Please share excursion information

[PhD-iva]

I am researching the Aug 6th Copenhagen to Stockholm sailing on the Sojourn. Before we book, we'd like to get some information on the excursions offered by Seabourn as well as their prices. My DH called Seabourn and was surprised at their unhelpfulness, although they gave him the prices of 2 or 3 excursions.

If you are already booked on the Sojourn (even if a different sailing) could you post some excursion descriptions and prices? There are only a few ports, Tallinn, SPB and Helsinki.

 

Any information on visas needed for SPB? Should we be concerned about walking around SPB on our own?

 

Thanks!

[marazul]

Robin,

I couldn't find my brochures from last year's cruise on the Sojourn. we used ship's excursions (from $80 to $120, I think) in Talinn and Helsinki. Talinn has an excellent walking tour ending in some medieval hall with a concert and refreshments. Helsinki had two excursions. We went on the city tour which ended in a local "smoke" restauranrt. It was very good. Friends went on the excursion that visited a nearby town and had lunch at a castle or manor house. They enjoyed it a lot. We chose the shorter one because it left time afterwards to walk the market area and center of town on our own. The ship docks just at the center of town - two minutes walk to the market.

 

For SPB I strongly recommend you book private excursions with one of the local tour companies. There are many recommendations in the CC boards. I found the SB excursions were too expensive and limited in coverage. You can put together a couple of full day programs that will cover all sites. DO make sure that the tour of the gold galleries is included in your Hermitage visit. Visa is provided by all the tour companies. You cannot get off the boat on your own without a visa. However, you could stay in town on your own after a tour and take a taxi back. Both the tour or the taxi will drop you off by the dock, so they do not check how you got back to the boat.

 

For Stockholm, SB offers a disembarking excursion that gives you a very good city tour and then takes you either to the Sheraton or the airport. Take advantage of this one. You sign up for it on board, it is not offered or announced ahead of time.

 

It was a great cruise. Three nights docked in the center of SPB were wonderful. Stay up late one night to see the bridges going up.

[Seabourntraveller]

I am researching the Aug 6th Copenhagen to Stockholm sailing on the Sojourn. Before we book, we'd like to get some information on the excursions offered by Seabourn as well as their prices. My DH called Seabourn and was surprised at their unhelpfulness, although they gave him the prices of 2 or 3 excursions.

If you are already booked on the Sojourn (even if a different sailing) could you post some excursion descriptions and prices? There are only a few ports, Tallinn, SPB and Helsinki.

 

Any information on visas needed for SPB? Should we be concerned about walking around SPB on our own?

 

Thanks!

 

You should have received a precruise booklet by mail or will shortly with all the tour descriptions and prices usually 90 days out. In general all Baltic cruises tours are pricy IMO as I have done this cruise several times on Princess and RCCL. All tours are $200.00 and above for full day tours of St-Pertersburg, Perterhoff, Hermitage and Ballet and Dinner at the Hermitage etc.

 

As to St-Petersburg you will NOT be able to go ashore without purchasing a tour and/or private driver from Seabourn and or an appointment government licensed tour operator or arrive to the ship in Copenhagen at check-in with a Russian Visa that you would need to apply for in advance. It's a gimmick that the Russian government uses with all cruiselines that no one can go ashore in Russia without the purchase of a tour.

[marazul]

ST - she said she had not booked yet and was looking for excursion info prior to booking.

[Seabourntraveller]

ST - she said she had not booked yet and was looking for excursion info prior to booking.

 

Hmm in that case she will only be able to know the actual pricing of each tour by calling Seabourn directly. She can go to the website under the ports section to see what tours are offered and description but no pricing will appear.:eek:

[PhD-iva]

Thanks for your posts! Yes, we haven't booked yet. We are still in the research phase....