Prices for PRIVATE Tour Guides for SPB???

hello-- I am reading alot about private guides for St. Petersburg.

Best Guides company is charging $1224 total USD for 2 day -2 person tour with a guide / driver/ with pick up & drop off Royal Princess in Aug.

How does that sound to any of you??:confused:

I am thinking it is kinda pricey. Any other companies you know that are more reasonable???

thanks for your input!

Donnakg

That sounds about right for a private tour.

The only way to do SPB more cost effectively is to find others on your cruise and book a small group tour. We did SPB a few years ago and found 8 others (total pass 10) and had a great two days touring SPB. You can probably find others through your roll call. Many may have already booked tours and should have room for a couple more people.

The cost will vary based on the specific tour you are doing.

hello-- I am reading alot about private guides for St. Petersburg.

Best Guides company is charging $1224 total USD for 2 day -2 person tour with a guide / driver/ with pick up & drop off Royal Princess in Aug.

How does that sound to any of you??:confused:

I am thinking it is kinda pricey. Any other companies you know that are more reasonable???

thanks for your input!

Donnakg

The price for private tours for just 2 people is quite expensive. We used Alla Tours http://alla-tour.com/tours/

The price for 2 people for the 2 day Comfort tour is $520 per person or $1040 total.

You can book the 2 day group comfort tour (max 16 people) for $265 per person or $530 total (much more affordable).

If you definitely wish to have a private tour, I concur with the previous poster that it would be good to find some other participants from your roll call to bring the price down.

We are paying just a few dollars more than you for our private(2 person)tour, with a few special options. You can do a lot in a little less time, while enjoying the guide and answers to all your questions. Also, the car is very nice and you certainly have a lot more say in time and what you want to see! That being said, it is a lot of money! I am splurging on this tour because I just want it to be for me and my DH and my choice guide. Anytime in Europe I have done a totally private tour, I have done my homework and never regretted the money. I was a teacher who still works part time to enhance my trips and keep my savings intact.:cool:

If you are looking for a 'private' tour meaning just the 2 of you, then that price is about right. Most of us have joined groups to lower that price considerably. Almost all the tour companies limit their groups to a max of 16 people and the going rate for a small group tour is usually about $250-$300 PP for the two days. Most of that depends on the tour you are doing as each company offers several options. But most are all in that price range.

We happen to use SPB Tours and couldn't have been more happy with them. http://www.spb-tours.com/st-petersburg/en/node. They will work with you to try and get you in a group if you can't find one on your own.

Cheers

Len

The pricing you've gotten is pretty correct. We used TJ Travel and it was $1,068.00 for the 2 of us..a small discount for paying in cash...Amazing trip of a lifetime and worth every $$.

We are using Insider Tour for 2 persons 2 days in SPB

Just under $1000 US but collecting us at Ryndam 9 am and returning 4 pm.

This suits us perfectly\

You are asking for a private tour for two people. The price is reasonable in the market.

SPB offers a fixed price of $300 pp for 2 day tour of St. Petersburg. Regardless of the group size, its $300 if you book the group tour. They will make sure its a max of 16.

Look for the 2-day deluxe.

http://www.spb-tours.com/st-petersburg/en/2-day-tour

Steve

We traveled with Best Guides and were seeking to join a group tour first. The reason was the same - to lower the budget. But we finally ended up booking a private children-tailored tour as we were afraid that for our daughter (she was 6) it would be too tiring to stay with the group all day long. We did pay about $1000. But it was worth that. In fact the tour was exclusive and could have cost more. If prior to booking I was concerned about the price in the end of day two all my concerns vanished.

We traveled with Best Guides and were seeking to join a group tour first. The reason was the same - to lower the budget. But we finally ended up booking a private children-tailored tour as we were afraid that for our daughter (she was 6) it would be too tiring to stay with the group all day long. We did pay about $1000. But it was worth that. In fact the tour was exclusive and could have cost more. If prior to booking I was concerned about the price in the end of day two all my concerns vanished.

How was this tour for your daughter. We are thinking of booking it for my two sons 11 and 9.

How was this tour for your daughter. We are thinking of booking it for my two sons 11 and 9.

You are replying to posts that are several years old.

Even if the poster notices, there could be considerable differences between "that tour then" and "that tour now", if it even still exists.

Why not begin a new thread, asking about whatever you wish to know...

(Try to be somewhat specific in the subject title so you'll catch the attention of those who are most likely to have information that is relevant.)

GC

Don't forget to add to the cost of a private tour, the additional cost of visas. If you go on a small group tour , a group visa is included in the price.

Don't forget to add to the cost of a private tour, the additional cost of visas. If you go on a small group tour , a group visa is included in the price.

My husband and I had a private tour in St. Petersburg (just the two of us, our guide, and the driver) and the visa was included in the price. As long as you book with a registered tour operator, they will handle the visa. No additional cost. You only need to get a visa yourself if you are going on your own without a guide.

We used Anastasia Tours and were thrilled from start to finish with their service. They are currently running a 40% off promo for bookings made through Jan. 10 (you can take the tour any time) so now is a great time to score a private tour for close to the price of a group tour.

My husband and I had a private tour in St. Petersburg (just the two of us, our guide, and the driver) and the visa was included in the price. As long as you book with a registered tour operator, they will handle the visa. No additional cost. You only need to get a visa yourself if you are going on your own without a guide.

 

We used Anastasia Tours and were thrilled from start to finish with their service. They are currently running a 40% off promo for bookings made through Jan. 10 (you can take the tour any time) so now is a great time to score a private tour for close to the price of a group tour.

I don't see anything abiut a 40% off promo on their website. Maybe I have the wrong website? Where did you see the promo?

I don't see anything abiut a 40% off promo on their website. Maybe I have the wrong website? Where did you see the promo?

I didn't see it on their website either, but it is on their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/AnastasiaTravel/

When we did it, it was 50% off and I thought it was too good to be true and was afraid we'd get a cut-rate tour, but they really were fantastic. Our guide, Anna (who has an advanced degree in history) even added some extras that weren't in the itinerary after spending some time with us and figuring out our interests. I don't know what they are charging now, but in 2015 we paid $310 pp for a full (very full) two day tour including all admissions and of course, visas. We went everywhere the other other tours go (Hermitage, Catherine's Palace, Peterhof, Savior on Spilt Blood, etc, etc), along with a subway ride, boat ride on the river where we were the only people on the boat, and she even added an extra church she thought we would like. We had our guide Anna completely to ourselves, and were driven around in a new Mercedes sedan. We did have to buy our own lunches, but we made a quick stop for stolle pies which were fantastic and very inexpensive.

Send them a message via FB or from their website. I would at least check it out and get a quote from them.

Here is the certificate they emailed me (I'm still on their mailing list, by choice, from our tour in 2015):

We used Anastasia Tours and were thrilled from start to finish with their service. They are currently running a 40% off promo for bookings made through Jan. 10 (you can take the tour any time) so now is a great time to score a private tour for close to the price of a group tour.

I checked-out the promo for the private tour with Anastasia and compared it to the top 3 providers ranked on TripAdvisor. I assumed that the price would be 40% less than the tours offered by their competition. Not so - two of the top 3 offer a more competitive rate.

Anastasia Travel private tour for 2 people. Cost with 40% discount is $614.00

#1) Private/2 people/almost identical itinerary/Alla Tours/$560.00

#2) Private/2 people/almost identical itinerary/SPB Tours/$599.00

#3) Private/2 people/almost identical itinerary/TJ/$640.00

Of course, the more people in your group, the less expensive the private tour. So it is quite possible to get a completely private tour at about the cost of a group tour.

The tour environment is very competitive in St. Petersburg. Most of the operators (not just the top 3) offer tours routinely touted on Cruise Critic as excellent. My advice would be to check around for the itinerary and price that best meets your needs before you buy.

When we booked with Anastasia, we chose the 2-day "Optimal" tour for 2 people. Using their full price now of $764 (not the regularly discounted price of $535) 40% off comes to $458 pp. Not as cheap as when we took it two years ago, but still less than the others. If you want a private tour, I would contact them before Jan. 10 and get a quote. You can book one of the less expensive options for 2 people, you don't have to book the more expensive "private" tour option; at least we didn't.

I would be very careful about companies offering huge discounts and also those asking for deposits. There are some wonderful large and small companies in the top ten list on Trip Advisor that price appropriately for private tours depending on the number of stops requiring entrance fees etc. I immediately eliminated the companies that offered big discounts, asked for a deposit or pressured me one way or the other. I had very professional responses from White Night Tours(there are 2 so be careful to get the top rated ones) and from Best Guides for a private tour for 4. I think that the standard tours(usually 16 passenger) of the top 3 companies are well done according to reviews.

Find the company that you feel comfortable with and try to avoid saving a few bucks just because it is a "deal".

I will book with Alla tours, I am looking forward to see how it goes, I will let you know.

I don't see anything abiut a 40% off promo on their website. Maybe I have the wrong website? Where did you see the promo?

This thread is from March, 2014!!!

Hi! We finally decided to do the Baltic cruise this following summer. It will be our first time in Baltic and Russia, we are very exited.

We have recommendations from our travel comrades to use Red Sun Tours for the 2 day shore excursion. They have so good reviews and the prices look very reasonable.

We are people who love "personal" touch, and that company looks perfect for us.

We would price-out both Alla and TJ Tours (we can personally vouch for both of these excellent tour providers). Beware that its not always wise to look for the cheapest provider as sometimes you will get what you pay for....and also not get what you don't pay for.

Hank

We booked a private tour with Alla for $295 a person (2 of us). I booked it last week for our May cruise and the communication with the company has been excellent.

We booked a private tour with Alla for $295 a person (2 of us). I booked it last week for our May cruise and the communication with the company has been excellent.

I am also looking at Alla tours. My wife and I are also booked on a May cruise and also from York

May ask what date and line are you going on?