Excursion delays

[travellingscouse]

I am new to NCL and on the Getaway in September and have booked a 2 day tour with Alla tours in St Petersburg, which is loads cheaper than the official NCL equivalent, and also looks great. I have now heard from various forums that NCL let official tour people off first and others off later, therfore potentially missing the Alla tour. Can anybody shed some light on whether this actually happens, and has anyone ever missed their tour for this reason? Cheers all.!

[fabnfortysomething]

1 hour ago, travellingscouse said:

I am new to NCL and on the Getaway in September and have booked a 2 day tour with Alla tours in St Petersburg, which is loads cheaper than the official NCL equivalent, and also looks great. I have now heard from various forums that NCL let official tour people off first and others off later, therfore potentially missing the Alla tour. Can anybody shed some light on whether this actually happens, and has anyone ever missed their tour for this reason? Cheers all.!

 

 

Don't worry

Alla and all the private tour companies are well aware of situation and will wait for you-after all most companies don't actually take your money till day 2 of tour

 

when you think thousands of people on the ship are all wanting to get off ASAP but it takes at least a couple of minutes per person to be processed through immigration it leads to long delays on first day

 

a couple of years ago the ships companies succeeded in getting official priority to get their excursions through first and private tour companies aren't allowed into port until 90 mins after ships buses[widespread speculation as to how much money changed hands!!]

 

However by starting your tour a little later on day 1 and missing worst of immigration queues you can finish day 1 later and still get to see everything as the guides know how to avoid busiest times at places like Hermitage and indeed the smaller parties can sneak in ahead of large groups

 

day 2 is much quicker through immigration so can start earlier if you want to

 

bottom line you will not miss your tour

[travellingscouse]

Thank you for such an imformative reply @fabnfortysomething. Thats reasurring. 😉

[FLConnie]

2 hours ago, travellingscouse said:

I am new to NCL and on the Getaway in September and have booked a 2 day tour with Alla tours in St Petersburg, which is loads cheaper than the official NCL equivalent, and also looks great. I have now heard from various forums that NCL let official tour people off first and others off later, therfore potentially missing the Alla tour. Can anybody shed some light on whether this actually happens, and has anyone ever missed their tour for this reason? Cheers all.!

The last NCL cruise we were on in April, all of the tour meeting points were off the ship and no longer making passengers meet in the theatre and be escorted off. Even ones that required a tender.  It was nice to get off on your own and not have to be escorted off the ship. I don't know if this is the new norm or not.  I realize you are on your own tour, so you wouldn't have to "wait" for the NCL tour groups to get off first.

 

Also, if you are in the Haven you will get priority and escorted off regardless.

Edited June 9, 2019 by FLConnie
added info

[NIX70]

we had heard something similar when we were cruising the Baltic last September on Oceania. We also booked with Alla for the 2 day St Petersburg tour and were so concerned that we might be delayed that we got off the ship an hour before we were scheduled to meet them to make sure we had enough time to get through immigration. As it was we sailed through (make sure you have the Alla paperwork with you to show they have organised your visa) and had to hang around for about 40 mins. Second day was even easier, through in about 10 mins. 

 

Enjoy your trip with Alla, it was superb. We added on the ballet the first evening and they booked the most dreadful seats so we wouldn't advise that, but the day tours were first class. 

[EllieinNJ]

We did the Baltics last May on the Breakaway also with Alla.  We got a note in our cabin to go to the reservation desk in the theater to get a disembarkation time for St. Petersburg.  I went right away and got group B while another on my roll call went a little later and got group F.  I told her to go with us.  We were instructed to go to the theater but I noticed people passing the library and just getting off the ship so we followed them.  No waiting.

[1025cruise]

Yes. The cruise lines worked with Russian officials to process guests on cruise line tours before those on private tours. Don't worry, the tours are well aware of the situation.

[Turtles06]

9 hours ago, FLConnie said:

The last NCL cruise we were on in April, all of the tour meeting points were off the ship and no longer making passengers meet in the theatre and be escorted off. Even ones that required a tender.  It was nice to get off on your own and not have to be escorted off the ship. I don't know if this is the new norm or not.  I realize you are on your own tour, so you wouldn't have to "wait" for the NCL tour groups to get off first.

 

Also, if you are in the Haven you will get priority and escorted off regardless.

 

The OP is asking about the very specific situation in St. Petersburg, which is rather unique as comment 2 above shows. 

[nwcruiselover]

When I did a Baltic cruise on Getaway, we had only one day in St. Petersburg.  I had a private tour booked through TJ Travel.  It’s true that they let the people with private tours exit the ship first, with everyone else leaving afterwards.  Given that St. Petersburg is one port where nearly every passenger plans to get off, there was a very long line to get off the ship, followed by another long line at Russian immigration.  It was a total of about two hours from the time we lined up till we got through immigration.  Our TJ Travel van was waiting for us, since they understand the situation.  Our tour left an hour late, but we still got to see everything, just a little less time at some stops.  I’m sure Alla is well aware of the problem and will wait.  

Edited June 9, 2019 by nwcruiselover