DenRus answers Frequently Asked Questions by Cruise Passengers
If your question is not answered here, please post your question on our forum or email to us and we will be pleased to answer any questions about tours, cruising, Russia or St Petersburg
Do I need a Russian visa in order to go ashore in St. Petersburg?
Do the DenRus excursions qualify for visa-free touring?
Why should I book independent shore excursions in St. Petersburg?
When is the Russian visa needed?
How can I obtain a Russian visa?
Is it true that the ships do not allow those passengers, who do not participate in their own shore excursion programs, to disembark?
If we travel visa-free is it true that we can only visit the official tourist locations like museums, palaces, etc…?
If we tour with DenRus do we have to return to the ship for the meals?
Is it true that there are huge crowds and endless lines in each location?
Can tourists using wheelchairs participate in independent programs?
Can DenRus arrange evening entertainment for individual tourists?
Do you have a minimum order for independent touring in St. Petersburg?
Why don't you publish the actual prices of your tours?
Can I use a credit card in Russia?
How strict is the Russian customs inspection?
What about tipping?
Is St. Petersburg a safe city?
Answers:
Do I need a Russian visa in order to go ashore in St. Petersburg?
No, you do not need a Russian visa:
If you will tour the city as a member of escorted shore excursion group or private tour as arranged by one of the licensed Tour Companies authorized to host visitors without Visas, such as DenRus Ltd. Only these tour operators have this authorization which is why the ship can't conduct tours and must contract with one of the few local tour companies to conduct ship promoted tours.Go back
Do the DenRus excursions qualify for visa-free touring?
Absolutely!Go back
Why should I book independent shore excursions in St. Petersburg?
It is totally your own decision if you wish to tour the city independently or with the help of an expert guide and interpreter. Whichever option you choose, DenRus Custom Tours or Value Excursions will save money plus result in a better experience of St Petersburg than those over-priced programs the ship wants to sell. Some people do not like big crowds, some prefer visiting the Hermitage Museum on their own pace and seeing some special exhibitions, some request tailor-made tours (e.g. Russian home visits, meetings with modern artists, a local nightclub experience, etc…) none of which are not available through the ship. What ever the reason, they are extremely pleased with the DenRus experience, independence and surprisingly low prices compared with the ship's standard group prices.Go back
When is the Russian visa needed?
You should obtain a proper Russian visa if you wish to visit the country without any prearranged tours or excursions, if you want to go alone without a guide (for instance go to the home of your friend independently), if you want to spend overnight in another place than your ship's cabin, and for some other reasons like these.
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How can I obtain a Russian visa?
You should contact DenRus, or any properly licensed Russian Tour Operator, and they will walk you through the steps required. Please, check our website: Russian VisaGo back
Is it true that the ships do not allow those passengers, who do not participate in their own shore excursion programs, to disembark?
Some of our earlier passengers have reported that the ships try to complicate the things for those passengers who have decided to arrange their own private tours. There are stories that the ship's shore excursion staff has tried to scare these passengers that they will not be allowed to go ashore by the Russian immigration officers, and thus they will not be allowed to participate on their independent tours, or they will lose their monies since the Russian companies are not reliable. We at DenRus have never experienced any of the above problems, only heard stories about this scare tactics. Any passenger has a free right to go ashore together with the other passengers, and the ships cannot hold them back.Go back
If we travel visa-free is it true that we can only visit the official tourist locations like museums, palaces, etc…?
This is not true. - If you travel visa-free, and you'll work with DenRus rather than participating on the ship's prearranged excursions, you have a possibility to create your own program. Normally this is developed and honed through a mutual dialogue months before the arrival of our passengers, where we try to fulfill all the expectations of our valued customers. In the past we have received requests for home visits, hospital visits, school visits, city tour with a horse and carriage, tours outside St. Petersburg(e.g. the Krondstadt naval base, the cities of Vyborg, Novgorod, Moscow, Pskov…), special shopping (Russian furs, jewelry, delicacies, furniture…), visits to special museums (the home museums of Rimsky-Korsakov, Pushkin, Dostoyevski, Ballet Museum, …), nightclub tours, special professional counterpart meetings, arrangements for Birthday Parties and Wedding Anniversaries with entertainment, … The list is endless. Please, tell us what you wish to do, and we'll give you a report what the city can offer.Go back
If we tour with DenRus do we have to return to the ship for the meals?
No. – Again, this is the beauty of the private touring. You do not need to interrupt your touring, nor waste 2-3 hours for a roundtrip ride to the port plus the lunch time aboard the ship, when you can enjoy a quick bite one the road between the visits, or an elaborate Russian lunch or dinner in one of the stylish restaurants. Just let us know what you'd prefer. Go back
Is it true that there are huge crowds and endless lines in each location?
Yes, this is true. However, there are ways and means how DenRus services can save your limited time. Even for individual passengers DenRus always prebooks a scheduled entry time to the venues. This does not cost you anything extra, but sometimes the venues cannot honor what they have confirmed. When this is done, it is highly recommended that the passengers keep up the original schedule as planned, since missing your time slot will move you to the end of the line. Another possibility is to schedule your entry earlier than the official opening hours. This system is called “early admission” and the venues always charge an additional moderate fee for this benefit. It must be noted that there are early admission tourists in the museums and palaces every day during the summer season, so you are not alone. However, it is enjoyable to see the exhibitions before the huge crowds arrive. Go back
Can tourists using wheelchairs participate in independent programs?
DenRus has a large collection of thank you letters from mobility impaired tourists. We can arrange any kind of a special transportation needed for instance for wheel chairs. Some of the venues have lifts, some do not, some have ramps, some do not, in some places the toilets are too narrow and do not allow wheelchairs to enter, in some places this problem has been corrected. Normally all these details are negotiated and decided during the program development correspondence between our staff and our handicapped passengers.Go back
Can DenRus arrange evening entertainment for individual tourists?
Of course. We can arrange all the same evening shows and performances as your cruise ship can offer, normally either ballet or folkloric show, plus much, much more. The cruise ships offer only their own contracted performances in rented theatres, which do not necessarily represent the highest quality and the best talents. For your unique, independent, and once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience in St. Petersburg DenRus will give you an opportunity to obtain tickets for instance to Mariinski (formerly Kirov) Theatre, St. Petersburg Opera and all the other theatres in the city. We shall inform you about the program as soon as it has been announced. Often our passengers also request an evening in town with a dinner and a floor show. Go back
Do you have a minimum order for independent touring in St. Petersburg?
DenRus is always at your service in St. Petersburg, and we do not have a minimum order. As to the minimum timing, we know that a St. Petersburg city sightseeing tour, with no admission tickets included, would require at least 3 hours. As to the minimum number of participants on a tour, there is no minimum. We often create programs for just one person who prefers his own company with a private guide. As to the minimum cost of a tour, it varies and depends on the number of persons participating, since the total cost is always divided by the number of participants. Value Excursions are the exception where each tour is priced at a low fixed price per person regardless of the number of participants. Go back
Why don't you publish the actual prices of your tours?
The experience has shown that when our passengers have the liberty to tailor-make their tours in St. Petersburg, they also eagerly take advantage of this opportunity. Some require stretched limousines, some are happy with a Russian Volga-car without an air conditioning, some demand Mercedes, invalid vans, some parties require minivans or minibuses, and quite often we have large parties, clubs, associations, congregations, which request their own full size buses. Understandably all these factors play a decisive role in the pricing, and consequently the tariff tables would be too cumbersome to create with all these variables and details noted. That is why we provide a separate quotation for each request for Custom Tours. Value Excursions on the otherhand are set itineraies at set prices so these are published on our web site. Value Excursions are booked on the website. Go back
Can I use a credit card in Russia?
Most of the credit cards are widely accepted in Russia. DenRus also accepts credit card payments for the excursions. Our passengers have reported to us from their personal experiences. Many times we hear that the Russian merchants cannot obtain an approval number when they wish to use the card for their purchases. Some people report that they have informed the credit card company ahead of time about their future trip to Russia, but regardless of that an approval is not received. As often we hear reports that the credit cards were accepted as normally as anywhere else in the world. All travelers should be prepared for the possible situation that their cards would not be accepted for any mysterious reason.Go back
How strict is the Russian customs inspection?
A customs officer is always present at the port viewing the bypassing flow of tourists. They may stop some passengers on random basis especially if they come ashore carrying large bags or suitcases. Under these circumstances they normally assume that the person is importing some goods to Russians. They want to know what they are. If you are returning to the ship and again carrying large bags, which may be even plastic bags from souvenir stores, they may stop you to check that you have not purchased any valuable antiques. In principal, for any items of art or antique a special government permit is required, and items older than 100 years old cannot be exported from the country at all. – If you wish to have more detailed information, please, contact our office with your specific question.Go back
What about tipping?
As all over the world, it is customary also in Russia to tip your private guide and driver after a work well performed. The amounts should be in line with the western standards.Go back
Is St. Petersburg a safe city?
St. Petersburg is a city of almost 6 million people, so understandably it provides a collection of all the imaginable characters, some of them unfortunately not always honest. Use your common sense and general caution, and the same precautionary measures (do not keep all your cash in one pocket, do not flash your cash when making purchases, do not let your wallet show in the back pocket of your pants, hang your handbag and camera strap across your chest and over your head, carry your passport in a zippered pocket, do not leave your belongings unattended, do not hang your coat or purse on the back of your seat in a restaurant if it holds valuables or your passport and use the same precautions you may take in other cities outside Russia. Also remember that in case you are a visa-free tourist it means that our guide-escort will be with you all the time.Go back
