Marina in the Baltic

[Medeba]

7 hours ago, ShopperfiendTO said:

However, you're scheduled to dock there on a Sunday so that may be good for traffic but perhaps not so good for things open to look around at.

Just a word of warning. Traffic can be horrendous on a Sunday because people go away for the weekend to the coast (or take a day out) and Sunday evening traffic along the south coast can be very slow and often comes to a standstill.  Using the train might be an option but there is a reduced timetable on a Sunday and engineering works are common at the weekend.  Engineering works are published early so I would advise checking that out with National Rail first before making any plans.

[mexicobob]

On 2/25/2021 at 1:16 PM, LHT28 said:

You poor thing 🙄

The absolute horror is beyond words. I assume you demanded a full refund.

[alcpa1]

Back to the original query as per St. Petersburg.

You will see much glamour in the palaces and if you are considering Peterhof just spend your time in the gardens. The palace is lovely, of course, but the gardens are even better.

Two days in St. Petersburg is not nearly enough time so concentrate on those sites that you have researched here on the Ports of Call forum, Trip Advisor, guide books, google etc. All of the recommended tour agents can tailor a tour to your liking. Some of the sites that I am sure will be on your list are concentrated in a small area with Catherine's Palace and Peterhof probably being as far out as you can get in your brief visit. And ask for a local, not tourist lunch spot. 

If you will have to take ship's tours avoid 1/2 day tours. You will spend wasted time going back and forth to the ship. 

Enjoy your cruise.

[brittany12]

Anyone have any good information on the rumor that some cruise lines will only permit as a matter of COVID control once cruising resumes  people off the ship at any port only on official cruise line sanctioned excursions? Point is this way they can control the exposure best and protect passengers from getting COVID at ports of call.

[Paulchili]

41 minutes ago, brittany12 said:

Anyone have any good information on the rumor that some cruise lines will only permit as a matter of COVID control once cruising resumes  people off the ship at any port only on official cruise line sanctioned excursions? Point is this way they can control the exposure best and protect passengers from getting COVID at ports of call.

How exactly would they do that unless it’s a bus tour only - nobody gets off.

[njhorseman]

31 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

How exactly would they do that unless it’s a bus tour only - nobody gets off.

My understanding is that there would be vetted tour stops where certain protocols that would minimize the potential exposure to COVID have been agreed upon between cruise line management and the local tour operators and destinations.

[Paulchili]

41 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

My understanding is that there would be vetted tour stops where certain protocols that would minimize the potential exposure to COVID have been agreed upon between cruise line management and the local tour operators and destinations.

That would mean that if you are say in Seville you could visit the cathedral or Alcazar as you would invariably mix with locals and other tourists.

I don’t see them closing the facility and let only O people in.

[clo]

29 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

That would mean that if you are say in Seville you could visit the cathedral or Alcazar as you would invariably mix with locals and other tourists.

I don’t see them closing the facility and let only O people in.

Yeah. People on other threads have questioned how do they do restroom breaks, shopping for souvenirs, etc

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, Paulchili said:

That would mean that if you are say in Seville you could visit the cathedral or Alcazar as you would invariably mix with locals and other tourists.

I don’t see them closing the facility and let only O people in.

Actually I think it could very well mean allocating time slots to specific tour groups so they don't intermingle, but I'm just trying to extrapolate from what I've read as we really don't have the details right now.

 

[ORV]

FWIW, there is a cruiser on the Celebrity board from Germany that posted his experiences on a TUI cruise recently(within the last 6 months) and said that they were required to take ships tours. They were allowed to go in shops with other people and there was a certain amount of mingling in the ports. It was fairly a interesting report, overall he seemed to enjoy it.