Regular cruises operated by a ferry from St. Petersburg to Finland, Estonia, Sweden and other countries have gained great popularity. The word "steam" has long ceased to be associated with the elementary means of crossing, used since ancient times. Today it is one of the modern types of water transport that allows you to make sea voyages surrounded by maximum comfort and excellent service.
Passenger Port
A ferry from St. Petersburg leaves from one of the 5 berths of the Marine Station. This mooring complex was opened in 1982 to receive cruise and ferry vessels. His inability to receive ships reaching more than 200 meters in length led to the need to build a new passenger terminal.
In 2005, construction began on the largest in the Baltic region passenger specialized port “Marine Façade”, now consisting of seven berths for receiving ocean liners, the length of which reaches 330 meters, three cruise ships and one specialized cruise-ferry terminal.
In 2008, the first phase of the new port was opened. The construction of the Marine Facade was completed in 2011.
St. Peter Line Ferries
Maritime Station is the departure and arrival point for cruise trips operated by ferries from St. Petersburg Anastasia and Maria, owned by ST.PETER LINE. With the commissioning of the cruise-ferry station in the passenger port, the vessel Princess Maria, sailing from North Palmyra to Helsinki, was transferred to the Marine Façade, and the second ferry was supposed to be transferred to the new terminal from October 2011. The project was not implemented, and the ferries again depart from the Marine Station. The reason was justified by the inability of the road junction in the Passenger Port area to withstand the load of cars transported by ferry.
It should be noted that since 2003, the Georg Ots ferry regularly traveled to Kaliningrad from the Marine Station. In 2010, the ferry to the westernmost regional center of the country was closed; ferries from St. Petersburg do not come here. Kaliningrad is now connected with Russia and Europe by two ferry routes operated from Baltiysk.
Ferry Boom
There was a time when for several years there were no regular ferry lines in St. Petersburg. The situation changed with the adoption of a law allowing passengers traveling by ferry to stay in Russia without a visa for 72 hours. In 2010, along with ST.PETER LINE, the well-known company S-Continental launched its vessels in the Baltic cities. Petersburg became a transit city between Russia and Europe.
Since that time, they began to actively plan the development of the ferry service of St. Petersburg with neighboring countries - Estonia, Poland, Germany. At the same time, it was assumed that the new lines will be used for the transportation of passengers and the delivery of goods using road trains.
Since 2010, ST.PETER LINE has opened a new direction St. Petersburg - Helsinki, carried out by the cruise ferry Princess Maria. The next year was marked by the opening of another ferry line to Stockholm. Since then, the Baltic Sea cruises operated by this company have become the most popular tourist destinations in the region. This attracted a considerable number of tourists to the Northern capital, and the city itself received the status of the Ferry Capital of Russia.
First ferry operator
The private shipping company ST.PETER LINE was founded in 2010. This is the first Russian ferry operator, and the only one operating year-round in the market of its field. The company’s foreign passengers are allowed to stay in Russia without a visa permission for 72 hours. This feature of travel was highly appreciated by tourists and attracted an additional influx of tourists from 138 states to St. Petersburg.
The company has its own mascot - a cute lobster, whose name is Oliver. Cruises from the company are made by ferries from St. Petersburg - Anastasia and Maria.
Princess Anastasia
Ferry "Anastasia" from St. Petersburg capable of carrying 2392 passengers. On board are 834 cabins, a car deck for 580 cars, restaurants, bars, cinemas, casinos, beauty salons and duty-free shopping centers. The guests of the ship are entertained by an excellent show program.
On the cruise ferry, little passengers were not left unattended either. In the Kids Club, located on deck number 8, under the guidance of a qualified specialist, children are invited to participate in tournaments, various master classes and other entertainments.
Ferry "Anastasia" from St. Petersburg It carries out passenger transportation on the route with entry into Tallinn, Helsinki, Stockholm, with a return to the Northern capital.
The ship was built in the Finnish port of Turku in 1986 as a ferry for Olympia cruises. For its time, it was one of the most significant and comfortable ships in the world. The ferry was known as the Pride of Bilbao and cruised on the Portsmouth-Bilbao line. Later, after its acquisition by ST.PETER LINE, it was renamed Princess Anastasia in honor of the Grand Duchess, converted to ensure safety, better comfort and to meet all the necessary requirements of international conventions.
Scandinavian Cruises
One of the most popular destinations in Russia are cruises in Scandinavia. The proximity of the ports of Denmark, Sweden, Finland makes such sea voyages affordable and fairly inexpensive. Depending on the destination of passenger transportation (international travel or regular flights between ports), as well as on personal preferences, the level of expected comfort and price range, a cruise liner or ferry from St. Petersburg can run along the route.
Ferry trips in the Baltic are very popular, even with transfers for a short period of time, they allow you to see a lot of fascinating things. The ferry from St. Petersburg delivers to Helsinki, and from here you can easily and quickly get to Germany and in just a couple of hours to be in Stockholm.
During the trip, tourists can plunge into the festive and bright atmosphere of the entertainment centers located on the ferry, or, being on the deck, contemplate the landscapes of the water surface, admire the unique landscapes of the Baltic Sea, the picturesque islands and the architectural beauties of coastal cities, and if you are lucky, then bewitching magic white nights.
The duration of the trip and the route itself can be selected individually. To Finland, for example, ferries depart from St. Petersburg every day. Anastasia, which, like a ferry, is not much inferior in comfort to a cruise liner, provides an opportunity to embrace the immense during a trip. In one trip, the ferry enters Finland, Estonia and Sweden. In between excursions in Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn, you can have fun in the cinema, night club, SPA lounge or relax in cozy cabins. The ferry runs all year round, he does not need to wait only for the navigation period as a liner.
Special tours
Very interesting cruise trips to nearby European countries for the May, New Year holidays are regularly organized by ST.PETER LINE. You can find out about them on the official website of the company; these tours are also offered in numerous travel agencies.
Winter cruises have long been a reality. They allow you to get a lot of refreshing impressions and a cheerfulness charge for a long time, to celebrate the New Year and Christmas holidays beloved by everyone in the circle of your loved ones or colleagues.
To register, tourists come to the Marine Station, from which ferries depart from St. Petersburg. The reviews that they leave on the forums upon their return from the trip indicate an interesting time spent on the additional service of travel companies offering travel. Experienced tourists share their impressions of what they saw, advise the services of some companies that offer hotel room reservation in the country of arrival, transfer or car rental. Such services allow you not to waste time organizing your leisure time and spend several days traveling comfortably on the Baltic.
There are also negative reviews. Of course, there are always hungry and dissatisfied with the service, but most often the disappointment of travelers is caused by a long wait in the queue for registration. For many, it causes shock. According to many tourists, the capacity of the station and the capacity in the passport control area clearly do not correspond to the number of passengers traveling by ferry on a cruise.
But perhaps the main thing that you need to learn when going on a trip is not to be upset if something goes wrong. There are bad weather, and hotels, and cabins that do not live up to expectations, and mistakes in planning holidays, leading to a loss of time. However, any trip, not even the most comfortable, after some time will be perceived as an adventure, which is still nice to remember.
Additional excursions
One of the most common destinations among tourists is Finland. A ferry from St. Petersburg regularly departs for Helsinki. Reviews about travel explain the chosen route availability in the price range, maximum information richness and minimal organizational costs. And indeed it is. A sea voyage is much more comfortable and interesting than hours of sitting on a bus tour. During the trip, a lot of entertainment and leisure activities are offered. You can transport cars with you on the ferry. It also presents a unique opportunity to visit the capitals of neighboring states. For 3-4 days of travel, a number of interesting additional excursions are offered: city sightseeing tours, visits to the Silife Aquarium and the Murulandia Family Development Center in Helsinki, the Vasa Museum, the Skansen Museum, the Royal Residence in Sweden, the Rakvere Castle in Estonia and others.