Just returned from Regal Princess Baltic Cruise

[Teddy560]

hello, I would love to help anyone who has questions regarding the Regal Princess Baltic cruise. I received many help from this forum so would like to reciprocate.( I sailed from Copenhagen, ) Ask me anything! :)

[enyliram]

welcome home..

i do have a question for you. please tell me if you had the princess excursion or private tour in st petersburg.. i am booked with alla tours in a few weeks and i am concerned about waiting to get off the ship until after all the princess tour have gotten off.

[hpeabody]

welcome home..

i do have a question for you. please tell me if you had the princess excursion or private tour in st petersburg.. i am booked with alla tours in a few weeks and i am concerned about waiting to get off the ship until after all the princess tour have gotten off.

 

I am not the OP, but very recently was on the Hal Koningsdam (similar itinerary) They provided many notices in our cabins regarding disembarkation in St. Petersburg. IMO and others I talked to... putting all that fear and worry into us was for not. It turned out not to be the horrible situation we might have expected. I too was on a private tour (with one of the other main 3 private companies) and went down to the gangway a little before 8:00 AM. Yes, there were lines and many people, but they (Russian Gov't) were using what looked like all available lanes and it actually moved right along. Of course, YMMV, this was just my experience. I hope you enjoy St. Petersburg, it's pretty amazing.

[Shelldor]

Welcome home! Can you tell me which nights were formal night?

[Teddy560]

welcome home..

i do have a question for you. please tell me if you had the princess excursion or private tour in st petersburg.. i am booked with alla tours in a few weeks and i am concerned about waiting to get off the ship until after all the princess tour have gotten off.

 

Thank you. I had the SPB two day Russian treasure with faberge museum tour. I too was worried when I read in cabin Princess patter that Princess excursions have priority. It was not the case at all. I still went down to the Concerto dining room (wait area for non Princess excursion) before the time recommended by the shore excursion employees. I went there at 730 am and I was number 83 . We waited less than 5 mins. I was in the second group to be led off the ship to customs. Princess apparently lets 50 passengers off at a time.

 

Customs was a breeze and took about 15 minutes. But that’s only because there were only 3 ships docked. Our guide told us she has seen up to 8!

 

I recommend going down early because my guide said no one can predict how many customs officers will be working and how many ships will be docked. If u passed customs quick, there r shops opened that early for u to browse. I saw Alla tour guides holding signs right out of terminal. Remember to bring your visa!

 

Btw second day customs was just a quick check and walk through, very fast. And again, don’t forget your visa!

[Teddy560]

Welcome home! Can you tell me which nights were formal night?

 

 

For us, it was the first at sea day and the day at Helsinki, Finland. I think it varies because the agent that checked us in at embarkation told us it’s unusual to have the formal night at Helsinki.

[Shelldor]

For us, it was the first at sea day and the day at Helsinki, Finland. I think it varies because the agent that checked us in at embarkation told us it’s unusual to have the formal night at Helsinki.

Thank you.

[Teddy560]

Thank you.

You r welcome. And gentlemen please remember to wear long pants (jeans ok) for dinner at any dining room. My teenage son had to go back twice to change out of shorts on non formal nights. Have a wonderful time!

[Micahs Grandad]

We had no problem getting off the ship to meet our non Princess tour

[Married15]

How was your ship internet? There have been posts about it being hit or miss, mostly miss. I am hoping they have it figured out.

[enyliram]

you have a reminder to bring my visa.. i do not have a visa. i have my alla tour tickets and my passport. i hope this is sufficient.

[eclue]

We were on the Regal Princess in May .....disembarking in SPB took about 40 minutes - we had a tour with TJ Travel which I would highly recommend.....getting back on the ship took about 30 minuttes to pass thru again....the second day, it was a little shorter about 20 minutes and geting back on was a breeze....It is just the Russia procedure...they are unhappy people in those customs booths......but a good experience. With all the gold and glit and history there, those poor people live stacked on top of each other in apartment buildings housing thousands....an interesting place to visit.

 

eclue:cool::cool:

[Micahs Grandad]

you have a reminder to bring my visa.. i do not have a visa. i have my alla tour tickets and my passport. i hope this is sufficient.

 

You will be fine

[Micahs Grandad]

We were on the Regal Princess in May .....disembarking in SPB took about 40 minutes - we had a tour with TJ Travel which I would highly recommend.....getting back on the ship took about 30 minuttes to pass thru again....the second day, it was a little shorter about 20 minutes and geting back on was a breeze....It is just the Russia procedure...they are unhappy people in those customs booths......but a good experience. With all the gold and glit and history there, those poor people live stacked on top of each other in apartment buildings housing thousands....an interesting place to visit.

 

eclue:cool::cool:

 

Remarkable how the royalty lived off the labor of the serfs. Incredible the riches accumulated off the backs of the people

[Teddy560]

How was your ship internet? There have been posts about it being hit or miss, mostly miss. I am hoping they have it figured out.

 

Internet was better than I expected, speed was fine on my iPhone. Email, updating apps, and backing up photos to google photo was more than acceptable. It was down for half a day after an announced upgrade during the cruise. The upgrade was to add FaceTime to their free messaging app! We found the free text messaging very useful communicating with our kids while they were in their own in the ship. (As well as love ones who couldn’t join us this time )

 

Only spot we had trouble with service was at Alfredo’s.

Edited June 15, 2018 by Teddy560
Adding Alfredo

[Teddy560]

you have a reminder to bring my visa.. i do not have a visa. i have my alla tour tickets and my passport. i hope this is sufficient.

That tour ticket serves as your visa. Sorry for misleading you, remember to bring the second day’s tour ticket as we saw quite a few passengers who forgot about it the next day!

[NanAnk]

Did they have a designated smoking area on the ship And if so where was it ?

Thanks in advance.

[Dorset Cruiser]

you have a reminder to bring my visa.. i do not have a visa. i have my alla tour tickets and my passport. i hope this is sufficient.

 

 

 

We are with Cruising Excursions on 28/30 June into St. Petersburg and received printed visas along with our tour tickets.

 

 

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[Dorset Cruiser]

Do we recive a 'medallion' before the cruise? How does internet work for suites/platinum/elite passengers?

 

 

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[Teddy560]

Did they have a designated smoking area on the ship And if so where was it ?

Thanks in advance.

Yes, it is in th back of the ship deck 16.

[Teddy560]

Do we recive a 'medallion' before the cruise? How does internet work for suites/platinum/elite passengers?

 

 

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For my sailing, only passengers from muster station B received the medallion that substitutes for the cruise card used on board. Theses passengers were notified by email in advance and the medallions were mailed to their home address.

 

The (paid )internet speed worked fine and I have no complaints.i only know that for elite passengers, they have access to free internet the whole trip on one device. I believe the others all have to pay.

[Dorset Cruiser]

For my sailing, only passengers from muster station B received the medallion that substitutes for the cruise card used on board. Theses passengers were notified by email in advance and the medallions were mailed to their home address.

 

 

 

The (paid )internet speed worked fine and I have no complaints.i only know that for elite passengers, they have access to free internet the whole trip on one device. I believe the others all have to pay.

 

 

 

Thanks so much for prompt reply [emoji3]

 

 

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[megs1954]

Does Regal have a night light in the bathroom that is always on?

[Teddy560]

Thanks so much for prompt reply [emoji3]

 

 

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U r very welcome! Enjoy your cruise! :)

[Teddy560]

Does Regal have a night light in the bathroom that is always on?

 

Unfortunately not for the mini suite we stayed in. I tried to leave the door ajar with the light on but was unsuccessful. Be careful of the tall step.