SPB evening excursions

It seems all or most of the 2 day tours in SPB have an optional evening excursion to a ballet or folk dance, etc.

Here's one-

You decide what you would like to do and we will provide you with a vehicle and a person to accompany you. You will be able to get around in the city “on your own”: you can explore the downtown, call into a bar for a drink or two, seat in a side-walk cafe for a cup of coffee, or do shopping (open until 10:00 PM).

It also might be a combination of city driving tour with pictures stops, walking tour and call to a restaurant for dinner, or whatever you wish!

Your ideas for the evening entertainment are welcome! The minimum duration of the tour is 3 hrs.

Cost of this tour depends on the vehicle size:

180 USD for a group of up to 4 pax, $30 USD for every extra hour (4th, 5th...);

200 USD for a group of up to 7 pax, 35 USD for every extra hour (4th, 5th...);

220 USD for a group of up to 16 pax, 40 USD for every extra hour (4th, 5th...).

The above prices are not per person, but for the entire group. "

Dinner might be nice , and shopping if the day tours don't allow time for that.

But that's kind of pricey for a driver. $60/hr

It seems all or most of the 2 day tours in SPB have an optional evening excursion to a ballet or folk dance, etc.

Here's one-

You decide what you would like to do and we will provide you with a vehicle and a person to accompany you. You will be able to get around in the city “on your own”: you can explore the downtown, call into a bar for a drink or two, seat in a side-walk cafe for a cup of coffee, or do shopping (open until 10:00 PM).

It also might be a combination of city driving tour with pictures stops, walking tour and call to a restaurant for dinner, or whatever you wish!

Your ideas for the evening entertainment are welcome! The minimum duration of the tour is 3 hrs.

Cost of this tour depends on the vehicle size:

180 USD for a group of up to 4 pax, $30 USD for every extra hour (4th, 5th...);

200 USD for a group of up to 7 pax, 35 USD for every extra hour (4th, 5th...);

220 USD for a group of up to 16 pax, 40 USD for every extra hour (4th, 5th...).

The above prices are not per person, but for the entire group. "

Dinner might be nice , and shopping if the day tours don't allow time for that.

But that's kind of pricey for a driver. $60/hr

It's not $60 per hour, per person. The way that I read it...

If there is a group of 4, the cost would be $15 an hour per person. Get another couple from your roll call and the entire 3 hours would cost each person $45. I don't find that unreasonable. :cool:

We did this and chose the ballet. As I remember, it wasn't so expensive that it sticks in my mind. With our group we had dinner at a local restaurant which was pretty good. ALLA tours dropped us off and sent another bus/driver to take us to the theater.

I'm glad we skipped the Folkloric dance option as they offered it on the ship for free. Swan Lake was lovely but let me tell you that after a very long day touring with much walking, by Intermission we were dragging.

It happened that it was Summer Solstice that night and we did get to experience Russia's White Night. No problem with sleeping, we were that tired. :D

Sue

We didn't bother with any Evening excursions as we have seen enough folklore shows over the years and we are not ballet fans.

However, after two long days on excursions we were really pleased we didn't have to get ready to go out again.

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We used it as a chance to get out and walk around a little bit like you would in any other city (but don’t really in SPB because the tours are so structured). We normally don’t travel using tour groups and busses so we found the daytime activities organized but incredibly stifling.

While I guess we still paid for it we didn’t use the driver much that night- we were lucky to be on one of the little Seabourn boats and were docked about 4 blocks from the Hermitage right in the middle of town on the river. We ended up walking around some of the public spaces we had driven by the day before which gave a nice perspective and also checking out some local watering holes- all the way from palace hotel bar to local hole in the wall. A lot of vodka that night.

While we did eat lunches ashore the three days we were there we chose to have dinner aboard before the evening out as the food in SPB we found to be extremely expensive and not very good as a whole (I’m sure someone will jump in with some obscure restaurant we should have tried). We didn’t bother on the evening out as it was just easier to eat onboard.

Overall extremely worthwhile to see a different aspect of the city on foot than you will during the daytime tours.

SPB had a 'Vodka and Clubbing' evening tour. A few hearty souls survived (and LOVED) it during our 2016 cruise. The Cranberry Vodka was excellent., don't remember much else.

SPB had a 'Vodka and Clubbing' evening tour. A few hearty souls survived (and LOVED) it during our 2016 cruise. The Cranberry Vodka was excellent., don't remember much else.

We went on an evening vodka tour with SPB (Vika) also. Still talk about it until this day five years later. The. Best. Time. Ever. lol.

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When we went last year with SPB it was "drink like a local" Night time river cruise and LOTs of vodka. People from different cruise ships were dropped at a restaurant for dinner and then picked up by SPB. We met some hilarious people and enjoyed the company and the beautiful evening cruise

The night time cruise was beautiful, the vodka was excellent and it was definitely worth it! We spent about an hour and a half at a local bar also.

It was so much fun and we wished we had more free time to explore. The restaurant wasn't near anything probably by design. If you have an option to do something at night with more free time, I'd jump on it.

My vote is cast for attending a ballet performance. It made for a LONG day since I don't think we got back to ship until midnight, but so worth it. The theatre alone was amazing, and the performance was absolutely riveting. I'm not even much of a ballet fan (though have always enjoyed attending performances of the Nutcracker), but we went to see Swan Lake and I was stunned by the level of artistry taking place on stage. It ended all too soon, and certainly deserves a place among the most memorable events of all my travels. I only wish I had been able to take some video during it.

We didn't bother with any Evening excursions as we have seen enough folklore shows over the years and we are not ballet fans.

 

However, after two long days on excursions we were really pleased we didn't have to get ready to go out again.

 

 

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I get where you're coming from, especially for us having done 3 long touring days. I, too, am not that much of a ballet fan, but as I just posted, I think attending a ballet while in SPB is more than worth the time. I'd do it again if we ever decide to go back.

three4rd

I can see how it is interesting for some people, but we live in central London where we can see the best ballet and theatre in the world.

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I won't tell anyone at the Merinsky theatre in SPB that you said that...LOL

Ha, ha, but these ballet troupes do tours. I can't stand ballet, anyway, so wouldn't go to see it anywhere.

For me the Highlight of SPB was The Hermitage. The Faberge museum hadn't opened when we visited in 2013, but would love to see that too.

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If you have the ability to choose an excursion and you are in St. Petersburg on a Wednesday or Friday evening, consider going back to the Hermitage. It is open until 9 PM and after 4 PM almost empty. All the tour groups are gone and you can wander at your leisure. The last time we in in St. Petersburg, we obtained a visa, and were not tied to a particular tour. We could come and go as we pleased. We hired a guide for a tour that started at 4 PM. She spent two hours with us, and then we were on our own until closing. Since we were there in May, it was still light out. We walked over to the Bolshoi Prospect, and had a late dinner.

When we went two years ago with Best Guides, we had Drink Coffee Like a Local :D experience and enjoyed it a lot. My nephews loved Russian cheese cakes :). We also did a panoramic city tour in late evening hours. That was magnificent. We saw the beautiful bridges and opulent palazzos, did some merrymaking with the crowds by the Neva river, had a stop at the Neva across from the Hermitage and enjoyed our champagnes at the waterfront. We had stops near the Church on Spilled Blood (breath-taking!) and the bridge nearby. These were beautiful to see in the night light. Although we were a little tires after a long day of sightseeing, the evening drive wasn't too strenuous and the sights we saw were unforgettable. All in all, we spent 2 days with Best Guides and couldn't have been satisfied more.

Could you tell me who you booked with. This sounds like something I would love to do. We will be there in May 2019. Thank You.

Sandra

When we went last year with SPB it was "drink like a local" Night time river cruise and LOTs of vodka. People from different cruise ships were dropped at a restaurant for dinner and then picked up by SPB. We met some hilarious people and enjoyed the company and the beautiful evening cruise

 

The night time cruise was beautiful, the vodka was excellent and it was definitely worth it! We spent about an hour and a half at a local bar also.

 

It was so much fun and we wished we had more free time to explore. The restaurant wasn't near anything probably by design. If you have an option to do something at night with more free time, I'd jump on it.

Hmmm we were going to do the Folk show, but this really sounds fun and interesting

We did this and chose the ballet. As I remember, it wasn't so expensive that it sticks in my mind. With our group we had dinner at a local restaurant which was pretty good. ALLA tours dropped us off and sent another bus/driver to take us to the theater.

 

I'm glad we skipped the Folkloric dance option as they offered it on the ship for free. Swan Lake was lovely but let me tell you that after a very long day touring with much walking, by Intermission we were dragging.

 

It happened that it was Summer Solstice that night and we did get to experience Russia's White Night. No problem with sleeping, we were that tired. :D

 

Sue

Was the Folkloric dance preformed in the ship? During daytime or at night?