Excursions St Petersberg

[mezza]

After viewing the comments and recommendations here for excursions in St Petersberg, i emailed the accredited companies (Denrus and Alla) but the replies have stated that some UK liability laws prevent Russian companies providing tours for UK based Carnival ships! This seems very convenient for Cunard to be able to restrict passengers to their tours in St Petersberg and charge exhorbitant prices for them, Can anyone shed more light on this?

[whylion]

I think Russia requires a separate visa if you're not on a ship's tour. Is that the issue?

[Norfolk Brit]

After viewing the comments and recommendations here for excursions in St Petersberg, i emailed the accredited companies (Denrus and Alla) but the replies have stated that some UK liability laws prevent Russian companies providing tours for UK based Carnival ships! This seems very convenient for Cunard to be able to restrict passengers to their tours in St Petersberg and charge exhorbitant prices for them, Can anyone shed more light on this?

 

I know that Denrus are now doing the official P&O tours, and may be doing the same for Cunard? The answer others have received from Denrus is that they are no longer doing private tours for P&O passengers as they don't wish to compromise their contract with the line.

 

Incidentally, our two Denrus guides were excellent.

[cruisegal101]

I think Russia requires a separate visa if you're not on a ship's tour. Is that the issue?

 

Many tour companies who have contracts with cruise lines do this. We chose to take ship tours in St. Petersburg because we did not want to have to deal with getting individual visas and the ship tours have blanket visas for all of the guests on their tours.

[gentlemancruiser]

We are not from the UK, but we are traveling on the QV to St. Petersburg. We booked with Red October. They took care of everything, including the Visa's. We have already have our tickets, and a letter for Cunard's shore excursion department to permit us to disembark with the other guests.

 

Have you tired posting on the Ports of Call board?

[mezza]

Thanks for that. We are on the July 18 trip and have emailed red oct but still awaiting reply. I will book them - according to other line passengers, they have had no probs. Enjoy your trip, we will be close behind!

[3rdGenCunarder]

Many tour companies who have contracts with cruise lines do this. We chose to take ship tours in St. Petersburg because we did not want to have to deal with getting individual visas and the ship tours have blanket visas for all of the guests on their tours.

 

We did the same and had very good tours without the hassle of the individual visas.

 

If you get a chance to take a tour called "The Russian Revolution," do it. Excellent Russian history lesson, made even more interesting by visits to Stalin and Lenin's apartments (interesting contrast between how the two lived). Our guides had trained during the days of the USSR, and were thrilled to be set free from a strict script and to be able to really talk with the people on the tour.

[bridge&golf]

Summer of '05 we used Red October. It was a delight. We got our group of 10 together via Cruise Critic. We saved a lot of money, but as important, we got to see places without a huge group. RO also has their own stores. We got to sample vodkas. I think our guide was disappointed the 2nd day. She had the bartender bring out the 30 euro per bottle vodka. Our group conferred after tasting that one & a 7 euro a bottle vodka. We could not tell the difference. :-) We all bought the cheap one. All in all, I would definitely recommend Red October.

 

enjoy your cruise,

 

joann