Visa for Petropavlovsk?

[Happy grandma]

We are on the Celebrity Millenium on April 26th 2018. They visit Petropavlovsk in Russia for a day. We don't fancy the ships excursion and they are only short. Do we need to purchase a visa? Does anyone know alternative providers who maybe go to volcanoes? Any advice from previous passengers of this cruise would be gratefully received.

[Big Timber]

I was on the recent transpacific cruise. I did not take a private excursion so cannot help you with that, but visa's were NOT required.

[snowmc]

According to a different post on this board (question about transpacific cruise)...VISAs are not required. Rules for St. Petersburg do not apply. However, they did say that there is not much to do in the city and that customs took a long time. They highly recommended a private company.... http://www.kamchatintour.ru

 

Here is the link to the conversation: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2500999

Edited June 13, 2017 by snowmc

[Hydrokitty]

I would check into this thoroughly well before your departure. I've been to Moscow and St. Pete on a river cruise and had to have a Visa which was around $400 if I remember correctly, took about 5 weeks to get, and while it wasn't hard to get it did involve a lengthy form to be filled out....and that was when we were friends with Russia!!! I'm going back there in August on X and you still need a Visa..... BUT if you take a ship X you're covered under a blanket Visa...however you must leave and return to the ship with the excursion. If you hire a private guide, most of the time the guide will include the Visa in the tour price, but again you must leave and return to the ship with the guide. If you do not have a Visa and are not with a ship or private guide, you may not be allowed to leave the port....or more importantly, get back on the ship!! I would not fool around with Russia...go the the US State Dept website and read their instructions very carefully...things may be changing at any time.

[caribill]

Being so far from Moscow, Petropavlovsk has its own set of rules.

 

I have never been on a cruise ship there, but when we were on a cruise ship that stopped in Vladivostok there were no restrictions about going around on your own without a visa. We did have to carry our passports with us while off the ship.

[downundermatt]

I was on the May 2017 sailing (with Big Timber) and confirm no need for a Russian Visa for Petropavlovsk.

 

The highlight of our cruise was our visit to the Siberian huskies (expensive but well worth it)

[Alakegirl]

Hydrokitty is correct as far as the places she went goes, but there's different rules for Petrozavodsk where no visa is required for cruise ship passengers.

[WAVTAM]

Both Vladivostok and Petrozavodsk do NOT require visa. Been to both places. Just walk off ship.

 

Do agree the customs people take their time looking at passports.

[Happy grandma]

I was on the May 2017 sailing (with Big Timber) and confirm no need for a Russian Visa for Petropavlovsk.

 

The highlight of our cruise was our visit to the Siberian huskies (expensive but well worth it)

Thanks for that.

[Happy grandma]

Hydrokitty is correct as far as the places she went goes, but there's different rules for Petrozavodsk where no visa is required for cruise ship passengers.

Thanks for that

[Happy grandma]

According to a different post on this board (question about transpacific cruise)...VISAs are not required. Rules for St. Petersburg do not apply. However, they did say that there is not much to do in the city and that customs took a long time. They highly recommended a private company.... http://www.kamchatintour.ru

 

Here is the link to the conversation: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2500999

Thanks for that. Very useful