Near riot on Silhouette on 5/27

[caribill]

On HAL we always get off early before the ships tours leave the theatre. I haven't had experience in Russia.

 

 

St.Pete is different from most ports. Almost all of the tours, ship's and private, start as soon as possible once the ship is cleared. In addition, almost everyone wants to get off then.

 

So it is not possible to disembark before the ship's tours as they are ready to disembark as soon as the ship is cleared.

[Jade13]

No-this is wrong. I'm totally talking about the immigration line-NOT the line to get off the ship. Most of the ships tours were taken upstairs and we think they had their own private immigration line to go through. We "think" that line got too long so they brought people downstairs to the lines that everyone else was waiting patiently in. This was long after everyone had gotten off the ship. Totally about immigration.

 

Teanne

 

 

TeanneTX,

 

Thank you for clarifying. I have not been to St Petersburg yet and originally thought you were talking about the lines to get off of the ship.

 

It sounds like the issue occurred with either a later tour, or has been mentioned, with some passengers running late.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Jade13]

St.Pete is different from most ports. Almost all of the tours, ship's and private, start as soon as possible once the ship is cleared. In addition, almost everyone wants to get off then.

 

 

 

So it is not possible to disembark before the ship's tours as they are ready to disembark as soon as the ship is cleared.

 

 

So it sounds like TeanneTX is in fact talking about cruise tour passengers who were running late, and Celebrity trying to put them ahead of an immigration line because they were potentially holding up the departure of some Celebrity tours.

 

Also, is this the same area that would be used by others coming off other cruise ships if multiple ships were in port?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[villauk]

I can't believe some of the answers being given. Anyone who's been to St. Petersburg should be able to visualize the set-up there and realize the OP isn't talking about getting off the ship. :rolleyes:

 

To the OP: Sorry to hear of your issues. Seems the cruise lines try this from time to time. Those of us who read the Baltics boards on a regular basis have heard it before. A few years back it was Princess who tried to "direct" traffic through the Immigration lines for their own tour passengers, and it only stopped when they got some serious blowback from the Russian immigration officials themselves (and perhaps from irate passengers, as there were quite a few who expressed themselves here on CC at the time....)

 

While Celebrity may be free to decide who gets off their ships and when, I don't think they get to exercise the same control off the ship and in line for immigration.

 

For those who question why one would take a private tour -- it's because they are MUCH better than the large ship tours, especially in St. Petersburg. Small groups can dodge the longer lines, can make changes on the fly, and have control over what they see and do. Not to mention the opportunity for a much more personal interaction with your guide. You might want to read this excellent review of private tours in St. Petersburg, published RIGHT HERE on CC a while back (some things have changed, but not substantively):

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1304

 

Hooray, sense at last. Can't believe people who have never set foot in St. Petersburg can comment on the immigration situation once off the ship. We had a wonderful few days with a private tour operator - despite all the warnings from the cruise line that we couldn't take our own private tour :rolleyes:.

[hubofhockey]

Hooray, sense at last. Can't believe people who have never set foot in St. Petersburg can comment on the immigration situation once off the ship. We had a wonderful few days with a private tour operator - despite all the warnings from the cruise line that we couldn't take our own private tour :rolleyes:.

 

As soon as I read the first post, I could tell two things. (1) it was about the immigration line, and (2) people who had never been to St Petersburg would criticize her. It makes no sense that OP or others would push other passengers while on the ship. In any case, Celebrity needs to get its act together at this port. We went to St Petersburg in July of 2014 on the Royal Princess (a very large ship) and everything went smoothly. We had a private tour with SPB Tours and I don't remember delays anywhere.

[Got2Cruise]

This issue has been going on in SPB for years. My guess is that something happened on the Russian Immigration and it got all backed up. If this should happen no need to panic, if you book a reliable tour company such as SPB or Alla they understand and will simply adjust the schedule. It is true that those never going to Russia should keep quiet because they are clueless about the situation. Lol.

[luvtheships]

I'm presently on Celebrity Silhouette and VERY disappointed in Celebrity's behavior yesterday at St Petersburg Russia. Their behavior nearly caused a riot several times as we were going through Russian immigration. We all knew to expect an hour or longer wait to get through immigration so most people with private tours got up early and got in line early. The lines were incredibly long but everyone was fine with that. We were all excited about our 3 days in SPB. All of a sudden you start hearing people yelling NOOOO and getting very agitated and pushing and shoving. Well what happened was that Celebrity decided to take people on the ships tours and put them in the front of the lines going into immigration. So all these people who didn't have to wait in line at all were put in front of those of us who planned and got up early to get in line. I had a man who pushed in front of me at the direction of someone from Celebrity-I told him he was not going to go before me and I pushed around him. This was totally inappropriate and uncalled for on Celebrity's part. If they want to treat their ships tours people special then they should have had a seperate line for their ships tours people to go through immigration. I plan to put this on Facebook and then of course tell Celebrity when I get my survey. Shame on you Celebrity-your have been my favorite cruise line but now I will rethink that.

 

 

 

Teanne

 

Aboard Silihouette

 

 

You say the lines going into immigration

 

That sounds like the lines forming on the ship to get off. So it's on celebrity real estate

 

If you said the actual lines in front of the immigration desk it would be a different story

 

 

I'm thinking of a Baltic cruise and it sounds like a mega ship or a ship with 2300 or so isn't the best idea

 

I believe I'll look into smaller ships for this itin

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[flyingv4me]

It is well publicized and well known that passengers with cruise sponsored shore excursions are given priority tendering and disembarkation.

Also, you said it yourself, everyone expected a very long wait to get through immigration. In order to organize things, the tour participants were given a place on board to meet and then be escorted through immigration.

 

You have no reason whatever to complain. You also, by your own admission, contributed to the problem. Even after you received an explanation, you refused to comply.

 

When traveling in some ports, especially in those countries that do not have easy reciprocal immigration processes and in these political times, you will be inconvenienced. That's the nature of travel.

 

If you don't expect such things to happen, travel to the Caribbean where everyone can just walk off the ship and meet their tours on the pier.

 

It's your behavior that needs adjusting.

 

Like!

[Jerzy Traveler]

83 Posts about a problem and all those posts saying who has priorities.

We were on the Eclipse last July and never once had a problem going through immigration in any port. We were booked on SPB tours in St. Petersburg. We were advised that there are at times delays going through Customs so we gave ourselves extra time. At immigration it took no more than 10 minutes and we ended up waiting for our tour guide. Three days getting off the ship with no problems and one of those days we were meeting at 6AM. The only line we encountered was returning to the ship from Moscow after midnight. Several tours returned on the same train including the ship's tour, and there were only a few booths open. No priority were given to any group.

Prior to going on the cruise we were told by SPB Tours to disregard any instructions by Celebrity about ship tours have priority but it never was an issue.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[PRH]

We were on this Silhouette itinerary May 3rd. It took more than an hour for the ship to clear, let alone letting any passengers off. Once you get off the ship, you must go through Russian immigration--one at a time, not by couple to have your passport reviewed, your visa approved (you must have a tour ticket with info) and then receive a slip of paper you cannot lose--it must be turned back in when you return. Each person can take up to four or five minutes at the booth so lines indeed get backed up pretty quickly. And if there are any other ships in port, there are fewer lines open. Our wait was over an hour and a half standing in line for immigration with many lines open--and it was cold and windy. Ship crew were serving hot chocolate to those standing out in the cold. That being said, alla and spb were going to wait because they are familiar with this routine--they even said so to us as we boarded the vans. Returning in the evening can also involve long waits so be prepared.

 

The celebrity tours (we watched this happening) were directed to their own immigration lines which opened as they were herded off the ship from another gangway. This makes sense. Not sure I would have been happy to have waited all that time in the freezing cold to see those who had been nice and warm put in front so that another hour or more in the cold was added for those in line. (It was spitting snow as we waited). But you are on Russian soil and not sure how much control celebrity has once you step off the ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[TeanneTX]

I can't believe some of the answers being given. Anyone who's been to St. Petersburg should be able to visualize the set-up there and realize the OP isn't talking about getting off the ship. :rolleyes:

 

To the OP: Sorry to hear of your issues. Seems the cruise lines try this from time to time. Those of us who read the Baltics boards on a regular basis have heard it before. A few years back it was Princess who tried to "direct" traffic through the Immigration lines for their own tour passengers, and it only stopped when they got some serious blowback from the Russian immigration officials themselves (and perhaps from irate passengers, as there were quite a few who expressed themselves here on CC at the time....)

 

While Celebrity may be free to decide who gets off their ships and when, I don't think they get to exercise the same control off the ship and in line for immigration.

 

For those who question why one would take a private tour -- it's because they are MUCH better than the large ship tours, especially in St. Petersburg. Small groups can dodge the longer lines, can make changes on the fly, and have control over what they see and do. Not to mention the opportunity for a much more personal interaction with your guide. You might want to read this excellent review of private tours in St. Petersburg, published RIGHT HERE on CC a while back (some things have changed, but not substantively):

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1304

 

 

Well said and thank you. I'm feeling like I shouldn't have said anything on this board. What I said has been twisted and things seem to be getting kind of nasty.

[TeanneTX]

You say the lines going into immigration

 

That sounds like the lines forming on the ship to get off. So it's on celebrity real estate

 

If you said the actual lines in front of the immigration desk it would be a different story

 

 

I'm thinking of a Baltic cruise and it sounds like a mega ship or a ship with 2300 or so isn't the best idea

 

I believe I'll look into smaller ships for this itin

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

It was the line for immigration-Not the line to get off the ship.

[pmcue]

Well said and thank you. I'm feeling like I shouldn't have said anything on this board. What I said has been twisted and things seem to be getting kind of nasty.

You probably shouldn't have labeled it "near riot", blamed Celebrity and said you pushed someone.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

[luvtheships]

You probably shouldn't have labeled it "near riot", blamed Celebrity and said you pushed someone.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

 

 

Wouldn't the main stream media do the same thing. Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[gold1953]

You probably shouldn't have labeled it "near riot", blamed Celebrity and said you pushed someone.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

 

agreed.. the passengers were only going where Celebrity was directing them. Pushing is unacceptable! the near riot .. who was going to start it.. those who initiated the pushing?

Perhaps the Celebrity employee should not have done this .. but paying the high price for the tour gets you to the front of the line

[Arzeena]

I totally understand about getting off the ship first. But that doesn't give them the right to take those who were late (for whatever reason) and put them in front of those who got off the ship at the appropriate time. They had no right to do that.

 

It actually does!

That's one of the "perks" of booking a ship's tour.

It really looks like you are the one who started the riot!

[SEA DOGY]

We will be in SPB next month with Celebrity. After all this we don't now now what we are up against

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[leehal]

One of the most misleading thread titles ever!

 

I'm off to Russia in 3 weeks, will see how it goes for us.

[trosebery]

It actually does!

That's one of the "perks" of booking a ship's tour.

It really looks like you are the one who started the riot!

 

Not unless Celebrity made arrangements with Russian Immigration to have its own tour groups processed separately or otherwise fast-tracked. Or had actually moved them off the ship ahead of the other passengers so that they'd be at the front of the lines inside the Russian Immigration building.

 

But it sounds like somebody on the ship dropped the ball and neglected to do either and just told the passengers to butt in line inside the Russian Immigration building -- a space it does not control.

 

So while there's no excuse for pushing and shoving, yes, it sounds like the fault was Celebrity's.

[awhcruiser]

Sorry but ship excursions take priority over private ones. Pushing someone in line is not going to solve your problem.

I'm presently on Celebrity Silhouette and VERY disappointed in Celebrity's behavior yesterday at St Petersburg Russia. Their behavior nearly caused a riot several times as we were going through Russian immigration. We all knew to expect an hour or longer wait to get through immigration so most people with private tours got up early and got in line early. The lines were incredibly long but everyone was fine with that. We were all excited about our 3 days in SPB. All of a sudden you start hearing people yelling NOOOO and getting very agitated and pushing and shoving. Well what happened was that Celebrity decided to take people on the ships tours and put them in the front of the lines going into

immigration. So all these people who didn't have to wait in line at all were put in front of those of us who planned and got up early to get in line. I had a man who pushed in front of me at the direction of someone from Celebrity-I told him he was not going to go before me and I pushed around him. This was totally inappropriate and uncalled for on Celebrity's part. If they want to treat their ships tours people special then they should have had a seperate line for their ships tours people to go through immigration. I plan to put this on Facebook and then of course tell Celebrity when I get my survey. Shame on you Celebrity-your have been my favorite cruise line but now I will rethink that.

 

Teanne

Aboard Silihouette

[DYKWIA]

Sounds like you started the physical pushing. Its well known that ships excursions get off first. You post your comments on facebook and see if anything comes of it. Surveys are a waste the only care about positives not the complainers. Sorry to break it to you

 

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

Where is the any mention of physical pushing by anyone in the OP? The OP said someone pushed in and they pushed around.

 

It actually does!

That's one of the "perks" of booking a ship's tour.

It really looks like you are the one who started the riot!

 

 

There was no riot! Nearly a riot is not a riot.

 

 

...

 

So while there's no excuse for pushing and shoving, yes, it sounds like the fault was Celebrity's.

 

 

No mention of shoving in the OP post - adding it in implies there is some physical contact where I see no mention of that - Pushing In and Around

Edited May 29, 2017 by DYKWIA

[PROCRUISE]

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".

 

Absolutely true, as I mentioned in previous post on this topic. Our private tour company (Red October) also sent us a similar letter to be used if we had any trouble disembarking/immigration in St. Petersburg, but stated this only seemed to be a problem with Celebrity! No problems at all since we made the choice to go with HAL.

[NLH Arizona]

Absolutely true, as I mentioned in previous post on this topic. Our private tour company (Red October) also sent us a similar letter to be used if we had any trouble disembarking in St. Petersburg, but stated this only seemed to be a problem with Celebrity! No problems at all since we made the choice to go with HAL.

If you take an independent tour, you are just like every other passenger who didn't take a ship's excursion and should not get special treatment, so why would Celebrity abide by a letter from basically a competitor of theirs?

[PROCRUISE]

If you take an independent tour, you are just like every other passenger who didn't take a ship's excursion and should not get special treatment, so why would Celebrity abide by a letter from basically a competitor of theirs?

 

Red October is not a competitor of Celebrity and their information letter implied no special treatment. However, they were aware of Celebrity (especially) holding private tour passengers on the ship for very long periods of time after disembarkation was started followed by longer lines for immigration. Once we informed them that we would be cruising with HAL they stated the information letter would probably not be needed, and it was not..

I have taken hundreds of private tours all over the world. They are less expensive, one is not herded onto a full size bus with 50 others, itinerary is not set in stone, and in St. Petersburg this is very important.

I certainly don't mind waiting my turn to leave the ship, as long as I'm not told that I can't even line up until only ship excursions go first and that ship excursion passengers will be pushed ahead of me in the immigration line which seems to mostly happen only at this port with Celebrity.

[NLH Arizona]

Red October is not a competitor of Celebrity and their information letter implied no special treatment. However, they were aware of Celebrity (especially) holding private tour passengers on the ship for very long periods of time after disembarkation was started followed by longer lines for immigration.

Of course they are a competitor, Celebrity sells tours as part of their business model and as you said Red October sells tours. Yes, you wanted special treatment by being let off the ship ahead of other passengers. They don't hold up independent tour passengers any longer than they do regular passengers who have not booked excursions through them. Those that purchase excursions/tours from Celebrity should be let off the ship first and all the rest of the passengers should follow, but none of them should be treated any differently.