St. Petersburg, Russia
 

What were your highlights in this great city..Catrherine's Palace, the Hermitage museum, walkabouts in the city center, cathedrals..?

When we visited we were very happy that we had decided to get a private guide (we linked up with about a dozen other folks who were on the same cruise to do this).

Believe me, there is a LOT to see in the city and environs and we spent 2 full days doing nothing but touring and that included venues in the evening.

Unless you are very organized it will be hard to see some places in a short period of time.

But for us the Hermitage, Church on the Spilled Blood, the Peterhof, the Catherine Palace, the Church of Peter and Paul (as I recall the name) were definitely highlights.

The Hermitage with its 3 million works (some not on display) could take at least a full day for many if not more. The interior itself, even without the hung works, is over the top and worth a visit.

We especially enjoyed these two sights:

Russian Museum of Political History http://en.polithistory.ru/ Very good displays including Lenin's office

Russian Museum. Beautifully curated Russian art. Great audioguide in English. http://www.rusmuseum.ru/eng/home/

thank you for your feedback..this helps me

Dukey1

Did you book the tour through the cruise line or by a private company outside the the ones offered by the cruise company? We are a little worried about booking with a tour not associated with the cruise because usually they disembark by the tours booked with the cruise line first. Afraid we couldn't get off the boat in time for a tour booked otherwise.

We booked directly with DenRus (I think the other biggie is Red Oktober) There has, in the past, been a lot of talk about booking tours with companies that the cruise line doesn't recognize, etc., etc. Frankly I think that has a certain amount of scare tactic in it.

The cruise line would love for you to believe that you aren't going to make it in time for a tour THEY didn't arrange and get a cut from. In our case, we were told our guide and her driver would be waiting for our group when we got off the ship. They were and off we went. And trust me, if anybody from the cruise had even attempted to keep me from getting off when I wanted to there would have been a major stink.

If you are having concerns about this what I would do, if you haven't already, go onto one of the cruise websites such as Cruisecritic.com and ask on one of their boards...and believe me, your very question/concern has been voiced there many times before.

If I book with a private tour then I have to get my visa on my on own right..? Can I do that there..? Or have to do it well before I leave for the cruise..

Official tour companies arrange for a special permit for you to sightsee with them and they do the paperwork.

Actually, they will say so on their propaganda.

You only need to get a Visa if you are going off the cruise ship Independently.

If you book with a local tour guide company, then they do all the paper work on your behalf.

A cruise line in St.Petersburg HAS held passengers back until the people that booked with the cruise tour had disembarked first.

Let's hear from some those people.

Dukey1
Thanks for the info!

Percy
That's why I'm hesitant to book through an outside tour company.

ahh huh....ok the hold back of Pax on ship for independent tour people is a concern...I guess..thinking if I leave later..I can come back to the ship later...or would the private company leave thinking that I (we) stiffed him ( her/ them)...plus do you pay before or after the private tour...I would imagine before ...then the time frames would be a concern if we were held back..

scatcat:

You should have no hesistation to book with an outside Tour Company.
The Big Three are"

1. Alla Tours
2. Red October
3. Denrus

I booked with Alla and was 100 % pleased.

I am sure you could book with anyone of these three.

I am also sure their tours are all the same ,except for those extra places that you might have a personal preference to see

and they will make sure you see them.

I saw all the places I wanted to see with Alla plus many more because I knew where they were and asked to see them.

Also you CANNOT go wandering around without your tour guide , because your tour guide IS your Visa.

By wandering around I mean totally on your own , not linked to the tour,after you have been with the tour.

http://www.alla-tour.com/tours/

Here is the website for Alla Tours.

I had Julie as my guide ( her pictures is on the webpage)

Here is a short excerpt from my Trip Report :

<B>St. Petersburg </B>

" I am not going to describe what you are going to see in St.Petersburg..the sites are just too mind boggling!!!

The cruise ship docks about 6 miles from downtown St. Petersburg.

What you will see is about 50 cranes sticking up in the air to assure you that you truly are in a ship dock yard!!!
There were no taxi's to be seen.

If you are planning a Baltic cruise and going to St.Petersburg, then you either take the cruise ship tour , a private tour or you need a Visa

A Visa is about $80.00
As you get off the cruise ship you will have a brass band playing for you as you line up to go through customs.

The customs building looks like a flat roof construction site trailer .
it has Bertha 32 written on the side in big letters (!!??).

For a private tour you will need your (1) passport, (2) a copy of your passport , (3)your tour tickets that you received from your private tour company in St.Petersburg and they may ask for the(4) intinerary of your visits for that day.... so I had all four with me when I disembarked.

I booked my 2 day tour visit in St. Petersburg with Alla Tours and I highly recommend them.

Also keep a few things in mind... you will be lining up outside so if it is very hot or raining or whatever, be prepared.
If you had 3-4 cups of coffee at breakfast, then go to the bathroom before you disembark!!!

I guess most cruise ship tours start at 8 AM and later because here is what happened to me :

I was the FIRST one off the cruise ship, first time that has ever happened.!!!!

I got off the ship at exactly 7 AM walked right into the Customs place ( not a single person in line),she took the copy of my passport and handed me a red card and off I went.

No questions about anything and I was expecting alot !!

Alla Tours was waiting for me( 4 of us ) on the other side of the building.
We got into the van and were off at 7:11 AM ( Wow!!!)"

end of quote from my Trip Report.

scatcat..fantastic....I will do my homework...now i am traveling solo..so my challenge is that I won't find some travelpartners until I get onboard the ship...or maybe I can try to connect on email before..place some form of feeler on the cruise line chat board...( hope they have one)....otherwise it'll be difficult for me to get all the req'd docs for Russian immigration at the docks...ie the tour itinerary and tour tickets..er maybe not the intinerary..but for sure the tour tickest ( which I asume are sent in advance)...

Great info scatcat...I will do some homework..how much were your tours..? MUch less than the cruise lines..?

chnaman!! ,, by scatcat ,I think you are referring to me!!:)

Well chnaman, the tours are expensive ...BUT...

when I booked with Alla,( there were four of us ), soon others wanted to join my tour.

Alla e-mailed me and told me that having others joint me is totally up to me,since it is my tour.

So this group of four from New Mexico wanted to join us and I told Alla "Okay."

Then several days later another couple from Detroit wanted to join us ..... again Alla e-mailed me and the choice was mine.

I told Alla, "Okay , but close my tour now at 10 people."

I have to say that the people that joined us were absolutely terrific.

And...oh yes..it brought the cost down to almost half of what it would have been for the two days.

Off the top of my head I think the cost of the two day tour was about $260.00 per person, however,

without the other 6 people that joined us it would have been about $ 450.00 per person for the two days.

This did include admission into everyplace we went.

This is how we paid:

Alla did not request any money at the end of the first day.

Julie ( our guide) say "You can all pay me tomorrow at the end of the day "

I said to Julie, "What if I do not show up for tomorrow's tour "!!( joking of course)

She just smiled and said, "Oh , Percy,I think you will pay us anyway." . :)

If you are going to do any gift shopping , then the THREE best gift shops are :

1. At Peterhof
2. At the Hermitage
3. At the Church of the Spilled Blood.

One final thing...if you want postcards to take home , just let me say this:

When you are Catherine's Palace or at Peterhof or at The Peter and Paul Fortress...there will be young Russian boys seeling post cards

Do not shoo them away,as people tend to do...because for $ 3.00 you can buy 16-18 super postcard folded like an Accordian

it is nice to look at the postcard pictures when you get back home ,like I am still doing now.

For $ 3.00 where can you get 16-18 beautiful post card, you will not be able to take picures like this :)

I agree that you shouldn't hesitate to book with a company you feel comfortable with and that you should do it directly. Even if you are told top wait until "those passengers with tours (that WE booked for them)" have gotten off, YOUR guide/company will wait for you.

When people do get off the ship, that is when they line up to go through that construction site-like "office" where these grim looking folks are stamping the passports almost like automatons. After all, the more people that get off, the more money which is flowing into the city.

If you proceed by all means consider linking up with other folks. You can often make contact by using the boards on Cruisecrtic.com or Crusieaddicts.com

And also, there is a LOT to see and do and do not hesitate to cram in as much as you possibly can, especially if your ship is remaining overnight. Then you should consider adding some sort of evening outing for that night such as a cultural performance.

Yes, it will seem rushed and yes you will never regret it.

I was disappointed in the Hermitage which had been high on my list of places to see for very many years, but I adored the Russian art museum. I loved the rooms and I found it far more interesting to see the Russian impressionists than the French painters whom I already know very well. The other highlight was watching the sun set at midnight over the river.

When we went on a river cruise through Russia, I booked a private guide highly recommended here on Fodor's forum. It was much more efficient (and far more economical) to do "optionals" with her than with the cruise - and we were thrilled to get away from the "herd" by then. Olga will take you anywhere you wish to go or make suggestions. You do need a visa if you want to tour independently rather than with the ship's excursions. This as a few years ago, but she didn't require payment until the end of the day. She also phoned a "reputable" taxi and gave the driver specific directions to make sure to find our ship for us (they're often moved around).

Highly, highly, recommend

http://www.tourservice.sp.ru/

Thanks everyone, always nice to get other's perspectives.

I agree with Dukey1.... see all you can while in St. Petersburg, morning , noon and night.

Any of the top three tour guies will arrange any evening activities.

Hmmmm, I enjoyed the Hermitage, was there for almost four hours, enough to get the flavour only !

djkbooks:

You know I was thinking the same thing.

If I ever do the Russian River Cruise I would book a guide in both St. Petrersburg and Moscow

Percy, we joined the Baltic and Russia cruise and booked our 2-day SP tour thru Denrus. The cost of the tour already included the visa cost and entrance fees to the tourist sites. While we were initially annoyed that the cruise ship let out first those passengers who booked thru the cruise line's pricey tours, all turned out fine because Denrus waited for all of us. Denrus seemed well connected because our group did not line up in any of the places we went to and their buses were the only ones allowed to park inside the Sts Peter and Paul church which saved us a long walk. SP can be quite hot and humid in the summer! Our guide, Ana, was very efficient and knowledgeable as we went to all the customary places including a cruise along the Neva river. My daughter and I esp enjoyed Peterhof but wished we had more time at the Hermitage. On the 2nd day, we were even able to squeeze in a folkloric show in the evening, also booked thru Denrus, and was back on the ship before the midnight departure.

I just booked our St. Petersburg tour through DenRus. I bought the Complete St. Petersburg tour. I think it even includes lunch. We are only there for one day so my price was $195 per person. Glad to get that done as we depart from Oslo on June 9. Thanks Percy and Dukey1. I never would have done this without your help and recommendations. Thanks again. So looking forward to St. Petersburg. If we like it, we are going to book another cruise next year that allows 2 full day there.

The museum of the 1000-day seige in WW2 is quite simply the most moving and effective of its kind anywhere I have ever seen. We got a guide to help us go out there on the metro. Don't miss it.

thanks everyone for input

Visiting Russia for the 1st time in July, 2012 with the GCT Russia Revealed, Moscow -SP. Thanks for the tips about booking our own tours outside the cruiseline. I had no clue that was possible. This is our 1st small river cruise as we normally prefer sleeping on land.
How to budget? What do snacks, meals, beverages cost? -in USD.
Visa info changed April 2012. You now MUST have a visa to visit Russia. We're close to DC but were told it is next to impossible to obtain a tourist visa on our own. Cost on own is now $170 but $210 thru visa svc.
Temps? We were told in July - 70 high/55 low. Is this the rainey season?
Gifts - what is fair price for nesting dolls? vodka? What qty. spirits are you allowed to bring home?
Is food on ship Russian fare or american?
Are you required to cover head/shoulders/arms while visiting churches?
What is appropriate tip for the cruiseline? That can take you broke if you have to tip everyone you encounter.
Can you exchange USD for roubles on ship? Where is best exchange rate?
Again, enjoyed reading everyone's comments. We're very psyched.
Mary21074.
PS - We're also doing the post trip to Tallin and Helsinky. Any tips or advice on that leg?

mary

You shouldn't need a visa unless if are going on your own tours. If you book a shore excursion with the cruise line or with one of the licensed tour agencies, you will not need a visa.

Mary,

If you are visiting active churches, women are required to cover their heads. Some churches have a few scarves at the entrance, but you can't count on this, so it would be best to have your own (a hat will suffice as well). Men must remove their hats. Inside, don't put your hands in your pockets either. ;)

I always thought the best spot for souvenirs was behind the Church on Spilled Blood. Surprisingly, many can be found cheaply at bookstores along the Nevsky Prospect as well. Make sure to get postcards at Dom Knigi. Huge selection of gorgeous scenes.

Buy vodka at a supermarket or a convenience store, never at a dedicated tourist spot (Gostiny Dvor is guilty of this). A decent bottle shouldn't be more than $10. We students would buy the under $5 stuff (with the government label!) and it was fine. Having lived in St. Petersburg, I always thought soda and snacks were a bit on par cost wise with US prices (just a tad cheaper). A 20oz bottle of Diet Coke can range anywhere from 26R (supermarket off the tourist beat) to 50R (tourist spots). Once you step inside a restaurant, the price can hike over 90R for a soda.

I can't answer your questions about cruise ships and currency, but there are loads of cash machines ("bank-o-mat") in St. Petersburg to get rubles. Don't fret, there will be an English language option on all cash machines.

Mary I just got back from Russia. The stalls across from the Church of Spilled Blood was a great place to buy things. I bought some nesting dolls, they range in price from the ones I got my Grand Daughter for around $5 to the ones I got for myself that were $150 or so. It depends upon what you want and how much you want to spend. I found that the people in the stalls were very friendly and not pushy at all. I also found that the same thing at one stall would be a completly different price at a stall a few down. So comparison shop.

I always kept a scarf in my bag. In Vladimir you also had to wear a skirt, but they provided wrap around skirts for you. I am not sure about other churches in Russia that you may be going to.

I also liked some of the things in the gift shops in Museums as well.

Thanks everyone for your input. Only 2 weeks before departure. Now I am curious why our tour company said we MUST have a visa to enter Russia. I hope not just a way to boost profits?

I agree that the Russian Museum is a must- particularly the later rooms. Here are some notes that might help:

http://andrewchum.blogspot.co.uk/

I think there is a mix of obsolete and just plain wrong information in the replies.
Regarding visas: to enter Russia by any means other than an international cruise ship or a ferry-cruise(a ferry cruise is one which you arrive by ferry and depart by ferry in from 1 to 3 days back to your origin port, normally Helsinki), you will need a visa obtained before you leave home from your nearest Russian consulate. You can't get one at the border or another country while traveling unless you have a residency permit for that country. US citizens pay $140 for the consular fee and now, starting May 12th 2012, a visa service company fee of $30. You apply through a designated visa service company who in turn takes your application to the consulate. You can't apply directly to the consulate any more.
One of the required documents in your application is a visa invitation, called Visa Support, which can be obtained from your hotel or authorized tour operator. They email it to you.

For cruise ship passengers, all is much easier, there is no visa required. Some called it a blanket visa and some less than honest tour companies charge for that but there is no visa if you are a cruise ship passenger who arrives and departs within 72 on the same ship. There is one requirement, to have a tour operator as your host or sponsor. Sign up for a tour from an authorized tour operator such as DenRus Ltd (www.denrus.ru ) and show your passport and tour ticket to passport control officers and you are admitted into the country. It is that simple.
Cruise ships always lie about the need for a visa if you do not book with them. That is a ploy adopted by their cruise line marketing department and not based on fact or law at all.
Cruise ships can't sponsor your visa free entry because they are not tour operators so they contract with a tour operator each season to provide tours to their passengers, and sponsor them when off the ship. The cruise line sells the tours as if they were their own but their only connection is as a sales agent who, by the way, retains most of the selling price as their sales commission.
The cruise lines warn about using independent tour operators but in reality those independent tour operators are the only ones who can sponsor you visa free entry into Russia, those ship has to use the same operators in order to be able to provide tours that are visa free.
Ship sold tours are conducted using 50 passenger motor coaches and fill them so it will not be an intimate or personalized tour. The exception to that is private tours or van/car plus driver and guide bookings through the ship. These are very expensive and a much better deal can be found by booking with a tour operator directly.

Several people posted recommendations for souvenir shopping at the Souvenir Fair behind Church on Spilled Blood. I do not recommend it for the simple fact is the risk of pickpocket is higher in that one small plot of land, 100x200 feet than any where else in Russia. Street crime is low generally but there are a couple places pickpockets work, that souvenir area , around the entrance of the Church on Spilled Blood and a 3 block stretch of Nevsky Prospect from Sadova Ul to the Moika Canal. If you are hit by a pickpocket and they get your passport by accident(they normally just throw those away, they are looking for credit cards and cash), you can't leave before it is replaced. Some consulates can replace a passport in a couple hours(USA) but others like the Canadian might take 10 days and only from Moscow. A well connected tour operator can facilitate that greatly and cut the time down to a minimum. According to Russian immigration officials, 4-10 passports are lost or misplaced every day by cruise passengers. Most are recovered in a week since they are either misplaced or stolen and if stolen the thief normally throws it away on the street and it gets turned in to the consulate.
You do need your passport since it is your only valid form of ID when outside of your home country or state. That is true in any international travel, not just Russia. So hide it away from your target items like wallet or purse. It is advised to not carry anything that would be a hassle to replace. Leave all your other ids, membership cards and other things kept in wallets or purses back home, they are useless away from home who why risk their being lost of stolen. If men resist at very useful advice and insist on carrying a bulging wallet, do not carry it in a rear pocket or backpack, the town most sought after targets. Slip it into a front pocket.
Better yet, just take some money and a credit card in a pocket and leave the wallet in your cabin safe. For women, use a purse strap long enough to be placed over your head, do not rely on hanging it over the same side shoulder, you are warned. Same with cameras, over the neck, not over the same shoulder as the side it hangs on. All this might sound like theft is a major risk. It is not, but away from home losing anything has higher levels of consequences than if at home.

As I mentioned, street crime is low and there are few if any "bad" parts of the city to avoid, no place is infested with gangs or having high crime rates. It is considered rather safe even walking around alone at 3 am about anywhere in this city of almost 7,000,000 people. The official population is just under 5,000,000 but that only counts people who registered to live here and not the immigrants, expats, students and vistors