Q – My wife and I are booked on a cruise that will spend three days in St. Petersburg, Russia. We are trying to decide whether or not to take a local tour or stay with cruise ship tours. Who would take better care of us if one of us became ill? We are both in pretty good health but I am 79 and my wife is 73. My wife is a little worried about taking a local tour.
A – There are several reasons why we would recommend private touring. Having your own driver and English-speaking guide will guarantee you personal attention should there be any unforseen medical issues. But there are other reasons that apply to virtually all cruisers anxious to make St. Petersburg the highlight of their Baltic cruise itinerary.
On a typical in season day, the Port of St. Petersburg, actually there are two ports – one way out of town requiring a bus ride and one right int he center of everything – welcomes between 12-14 cruise ships. About half of these ships are mega-liners carrying a minimum of 3,000 passengers. That means that you can expect 26,000, or so, cruise passengers expecting to see the same three paintings at about the same time in the Hermitage Museum. Since all of these tours tend to leave in the morning at 9:00 am. most of the guests on ship tours find themselves arriving at the same time. This is certainly not the way to get any true sense of life in St. Petersburg, any understanding of current issues, or an appreciation of the city’s historical heritage.
But booking local tours can be challenging as the majority of the local operators use sub-standard equipment and guides. Private touring sold by the cruise lines comes with substantial mark-ups as these tours are a major profit center for the cruise lines.
Illuminated bridge on white night in St Petersburg
You need to sit down with your cruise consultant to plan something that is comfortable and satisfying. Your consultant will have an understanding of your health issues and will plan accordingly. Work with someone who books travel in Russia through a tested and approved on-site office that works with one of the better-regarded travel consortiums. This is your best guarantee of quality as these companies are vetted by the consortium and by the best travel consultants on the planet. Never book touring programs in Russia based on ratings provided on the major review sites. The Russians are, as demonstrated, quite talented at hacking and creating on-line identities that are often totally inaccurate. Russian tour scams are not unknown. Most of the better travel agents know their contacts in Russia personally and meet with them regularly. That is how you book private arrangements in Russia. The best guides will get you around the lines, through the back doors, and they will do all possible to earn your generous tip. But it isn’t all about guides in Russia. There are also concerns about the quality of the cars used for transportation and the credentials of the drivers. Getting into someone’s private car for touring abroad is just about the highest statistical risk the traveler faces. Sorry for the long response but we want you to get this right. By the way, avoid the water in St. Petersburg at all costs. Drink only carbonated water.
