St.Petersburg - Excursion Recommendations?

[gravy1955]

We are cruising on the QV to the Baltics in June and are visiting St.Petersberg which is a place we have been looking forward to visiting.We require some help and advice on the following:
Would we be better going with the ship tours or organising one privately with a local operator? Are there any problems with obtaining visas if we did so and are there any ship excursions that people have been on that they would recommend we book?
Thanks for all your replies and help in advance.

[kaymar]

We are cruising on the QV to the Baltics in June and are visiting St.Petersberg which is a place we have been looking forward to visiting.We require some help and advice on the following:
Would we be better going with the ship tours or organising one privately with a local operator? Are there any problems with obtaining visas if we did so and are there any ship excursions that people have been on that they would recommend we book?
Thanks for all your replies and help in advance.

gravy, have a look at -

http://cruise-community.me.uk/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=846

or

http://cruise-community.me.uk/viewtopic ... tic#p22337

or search for "Baltic" or"St Petersburg" in the Destinations section of the forum. There is lots of information there.

As ever, opinions vary but without hesitation I would recommend a private tour in St Petersburg. We used TJ Travel and were delighted, as have been lots of others but there are a number of companies doing much the same thing.

[Manoverboard]

We booked a morning trip ( to avoid the mozzies ) to visit the Peterhof Palace and did the City Highlights during the afternoon ... we booked with P&O as it felt safer on this our first visit. If we return to St Petes we will ' possibly ' take a private tour.

Cost was not, and will not become, a consideration regarding a tour of this City.

[david63]

I am another who would advocate using one of the private tour companies - and don't be put off by the obstacles that the tour companies try to use to encourage you to use their tours.

Number one is that you do not need a full Russian visa to go on a private tour.

Number two is that they are completely safe and they will get you back to the ship before it sails.

[Lazysusan]

We have booked a two day grand tour with Alla Tours costing $300 each. We don't have to pay until the end of day one. Has anyone else used these people, I hope we haven't made a mistake.

[RB1961]

A guy on our dinner table used Alla Tours and said they were the best he had ever used.

Don't worry.

RB

[Lazysusan]

Thanks for that, sailing two weeks today.

[Boris+]

Sorry to have to say this, but you may find 'facilities' in St P's leave quite a bit to be desired - and so please take some hand gel or antibac hand wipes with you, and also you may need to be prepared for very large mozzies.

Em

[ShirleyT]

Em.....regarding the demon Mozzies, what month were you in St Petersburg? I am looking at possibly doing the Queen Victoria cruise on 6th July. Are we likely to be eaten alive in July?

[david63]

It's a variable feast [sic] - we were there in July a few years back and never saw one at all.

[Grando]

We were there last year at the beginning of July and we saw a couple at the Winter Palace (Peterhof)? but that was all. Normally they love me and I had gone prepared, but maybe we were just lucky. Enjoy your trip we thought it was fantastic. Doreen.