k8ti Posted September 16, 2017 #1 Share Posted September 16, 2017 We are planning our trips on the Baltic cruise and have more or less decided that we will do an organised trip in St Petersburg. The cost seems to be on average 250.00 for a two day trip including visas. Now if we then want to go into the town by ourselves at night will that visa cover us? Also what ideas do you have if we choose to DIY our trip. Himself thinks that 500.00 would be a large chunk of our holiday budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkpanther52 Posted September 16, 2017 #2 Share Posted September 16, 2017 Hi There Was in St Petersburg earlier this year. In my opinion it is well worth doing a tour be it with one of the private companies such as Alla or SPB tours or a ship tour. I am normally a do it myself person but to do all the sites and get an insight into the history etc you really need to do a Tour they are expensive but for me really good value for money. Whatever type you choose the Visa through the tour only covers you when you are ON the tour so unless you book an evening tour you will not be able to go into town in the evening. I would also factor in that the main port is quite far out of the city centre. Hope that helps a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8ti Posted September 17, 2017 Author #3 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Thank you. We will be booking and book a tour with a tour guide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patcf Posted September 17, 2017 #4 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Just back and used Alla tours can't recommend them enough!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8ti Posted September 17, 2017 Author #5 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Having read a lot of the reviews about Alla tours We will be booking with them. It is unlikely that we will return to St Petersburg so want to make the most out of the trip. Tallen looks like another wonderful place to see. A real feast of delights to enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ormy Posted September 17, 2017 #6 Share Posted September 17, 2017 We did the two day Grand Tour with Alla Tours, just superb - it is not expensive when you weigh everything up - all entrance tickets, and meal one day and packed lunch on the other, guide, driver, small group - no waiting for 30 plus to exit a coach, you have to do Alla. You cannot see everything in two days, but you will certainly see more than what Thomson trips offer, and just add up their prices. Enjoy - we certainly did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8ti Posted September 17, 2017 Author #7 Share Posted September 17, 2017 We did the two day Grand Tour with Alla Tours, just superb - it is not expensive when you weigh everything up - all entrance tickets, and meal one day and packed lunch on the other, guide, driver, small group - no waiting for 30 plus to exit a coach, you have to do Alla. You cannot see everything in two days, but you will certainly see more than what Thomson trips offer, and just add up their prices. Enjoy - we certainly did. Did you go on at other trips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retiring soon Posted September 18, 2017 #8 Share Posted September 18, 2017 Hi all! k8ti ~ I also did a Baltic cruise in May & used Alla for the SPB, Helsinki & Tallinn stops. You get a small discount if you do this & also if you tell them you're on Cruise Critic. I did the 2 day Grand Tour & found it covered a lot of places. I was very happy with all the guides & what we saw. ~ Jo ~ :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ormy Posted September 18, 2017 #9 Share Posted September 18, 2017 Helsinki just get the shuttle. Warmunde you can just walk into the town. Oslo easy DIY again just walk. Copenhagen you will need to book something, ship docks a long way from Copenhagen. Stockholm just use the shuttle again. We did Gdansk not Tallin so cannot help with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonTowner Posted September 19, 2017 #10 Share Posted September 19, 2017 It's very easy to arrange tours yourself or DIY on a Baltic cruise. We did the two day tour with Alla in SPB which was excellent. In Tallin we took a taxi to the top of Toopea Hill and walked down. We also did the Ditto train around the town. We had an overnight in Stockholm, so bought a 24 hour travel card which we used on buses, trams and ferries. Vasa Museum well worth a visit. In Gdansk did ship's tour due to time constraints. The cheapest of our ports. We also stopped in Amsterdam, but met up with a Dutch friend. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonTowner Posted September 19, 2017 #11 Share Posted September 19, 2017 I forgot Copenhagen where we picked up the HOHO bus beside the ship. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ormy Posted September 19, 2017 #12 Share Posted September 19, 2017 You must have docked in Copenhagen itself, we docked a 90min journey away with Thomson in July no way we could have used to Ho Ho Bus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonTowner Posted September 19, 2017 #13 Share Posted September 19, 2017 Yes we did. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiecookie Posted September 30, 2017 #14 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Hi all we have just booked this cruise for August next year, 1st time with Thomson. Any idea what the weather will be like then, just wondering if we will get any use of the outside pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ormy Posted October 6, 2017 #15 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Our weather in July was great - shorts & tee shirts all the time, just a little rain in St Petersburg but we managed to dodge the showers - some didn't though. A great cruise with wonderful stops - enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeCountyMan Posted October 6, 2017 #16 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Now if we then want to go into the town by ourselves at night will that visa cover us? I doubt that very much. We wanted to use the free wifi in the cruise terminal - the border personnel would not let us through the checkpoints as we were not listed on any excursions due to depart around that time. I tried in vain to explain that we only needed access to the cafe for an internet connection - a very definite "no comrade" response, in Russian of course !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiecookie Posted October 6, 2017 #17 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Our weather in July was great - shorts & tee shirts all the time, just a little rain in St Petersburg but we managed to dodge the showers - some didn't though. A great cruise with wonderful stops - enjoy Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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