We did this exact same trip last year. St Petersburg was the highlight of our Baltic tour. Excellent job of explaining and sharing this loophole. Enjoy.
She's a former Viking Line cruise ship from 1980s. She was called M/S Olympia then. The cabin interior color scheme seems to be the same that all current Viking Line cruise ships have. Weird that two owners since Viking Line haven't bothered to do anything to the cabin interior.
Hello, thanks for your video. In July 2018 I have been to St Petersburg for 4 days for world soccer cup in Russia to see semi final between France and Belgium. Nice town but not enough days to explore the town. I don't visit Hermitage museum because you need w days only to visit it it's too huge. Good job continu like this sorry for my English I am French
Cool video, and yeah the duty free is probably the main reason most of the passengers are on the ferry. Meaning you can bring the maximum amount of tax free alcohol back to Finland.
Hey you guys, it's Jade here and I'm so excited that you're going to Russia, yeah! Hope you have an incredible time and learn something here in this country. 😉
Y'all are awesome and I love your work! I haven't seen a video on this, so I'm very grateful for the advice! Thank you for making this video! Keep on keeping on!
We also found out abt this loophole and did the exact same trip. However, our stay was 60hrs max but the good part was we didnt have to stay put onboard for 6hrs upon arrival in St Petes like what many had mentioned. Great journey! Looking forward to your nordic adventure vids!
Looks like a enjoyable ferry trip. From 1975 to 2003 I regularly made the Plymouth England to Roscoff or Cherbourg France, since then I live in France. They are only 8 hours or overnighters, the more enjoyable for me is the Plymouth to Santander Spain. A full 24h on board with the chance of whale watching in the Bay of Biscay way offshore from where I now live.
I don't blame you for taking a spontaneous trip to Russia,.Although I was a bit confused at the start of the video because you said Finland was the next destination after Germany. I've been on a couple of ferries and had rooms that were tiny, yours wasn't too bad in comparison :D
Very interesting loophole. I know you can do the same if flying into Beijing without a visa for (I think) 72 hours. Someone needs to compile these loopholes, because they open up so many possibilities. Great video.
That was built in 1986 as the m/s Olympia for the baltic ferry company Viking Line and she was the biggest cruiseferry in the world when she was completed. When the pandemic is over you should come here and try some other ferries between Sweden and Finland that has a better standard, service and cheaper! :)
Did you even realize that there was a medical emergency behind Ashley as you were filming? At ~6:10 the crew was helping a passenger who appeared to have passed out.
Another way to technically go into Russia without a visa - Estonia has a highway that goes through Russia - you cannot stop or get out - but you can drive through that bit of Russia. It used to be Estonia, but Russia claimed it when they left the USSR. There's supposedly a treaty to give the land back in exchange for something else, but the treaty was never signed.
Actually that lands, whole Estonia, Russia bought from Sweden, some of that lands always were part of Russian state already for millennium, so everything de jure is Russian. During dissolve of Russia back in 1920s, Estonia declared own independence, then with White Army attacked Soviet Russia and occupied some of that territories, after which signed separate agreement with Lenin, by which they sold own allies (white army) to bolsheviks and left this lands for self (+15 millions of rubles in gold and concession of wood in Soviet Russia). In 1930s Estonia, after fall of dictatorship regime, joined to Soviet Union and with time internal administrative borders (which nothing means inside of country) where changed, just be economical reasons. But when Estonia left USSR, it left of course with new administrative borders and by some strange reason they decide to return back to borders of time when they occupied that territories back in 1920s... :D sick games of strange people, which trying to poke own neighbor bear (because at some moment Russia just can say “enough” and declare own rights on whole this territories just because bought it like US bough Alaska and declare Estonia just as some separatists which illegally occupy part of Russia).
I enjoyed your video! I wish i had known about the ship to St Petersburg without having to have a visa. I visited Helsinki about ten years ago. Loved the city. I did take a ship over to Estonia, which I enjoyed. Looks like you had a wonderful time on the ship! Greetings from Washington DC ... where are you guys from??
Some other countries have similar options. For example Belarus can be visited from Poland or Lithuania without visa. A list of all those options would be nice 😀
Dasvidanija is goodbye in Russia. Earlier the St Peter Line had 2 ships Princess Maria and Princess Anastasia and I liked Princess Maria much better. She was an old Silja Line ship who also sailed from Helsinki to Stockholm earlier. This company started as St Peter Line and later was sold to Moby and got the name Moby SPL, after this the ferry Princess Maria was renamed to Moby Dada and moved to Mediterrian sea between Italy and Spain. Since October 2019 the ferry Princess Anastasia departures was cancelled do to a miscarrige in the Stockholm arkipelago. Then came the covid-19 and the cancelling continued.... The ferry is now used as apartments in Murmansk in north Russia.
Dang! We totally missed this opportunity last summer!! We spent 30 days in Tallin, it would have been so easy! We’ll have to just go back. You guys look like you are doing so well. We’re back in Boise now.
Love your channel but still laughing about the Older woman passed out in a chair as Ashley continues to say "There are multiple restaurants on the ship" LOL< R U kidding me.... too funny....
I think that is why St. Petersburg is like the only place that let's cruises come in there in Russia if I'm not wrong. I want to to a Baltic cruise that stops in St Petersburg and tour. I'm russian myself (american born) and never been to Russia so that seems like the perfect way to explore without the Visa! Great video guys!
Russia is part of Europe, but not a part of the Nordic countries. That was a new thing to me that you could take a ferry to Russia without VISA. You are absolutely correct. You do not need to take a cruise ferry or ship to get entertainment. You will get entertainment when you get on a longer route as to Russia or Gothenburg to Germany or Stockholm to Finland where you also have meals and entertainment and a ferry on 24 hours.
👌Might have to test the loophole to see Russia... 🤓 Most Finn's (so I've heard) go to Estonia for their alcohol... And Estonians go to Latvia for theirs... 😎 I guess no-one likes to over pay for alcohol...😜
Someone spoiled your secret: (22.05.2019 ) The Wall Street Journal: "Cruise to Russia: An Easy, Affordable Way to Soak Up St. Petersburg" Now, is it a cruiser or a ferry? Well Wikipedia gives a very precise answer: "SPL Princess Anastasia is a cruiseferry owned by Moby St Peter Line." :) Great Video, as often :)
It's not about your nationality. This works for anyone who has an EU passport or multiple entry Schengen visa (multiple entry since you will exit Schengen area to Russia). If you have a single entry Schengen visa then you could technically still go but cannot come back, which can be problematic since you ought to exit Russia with ferry to fullfill the Russian visa free terms (You cannot fly to your home country). So I think ferry company will not let you go to this trip with single entry Schengen visa.
Very beautiful views. I went to Russia with train from Helsinki. Enjoy holiday and Have very good trip. I waiting for go to camping in forest near ocean at Pokkala.
That's a great opprtunity to jump on for a quick unplanned trip to a new country! Excited to see the day in St Petersburg! Ash: just wanna say poop deck 🤣 And duty free duty free duty free 😂
The ship was built in 1986 for Viking Line traffic between Helsinki and Stockholm at the Wärtsilä shipyard in Turku, Finland. Looks like it hasn't been upgraded much since those days but I'm sure it gets the job done even with a few battle scars. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPL_Princess_Anastasia_(1986)
Hi guys,so if you were to stay in SPB the full 72 hours,you`ll obviously be staying in a hotel? so,even in those circumstances,a visa is not required? - of course u still have to register your stay via hotel
Was I in the middle of something? Yes. Yes I was. Did I stop what I was doing in order to watch this video? Yes. Yes I did. Do I pick this video over what I was doing? Yes. Yes I do. ❤️❤️❤️
Spaceba! (something like that is Russian for "thank you", I think :)) Since Ash is such a pro at these boat/ship tours let's call her the "Unsinkable Ashley Brown" !
Очень Интересная Экскурсия "Застава Князей Белозерских" история восстановленных построек 5-9 века (они были разрушены Шведами в 1146 году, а Город Москва был основан Киевским Князем Юрием "Длинные Руки" Святославовичем в 1147 году в память о Дружинниках павших при защите Великого Новгорода и в память о племяннике его Ярле финском Олафе Святом погибшем в Фино-Шведскую Войну (1124 - 1146 годы)!
not sure if you were still looking for an answer for this, but unfortunately it is not - presumably due to travel-restricted specific sanctions due to the war. No information on whether it will be coming back or not has been released either (and I presume not while the war is ongoing)
We did this exact same trip last year. St Petersburg was the highlight of our Baltic tour. Excellent job of explaining and sharing this loophole. Enjoy.
She's a former Viking Line cruise ship from 1980s. She was called M/S Olympia then. The cabin interior color scheme seems to be the same that all current Viking Line cruise ships have. Weird that two owners since Viking Line haven't bothered to do anything to the cabin interior.
Ferry not a cruise ship
i always knew about this but excited to see you did a video on it! had to share this one...
Hello, thanks for your video. In July 2018 I have been to St Petersburg for 4 days for world soccer cup in Russia to see semi final between France and Belgium. Nice town but not enough days to explore the town. I don't visit Hermitage museum because you need w days only to visit it it's too huge. Good job continu like this sorry for my English I am French
Saint Petersburg is beautiful!.
Cool video, and yeah the duty free is probably the main reason most of the passengers are on the ferry. Meaning you can bring the maximum amount of tax free alcohol back to Finland.
Russia is beautiful....only it's not well promoted
Great walking tour and views of the city!
Hey you guys, it's Jade here and I'm so excited that you're going to Russia, yeah! Hope you have an incredible time and learn something here in this country. 😉
WOW 11pm and that bright, it's going to be a lot of fun watching this whole series in the Nordics. Great video J&A!
Y'all are awesome and I love your work! I haven't seen a video on this, so I'm very grateful for the advice! Thank you for making this video! Keep on keeping on!
We had a similar experience in China! We got a 48 hour visa and didn't have to apply. So interesting that some countries have these "loopholes".
So many positive!!! Greetings from Saint-Petersburg, friends.
It is so surreal being so bright at 9pm. 😯🌞
I wouldn’t have passed that up either!! I can’t wait for the next video of St. Petersburg!! You guys are just too cute!! Thank you for the tips!! 😁
Why??
We also found out abt this loophole and did the exact same trip. However, our stay was 60hrs max but the good part was we didnt have to stay put onboard for 6hrs upon arrival in St Petes like what many had mentioned. Great journey! Looking forward to your nordic adventure vids!
I remember this ship as the 'Pride of Bilbao' sailing between Portsmouth UK and Bilbao, Spain. She also did trips to Cherbourg at the weekend!
So Fortuitous. We're hoping to take a ferry from Estonia (or Helsinki) to St. Petersburgh in July so this is super informative. THANKS! -Henry
Wow! What a great adventure you're on. Can't wait to see your vlog from your day in St. Petersburg!
Yes Dear
My country has visa free regime with Russia and after visiting many times i can say the visa is worth it
Looks like a enjoyable ferry trip. From 1975 to 2003 I regularly made the Plymouth England to Roscoff or Cherbourg France, since then I live in France. They are only 8 hours or overnighters, the more enjoyable for me is the Plymouth to Santander Spain. A full 24h on board with the chance of whale watching in the Bay of Biscay way offshore from where I now live.
I don't blame you for taking a spontaneous trip to Russia,.Although I was a bit confused at the start of the video because you said Finland was the next destination after Germany. I've been on a couple of ferries and had rooms that were tiny, yours wasn't too bad in comparison :D
Works for Canadians too!! It’s so awesome!!
Very interesting loophole. I know you can do the same if flying into Beijing without a visa for (I think) 72 hours. Someone needs to compile these loopholes, because they open up so many possibilities. Great video.
The same loophole exist for Russian Vladivostok. City at Far East, so possibly to visit Russia quickly from both Koreas or China.
That was built in 1986 as the m/s Olympia for the baltic ferry company Viking Line and she was the biggest cruiseferry in the world when she was completed. When the pandemic is over you should come here and try some other ferries between Sweden and Finland that has a better standard, service and cheaper! :)
Well we will be taking note of that loophole. The ferry looks great guys! - Anna
That was an amazing vlog guys, thanks for sharing the experience with us.
Did you even realize that there was a medical emergency behind Ashley as you were filming? At ~6:10 the crew was helping a passenger who appeared to have passed out.
Lmfao!
Poor elderly gentleman apparently had to have cold compresses.
Def doing this!! I had heard about this but having a video is so helpful!!
Я конечно не знаю, прочитаете ли вы это, но мне, да и всем русским будет приятно если вы сделаете русские субтитры
Didn't expect they have entertainment on the ferry. Nice vlog.
Great couple that I never seen before..love you guys
Another way to technically go into Russia without a visa - Estonia has a highway that goes through Russia - you cannot stop or get out - but you can drive through that bit of Russia. It used to be Estonia, but Russia claimed it when they left the USSR. There's supposedly a treaty to give the land back in exchange for something else, but the treaty was never signed.
Actually that lands, whole Estonia, Russia bought from Sweden, some of that lands always were part of Russian state already for millennium, so everything de jure is Russian. During dissolve of Russia back in 1920s, Estonia declared own independence, then with White Army attacked Soviet Russia and occupied some of that territories, after which signed separate agreement with Lenin, by which they sold own allies (white army) to bolsheviks and left this lands for self (+15 millions of rubles in gold and concession of wood in Soviet Russia). In 1930s Estonia, after fall of dictatorship regime, joined to Soviet Union and with time internal administrative borders (which nothing means inside of country) where changed, just be economical reasons. But when Estonia left USSR, it left of course with new administrative borders and by some strange reason they decide to return back to borders of time when they occupied that territories back in 1920s... :D sick games of strange people, which trying to poke own neighbor bear (because at some moment Russia just can say “enough” and declare own rights on whole this territories just because bought it like US bough Alaska and declare Estonia just as some separatists which illegally occupy part of Russia).
But not possible from Pakistan hahahah!!!!
I enjoyed your video! I wish i had known about the ship to St Petersburg without having to have a visa. I visited Helsinki about ten years ago. Loved the city. I did take a ship over to Estonia, which I enjoyed. Looks like you had a wonderful time on the ship! Greetings from Washington DC ... where are you guys from??
Was in St. Petersburg in mid-May via the Brilliance of the Seas cruise ship ...spent 2-days in St. Petersburg no VISA.
Perfect! Helps with my plans for Baltic June 2020 so much.....
Thank you for sharing! Will definitely take advantage of this!
Some other countries have similar options. For example Belarus can be visited from Poland or Lithuania without visa. A list of all those options would be nice 😀
That ferry looks crazy! I never knew ferry's were equiped like that!
That poor lady who was passed out behind you on the ferry! Hope she was okay. Anyway fun video!
Great video, love the concept :)
Dasvidanija is goodbye in Russia. Earlier the St Peter Line had 2 ships Princess Maria and Princess Anastasia and I liked Princess Maria much better. She was an old Silja Line ship who also sailed from Helsinki to Stockholm earlier. This company started as St Peter Line and later was sold to Moby and got the name Moby SPL, after this the ferry Princess Maria was renamed to Moby Dada and moved to Mediterrian sea between Italy and Spain. Since October 2019 the ferry Princess Anastasia departures was cancelled do to a miscarrige in the Stockholm arkipelago. Then came the covid-19 and the cancelling continued.... The ferry is now used as apartments in Murmansk in north Russia.
Well now that you have showed us the secret I guess I have no good reason not to take my daughter to see Russia! Thanks for the tip and great video.
Dang! We totally missed this opportunity last summer!! We spent 30 days in Tallin, it would have been so easy! We’ll have to just go back. You guys look like you are doing so well. We’re back in Boise now.
After this video I become excited to visit Russia
Love your channel but still laughing about the Older woman passed out in a chair as Ashley continues to say "There are multiple restaurants on the ship" LOL< R U kidding me.... too funny....
I think that is why St. Petersburg is like the only place that let's cruises come in there in Russia if I'm not wrong. I want to to a Baltic cruise that stops in St Petersburg and tour. I'm russian myself (american born) and never been to Russia so that seems like the perfect way to explore without the Visa! Great video guys!
@Mor Dor oh awesome! I didnt know that. Thanks!
What will be cost for month to visit Russia
What will be cost for month to visit Russia
@@sirajbaloch4905 Не очень дорого. Из-за очень хорошего курса доллара и евро к рублю в настоящее время.
Russia is part of Europe, but not a part of the Nordic countries. That was a new thing to me that you could take a ferry to Russia without VISA.
You are absolutely correct. You do not need to take a cruise ferry or ship to get entertainment. You will get entertainment when you get on a longer route as to Russia or Gothenburg to Germany or Stockholm to Finland where you also have meals and entertainment and a ferry on 24 hours.
So much information-thanks.
@6:10 what's wrong with the old lady that's passed out on the chair?? Ya guys didn't notice?
Oh dear 🙁 Poor lady.
Lmao
Nice guys, i cant wait......to enter Russia with u
The Clarion hotel in the background in Helsinki is amazing! You have to check out!
👌Might have to test the loophole to see Russia... 🤓
Most Finn's (so I've heard) go to Estonia for their alcohol... And Estonians go to Latvia for theirs... 😎
I guess no-one likes to over pay for alcohol...😜
6:07. Just behind Ashley there is a collabed old woman on that chair treated by staff with a wet towel.
Someone spoiled your secret:
(22.05.2019
) The Wall Street Journal:
"Cruise to Russia: An Easy, Affordable Way to Soak Up St. Petersburg"
Now, is it a cruiser or a ferry? Well Wikipedia gives a very precise answer: "SPL Princess Anastasia is a cruiseferry owned by Moby St Peter Line." :)
Great Video, as often :)
It's not about your nationality. This works for anyone who has an EU passport or multiple entry Schengen visa (multiple entry since you will exit Schengen area to Russia). If you have a single entry Schengen visa then you could technically still go but cannot come back, which can be problematic since you ought to exit Russia with ferry to fullfill the Russian visa free terms (You cannot fly to your home country). So I think ferry company will not let you go to this trip with single entry Schengen visa.
You must try Helsinki - Stockholm cruise. They are ferrys, but 20 y newer. And DON'T bring food to the ship. There is also cheep restaurants !
Посетите Москву (у нас в Москве Метро подросло (+ БКЛ + МЦД D1-D4 + Речной Трамвайчик "E-Ship")
Oh my God, guys, did you not notice the poor "dead" person the pursers were helping while you were talking? They had either passed out or worse: 6:08
I did not notice that. Ashley took all of my attention.
She wasn’t dead
Ashley distracted me as well.
Awesome guys!🙌🏻
Наш Санкт-Петербург 😍👍
Very beautiful views. I went to Russia with train from Helsinki. Enjoy holiday and Have very good trip. I waiting for go to camping in forest near ocean at Pokkala.
Do you need a visa to use the train?
That's a great opprtunity to jump on for a quick unplanned trip to a new country!
Excited to see the day in St Petersburg!
Ash: just wanna say poop deck 🤣 And duty free duty free duty free 😂
Yes Dear me too.
Genius!!!! I will have to do that next year!!!
What ferry line did you use? Great video.
The ship was built in 1986 for Viking Line traffic between Helsinki and Stockholm at the Wärtsilä shipyard in Turku, Finland. Looks like it hasn't been upgraded much since those days but I'm sure it gets the job done even with a few battle scars. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPL_Princess_Anastasia_(1986)
Then take another boat to oslo and stockholm via silja lines or viking lines
В Москву можно приплыть из Санкт-Петербурга на Теплоходе А.С. Пушкин от компании "МосТурФлот" за 7 дней! очень много Экскурсий и других Активностей!
OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!
Hello
Hi, you both are visiting Russia . From India, it is very nice to hear people to people contact is good . India loves both Russia and America.
Da'st vi'da'nja means untill next time
Paka' means hey hey or moy😊😊
Aldi Brilliantly done
Hi guys,so if you were to stay in SPB the full 72 hours,you`ll obviously be staying in a hotel? so,even in those circumstances,a visa is not required? - of course u still have to register your stay via hotel
Dosvidaniye it's mean Goodbye
and if you like kind of short version like bye you say Poka !
did you miss the lady that was being attended to in the chair? she must have gotten ill. were people surfing behind the boat????
good video thank you guy's
Awesome
Yes, that is beautiful Natashka...but did you find zee moosekie?
Was I in the middle of something? Yes. Yes I was. Did I stop what I was doing in order to watch this video? Yes. Yes I did. Do I pick this video over what I was doing? Yes. Yes I do. ❤️❤️❤️
😂
What was that 🤣🤣🤣
hei guys, really nice video, but now i cannot find the Us on trhe e visa list, you found it when you applied? thanks, appreciate it.
COOL, good to know..
I am from Russia living in USA hello 😍
Sweet Dreams Spying for the KGB ?
@@robbuglass6199 is it a joke ??
@@robbuglass6199 if it is not good one 😳
Spaceba! (something like that is Russian for "thank you", I think :))
Since Ash is such a pro at these boat/ship tours let's call her the "Unsinkable Ashley Brown" !
Have you guys learned Cyrillic? I'm learning Russian slowly
It's a difficult language but good luck!)
Sooo...we're all going to gloss over the old lady that fainted outside the restaurant are we? 😂
Haha, that is exactly what I thought.
beautiful vidio....
Like it very much
Thanks you
12 hours seems to be a long (ship) ride what would be a good 4 hours car drive.
Очень Интересная Экскурсия "Застава Князей Белозерских" история восстановленных построек 5-9 века (они были разрушены Шведами в 1146 году, а Город Москва был основан Киевским Князем Юрием "Длинные Руки" Святославовичем в 1147 году в память о Дружинниках павших при защите Великого Новгорода и в память о племяннике его Ярле финском Олафе Святом погибшем в Фино-Шведскую Войну (1124 - 1146 годы)!
NICE N THANKS.
How's the motion-sickness in that cabin? No windows??
I had no problems at all. -Ash
Hello
It is not a loophole ;-) It is for finland alkotourism ;-)
How much was the ferry??
Do I have to book around trip or one way from Helsinki to St. Petersburg for the visa free
you are very nice :)
So nyc
Is this still possible for a us citizen even after Ukraine???
not sure if you were still looking for an answer for this, but unfortunately it is not - presumably due to travel-restricted specific sanctions due to the war. No information on whether it will be coming back or not has been released either (and I presume not while the war is ongoing)
The webpage of the Moby ferry is here : " stpeterline.com/en " .