SPB - private vs. O tour timing

[caribbeansun]

Instead of adding to the other rather confusing thread (at least to me) about visas I thought I'd pose my question separately.

 

It seems that O and other lines indicate to their passengers that they will have to wait until all of the ship's tours depart prior to private tours leaving the ship. It's been suggested that the wait can be up to 90 minutes.

 

I've also read at least one post saying that if you make a bit of a stink the ship will not enforce this.

 

For those of you that have traveled to SPB on O can you please relate your personal experience:

 

a) Did you in fact have to wait (90 minutes or otherwise)?

b) Did you leave the ship when you wanted to but only after having to engage with the powers that be?

c) Did you leave the ship when you wanted to without engaging with the powers that be on O?

d) Other

[cruzmaven]

C - left when we wanted to, no problems.

[wiks]

Just returned from the June 11th Baltic Cruise. We were on a private tour with Alla Tours (which went smoothly by the way) and when we asked Destination Services about leaving the ship, they gave the standard "after the Oceania Tours depart" and would not bend (in fact were quite rude and unhelpful). However, the Cruise Director (David Shermet) told us that was not correct and that we could leave when the ship cleared. Marina Lounge and Deck 4 gangway was used for the Oceania tours and Deck 5 gangway was used for the private tours (non-Oceania) and anyone with an individual Visa. We actually ended up getting off the ship before the Oceania tours were even organized to go and were almost first through Russian customs.

 

Wiks

[tropicalkerry2002]

I was wondering the same thing!

We go Sept 2012, when are you there?

I sm so looking forward to it!

[dwelsh]

Just returned from the June 11th Baltic Cruise. We were on a private tour with Alla Tours (which went smoothly by the way) and when we asked Destination Services about leaving the ship, they gave the standard "after the Oceania Tours depart" and would not bend (in fact were quite rude and unhelpful). However, the Cruise Director (David Shermet) told us that was not correct and that we could leave when the ship cleared. Marina Lounge and Deck 4 gangway was used for the Oceania tours and Deck 5 gangway was used for the private tours (non-Oceania) and anyone with an individual Visa. We actually ended up getting off the ship before the Oceania tours were even organized to go and were almost first through Russian customs.

 

Wiks

 

That's the first time I have seen any reference to disembarkation from two decks. Is this a general practice?

[chefboz]

We went on the July Regatta Baltic Cruise and had a private tour. Had no problems or delays getting out to SPB.

Separately, my computer crashed and I lost all of my SPB pictures. If any one has any photos shared on Snapfish or somthing similar, I would be pleased if you could invite me as a friend, so I could try an recreate our cruise. Fortunately, I had saved Brugges, Kiel Canal, Riga on Snapfish so I have something........

Tom Wheeler

[Paulchili]

C - albeit in 2006 - excellent 3 day tour with Alla.

[DOJO466]

Instead of adding to the other rather confusing thread (at least to me) about visas I thought I'd pose my question separately.

 

It seems that O and other lines indicate to their passengers that they will have to wait until all of the ship's tours depart prior to private tours leaving the ship. It's been suggested that the wait can be up to 90 minutes.

 

I've also read at least one post saying that if you make a bit of a stink the ship will not enforce this.

 

For those of you that have traveled to SPB on O can you please relate your personal experience:

 

a) Did you in fact have to wait (90 minutes or otherwise)?

b) Did you leave the ship when you wanted to but only after having to engage with the powers that be?

c) Did you leave the ship when you wanted to without engaging with the powers that be on O?

d) Other

Walked right off No problem at all.

[lmarmors]

We went on the July Regatta Baltic Cruise and had a private tour. Had no problems or delays getting out to SPB.

Separately, my computer crashed and I lost all of my SPB pictures. If any one has any photos shared on Snapfish or somthing similar, I would be pleased if you could invite me as a friend, so I could try an recreate our cruise. Fortunately, I had saved Brugges, Kiel Canal, Riga on Snapfish so I have something........

Tom Wheeler

 

Hi Tom,

Sorry about loosing your SPB pictures...I know I would be devasted ! We are doing the Baltic cruise in July, so if no one shares their pics. with you before, let me know how I could help...I don't use Snapfish by the way, but I am planning on downloading pictures to laptop plus to an external drive for backup.

 

When you say "computer crashed" but saved Brugges..etc... were you transferring from memory card to computer and erasing the memory card each evening?...and how were the Brugges pics. saved? maybe your advice can save others from this problem.

 

Luba

[chefboz]

Like a dummy I cleared off the memory cards after putting on my laptop at home. Loaded on a laptop I was taking my time editing, and hadn't backed up the pics on anything. Snapfish is nice, because you can invite people to see your photos, and print books or calendars, etc. It is a nice site. If you send your email address to me, I can share what I have on there so you can see what it is like. tomwheeler@ameritech.net

 

My advice is to either backup ( I am old enough to know better ) or post the pictures on a shared picture site. Luckily I had folders saved and edited for a portion of the trip Brugges, Riga, Kiel Canal and then some nice pics of the Regatta. All other ports are lost. By the way, Riga- a port I was not even going to get off the boat for, turned out to be a Jewel, and probably my favorite port. Nothing compares to the grandeur of SPB, but as far as a really impressive city, Riga was it. Kiel Canal was also impressive because of the pastoral feel of it, and for me my heritage is from the Schlewsig-Holstein area of norther Germany. I would be so grateful if you could share some photos. Since the sites are the same, I will just be missing my wife and I , but it is the same time of year, and the pics of the cathedral of Spilt Blood , Peterhof, etc would bring back the same memories..

[bbwex]

We had private tours every day in St. Petersburg in 2009 and never had a problem getting off when we wanted to. Some ship's tour left earlier, some left later, some about the same time. We all walked off together.

 

Regardless of what Oceania says, the Russian authorities don't care what order you get off the ship. They just want to ensure that your paperwork is straight. If you are taking private tours, you will have paperwork from the tour companies to show the immigration people to show that they have the tourist visas for each person. You will need a separate ticket from the tour company for each day.

[CintiPam]

Just returned from same Baltic cruise as wiks, and I agree: c), no problem. We got off as soon as the ship cleared, which was while the O tours still were gathering in the Marina lounge.

 

BTW, we toured with SPB-Tours, the owner Viktoria was waiting to greet us with the guide right outside the customs area, and we were through immigration and customs and in our van and off to Peter and Paul's Fortress less than 30 minutes after the ship cleared. I highly recommend this excellent company, about which many enthusiastic threads appear on the Baltic board, to you.

[caribbeansun]

Thanks to all that responded - this is what I would have expected but with all the other noise it's still good.:D

[kbella]

Just returned from Nautica June 13-Wonders of Ancients cruise. The only time we had to wait for private tour departures were when we were tendered. Then, it was only a short wait for O tours to tender first. If you get to the Nautica lounge early, you can get an "independent" tendering ticket and leave right after(& sometimes on the same tender)the O tours are called. We never had a delay of more than 20 minutes while waiting for a tender and on days where the gangway was used, we were off the ship as soon it cleared. Hope this helps.

[Bruin Steve]

Just returned from Nautica June 13-Wonders of Ancients cruise. The only time we had to wait for private tour departures were when we were tendered. Then, it was only a short wait for O tours to tender first. If you get to the Nautica lounge early, you can get an "independent" tendering ticket and leave right after(& sometimes on the same tender)the O tours are called. We never had a delay of more than 20 minutes while waiting for a tender and on days where the gangway was used, we were off the ship as soon it cleared. Hope this helps.

 

kbella, it is not a "general" question...

The issue the OP brought up is specific to St. Petersburg...

And it seems to be an issue with all cruise lines in St. Petersburg.

Russia requires visas to leave the ship and they are very strict on enforcement...The fear is that this will slow down disembarkation and the cruise lines don't want their shore excursions delayed (though some people think it is meant to scare people into choosing shore excursions over private tours)...

So they all announce this "policy" that there is an order to getting off the ship--shorexes first...

But, when it comes down to it, this is an unenforceable policy...None of the cruise lines have the personnel or desire to question everyone leaving the ship...and, if they stop them trying to get off, it would plug up the gangway area...and create a lot of disgruntled passengers. The Russian authorities really don't care...If you have the proper documentation, they will wave you through.

 

So, the "policy", from my experience, is never enforced...

 

The major private tour companies (Red October, DenRus, Alla, SPB, etc.) all ask for your groups' names, birthdates and passport information ahead of time so they can apply for a "group visa" on your behalf...They then send you each "tickets" and ask that you carry these and a xerox copy of your passport ...The Russian authorities are accustommed to this and, if you just show them the "ticket", they will let you right off...and they are certainly not enforcing any cruise line policy either...

 

When we last did the Baltic (July 2010), it was with Celebrity...They asked all of those with private tours to meet in a certain location pending the ship's clearance...We were a little apprehensive about this thinking maybe they were going to actually enforce the policy...Of course they didn't...as soon as the ship was cleared, they waved everyone right on through...Exit from the ship was fast...

 

BTW, after three Baltic cruises, the first using the ship's shorexes, I would never do anythingbut private tours in St. Petersburg again...We've used Red October and SPB here and both are very good...well organized, efficient, excellent guides...With groups of eight, we've moved effortlessly from sight to sight and crammed a lot into our visit...The shorexes are inefficient, plodding and it's difficult to get close enough to your guide to hear the commentary...plus, I remember spending an extra half an hour at one stop sitting on the bus waiting for a couple of ladies to get back from the ladies' room! Plus, with the private tours, we've been able to add thing that we've particularly wanted to see that weren't on the itinerary for the shorexes...

[nparmelee]

As others have said, the only time we ever had to wait to disembark was at a tender port and even then, there is usually some room on the first tenders of the day for some of the private and DIY people to get off with the ship tours. If you have a private tour and want to get off as early as possible at a tender port, get at least one person in your group to the muster area to get tender tickets as early as you can that morning.

[kbella]

kbella, it is not a "general" question...

The issue the OP brought up is specific to St. Petersburg...

And it seems to be an issue with all cruise lines in St. Petersburg.

Russia requires visas to leave the ship and they are very strict on enforcement...The fear is that this will slow down disembarkation and the cruise lines don't want their shore excursions delayed (though some people think it is meant to scare people into choosing shore excursions over private tours)...

So they all announce this "policy" that there is an order to getting off the ship--shorexes first...

But, when it comes down to it, this is an unenforceable policy...None of the cruise lines have the personnel or desire to question everyone leaving the ship...and, if they stop them trying to get off, it would plug up the gangway area...and create a lot of disgruntled passengers. The Russian authorities really don't care...If you have the proper documentation, they will wave you through.

 

So, the "policy", from my experience, is never enforced...

 

The major private tour companies (Red October, DenRus, Alla, SPB, etc.) all ask for your groups' names, birthdates and passport information ahead of time so they can apply for a "group visa" on your behalf...They then send you each "tickets" and ask that you carry these and a xerox copy of your passport ...The Russian authorities are accustommed to this and, if you just show them the "ticket", they will let you right off...and they are certainly not enforcing any cruise line policy either...

 

When we last did the Baltic (July 2010), it was with Celebrity...They asked all of those with private tours to meet in a certain location pending the ship's clearance...We were a little apprehensive about this thinking maybe they were going to actually enforce the policy...Of course they didn't...as soon as the ship was cleared, they waved everyone right on through...Exit from the ship was fast...

 

BTW, after three Baltic cruises, the first using the ship's shorexes, I would never do anythingbut private tours in St. Petersburg again...We've used Red October and SPB here and both are very good...well organized, efficient, excellent guides...With groups of eight, we've moved effortlessly from sight to sight and crammed a lot into our visit...The shorexes are inefficient, plodding and it's difficult to get close enough to your guide to hear the commentary...plus, I remember spending an extra half an hour at one stop sitting on the bus waiting for a couple of ladies to get back from the ladies' room! Plus, with the private tours, we've been able to add thing that we've particularly wanted to see that weren't on the itinerary for the shorexes...

Sorry, Still a little jet lagged...will not be posting again in the near future.

[LHT28]

I was checking Viktoria's website & she has grown & branched out

She is now doing Rostock, Warnemuende area as well as Helsinki & Tallin http://www.spb-tours.com/

In case anyone is looking for tours

 

Lyn

[Bruin Steve]

Sorry, Still a little jet lagged...will not be posting again in the near future.

 

I am sorry, kbella, I did not intend to offend you... I am very sorry if my post came off as personal in any way...

PLEASE do not stop posting!!!

 

Steve