Thanks for the wikitravel suggestion - I didn't even know the site existed! I especially got a kick out of this advice... "Russian driving is wild. Drivers attack their art with an equal mix of aggressiveness and incompetence."
The trip will be via cruiseline, affording only a short visit, but atleast there will be an overnight stay. White Night(s) sounds like a good time, from what I've read on the net. Sight-seeing is a big draw; taking in the architecture, river cruises, or the like.
I'm a bit saddened to hear about the weather. Rain is my sworn enemy, and not just while travelling. But it's definitely not uncommon in coastal cities. I'll take my trusty l'il umbrella. Natch.
I don't like the idea of having to stay with the cruiseline excursions in order to visit St. Pete's, so getting a tourist Visa is something that I'm really keen on. Trouble is, the travel agent is unhelpful in this respect. And the internet offers up a lot of sites to help secure a Visa but I don't know if any of the sites can be trusted.