7/18/2010 Mickey's Baltic Ballyhoo!! Part 5

[Caropooh]

I have a question about these private tours in St. Petersburg: Is anyone who booked with Anastasia, Denrus, Red October, etc. getting their own individual visas?

I'm getting conflicting information on whether a visa is needed. DCL says you must have a visa unless you are taking the ship's excursions. But all the tour operators say you don't need a visa if you are with a licensed local tour operator. Individual visas are expensive, but I'm worried about not being let off the ship if DCL insists we have our own visas.

Just curious... what's everyone else doing?

This is what I'm wondering about. There seems to be contradictory information. The DCL website says you have to get an individual tourist visa (issued and stamped on your passport) AND have the confirmation letter from the Russian tour company, or they won't let you off the ship. But the tour companies all say you do not need any visa if you are with a licensed tour company.

Also the DCL website states:
"Additional information is available at the U.S. Department of State website." But the U.S Dept. of state website says "International cruise ship passengers do not need visas if they remain with authorized tour groups at all times while ashore." See http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1006.html.

Just wondering: for those of you who have booked with a private tour...Are you going to get actual visas stamped in your passport beforehand? Did you get some document from the tour company that says "blanket visa", or did they just say don't worry you don't need a visa?

Here's my answer from where you posted the question on the "Baltic Planning" thread also!
The private tour companies will issue you a "blanket visa."
Once you book with them and get confirmed, they send you a form to fill out. They'll need names, passport numbers and expiration date, and a few other things. Closer to the cruise, they send you the documents you'll need to get off the ship. You'll aslo need 2 color copies of your passport.

This is what it says in the email I recieved from Anastasia.
There is just the completed visa-free form needed so that we could providethe visa-free disembarkation for You. You are welcome to send it any time,there is still no rush.Then, no later than one month before Your arrival we will send You all thenecessary documents and will be able to fix the Dollar price for theitinerary.
__________________

 

[jilljill]

The tour ticket you receive from your tour operator will say it's valid for entry into Russia. The immigration officials are very aware of these types of tickets and have no issues with people using them.
You will not receive an actual visa that you affix to your passport, but the info will be on your info that you receive from the tour operator.


Every cruiseline makes it seem like the only way you can get off the ship is to have your own visa that you purchase or to book their tour.
Hopefully DCL won't hold up those with private tours to get their tours off the ship first. We had that issue with Carnival, but have heard other cruiseline try to do the same thing.

 

[jilljill]

I am using Anastasia, & they asked fir my party's info for a visa Passport # & Name!

Good Morning All
Starting to wind down now morning's at the pool last night went to Tepon Edo for Dinner nice but pricey! saw the fireworks on the way out while hitting Maelstrom & The Three Caballeros

Sounds like you are all having a good time.
Remember....Back, Back...Over the falls.

 

[abacab]

The tour ticket you receive from your tour operator will say it's valid for entry into Russia. The immigration officials are very aware of these types of tickets and have no issues with people using them.
You will not receive an actual visa that you affix to your passport, but the info will be on your info that you receive from the tour operator.

Ah, so it is not a separate "blanket visa" document, it is just the tour voucher itself? And the cruise line is OK with that?

Hopefully DCL won't hold up those with private tours to get their tours off the ship first.

I wonder if that might be less of a problem on the second day, because we are not all waiting for the ship to "clear" at the same time.

 

[RJAYL]

Good Morning All
Nothing but blue sky's here matter a fact got a little too much blue sky yesterday

 

[Caropooh]

Good Morning All
Nothing but blue sky's here matter a fact got a little too much blue sky yesterday

Is your head not quite as shiny as normal today? Perhaps a bit on the red side? Where are we going today?

 

[RJAYL]

Is your head not quite as shiny as normal today? Perhaps a bit on the red side? Where are we going today?

Not my head maybe my back though I was drinking skye vodka by the pool yesterday as well!

I honestly do not know maybe Studios maybe Magic Kingdom Maybe Epcot?

Went to Epcot again last night had dinner at Biergarten thoughs buffet's are pricey we might go off sight for dinner tonight or eat in!

 

[jilljill]

Good Morning All
Nothing but blue sky's here matter a fact got a little too much blue sky yesterday

Is your head not quite as shiny as normal today? Perhaps a bit on the red side? Where are we going today?

I knew I should have logged on here earlier today...I was going to say the same thing.

Not my head maybe my back though I was drinking skye vodka by the pool yesterday as well!

I honestly do not know maybe Studios maybe Magic Kingdom Maybe Epcot?

Went to Epcot again last night had dinner at Biergarten thoughs buffet's are pricey we might go off sight for dinner tonight or eat in!

Wish I had seen this earlier, I would have suggested the Ale House and the corner of 535 and Apopka/Vineland Rd., love that place. The menu is huge, the food is good, prices for food and drinks are very reasonable. Very family friendly as well as a sports bar.

 

[jilljill]

Ah, so it is not a separate "blanket visa" document, it is just the tour voucher itself? And the cruise line is OK with that?



I wonder if that might be less of a problem on the second day, because we are not all waiting for the ship to "clear" at the same time.

The last Baltics cruise we took the cruise line didn't matter that we had tour tickets that included a blanket visa, it only really matters that immigration says your documents from the tour operator are what are needed. When you pass thru customs/immigration you will have to show the officials your passport, your ticket from your tour operator and leave them with 1 color copy of your passport each day. They will them stamp your passport and give your either a red or blue card which you must turn back in when you return to the ship each day.
Keep in mind that the Russian officials can change this procedure at any time and the ship should know about it ahead of time. We were all told the day before we docked at StP that all passport photocopies HAD to have a ship's stamp on them, everyone was scrambling around at guest services and a couple of stations they set up around the ship so everyone could get a rubber stamp on their passport copy with the ship's name and then when the officials boarded the ship the next morning they said that wasn't necessary and an announcement was made that anyone that hadn't gotten the stamp was fine to go ashore.

I haven't looked at the times the DCL excursions leave but I'm hoping it won't be a mad scramble to disembark either day.
Our last cruise we were able to disembark at 7:30 and that's when the majority of the ship's excursions were leaving so there were many people wanting to go ashore for either a ship's tour or a private tour.

I would definately recommend that everyone bring 4 color copies of their passport just in case the officials say something one day and then change their mind later. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Cptjackandcrew]

Not my head maybe my back though I was drinking skye vodka by the pool yesterday as well!

I honestly do not know maybe Studios maybe Magic Kingdom Maybe Epcot?

Went to Epcot again last night had dinner at Biergarten thoughs buffet's are pricey we might go off sight for dinner tonight or eat in!

I don't know if restaurant recommendations are allowed here, so I apologize if they're not, but one of our favorite off property restaurants is Kobe Japanese Steak House. The closest one is near Downtown Disney at 8460 Palm Parkway (407) 862-6099. Sometimes we do the park, eat an early bird dinner, and then go back for the fireworks. Be prepared for swollen fingers the next day as they tend to use a weeks supply of soy sauce and butter. The tofu is outstanding!

 

[Caropooh]

I knew I should have logged on here earlier today...I was going to say the same thing.
.

We're so good together!

 

[RJAYL]

I knew I should have logged on here earlier today...I was going to say the same thing.

We're so good together!

I knew I could count on the sisterhood of the traveling baggy pants for such love & moral support!

I don't know if restaurant recommendations are allowed here, so I apologize if they're not, but one of our favorite off property restaurants is Kobe Japanese Steak House. The closest one is near Downtown Disney at 8460 Palm Parkway (407) 862-6099. Sometimes we do the park, eat an early bird dinner, and then go back for the fireworks. Be prepared for swollen fingers the next day as they tend to use a weeks supply of soy sauce and butter. The tofu is outstanding!

Wish I had seen this earlier, I would have suggested the Ale House and the corner of 535 and Apopka/Vineland Rd., love that place. The menu is huge, the food is good, prices for food and drinks are very reasonable. Very family friendly as well as a sports bar.

Thanx you two, but as we are rapping up this vacation we are eating remaining food stuff's tonight maybe tomorrow though I do have reservations at Ohana's or Kohanna's.

Though we will definitely adjust our planned dining events for our next long stay at WDW though I do not know when that will be as I am planning to blow all my points for the either Xmas or Summer 2012 for a long stay at the new DVC in Hawaii!

Oh by the way we ended up spending the day at Typhoon Lagoon!!

 

[jilljill]

I knew I could count on the sisterhood of the traveling baggy pants for such love & moral support!





Thanx you two, but as we are rapping up this vacation we are eating remaining food stuff's tonight maybe tomorrow though I do have reservations at Ohana's or Kohanna's.

Though we will definitely adjust our planned dining events for our next long stay at WDW though I do not know when that will be as I am planning to blow all my points for the either Xmas or Summer 2012 for a long stay at the new DVC in Hawaii!

Oh by the way we ended up spending the day at Typhoon Lagoon!!

Now there's a nickname I haven't heard in about a year or so, I had forgotten about it. Wow....I'm truly surprised you did remember it.


Haven't been to O'hana in a few years since they changed the shrimp from already peeled to the peel 'n eat kind. If you do go enjoy it and let me know how it is, might have to give it another try this summer. Although I won't be trying to break my shrimp record.

 

[jilljill]

We're so good together!

Watch out Magic in 2010 and the Wonder in 2011.

 

[Marla Hellwig]

The high school is performing Sweeny Todd this weekend and Kara went together to see friends perform

She had to recuse a child this morning while at work - she was a little shaky when I picked her up

Been doing (finally ) some research for trip - figured out ferry from Dover to Calais and then train from Calais to Paris Nord

Now looking at things to do while in London

have a great weekend

 

[Celestine]

There is now limited room (about 12 places) on the trip to the port and only 6 on the return to airport, so if there are any more that wish to join us, please PM ASAP, or e-mail panama08@ntlworld.com, as once full there will be no additional transport laid on. Cost is £16/head each way - a real bargain compared To DCL prices!

If I do not already have your e-mail addresses, can you please PM it to me or e-mail me above as it will be easier to get all the required information to you - hopefully by the end of May.

Celestine

 

[RJAYL]

There is now limited room (about 12 places) on the trip to the port and only 6 on the return to airport, so if there are any more that wish to join us, please PM ASAP, or e-mail panama08@ntlworld.com, as once full there will be no additional transport laid on. Cost is £16/head each way - a real bargain compared To DCL prices!

If I do not already have your e-mail addresses, can you please PM it to me or e-mail me above as it will be easier to get all the required information to you - hopefully by the end of May.

Celestine

Good Morning All
Last day at WDW Home tomorrow

 

[Flora Fan]

Congrats to the Manchester United fans. The end of that game was great!!!

 

[Celestine]

Wow! Sure is quiet here - guess it has reached that time of the year when social things start. Took the girls to the local agricultural college open day & had a great time (the sunny warm weather helped). Lots of animals (domestic & non domestic), face-painting & an extortionately priced ice-cream!

Celestine

 

[poohmomof5]

Watch out Magic in 2010 and the Wonder in 2011.

Morning! I was just ketching up from the last few days and noticed you guys are going to Alaska...which one? We are going mid August, I "Wonder" if we are on another cruise together?