Visa Or No Visa

[spcl4cs_gal]

After reading about the 2 day Value Tour of St Petersburg offered through DenRus, I understand that the tour company will secure my visa for me prior to my arrival. However, I am also interested in taking a ship excursion...will I need my own visa for that or will that be covered by HAL? This whole visa thing is getting rather confusing. :confused:

[MercedMike]

The whole visa thing has been covered on this board many times.

 

Assuming you are traveling on a US passport ...

 

If you are on a ship's tour, you do not need any visa. The ship's excursion will give you paperwork.

 

If you are on an indpendent tour with a licensed company (all the ones recommended on this board are) you do not need any visa. The company will send you a voucher, with your name as on you passport. You simply show that and your passport and go right through.

 

The only time you would need an Individual Russian Tourist Visa is if you plan to tour on your own with no licensed company. This is really not recommended.

 

The ship may give you conflicting information to try to pressure you to buy their tour. DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED!

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[spcl4cs_gal]

Well considering I have yet to book any excursions through HAL, the original booking documents that I have received do state that a visa is required. I will not be doing anything on my own and my TA is also saying that I will need a visa for Russia. :rolleyes:

[KnoxvilleSam]

Well considering I have yet to book any excursions through HAL, the original booking documents that I have received do state that a visa is required. I will not be doing anything on my own and my TA is also saying that I will need a visa for Russia. :rolleyes:

 

Your original booking documents say you need a visa if you get off the ship on your own (i.e., not on a ship-sponsored excursion or, I dare say, on a Russian government-approved private tour agency). If you do either of those, you do have a visa, a blanket visa, arranged by your ship (for the ship-sponsored excursion) or by the private tour agency. If you really want to spend MORE money to have extra visas that you don't need, go ahead. Of course, if you decide you DO want to get off your ship and do something on your own, you DO need your own visa. It doesn't sound to me like your TA knows what he/she is talking about.

 

Sam

[spcl4cs_gal]

Yeah I just received word back from HAL saying that the visa isn't necessary. :rolleyes:

[Rickdabear]

Well, at least HAL is being more honest than some. Some ships will tell you that you will need a visa for a private tour. Not so. All private and ship's tours in St. Petersburg cover the visa with a blanket visa for everyone in the tour.

Da Bear

[LHT28]

The whole visa thing has been covered on this board many times.

 

Assuming you are traveling on a US passport ...

 

 

Since the OP is from Canada I would think they may not have a US passport ...you never know though

[LHT28]

Well considering I have yet to book any excursions through HAL, the original booking documents that I have received do state that a visa is required. I will not be doing anything on my own and my TA is also saying that I will need a visa for Russia. :rolleyes:

 

You need a new TA

 

As already posted you do NOT need a VISA if you do a ship's tour or a private tour with a licensed guide

EG: Denrus, Red october, SPB-Tours, Alla

 

Lyn

[Rickdabear]

You need a new TA

 

As already posted you do NOT need a VISA if you do a ship's tour or a private tour with a licensed guide

EG: Denrus, Red october, SPB-Tours, Alla

 

Lyn

 

And Anastasia

[allyurwishes]

My understanding is that all CDN and US citizens REQUIRE a visa. Regardless of whether you take a ship's tour, a private tour, or do it on your own. The rules are the SAME for all.

 

The ship already has the info (passport #s etc.) required by Russia so they do not require you to provide it again. A private tour operater does not have the info so you must provide it in advance. But the ship MUST provide the Russian authorities with all that info too. ALL PAX will need passport and a photocopy of the info page to leave with Immigration before being allowed entry. Please be assured that the Russian authorities know who is getting off the ship before they leave the ship.

 

Since 9/11 US authorities also require the EXACT same info as Russian authorities from all PAX arriving on ship or international flights.

 

Please check with the Russian Embassy web site. It will tell you basically the same thing. Please enjoy your trip and esp. St.Petersburg!

[Kingsbridge]

No one who arrives on a cruise ship and stays for 72 hours or less needs a visa. What the cruise company and the private tour companies get you is a visa waiver. The private tour companies need your passport details to apply for your visa waiver. As the previous poster pointed out, the cruise company has your details and they use them to get the visa waiver for you when you are taking their tours. It is possible to take a private tour one day and a ship's tour the next day without getting your own visa. Or you can do 2 days of touring with a private company or on the ship's shore excursions. The only people who must get a visa are those who wish to explore independently and will not be touring under the umbrella of either the cruise ship or a licensed tour company.