Monday in St. Petersburg

[famcruiser]

We will be in St. Petersburg on a Monday (only) in July 2012. I understand that the Hermitage and Peterhof Gardens are closed on Mondays. Does anyone know if any tour companies can get into those on a day off? I have been quoted a price through my travel agent for a private tour for that day and it lists both locations on the itinerary. I will ask her if that is correct, but in the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions for us for that one day it would be great! Thanks!

[cruiselen]

I am not sure about the Hermitage, but we did have a tour of Peterhof Grand palace on a Monday. In any case there are lots of other places to visit on Mondays in St. Petersburg.

[TLCOhio]

We will be in St. Petersburg on a Monday (only) in July 2012. I understand that the Hermitage and Peterhof Gardens are closed on Mondays. Does anyone know if any tour companies can get into those on a day off? I have been quoted a price through my travel agent for a private tour for that day and it lists both locations on the itinerary. I will ask her if that is correct, but in the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions for us for that one day it would be great! Thanks!

 

How many days will you be in St. Petersburg? Hopefully you will have more than just one day there on your cruise. If you are limited to only one day there, I would consider shifting to a different cruise line that allows more time and flexibility there in that super great city. Are you working with a tour firm in St. Petersburg?

 

Here are my suggestions. Don't just accept what your travel agent if offering unless that person is highly experienced with St. Petersburg. Ask questions, etc. Make it personal and custom to your interests and needs! Don't grab the first firm you write to and assume "that's it" after reading a couple of positive reviews for only one firm. We contacted the top five firms, seeing what they said, how flexible they were, etc. Our firm would e-mail back a detailed spreadsheet that outlined and showed the various detailed costs and options. Some folks will "low-ball" you a basic, lower cost and then hit you later with added fees and extras that you assume were included. If you have a group of four, those total costs over two days are going to be better or about the same as doing a tour through the cruise ship. The key advantage with a private tour is having a tour focused on YOUR personal needs, going at a pace that works best for your interests. The better firms are great in making adjustments like an early admission to the Hermitage, dealing with two people who like to take lots of pictures, adjusting for one person with a healing hip and finding the right shop to buy a Russian-style military hat, etc. Details make an important difference! You get what you ask for and seek!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 50,158 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[rdnpdx1]

How many days will you be in St. Petersburg? Hopefully you will have more than just one day there on your cruise. If you are limited to only one day there, I would consider shifting to a different cruise line that allows more time and flexibility there in that super great city. Are you working with a tour firm in St. Petersburg?

 

Here are my suggestions. Don't just accept what your travel agent if offering unless that person is highly experienced with St. Petersburg. Ask questions, etc. Make it personal and custom to your interests and needs! Don't grab the first firm you write to and assume "that's it" after reading a couple of positive reviews for only one firm. We contacted the top five firms, seeing what they said, how flexible they were, etc. Our firm would e-mail back a detailed spreadsheet that outlined and showed the various detailed costs and options. Some folks will "low-ball" you a basic, lower cost and then hit you later with added fees and extras that you assume were included. If you have a group of four, those total costs over two days are going to be better or about the same as doing a tour through the cruise ship. The key advantage with a private tour is having a tour focused on YOUR personal needs, going at a pace that works best for your interests. The better firms are great in making adjustments like an early admission to the Hermitage, dealing with two people who like to take lots of pictures, adjusting for one person with a healing hip and finding the right shop to buy a Russian-style military hat, etc. Details make an important difference! You get what you ask for and seek!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

I absolutely agree with Terry. St. Petersburg is worth more than one day, but if you are committed to this cruise, the Hermitage is a must if you have even a passing interest in art. But going there will eat up most of a morning or afternoon. If your visit is less than two hours, you will spend too much time getting in and out. Tough call. Definitely would want to be in a small group to maximize your day. Check with some of the tour companies and see if they can get you into the Hermitage and Peterhof in a small private tour. I would suggest SPB, A-lla, TJ Travel at a minimum.

[TLCOhio]

I absolutely agree with Terry. St. Petersburg is worth more than one day, but if you are committed to this cruise, the Hermitage is a must if you have even a passing interest in art. But going there will eat up most of a morning or afternoon. If your visit is less than two hours, you will spend too much time getting in and out. Tough call. Definitely would want to be in a small group to maximize your day. Check with some of the tour companies and see if they can get you into the Hermitage and Peterhof in a small private tour. I would suggest SPB, A-lla, TJ Travel at a minimum.

 

Appreciate Bob's wise comments. To add more impact to the need for added time in St. Petersburg, this is a city and area with some really super, world-class treasures. Multiple sites and sights!! Within the Hermitage, it's more than just the great art there. It's also the spectacular palace interiors. It's five different buildings/palaces there. Really great!!! Plus, the two great churches in the city and other buildings, canals, etc.

 

Then, there are the wonderful gardens at the Peterhof and then the interiors at Catherine's Palace on the edge of this town of five million people. Only one day makes it near impossible to do justice there. You will feel cheated with only day there. Most cruises offer two days for a reason. A few offer three days. There is a good reason why most offer two to three days in St. Petersburg. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 50,158 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Private, personal tours can be worth it, especially in St. Petersburg. Here our group of four, with our guide, Jane or Zhenya, we are viewing one of the two da Vinci masterpieces at the Hermitage after an early admission. There are only 17 such painting by this artist existing in the world. We did an early admission at the Hermitage, adding to the enjoyment in this spectacular place AND museum. It is both!:

 

 

 

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, just one of many, many great galleries:

 

 

 

Here is a wider shot of the Spilled Blood Church interior in St. Petersburg. Its exterior design is more traditionally "Russian" or Orthodox than St. Isaac.:

 

 

 

Fountains and water from the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg:

 

 

 

Inside Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg with our personal guide, we view this spectacular reception room, painted ceiling, gold, etc.:

 

 

 

Lots of beautiful church towers and buildings are located all over in historic St. Petersburg:

 

[famcruiser]

Thanks for all of your responses. I've had the flu for a week..yuk! Anyway, since our cruise is already booked (we will be in Sweden for two weeks before the cruise visiting my husband's family and will be leaving Stockholm the evening after the cruise) and can't change any of the dates, we only have that one day in St. Petersburg. What we have planned is to take the cruise ship's Hermitage tour in the morning and then have a private tour company pick us up at the museum to tour until we have to be back on board. Right now, that's the only way we can visit the Hermitage on a Monday. None of the tour companies can say right now whether or not they can get into the Hermitage that day. And, since I feel that is important to see, we'll go with it. Can't wait!

[petersburgguide]

Peterhoff gardens are opened on Monday, it is day-off of the Grand Palace, however it is not a problem for recognized tour-operator to get into the poalace on Monday.

Hermitage is a bit harder, as the exact answer from the Hermitage can be received only 1-2 weeks before the visit. Note also, that some operators charge you double for Monday-openings (the museum price is 2,5 times higher than on ordinary day)