Saint Petersburg: Maps , pictures and information.

[scubacruiserx2]

We found another guide service for those considering a 2014 cruise. For the price of a bus tour you can have a private guide for 4 people including pick-up and return to the port. The cost for the guide is $680 for 4, with meals and admission excluded , for a 2 day - 20 hour tour. She suggests $150 for 2 days p.p. for a total of $320 p.p. She also does 1 and 3 day tours .

 

 

 

http://www.toursbylocals.com/TBL/WebObjects/ToursByLocals.woa/1/wo/ts66eyh1mdEldAxfb771Eg/0.19

[momof2ky]

Scubacruiser, what company did you use in St. Petersburg? And did you like him?

[scubacruiserx2]

Scubacruiser, what company did you use in St. Petersburg? And did you like him?

 

Thank you for your question and welcome to the thread. We did our Baltic cruise on NCL in the fall of 2006. On the Cruise Critic roll call we met 2 other couples who wanted a tour independent of the cruise ships tours. There was a lot of misinformation and fear tactics used at that time to discourage cruisers. The 2 main players at that time were Red October and DenRus. We found several things that cause us to choose DenRus:

 

1. Their insurance policy

 

 

http://www.denrus.ru/about-denrus.html

 

 

2. At the bottom of the page we read that they are a local company head quartered here in Florida . It's local for us so there would be greater accountability - if necessary (it wasn't , we have been totally happy with them).

 

 

3. They were able to answer all our questions and eliminate our fears. This was all done over the telephone by speaking to an American , Stan , who works for them in St. Petersburg. The phone call was a local call for us ( 7 digits) because they are in our local area code. For others , you dial 1 + 561 459-5534. Their hours are 3 am to 11 am EST because they are 8 hours ahead of us.

 

 

After choosing DenRus , another couple and us agreed on a custom tour to see certain things not available on their " Complete St. Petersburg" tour. Also , we wanted to avoid a " cattle boat" tour . This is an expression that divers use for a mass dive with people of various skill levels. The other couple that we met on CC chose the complete budget tour. As it turns out , they got a private tour as they were the only ones on it. DenRus did not cancel their tour or raise their prices - even for 2 people. All 3 couples felt that DenRus have exceeded our expectations and were very happy. Our guide even honored my strange request. On the return to the cruise ship I asked our guide to stop at a liquor store. I had seen a vodka bottle shaped like an AK-47 on the internet. After a few phone calls she found one ! It was almost full sized and held a lot of vodka. As I looked at the gun case , I thought how strange (and heavy) it would be going through customs, so I chickened out.

 

So, we have used DenRus on all of our trips but now it's mostly DIY when we go. We have also used another guide , when we stay, who is very good also and at a good price.

 

 

 

 

http://www.guide-petersburg.com/

[momof2ky]

SO as this other person the link at the bottom of your post?Gennadiy Chentsov?

Was he good? There will only be 2 of us- do you think it makes any difference which we use???

[scubacruiserx2]

SO as this other person the link at the bottom of your post?Gennadiy Chentsov?

Was he good? There will only be 2 of us- do you think it makes any difference which we use???

 

Yes it is Gennadiy . He's very good . We have used him when stayed , but not from the cruise port. We like them both but they are like apples and oranges. When we use Gennadiy its always a verbal contract , very informal. We presume that you are cruising , right ? If so , you may want to contact both. List your requests like:

 

Pick- up and return to the port.

 

Visa covered ?

 

 

Agree upon itinerary

 

 

Agree on cost and payment

 

Written proposal

 

 

Contact tour guides and see who can best fulfill your needs. You may want to call both to confirm your "fit". Also Gennadiy is a man and DenRus uses lady guides.

 

 

All the best

[momof2ky]

awesome thanks. We are going to use him. He sounds great and was quick to respond.

[scubacruiserx2]

Here's a video clip from the Moscow Times of the St. Petersburg Metro

 

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/doors-refuse-to-close-on-st-pete-metro-video/481941.html

[scubacruiserx2]

We finally completed our application for a Visa. If accepted , we can stay for 6 months at a time . You must leave Russia for a day and then can return for 6 more months. The most difficult question ? #25 , list all the countries that you have visited in the last 10 years (maximum of 30). We will send it off Monday.

 

 

[momof2ky]

We received an email from Genaldi ( whatever his name is) and it contained the "ticket: we need to get off the sip in Russia. It was just a one page paper that had our names, our ship, the dates we would be in Russia, and the name of the tour company. Is that really all we need to get off the ship??

[goldie888]

We received an email from Genaldi ( whatever his name is) and it contained the "ticket: we need to get off the sip in Russia. It was just a one page paper that had our names, our ship, the dates we would be in Russia, and the name of the tour company. Is that really all we need to get off the ship??

 

I think so. We were going to use the same gentleman for our tour, but not able to find others to share. Which ship and what date are you going?

[MrsWaldo]

Having not long done the visa thing you only needed to do 30 countries (ours was on line)

 

They did expect EXACT dates (thank goodness for passport stamps) and they do electronically check. I'm gathering those little ** mean add an additonal page and my suggestion would be to do that

 

Looks easier with a paper version though.

 

Have fun!

[scubacruiserx2]

We received an email from Genaldi ( whatever his name is) and it contained the "ticket: we need to get off the sip in Russia. It was just a one page paper that had our names, our ship, the dates we would be in Russia, and the name of the tour company. Is that really all we need to get off the ship??

 

You will also need your passport and a migration card (filled out to save time). You can get the cards from the cruise ship. Here is a sample.

 

 

http://www.saint-petersburg.com/russian-visa/migration-cards/migration-card.asp

 

That is all you need to enter and exit. You may want to take water and an ATM card/money. Have a great trip and please let us know how your visit goes.

[scubacruiserx2]

Some friends of ours shared this link with us. It works for 1200 different ports. Check it out.

 

 

http://www.whatsinport.com/Saint-Petersburg.htm

[goldie888]

Some friends of ours shared this link with us. It works for 1200 different ports. Check it out.

 

 

http://www.whatsinport.com/Saint-Petersburg.htm

 

Thanks, this is a great site.

[dolfans0704]

Thanks, this is a great site.

 

This is a great site and scuba provides such valuable information that really prepares you for a visit to SPB!

Thanks again, scuba for all you do here on this thread! :)

 

 

Dolfans from Miami

[scubacruiserx2]

You're welcome Dolphins . It sounds like you had a great time in St. Pete - one our favorite ports. Glad that we could help. Hey Goldie , sounds like you are leaving the Legend on the day we board (Sept. 1). Are you doing a B2B ? We will be doing 3 days in London pre-cruise , leaving at 8:30 AM for Dover and 9 days in St. Pete post-cruise, if our visa is approved.

[goldie888]

You're welcome Dolphins . It sounds like you had a great time in St. Pete - one our favorite ports. Glad that we could help. Hey Goldie , sounds like you are leaving the Legend on the day we board (Sept. 1). Are you doing a B2B ? We will be doing 3 days in London pre-cruise , leaving at 8:30 AM for Dover and 9 days in St. Pete post-cruise, if our visa is approved.

 

Scuba, we are doing B2B starting on August 8. At first we signed up for the September 1 cruise after the cruise to the Baltic, but switched to the same itinerary so we can spend more time in St. Petersburg. As it turned out, we are unable to get a double entry Russian visa, only a single Russian Visa were granted to us. We were told by the Russian official, as common tourist, double entry would have been granted to us if we were in one of the Baltic country after our first visit to Russia, than re-enter. I read on the internet, in 2018, there may be no visa needed to visit Russia when they have the World Cup there.

 

I wish Canadian can get the same three year Russian Visa as US citizens and wished we have done a land trip there instead!

[scubacruiserx2]

We are happy that you are able to get a visa and a B2B . When we first stayed in Russia ( in an apartment), it came after a TA on Celebrity. We were going to do a B2B with the Baltic after the TA. We booked it and requested the Captain's permission to jump ship in St. Pete and rejoin the cruise later. Since we would need a Visa to DIY we changed our minds about the 2nd cruise and just booked the stay. I'm really surprised that the 3 year Visa is not available in Canada yet . I thought that your country had closer ties (less friction) with Russia than the U.S. Hopefully, it will become available soon.

[goldie888]

Not sure about the closer ties between Russia and Canada! I have been told the arrangement with visas are reciprocated; it is just as difficult for Russians to get Canadian Visas.

[scubacruiserx2]

The G 20 summit is coming to town on September 5-6 . It will affect:

 

MSC Musica , Queen Victoria , Norwegian Star , and Emerald Princess. President Obama will be in town to meet with Putin before the summit and may affect Vision of the Seas and Silver Whisper.

 

 

http://www.g20.org/infographics/20121201/780989472.html

 

 

The summit will be held at the Constantine Palace in Strelna on the way to Peterhoff. So keep your cameras ready because it may become interesting !

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

When we first visited St. Petersburg on a cruise we found limited interaction between ourselves and the average person. The only conversation came between our guide and ourselves. When we chose to stay in St. Petersburg , we wanted a different view point from our first guide (A young lady named Oksana). Our next guide was an older man named Gennadiy. He had a much different perspective having been an officer in the Russian Army and worked in security in Smolniy. He gave us a great tour in the Church on the Spilled Blood and later took us into Lenin's office (after we had requested a stop to see a statue of Lenin). After the morning tour , we scheduled a lunch with a Russian family through DenRus. After being dropped off at the appointed place , we felt that we were being followed. A younger man on a cell phone seemed to be shadowing us. I suggest take we walk one way on the street , stop and look in the window and reverse course to see if he followed. Well he didn't. Arriving at our appointed location , we followed the instructions to ring the bell and hoped that we were in the right place. A mans voice told us to enter and ride the lift. The building and elevator was much older (and smaller) than we are used to . The elevator shuttered and groaned as we slowly went up . After a protracted pause , the elevator door finally opened. We found the apartment number and knocked on the door , not sure what we would find.

[scubacruiserx2]

Not sure about the closer ties between Russia and Canada! I have been told the arrangement with visas are reciprocated; it is just as difficult for Russians to get Canadian Visas.

 

The last time that we visited Russia , our guide told us that he had visited the U.S. To obtain an American Visa , he was required to visit the American Consulate , in person , and be interviewed by an American - in English ! I 'm glad that we can hire an agency to submit our application for us.

[scubacruiserx2]

As the creaking door slowly opened , we were greeted by a bearded man slightly older then myself who spoke English . Observing the Russian custom , we left our shoes at the front door. He gave us a slight tour as he led us past bedrooms into the living area. He explained that his parents had lived in the apartment along with his wife and children. The apartment was owned by the Soviet Union . But at the time of the break-up of the U.S.S.R. , people were told to stay where they lived until the new government completed the transition. With the free market , they basically owned the apartment. The common area stairways , landings and such are jointly owned. In the Soviet days they were usually patrolled by a worker of the government and keep clean jointly by the residents under her authority. Now , many halls are cluttered and bare with no one responsible or held accountable for their maintenance. Introducing his wife Nellie , he told us that his name is Yuri. He did most of the translating because Nellie , like us, speaks only a little of each others language.

[scubacruiserx2]

Would you like to take a helicopter ride over St. Petersburg ? Cost too much ? Not enough money or time ? Now you can from your computer . A beautiful web site has St. Pete. and a number of other panoramas. It takes a few seconds to load but it is worth the wait.

 

 

http://www.airpano.ru/files/Saint-Petersburg-Virtual-Tour/2-2

[goldie888]

Would you like to take a helicopter ride over St. Petersburg ? Cost too much ? Not enough money or time ? Now you can from your computer . A beautiful web site has St. Pete. and a number of other panoramas. It takes a few seconds to load but it is worth the wait.

 

 

http://www.airpano.ru/files/Saint-Petersburg-Virtual-Tour/2-2

 

This panoramas site is the best site online! I already have a better idea where all the tourist sites are and how they relate to one another.