Need Help with visa for Russian River Cruise

[Phillygirl3]

Dear Cruise Critic Members:  I need some clarification regarding visas for visiting Russia on a river cruise (Waterways of the Tsars)  I last visited Russia over 17 years ago and needed to obtain a visa which allowed me to leave the ship and tour on my own.  Those who did all the tours with the ship were not required to obtain visas.  Applying for a visa is so confusing when looking at visa service that is recommended by Viking but it does state on the application that if passengers do tours through the cruise line, visas are not required.  We were told by a travel agent that everyone will need a visa.  

 

Wow the cost of $336 a person is a little pricey but we are willing to pay it if it allows us the ability to do some exploring on our own but after reading the reviews on Viking in Russia, I'm not sure what we would do on our own, particularly when I read that the ship docks far from the center of the major cities such as St. Petersburg and Moscow.  That would mean any exploration would involve getting transportation to and from the cities.  

 

I would appreciate it if anyone who has done this Russian itinerary on Viking,  provide feedback regarding visas and whether or not it would be worth it to secure a visa or even if you know that one is required regardless of whether we take the ship's tours or if we tour on our own.    

 

Thanks to everyone who can provide feedback.

[steamboats]

For a Russian river cruise you do not have an option. You have to have a Russian visa. You are flying into Russia (either St. Petersburg or Moscow) and therefore you need a visa.

 

It´s just for ocean cruises which have a port in Russia where you don´t need an individual visa but can get a group visa booking a ship´s tour or with a certified tour operator.

 

Not valid for US, Canada or UK is the new online eVisa for St. Petersburg which is free. But this visa is not valid for a river cruise anyway. It´s just for a port stop in St. Petersburg.

 

steamboats

[dogs4fun]

Steamboats has provided good information - you will definitely need a Russian Tourist Visa for your river cruise.

6 hours ago, Phillygirl3 said:

I'm not sure what we would do on our own, particularly when I read that the ship docks far from the center of the major cities such as St. Petersburg and Moscow.  That would mean any exploration would involve getting transportation to and from the cities.  

Yes, the ship docks a distance from the city center in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Are you arriving in Moscow/Saint Petersburg prior to your cruise or staying post cruise? In this case, you could stay at a hotel in the city center and enjoy exploration via public transportation and walking.

 

6 hours ago, Phillygirl3 said:

Applying for a visa is so confusing when looking at visa service that is recommended by Viking but it does state on the application that if passengers do tours through the cruise line, visas are not required.

Viking also offers ocean cruises that dock in Saint Petersburg. Ocean cruises only: Saint Petersburg tours booked through the cruise line do not require that passengers obtain a Russian Visa.

[gnome12]

7 hours ago, Phillygirl3 said:

Dear Cruise Critic Members:  I need some clarification regarding visas for visiting Russia on a river cruise (Waterways of the Tsars)  I last visited Russia over 17 years ago and needed to obtain a visa which allowed me to leave the ship and tour on my own.  Those who did all the tours with the ship were not required to obtain visas.  Applying for a visa is so confusing when looking at visa service that is recommended by Viking but it does state on the application that if passengers do tours through the cruise line, visas are not required.  We were told by a travel agent that everyone will need a visa.  

 

Wow the cost of $336 a person is a little pricey but we are willing to pay it if it allows us the ability to do some exploring on our own but after reading the reviews on Viking in Russia, I'm not sure what we would do on our own, particularly when I read that the ship docks far from the center of the major cities such as St. Petersburg and Moscow.  That would mean any exploration would involve getting transportation to and from the cities.  

 

I would appreciate it if anyone who has done this Russian itinerary on Viking,  provide feedback regarding visas and whether or not it would be worth it to secure a visa or even if you know that one is required regardless of whether we take the ship's tours or if we tour on our own.    

 

Thanks to everyone who can provide feedback.

See this thread

 

 

[Coral]

You need a visa. I have obtained 2 of them in my life.

 

If you take an ocean cruise and stay in Russia for less than 3 days and stay with a group (either ship or a licensed agency), you don't need a visa.

 

If you fly into and out of Russia, you definitely need one. I just paid the visa service for the visa because I don't live anywhere near where I could do it myself. They are not cheap.

 

If you are going, I do encourage you to stay before and/or after in downtown hotels to maximize your experience. Your visa will need to cover these days also. Plus the 2-3 days in Moscow and St. Petersburg is not enough to scrap the surface of these cities. They are amazing.

Edited January 23, 2020 by Coral

[CissyFuss]

We looked at the effort involved in getting a Russian visa and decided that even though it's expensive to go through our travel agent, there is no way we would attempt to get the visa ourselves.

 

We need multi entry visas as we fly into St Petersburg the day before heading off on an ocean cruise of the Baltics,  arrive back in St Peterburg for a couple of days touring by ourselves and then join a river cruise to Moscow.  Even if we'd only done the river cruise we would have needed a single entry visa.  FYI  Travelling on Australian passports.

 

Researching what to do by ourselves in St Petersburg and can't believe some of the wonderful architecture we can expect to see.  Counting down to the end of June.

Edited January 24, 2020 by CissyFuss

[dogs4fun]

10 hours ago, CissyFuss said:

We looked at the effort involved in getting a Russian visa and decided that even though it's expensive to go through our travel agent, there is no way we would attempt to get the visa ourselves.

We obtained our visas (3year, multi entry) ourselves through ILS (we are US citizens). Our travel agent was not able to assist with a visa - we had to complete the Russian visa application ourselves & obtain the letter of invitation. Australian travel agents are able to help obtain your Russian visa?

Edited January 24, 2020 by dogs4fun

[Coral]

19 minutes ago, dogs4fun said:

We obtained our visas (3year, multi entry) ourselves through ILS (we are US citizens). Our travel agent was not able to assist with a visa - we had to complete the Russian visa application ourselves & obtain the letter of invitation. Australian travel agents are able to help obtain your Russian visa?

I went after it on my own also for my river cruise.

 

I used ZVS (zierer) back in the day. I think they are now Visa Central. It did work like clockwork. I got it back exactly when they told me I would. 

 

I wish I had the option of a 3 year one. It wasn't an option back then. I hope I can return in the future.

---------

 

My first visit was in 1988 under Soviet Union. I went on a high school trip through a large company that did a large amount of high school and college groups (People to People). We filled out all the paperwork, got pictures and sent it to the company and they did take care of it. 

Edited January 24, 2020 by Coral

[CissyFuss]

12 hours ago, dogs4fun said:

We obtained our visas (3year, multi entry) ourselves through ILS (we are US citizens). Our travel agent was not able to assist with a visa - we had to complete the Russian visa application ourselves & obtain the letter of invitation. Australian travel agents are able to help obtain your Russian visa?

Very pleased that our travel agent can help as the paperwork seems horrendous.  Find it hilarious that any accommodation house can provide the letter of invitation, even if you don't plan to be their guests.

[Coral]

45 minutes ago, CissyFuss said:

Very pleased that our travel agent can help as the paperwork seems horrendous.  Find it hilarious that any accommodation house can provide the letter of invitation, even if you don't plan to be their guests.

Though the river cruise company I went through did send instructions with step by step instructions for each field. It was overkill help.

[4774Papa]

13 hours ago, Coral said:

Though the river cruise company I went through did send instructions with step by step instructions for each field. It was overkill help.

The Russian visa process is not the worst that we have had to go through.   The China one was similar, but the one for India was horrendous.

[Hapytocruise]

A number of years ago we got our own visas on a two day cruise stop.  We booked Peter’s walking tours and had a great experience.  Day 1 a private tour of Hermitage with an art history major who spoke perfect English, day 2 a food and market tour with Peter himself.  Make sure you have sufficient Russian currency for cab fare.