Thursdays to Sundays

!!! Dear guests, due to private and family matters (expecting a second child and pursuing studies for UN interpreter and translator) I will NOT be taking orders for the 2016 season !!!
The EMAILS are being FORWARDED to the best of my guides, who will respond to you directly and give their prices.

(Thank you for your understanding and I wish you a nice time in St. Petersburg!)

On Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays in St. Petersburg (NB: on 12th June St. Isaac's Cathedral is closed!)

All arrivals of MSC Posesia and MSC Orchestra (7:00-19:00), Costa Fortuna (7:00-23:00) are on Thursdays, and Costa Pacifica (8:00-18:00) arrives on Sundays, when all the attractions are open, except for 12th June when St. Isaac's Cathedral is closed, also note the special opening times of Russian Museum 13:00-21:00 on Thursdays, which is closed in the morning. I would like to suggest the following tour options here.

Please find out below what is included in the price of itinerary. 

NB: If you book a tour incl Catherine Palace later than on 18th day of the month previous to your intended visit, the extra charge of 350 Rub/Person will apply due to "late booking" as defined by the palace adminstration.

Before you select a tour option, please ask yourself if you plan to revisit St. Petersburg or not. If yes, then consider the attractions that are only available in summer (Fountains in Peterhof as well as the Monplaisir Palace, boat ride on rivers and canals of St. Petersburg) to enable a later visit in the low season like late autumn, winter or early spring at a later stage, otherwise simply pick according to your preferences. 

Please be advised that you can also pick any of the tour offered on other week days as all attactions are opened on your arrival day, so please check out the tours offered on Tuesdays and on the last Tuesday of the month as well. Especially well suited for one day is the itinerary "Locals' Advice" that is why I publish it here too.



MSC Posesia, MSC Orchestra (7:00-19:00) 

These tours are also possibe for Fuer Costa Fortuna (7:00-23:00), but due to late departure passangers of Costa Fortuna can afford to see more - s. below.

Tours with Amber Room work for passengers of Costa Pacifica (8:00-18:00) only if you skip lunch - please ask me to quote you the price if interested - I would however advise you as all other cruise ship passengers who only have one day to do the "Locals' Advice" itinerary, as both Catherine Palace and Hermitage are extremely full in summer and belong to attractions that one should really visit n winter (eg. Catherine Palace opens extra 50% of rooms for visitors in winter and in winter you are actually able to spend more than 2 minutes in the Amber Room; In Hermitage one can enjoy art in winter, while in summer it is just sweaty crowds and no a/c).


Itinerary "Locals' Advice"

8:00-9:15 Meet your guide at the ship terminal, begin city tour with photo stops 

9:15-10:30 "Underground Palaces" of Metro on the way to Peterhof

10:30-11:30 Grand palace of Peterhof

11:30-12:45 Fountain Gardens of Peterhof

12:45-14:00 Drive back to city centre

14:00-15:00 Lunch (included*)

15:00-15:30 St. Isaac's Cathedral (actual tour inside approx. 20-30 Min)

16:00-16:30 Saviour on the Spilled Blood (actual tour inside approx. 20-30 Min) 

16:30-18:00 Drive over Nevsky Prospekt, more photo stops and return to your ship (Ship departs at 19:00)


Number of people123456-789-11121314-1516-1718more than 18
Price pp, EUR**435*250*235*200*185*170*160*150*145*140*135*130*125*upon request

Discounts: Students with national Student IDs: 9 Euro; Students with ISIC: 14 Euro; Children 7-17 years old: 21 Euro; there are no discounts for seniors, no occupation- or disability-related discounts.

Price for small children: Children 0-6 years old are not being counted in the number of people above and only pay for their tour tickets or blanket visa and possibly the seat in the vehicle (please ask me and I will give you the exact extra cost of a small child in your party!), you may also order lunch for your small child if wanted - please ask me for the price!

* lunch (salad, soup, main, desert, water and tee/coffee) in a restaurant of Russian cosine is included in the price of the tour.



Itinerary "Amber, Fountains and the Golden Dome" 

8:00-9:45 Meet your guide at the ship terminal, begin city tour with photo stops (eg. Basil Island, Saviour on the Spilled Blood etc.) and Nevski Prospekt

9:45-10:30 Drive to Catherine Palace

10:30-12:15 Catherine Palace incl. Amber Room and a glimpse into the park

12:15-13:15 Lunch time (Lunch incl*)

13:15-14:15 Drive to Peterhof

14:15-15:30 Fountain Gardens of Peterhof 

15:30-16:45 "Underground Palaces" of the Metro on the way to city centre

16:45-17:15 St. Isaac's Cathedral (actual tour inside approx. 20-30min) 

17:15-18:00 Return to ship (Ship departs at 19:00)


Number of people123456-789-11121314-1516-1718more than 18
Price pp, EUR**435*250*235*200*185*170*160*150*145*140*135*130*125*upon request


Discounts: Students with national Student IDs: 20 Euro; Students with ISIC: 23 Euro; Children 7-17 years old: 27 Euro; there are no discounts for seniors, no occupation- or disability-related discounts.

Price for small children: Children 0-6 years old are not being counted in the number of people above and only pay for their tour tickets or blanket visa and possibly the seat in the vehicle (please ask me and I will give you the exact extra cost of a small child in your party!), you may also order lunch for your small child if wanted - please ask me for the price!

* lunch (salad, soup, main, desert, water and tee/coffee) in a restaurant of Russian cosine is included in the price of the tour.


Itinerary "Amber, Fountains and the Multicoloured Cupolas" 

8:00-9:45 Meet your guide at the ship terminal, begin city tour with photo stops (eg. Basil Island, Saviour on the Spilled Blood etc.) and Nevski Prospekt

9:45-10:30 Drive to Catherine Palace

10:30-12:15 Catherine Palace incl. Amber Room and a glimpse into the park

12:15-13:15 Lunch time (Lunch incl*)

13:15-14:15 Drive to Peterhof

14:15-15:30 Fountain Gardens of Peterhof 

15:30-16:45 "Underground Palaces" of the Metro on the way to city centre

16:45-17:15 Saviour on the Spilled Blood Church (actual tour inside approx. 20-30min) 

17:15-18:00 Return to ship (Ship departs at 19:00)


Number of people123456-789-11121314-1516-1718more than 18
Price pp, EUR**435*250*235*200*185*170*160*150*145*140*135*130*125*upon request

Discounts: Students with national Student IDs: 20 Euro; Students with ISIC: 23 Euro; Children 7-17 years old: 27 Euro; there are no discounts for seniors, no occupation- or disability-related discounts.

Price for small children: Children 0-6 years old are not being counted in the number of people above and only pay for their tour tickets or blanket visa and possibly the seat in the vehicle (please ask me and I will give you the exact extra cost of a small child in your party!), you may also order lunch for your small child if wanted - please ask me for the price!

* lunch (salad, soup, main, desert, water and tee/coffee) in a restaurant of Russian cosine is included in the price of the tour.


- Costa Pacifica (8:00-18:00)

Itinerary "Locals' Advice"

8:30-9:15 Meet your guide at the ship terminal, begin city tour with photo stops 

9:15-10:30 "Underground Palaces" of Metro on the way to Peterhof

10:30-11:30 Grand palace of Peterhof

11:30-12:45 Fountain Gardens of Peterhof

12:45-13:45 Drive back to city centre

13:45-14:45 Lunch (included*)

14:45-15:15 St. Isaac's Cathedral (actual tour inside approx. 20-30 Min)

15:45-16:15 Saviour on the Spilled Blood (actual tour inside approx. 20-30 Min) 

16:15-17:00 Drive over Nevsky Prospekt, more photo stops and return to your ship (Ship departs at 18:00)


Number of people123456-789-11121314-1516-1718more than 18
Price pp, EUR**425*245*230*195*180*170*160*150*145*140*135*130*125*upon request

Discounts: Students with national Student IDs: 9 Euro; Students with ISIC: 14 Euro; Children 7-17 years old: 21 Euro; there are no discounts for seniors, no occupation- or disability-related discounts.

Price for small children: Children 0-6 years old are not being counted in the number of people above and only pay for their tour tickets or blanket visa and possibly the seat in the vehicle (please ask me and I will give you the exact extra cost of a small child in your party!), you may also order lunch for your small child if wanted - please ask me for the price!

* lunch (salad, soup, main, desert, water and tee/coffee) in a restaurant of Russian cosine is included in the price of the tour.


Costa Fortuna (7:00-23:00) mit Abendprogramm

Tours without evening programme - s. above under MSC Poesia.

The Tour "Marathon of St. Petersburg" below covers as many attractions as my 2-day-itineraries (compare: "Imperial Capital and the Northern Venice", where you find Peter-and-Paul's-Fortress instead of the short visit to the Hermitage), but are less expensive than those as obviously one one day you need less hours of guide and vehicle, as well as the port fees only for one day are due. The below itinerary is only advisable for visitors who have 2 days available to them, if they are prepared to be extremely well organised during the visits as every minute is on count and there is no time to simply "stand and admire".


Itinerary "Marathon of St. Petersburg" 

8:00-9:45 Meet your guide at the ship terminal, begin city tour with photo stops (eg. Basil Island, Saviour on the Spilled Blood etc.) and Nevski Prospekt

9:45-10:30 Drive to Catherine Palace

10:30-12:15 Catherine Palace incl. Amber Room and a glimpse into the park

12:15-13:15 Lunch time (Lunch incl*)

13:15-14:15 Drive to Peterhof

14:15-15:15 Fountain Gardens of Peterhof 

15:15-16:30 "Underground Palaces" of the Metro on the way to city centre

16:45-18:00 Overview of the Hermitage Museum (Gala Rooms of the Winter Palace and Selected Masterpieces of the Picture Gallery Collection - actual tour inside is approx. 1h)

18:15-18:45 Saviour on the Spilled Blood Church, Night Tariff (actual tour inside approx. 20-30min) 

19:00-20:00 Rive cruise on the Neva-river and canals of the "Northern Venice"

20:15-21:00 St. Isaac's Cathedral, Night Tariff (actual tour inside approx. 20-30min) 

21:00-22:00 Return to ship (Ship departs at 23:00)


Number of people123456-789-11121314-1516-1718more than 18
Price pp, EUR**590360305275250245*230*220*215*210*205*198*194*upon request

Discounts: Students with national Student IDs or with ISIC: 20 Euro; Children 7-17 years old: 25 Euro; there are no discounts for seniors, no occupation- or disability-related discounts.

Price for small children: Children 0-6 years old are not being counted in the number of people above and only pay for their tour tickets or blanket visa and possibly the seat in the vehicle (please ask me and I will give you the exact extra cost of a small child in your party!), you may also order lunch for your small child if wanted - please ask me for the price!

*For groups of 6 and more persons lunch (salad, soup, main, desert, water and tee/coffee) in a restaurant of Russian cosine is included in the price of the tour. If you wish to skip lunch/coffee stop where you would invite your guide being a group of 1-5 people, in this case the guide is entitled to either finish the tour 1h earlier or take a 1h break. 



Included:

  • tour tickets (blanket visas) for all participants
  • 2 port passes for the vehicle (2 port entries per day)
  • all entry tickets using museum vouchers (minimised waiting time)
  • all photo and video permits (except in Pavlovsk Palace, Yusupov Palace, Russian Museum and where forbidden)
  • all transportation according to itinerary: a/c vehicle of suitable size with driver throughout
  • private English-speaking guide throughout
  • lunch (salad + soup + main + desert + bottled water + tea/coffee), except on the tour "Marathon of St. Petersburg" where lunch is included only for groups of 6 and more people
  • obligatory earphones-radio-system in the Hermitage for groups of 7 and more persons

  • NOT included in price are:
  • Paypal service fees on deposit payment (5% of deposit payment) 
  • Gratuities (Amount - same as in Europe or USA)
  • on the tour "Marathon of St. Petersburg" only: lunches for groups of 1-5 persons (you can order the lunches set menus as above additionally at a good price - just ask me! NB: If you want to order lunch(es), you must do so when booking!)
  • **Payable in Rub according to the exchange rate of the Russian Central Bank, however 1 Eur = at least 60 Rub (for bookings made up to 15.05.15) and at least 55 Rub (for bookings made from 16.05.15 on). The payment is in two goes:

    1. Approx. 30% as deposit at the time of booking to finalise your booking - via Paypal (can be paid using credit card online, no need to have your own Paypal account),
    2. Balance payable in St. Petersburg in cash to your guide.