Four Ships Docking Simultaneously

[Eartha Kitten]

I just checked the St. Petersburg port schedule for our upcoming cruise and see that 4 cruise ships are docking simultaneously! One comes in at 7am and the other 3 at 8am. We are scheduled for a private tour to begin at 10 am. So between the multiple ships and the fact that we're not on ship's tour, how realistic is it to expect we'll make the 10am tour time? Thank you!

 

 

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[sammiedawg]

Don’t waste another second worrying. We did private tours and the guides are lined up waiting for the passengers. They won’t leave without you.

We had no issues getting off the ship, we had a brief stop at a window where someone stamped our paperwork. The tour company sent us copies of the visa we presented.

[Earl Rosebery]

You posted this on Oceania thread so you must be on Marina or Nautica. We were there on Marina last year and easily made a 9 AM start. Be prepared to get near the front of the private tour line on board. (They organised separate lines for private and Oceania tours)

SPB is a huge port with 3 separate terminal buildings each with its' own customs facilities. You should be fine. Correspond with your tour co. to be sure.

[KS&JW]

When we were in St. Petersburg two summers ago, there were 7 ships docked at the same time on the Baltic. We also saw two smaller ships, including a "R" ship docked on the river. I had never seen so many cruise ships in one spot before. (We have never been to the Caribbean.) We used a private tour company it and it was not a problem. Don't get me wrong, at the big tourist spots it was very crowded, but the guides and their drivers know how to deal with it.

 

Kathleen

[Eartha Kitten]

Thank you all for sharing your positive experiences. Very helpful!

 

 

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[JimandStan]

Thank you all for sharing your positive experiences. Very helpful!

 

 

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One of the things that I was guilty of, when I first started planning private tours, was that I micromanaged my Tour Guides and failed to benefit from some of their practical experience.

 

Aside from their Tour knowledge, these Guides have had daily experience, sometimes for years in how to pick up their passengers from various cruise ships. They know just where to stand, when to turn on their cellphones, and even what to do if there is a police action on the dock.

 

Bottom line, the Guides know that they don't get paid unless they make your Tour happen. Left to their own devices they WILL make it work

[arima22]

In St. Petersburg the guide companies will also change up the multiday tour schedule to lessen the impact of the crowds. They know where the ship's tour go and when, will be at the tourist sites before the ships tours. Will schedule the tour days around the weekday and weekend traffic, etc.