The NCL cruise company told me I don't need a visa for Russia if I book an excursion for the time we are in St. Petersburg. Usually I want to explore on my own, but friends who have gotten the visa and others on this site make me not want to go through the cost and hassle. I just want to check to make sure I'm getting the correct info. Anyone been on a cruise and found this to be true?

Thanks.

In order to avoid getting a visa, you have to book an organized excursion through a licensed tour operator, but it does not need to be with NCL. There are other companies, some of which have been recommended in this forum.

Thanks so much Doug. I will search for other tour operators. I appreciate your reply.

You should also search in the Cruise forum. It's not particularly busy, but there have been posts there on this subject. And of course don't neglect Cruise Critic. There's a lot of helpful advice there, including specific operator recommendations. This is a widely discussed topic.

Passengers arriving on board the cruise ship and staying in Russia for less than 72 hours (accommodation provided on board), do not need a Russian visa if they participate in a tour program organized by the certified travel agency.
There are a lot of different local travel agencies which can provide you this services.
I recommend you Markotour travel company