St Petersburg -Excursion including the Nevsky Prospect

[gma rae]

21 hours ago, Shelldor said:

 

We were in St. Petersburg in July 2018.  This rumor was all over the boards back then.  It was not true!  Princess had everyone report to a staging area where you are assigned a group number.  We waited about 10 minutes for our group to be called.  Russian customs didn't know or care what group we were in.  The only issue is whether your tour guide can enter the area where you are to be picked up.  If they scheduled you for 8:30 am, just get to the staging area by 7:15 to give you enough time to clear customs on the first day.  The second day is a breeze. 

 

Thanks so much that helps alot!  I was planning on the 7:15 time but was thinking I was going straight to the gangway. So just for clarity is the group just random people who show up at the staging area at the  same time or an organized group? We are with a tour but have no idea who is in our group for the tour, the tour company is organizing the groups.

[Shelldor]

5 minutes ago, gma rae said:

 

Thanks so much that helps alot!  I was planning on the 7:15 time but was thinking I was going straight to the gangway. So just for clarity is the group just random people who show up at the staging area at the  same time or an organized group? We are with a tour but have no idea who is in our group for the tour, the tour company is organizing the groups.

Random people who show up at staging.  Once you get through customs, the tour companies all have agents with signs and they will direct you to where you need to be.  Don't sweat it.  There were 5 ships in port when we arrived and the whole process took us 45-50 minutes.  We were through customs in plenty of time for our 8:30 tour.  Have a great time.

[gma rae]

Thanks, I appreciate the information, now I feel prepared!

[ksm77]

On ‎12‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 8:48 AM, claudiniusmaximus said:

Hi

 

Yes we did that princess excursion in June. Got picked up from the ship

around 9 if memory serves then straight to a guided tour in the Hermitage. The guide then drove us to a department store gift shop off Nevsky Prospekt near the Church of the Bleeding Heart. That was about 12.30. 

 

Then we had i think 3 hours free to wander wander around by ourselves and we met back outside the gift shop to be taken back to the ship for around 4ish. We visited the church, wandered up and down Nevsky Prospekt a bit, found somewhere for lunch  etc. Was nice to be able to do that. 

 

We also did this tour in July of 2017.  This is exactly what we did, we really enjoyed the free time to shop a little we found a very nice sidewalk café for lunch.  The Hermitage was amazing we really enjoyed touring it but we also enjoying having some free time away from the group.  This was a perfect day for us. 

[JOregon]

On 1/24/2019 at 1:27 PM, ksm77 said:

 

We also did this tour in July of 2017.  This is exactly what we did, we really enjoyed the free time to shop a little we found a very nice sidewalk café for lunch.  The Hermitage was amazing we really enjoyed touring it but we also enjoying having some free time away from the group.  This was a perfect day for us. 

Was there much to see in the Nevsky Prospekt shopping area, or was it similar to other big cities?  We would like free time, but don't want to just spend time in another big city where we could be in any city.

 

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, JOregon said:

Was there much to see in the Nevsky Prospekt shopping area, or was it similar to other big cities?  We would like free time, but don't want to just spend time in another big city where we could be in any city.

 

The latest posts in this thread are from last year.

Not sure if you will get an answer.

You might try the Northern Europe board.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/116-northern-europe-amp-baltic-sea/

[charlie murphy]

1 hour ago, JOregon said:

Was there much to see in the Nevsky Prospekt shopping area, or was it similar to other big cities?  We would like free time, but don't want to just spend time in another big city where we could be in any city.

 

there is a Ton to see ! All within "easy" walking ( it is all flat) distance of the Church on Spilled Blood. you will need to do your research. I would look at a map and pick a couple of places you might like to see. then depending on the drop off spot make a goal of getting to that spot. It is a big place.  but you will only have to navigate one major street if you get tired, walk back the other side of the street to your meeting point. you can walk a block off the main drag and come right back It is so easy .do not let this tread or what you read here intimidate you into thinking that you can not see SP ON YOUR OWN even if you just want a little time to explore. If you walk from the church and hit Nevsky prospect you can go left or right and see wonderful churches, bridges , the kazan cathedral, maybe walk all the way back to the hemitage and loop around to the church ? so many choices . So, So much to see and to have your feet on the pavement and experience the sites much slower then moving by in your motor coach. try to get that free time! if not see if your guide will do part of the tour as a walking tour down nevsky prospect with a pick up a the next site? PS . we traveled with a visa in SP , there for two days.  we got off the ship without waiting , we went though customs without delay ( it is true there is no smiling by the customs officials ) . took public transportation through out the city. Bus and subway. I was a bit anxious getting started but people are helpful you will be surprised how many of the ship's crew get time off in SP and they gave us a lot of good information on the bus to the subway. GOOD LUCK . you will love it.  .