Master thread of St. Petersburg advice and recommendations from cruisers who've been!

[trosebery]

In an attempt to consolidate a lot of the St. P. threads for easier reference by future cruisers. . . . 

 

Cruisers who've been to St. Petersburg (especially those who've visited in 2019)? Please reply to this post to offer the benefit of your experience to next season's cruisers. What tour company did you work with? What tour did you take? What did you like about it? What advice to you have to offer? What recommendations can you make? (Would you choose to do anything differently if you were to go again?)

 

Cruisers destined for St. Petersburg? Have fun!

 

Intro FAQ:

 

Q: My cruise line tells me that unless I'm on a ship's tour, I need to have a Russian visa to be allowed off the ship. Is this true?

 

A. No. You have 3 options: booking a tour through the ship; obtaining a Russia visa; OR booking a flat-rate or private “visa-free” tour through an independent tour operator.

Many cruise lines will try to mislead you that unless you have booked a tour with them or have a Russian visa, or you won't be allowed off the ship. This is simply not true. There are many independent tour operators who are allowed to offer “visa-free” tours under their blanket visa: they will send you a tour ticket that you will show to Russian immigration officials along with your passport when you disembark.

 

Q: But aren't there other advantages to booking a ship's tour, like the back-to-the ship guarantee? I don't want to be stranded in Russia!

 

A. It is true that the ship's tours offer a “back to the ship” guarantee. . . . But so do the independent tour operators! Consider: stranding tourists in Russia would not only be really bad for their reputations, it would also get them into trouble with Russian officials. You will get back to your ship on schedule. 

 

Q: But aren't the ship's tours allowed off the ship first?

 

A: While it may be true (depending on your cruise line) that ship's tours may be given priority on the first day (independent tour operators may not be allowed in the port until 90 minutes after the ship's arrival), having to wait isn't really a disadvantage: you'll get to sleep in a little later and you'll still be able to see everything you want to see. The independent tour groups, because they're smaller, will often be able to navigate around the lines (you'll hear more about this in the recommendations below).

 

Q. So I should definitely not take a ship's tour?

 

A. No, it's completely up to you. You may have other valid reasons for wanting to book a tour through the ship. Plenty of people do book tours through the ship . . . and enjoy them. You'll probably read some recommendations for tours booked through the ship below. Just don't book a tour through the ship for the wrong reasons (such as being misled into thinking it's the only safe or reliable option).

 

Q: Why not just get Russian visas?

 

A. Expense, hassle, time (it can take months to obtain a visa), and those lines I mentioned above: for example, the line for Catherine Palace can be hours long if you're not with a group. Most people, especially if they are interested in visiting the more popular attractions, decide that it's just easier to let someone else worry about immigration and admissions (and transportation). However, I'm sure someone who did obtain a visa will chime in below, and you can read to help you decide if it's the best choice for you. (If you just want to spend a day strolling the Nevsky Prospekt, maybe it is!)

 

Q: Should I book a private tour?

 

A: Maybe? If your budget allows it, booking a private tour will allow you to set your own itinerary and your own pace and you will get more personal attention from your guide. (And you may discover that private tours are more affordable than you think, especially if you are travelling with a family group.) But if your budget doesn't allow it, don't worry: you will probably find that there's a flat-rate tour that fits your needs (especially if you're a first-time visitor) . . . or you may find like-minded people on your Roll Call who'd like to share a customized tour.

 

Q: So if I want to book a tour with an independent tour operator, which independent tour operator is the best? Which tour is the best?

 

A. We can't guess which tour would be best for you. All the independent tour operators that you'll see recommended here are very professional and all their tours are amazing: you are unlikely to be disappointed in any of them, although there may be some that better suit your personal preferences. All we can do here is describe our experiences and explain what we liked and why.

 

For answers to more detailed questions like when and how to pay for different types of tours, read on. . . .

[trosebery]

Date of visit: August 2019
Tour company: Red Sun Tours
Tour: Private tour (for 3 people) with customized itinerary

 

Why I booked with Red Sun Tours: I made a list of about 10 tour companies that I'd seen recommended on here and on TripAdvisor, and I emailed each to ask if they could arrange a private tour for us, and if they could incorporate some ideas that I had. Most companies replied that yes, they would be happy to arrange a private tour for me and here were the links to their most popular tours. Elena from Red Sun Tours actually read the details of my ideas and came up with three possible sample itineraries that incorporated my ideas. I took this as a good sign. Also, Red Sun's TripAdvisor reviews raved about their guides – their knowledge and their storytelling abilities – and since we'd be interacting a lot with our guide on a private tour, I decided that that was important to us.

 

Why I booked a private tour: My son and I had visited St. Petersburg before and there were some places that we felt we didn't need to see twice (e.g. Catherine Palace: lots of gold and amber but lots of people and lots of driving to get there) and there were some things that intrigued us (e.g. a museum of vintage Soviet arcade games that handed you 15 kopek coins and let you play them? Yes, please!). We wanted to customize our itinerary . . . and we wanted set our own pace. We didn't want to have to wait around for others to visit the toilets but we wanted to be able to pause and take photos of sights that interested us instead of having to hurry to catch up to the group; etc. Booking a private tour was pricier than booking a flat-rate tour – but I put money I'd saved from a price drop on our cruise toward it!

 

Our experience with the company and the tour: It was amazing! Our guide everything we'd hoped for -- knowledgeable and engaging and committed to making our experience the best it could be, not only sharing fascinating stories of St. Petersburg's history with us but also pointing out many things we would never have noticed on our own (and so much I'd missed on our first visit!). I really enjoyed the personal interaction; for example, I talked to several people on group-of-16 tours who were given an audio guide in the Faberge Museum, whereas our guide took us around herself. I also really enjoyed some of the quirkier places we visited, like the Grand Maket Russia and, yes, that Museum of Soviet Arcade Games.

 

Practical information: Elena at Red Sun Tours always replied to our emails promptly (or as promptly as she could, considering the time zone difference!). We received our tour tickets months in advance and had no trouble at Russian immigration. No deposit was required; I paid for the tour in U.S. cash at the end of the first day (and tipped U.S. cash as well). 

 

Everything went very smoothly on the actual days: we were met exactly on time, our driver always dropped us off are-we-allowed-to-stop-here?-close and met us precisely when we were done, and best of all, no lines. Occasionally we'd have to pause (and take some photos!) while our guide ducked into a special line to pick up or show tickets, but we never waited for more than a minute or two. 

 

(BTW, we never needed Russian cash: we visited a Georgian restaurant for lunch on our first day -- my request that Red Sun was happy to accommodate! We don't have Georgian restaurants here -- and Stolle the second day, and both took credit cards.)

 

Our generic advice:
- Tour with the smallest group you can afford. The three of us (plus our guide) got around the crowds so much more easily than our group-of-16 did last time. (Early Entry to the Hermitage isn't so necessary when you're just three people!) If a private tour is not in of your budget, consider one of the smaller tour companies (like Red Sun and I believe some others that I'm sure will be mentioned below) that have group-of-8 instead of group-of-16 tours.
- Don't be afraid to select a tour that steps off the beaten path and visits attractions that are a little quirkier . . . or visits “attractions” like a Russian supermarket. (One of my kids' clearest memories from our first visit to St. Petersburg was actually the escalator in one of the subway stations.) Similarly, don't feel like you need to select the tour that visits the maximum number of attractions or keeps you on the go for the maximum number of hours. Everybody else's must-sees don't have to be your must-sees. (You may find yourself getting a little tired of Imperial Russia after a while.) Just have fun!

 

. . . Everybody else, please chime in with your own experiences!

Edited September 17, 2019 by trosebery

[napoxoguk]

I think having a thread like this is a great idea - and thank you, @trosbery, for taking the time to post.

 

Wonder why others are hesitant to chime in. 

I would, but my contribution would be too helpful - we did a 2d1n run from Moscow.

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by napoxoguk

[Earl Rosebery]

Ulko tours. 2 day easy tour. 6 people.

First class tour with a very knowledgeable guide.  She could have had university degrees in art history and Russian history.

 

Advice.   Arrange the smallest tour you can.  I agree that the private tours must be better.  A tour with 30+ is always going to have to wait for a straggler.   You don’t need roubles.  The Catharine palace and Peterhof are somewhat similar.  No need to “do” both.  The Hermitage is vast. If you are an art aficionado, you could spend a lifetime there. If you are not,  all you will remember is a general sense of it’s enormity 

[lois1112]

I just returned (September 2019) from a Baltic cruise

I used SPB tours in all the ports, and was very happy with them

I received many "scary" e-mails from the cruise lines about the hazards of doing St. Peterburg on my own (or without the cruise line). 

there was no problem. Princess requested that you provide them a copy of your ticket for the tour, then they gave you a time to leave the ship. Customs was very easy. 

No problem at all either day. 

Our group size was about 20

I would highly recommend SPB

[dogs4fun]

We booked with Alla Tours on several visits to Russia  - had a wonderful  experience and we highly recommend her tours.

All of the local independent operators offer private, customized tours and flat-rate tours. The flat-rate tours are the most affordable option and the groups are small (10 - 16 in a group with a max of 16 - much smaller than the ship excursions). Of course, the best possible option for us is a completely private tour - these are more expensive than the flat-rate tours and the price is based on the number of people in your group.

 

Everyone really needs to conduct their own research in finding their best option. We always suggest reading reviews and contacting several companies to find your personal best fit.

 

To save everyone time from attempting to navigate the TripAdvisor site (TripAdvisor tends to promote tours booked through Viator, a consolidator,  and we always recommend booking directly with the tour company), I have compiled a list from TripAdvisor ... below are the top independent operators in Saint Petersburg rated from #1 through #10 (there are many more companies and these offer tours as well).

Some are relatively new start-ups and others have been serving the cruise community for many years.

Most also offer discounted tours in all of your Baltic ports of call and the majority of these companies are frequently touted on cruise critic (sister site of TripAdvisor). 

 

#1 - ALLA TOURS (4,705 reviews)

#2 - TJ TRAVEL (2,549 reviews)

#3 - Petersburg-Hautnah  (1,143 reviews)

#4 - Petersburg-Individuell (663 reviews)

#5 - WHITE NIGHTS TRAVEL (443 reviews)

#6 - Unusual Tours of Saint Petersburg (176 reviews)

#7 - SPB TOURS (5,923 reviews)

#8 - RusLed (140 reviews)

#9 - SAINT PETE PRIVATE TOURS (344 reviews)

#10 - RED SUN TOURS (146 reviews)

 

I've also included a few companies that are frequently mentioned on Cruise Critic:

 

#12 - DANCING BEAR TOURS (431 reviews)

#22 - BEST GUIDES (759 reviews)

#32 - ULKO TOURS (838 reviews)

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by dogs4fun

[cwatts15]

Just back from Baltic cruise on NCL Getaway this month. Great cruise. We booked our tours through TJ Travel. There were several people on our Roll Call that were getting people together for the different tours they offered. We did the 2-day All Highlights St Petersburg Excursion and received a cruise critic discount.

We had 13 people on our tour with a max of 16. We rode in a van that sat 2 on 1 side- 1 on the other. It was very clean, and they had plenty of water.

 

When I signed you for the tours with TJ travel they sent me the paperwork necessary-Visa to present to immigration. NCL had some of there tours off first. They had independent travelers sign up for groups to get off ship, but when it came time to disembark they never even looked at your key card with your assigned time. Line was very long but we were able to get off ship and through the immigration by 08:30 am. The tour company waited.

 

As for the tour, it was by far the best tour I have had in a long time. We saw the many sites listed and we were never really hurried. They were able to get us into different places like the Hermitage before the crowds came. They provided lunch for us at local restaurants that was very good. We took 2 different boat rides and even a subway ride in their beautiful subway system. Our guide was great. I am so happy I went with TJ travel. It can be scary to book with local companies, but rest assure, this company is on the up and up, and treat you very good.

 

We also booked a Berlin and Tallin tour with them. They did not require any down payment at all when I booked. I took those tours before SPB and I didn't pay for them until our SPB tour was completed. Now that is trust.

 

Anyway, had a great trip. Hope any of this helps.

[fabnfortysomething]

we have had 2 Baltic cruises and used private guides both times

first time in 2010 we used Anastasia for our party of 3-arranged shortened days to allow for my husbands walking difficulties in between hip repacements

2018 we used TJ tours for party of 5 with itinerary covering sites not seen first time

 

Both times I contacted several tour companies with my requirements and went with the company most receptive to my needs 

[Kate P.C]

Baltic cruise, we used Anastasia Travel for Berlin, Stockholm and St.Petersburg. The rest of the ports we did on our own.

St.Petersburg

Group of 8.

2-days excursion.

Knowledgeable guide who spoke English very well.

Very comfortable transport.

Customized tour.

We all got to see what we wanted.

Highly recommend 🙂

[scubacruiserx2]

Our first visit to Saint Petersburg was On the NCL Dream in 2006 . Our last visit was on the Zuiderdam in June of this year . It was our 7th Visit to SPB , 3 on a cruise and 4 times staying in an apartment  with a Visa . There has always been a lot of misinformation about this port then as now . We have used 10 guides with 3 companies but most of our time was DIY . In our experience , staying is the Gold standard , private tours the Silver and the ship's tours the Bronze . Our last experience in June was our least enjoyable even with a private tour of 2 . 

  After our first visit to SPB we feel that we missed a lot and wanted to return . We we're doing a TA followed by a Baltic . Since we really wanted to see SPB we thought why not just get a Visa and stay in an apartment instead . It was cheaper then a Baltic cruise and the Visa for us was no more difficult than getting our Global Entry . We used some guides to teach us the ropes of staying and went from there . Our last Visa was for 3 years and we discovered the SPB card to get discounted and free admission to many attractions . Because we went in the shoulder season there we few people at the attractions and we didn't go when the ships were crowding the attractions .

  We have always used private guides when we did't DIY . We took our grandson on a Baltic cruise in 2015 and the plan was to stay in SPB and pick up the cruise from SPB . Because of his school we didn't have a good choice of apartments so we just did the Baltic with 3 days in SPB . When we were at the port in SPB we just walked off the ship with the first group and showed our Visas and were free for 3 days and 2 nights to go where we wanted and use a guide if or when we felt like it . We know that many people would like to see the Baltic but when you have the Visa you can return after the cruise of before - it's your choice and you get maximum freedom . As we became comfortable staying in SPB we booked the train to Moscow a couple of times and stayed overnight . We did meet guide at the train station to help us with Metro passes and show us around . 

   So we would recommend the Gold standard or the Silver Standard but not the Bronze . Many people who visit SPB will swear that they have The Best Tour Company . There are many good companies and guides there so do your homework and find out who's best for you . We have a thread with lots of photos about SPB here :

 

 

We will recommends guides if you like so just ask .

 

[dogs4fun]

16 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

Our first visit to Saint Petersburg was On the NCL Dream in 2006 . Our last visit was on the Zuiderdam in June of this year . It was our 7th Visit to SPB , 3 on a cruise and 4 times staying in an apartment  with a Visa . There has always been a lot of misinformation about this port then as now . We have used 10 guides with 3 companies but most of our time was DIY . In our experience , staying is the Gold standard , private tours the Silver and the ship's tours the Bronze . Our last experience in June was our least enjoyable even with a private tour of 2 . 

 

Excellent post by scubacruiserx2 with which we are in complete agreement. This year was our 9th visit to Russia and our first trip was also via cruise. We love the freedom to actually experience the cities as the locals do (as well as visit the more esoteric sights in which we are interested and that most never see) and this is simply impossible on a cruise visit. While we do not recommend securing a visa for a short port visit, it honestly is not difficult to obtain a Russian visa and, in our opinion, is the only option if you really want to "experience" Russia.

[ontheweb]

It was quite a while ago, 2017, when we were in St. Petersburgh for 2 days. We used Alla having set up a group of 10 from our roll call. We were allowed to customize, even adding seeing the subways when our guide asked if there was anything else we wanted to see that was not on the tour. Speaking of our guide, she confided in us that she had successfully gone through all the bureaucratic hoops and was starting her own agency the next year. 

 

So. I can confidently recommend Alla. Also given how wonderful Viktoria our guide was and reviews I have read, I would also recommend SPB.

[Host Bonjour]

The topic looks like it's going well. It's not easy making decisions when planning what for many is a dream destination or perhaps returning to a favorite place. Recommendations help to make one feel assured that a choice will prove to be successful in every way. It's the cornerstone of why our message boards have been game-changing from the very start of tech travel.

 

Please do keep in mind our community guidelines when you consider posting your recommendations; you may only post about a company or guide that you have used on a recent (within about 18 months) journey. Please refrain from suggesting tours by companies or guides that you have not yet taken, however kind or wonderful they have been to work with; if you have not yet traveled, this is the place to ask only about a tour. 

 

I am including a link to our guideline on advertising which also mentions travel agents but is meant to include any and all travel promotion. We believe in sharing good experiences when asked, just like asking a friend or colleague. It's up to the traveler and a company to do the rest, not unlike in a guidebook/website, but here we can customize things more by having specific conversations, and that is the wonder of Cruise Critic boards 😉 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/guidelines/#guides_advertising

 

Thank you in advance for your contributions, your understanding and cooperation, we appreciate you so much. 

 

 

 

 

[Balticdream]

How far ahead is it sensible to book?

[DebQ5]

On 9/17/2019 at 12:29 AM, trosebery said:

Date of visit: August 2019
Tour company: Red Sun Tours
Tour: Private tour (for 3 people) with customized itinerary

 

Practical information: Elena at Red Sun Tours always replied to our emails promptly (or as promptly as she could, considering the time zone difference!). We received our tour tickets months in advance and had no trouble at Russian immigration. No deposit was required; I paid for the tour in U.S. cash at the end of the first day (and tipped U.S. cash as well). 

 

 

 

Thank you for the great information!  I've been interacting with Anastasia tours for a private, 3 person tour,  and they've been wonderful, but they do require payment upon booking, as we are receiving a "special" offer.  It is refundable but I believe in native currency.  Does anyone have any thoughts on pre-paying or Anastasia tours?

[scubacruiserx2]

51 minutes ago, DebQ5 said:

 

Thank you for the great information!  I've been interacting with Anastasia tours for a private, 3 person tour,  and they've been wonderful, but they do require payment upon booking, as we are receiving a "special" offer.  It is refundable but I believe in native currency.  Does anyone have any thoughts on pre-paying or Anastasia tours?

 

We have used several tour companies and guides ( 9) in St. Petersburg. If you have a refund, it should be credited back to your card you used for payment. If they charge in rubles it may be credited back in rubles and if you have a foreign transaction fee that is usually  reimbursed.  Your bank should be able to handle the transactions. If they charge in US dollars you should be reimbursed with dollars. I would ask the company just to be sure.  All the guides we have had are excellent as I am sure Anastasia Tours will be. The guides must be State Certified and they have a very vigorous test in the language they are conducting tours. There is also much more competition than a few years ago. St. Petersburg is fabulous and you will enjoy it very much (albeit very tired).

[Anubi]

On 9/24/2019 at 9:48 AM, lois1112 said:

I just returned (September 2019) from a Baltic cruise

I used SPB tours in all the ports, and was very happy with them

I received many "scary" e-mails from the cruise lines about the hazards of doing St. Peterburg on my own (or without the cruise line). 

there was no problem.

Princess requested that you provide them a copy of your ticket for the tour, then they gave you a time to leave the ship.

Customs was very easy. 

No problem at all either day. 

Our group size was about 20

I would highly recommend SPB

Hi lois1112, you say that Princess gave you a time to leave the ship.  Did you feel that they held you back so their tours could go first?

[Anubi]

11 hours ago, Balticdream said:

How far ahead is it sensible to book?

We booked Alla Tours in May 2019 for June 2020.  I had emailed and asked when to book and they told me to go ahead and book so I did. 

[dogs4fun]

2 hours ago, Anubi said:

Hi lois1112, you say that Princess gave you a time to leave the ship.  Did you feel that they held you back so their tours could go first?

Princess allows their tours to disembark first - this rule applies to all cruise lines and was instituted a few years ago, purportedly to relieve congestion with immigration. Private tour operators are not allowed to enter the port until 90 minutes after the ship has docked.

The first day is the only day that cruise lines insist that their tours to disembark first  - the second and third days you will be able to disembark when you wish & tour operators can enter the port at will.

[Anubi]

55 minutes ago, dogs4fun said:

Princess allows their tours to disembark first - this rule applies to all cruise lines and was instituted a few years ago, purportedly to relieve congestion with immigration. Private tour operators are not allowed to enter the port until 90 minutes after the ship has docked.

The first day is the only day that cruise lines insist that their tours to disembark first  - the second and third days you will be able to disembark when you wish & tour operators can enter the port at will.

dogs4fun, I have heard that if you ignore the staff and don't allow them to corral you into the dining room and head down to disembark they don't stop you.  Have you had any experience with this?

[dogs4fun]

36 minutes ago, Anubi said:

dogs4fun, I have heard that if you ignore the staff and don't allow them to corral you into the dining room and head down to disembark they don't stop you.  Have you had any experience with this?

No - tickets were checked and you had to show them during disembarkation on day 1. I know of 2 couples that did attempt to circumvent the rules but they were caught and had to wait until after the ship tours had disembarked. I am sure that there are instances where people got away with breaking the rules but I don't see what that would accomplish because the independent tour operators are not allowed to enter the port until 90 minutes after docking. So, those that were able to sneak through would need to hang around in the terminal until the independent operators are allowed to enter the port. I hate this new rule but it is what it is.

On our first cruise several years ago (before the new disembarkation rules were instituted), we ignored the announcement that ship tours would disembark first and DIYers were to go to a specified area to await clearance for disembarkation. They did NOT check tour tickets then but they DID check on our most recent cruise.

Edited October 4, 2019 by dogs4fun

[Anubi]

25 minutes ago, dogs4fun said:

No - tickets were checked and you had to show them during disembarkation on day 1. I know of 2 couples that did attempt to circumvent the rules but they were caught and had to wait until after the ship tours had disembarked. I am sure that there are instances where people got away with breaking the rules but I don't see what that would accomplish because the independent tour operators are not allowed to enter the port until 90 minutes after docking. So, those that were able to sneak through would need to hang around in the terminal until the independent operators are allowed to enter the port. I hate this new rule but it is what it is.

On our first cruise several years ago (before the new disembarkation rules were instituted), we ignored the announcement that ship tours would disembark first and DIYers were to go to a specified area to await clearance for disembarkation. They did NOT check tour tickets then but they DID check on our most recent cruise.

Ok, thanks for the clarification.  Its much appreciated.  

[lois1112]

On 10/4/2019 at 3:46 AM, Anubi said:

Hi lois1112, you say that Princess gave you a time to leave the ship.  Did you feel that they held you back so their tours could go first?

Princess tour go first, however the tour companies are aware and plan the tours accordingly.we were in port about 8am and were off ship at 0900. the second day was not a problem at all 

[Manda F]

We have just (23/9 - 2/10) completed a Baltics cruise with NCL.  Our Alla tours started at 9.00am and we were Group 2 to leave the ship.  Perhaps because we were so late in the season (our ship had only 2 more cruises to do before heading to the Caribbean) meant we were off on time, through customs quickly and with our bus with 15 mins to spare.  We did the 2 day grand tour with Alla.  Booking from Australia, via a Russian company, online... spooky!!!! Not something I would ever do otherwise. But purely due to the reviews on THIS site I was 95% confident.   I chatted via email with Eugenia (excellent), don't pay til you arrive in StP (that's very reassuring). About a month out from cruise date they advised they could now do credit card payments online - which would save time on the first morning (oh, of course! 20 people all waiting for credit cards to process? ewwww) so I paid online just before leaving Aus. It sounds like all companies are similar: little white buses that hold about 25, groups limited to about 16.  Our Alla guide (Svetlana) was excellent, 20 years as a tour guide, knowledge was incredible - and she didn't stop talking for 2 days so the knowledge just kept coming. Our driver (Serge) was brilliant and had us arriving at a few sites early, which meant extra time for bathroom breaks / photos / gawking.  We saw absolutely everything you could want to see in two packed days.  Only once did we have "down time" and that was the 40 min ride out to Peterhof palace - our last stop at the end of 2 action packed days and I think everyone appreciated the time to gather thoughts, catch their breath and review their photos.   Had we been cruising earlier in the season we may have left the entire Baltics region with a different perception (busy, packed, queues, etc) but September / October proved an excellent time for so many reasons (including: being the only group in a room at the Hermitage on several occasions). We cannot speak more highly of Alla, the tour was cheaper than the ship's.  As a comparison, we had to book the ballet through the ship as Alla's allocation was booked out.  Since returning home I've found I could have bought ballet tickets for AU$115 each - the ship was $270 each, which made that a very expensive bus ride but it was a non-negotiable night not to be missed.  As mentioned in the original post: you do NOT need a visa if you go with the tour companies mentioned, they WILL get you back on time.  This is their job, their business, their everyday routine - they know what they have to do and what your time limitations are.  They ask, upfront, which ship and dates you're on - they work everything else out around that.  Trust them, they know what they're doing and they do it very well.

[dogs4fun]

For those of you familiar with Toms Port Guides, I see that he has now added his Saint Petersburg guide to his free PDFs. Lots of useful information - we used his port guide to Lisbon several years ago and it was an invaluable source of information - spot on. I will check to see if he has added the port guides for the other Baltic ports as well.

Link to Saint Petersburg guide:

https://www.tomsportguides.com/uploads/5/8/5/4/58547429/st-petersburg-russia-port-guide.pdf