For Those Who Have Toured St. Petersburg

For those of you who have toured St. Petersburg, what sites were your favorites and not to miss and which ones could you have done without?

I am so worried about getting so utterly exhausted on this Baltic itinerary so don't want to spend time going to sites that perhaps are not worth the effort.

I appreciate any feedback you can give.

For those of you who have toured St. Petersburg, what sites were your favorites and not to miss and which ones could you have done without?

 

I am so worried about getting so utterly exhausted on this Baltic itinerary so don't want to spend time going to sites that perhaps are not worth the effort.

 

I appreciate any feedback you can give.

Why don't you tell us a little bit about your interests? I thought everything we saw in five days of touring St. Petersburg over two different cruises was equally fascinating. I wouldn't have missed a thing. I have no desire to be snarky, but how am I to know if you would have agreed?

Perhaps a better way to look at your question is whether your itinerary includes days at sea to rest and recharge for your next round of port intensive days. Another option might be to list your ports and the group can tell you which ones can be done at an easy pace/limited time ashore to prepare for/recover from from the intensity of St Petersburg. Most cruisers see St. Petersburg as the high light of the itinerary. We'd sooner take it easy in some other port than cut back on St. Petersburg.

Most cruisers see St. Petersburg as the high light of the itinerary. We'd sooner take it easy in some other port than cut back on St. Petersburg.

Agree - St. Petersburg is the highlight on Baltic cruises. Many must-see sights: Peterhof, Catherine Palace, Hermitage, Church on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress, Faberge Museum, Russian Museum, St. Isaac Cathedral, etc. You can't possibly see it all in a few days (I have visited several times for extended stays). I would much rather 'chill' in one of the other ports rather than miss out in St. Petersburg.

That's a tough question to ask, cos answers are bound to be subjective.

But a lot of tour operators offer two levels of tour.

If you plan to do something in the evening, mebbe stick to the "comfort" tour that some operators offer rather than the full Monty.

Same might apply if you have port days both sides of St Petersburg.

But I wouldn't describe even the Grand Tours as exhausting.

And if you want to tailor your own tour most will accommodate you - but private tours are of course more expensive than the standard shared tours.

But IMHO the highlights, in no particular order, are .................

Peterhof gardens & fountains.

Most tours, including ours, don't go into the palace itself - said to be similar to Catherine Palace.

Best to get there by hydrofoil rather than by coach or van, so check out the what the different operators are offering.

Catherine Palace. Sumptuously-decorated palace, particularly the Amber Room.

The Church on Spilt Blood.

A great example of typical Russian onion-domed churches / cathedrals.

Requires no effort to visit.

Peter & Paul fortress.

Centrepiece is the cathedral, which houses the tombs of royalty.

The canal tour, incorporated in most tours, is easy & worthwhile.

And a trip on the subway is fun - the stations are works of art.

Finally, The Hermitage.

Four imposing buildings along the banks of the Neva River.

Fabulous art & treasures. If that's your thing.

Most operators are able to start their tours 30 minutes ahead of public opening hours.

A lot of tours spend 3 hours there.

Not enough time for some.

About 2.5 hours too long for me, I'd have preferred to spend a chunk of the time ...............

going aboard the battleship Aurora, which signalled the start of the revolution.

Which takes us back to the first sentence of this post ;)

JB :)

Thank you for those who have replied so far. We are on a 13 day cruise with 3 days in St. Petersburg and only 1 sea day. I am wondering if it is better to just tour St. Petersburg for 2 days and rest the other day, or do the 3 day tour. I know that some might consider going to Moscow on one of the days but I fear that would be just too much.

I especially love taking photos so love all types of architecture and landscaping beauty. I don't mind some museum time but don't want to spend endless hours in museums.

We are in our 60's and 70's but are still mobile.

I appreciate any feedback.

Here is our itinerary:

Stockholm, Sweden Embark overnight

Stockholm, Sweden 4:00pm

Tallinn, Estonia 10:00am 6:00pm

St. Petersburg, Russia 7:00am

St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg, Russia 6:00pm

Helsinki, Finland 7:00am 3:00pm

Riga, Latvia 10:00am 6:00pm

Klaipeda, Lithuania 10:00am 8:00pm

At Sea

Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany 7:00am 9:30pm

Fredericia, Denmark 9:00am 7:00pm

Copenhagen, Denmark 9:00am overnight

Copenhagen, Denmark Disembark

Vicki

Thank you for those who have replied so far. We are on a 13 day cruise with 3 days in St. Petersburg and only 1 sea day. I am wondering if it is better to just tour St. Petersburg for 2 days and rest the other day, or do the 3 day tour.

I think it would be better to go at a moderate pace for all 3 days than exhaust yourself for two and do nothing for one.

I know that some might consider going to Moscow on one of the days but I fear that would be just too much.

Yes, some might, but I wouldn't be one of those. Not for the reason you mention, but because there's so much to enjoy in St. Petersburg that there's no need to do something as exhausting as a one-day turn around to Moscow.

I especially love taking photos so love all types of architecture and landscaping beauty. I don't mind some museum time but don't want to spend endless hours in museums.

You may want to pay for a private guide for the two of you. If you read the description of the offerings from various well-regarded tour companies, I doubt there will be any that emphasize photography. Another option is to create your own tour emphasizing photography and solicit other participants via your cruise roll call. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about just ask.)

TLC Ohio often posts on Cruise Critic and he is an avid and talented photographer. (I haven't seen any posts from him in a while.) He may have some suggestions for cruisers who want to slow down the pace to spend a lot of time taking photographs. Here's a link to one of his posts about Stockholm from 2010 that gives you a sense of his posts and how he likes to travel.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/showpost.php?p=25341349&postcount=614

Here is our itinerary:

Stockholm, Sweden Embark overnight

Stockholm, Sweden 4:00pm

Tallinn, Estonia 10:00am 6:00pm

St. Petersburg, Russia 7:00am

St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg, Russia 6:00pm

Helsinki, Finland 7:00am 3:00pm

Riga, Latvia 10:00am 6:00pm

Klaipeda, Lithuania 10:00am 8:00pm

At Sea

Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany 7:00am 9:30pm

Fredericia, Denmark 9:00am 7:00pm

Copenhagen, Denmark 9:00am overnight

Copenhagen, Denmark Disembark

My husband and I thought Klaipeda was almost worthless. It's not that there's nothing to see, but everything about this port is such a smaller version of the wonders we'd already seen in other ports. You might want to briefly stroll around the town after having taken the shuttle into the main square, but after the other amazing ports, this could be seen as a day to rest and recharge.

We are on a 13 day cruise with 3 days in St. Petersburg and only 1 sea day.

Vicki

The third day is a bit of a bonus.

There are cruises with just one port day in St Pete's. And that's woeful.

Most cruises stop overnight, giving two full days & an optional evening. That's long enough for most folk on the carefully-constructed tours.

Three days is more rare, but becoming more frequent.

That suits folk who want to cover both St P. and Moscow (yes, that's hectic :eek:). Or those who've cruised the Baltic before, who've enjoyed St. P. and now see it as a good jumping-off point for two days in Moscow.

IMHO you'll not miss any important sights on a two-day tour if you want to spend a day relaxing on-board.

But bear in mind that the tour tickets that get you through immigration on the other days won't get you through immigration on your spare day - you need a tour ticket relevant to that day.

I don't know if the local operators offer a three-day tour - if not (or not one that you like), you could ask for the main sights to be spread over three days on a custom private tour, but that would be expensive & might not work as well as a full "day off".

Or if the cost isn't a big concern, you could ask the local operators for ideas for a relaxing private drive for that spare day, or half a day, or the evening. No need for a "guide", just a vehicle & driver who speaks sufficient English to give you your own personal view of St Petersburg. Having done the tourist trail, that's what we'll do if we get the chance to return.

Mebbe choose the operator that comes up with the best solution for that day to also be your operator for a standard two-day tour.

The local operators are very helpful & efficient and they respond promptly & individually to e-mailed enquiries.

Seems a shame to spend a day on the ship in St P., but to repeat - IMHO you'll not miss out badly if you do. :)

JB :)

PS. Your itinerary intrigues. Is this a small ship? Ships normally berth at the port on the Gulf of Finland, about a 15 minute drive from the centre of the city. But small ships can berth on the River Neva, right in the city :)

I would think about booking a tour from one of the regular companies that get positive reviews here. The itineraries are very similar and they do the planning for you and get you to the most popular sites. Here is a link to some pictures from our two day visit.

https://msknortherneurope.shutterfly.com/pictures/453

We are on a 13 day cruise with 3 days in St. Petersburg and only 1 sea day. I am wondering if it is better to just tour St. Petersburg for 2 days and rest the other day, or do the 3 day tour. I know that some might consider going to Moscow on one of the days but I fear that would be just too much.

 

I especially love taking photos so love all types of architecture and landscaping beauty. I don't mind some museum time but don't want to spend endless hours in museums.

 

We are in our 60's and 70's but are still mobile.

I appreciate any feedback.

 

Here is our itinerary:

 

Stockholm, Sweden Embark overnight

Stockholm, Sweden 4:00pm

Tallinn, Estonia 10:00am 6:00pm

St. Petersburg, Russia 7:00am

St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg, Russia 6:00pm

Helsinki, Finland 7:00am 3:00pm

Riga, Latvia 10:00am 6:00pm

Klaipeda, Lithuania 10:00am 8:00pm

At Sea

Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany 7:00am 9:30pm

Fredericia, Denmark 9:00am 7:00pm

Copenhagen, Denmark 9:00am overnight

Copenhagen, Denmark Disembark

 

 

Vicki

Three days in St Petersburg is fantastic. What cruise line and which ship?

Three days in St Petersburg is fantastic. What cruise line and which ship?

This is RCCI Serenade of the Seas. Usually sail Celebrity but couldn't resist this itinerary.

Thank you for those who have replied so far. We are on a 13 day cruise with 3 days in St. Petersburg and only 1 sea day. I am wondering if it is better to just tour St. Petersburg for 2 days and rest the other day, or do the 3 day tour. I know that some might consider going to Moscow on one of the days but I fear that would be just too much.

 

I especially love taking photos so love all types of architecture and landscaping beauty. I don't mind some museum time but don't want to spend endless hours in museums.

 

We are in our 60's and 70's but are still mobile.

I appreciate any feedback.

 

Here is our itinerary:

 

Stockholm, Sweden Embark overnight

Stockholm, Sweden 4:00pm

Tallinn, Estonia 10:00am 6:00pm

St. Petersburg, Russia 7:00am

St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg, Russia 6:00pm

Helsinki, Finland 7:00am 3:00pm

Riga, Latvia 10:00am 6:00pm

Klaipeda, Lithuania 10:00am 8:00pm

At Sea

Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany 7:00am 9:30pm

Fredericia, Denmark 9:00am 7:00pm

Copenhagen, Denmark 9:00am overnight

Copenhagen, Denmark Disembark

 

 

Vicki

You're lucky to be going to Riga. Not many ships go there compared to SP, Tallinn, etc. I would say if you have an hour or two, make sure to seek out the fabulous art nouveau there - not terribly far from where the ship docks, or at least where we did. I love architecture and photography and really enjoyed it. Here's a link to my photos. I think Riga is about halfway down in the "gallery." http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/baltic_cruise_&page=all I also did a "second string" gallery which contains more pictures from each city we visited. In these galleries you'll find pics from some of your other stops. (Nice itinerary, by the way!)

But back to Riga: I had some trouble finding a couple buildings, particularly the "blue" building, but if you're interested, I can probably dig up some info that would help you and others find it. I remember that the numbering on the street is not such that 10B, for example, is right across from or right next to 10A as I assumed it would be. That made things confusing.

The HOHO bus in Riga was nice, but really, the art nouveau stuff blew me away, as the scale is very large and the artwork towers above you - bring a telephoto lens if you have it! I would probably go see art nouveau, go see the beautiful church in Riga (that one is right on the HOHO route) and then perhaps do other stuff. As for St. P, you're smart in asking what to concentrate in. We took the Alla 2 day "Comfort" tour and it was great but tiring. My favorite stops were the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood and Catherine's Palace (mostly outside). My least favorite stops were the Hermitage, subway ride and Peter & Paul Fortress. Some people did the optional and extra ballet performance at night offered by Alla, and they were having second thoughts about going due to fatigue. My husband was tired and sat out the Hermitage, but I trudged through, despite not so much interest in the artwork. The ride on the canal and the boat ride were fun.

You're lucky to be going to Riga. Not many ships go there compared to SP, Tallinn, etc. I would say if you have an hour or two, make sure to seek out the fabulous art nouveau there - not terribly far from where the ship docks, or at least where we did. I love architecture and photography and really enjoyed it. Here's a link to my photos. I think Riga is about halfway down in the "gallery." http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/baltic_cruise_&page=all I also did a "second string" gallery which contains more pictures from each city we visited. In these galleries you'll find pics from some of your other stops. (Nice itinerary, by the way!)

 

But back to Riga: I had some trouble finding a couple buildings, particularly the "blue" building, but if you're interested, I can probably dig up some info that would help you and others find it. I remember that the numbering on the street is not such that 10B, for example, is right across from or right next to 10A as I assumed it would be. That made things confusing.

 

The HOHO bus in Riga was nice, but really, the art nouveau stuff blew me away, as the scale is very large and the artwork towers above you - bring a telephoto lens if you have it! I would probably go see art nouveau, go see the beautiful church in Riga (that one is right on the HOHO route) and then perhaps do other stuff. As for St. P, you're smart in asking what to concentrate in. We took the Alla 2 day "Comfort" tour and it was great but tiring. My favorite stops were the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood and Catherine's Palace (mostly outside). My least favorite stops were the Hermitage, subway ride and Peter & Paul Fortress. Some people did the optional and extra ballet performance at night offered by Alla, and they were having second thoughts about going due to fatigue. My husband was tired and sat out the Hermitage, but I trudged through, despite not so much interest in the artwork. The ride on the canal and the boat ride were fun.

Thank you for all the great information. Will look forward to the Art Nouveau in Riga.

This is RCCI Serenade of the Seas. Usually sail Celebrity but couldn't resist this itinerary.

Thank you. Going to have to check out RCI's Baltic itineraries.

Just my 2 cents worth, but I would never give up the time in St Petersburg to take the Moscow trip. There is simply so much to see! Also, you couldn't pay me to take an Aeroflot flight, which is probably how you would be flying to Moscow. If they use another airline and the Kremlin is something you want to see, then go for it, but you will be exhausted at the end of the three days.

Just my 2 cents worth, but I would never give up the time in St Petersburg to take the Moscow trip. There is simply so much to see! Also, you couldn't pay me to take an Aeroflot flight, which is probably how you would be flying to Moscow. If they use another airline and the Kremlin is something you want to see, then go for it, but you will be exhausted at the end of the three days.

I have flown both Aeroflot & Rossiya several times (most recently 6 months ago) and noticed no difference in service & safety between them and US/Canadian/German/British carriers.

I also vote for 3 moderate days, with a private guide. You'll be able to take your time or leave for something more interesting without waiting for a large group.

Our one day highlights were Peterhof, Church of the Spilled Blood, the Hermitage, and our dinner out at Teplo, a home cooking type restaurant.

With 3 days, you will have time to take your time, sit and enjoy a meal and coffee, recharge on a canal tour, or take in a show.

I would contact one of the main tour companies and work with one to come up with a 3 day itinerary that excites you. We used TJ Travel and they were very responsive to our group's requests.

For those of you who have toured St. Petersburg, what sites were your favorites and not to miss and which ones could you have done without?

 

I am so worried about getting so utterly exhausted on this Baltic itinerary so don't want to spend time going to sites that perhaps are not worth the effort.

 

I appreciate any feedback you can give.

It has been 10 years, but I will tell you that the opportunity to have lunch with a Russian Family in their home was an excellent add on to our private tour.

Here is a link to my Review: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=380651

I have flown both Aeroflot & Rossiya several times (most recently 6 months ago) and noticed no difference in service & safety between them and US/Canadian/German/British carriers.

I respect different options about pacing oneself for trip to SPB. Just returned from celebrity tour w/ 2 overnights in SPB. Went to Moscow on day 2 by Sapsan "bullet train" with TJ tours. While very long day, seeing Kremlin, riding Metro and sightseeing was great. Would not want to have missed it. Most napped on train and still had energy for (lighter) day 3 in SPB. Riding through countryside gave a chance to view much deeper into country than what we usually can do on cruises.

I would suggest taking a 2 day regular city tour ( private excursion or with a small group ) Save the 3rd day for 1/2 day excursion to enjoy the Peterhof Gardens & Fountain. It will be a leisurely pace with many photo opportunities. Go in the morning & return to the ship early afternoon. Then you will be well rested for the next port.

Happy Travels, John

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Some photos touring the Peterhof. We really enjoyed our time, even though it rained on us some of the time... John

I can't make any promises, but last year people reported on these forums that they were able to get good deals on private tours for just their family since the ruble fell so much (you pay for the tours in dollars). Given your interests, it would certainly be worth an email to check.

Also, I'd view pictures of all the attractions online - I love photography, but the exterior of a lot of these churches was much more interesting than the interior of Russian churches for me personally (I don't love mosaics). If you know that ahead of time and have a private tour, you will be able to just take pictures outside of the churches. Your Baltic itinerary is amazing - I wanted to take a similar RC tour for mine but we were very limited in dates due to childcare for my 3 year old. But it is an exhausting cruise, so a private tour in St. Petersburg will help since you will be able to limit your time just to what you want to see, and can take as frequent breaks as you need to. Our private tour operator was fine with working longer on the first day since the weather was better, and cutting the second day short.

That's a packed itinerary. Counting Stockholm, that's 8 straight touring days, plus you lose an hour or maybe two headed east. I'd probably do three half days or two days in St. Petersburg. We did one night overnight there and two days was plenty for me to feel like we hit the highlights. I wouldn't want to miss any of the places you visit for just one day, and with a cruise that port intensive I would worry about burn out with three full St. Petersburg days.