Sochi--anything worth seeing/doing near the dock?

[JB&JLG74]

We will be on a Black Sea cruise in October (Princendam) and are planning to do a morning shore excursion of Stalin's dosha. On a shore excursion we would not need our own visa. But we will have an open afternoon. Has anyone been to Sochi recently? Is the town or anything worth seeing near the dock? Or is the dock in an industrial area? Would it be worthwhile to obtain a visa so we can go out on our own in the afternoon?

[BARNOWL ONE]

We just returned from a cruise to the black sea on the prinsendam. We took a tour arranged by a cruise critic member. As you noted, you definitely need a visa if you want to walk around on your own. I dont think it would be worthwhile to invest in a russian visa for just a few hours. The tours all take you around sochi and show you the limited highlights, stalin's dacha, and take you up the mountain for a view [if the weather cooperates]. Thats really about all there is to see. The dock is readily accessible to the city....there is a lot of construction going on to ready the place for the winter olympics in 2014....we just dont know how they are going to get it all done....john hildebrandt

[sdadolf]

My wife and I will also be on the Prinsendam in October and stopping at Sochi.

 

On previous cruises we were told that we needed a visa for a port even if we were not getting off at that port...just staying on the ship. I plan to get off and do some touring anyway, so plan to get a visa.

 

I read somewhere else recently that Sochi is the one port on teh trip where the local law will not allow you to get of the ship and walk from the port anywhere, that you have to take some kind of organized tour.

 

Also, from the google maps and satellite photos it appears that the town center is not near the port, so I was planning on taking a ship arranged tour.

 

Any contray information to the above would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

-- Steve in Southern California

 

We will be on a Black Sea cruise in October (Princendam) and are planning to do a morning shore excursion of Stalin's dosha. On a shore excursion we would not need our own visa. But we will have an open afternoon. Has anyone been to Sochi recently? Is the town or anything worth seeing near the dock? Or is the dock in an industrial area? Would it be worthwhile to obtain a visa so we can go out on our own in the afternoon?

[MercedMike]

The place we docked in Sochi seemed to be a sort of resort area. There were lots of small boat slips and gravel beaches with people actually braving the cold weather on them.

 

We are not the type that actually likes to get off and wander among the local areas, but in any case it did not look as if there was really any sightseeing to do around the ship. Buying a Russian visa just to walk along the beach seems pretty expensive.

 

Check out our trip report and pictures at http://www.bully4.us/blacksea2.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[sdadolf]

The place we docked in Sochi seemed to be a sort of resort area. There were lots of small boat slips and gravel beaches with people actually braving the cold weather on them.

 

We are not the type that actually likes to get off and wander among the local areas, but in any case it did not look as if there was really any sightseeing to do around the ship. Buying a Russian visa just to walk along the beach seems pretty expensive.

 

Check out our trip report and pictures at http://www.bully4.us/blacksea2.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

 

Thanks for the info...I followed your trip via the pictures...very nice.

 

-- San Diego Steve

[freddie]

San Diego Steve - You do not need a personal Russian visa in Sochi if you're on a tour with a guide service. We were in Sochi two years ago on Regent Navigator and used a private guide (whose agency also organized our ship's tours, as it turned out). Just as in Saint Petersburg, personal visas were not required as long as we were with a licensed guide agency. You will be covered by the umbrella visa of the tour agency.

 

There is really not much to see near the port. Therefore, I would certainly agree with the posters who suggest that going to the bother and expense of obtaining a personal visa is not really worthwhile.

 

Cheers, Fred

[sdadolf]

San Diego Steve - You do not need a personal Russian visa in Sochi if you're on a tour with a guide service. We were in Sochi two years ago on Regent Navigator and used a private guide (whose agency also organized our ship's tours, as it turned out). Just as in Saint Petersburg, personal visas were not required as long as we were with a licensed guide agency. You will be covered by the umbrella visa of the tour agency.

 

There is really not much to see near the port. Therefore, I would certainly agree with the posters who suggest that going to the bother and expense of obtaining a personal visa is not really worthwhile.

 

Cheers, Fred

 

Thanks Fred.....On other cruises to Asia/Pacific we were required to have a visa just because the ship stopped at the country, so i thought Spchi was the same. Thanks for the explanation and recommendation.

 

-- San Diego Steve

[kck6vb]

Hi Freddie,

Thanks for information. Can you share contact information for your private guide in Sochi? We are headed there in October and are looking for information. Thanks!

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Kelly

http://www.pondjumpersspain.com

[Louise P]

We had a wonderful private tour in Sochi last summer. Our guide was Yuri, yuri@sochi.ru

If you can't reach him, we booked through

Melena 62@mail.ru with Elena Miasoyedova

Princess dropped Sochi from its ports because of poor tour services. We had 2 groups of 10 take private tours and we were all satisfied.