Visa St Peter's Russia
Jul 21st, 2012, 10:15 AM
#21
Join Date: May 2009
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We used I Love St. Petersburg tours. Guide was very good and they accommodated our specific needs. We told them what we wanted to see and they organized it based on our preferences. We had 2 days and one night. Not really enough to see it all but we wanted to see the Jewish area and we did. (rather limited !!) But we wanted something fun in the evening so they set us up to have dinner w a Russian family (of course we paid for that .HuSband was working so the woman was there. No English but our guide translated. IF you want to see what life is really like, not what the Russians want you to see, this is the way to do it is all I can say!!!!
Aug 1st, 2012, 06:11 PM
#22
Join Date: Nov 2009
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@kenav
We are just back from Viking cruise - Moscow to St.Petersburg. We had to apply for a visa in advance based on the invitation letter from Viking. Viking did NOT do this for you. The visa is a one page document, in Russian, glued into your passport which outlines the specific dates you will be in the country. We had to provide two additional passport photos with pur application. We had our visas prior to departure. Once we arrived there was no problem moving around independently (used Viking shuttle bus on free days) or as part of tours.
There were NO signs in English and very few people in the street or shops spoke English. We never carried our passports or were asked to show them at any time.
Two years ago we visited Russia (Sochie) as part of a Holland America cruise we had to take the ships tour or apply for an independent visa. We took ships tour and had to remain part of the group - NO independent wandering off on your own - you were part of the ship's visa.
We are just back from Viking cruise - Moscow to St.Petersburg. We had to apply for a visa in advance based on the invitation letter from Viking. Viking did NOT do this for you. The visa is a one page document, in Russian, glued into your passport which outlines the specific dates you will be in the country. We had to provide two additional passport photos with pur application. We had our visas prior to departure. Once we arrived there was no problem moving around independently (used Viking shuttle bus on free days) or as part of tours.
There were NO signs in English and very few people in the street or shops spoke English. We never carried our passports or were asked to show them at any time.
Two years ago we visited Russia (Sochie) as part of a Holland America cruise we had to take the ships tour or apply for an independent visa. We took ships tour and had to remain part of the group - NO independent wandering off on your own - you were part of the ship's visa.
Aug 1st, 2012, 06:21 PM
#23
Join Date: Nov 2009
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Sorry should have added -
The visa form is detailed - more info than other visas we have applied for - and they will not issue it to you more than 30 days prior to your departure...so everyone gets a bit anxious as their departure date approaches and they have no visa. You can go through the Russian consulate or use a company who assists with Rusian visas. Costs vary - based on your nationality - but everyone needs a visa.
The visa form is detailed - more info than other visas we have applied for - and they will not issue it to you more than 30 days prior to your departure...so everyone gets a bit anxious as their departure date approaches and they have no visa. You can go through the Russian consulate or use a company who assists with Rusian visas. Costs vary - based on your nationality - but everyone needs a visa.
Aug 2nd, 2012, 06:36 AM
#24
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Beachnut11 - DId you use the visa agency that Viking recommended? We did and they tell you exactly how to fill out the Visa form. Yes, the Visa itself is the size of one page of your passport and gets attached to one of those pages.
Agree that few people spoke English. Did not go into this trip thinking they would. But I remember some signs in St. Pete's that were in the Latin alphabet, especially the street name signs on each corner.
We got a few people in Moscow who spoke some English. People always helped us out when we asked for help. Always. Even the scary looking uniformed guard in one of St. Pete's metro stations. She sat in a glass booth. I gingerly went over to her. She helped me out and when she saw a few minutes later, that I was just standing somewhere (I was waiting for my husband to get the metro tickets), she left her booth, walked over to me, and made sure I knew where to go.
What did you think of the cruise? (I wanted more time in the cities and less time on the rivers.)
Agree that few people spoke English. Did not go into this trip thinking they would. But I remember some signs in St. Pete's that were in the Latin alphabet, especially the street name signs on each corner.
We got a few people in Moscow who spoke some English. People always helped us out when we asked for help. Always. Even the scary looking uniformed guard in one of St. Pete's metro stations. She sat in a glass booth. I gingerly went over to her. She helped me out and when she saw a few minutes later, that I was just standing somewhere (I was waiting for my husband to get the metro tickets), she left her booth, walked over to me, and made sure I knew where to go.
What did you think of the cruise? (I wanted more time in the cities and less time on the rivers.)
Aug 2nd, 2012, 07:48 PM
#25
Join Date: Nov 2009
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@kenav
We loved the Viking trip. We did not encounter anyone who spoke English but people were friendly and with a lot of gestures one could usually make someone understand what you needed.
The Viking cruise itself was very hectic so in hindsight I would have come over a few days earlier - just to get over the jet lag. Days were filled with touring and you did get tired. Definitely would go Moscow to St. Petersberg. Once we saw a private operator take passengers on tour (and then they were behind us at Catherine's Palace). Most passengers took the Viking tour options which we found to be reasonably priced.
Our worst experience was the St Petersberg airport where there was no English or stations to keep people in line for check in on various flights. Your guides cannot accompany you into the secure area so it was very confusing...but ultimately we all got checked in and boarded our flight to Frankfurt.
it was our first river cruise so we enjoyed our time on the river.
We loved the Viking trip. We did not encounter anyone who spoke English but people were friendly and with a lot of gestures one could usually make someone understand what you needed.
The Viking cruise itself was very hectic so in hindsight I would have come over a few days earlier - just to get over the jet lag. Days were filled with touring and you did get tired. Definitely would go Moscow to St. Petersberg. Once we saw a private operator take passengers on tour (and then they were behind us at Catherine's Palace). Most passengers took the Viking tour options which we found to be reasonably priced.
Our worst experience was the St Petersberg airport where there was no English or stations to keep people in line for check in on various flights. Your guides cannot accompany you into the secure area so it was very confusing...but ultimately we all got checked in and boarded our flight to Frankfurt.
it was our first river cruise so we enjoyed our time on the river.
