Best private tour in St. Petersburg, Russia

[mek]

Its not me....TEENAGERS!:roll eyes: I am just being realistic. We are really laid back travelers. But, if that is all that is available then we will have to make it work.

 

I'm honestly not trying to be confrontational, but I'm curious why you would be taking this particular cruise with this itinerary if you do't want to get out and experience as much of the ports as possible and Russia is the highlight. If you are casual cruisers, there are so many other options out there. Just a little confused.

 

However, we are all trying to help and perhaps we could provide better suggestions if you told us what your interests are and what you would like to see. Do you know anything about Russian history or what is available to see in St Petersburg? Give us a title more information and maybe we can help you better.

Edited June 18, 2016 by mek

[CruisesOnMyMind]

. Alla is the only tour company that does not charge in advance..

 

This is not so. Most of, if not all the tour companies will not charge up front in St. Petersburg as it is so competitive. Any one of the tour companies mentioned here will give you a wonderful tour and service. Their reliability and living rely on it.

Feel confident in what ever tour company you use suggested here.

[Ashland]

This is not so. Most of, if not all the tour companies will not charge up front in St. Petersburg as it is so competitive. Any one of the tour companies mentioned here will give you a wonderful tour and service. Their reliability and living rely on it.

Feel confident in what ever tour company you use suggested here.

 

Agree 100%...hate when people give such wrong info to those that are seeking answers...and trying to make plans.

 

TJ Travel as well as other reputable private tour companies in St Petersburg ask nothing up front and more than likely don't require payment (in our case) until the middle of our 2nd and last day of touring.

 

Our particular guide wanting to make it easier on us even offered (and did) to pay anywhere where Rubles were the only form of payment accepted...just so we didn't have to use any of our time exchanging or worrying about money. We just kept track of expenditures and settled up with her when we sadly had to say goodbye at the end of our two amazing days of adventure.

[josumello]

We used SPB tours had a 3 day deluxe tour. It was excellent. Val was our guide and he was awesome. SPB and all the tour companies will customize a tour for you. Why don't you contact them and ask if u could have customized tour that would start a little later and be more laid back. Teens probably won't be that excited about seeing scads of cathedrals!! Vika is the owner of SPB and is very accommodating. Also we did not prepay. Good luck on whatever u decide.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[wolfegizmo]

We used Red October for a two day private tour and they were fabulous!

[suzyluvs2cruise]

I'm honestly not trying to be confrontational, but I'm curious why you would be taking this particular cruise with this itinerary if you do't want to get out and experience as much of the ports as possible and Russia is the highlight. If you are casual cruisers, there are so many other options out there. Just a little confused.

 

However, we are all trying to help and perhaps we could provide better suggestions if you told us what your interests are and what you would like to see. Do you know anything about Russian history or what is available to see in St Petersburg? Give us a title more information and maybe we can help you better.

 

I was thinking the same thing. There have been many helpful, positive posts from others sharing their experiences with recommendations for private tour companies. Hope OP can find tours that fit the needs of his/her family. IMHO the Baltics have so much to offer.....especially St Petersburg. I'd think it would be a wonderful learning experience for a family to share.

Edited June 18, 2016 by suzyluvs2cruise

[cc-riderslc]

I can "second" the Red October suggestion. I have utilized them a number of times and they do a great job. Not sure if they still offer lunch in the home of people that live there but it was a highlight of our tour. Being in a private home to see how they live was quite fascinating. As others have said St Petersburg is hard to do on your own. The port is very industrialized, not pretty at all. It isn't close to any tourism infrastructure except a few souvenir shops. If you are going to splurge on a shore excursion, in my mind, this is the place to do it.

[nekzaadvakil]

We used SPB Tours for our excursions in St. Petersburg, Russia and Berlin, Germany. The guide for St. Petersburg was good, the 'historian' for Berlin was outstanding.

 

If you'd like to get a glimpse of the tour and places it visits (without spoilers); you can have a look at my detailed review, with pictures, below (in my signature) of our Baltic cruise last year. It was one of our best cruises till date.

 

Cheers!

 

Nick

[Tin can]

We did a private tour with TJ Tours, myself & my wife with our then 5 year old son.

 

We have been lucky enough to have travelled extensively before son and heir arrived but haven't experienced anything like Russia.It was expensive as a private tour, very tiring but absolutely fantastic. We can't recommend TJ Tours enough.

 

If your cruise is like ours on Adventure a couple of years ago you will find that the build up for Russia starts a couple of days before you arrive. I recall the night before was quiet on the ship with people including ourselves having early nights, the night spent in port at the end of the first day the ship was deserted after the folk night put on in the theatre. Your night owl sons may find themselves on their own.

 

I genuinely feel you will get swept along with the excitement leading up to arriving in Russia, by then it will be too late to arrange a private tour.

 

I recall that first morning up on deck with the ship waiting outside the port looking at the buildings etc in front of us, I just knew it was something completely different.

 

It was such a good trip, whatever you decide have fun :)

 

 

.

[Paulxyz2004]

I used Red October as well for several visits to St. Petersburg. They never charged me in advance. Charging always happened at the end of day two.

 

They always worked with me and customized the tour I wanted. I told them the sights I want to see and they customized the tour ans sent me an offer, which I then was still able to amend if needed. I mostly left it to them to determine which order we visited the sights, as they know better about Timing and traffic etc.

 

I also don´t like 10 or 12 hour tours. So what I told them was to make it like 5-6 hour days.

 

It worked out perfectly with having a guide and a Driver for the two of us. We were able to skip all lines at all attractions and the guide would call the Driver once done to pick us up right away. No wait times at all.

 

We were also able to stop wherever we wanted for photo opps.

 

Being just our Party we had no wait times for big Groups either.

 

Of Course this is much more expensive than an excursion in a big Group, but it´s really worth it.

[kobecat]

Another vote for Tatyana and TJ Tours. Our group used them in 2013 and it was a fantastic two day tour.

[TeeRick]

We did Alla tours last year. Just wonderful. We had Svetlana as a tour guide and she was the best guide we ever experienced.

[jonj]

We used SPB Tours for our excursions in St. Petersburg, Russia and Berlin, Germany. The guide for St. Petersburg was good, the 'historian' for Berlin was outstanding.

 

If you'd like to get a glimpse of the tour and places it visits (without spoilers); you can have a look at my detailed review, with pictures, below (in my signature) of our Baltic cruise last year. It was one of our best cruises till date.

 

Cheers!

 

Nick

 

Hey Nick there weren't any links in the signature, if yo are posting from a phone or app it doesn't list the signature. I would love to read about your tour, can you provide a link?

[onespots]

You have been given great information & advice on how to use your time for St. Petersburg. Use a private guide for your family or join a group.

 

Our experience is different & we were obligated to get individual Russian visas for our entire 14 day trip thru Russia. Yes, they are expensive. If you are not fluent in the language & understand how public transportation works in the large cities, it will be difficult at best.

 

We had the opportunity to tour on our own. We wanted to spend more time at the Church of Spilled Blood. So with the information supplied by the guides, we set out on own adventure as a couple alone. ( the accidental American tourist )

 

We knew how to get into the city from the port. Which subway to take & heading in the proper direction. We also took a card with all of our information & ship location written in cyrillic. ( so we could get back to the ship ) Fortunately we did not have to use it.

 

Still it was difficult & we chose not to try in in Moscow. There are so many things to see & enjoy in St. Petersburg, you need longs days & anyway possible to beat the crowds.

 

Let the guides do the work & it will totally enhance your entire trip...

 

Happy Travels, John

[countess5]

We just returned from a Baltic cruise on the Shilouette.

In St. Petersburg we used TJ Travel which was fantastic, the reason it was fantastic was because of our tour guide Alla, yes Alla not the Alla tour company. Alla was outstanding each day.

If you book TJ Travel ask Tatyana to hook you up with Alla. We paid $189 US per person for the 6 of us on the tour. Discounts for mentioning CC.

 

We also used TJ Travel in Stockholm and Copenhagen. Tour guides not so good.

 

Sail on!

[packercruising]

When we tour with SPB, we paid the first day of the 3 day tour. we had 10 in our group and had a great time. I think they had record high temps the days we were in port.

[gagirl7143]

This is not so. Most of, if not all the tour companies will not charge up front in St. Petersburg as it is so competitive. Any one of the tour companies mentioned here will give you a wonderful tour and service. Their reliability and living rely on it.

 

Feel confident in what ever tour company you use suggested here.

 

 

Sorry my info my be now out of date but in 2013 when we were there both Red October and at least one other company ( I have since forgot the other name) wanted advance pay for booking tours. At that time only Alla did not require advance pay and collected on second in your own currency. I can only report from my own experience, not second hand info. Current companies my now follow Alla's lead.

All I can say is the Alla tour we did was by far the best we have ever done in over 117 cruises.

[Moremajor]

We did TJ tours. They were amazing. Our guide, I think her name was Tatiana was the best guide I have ever had and that says a lot because I have worked with over 200 guides.

[RVRoadie]

We used SBP Tours and purchased a multi port package. The tours were excellent and the guides were fantastic. When the NCL Star skipped Stockholm due to weather, a credit was posted to our credit card before we even had a chance to ask.

 

Personally, I thought the highlight of all the tours were the personal stories of the guides; first living behind the Iron Curtain, and then how they experienced the collapse of the Soviet Union and East Germany. This was true in Warnamunda, Tallin and St. Petersburg.

 

Something to consider. These tours, particularly St. Petersburg can be grueling. Too many palaces. I would trade the last few palaces we saw for a nice coffee and chat with the guide about growing up in Russia. Maybe go to a grocery store and see how life is different from your own.

 

The SPB bus in St. Petersburg had great WiFi on board and the group was only about 15 people. Nice size.

[countess5]

One of the couples we traveled with actually had dinner with a Russian Family arranged through TJ Travel. They had an interrupter, it was the first time the Russian couple ever met an American.

They had a blast and the vodka went on and on!

 

TJ arranged the guide and transportation.

 

We paid TJ Travel the second day in SP for that tour and the Stockholm/ Copenhagen tours.

If you pay in cash have very crisp new bills. They won't accept bills not in good shape.

[jonj]

Something to consider. These tours, particularly St. Petersburg can be grueling. Too many palaces. I would trade the last few palaces we saw for a nice coffee and chat with the guide about growing up in Russia. Maybe go to a grocery store and see how life is different from your own.

 

The SPB bus in St. Petersburg had great WiFi on board and the group was only about 15 people. Nice size.

 

This is one of the reasons we are considering a private tour. I know it would be higher priced but seeing many, many palaces and art museums may end up being overkill. Kind of like doing a tour of Italy and getting "churched out"

 

Anyone have any information on private tours that will customize for four adults? While I would love to see Catherine's Palace and see the outside of the Hermitage I have no desire to go into the Hermitage and look at artwork. When we travel to other countries, and yes I understand Russia is very different, we normally like to see some of the major sights then go into markets, some mnor sites, have a local meal. Also one of the people we are traveling with may have an issue on a 10 hour tour. 6-7 hours would be more his level of comfort due to some medical reasons

 

Thank you for the all information everyone has provided

Edited June 18, 2016 by jonj

[RVRoadie]

This is one of the reasons we are considering a private tour. I know it would be higher priced but seeing many, many palaces and art museums may end up being overkill. Kind of like doing a tour of Italy and getting "churched out"

 

Anyone have any information on private tours that will customize for four adults? While I would love to see Catherine's Palace and see the outside of the Hermitage I have no desire to go into the Hermitage and look at artwork. When we travel to other countries, and yes I understand Russia is very different, we normally like to see some of the major sights then go into markets, some mnor sites, have a local meal. Also one of the people we are traveling with may have an issue on a 10 hour tour. 6-7 hours would be more his level of comfort due to some medical reasons

 

Thank you for the all information everyone has provided

 

SBP will do that. You might also find some like minded people on cruise critic to join you.

[ctnurse]

We used SPB tours last summer and loved them. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with any of the top tour companies on TA.

[mek]

What happened to the OP? I guess we didn't tell them what they wanted to hear.

[TargetsMom]

Another vote for SPb. Our two-day tour (about 14 people, if I recall) was amazing. Definitely long days (and I, too, hate getting up early!) but well worth it. Our guide was Viktoria (NOT the Viktoria who owns the company) and I can't say enough about how wonderful she was.

 

k.