Travelling with kids? Our Children tour is the best choice – we designed a special program so that all ages can enjoy the beauty of St. Petersburg. Accompanied by an experienced guide, who knows how to keep kids involved, you will hit the main sights such as the Hermitage and Peterhof, but also visit the most unusual Shadow Museum, have a Matryoshka painting lesson or get to know more about Russia on an interactive exhibition – Grand Maket Russia!
DAY 1
8:30 am Meeting by the ship (please, note start time of the tour is given approximately and will be adjusted depending on your ship arrival time)
8:30 am - 10:00 am City tour includes driving and photo stops in the most beautiful, historical places of St Petersburg. Photo stop near St Isaac’s cathedral.
10:00 am - 10:30 am Travel to Peterhof by hydrofoil.
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Return to the city
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch (expenses not included)
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Shared boat ride along the rivers and canals (with audio-guide)
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm "Shadow Museum" is a unique art space. Here you can learn more about St. Petersburg and its history through unusual art objects. If you want to boost your creativity and see ordinary everyday items under a new angle, this is a place to visit!
5:00 pm Return to the ship or evening optional program (theatre / folk show / boat trip)
DAY 2
9:00 am Meeting by the ship. Payment for the tour. Shopping
9:00 am - 10:00 am Subway tour. Food market
10:00 am - 12:30 am Inside guided tour of the
State Hermitage Museum (early admission). In order to minimize the flow of tourists inside the museum, the Hermitage authorities reserve the right to adjust the entrance time slot.
12:30 am - 1:30 pm Lunch (expenses not included)
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Inside guided tour of the Grand Maket (scale model (1:87) of Russia, permanent interactive exhibition) or Matrioshka-painting lesson (paint your own Matrioshka-dolls under the guidance of professional painters)
4:30 pm Return to the ship
The order of museum visits and the time spent at each venue may vary depending on ticket availability, museums’ days-off, and the traffic situation in the city.
Visa/Tour Tickets
According to the Russian legislation a licensed tour operator has the right to arrange visa-free tours for cruise passengers arriving to St. Petersburg port. TJ Travel is an officially registered tour operator authorized to issue blanket visas. You will receive your free blanket visas (tour tickets) through email once you book a shore excursion with us. Please ignore warnings from your cruise ship company indicating that only a cruise ship company is allowed to run visa-free tours in St. Petersburg. Warnings/notifications of that kind don’t have any legitimate basis.
Please note you must print your blanket visas received via email from TJ Travel and bring it along with your passports each day of your tour. Blanket visas and your passports should be presented to an immigration officer on duty during disembarkation/embarkation in St. Petersburg.
Payment information
A 50% deposit must be paid at the moment of booking. The remaining balance is due upon your arrival to St. Petersburg;
Cancelation policy
If you or any other member of your party decides to cancel your confirmed booking you must notify us in writing. All payments are fully refundable 72 hours prior to the date of your tour; payments are non-refundable within 72 hours prior to the date of your tour. In case of no-show, no refund is granted.
Availability
Please ensure to make your booking at least 4-5 days prior to your ship's arrival to St. Petersburg. The port authorities require all passport information in advance, and the bookings sent in less than 4 days prior to arrival will be rejected.
Notes
- If the hydrofoil ride is cancelled due to the unfavorable weather conditions it is not refunded: we use our van instead to get to/from Peterhof.
- Please note that in case the Hermitage museum is overcrowded, museum authorities may lim it the entrance which cause an extra waiting time – up to 30 min.
Tips and Discounts
- Children (7 - 17 y.o.)/students get 30 USD off the tour price. Students must have an ISIC card, otherwise the discount is not available.
- Gratuities to the guide and driver are not included in the tour price. The sum you wish to give to your guide and driver after a well-done tour should be up to the western standards (approximately 15%). It is a good idea to divide gratuity between your guide and driver and give it separately to them: 10% to the guide and 5% to the driver. Please have some cash with you (USD, EUR or RUB) for this reason, but it is always up to you!
