Thinking of not getting off in St Petersberg!!!!!

[kcdcac13]

So our Baltic cruise in August we are on an overnight stop in St Petersberg, as most do, but looking at costs and what we may want to take the kids to see is it really worth it? We cruise for the ship experience as well as the ports and would rather relax on the boat then spend time in queues and museums ( which are not our thing) The country is also looking far less appealing with political issues etc ( lets not get into that, I'm British!) All I want to know is are we going to be loners on the boat for 2 days if we don't get off??

[Sauer-kraut]

Have you looked into semi private tours set up through your ROLL CALL?? The tour operators can get you around the long lines and they will design the tour to what you would rather see. It seems such a shame to get there and not see anything.... most likely there won't be many staying on board. Why not do a one day tour and stay on the ship for the second day?

[JGmf]

Politics aside, staying on the ship and not visiting SPB would be a blown opportunity for you and your family. How many opportunities will you have to be in Russia? Granted there are many queues and museums, but last summer my family did a "Happy Tour" with Best Guides which also included a visit to their subway, visiting a the local SPB supermart, and walking around town to a cafe, souvenirs place, and ice cream shop. The van was very comfortable and the tour guide was very accommodating.

 

I think you'd be glad you went.

[tallnthensome]

So our Baltic cruise in August we are on an overnight stop in St Petersberg, as most do, but looking at costs and what we may want to take the kids to see is it really worth it? We cruise for the ship experience as well as the ports and would rather relax on the boat then spend time in queues and museums ( which are not our thing) The country is also looking far less appealing with political issues etc ( lets not get into that, I'm British!) All I want to know is are we going to be loners on the boat for 2 days if we don't get off??

Wow! You'd be making a huge mistake and I'm surprised you'd consider not getting off. I mean, it's not often you go there like a Caribbean cruise. You'd be the only two on the ship. We did Moscow and St. Petersburg on Holland America. You must explore and take a tour to Peterhof Palace and the gardens ......This is not an opportunity that comes a way to a family very often. Sorry, If I could reach through my computer screen and shake some sense into you I would! HAHAHA! What are you thinking? Staying on the ship ..... tsk tsk .... :o:eek::(

[FLcruisergrl]

It is so incredibly worth it. The history is amazing and your kids should see it...Catherine the Great’s summer palace, the Amber Room, the Hermitage, Fabrege (sp?) eggs...

[rtownsend10]

I will be taking the Baltic cruise next June on the Getaway. While I don’t agree with Russia from a political or human rights standpoint I refuse to let this stop me from experiencing the long and educational history of SP. I see this as an once in a lifetime experience that should not be missed.

 

 

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[yankees111]

I would definitely get off the ship in St Petersburg. You will regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t. It is one of the nicest cities in Florida lol🤣🤣🤣

 

 

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[Seminole1975]

I agree with everyone on this thread. You would probably be the only 2 people on the ship and missing a great opportunity. Do some research and find a tour that you would be interested in. We did a private tour and did not wait in one line. Plus the guide was flexible about where we wanted to go. Don't miss out!

[nilesmom22]

I visited a little over 20 years ago and it's still one of the coolest places I've seen and I've travelled a LOT. It's stunning and I think you would be missing so much. The summer palace is gorgeous. Please consider one of the tours.

[zqvol]

Of all the places to visit and stay ont eh ship St. Petersberg is not the place to stay on board. If you are going to skip that port, find a cheap cruise instead of one that goes there.

[Ask4Jay]

Guys, guys, not so fast!

You forgot the “me”, as for me it’s worth it.

I am with the OP, I’d rather stay on board and enjoy the empty ship. Remember that we all have different interests and priorities. Good trip to all, regardless ...

[K&d’smom]

To each his own but I am with the vast majority. St. Petersburg is not to be missed. On our cruise a few years ago I was really sick and missed day one in St Petersburg. THANK GOD I was well enough to go day 2. Hands down my favorite city anywhere and I travel a lot. We did a private tour and they handled everything. We didn’t wait in any lines. My family told me about all the things I missed on day 1 and I’ve decided I must go back some day. My opinion, don’t miss St Petersburg. Skip Finland. We did and based upon the feedback we got from fellow passengers, we didn’t miss much. No matter what you decide I hope you have a great time.

[BirdTravels]

So our Baltic cruise in August we are on an overnight stop in St Petersberg, as most do, but looking at costs and what we may want to take the kids to see is it really worth it? We cruise for the ship experience as well as the ports and would rather relax on the boat then spend time in queues and museums ( which are not our thing) The country is also looking far less appealing with political issues etc ( lets not get into that, I'm British!) All I want to know is are we going to be loners on the boat for 2 days if we don't get off??

This should be the highlight of the cruise. It would be foolish not to spend as much time ashore as possible.

[in2up2]

To each his own but I am with the vast majority. St. Petersburg is not to be missed. On our cruise a few years ago I was really sick and missed day one in St Petersburg. THANK GOD I was well enough to go day 2. Hands down my favorite city anywhere and I travel a lot. We did a private tour and they handled everything. We didn’t wait in any lines. My family told me about all the things I missed on day 1 and I’ve decided I must go back some day. My opinion, don’t miss St Petersburg. Skip Finland. We did and based upon the feedback we got from fellow passengers, we didn’t miss much. No matter what you decide I hope you have a great time.

 

 

 

Agree. If I were going to skip a port in the Baltics it would be Helsinki. But definitely not St. Petersburg. We splurged on a private tour with our three kids, and our guide bypassed most of the crowds at the Hermitage because we didn't care about the paintings, wanted to see the palace itself. And the interior of the Church on Spilled Blood is one of the most fabulous things I've ever seen.

 

 

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[Knuts-mn]

I am on the Breakaway on 5/11 and we are taking this cruise mostly for st Petersburg so wild horses could not keep us on board. If museums are not their thing they should stay on board and enjoy the peace and quiet. To each his own. Have a great time in your cruise and do what you want to do. That is why we cruise.

[vtglobetraveler]

Of all the places to visit and stay ont eh ship St. Petersberg is not the place to stay on board. If you are going to skip that port, find a cheap cruise instead of one that goes there.

 

 

 

Check out SPB tours. They have small groups of 15 or less. St Petersburg is amazing. Don’t deprive your children and yourselves of a one in a lifetime experience.

 

 

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[Mslmesq]

My parents took me on a baltic cruise 28 years ago. I still remember the St Petersberg tours. Amazing. I hope someday to go again with my husband and child, when he’s older and can remember it.

 

Never would I consider not getting off the shipmin St Petersberg.

[kitkat343]

Have you considered a private tour for just your family? We took one since our son was 3 so we needed flexibility over the schedule, and to take breaks whenever he needed them. With our small family group, we skipped all lines at the museums, which exist to space out the large cruise ship tours (the 16 person group tours might also be able to skip lines - I just don't know). Our small group was able to maneuver around the larger tours, and we were never crowded. We wanted to see most of the standard highlights of St. Petersburg, but you might prefer to completely customize your itinerary to cut out the museums. You might want to post a question on the Baltic board telling people what you and your children are interested in, and hopefully they can help you find things to do. There's apparently a cat cafe, and a model railway museum (I haven't seen them, just read about them on the forums where people are looking for different tours).

 

I think your kids would like to take a hydrofoil to Peterhof, where they would enjoy the trick fountains. Stolle is an easy place to stop for a very tasty lunch (lots of yummy sweet and savory pies).

 

If you do decide to stay on the ship, it will probably be quiet but you won't be completely alone. I knew of several people who only took tours one of the two days through the ship. That also might be something to consider if the expense of a two day private tour is too much - you can email the companies to see what a one day private tour would cost for your family.

[sverigecruiser]

So our Baltic cruise in August we are on an overnight stop in St Petersberg, as most do, but looking at costs and what we may want to take the kids to see is it really worth it? We cruise for the ship experience as well as the ports and would rather relax on the boat then spend time in queues and museums ( which are not our thing) The country is also looking far less appealing with political issues etc ( lets not get into that, I'm British!) All I want to know is are we going to be loners on the boat for 2 days if we don't get off??

 

I should probably stay on the ship in St Petersburg. For me a cruise on the Baltic sea should only be about the ship, not the ports.

 

Maybe you will be alone on the ship but isn't that a good thing!?

[sverigecruiser]

Wow! You'd be making a huge mistake and I'm surprised you'd consider not getting off. I mean, it's not often you go there like a Caribbean cruise.

 

How can you know this? Maybe they have been on lots of Baltic cruises and never in the Caribbean.

 

And even if they have been to the Caribbean a lots of times maybe the ports are more important there than in the Baltic sea. We were on our first Mediterranean cruise last summer and we stayed on the ship in two ports. In the Caribbean we only stay on the ship in Nassau.

[AusQueen]

The tours for St Petersburg are really quite pricey but are well worth it. It was in our bucket list to see the Baltics and see part of the old Russia. Politics aside, St Petersburg is a very beautiful place. The other countries that are part of the Baltic cruises are a bit boring when compared to St Petersburg. St Pete's is the crown of that cruise.

[maggie cruises]

To this day...my land based trip in 1988 to (still communist) Moscow and Leningrad (st Petersburg) stands out as my all time favorite. The history the culture!

 

If you want well educated kids...get off that ship...and for as long and as many tours as possible...

 

Alternately...keep their hand held gaming devices well charged and sit in your cabin during the stop

 

 

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[pe4all]

We are on this cruise in August. I was "out-voted" in taking a Baltic cruise, but after doing tons of research I am now looking forward to these ports- especially SPB. As far as staying on the ship - we now do this for the many Bahamas/Caribbean ports we have visited multiple times. We enjoy the peace and quiet. But for this port-intensive cruise, I would at least get off one day in Russia to cram in as many sights as possible. We have begun booking "private" tours for our family of 4 (one is a special needs) as we have much more flexibility in what we want to see, how long we want to be at a place, etc. They are usually cheaper than the cruise ship's excursions. While it is totally the OP's choice, I would never stay onboard if it was my first time at a port.

[njkate]

Too each his own. We booked this cruise for the ports, especially SPB, In the grand scheme a Baltic cruise is not cheap, more than likely will never do it again so we are not staying on ship in any port

[Seminole1975]

There's apparently a cat cafe, and a model railway museum (I haven't seen them, just read about them on the forums where people are looking for different tours).

 

I think your kids would like to take a hydrofoil to Peterhof, where they would enjoy the trick fountains. Stolle is an easy place to stop for a very tasty lunch (lots of yummy sweet and savory pies).

 

 

There is also a Soviet Arcade Game Museum my son went to and loved it.

 

Also a Vodka Museum for the grown ups attached to a wonderful restaurant.

 

And don't forget the Faberge Museum with the Eggs and so much more.