Restrictions in St. Petersburg

[stevenr597]

We are scheduled for the Baltic Sea Cruise on the Regal Princess the end of July. Our travel agent notified us that Princess was notified by the Russian Government that, for security reasons, that Private Tour Groups will be delayed access to the Port for 90 minutes after the ship docks. This delay will not affect individuals who have booked tours by Princess.

[CruiserBruce]

Correct. This has been discussed extensively on the Northern Europe board. It applies to ALL private tours, not just Princess cruisers.

[casofilia]

We were in Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka with the Norwegian Jewel and had the same situation. The Russians gave out the passports for those on NCL tours only after they had finished doing those on NCL tours. If you have only 90 minutes to wait you will be very lucky, it took a lot longer there and some people missed their private tours.

[satxdiver]

We will be calling on St Petersburg next June so good information to know. Thanks.

[Wehwalt]

Unless they won't let you off, or Russian immigration won't let you through, you could take a taxi out of the port, or the city bus, or possibly walk.

[Married15]

This is from a recent review of The Regal:

 

Now, I must say- Princess is giving definite preference to it’s ship-based excursions. We received several letters in our cabin stating that “if you booked privately...” expect to wait until Princess tours depart. Expect delays in Passport Control. And they were correct.

After I finished breakfast, I went to Concerto Dining Room to get my “ticket”. I was given number 567. I sat for about 5 minutes before they called 550 to 600. It took me only a few minutes to disembark. I was directed to one of the lines in Passport Control. They asked for my passport and my tour ticket. Fortunately, I had printed this. If you do not purchase a Princess tour or book a private tour- you will need to secure a visa. I am not sure how one does this—and I am only telling you this as a warning. St. Petersburg is NOT a “walk-off port”. In Passport Control, my passport was actually scrutinized and my tour ticket was checked against a list. This is notably different than my first visit to this port in 2007. (On that cruise, Princess collected our passports on board and they were checked out of our presence. The passports were returned to us after we left Russia.). This line took about 25 minutes to negotiate.

[Micahs Grandad]

This is from a recent review of The Regal:

 

Now, I must say- Princess is giving definite preference to it’s ship-based excursions. We received several letters in our cabin stating that “if you booked privately...” expect to wait until Princess tours depart. Expect delays in Passport Control. And they were correct.

After I finished breakfast, I went to Concerto Dining Room to get my “ticket”. I was given number 567. I sat for about 5 minutes before they called 550 to 600. It took me only a few minutes to disembark. I was directed to one of the lines in Passport Control. They asked for my passport and my tour ticket. Fortunately, I had printed this. If you do not purchase a Princess tour or book a private tour- you will need to secure a visa. I am not sure how one does this—and I am only telling you this as a warning. St. Petersburg is NOT a “walk-off port”. In Passport Control, my passport was actually scrutinized and my tour ticket was checked against a list. This is notably different than my first visit to this port in 2007. (On that cruise, Princess collected our passports on board and they were checked out of our presence. The passports were returned to us after we left Russia.). This line took about 25 minutes to negotiate.

 

We were there last July and we had no problem getting off early. Our tour ticket from SPB served as our visa and we did have to have our passport with us. This could be a way for the cruise ship to squeeze more people into their tours to avoid this delay.

 

After talking to people on Princess tours we did get a better tour which was less crowded and a lot cheaper.

[wheezedr]

Unless they won't let you off, or Russian immigration won't let you through, you could take a taxi out of the port, or the city bus, or possibly walk.

Would have to assume that you have never cruised to St. Petersburg. Unless you have a Russian Visa, which most passengers do not obtain, what you state is incorrect. Without your own Visa you may only go into town under the auspices of a tour companies Visa, whether a private company or one which contracts with the cruise line. The change this year is that the local authorities are now not allowing the private tour operators into the port until they have cleared the passengers on the ships tours. This is mainly a problem on day one of a multiple day stop. Private tours companies still offer the benefits of smaller, more mobile tours and better pricing. They just have to find ways to make up the early delay

[rentlady]

Last year we were on this cruise, both days we were on ship excursions. It took us an hour and a half to get off the ship, pass thru immigration and then get on our tour bus each time. Just plan to do a lot of waiting in line.

[Hlitner]

Unless they won't let you off, or Russian immigration won't let you through, you could take a taxi out of the port, or the city bus, or possibly walk.

 

Everything you say is wrong so we assume you have never visited this port. Russian ports have their own procedures which are quite unique to Russia. And the new changes regarding private tours now complicate things.

 

Hank

[stevenr597]

Everything you say is wrong so we assume you have never visited this port. Russian ports have their own procedures which are quite unique to Russia. And the new changes regarding private tours now complicate things.

 

Hank

 

To get off the ship, without being booked on a government approved tour, you must apply for a Vista, from the Russian Embassy or Consulate well in advance, and it is my understanding that it is quite expensive.

 

In most cases, when we tour off the ship, be book a tour from the ship, in this case Princess. Many individuals say that the private tours are less expensive, and better. However, this may be one of the many advantages to paying a bit more and booking from the cruise line.

[Micahs Grandad]

To get off the ship, without being booked on a government approved tour, you must apply for a Vista, from the Russian Embassy or Consulate well in advance, and it is my understanding that it is quite expensive.

 

In most cases, when we tour off the ship, be book a tour from the ship, in this case Princess. Many individuals say that the private tours are less expensive, and better. However, this may be one of the many advantages to paying a bit more and booking from the cruise line.

 

Could be but since they do an overnight the private tour could just arrange to start say 2 hours after docking to avoid delays.

[susancruzs]

The posters talking about the rules in St. Petersburg are correct. There is no walking or catching a cab like other ports, that generalization does not apply to Russia. On my cruise, a gal from Australia, had to go through a great deal to get permission, a visa to stay overnight off the ship with a friend of hers living in St. Petersburg. It was very expensive and complicated. She was glad she went, for a glimpse of what it is truly like to live and rent an apartment in Russia, quite the eye opening experience apparently.

[Hlitner]

To get off the ship, without being booked on a government approved tour, you must apply for a Vista, from the Russian Embassy or Consulate well in advance, and it is my understanding that it is quite expensive.

 

In most cases, when we tour off the ship, be book a tour from the ship, in this case Princess. Many individuals say that the private tours are less expensive, and better. However, this may be one of the many advantages to paying a bit more and booking from the cruise line.

 

We never found any advantage to a cruise line excursion :). The reputable private tour providers (i.e. TJ Tours, Alla, etc) all provide the necessary Group Visa (sent via e-mail) as part of their tour. Up until this year it was often possible to be off the ship before most of the cruise line tours and the Russian authorities could have cared less whether you were on a cruise line excursion or a private tour as long as you had your Visa paperwork and Passport. But alas, this was not working out well for the cruise lines as more and more passengers moved to the private tours (for good reason) and away from the overpriced and overcrowded cruise line excursions. So now, it sounds like a deal has been struck to give some cruise lines a new marketing ploy for their excursions. "If you go with anyone else you must wait on the ship!"

 

I will give you a real good example of the advantage of private tours. About two years ago, while on a HAL cruise, we decided to use TJ Tours for a 2 day tour in St Petersburg. This was not our first visit but we still find much to enjoy. A few days before we got to the Port we decided we might want to go to the Ballet during our first evening. But we did not want to make a commitment since we thought we might be too tired. The first day we decided that perhaps we wanted to go to see Swan Lake that same evening. We mentioned this to our TJ Tours guide and she quickly called her office and made the arrangements. For about 30% less than the cruise line's excursion we were met at the port by a private car/driver, driven directly to the theater, and perfect seats, and was met after the performance and driven back to the ship. Now that is what I call service! As to the tour, we were with a group of 12 on a beautiful new Mercedes mini-bus (that had 20 seats) with our own driver and guide...both of whom spoke excellent English. Other friends on that same cruise used Alla Tours and were equally happy. No big buses, no dealing with a large group....just a small group tour for a big discount over cruise line excursions.

 

Hank

[stevenr597]

Could be but since they do an overnight the private tour could just arrange to start say 2 hours after docking to avoid delays.

 

Yes and no. If the tours got back late the first night to the ship, it may conflict with the individuals who have booked a full days activities off of the ship, and then will wind up either being late or missing dinner.

 

One can debate whether the private are better than the ships tours. We have done both, and our experiences are a little different. We have always liked the tours we booked on Princess, in fact, in many instances they have an individual from the ship accompany the tour to take care of any problems.

[caribill]

When we did this itinerary with Princess we used Red October for our two days in St.Peterburg.

 

Every passenger we spoke with that had a Princess tour was very happy with it, so in that port Princess does have good quality excursions.

 

However our Red October tour went to more sites than the Princess tours went, did this in a smaller vehicle, and cost about half of the Princess price. Those who had tours with Alla, SPB, etc. also greatly enjoyed their tours which also cost about half of what the Princess tours cost.

[Micahs Grandad]

When we did this itinerary with Princess we used Red October for our two days in St.Peterburg.

 

Every passenger we spoke with that had a Princess tour was very happy with it, so in that port Princess does have good quality excursions.

 

However our Red October tour went to more sites than the Princess tours went, did this in a smaller vehicle, and cost about half of the Princess price. Those who had tours with Alla, SPB, etc. also greatly enjoyed their tours which also cost about half of what the Princess tours cost.

 

One of the people in our van asked a question about the Great Synagogue of St Petersburg and tour guide said we had enough time before having to be at the Hermitage that we could stop for a short visit.

 

Made a great excursion that much better. That would never happen on a Princess tour.

[ontheweb]

One of the people in our van asked a question about the Great Synagogue of St Petersburg and tour guide said we had enough time before having to be at the Hermitage that we could stop for a short visit.

 

Made a great excursion that much better. That would never happen on a Princess tour.

 

We had that synagogue added to our itinerary on our Alla tour before we ever got to Russia. Again, something you could not do for a ship's tour.

 

I spoke to several people who took Princess tours, and generally they were happy with their tours. But, I did hear some complaints. One person told me the air conditioning on their bus did not work. (It was 88 degrees when we were there.) Another said after I mentioned our guide had 18 years experience that their guide was only 18. And one other said that their guide lamented that communism was gone.

 

A true shame that somehow the cruise lines have somehow got the Russian authorities to actually make it true when the cruise line warns you that a private tour will get you delayed.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

Up until this year it was often possible to be off the ship before most of the cruise line tours and the Russian authorities could have cared less whether you were on a cruise line excursion or a private tour as long as you had your Visa paperwork and Passport.

would this new rule have any effect on passengers holding passports which allow visa-less entrance to Russia? That is, if they chose not to go on a tour, but walk around by themselves.

[wheezedr]

One of the people in our van asked a question about the Great Synagogue of St Petersburg and tour guide said we had enough time before having to be at the Hermitage that we could stop for a short visit.

 

Made a great excursion that much better. That would never happen on a Princess tour.

This just reconfirms the points always made about private tours. They use smaller vehicles, which makes them more flexible and quicker to load and unload, they are less expensive, and they are generally more flexible, whether you change things in advance or especially if you want to make changes or additions on the fly.

[Micahs Grandad]

We had that synagogue added to our itinerary on our Alla tour before we ever got to Russia. Again, something you could not do for a ship's tour.

 

I spoke to several people who took Princess tours, and generally they were happy with their tours. But, I did hear some complaints. One person told me the air conditioning on their bus did not work. (It was 88 degrees when we were there.) Another said after I mentioned our guide had 18 years experience that their guide was only 18. And one other said that their guide lamented that communism was gone.

 

A true shame that somehow the cruise lines have somehow got the Russian authorities to actually make it true when the cruise line warns you that a private tour will get you delayed.

 

We were amazed at the knowledge our SPB tour guide had. Took us to Faberge museum and she knew so much about each egg, what was in it, why is was made, etc. An 18 year old tour guide could never have the knowledge ours has..

[Pierlesscruisers]

A true shame that somehow the cruise lines have somehow got the Russian authorities to actually make it true when the cruise line warns you that a private tour will get you delayed.

 

Am I misreading this or are you actually claiming that Princess has actually colluded with the Russian authorities to intentionally delay some or all private tours?

 

 

Tom

[ontheweb]

Am I misreading this or are you actually claiming that Princess has actually colluded with the Russian authorities to intentionally delay some or all private tours?

 

 

Tom

 

From the thread, it seems it is not only passengers on Princess who are affected. Unless something is going on between the cruise lines and the Russian authorities, why would they discriminate against the local tour guides?

[Pierlesscruisers]

From the thread, it seems it is not only passengers on Princess who are affected. Unless something is going on between the cruise lines and the Russian authorities, why would they discriminate against the local tour guides?

 

I have no idea why there would be any such descrimination. You were the one that brought up the subject that someone had "somehow got the Russian authorities to actually make it true when the cruise line warns you that a private tour will get you delayed." I was just wodering if I had understood what you were claiming correctly or not.

 

Tom

[capriccio]

These warnings are nothing new. We were on the Baltic cruise on the Emerald Princess in 2009. At that time we were warned by Princess that disembarkation priority was given to their tours by the Russian government if I remember correctly. We were reassured by folks on cruise critic that was not the case. We reserved a 2 day tour with Alla and would do it again in a heartbeat. Alla instructed us to get off as soon as possible which was more or less simultaneously with the Princess tour groups. They departed from the forward exit which makes sense since they met in the theater while those of us on private tours exited at the rear of the ship. It did take a while to get through the immigration lines but we were in our van right on time.