Отправлено: 14.05.10 13:09. Заголовок: cruise visas

Hi,

We are traveling to St Petersburg on a cruise ship and are going to stay in the city for 3 days ( sleeping on board of the ship)

We found out that we do not need a visa if we book city visits through the local specialty tour companies (government issued licenses). This is great news! However I am finding it difficult to locate any official websites that have these agencies listed and what is the official name of the license?

Can you please help us locate this information

Thank you in advance

Kind regards

Maria

 Отправлено: 14.05.10 13:10. Заголовок: Dear Maria, You will..

Dear Maria,
You will need to buy a tour ticket aboard the vessel. Please contact the cruise company for full details.

 Отправлено: 17.05.10 07:40. Заголовок: Morning, I read on ..

Morning,

I read on a number of sites that I can buy the trips from independent travel agents. What I have been told is that the ship subcontracts these travel agents to conduct the tours. If it is possible we would like you cut out the middleman and go directly tot the travel agents. The thing is that we do not know which ones are recognised by the government. Any info on where to locate these government endorsed agents would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Maria

 Отправлено: 17.05.10 07:46. Заголовок: Visa free entry is f..

Visa free entry is foreseen only for the passengers who are on the list supplied by the vessel to the port/border authority. Therefore if you wish to visit the city without a visa, you cannot avoid the ship. Otherwise you will need to apply for a visa.
If you are a Russian citizen who also possesses another citizenship and has not renounced her/his Russian citizenship, please read the information provided at http://www.rusemblon.org/ShowArticleAsPage.aspx?ID=32

 Отправлено: 03.06.10 10:24. Заголовок: Is VISA required for Cruise shore excursion booked on ship

I am planning a cruise trip to the Baltic region, which will also dock at St. Petersburg for one day.

If I take a shore excursion from the Cruise company itself, either on board or book it now with the cruise company. The cruise company has shore excursions with local hired cars with a guide, but the hired cars have a max capacity of two people (tourists) excluding the driver and the guide, then would I need a Russian VISA. I would not leave the ship independently, but would take the Cruise company tours, but only for two tourists.

As per the details on the VFS site:

Tourists on board large cruise Ships have the right to stay in the Russian Federation without a visa for up to 72 hours. They have the right to leave the ship and come back on board the ship only as part of an organized tourist group Tourists who wish to leave the ship on their own or in a group of less than 5 tourists must have a visa.

If I book a shore excursion with the cruise company, then it will be an organized tourists tour, but not for a group of 5 people.

I would be thankful if could please confirm if I would need a Russian VISA in the above case?

 Отправлено: 03.06.10 10:30. Заголовок: In order to go ashor..

In order to go ashore without visa, the cruise passenger's name must be present in the list which the vessel submits to the port border authority.

 Отправлено: 03.06.10 10:39. Заголовок: Is VISA required for Cruise shore excursion booked on ship

Hi,
Thanks for the update, Is the list of all the tourists on the vessel, or is it the list of tourists that go out of the ship? Do I need to do anything for this, or is it a normal practice for the ship company to provide these details to the port authority.

Since I would be on the ship my name would be there in all the people list, and also on the list of shore excursions. But the shore excursions that the cruise company provides is on cars for a max to three people, If I book a tour with the cruise for two people then would I need the VISA?
Please note that the the tour would be for two people in a car. This is the one that the cruise company will provide.

 Отправлено: 03.06.10 16:19. Заголовок: It's the list of..

It's the list of the persons who cross the border without visa. The cruise company must be well aware of the practical aspects - including those we know here only in theory.

 Отправлено: 04.06.10 11:31. Заголовок: Hello I am a Turkish..

Hello
I am a Turkish national. I will come to London and with my daughter (who is British and lives in the UK) start a cruise trip (fly to Copenhagen for a Baltic cruise). We'll saty in St. Petersburg for 3 days and plan to take some of the daily excursions the cruise will arrange, but would in one of the days like to explore on our own. My impression is that if we'd like to explore on our own - even if this is for only one of the days - I'd need a visa? Can I - as a non-UK national- get a tourist visa from Russian authority in London, do I have to get it before I travel to the UK (this would be more expensive, because it would need to be longer. Do I need a multiple entry visa? If for example we decide to go to a concert in the evening, we'd need to exit the ship a second time? Does this count as multiple entry. Many thanks, Nurkan

 Отправлено: 04.06.10 11:31. Заголовок: Hello I am a Turkish..

Hello
I am a Turkish national. I will come to London and with my daughter (who is British and lives in the UK) start a cruise trip (fly to Copenhagen for a Baltic cruise). We'll saty in St. Petersburg for 3 days and plan to take some of the daily excursions the cruise will arrange, but would in one of the days like to explore on our own. My impression is that if we'd like to explore on our own - even if this is for only one of the days - I'd need a visa? Can I - as a non-UK national- get a tourist visa from Russian authority in London, do I have to get it before I travel to the UK (this would be more expensive, because it would need to be longer. Do I need a multiple entry visa? If for example we decide to go to a concert in the evening, we'd need to exit the ship a second time? Does this count as multiple entry. Many thanks, Nurkan (I don't speak Russian and don't understand what is below, but trying...

 Отправлено: 07.06.10 04:58. Заголовок: This is correct - if..

This is correct - if you wish to visit the port of call without the organised tourist group you will need a visa (if by that time the agreement on visa free travel between Russia and Turkey does not come into force). For application details, contact the Visa application centre ru.vfsglobal.co.uk