Meeting Friend in St Petersburg

[kiberkid]

We have a friend that lives in St Petersburg that we would like to meet & spend one of the two days we will be there with him.

 

Has anybody visited St Petersburg without taking a tour? If so what documentation do you need? Is it possible to do this? I would really like to see him, but don't want to see the inside of a Russian jail.... lol.

[Sue G]

We are visiting St Petersburg this July on the NCL Dream and are taking the ships's excursions.

If you intend to go it alone so that you can see your friend you will require your own visa otherwise they will not let you off the ship and out of the port area.

[Host CMLA]

Ditto what Sue G said. I did the Baltic cruise in 2001 and didn't want to take a tour on the second day. I wanted to go out on my own. I had to get my own visa in order to do that. I did it a few months before the trip. I was also able to use my own visa for the ship's tour the first day and not have to pay for theirs.

[kiberkid]

. I had to get my own visa in order to do that. I did it a few months before the trip. I was also able to use my own visa for the ship's tour the first day and not have to pay for theirs.

 

 

Thanks for the info Sue & Cecilia. Cecilia, may I ask where you got your Visa from & how much it cost?

[Host CMLA]

Thanks for the info Sue & Cecilia. Cecilia, may I ask where you got your Visa from & how much it cost?

I used Zierer visa service and it took a few weeks to get back. I believe it was about $100. http://www.zvs.com/