Silversea Spirit St Petersburg

[maximus217]

We are newbies to Silversea, and we are considering the Copenhagen to Stockholm Cruise.  Silversea offers two night and three night at St Petersburg.  Can someone let us know if both itinerary include excursion to Moscow?  We would like to see both Moscow and St. Petersburg, but not sure if the two night include Moscow.  We love the two night in St Petersburg since this cruise include two night at Stockholm.  Thank you.

[Bucephalus53]

I have my eyes on that one as well. I've had a desire to go there ever since reading Massie's "Peter the Great: His Life and World". I strong urge you read it before going. He was fascinating. 

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Peter_the_Great_His_Life_and_World/ekdTC72st9QC?hl=en&gbpv=0

[scottjeanne]

We had three days in St. Petersburg and it was not enough!  i pushed my family and we did private 15 to 18 hour days.  You will miss a lot if you try to due Moscow in that time.

[TLCOhio]

Just now, maximus217 said:

We are newbies to Silversea, and we are considering the Copenhagen to Stockholm Cruise.  Silversea offers two night and three nights at St Petersburg.  Can someone let us know if both itinerary include excursion to Moscow?  We would like to see both Moscow and St. Petersburg, but not sure if the two night include Moscow.  We love the two night in St Petersburg since this cruise include two night at Stockholm.  Thank you.

 

Appreciate your excellent question and interest in maximizing your experiences in Russia. YES!!  You definitely want to have the three days docked in St. Petersburg.  WHY??  And, can I prove my point for the value in doing BOTH Moscow and St. Petersburg?  Below are just a few of my visual samples as "evidence" that Moscow is fascinating and very interesting.  Need more?

 

I'll offer the various pro/con factors for your consideration on the question of doing Moscow . . . or not.  My wife thought it was lots of money, but she viewed it as very much worth it after completing the trip as a "once in a lifetime" experience.  If you have good private tours in St. Petersburg, you can see most of the great and excellent stuff there in just two days.  

 

CON FACTORS:  It's a long day!  Leave the ship early (greeted by a small welcoming band dockside); get back  to the St. Petersburg late.   Moscow is a super large city of over ten million people.  There has been huge growth in the suburbs of this city during the past decades or so.  Traffic and time from the airport to the main downtown takes about an hour, but the train takes your directly into the heart of this large city.  Since we had to drive in from the airport, we had a good feel as we traveled into town through the coach windows about the “new Moscow” with its suburban growth, commerce, advertising, capitalism, big box stores, etc.  

 

PRO FACTORS]: Moscow has its unique history, sights and sites, from Ivan the Terrible up through Lenin, Stalin and the new Russian leaders of today.  After a long ride in from the airport on the outer edge of this large metro areas of 17.3 million (with 10.5 million in the city), we stopped at a new hotel for coffee/tea/break.  Then, we rode the Moscow subway and saw a couple of their very unique and artistic stations.  Stalin at the time called these stations “People’s Palaces”.  This Moscow Metro was first opened in 1935 and now has 182 stations, 12 different lines,187 miles of routes and carries seven million passengers each weekday.  It’s the world second busiest subway system.  This subway ride offered a good sampling of real life for people who live and work in Moscow.  We then saw more key places enroute, including the home of the Bolshoi Ballet, KGB Headquarters, various Stalin-era buildings, etc.  Then we went to the Kremlin with its 19 historic towers.  WOW, we were really there!

 

Inside the Kremlin are three key “super stars”.  First, was the State Armoury with its spectacular Faberge Eggs, plus so many carriages, crowns, gowns, jewels, etc.  Second are the various historic Cathedrals within the Kremlin Walls, plus the Tower Bells, Icon art, etc.  This includes the Cathedral of the Annunciation built in the 1480’s and having such spectacular wall murals and icons. Third, was the Great Kremlin Palace with its spectacular reception halls, inlaid wood floors, gold and more gold, fancy ceilings, etc. The Czars were crowned here, plus the current heads of the Russian government, etc.  The size and scale of these areas are hard to describe in words, let alone reflect and capture the history that has happened in some of these rooms dating back to the late 1400’s.  We have seen lots of great palaces all over Europe, but this is something above and beyond for the eyes, heart and brain.

 

Then, we saw more building inside the walls of the Kremlin.  We went outside of the Kremlin Walls and walked next door to adjoining Red Square, seeing St. Basil’s and the re-done Gum Department Store.  Red Square is so historic, especially having grown up seeing the military May Day parades there, visuals of Lenin’s Tomb, etc.  Have the words “spectacular” and historic been used too much?  Maybe, but it fits for many of these unique places.  St. Basil’s was built 1555–1561 on the order of Ivan IV (the Terrible).  It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower (266 feet tall) in 1600 inside the Kremlin Walls.  To be able to “CONTRAST” and compare Moscow and St. Petersburg during these three short days adds to the benefits of seeing both of these great Russian capital cities.  Each is a very different and special city.

 

The bottom line is that seeing BOTH cities really helps to understand more about ALL of the history and background for the Russia of the past and today.  If your Silversea cruise starts or finishes in Stockholm and/or Copenhagen, you can always added time when not cruising to explore each of them more in-depth.  Both of these capitals of Sweden and Denmark deserve more time to explore. That is what we did during our cruising in the Baltics.  BUT, the priority for both Moscow and St. Petersburg are what is highly important.  ALSO, doing private tours during your two days in St. Petersburg is super vital in order to maximize your experience there.  So much great to see and do in both Russian cities.  

 

Added questions, reactions?

 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 240,380 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

Below are a few of my Moscow visual samples to prove that this city is "worth it", even for just one day.  You can see and do much there in a limited time.  Below shows one of the towers along the walls of the Kremlin.  Second is from one of their subways stations that were called the "People's Palace".  Third of the famed Faberge Eggs designed for the Czars and their families.  Fourth is inside one of the historic religious sites inside the Kremlin.  Fifth is a overview for being in Red Square.  Amazing history and sights!!:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

 

 

 

[Bucephalus53]

Fantastic TLC.

[jillyf]

We were in St Petersburg for 3 nights, 2 days sightseeing. Loved the time we had and even though I would love to visit Moscow I’m not sorry we concentrated on SP. 
Here is our blog from the trip, Copenhagen to London. 
http://www.thefletchers.com.au/The_Fletchers/Norway_Baltic_Cruise_2013/Entries/2013/7/11_St_Petersburg_Day_1.html

[MBP&O2/O]

Booked a 2021 Copenhagen Stockholm cruise some time ago. Used the refund from a cancelled Crystal cruise to fund it[emoji16] and had some change left over [emoji41] (Goodness me .. some of their excursions were horrendously expensive)
Quite looking forward to it ... it ‘should’ cover a couple of my bucket list entries. (Ballet in Russia, Opera at La Scala, sad git aren’t I?)
I have been in and around the Baltic area ports more times than you can shake a stick at but always missed out on Russia. Next time lucky ... hopefully.

[TLCOhio]

13 hours ago, Bucephalus53 said:

Fantastic TLC.

 

Appreciate this above wonderful follow-up from our "neighbor" in the Buckeye State (that is currently missing the start of the Big Ten football season!!).

 

Good luck to MBP&O2/O in finally making it to Russia after so many Baltics visits.  Look forward to any and all questions ad comments from the original poster as to how you balance and plan for doing BOTH . . . St. Petersburg and Moscow.  Below are just a couple more of my Moscow visuals to help build excitement for visiting there.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 230,924 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

 

 

[maximus217]

Thank you very for your responses.  We truly appreciate them.

 

Does anyone can give me an idea how much the excursions costs, say for example, Moscow - Silver Shore Private Van Guide?

 

 

[iMarco46]

23 hours ago, maximus217 said:

Thank you very for your responses.  We truly appreciate them.

Does anyone can give me an idea how much the excursions costs, say for example, Moscow - Silver Shore Private Van Guide?

We were very happy with this company in 2015 for small-group tours.  

SPB Tours in Russia

 

So much to see !

 

St Isaacs

 

 

Peterhof 

 

Catherine Palace and Amber workshops

 

 

Hermitage

 

 

Church on the Spilled Blood

 

 

Evening Option - Russian Ballet

 

 

We opted to skip Moscow on that cruise but it remains on our bucket list.  Good luck and safe travels!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by iMarco46
deleted duplicate photo

[TLCOhio]

22 hours ago, maximus217 said:

Thank you very for your responses.  We truly appreciate them.  Does anyone can give me an idea how much the excursions costs, say for example, Moscow - Silver Shore Private Van Guide?

 

In 2008, When sailing with Crystal in the Baltics and for Russia, the cost for this one-day ship tour to Moscow and back was a little under $1000 per person.  In more recent years, that costs through certain cruise ships was around that amount.  Not cheap!!  BUT, in our view, it was very much worth it.  If you did such a day-trip by a "Silver Shore Private Van", the cost would be much, much higher.  Maybe two to three times more costly.??!!  I am sure it would be very nice, but whether it could be worth that much more in cost is another, more costly "value" question for you and your budget.    There are also options to consider through some of the private tour companies to consider in going to Moscow.  In 2008, we did this day-trip via air.  Now, most are done via high-speed rail that takes you directly into the heart of Moscow.  

 

In Moscow, a key consideration would be as to whether or not you would be able to see the Great Kremlin Palace with its spectacular reception halls, inlaid wood floors, gold and more gold, fancy ceilings, etc.  Not all ship or private tours get you inside that amazing structure where the Czars were crowned and the current leaders of Russia take their official oaths, etc.  Spectacular is a one-word summary for that location.  

 

In St. Petersburg, our experience was that a custom, private tour with a schedule to fit our precise personal interests and pacing/style worked exceptionally well.  There is so much great and amazing in St. Petersburg that you want to research and plan very carefully.  Don't just "go with the flow" to what the ship or others might offer.  Can explain more later as to why that is so important for you or others.  

 

Let us know any added questions, info needs, etc.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 18,744 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[Bucephalus53]

Did anyone go to Peter's Cabin that he built with his own hands? I think it's open to the public. That would definitely be on my list. 

[maximus217]

Thank you very much for all your comments.

 

We decided to go ahead and booked the Stockholm to Copenhagen with 3 nights at St Petersburg beginning July 23.

 

 

[Tothesunset]

6 hours ago, maximus217 said:

Thank you very much for all your comments.

 

We decided to go ahead and booked the Stockholm to Copenhagen with 3 nights at St Petersburg beginning July 23.

 

 

Do look at SPB tours for your time in St P. We used them for our 3 days there and were mightily impressed. The best bit was skipping some of the queues especially where we overtook those on the SS tours. 

[maximus217]

For your shore excursion when do you pay them? One you booked them or onboard?

 

Also, do you provide your credit card when you board for incidentals?

 

Thank you again.

[iMarco46]

1 hour ago, maximus217 said:

For your shore excursion when do you pay them? One you booked them or onboard?

Also, do you provide your credit card when you board for incidentals?

Thank you again.

 

If you are asking about payments for SPB tours it would be best to refer to their FAQ page.

https://www.spb-tours.com/index.php?pageid=6

 

[les37b]

I would be very wary about booking up tours with third party suppliers. 

 

Part of the MSC initiative to sail again, prohibits their use and only tours MSC control with a "group bubble" are allowed and strictly adhere to it. So much so, a family who booked on a tour, decided to disappear from the group to do their own thing and were then denied boarding when they returned.

 

I rarely take ship tours. I understand the principles of why MSC have done it and half expect SS and all others to follow its lead. Its certainly a huge negative in terms of enjoyment and cost, but if it allows cruising to restart, maybe not all bad.

 

 

[CruiserFromMaine]

We used SPB Tours in the Baltic’s as well, and thought they did an excellent job. We booked with them in each port (Berlin, Tallinn, St. Petersburg two days, Helsinki and Stockholm). It was nice dealing with just one vendor for all the ports. 

 

That was pre COVID-19 of course.