touring St petersburg for cruise passengers

[D&B]

Hello

We are traveling to St Petersburg in June on the 22 and 23 onboard the Norwegian Sun. We are not museum people per say and would just like to see the city. What kind of tours are offered and do you provide the necessary paperwork for cruis clients to get off the ship.Visas etc.

Also is it just possible to visit on your own or do you have to have a guide the whole time.

Please help us it seems very confusing to visit st petersburg.

thank you

[peter]

Hi D&B,

Visas - there's lots on the subject on this forum. Basically you can get off the ship in St Petersburg without a visa, but you have to book a tour/tours. The procedure is often referred to as 'blanket visa' or by some other terms. The idea is the same.

The tour operator will pick you up at the ship and bring you back there after the tour. You cannot be on your own without a visa - yes you have to have a guide the whole time.

If wandering around on your own is what you're after, get a regular tourist visa and visit just like everyone else. I mean, like other tourists who come to Russia, not the cruise passengers. Contact a Russian consulate.

If you book your programme with us, we will be happy to help you with all the arrangements. We do all kinds of tours. Our main area of expertise is exactly what you're suggesting - exploring the city and its life, getting beyond the facades so to speak. Leave it to us and we'll work out a great two-day plan for you. Details and costs by email please. We're at info @ peterswalk com.

Peter