SPB Excursion - Visa questions

Hi all,

We are traveling in September on NCL Breakaway. During our time in St Petersburg, we have arranged a private tour with SPB. We thought we understood all the visa requirements....that a private excursion company would arrange for any necessary visas. Our group consists of several nationalities and recently, one of the Australian members brought the following to our attention.... check out the highlighted text.

All cruise passengers visiting Russia on sea cruise ships may enter and stay there without visa up to 72 hours. Compulsory conditions are: · They should have accommodations on board. · The list of all passengers must be submitted to the local authorities 72 hours prior to arriving to the port of destination. · Every passenger must have valid identity documents. · They must be included in the above mentioned list. · They must travel only with the group according to the pre-arranged program of the shipping company. All cruise passengers visiting Russia and wanting to undertake their own independent shore excursion should apply for a tourist visa.

Is this an issue? Are private tours going to be a problem?

Thanks for your help!

Lori

We went with SPB and did not have a problem. I found that SPB is good at answering emails and you might ask them directly. Between TJ and SPB there were about 20 buses picking up tours.

Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see anything in there that suggests there will be a problem.

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I can see what Lori means. The Russian Consulate in Sydney states the following on its website:

"Tourists travelling on cruise ships and ferries are eligible to visit Russian ports without visa if the following conditions are met:

The overall period of their stay on the Russian territory for*no more than 3 days (72 hours)

They stay*overnight*onboard of the cruise ship

They go ashore only as a part of a group of passengers*on the excursions organized by the cruisecompany"

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Sorry, I left of the last crucial sentence:

"Tourists travelling on cruise ships and ferries are eligible to visit Russian ports without visa if the following conditions are met:

1. The overall period of their stay on the Russian territory for*no more than 3 days (72 hours)

2. They stay*overnight*onboard of the cruise ship

3.They go ashore only as a part of a group of passengers*on the excursions organized by the cruisecompany

In all the other cases Australian citizens are to apply for a tourist visa.*"

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We toured with SPB, my husband on an Australian passport, and had no difficulties. Granted, the rules might have changed very recently. But the tour companies (SPB, Alla, TJ Travel, etc.) would know better than the website for the consulate in Sydney, I'll bet, since knowing the rules is their *business*. They deal with cruise port immigration issues on a daily basis. I would direct any visa questions to them.

The private licensed guides like Alla & SPB provide a group Visa so you must stay with the group while ashore

They are responsible for you & a breach in the rule could have them in trouble

You provide you passport info etc to them they email you a document to show the authorities allowing you off the ship

print it off maybe make a couple of copies TAKE IT WITH YOU

it has been this way for many years

The information from the Sydney consulate is simply wrong.

If you book a tour with any of a dozen or so private cos., they take care of the visa waiver. You are NOT obliged to stick with the cruise line tours. The private ones are almost always better. We used Ulko tours. 6 people in a small van. Very satisfied.

Sorry, I left of the last crucial sentence:

"Tourists travelling on cruise ships and ferries are eligible to visit Russian ports without visa if the following conditions are met:

1. The overall period of their stay on the Russian territory for*no more than 3 days (72 hours)

2. They stay*overnight*onboard of the cruise ship

3.They go ashore only as a part of a group of passengers*on the excursions organized by the cruisecompany

 

In all the other cases Australian citizens are to apply for a tourist visa.*"

 

 

 

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That's got to be really annoying for Aussies. :mad:

I too think the Russian consulate in Sydney is wrong (plenty of TA's get it wrong & a great many cruisers are deliberately mis-led by cruise lines).

troseberry's Aussie hubby's experience seems to confirm that, and Australians aren't singled-out on the link provided by SS&S - a website which doesn't appear to have a sales-orientated motive.

But there has to be a seed of doubt :confused:

Lori, I suggest you get confirmation from your SPB tour operator.

Just for peace of mind.

Then tell the Russian consulate their website is wrong.

Mebbe wait til after your cruise to do that ;)

JB :)