bajaj avenger 220 cruise and street difference

Latest News

• Latest Reviews
• Car Reviews
• Bike Reviews
• Upcoming Cars
• Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 and Street 150 Review

By P S Balakrishnan

1 mins read

Published on December 1, 2015

Follow us on

The Bajaj Avengers have grown in strength. This family of urban cruisers from Bajaj Auto now includes the Cruise 220 , the Street 220 and the new Street 150 . The last two add city riding dynamics to the cruiser range. We rode the Cruise 220 and the Street 150 to check out what these bikes had to offer. The new Avengers certainly look more purposeful and a bit taller, although the seat height has been raised by a marginal 15 mm. But the Cruise and Street range have something extra to offer and its more than just design tweaks. The Bajaj Avenger Street 220 has street-smart looks with the overall matte black finish, though the Street 150 gets a glossy dark blue touch to make it look quite sharp. Bajaj has added some new functional touches to the range - like white hue head-lamps for better visibility during night rides, a newly designed speedometer with LCD, and flexible indicators.

Read More: New Bajaj Avenger Range Launched

The Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 gets styling cues which are true to its name, with a new handlebar with the new Avenger badging on the fuel tank's sides and some shiny chrome all around. The 17-inch front and the 15-inch spoke wheels in the rear add to the bling quotient and there's even a new chrome cover for the oil cooler. The contoured seats look comfortable with the extra foam but I do wish it was a bit wider for more under-thigh support. The cruiser look is complete with an optional large windshield on the front and a pillion backrest.

The Bajaj Avenger Street range of bikes get lower and flatter handlebars for easy manoeuvrability - a handy tool while weaving through city traffic - and have a different riding position when compared to its Cruise sibling. The new silencer is black and the 12-spoke alloys for the front and 9-spoke for the rear catch the eye. The rubber bellows on the front forks and new grab rails add character and give it that urban cruiser look. Now Harley-Davidson might feel a bit done in here with the new Bajaj Street bikes looking like the long lost cousin of the Harley-Davidson Street 750 . Not a happy family reunion this one for sure but Bajaj won't mind this obvious comparison.

Read More: Bajaj Auto India Drops 3 Motorcycles From Its Line-up

We put both Avengers to the test - from Pune to Lavasa - a good mix of highway stretches and some interesting mountain twisties. The Street 150 uses a refined version of the Pulsar 150 engine that has been tweaked for smoother performance. The power figures indicates 14.3hp and 12.5Nm of peak torque and this cruiser surprises with the low and mid-range torque from the air-cooled engine. The 5-speed gearbox shifts smoothly with an easy clutch and makes it a breeze in city riding conditions. It's quick, peppy and cruises comfortably at around 70-90Kmph, after which the vibrations kick in. The Street 150 handles with fair amount of confidence on the mountain roads with brakes and suspension tuned for a smooth ride. The riding position is not as relaxed as the Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 but not very tiring either. I do wish the front foot-pegs, especially the one near the brake lever, were slightly away from each other for better comfort. Both the Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 and the Street 220 get the same engine specs as the outgoing model but with refinements. The tweaks to the chassis and wheelbase are minor but they do work to offer a more solid feel than before. The cruiser is comfortable at around 90-100Kmph and the engine feels quite relaxed. The riding position is easy and relaxed, and is more cruiser-like with the taller handlebars. The Cruise 220 handles just as well as the Street 150 but the bikes would rather prefer straight highways than mountain twisties.

Read More: Hamara Bajaj Once More?

Smartly priced at Rs. 75,000 for the Street 150 and Rs. 84,000 for the Cruise/Street 220, the new Avengers are now bigger, stronger and a tad bolder with the overall package better than ever before. No wonder Bajaj 'Feels Like God' in this urban cruiser segment.

Last Updated on December 1, 2015

Related Articles

Popular Bajaj Models

• Auto Industry News

2016 Bajaj Avenger Street and Cruise 220 Review

2016 Bajaj Avenger Street and Cruise 220 Review: Two variants in the 220cc category aims to target multiple audience with single platform

The Bajaj Avenger is now the talk of the town. We recently tested all three variants and have given our verdict on the Avenger 150 Street. The new Avengers are based on the same platform as before but have been heavily revised in every single way. Today we talk about the Street and Cruise 220 that we sampled as well. Bajaj says they want to now want to sell 15,000 units a month instead of 4,000 units a month which Bajaj was doing over the past with just one variant of the Avenger.

Bajaj has made two 220cc variants. A chrome laden, for cruiser lovers called the Cruise 220. For the urban crawler and one with the sporty blood, the Street 220 is here with more sporty appeal to it. How do they fair and what are the differences we find out!

Bajaj Avenger 220 Prices (Ex-Showroom New Delhi):

Street 220: Rs.85,497 Cruise 220: Rs.85497

When it come to styling, the Cruise 220 is hard to look at the day. Either you need glares or park in shade because the sun constantly gleaming on endless amount of chrome can cause damage to your eyes. It is strictly advised to park in shade or stay in showroom walls when you go ahead to buy one. Chrome is every where, right from handlebar weight ends to exhaust, to the horn cover for goodness sakes!

Overall styling remains the same, but there tit bits are changed such as the grab handle aka back rest seat mount. Chrome spoke wheels, engine guard, footpegs, subframe bolt cover, everything else in chrome. The new badge of the Avenger series though clearly reminds of the Kawasaki age emblem that both brands made. Pin stripes on the tank, while riding, makes it look like a authentic cruiser indeed.

Everything on the street on the other hand though is matte black and has pin stripes in red. It has alloys instead of spoke wheels. Gators on the fork to prevent that bit of chrome too, a black exhaust with brushed aluminum forged cover and is just devoid of the backrest that the Cruise gets as standard for sportier, lonelier appeal.

Common derivatives include same headlamp, tail lamp and cycle parts which are painted black instead of chrome finished. We wished the levers and side stand on the Street variants were black instead of the chrome seen on all three Avengers. Overall, like we said before.

Attention to detail is clearly seen on these Avengers and hence this evolution in design is devoid of criticism, there still is but not as much. However, Bajaj could have done better with Street on tiny tit bits make it look more focused in small areas as critical areas are covered. Fit-finish on the other hand and quality all around is better than before, and it was good in the past as well.

Speedo And Switchgear

Cluster wise both bikes are the same. Single trip meter along with odometer on the LCD meter along with the speedometer that does the swipe when you click on the key, which is located below your thighs when you sit. Handle lock is seen on the handlebar in front of the rider. Third lock is for the petrol tank.

Rest of the warning lights such as battery, turn-indicator, neutral, high beam are located on the tank panel that is matte black but the switch area is piano black for Street 220 and chrome for Cruise 220. The warning lights are difficult to read as you complete distract yourself completely from the road to look at it.

It’s a comfortable bike indeed. Footpegs are front set and seat is wider and much more cushioned than before for the rider. Pillion seat remains pretty much similar as before. Handlebar is main difference and infact the only difference these bikes have mechanically. The Cruise 220 has a higher set handlebar which falls to hand immediately. Mirrors are good but the adjustability is very limited and at higher speeds the vibrations don’t allow you see what’s behind, that is mostly after 120 km/hr hour.

The Street is not a stretch despite the fact is flatter and wider handlebar. Cruise is a good notch easier to navigate in town, but the Street isn’t far behind either as it more communicative and quicker to inputs. In short, the Cruise is for the lazier and elderly person and Street is for the youth.

Performance

Powering both the Street 220 and Cruise 220 are identical engines. 220cc 2-valve motor makes 19 PS @ 8400 RPM and 17.5 Nm of torque @ 7000 RPM. The numbers are lower than the Pulsar 220 and stay identical to the previous Avenger 220cc engine. The engine is now very smooth lower down in the rev range and the power delivery is linear but has a hint sportiness throughout the rev range to keep that Bajaj characteristic intact to an extent, which is basically being brash at the top of the rev range.

Throttle response has seen a great change in the way the engine responds to inputs, as it is much quicker than before. Low end torque is really good and pulls well enough in the mid range, but not like new age Pulsar engines, which have pin point precise mid range acceleration.

However, it is the top-end when it cams get alive and post 100 km/hr it just keeps on pulling till 130 km/hr given the road conditions.

We even saw 140 km/hr while being slightly ducked. NVH levels are very good than before, but at the top while redlining you do get vibes, but only at the pegs and not at the handlebars due to heavy bar-end weights installed. All of this is thanks to the taller four gears and short first gear, one could achieve this type of power band.

Fuel economy should rise a bit and should be around the same 35 km/l mark. Clutch is now very progressive and consistent in operation and gearbox is really good over the past, when compared. Overall, a much more easier engine to live with when in comparison of day one when the 220cc carb engine was born.

The same tyres, suspension and chassis setup continues with the Avenger Cruise and Street 220. Only difference between the two mechanically is the handlebar. Cruise handlebar makes it easier to maneuver because it is raised. The Street 220, thanks to its flatter and wider handlebar allows for sporting riding and helps in riding enthusiastically much quicker. Handling is good, grip is enough, cornering clearance is also good, but you can get naughty and obvious and scrape the footpegs if you want.

Turn in relatively quick and the rake is fairly and oddly satisfying for the Avenger series. Where it scores best is the suspension setup along with the linear engine makes sure suspension does it job well and doesn’t through tantrums. It feels a lot tauter, tighter and responsive when it comes to chassis feedback.

Ride quality is quite stiff and isn’t hard and Bajaj says there will be no bottoming out and we saw the same on medium speed and low speed breakers. Brakes are the best part, as they Bybre and not endurance. Good initial bite and there is progressive braking as well after that with good feedback from lever and stopping power is in abundance.

However, rear brakes don’t feel great on the 220 as they did on the Street 150 for reasons. It’s the engine which was the made suspension work much better than before and icing on the cake is rebound and damping has been adjusted too. High speed stability as always is very good and front stays planted.

One criticism we have is the rear is softer and does need stiffing or better tyres to cut that part to an extent. Overall, by cruiser standards, the Avenger does it job very well indeed.

Bajaj Avenger Street and Cruise 220 Specification

2016 bajaj avenger street and cruise 220 review verdict.

The Avenger doesn’t have much competition to fight. Sure there are touring motorcycles from the same stable. If cruiser’s isn’t your thing you can get AS 150 and 200. If you don’t want either of these you can look at the Hero Karizma which have similar engines and outputs. But the recent one’s have lost the charm of the old one in every single way. This is theoretically a shootout between the Cruise and Street 220 itself.

Jokes apart, it is just the styling which sets them apart and the handlebar. Street 220 directly appeals to the enthusiast first and last he would choose. Cruise is for people who wear sunglasses all the time, to avoid the glare from the chrome everywhere and they need it too because the Cruise 220 attracts a lot of attention, including the all mighty sun. Bajaj clearly than has distinguished these products very smartly then and its up to you to decide. Fear the black or shine like a star.

2016 Bajaj Avenger Prices: Rs. 84,000/- Ex-Showroom (New Delhi)

Pros –

• Refined Engine and Gearbox
• All around driveability
• Value for money

Cons –

• Rear suspension can be stiffer
• Lack of Color options
• Engine could be more powerful
• Latest News
• Visitors Agreement
• Privacy Policy
• Website managed by Tecnonation Media Pvt Ltd

Add Gaadiwaadi.com to your Homescreen!

• Avenger Cruise 220

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 Variants

Search your bike to compare, ₹ 1.45 lakh.

On Road Price in Delhi

Change City

Pick from popular cities, calculate the emi.

Loan Amount Lakhs

10 Thousand

Interest Rate Percentage %

Loan Tenure Years

Your EMI Details

Principal Amount

Rate of Interest

Total Interest Paid

Total Amount

Ask Autocar Anything

Wants quotes for bank, enquire now, want quotes from bank, bajaj avenger cruise 220 bike alternatives.

Hero MotoCorp HF Deluxe i3s

Bajaj Avenger Street 160

Royal Enfield Meteor 350

Royal Enfield Hunter 350

Royal Enfield 2023 Bullet 350

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 specifications

Bajaj avenger cruise 220 latest update.

While Bajaj discontinued the Avenger 180, the 220 continues to be on sale. The Avenger 220 also has no direct rivals. In its latest form, the Aveng...

While Bajaj discontinued the Avenger 180, the 220 continues to be on sale. The Avenger 220 also has no direct rivals. In its latest form, the Avenger remains nearly identical to the updated model from 2018 cosmetically. The most recent update has been the switch to fuel-injection. The oil-cooled engine now makes 19hp and 17.5Nm of torque.

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 Expert Review

Unlike the Avenger Street 160 that debuted only in 2019, the Cruise 220 has been around for a while. Sitting at the top of the Avenger line-up, ...

Unlike the Avenger Street 160 that debuted only in 2019, the Cruise 220 has been around for a while. Sitting at the top of the Avenger line-up, the Cruise differs from the Street in some functional aspects that make a world of a difference. 

FEEL LIKE GOD

It’s a pretty bold tag line, but this Avenger Cruise 220 does make an impressive attempt at living up to it. For someone looking for a proper taste of what a cruiser has to offer, there isn’t an entry-level motorcycle that does it as well as the Cruise 220. The Cruise model is characterised by its wire-spoke wheels, generous amounts of chrome and long, low stance. The ergonomics, as well, are in line with what you’d expect from a cruiser – your feet are set forward, and a wide, swept-back handlebar enables you to manoeuvre the bike with very little effort. My only issue with this setup is that the handlebars will make contact with your knees while making sharp U-turns, or while filtering through traffic at slow speeds.

Just like with the Street, the Cruise also gets a tank-mounted secondary console with some tell-tale lights, but the fuel gauge is part of the primary handlebar-mounted fully digital unit. A tall, non-adjustable windscreen is part of the package as well, but I found that it does more harm than good for my 6-foot frame. A shorter rider will likely face less wind buffeting. 

CRUISE CONTROL

Just like the Street 160, the Cruise 220 also gets an engine that first debuted on a Pulsar, but has a reduction in power here. This 220cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine is capable of peak output figures of 19.03hp at 8,500rpm and 17.55Nm at 7,000rpm. In application, this engine is notably calmer than the unit on the smaller Avenger and feels much more adept at maintaining highway speeds without too much stress. Performance is, unsurprisingly, better as well, and by a fair margin. The Cruise 220 gets to a 100kph nearly 10sec quicker than the Street 160. 

The Cruise 220 costs about Rs 23,000 more than Street 160, at Rs 1.27 lakh. It’s a fair margin between the two, but if you’re looking for more performance, the ability to take your bike out on long highway rides, and the visual appeal of a cruiser, it’s a stretch you should consider making. 

2021 Bajaj Avenger Street 160 review, test ride

• Specifications
• Safety And Features

18.4 bhp @ 8,500 rpm

17.55 Nm @ 7,000 rpm

Gearbox Type

Number Of Gears

Fuel Injection

Seat Height

Ground Clearance

Kerb Weight

ENGINE/MOTOR

Fuel Type Propulsion

Engine Displacement

Engine Type

Max Engine Power

Max Engine Torque

Digital Twin Spark Ignition

Spark Plugs

2 Per Cylinder

TRANSMISSION

Number of Gears

Transmission Type

Chain Drive

Wet Multiplate

FUEL ECONOMY/RANGE

Fuel Tank Size

Reserve Fuel Capacity

CHASSIS AND SUSPENSION

Chassis Type

Tubular Double Cradle Type

Front Suspension Type

Telescopic with double anti friction bush

Rear Suspension Type

5 step adjustable Twin shock absorber

WHEELS AND TYRES

Wheels Type

Front Tyre Size

90/90-17 49P, with Tube

Rear Tyre Size

130/90-15 66P, with Tube

Radial Tyres

Front Wheel Size

Rear Wheel Size

Front Brake Type

Front Brake Size

Rear Brake Size

PERFORMANCE AS TESTED

Anti Lock Brakes ABS

SideStand Indicator

Headlamp Type

Pass Light Switch

Engine Kill Switch

Low Oil Indicator

Pillion Backrest

Pillion Grabrail

Pillion Seat

Pillion Footrest

Electric System

12V, 8Ah VRLA

Headlight Bulb Type

Turn Signal

Stand Alarm

Digital Fuel Guage

Electric Start

Antilock Braking System

INSTRUMENTATION

Low Fuel Level Warning

Speedometer

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 variants and prices

• Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 BS VI

220cc,Petrol,Tubed

₹ 1.45 lakh *

• Ex-Showroom Price: ₹ 1,22,630
• RTO: ₹ 9,810
• Insurance: ₹ 9,810
• Miscellaneous: ₹ 3,500
• On Road Price in Delhi ₹ 1,45,750

Published On May 19, 2021 07:00:00 AM

2021 Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 review, test ride

The bigger Avenger 220 Cruise is the one that stays true to the brand’s tag line, but has its own little flaws.

Published On Feb 11, 2020 11:54:00 AM

BS6 Bajaj Avenger 220 Cruise, Street priced at Rs 1.15 lakh

BS6-compliant Avenger 220 Cruise and Street cost Rs 11,584 more than the outgoing BS4 models.

Compare Bike

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 vs Bajaj Avenger Street 160

Avenger cruise 220 vs avenger street 160, specifications overview, brakes, suspension & tyres, instrumentation, body & suspension, engine & transmission, comfort & convenience, dimensions & capacity, entertainment & communication, pros & cons, which bike do you like more .

Detailed Comparison of Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 and Bajaj Avenger Street 160

Avenger Cruise 220 comes loaded with Single Channel ABS ABS - Anti-lock braking system, Hazard Warning Indicator, Pass Light, Pillion Grabrail. Avenger Street 160 has Hazard Warning Indicator, Pass Light, Pillion Grabrail.

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 has features like Low Battery Indicator, Pillion Footrest, Service Reminder Indicator, Engine Kill Switch, Side Stand Indicator and Bajaj Avenger Street 160, on the other hand, has Low Battery Indicator, Pillion Footrest, Engine Kill Switch.

Transmission

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 comes with 5 Speed Chain Drive transmission and Avenger Street 160 comes with 5 Speed Chain Drive transmission.

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 has a 13 Litres fuel tank with 1321 mm seat height. Bajaj Avenger Street 160 has 1070 mm seat height and 13 Litres fuel tank capacity.

Avenger Cruise 220 Similar Bike Comparisons

Avenger Street 160 Similar Bike Comparisons

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 and Bajaj Avenger Street 160 Owner Reviews

• Avenger Cruise 220 Review
• Avenger Street 160 Review
• H Hariom 26 Jun 2024 4.2 The bike is good, but parts are not easily available. It has good mileage, nice grip, and a better riding experience with a powerful engine. ABS must be included, and the wind shield is also good. Like
• Jd Joel dsa 5 Month ago 4.6 Best riding experience so far in non-traffic area. The bike is to long it's not meant for very traffic area. Overall riding experience is to go on the Bajaj avenger 220. Front tire is a bit slippery and loose grip on metal surface when wet. Likes (3)
• A Ashfaq 7 Month ago 4.6 Simply awesome, except of rear brakes which have to be replaced every 2 months, all good with service cost and mileage, Bajaj should launch something like classic 350, it would be better, riding long distance is just very comfortable, my old bike was also a avenger cruise, 10 years of experience with avenger Read more Likes (5)
• M Mahrndra 9 Month ago 5.0 Very good bike for long rides. Likes (5)
• S SeeratHussainshah 10 Month ago 5.0 Nice experience good design, and very comfortable bike. I like avengers bike Likes (2)
• D DungarSingh 4 Month ago 5.0 I like this bike. I want this bike. I recommend my friends this bike. It is a super Excellent bike. comfortable for long rides. Likes (2)
• Dk Dharmveer kumar 5 Month ago 3.4 Very comfortable for long drive and short drive, never feel tired, also comfortable for short heights guys, and never sleep on road, I love it, it's my favorite one, just it Likes (3)
• B Balbir 5 Month ago 4.6 Nice bike ever I have seen according India Market. Relax is only main thing in this bike. Just need rear disk break as some time it is got slipped .but all in all very nice cruzer Bike very comfortable very good looking bike ever I have seen .must go for it. yes average is good. Likes (1)
• A Akash 6 Month ago 3.8 Good as expected, overall fantastic segment, you may go with it if you like cruiser type bike and in this segment this is the best one as per price and it really value for money and will give you satisfaction while riding on highways , so choose it and say good. Likes (3)
• cn chandan naik 7 Month ago 5.0 Bike is comfortable and daily I use for around 125 km and journey is safe with nice breaking system and Bajaj parts are more durable than other so rear tyres are in big size and with is also big so road grip is nice and comfortable in cement road also Likes (10)

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 and Bajaj Avenger Street 160 FAQs

• Compare Bikes /
• Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 Vs Bajaj Avenger Street 160

• Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 vs Bajaj Avenger Street 180

BikeWale brings you comparison of Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 and Bajaj Avenger Street 180. The ex-showroom price of Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 is ₹ 1,44,737 and Bajaj Avenger Street 180 is ₹ 88,607. Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 is available in 2 colours and 1 variant and Bajaj Avenger Street 180 is available in 2 colours. Apart from prices, you can also find comparison of these bikes based on displacement, mileage, performance, and many more parameters. Comparison between these bikes have been carried out to help users make correct buying decision between Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 and Bajaj Avenger Street 180.

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 vs Bajaj Avenger Street 180 Comparison Overview

Avenger Cruise 220

Avenger Street 180

• SPECIFICATIONS
• USER REVIEWS
• Similar Comparisons
• Expert Comparisons

Specifications

Power & performance, brakes, wheels & suspension, dimensions & chassis, manufacturer warranty, service & maintenance schedule, instrument cluster, mobile app connectivity, light system, gps & charging, pillion comfort, additional features, user reviews, images of avenger cruise 220 & avenger street 180.

Videos of Avenger Cruise 220 & Avenger Street 180

Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 Comparison with Similar Bikes

Bajaj Avenger Street 180 Comparison with Similar Bikes

FAQs about Avenger Cruise 220 & Avenger Street 180

More from experts on avenger cruise 220 & avenger street 180.

By Pratheek Kunder 6 years ago

Popular Comparisons

Popular Cruiser Bikes

BikeWale take utmost care in providing you the accurate information about prices, feature, specs, and colors for comparison of Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 vs Bajaj Avenger Street 180. However, BikeWale can't be held liable for any direct/indirect damage or loss. For comparison of Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 vs Bajaj Avenger Street 180, the base version has been considered. You can compare any version for the comparison of Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 vs Bajaj Avenger Street 180.

• Compare Bikes

• River Cruising

GCT M/S Tikhi Don - St. Petersburg to Moscow

By usnavyguy , June 24, 2012 in River Cruising

Recommended Posts

This is a review of a St. Petersburg to Moscow river cruise from 5/31/2012 - 6/14/2012 with Grand Circle Travel. I'll divide the review into sections starting with the ship so folks can jump to those sections of interest & ignore what isn't pertinent to them. For an excellent discussion on pre-trip planning, visa issues, comments on various cruise lines, this link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1559518

will give you all the details you need. I'll not repeat it here.

So, let's get to the specifics:

Ship : Tikhi Don is owned by Grand Circle Travel (GCT) and is one of two ships, the other being M/V Rossia they operate between Moscow & St. Petersburg. All the cabins are identical: 146 square feet with one window that opens, situated on 3 decks. The only difference is location on the ship. The cabins were clean as were the attached bathrooms. Storage space was adequate for two weeks. There is one 120V and one 220V electrical outlet in the cabin as well as a 115V electrical outlet in the bathroom. I purchased a 4 outlet power strip specifically for this trip to plug in rechargeable digital camera batteries as well as a cell phone. The ship has an elevator near the reception desk forward that services Decks 1, 2, and 3. There is a double stairway in the after end of the ship that runs from the Main Deck to Decks 2, 3, and 4. All other stairways are external and serve all 4 decks. We had about 206 passengers embarked and about 100 staff, so the ratio of staff to cruisers was pretty high. It seems that all river ships operating in Russia carry about 200 or so customers which make them quite a bit larger than the average European waterways river ship. Since they have far fewer bridges to deal with in terms of height, and water depths are somewhat deeper than European rivers, they can and do take advantage of that to leverage a larger number of customers. That doesn't make it bad; it just makes it different. Tikhi Don draws about 9 feet of water which I suspect is about average for a Russian river cruiser. The ship has two bars, one on the 3rd deck forward (Tsar Bar) and one on the 4th deck aft (Presidents Bar). The restaurant is located on the 2nd deck aft and is used for the breakfast buffet and the sit down daily lunches & dinners. One disadvantage to my way of thinking was the sit down lunch. When we've cruised on Viking, they offered a light buffet lunch in the bar/lounge and a sit down lunch in the restaurant. That gave one some options which weren't available with GCT. Again, not necessarily bad; just different. Each cabin is equipped with a flat panel LCD TV with various satellite channels available depending upon the location of the ship at the time. There also were 3 different movie channels showing a different movie each day. Since we didn’t watch TV, I can only surmise it must have worked okay as we did not hear any complaints. While each cabin has individual air conditioning controls, they didn’t appear to function very effectively and the cabin remained around 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. There is a separate heating unit mounted beneath the window on the outside bulkhead which proved very useful on some of the colder mornings we experienced during the cruise. The cruise covers 829 miles between St. Petersburg and Moscow, and consists of several lakes, rivers and canals including the transit of 16 locks.

Travelers: One significant difference I noted was the average age of the passengers was somewhat older than we had previously experienced with Viking in Europe. I would guess that average age was around mid-70s; some younger, and some a good bit older. We had several veterans of WW2 embarked and I can only hope I'm as spry as they were when I'm that age. They also are very loyal to GCT. Those folks who had previously traveled 3 or more times with GCT or their companion company, Overseas Adventure Travel were identified with a gold name badge. I'd estimate that at least 50% of the embarked travelers fell into this category. This was a very seasoned group of world travelers. Few on the trip were making their 1st river cruise and even fewer were traveling with GCT for the 1st time (we fell into that category). The tours generally involved quite a bit of walking and a not so slow pace, but most everyone managed to keep at it, and few opted out of the walking tours. I'll discuss those in more detail later in this post.

Ship Staff: The staff was quite young (mid to late 20s mostly), inexperienced, but always willing to help. Their command of English was generally very limited although I expect that will improve as the season wears on. Their English was way better than my Cyrillic so they get an A+ for effort. The cruise is managed by a Cruise Director who spoke idiomatic English. The ship's Captain was the most personable Captain I have ever sailed with on a cruise ship. He spoke good English, greeted all the travelers as they debarked for each tour, met each traveler at the gangplank when they returned, and along with the Cruise Director and Hospitality Manager stood on the pier and waved goodbye to every bus that departed. I'm used to the Captain putting in a brief appearance at the Welcome & Farewell Cocktail parties, then disappearing for rest of the cruise. This was a novel & most welcome change.

We were divided into 6 groups of about 32-35 people, assigned a Tour Director who worked exclusively with that group for the entire cruise. Very occasionally for an optional tour, the groups would be combined to keep the numbers about the same, but basically, you functioned within your assigned group. The Tour Directors all had majored in foreign languages at the University and had anywhere from two to as many as eight years with GCT. They all spoke idiomatic English and did a great job of keeping track of their charges. I liken managing U.S. tour groups to herding cats and these folks were always cheerful, ready to answer any question, and resolve any problem. The wait staff in the dining room had limited English, but knew enough to converse with the passengers with regard to the menu & was a hustling young group of Russians. They were extremely pleasant to deal with.

Food on Board: In general the meals were quite good. Breakfast was served buffet style and one always had the opportunity to order an omelet or eggs of any style. There also was a special breakfast order each day. They also included the European breakfast meats and other items common on European river cruise ships. Service was quick and efficient. Restaurant seating included tables for 2, 4, 6 or 10 passengers so there was a wide variety of seating. Lunches & dinners would be best described as Russian modified for American taste. As I remarked previously, all lunches were sit down, formal service with soup, entre (including a vegetarian selection). Salad bar and dessert. Dinners consisted of an appetizer, followed by a soup course, entre (again including a vegetarian choice), and dessert. At dinner, there was always available salmon or chicken breast with a baked potato and steamed vegetables for those who did not fancy the main course. Food was served hot when appropriate and cold when in order. Service was friendly and efficient. Even with 200 people sitting down to eat, there was no sense of “steam table” cooking. With the exception of two meals ashore, all meals were served onboard. In the event of an evening tour such as the Moscow circus or the St. Petersburg ballet, an early dinner was served to those attending the event, followed by a late night heavy snack following return onboard. While I did not eat very many lunches, my wife tried most of them and said the food was very good. We found the dinners to be tasty and a nice introduction to Russian cooking, including the famous Russian stroganoff which is not served over noodles as it is in the U.S., but over spaetzle or mashed potatoes which we were told is common in Russia. Early bird coffee was available from 6:00-7:00AM and also throughout the day at the coffee station on the main deck. Lunch was served at either noon or 1:00PM depending on the tour schedule, with dinner at 7:00PM.

Onboard Activities: There was never a shortage of things to do onboard, but all were voluntary so you could participate in as few or as many as you wished. They featured the usual port talks, introduction to the Russian language, lectures on Russian handicrafts, vodka tastings, blini parties, pelmeni (dumpling) cooking class, and hand painting of Russian Matryoshka (nesting) dolls. We also noted several spontaneous bridge, cribbage, and canasta card games in progress at various times.

There is a large, well stocked gift store on the ship, operated as a separate concession. My wife found the prices for souvenirs of all types were generally better than souvenir shops ashore. They accept major credit cards or roubles. You cannot charge items from the store to your shipboard account.

Tours: There were a limited number of optional (extra cost) tours available. In St. Petersburg, that included:

Rivers & Canals of St. Petersburg

Yusopov Palace

St. Petersburg Ballet

Peterhof Gardens

In Petrozavodosk: Karelian Folk Show

Zlatoust Singers

Jewish Heritage of Moscow

Tretyakov Gallery

You can view the details of these optional tours on the GCT website: http://www.gct.com

under the Russian river cruise itinerary.

All passengers are provided with a pair of head phones & a battery powered receiver to provide the ability to listen to the tour guide while still wandering about the particular venue. The system works perfectly and depending upon location & interference such as walls, floors, and the like is crystal clear up to 100 feet from the tour guide. I have used these systems on other tours and would never consider a tour/cruise that did not employ this technology.

We took the Rivers & Canals of St. Petersburg tour which entailed taking a canal boat up & down the various rivers & canals running through St. Petersburg. It lasted approximately 90 minutes with a well informed local guide who commented on what we were seeing. It was interesting and informative and gives you another whole perspective on St. Petersburg than from a city bus tour.

We also went on the Peterhof gardens tour which unfortunately, did not go as well. The morning tour for that day was Peter & Paul Fortress which was really not that interesting and turned out to be just another church tour. However, because of the distance from where the boat moored to the fortress, then into St. Petersburg for lunch, the morning and part of the afternoon was pretty well shot by the time we departed for Peterhof. Peterhof is a good 45 minute drive from St. Petersburg; so consequently, it was well after 2:00PM when we arrived at the gardens. I’d like to say the local guide tried to cram what could easily have been a 4 hour tour into something less than two hours. So, we consequently were trying to set land speed records for walking tours as she was determined to show us as many of the Peterhof fountains as possible, and there are more than a few. My wife is a bit slow of foot as she has limited walking capacity so she was hard pressed to keep up. I, on the other hand, wanted more time to take pictures of the fountains and didn’t appreciate being rushed from spot to spot. Fortunately, our tour director Alex was particularly solicitous of my wife and made sure we could cut some corners and get ahead of the tour where necessary. Unfortunately, the local tour guide was annoyed when told to slow down and became somewhat hostile. The tour ends at the Peterhof palace which has a very large number of very beautiful fountains, all in gold leaf and is a photographer’s dream. It easily could have been worth an hour or more of picture taking opportunities. While I do understand some folks just want to check the block of having seen it and move on, there are, I think, a larger number of us who don’t expect to see those things again and want to take full advantage of the picture taking opportunities.

St. Petersburg: We spent 4 days in St. Petersburg not counting the day of arrival. The 1st full day, we had a city bus tour which included a stop & tour of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and an approximately two hour visit to the famed Hermitage Art Museum with an option to stay for an additional 90 minutes, On Day 2, we had Catherine’s Palace & Park Tour, an offsite lunch paid for by GCT followed by the optional Rivers & Canals Tour, Day 4 was the Peter & Paul Fortress, again followed by lunch (this time on your own) followed by the optional Peterhof Gardens tour. On Day 3 of the visit, there were optional tours available of Yusopov Palace and the St. Petersburg ballet (evening). The boat was moored about 1 hour from downtown, depending on traffic, as the city authorities do not allow the riverboats to moor downtown. This caused some angst among those taking their 1st river cruise as they assumed this was standard. Of course, it’s not, and in fact, almost all European river cruises including Paris moor almost in the heart of the city. However, for those with free time and a little bit of adventurism, the subway took you downtown in less than 40 minutes. There is a bus from the head of the pier which costs 30 roubles (in early June 2012, roubles were 32.5 to 1 USD). That dropped you at the nearest metro entrance where 25 roubles and 5 stops later, landed you in the heart of Nevsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg’s equivalent to Times Square in NY or Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The metro is clean, no graffiti in the stations or on the cars, efficiently run and very safe. To return to the ship, just reverse the process. Once downtown, there are many attractions within easy walking distance such as the statue of the Bronze Horseman, a tribute from Catherine the Great to Peter the Great and the Church of our Savior on the Spilled Blood on which site, Tsar Alexander II was murdered by an assassin on 1 March 1881.

This was our 2nd time in St. Petersburg as we were there on an ocean cruise of the Baltics in 2003 when the city celebrated its 300th anniversary. It is to my mind, much more European than Russian with the latest fashions on display, many, many outdoor restaurant cafes and a mostly young, apparently well off population (at least during a business day).

We had previously been to Catherine’s Palace and the Hermitage and enjoyed returning to both places. St. Isaac’s is very impressive, but unfortunately, it is crowded and pickpockets are afoot. Several men & at least 1 woman had wallets stolen in the crowds so for them, not so much fun. Peter and Paul Fortress from a historical perspective is important, but rather unimpressive.

We visited St. Petersburg during the period of the summer referred to as “White Nights” which are quite famous. Sunrise occurs about 4:30AM and sunset at 11:15PM. Since winters are long, cold, and sometimes very harsh, the many hours of sunlight are greatly appreciated and folks go out to stroll, especially on Nevsky Prospekt well into the evening hours enjoying the many parks and recreation areas throughout the city.

Svir Stroi: This is a small village of about 600 people located on the Svir River. They have the requisite souvenir shops, but the highlight of the stop was the visit to the home of a Russian villager. Our opportunity came to visit the wife of a local employee of the hydro electric plant. We visited her home and were served tea & pirozhki’s (Russian tea cakes). With the able help of our tour director, Tanya who translated, the lady explained her daily life in the village and the challenges ordinary people now face compared to the days of the Soviet Union. This is also where we first encountered the fierce Russian mosquitoes or as the tour directors called them, the KGB mosquitoes. They’re big, they bite and they fly around over the 3 months of summer. Mosquito repellent does, however, work when liberally applied.

Petrozavodsk: This port city on Lake Onega which is the second largest lake in Europe, only surpassed by Lake Ladoga, included a bus tour as well as a visit to the memorial to Russian’s Unknown Soldier from World War II, and a tour of the local market. It is the industrial, cultural, and scientific center of the Republic of Karelia. The visit also included an optional tour to a Karelian folk show which we opted not to attend.

Kizhi (Kee-shee) Island: This small island in the center of Lake Onega is home to the oldest known wooden church in Russia, the Church of Transfiguration which features 22 timbered onion shaped domes. The church was assembled without the use of a single metal nail and is currently undergoing extensive renovation. The stop also featured a “Fishing with the Ship’s Captain & Staff” for those who are ardent anglers. Fishing apparently wasn’t so successful as we did not have fish on the menu that evening!

Goritzy/Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery: Goritsky is just another tiny town, but the monastery was built in 1397 and had close connections with Ivan the Terrible. At one time, over 200 monks lived in the monastery, but with the Russian revolution and the harsh suppression of religion in Russia, it deteriorated significantly and now houses only 6 monks. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, restoration efforts have begun and the museum features an impressive collection of Russian Orthodox icons.

Uglich: The last city we visited prior to Moscow is located on the Volga River. Cruising on the river as you come onto Uglich is very impressive. The Kremlin (or fortress) has no exterior walls so the many colored churches and domes make great picture opportunities. The very large Cathedral of Transfiguration looms over the town while the Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood with its rich red walls and blue onion domes offer a sharp contrast. Souvenir and shops selling all sorts of goods line the route from the ship’s berth to the main street of Uglich. We were told by the local guide that as many as 7 to 8 river cruise ships a day visit Uglich during the summer. They also were having a display of lacquer and paper Mache’ boxes for sale at very Western prices. Enameled watches are also a specialty of Uglich. We were treated to a short concert by a group of male classically trained singers who rendered several Russian songs a capella during our visit.

Moscow: We arrived in Moscow about 3 hours late because of heavy fog the previous evening while transiting the Moscow Canal. The river authorities do not allow movement in the canal during heavy fog, so we waited out the down time in one of the locks. The ship moored a good ways from downtown as the city authorities do not allow river cruise ships downtown, the same rule as St. Petersburg. Moscow is a city of 11.5 million people and traffic can be a nightmare. However, we were fortunate to arrive on a Monday before a national holiday (Day of Russia) on Tuesday and Moscovites are like people everywhere; they angle to take the day before a big holiday off. So, the traffic to downtown was pretty light and we made up some time on the city tour which started in the famous Red Square outside the Kremlin walls. The tour included a walk around Saint Basil’s Cathedral which is actually a museum, then on to the GUM department store which resembles a U.S. mall. We also walked past a “Historic Toilet” located in Gum’s that I believe was the 1st indoor lavatory in a Moscow department store. (Use of the WC was 84 roubles for those interested; I took a pass). We also went for a ride on the famed Moscow metro where many of the stations are elaborately decorated in frescoes, busts representing the struggle of the common man, and other adornments of the Russian revolution. As in St. Petersburg, the metro is clean (no graffiti in the stations or on the cars) and very safe.

The next day was the national holiday so our tours steered us quite far from Red Square (where demonstrations were purported to occur against the Presidential election recently completed) and out to Sparrow Hills which is a high priced area of the city. We also toured the New Maiden cemetery where various Russian notables such as Boris Yeltsin and Nikita Khrushchev are buried. The evening tour involved a visit to the Moscow circus which has been in continuous operation since 1980. A fun time of clowns, jugglers, trained poodles, bears, a lion taming act and culminated with a trapeze performance by 5 daring men & 1 woman.

The following day was a tour inside the Kremlin walls and to one of the 5 churches located inside the walls. I found it ironic that 5 churches would be allowed to exist following the revolution, but many things in Russia are strange, this only being one example. We also toured the Kremlin armory which contains the Tsar’s Crown Jewels, armor and armaments of the 16th- 18th century, many Tsarina coronation and wedding dresses as well as a very extensive display of Faberge eggs. The tour concluded with lunch at Moscow’s Hard Rock Café and time to tour Arbat Street which is a pedestrian only street in the heart of Moscow.

We had family obligations that required us to cut the last full day off the cruise and return home via direct flight from Moscow to Dulles International.

Final Observations: It was a very interesting and different river cruise for us. Because the distances are so vast, there is a lot more down time on this cruise than one in European waters, but Grand Circle can make it as busy or as relaxed as you like. The meals were comparable to those served on our other river cruises for quantity and quality. There are slightly more optional tours than with some other companies, but on the other hand, some of the included tours were excellent. St. Petersburg is a great city and one I’d be pleased to visit again; Moscow, not so much. Grand Circle is certainly worth your consideration as a cruise line as the prices are competitive with all other Russian river cruises. We did book our air through Grand Circle which I’m normally reluctant to do, but the routing was the same that I would have chosen had I done my own booking and the pricing was better than I could do on my own, especially considering what GCT would have charged for transfers to and from the ship. We did not purchase travel insurance through GCT as I found we could do better by shopping around over the Internet.

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

beverlyjack

We did this trip in 2004, aboard the chartered Nicholay Chernychevski, before Grand Circle had put the Tikhi Don into service. This was an excellent review and brings back memories. Please post it under Travelers Reviews on http://www.gct.com on this trip.

Thank you for the informative review. I am taking this tour in mid August. I will print what you wrote so that I can refer to it as I do some of my planning.

How many people were in your "group" ? Did you take the pretrip to Helsinki and Tallinn?

We had about 32 people in our group. I don't know what, if any criteria, other than numbers were used to make up the groups. We did not take any pre or post trips with this cruise.

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail on Sun Princess®
• Hurricane Zone 2024
• Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!

Write Your Own Amazing Review !

Click this gorgeous photo by member SUPERstar777 to share your review!

Features & News

LauraS · Started 15 hours ago

LauraS · Started 17 hours ago

LauraS · Started 18 hours ago

LauraS · Started Monday at 07:32 PM

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...