with staff and passengers it is done ahead of time.

[sollyman]

Im more interested in knowing if there were "shopping opportunities" before immigration at St Petes.

 

Have to say I havnt heard any reports of riots or near riots.....yet

[caribill]

I'm wondering just how much you saved or think you saved by taking a private tour?

 

 

When we were in St Pete on another cruise line, the two day Private tour we were on cost about half of the cruise ship's tour, about $300 less/person.

 

In addition, it covered more sights than the ship's tours.

 

By the way, when we were there immigration had about 8 booths to line up for. The cruise line put up signs by all but one of them saying for ship's tours only.

 

But those were ship's signs, not Russian official signs. The very bored immigration agents did not care what tour you were on and you could get on any line you wanted although most on private tours behaved like sheep and lined up for the one booth not labeled for ship's tours only.

[Hlitner]

Im more interested in knowing if there were "shopping opportunities" before immigration at St Petes.

 

Have to say I havnt heard any reports of riots or near riots.....yet

 

Unless my memory is failing, the answer is NO! When you enter the terminal building your only option is to walk through the various immigration/Passport/Visa control checkpoints. Once you are through you walk into a waiting hall and there is a small shopping area off to one end. We didn't waste our time...and others told us the offerings were nothing great and overpriced. There is certainly much better shopping in town, but whether you get a chance to shop is dependent on you tour (unless you obtain a personal Visa). Our private tour company (TJ Tours) took us to a pretty nice tourist ship on the 2nd day of the tour....where we settled our bills. While in that expansive shop, many did some shopping,,,,not to mention sampling free Vodka.

 

Hank

[sollyman]

Thanks for that.

 

Exactly my recollection from 2015.

 

I was accused on another thread on this board of being "misleading " for saying exactly this.

[Fish Lover]

Not sure if you have been to St Petersburg. Cruise lines have no role in lines for immigration. I believe you are wrong in this case.

 

The OP is talking about the lines on the ship waiting to get off and go through immigration. Celebrity took a group of people that were departing on a ship sponsored cruise and ushered them to the head of the line.

 

This has nothing to do with immigration.

[Bryce1962]

The OP is talking about the lines on the ship waiting to get off and go through immigration. Celebrity took a group of people that were departing on a ship sponsored cruise and ushered them to the head of the line.

 

 

 

This has nothing to do with immigration.

 

 

You should re-read the original post I think.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[suec12]

In the first few sentences the OP says "thru immigration' two times. It seems obvious they were off the ship and in the line for Russian immigration.

 

IMO if Celebrity wants to speed their tour participants thru quickly, they should arrange with some of the tour dollars for Russian immigration to make a special line.

[sollyman]

Sue...if you think Celebrity, or any other cruiseline has any chance to "negotiate" with Russian immigration you have clearly never tried to enter Russia.

 

Can you imagine Cunard,,,way back when it was British owned "negotiating" with US immigration for special arrangements......