teking lagoon cruises

Teking Lagoon Cruises - Aitutaki

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Teking Lagoon Cruises - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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Teking Lagoon Cruises

Spending a day out with Te King is a great way to enjoy Atutaki’s magical and stunningly beautiful lagoon. Tekings local sense of humour and contagious laugh, provides for a personal and friendly atmosphere. Tekings Lagoon Cruises has an 18 foot single aluminium hull boat and a 22 foot single aluminium hull boat, both of which are fully equipped with safety equipment and are operated by trained and professional staff. They offer a Snorkelling Safari, a Champagne Brunch Cruise and the Maina Sunset Cruise.

Snorkeling Safari Cruise

Our most popular!  Explore over 75% of the lagoon.   Experience 3 snorkel excursions and 4 motus!!   Swim among tropical fish,  “giant clams” (you have to see to believe!), and brightly colored corals.   Discover uninhabited islands – their white sand pristine beaches,  and their crystal clear water.   Enjoy a delicious BBQ “fish & more” lunch served with local side dishes.   Get your passport stamped at One Foot Island!   Tour includes:   Transfers, towels,  snorkel equipment, bottled water, fresh BBQ lunch, and sarcasm!

Tour cost: NZ$125/person Approximate pick-up time: 9AM Approximate drop-off time: 3:30PM-4PM Approximate tour duration: 5 Hours

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2 thoughts on “ Teking Lagoon Cruises ”

Very useful tips, thank you! We are planning to go on a vacation and will for sure follow all the recommendations.

And don’t forget to take sun spray to protect your skin.

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• Peteros Place 7 West Coastal Road, Nikaupara, Aitutaki, Cook Islands
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Teking Lagoon Cruises

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TEKING LAGOON CRUISES: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Teking Lagoon Cruises - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

You Have to Take a Lagoon Cruise in Aitutaki

I can’t believe I almost didn’t go.

Everything I’d read about Aitutaki cited a lagoon cruise as the number one thing to do on the island, but I get seasick and I don’t like organised tours and seawater brings me out in a rash and snorkelling gives me a headache. I decided to skip it because why would I pay to make myself feel terrible?

Like flipping a coin and discovering what you wanted all along, my decision left me flooded with guilt. I changed my mind again and I’m so glad I did.

My day spent exploring the Aitutaki’s lagoon was one of my best ever.

To say that the lagoon is important to Aitutaki would be a vast understatement. Check out this photo of it from above:

Yep: the lagoon is more than three times the size of the island, so if you remain on land, you’re only seeing a small portion of what makes Aitutaki so special.

And after having spent four days exploring the island, I can firmly say that you’ll be missing out on the best aspects of Aitutaki by not getting your feet wet. Take a lagoon cruise. It’s so worth it.

Our Itinerary

I joined the full-day cruise offered by  Teking Tours , which takes you to three snorkelling spots and four motus  (islets in Polynesia). I opted for Teking because the groups are small (no more than ten people to a boat) and because a percentage of my fee would be donated towards helping conserve and protect the lagoon. Additionally, the boat is much smaller than other tours’ so you’re able to access the better snorkelling spots away from the crowds.

Mornings on the water are spent around all things giant: the first stop involves snorkelling alongside giant trevallies and Napoleon wrasses around an old shipwreck, and the second is spent diving down to take a closer look at hundreds of giant clams. The latter grow to somewhere around six feet in length and spending time around them was both joyful and terrifying.

Lunches on group tours are uniformly terrible in my experience, which is why I was so thrilled with Teking’s offerings. Fresh fish barbecue with many tuna steaks, lots of rice, potato salad, and tons of fresh fruit. It was all delicious and the best meal I had in the Cook Islands.

More snorkelling is on the agenda for the afternoon, with a whole cluster of purple coral surrounding the next stopping point. The coral here is so vibrant that many of the experienced divers on my trip claimed it to be some of the best they’ve seen.

The trip is rounded off on a high, when you’re dropped off on a sand bar and instructed to walk several hundred metres through calf-deep water to One Foot Island, where there’s a surprise in store for you.

Here’s how my tour went!

Snorkelling a Shipwreck Surrounded by Giant Trevallies

I clambered on to the boat from southern shore of Aitutaki and we set sail for paradise.

Within seconds of the engine juddering to life, I reached for my camera because the colour of the lagoon was already blowing my mind. Our first stop was to the insanely gorgeous Honeymoon island to drop off our lunch for later. It was on this short trip that I took the photo I’ve shared in every post I’ve written about the Cook Islands so far. But have you ever seen anything closer to paradise than this before?

We made our way to a nearby shipwreck, then were directed to remove all of our jewellery so the trevallies wouldn’t attempt to gobble it (or us). Gulp.

I’m not a big snorkelling person, so it takes a lot to impress me when my face is in the water. This did. For the hour I spent swimming around, I was surrounded by thousands of colourful fish, I spotted brightly coloured starfish for the first time in my life, I saw the most colourful coral ever, and I was terrified of the giant trevallies. While they were harmless and left us alone, I couldn’t help but notice their teeth as they glided by.

Swimming through a shipwreck was a particular highlight, as I didn’t think I’d ever get to do so without going diving. This particular wreck — the Alexander — was a freighter that used to bring cargo to the island, until it sunk in the 1930s. These days, it’s teeming with sealife and covered in barnacles.

Giant Clams are Seriously Giant

When we were told we were going to see giant clams, I pictured a foot-long shell in my head and shuddered. Nope! These giant clams were well over three feet in length and there were hundreds of them scattered across the ocean floor. They were vibrant, colourful, and seriously wild to see up close.

Our boat dropped us off next to a cluster of several dozen of them and our captain gave us instructions to swim to a nearby sand bar. We spent the next hour spotting colourful fish, snapping photos of the coral, and marvelling at how psychedelic the insides of the clams were.

I Shouldn’t Have Skipped the Purple Coral

Our final snorkelling stop of the day was all about the purple coral. I skipped it, because my ill-fitting snorkelling mask had given me a pounding headache and I couldn’t face swallowing even more seawater. I’m such a failure at snorkelling! Instead, I stayed on the boat and chatted with the crew about what it was like growing up on Aitutaki, and the changes they’d witnessed as tourism increased.

But when I do a Google Image search for Aitutaki purple coral , I find a ton of photos taken by people on Teking Tours and it looks ridiculously beautiful.

One Foot Island is the Highlight

“Whoa,” I gasped, as I leapt off the boat and onto the sand bar. “Wow.”

“Wow,” someone else echoed as they jumped after me.

“Wow!” somebody else exclaimed.

Our group descended onto the soft sand and said our wows in shellshocked wonder. This was the most spectacular sight I’d ever seen, leaving me feeling as though I was splashing my way through a photoshopped travel brochure.

“Walk over to One Foot Island,” our captain called out to us, motioning to a small island a couple of hundred metres away. “I’ll meet you there.”

It must have taken us half an hour to splash our way across that short distance because we couldn’t stop taking posing and taking photos. I couldn’t believe this place was real.

A Moment to Sit and Contemplate

On One Foot Island island, we were given an hour to do whatever we wanted. Most people ran directly into the ocean to snorkel with a passing fever of stingrays, but I decided to stay on the beach instead, burying my feet in the sand.

I couldn’t stop blinking. Ahead of me was bright white sand, untouched jungle, a cyan-blue lagoon filled with sea life. I kept blinking because I was certain I was dreaming, and because I thought that if I did it enough times, I’d be able to capture how incredible it felt to be sitting there so I could revisit it in the future.

I had just achieved my greatest travel goal.

A smile spread across my face. One that left my jaw aching for the rest of the day.

Let’s Talk About My Passport…

Here’s the thing: when I was researching cruises, I read a lot of excited reports about how you could get your passport stamped while you’re on One Foot Island, home to the world’s smallest post office. And it was tiny. It was essentially a tiny shack on the beach, where its only purpose is to stamp tourists’ passports.

Anyway, I dutifully shoved my passport into my bag when I left my guesthouse, and after we arrived on the island, handed it off to be stamped.

And guys. Um, I kind of hate it. Look at the size of that thing! I have a giant foot in my passport! It’s big and ugly and conspicuous and I’m convinced it’s going to result in me not being let into a country somewhere down the line. Ugh!

And Then the Boat Broke Down

I can’t write about my trip without mentioning that our boat broke down. Given my string of bad luck in the Cook Islands, the news that we were stranded in the middle of lagoon produced little more than a knowing smile from me. Of course  our boat had broken down!

It was somewhere between one and two hours before another boat came out to rescue us. And despite the rocking boat and the encroaching sunburn, there were far worse places to be stranded. We spent our time paddling in the knee-deep water that surrounded us and then hiding under towels to protect our skin.

It wasn’t the best end to a beautiful day, but the staff were apologetic and I get that these things happen.

A Final Treat

We arrived back on dry land as the sun was starting to set, salty and sweaty, and desperate for a cold shower. Teking, the tour company owner, met us off the boat to apologise for our other one breaking down, then made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Rather than taking the minivan back with the rest of the group, he could drive me back to my guesthouse on the back of his motorbike. Just another benefit of being a solo traveller!

I hopped on the back and grinned — motorbikes make me happy. Teking asked how much I’d seen of the island and, when I told him I’d cycled around the shoreline but hadn’t made it to any of the viewpoints, he wheeled the bike around and drove me up the nearest mountain. We stopped at the main viewpoint, and I took a ton of photos, and then Teking took me to his favourite spot on the island — one that few people know about.

On the way back to the guesthouse, we chatted about his life in the Cook Islands: why he decided to start a tour company, his family, his tentative plans to move to Honeymoon Island, and more. I was thrilled to gain a local’s insight into Cook Island life, and exploring places I wouldn’t have otherwise seen was the icing on the cake. The perfect end to a mostly-perfect day!

The Takeaway: This Was One of the Best Experiences I’ve Ever Had

There’s no doubt about it: this was a travel highlight that’ll stay with me for a long time. I’d rank it in the top ten experiences of my travels over the past ten years, even with the boat breaking down and my chronic seasickness. That should tell you how good it was!

If you’re planning a trip to the Cook Islands, you have to go to Aitutaki, and you have to go on a lagoon cruise. I’m not sure I’ll ever visit anywhere more beautiful in my life and I can’t recommend it enough!

Essential Information

• I booked through Teking Tours , where a full day cruise comes in at 110 NZD (75 USD). I thought it offered fantastic value for money and would spend it again in a heartbeat!
• I was the only solo woman on the boat. Like my time throughout the Cook Islands, I was the lone backpacker in a crowd of loved-up couples and families. On my boat, there was a British couple on a round-the-world honeymoon, a French family with a kid, and a British family with two teenagers.
• Bring water or cash with you: I assumed that water would be provided on board, but it was only available for $4 a bottle. I didn’t bring any money with me because I didn’t think I’d have anything to spend it on and ended up dehydrated by the end of the tour. 
• Don’t wear any jewellery:  Giant trevallies are seriously attracted to jewellery, so you won’t want to wear any for the tour. I kept my belly bar in and was fine, but one of the women in my tour group had a trevally circling her after she left her wedding ring on.
• Re-apply sunscreen every hour: I applied my SPF50 sunscreen before the trip and after every snorkelling stop and still ended up sunburnt. The sun is strong in the Cook Islands, especially if you’re spending a full day out on the lagoon. 
• It’s worth investing in a dry bag if you don’t already have one:  After having my boat take on a hole in Koh Lipe and almost sink, I don’t go anywhere near water without my dry bag. On the cruise, I kept my camera, clothes, GoPro, and passport inside, safe in the knowledge that none of them would get wet. Bonus: if you seal it with air inside, the bag floats, so if your stuff happens to fall overboard, you won’t lose everything. I use and recommend this one from Sea to Summit. I’ve used it for four years and it’s still going strong!
• If you want to visit Aitutaki on a budget, I recommend staying at  Gina’s Garden Lodges .  I tried out several inexpensive accommodation options on the island and this was by far the best. For $50 a night, I stayed in a garden bungalow that sleeps five, with a decent kitchen, and a free airport transfer. 

Related Articles on the Cook Islands 🇨🇰 What’s it Like to Travel in the Cook Islands? 💰 How to Travel the Cook Islands on a Budget: It’s Possible! 🏖 How to Plan a Budget Trip to the South Pacific

Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is a published author and travel expert who founded Never Ending Footsteps in 2011. She has spent over 12 years travelling the world, sharing in-depth advice from more than 100 countries across six continents. Lauren's travel advice has been featured in publications like the BBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan, and her work is read by 200,000 readers each month. Her travel memoir can be found in bookstores across the planet.

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53 comments.

This actually does look epic! Must say when you started talking about the passport, was expecting it to finish up at the bottom of the lagoon :D

Oh god, I know! I kept such a tight grip on my dry bag :-)

I have been enjoying all the pictures from the Cook Islands. It’s gorgeous and I must go sometime. I’m also excited to read that someone had brought a younger child; I fully intend to travel with my kids and soon.

Oh, there were tons of families in the Cook Islands! :-)

I wasn’t holding my breath, thinking it would be this fun, after the previous post! BTW people have put worse things with their passports – like Checkpoint Charlie stamps…

Haha, I googled it. At least it’s more discreet than a giant foot! And yep — part of the reason why I keep travelling is because the good experiences always end out outweighing the bad :-)

Wow! Absolutely beautiful!

Great post, looks absolutely amazing. I would love to go someday!!

You definitely should — it’s much more affordable than people believe!

That third picture with the sand? Amazing – Ive never seen anywhere so beautiful! Take me take me!

That sand bar was ridiculous!

Absolutely beautiful! What a special island! Do you think it would also be possible to dive there, or is the reef protected? I would love to check it out one day; it looks incredible!

Yes! There’s a dive shop on the island.

Yep that looks like paradise all right! You would love the Yasawa Islands of Fiji too, they are the closest I have been to beach perfection

Argh, I was actually planning on visiting the Yasawa Islands a few weeks after the Cook Islands but ran out of time! Next year :-)

Oh Lauren, just when I thought your recent trip couldn’t get any more awesome, you go ahead and publish this :) By the way, I really love how you’ve shaped your brand recently. Visiting luxury destinations on a budget is a great niche and it fits your brand (and you) perfectly. I’m a fan x

Aww, thank you so much, Miriam! I can’t wait to visit even more tropical paradises on a budget later this year :-)

Wow Beautiful !!! It looks sooo amazing place to relax..

It was! :-)

This looks just like a lagoon cruise I did in Bora Bora! REALLY hope you swam with the sting rays and black tip reef sharks in French Polynesia! And as always, gorgeous photos! :)

Thank you! :-)

You have convinced us to add the Cook Islands to the end of our trip. I am drooling over the photos! Love the white sand and turquoise sea.

Yay! You’ll love it there :-)

With every post you write about the Cook Islands I am seriously tempted to buy a ticket for the first flight going there… It looks ridiculously beautiful!!!

Looks like my kind of place!

It’s paradise :-)

I like the over-sized foot-print in the passport…kind of screams I got stomped on all over in the cook islands but still manage to smile. :)

Hahaha, it definitely has started a few conversations since :-)

Great information about the cruise! It’s amazing that’s it was one of the best experiences you ever had. It’s a shame that the boat broke down but all’s well that end’s well. And the foot in your passport is quite unique.

What an incredible adventure and such beautiful pictures to remember it by! $75 really does sound like good value for money. Reminds me a bit of my day trip to the Tetiaroa Atoll in French Polyneisa.

Looks unbelievably beautiful. Also because its so remote there cant be so many people visiting. Hopefully one day I’ll make it there too!

I didn’t find it very busy at all! :-)

Your photos from this trip are amazing! It doesn’t even look real.

I can’t say this part of the world has ever really been on my list until now. I’m such a beach and water person and those beaches look epic. Can’t wait to read more about your trip in this part of the world (I’m just catching up because reading is good procrastination when I have 10,000 essay words to write).

Oh, definitely head to the South Pacific if you love beaches and water! It’ll be the perfect region of the world for you :-)

This place is PARADISE! Thanks for sharing! Absolutely in love! Cheers!

No problem! Glad you enjoyed :-)

Hi Lauren. Thank you for this informative post. My wife and I will be going to Aitutaki in November and we will definitely be taking a tour of the lagoon now.

Glad to hear that, Lee! Hope you have an amazing time out on the water :-)

Looks like paradise! The Cook Islands were never on my radar until you started writing about them and now Im thinking about going on my rtw trip next year!

That’s amazing to hear, Lucy! The Cook Islands are paradise, so I know you’re going to have an incredible time there.

When did you visited the Cook Islands? (which month)

Early January

Hello Lauren, We are planning a trip and the lagoon cruise. As a 64 yr old, over weight, female, I’m concerned about getting in and out of such a small boat. Your thoughts?

You’ll be fine! There’s a platform they lower at the back of the boat that’s at sea level, so you can just sit on that and slide in/climb out using the ladder underneath.

I was recently at the Maldives, we stayed at Gili Lankanfushi, we also saw huge sea clams but the clarity of the water in your photo is much better than what I saw in Maldives. The water is amazing, its so clear.

We are so going here when we go to the Cook Islands!

Good reading of your adventures in paradise. My wife and I have been coming to Raro for the last 4 years and are back for our fifth time, and 4th time to Aitutaki day trip on the Vaka. This trip is a not to miss for anyone wandering and umming and ahring whether to go, just do it and you won’t be disappointed if you do. So much so we are gifting our daughter and her husband and bub for their wedding present a 2 week all expenses paid trip to Raro at the Edgewater resort, whilst we normally stay at the Sunset Resort. We told them that we wanted them to see why we enjoy coming to Raro and they might do the same in the future.

I am schedule to arrive on Feb 5th 2020 Aitutaki and have some questions. Do you have FB messenger or can you email me at address below.

You can drop me a message through my contact form on the site if you have questions.

Hi Lauren. Loved your Aitutaki Lagoon Cruise Blog. One question for you: How long were you let stay at One Foot Island? Moreover, do you happen to know if there is any “water taxi” service, so one could go there in the morning and return in the afternoon? I mean, it’s a place that time is always too little for a visitor to get enough of it. Thank you. Safe Travels.

You can charter a boat to take you out there, but it would probably be quite expensive to do so. Once you’ve booked your accommodation, you could email them to ask about it — I’m sure they’d be able to arrange it for you.

I was there for around 90 minutes.

Off to Aitutaki in a few weeks and was trying to decide regarding the lagoon cruises available. Thanks for detailing your experience and am really looking forward to mine.

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The Best Sunset Cruises in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands

What you need to know about sunset cruises in rarotonga and the cook islands.

Want to watch the South Pacific sunset over the mountains of Rarotonga or simply need to kill a couple of hours between your last activity and dinner? Well, you’d think that the Cook Islands was teeming with sunset cruises but we’d hate to be the bearer of bad news… Unfortunately, the Cook Islands’ offering of sunset cruises is extremely limited – most only available in Aitutaki ! Nevertheless, we’ll show you exactly what those limited options entail in this guide to sunset cruises in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands.

Does Rarotonga Have Sunset Cruises?

Not so much. There is one (maybe two if you ask around the fishing charters ) charters on Rarotonga offering sunset cruises, but you won’t find any “cheap” sunset cruises like Captain Tama’s or Koka taking you around the Muri Lagoon at sunset. This is because the sunset side of Rarotonga is where some of the shallowest parts of the lagoon are – not ideal for lagoon cruising. That leaves you with boats that are well suited to the rolling seas beyond the lagoon, like boats used for fishing charters! See our recommended fishing charter that offers sunset cruises in Rarotonga toward the end of this article.

Kutekute Tours & Transfers Sunset Lagoon Cruise

Location : Aitutaki How Long? 4 Hours Price : Approximately NZ$600 per couple

See the lagoon in a whole different light on a private lagoon cruise with  Kutekute Tours & Transfers . Departing in the late afternoon (usually around 4pm), their “ Sunset Lagoon Cruise ” takes you to a mix of exciting snorkelling spots with giant trevally, giant clams and/or the Purple Wall – some of The Best Snorkelling in Aitutaki: Top 10 Places to Snorkel . You have the optional extras of twilight snorkelling and a unique water hammock float down the channel between One Foot Island and Tekopua. You’ll then enjoy a stunningly presented beach picnic platter on the uninhabited  Moturakau  as you watch the sunset. The tour is the only tour to return to the mainland after dark, allowing you a stargaze on the journey back to  Ootu Beach .

This cruise is all about you, so let the team know what you’d like to do. Otherwise, they are happy to show you the highlights. This tour is utterly romantic for couples, but groups of three to six are also welcome to take part, as well as families.

See more experiences like this in the 20 Most Romantic Things to Do in the Cook Islands for Couples .

Teking Lagoon Tours Sunset Champagne Tour

Location : Aitutaki How Long? 2-2.5 Hours Price : Approximately NZ$450 per couple

A private two-hour cruise on the Aitutaki Lagoon, Teking Lagoon Tours takes you to the irresistibly romantic Honeymoon Island at sunset. The “ Sunset Champagne Tour ” begins by slowly cruising along the butter-flat waters of the Aitutaki Lagoon while you relax with a bottle of New Zealand sparkling wine.

Once on Honeymoon Island , you’ll pose for photos, have a look around, have the opportunity to snorkel and, in the grand finale, watch the sunset!

Learn more about Teking Lagoon Cruises in the  10 Best Lagoon Cruises on Aitutaki . Plus, we talk more about Honeymoon Island in the  Sightseeing on Aitutaki: Top 10 Sights on Aitutaki .

Sakula Charters

Location : Rarotonga How Long? 4 Hours Price : Approximately NZ$200 per person (minimum of 4 people) for a shared cruise or NZ$1,200 for a private cruise.

Although primarily a fishing charter on Rarotonga , Sakula Charters happens to have the largest and most comfortable fishing boat in the Avatiu Harbour. With that, they not only offer fishing but fabulous sunset cruises!

Bring your own drinks to keep cool in the fridge and enjoy seeing the jutting mountains of Rarotonga from an alternative perspective as you cruise around the outside of the lagoon.

As a charter company, their sunset cruises are pretty flexible to what the group want to do, so get in touch with them and see how they can cater the perfect sunset cruise for you.

More About Sunset Cruises in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands

We told you that there weren’t that many options for sunset cruises in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands, but what’s there is pretty darn amazing. For all other things “cruisey”, check out the following guides:

• 10 Best Boat & Sailing Tours in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands
• 10 Best Day Cruises in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands
• 10 Best Island-Hopping Tours in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands

Finally, be inspired with more experiences in the 101 Best Things to Do in the Cook Islands: The Ultimate List .

This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Cook Islands Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in the South Pacific over 10 years ago with nothing but a backpack and a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to explore a paradise such as the Cook Islands. She knows the islands inside out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience Raro’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also the editor of several other South Pacific travel guides.

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Teking Lagoon Cruises

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TEKING LAGOON CRUISES (Aitutaki) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Viking Russian River Cruise: The Ultimate 13 Day Guide

September 24, 2019 //  by  Linda Malys Yore //   12 Comments

Does the idea of a Russian river cruise intrigue you? Are you thinking of taking a Russia river cruise and looking for first-hand information from someone who already has? Well, look no further because I sailed Viking River Cruise’s impressive 13-day Waterways of the Tsars river cruise and I readily admit it was the ultimate trip of a lifetime. 

From the moment we began working with the Viking liaison in the comfort of our home until boarding our international flight home in Moscow, Viking made every step of the way, every decision as easy as possible for us. Here I will share with you just how simple and effortless it was to book and plan for a Viking river cruise,  and how unbelievably extraordinary the cruise was.

Viking Russian River Cruise: The Planning Stage

My daughter Victoria from Follow Me Away accompanied me on the Waterways of the Tsars Russia river cruise. As soon as we selected our cruise we were assigned a Viking consultant who handled everything. She was our “go to” person when we had questions or concerns.

We created a personalized online account at MyVikingJourney.com . There we could see the specific tours, excursions, and decisions we had to make for our trip. Thirteen days was a long trip and there were many options to consider. At MyVikingJourney.com everything was accessible online at one convenient location. There was a question and answer section that had tons of information right at our fingertips that saved us a lot of time and angst. We were sailing on the Viking Ingvar.

After we decided on our specific Russian river cruise and dates, we needed flights to Russia . Be sure to check with your travel agent or Viking directly about packages which include airfare, or discounted airfare. Amenities like this may change frequently. Our Viking rep, Cathy, took care of booking our flights and they were very reasonably priced.

Traveling to Russia involved obtaining a Russian visa . It was a very easy process and Viking River Cruises has specific detailed information on how to fill out the paperwork correctly and where to send everything. Our passports and documents were sent to Generations Visa in Washington DC, the company Viking works directly with. (Russia does not do online visa applications yet.)

Next decisions were about selecting excursions while on our Russia river cruise. At every city along the Waterways of the Tsars, there were included tours offered free of charge. Optional tours are also offered, and there is an additional fee for them.  I signed us up for all the included tours and several optional ones. 

On Viking Cruise’s website, most day’s explanations included videos of the areas we were scheduled to visit. They really helped a lot in the planning process and to heighten the anticipation.

We decided to purchase the Silver Spirits Package for our Russian river cruise with Viking. Victoria loved mocktails, and I could not resist the Russian vodka! However, Viking Cruises is generous with house wine, beer, and soda, which are all complimentary during lunch and dinner, beginning at the daily cocktail hour.

At long last, the day had arrived for us to begin our travels to Russia!

Days 1-4: Waterways of the Tsars, St Petersburg

After passing through customs and immigration at the St Petersburg airport, and retrieving our bags, we were warmly greeted by Viking staff members. Once we exited the secure area of baggage claim, Slava and Philip in their bright red Viking shirts were there to meet us. 

We were taken by Viking coach to our home away from home for the next 13 days, the Viking Ingvar docked on the River Neva. Named after Grand Prince Ingvar, born in 875AD, the Ingvar has 5 decks. There is one main restaurant, two bars, a library, and a sun deck. You will also find an onboard boutique selling all things Russian, along with Viking merchandise. With a crew of about 114, our sailing was at full capacity with 200 passengers. 

The Viking Ingvar docked in St Petersburg waiting to welcome us aboard.

Once we arrived we were warmly greeted b Viking Ingvar staff and the program director Sasha Danilov.  After settling into our verandah room with a balcony, we headed down to the main dining room for dinner. 

Dining as a vegetarian and vegan duo can be challenging sometimes. But not with Viking. Immediately head chef Joachim Moeller came to meet us and discuss our dietary restrictions. From that moment on, Victoria and I knew we would not have to worry about our meals! If you have dietary restrictions, they are carefully addressed on Viking cruises with the culinary staff. 

We met with Chef Joachim on our first evening on board the Ingvar to discuss our dietary restrictions: one vegetarian and one vegan.

St. Petersburg Russia is an ornate and lavish city built on the Gulf of Finland by Peter the Great. He toured Europe extensively for architectural insight and the Russian Baroque influences are evident to this day. The city is opulent and elegant. St Petersburg is often called “The Venice of the North” due to the abundance of canals that connect the many islands that are the city.

During our four days in St Petersburg, we learned about the history and soul of the city. Strolling through the Hermitage , (second largest art museum in the world, surpassed only by the Louvre), witnessing an authentic Russian ballet and taking a walking tour of St Petersburg , our days and nights were as busy or as relaxed as we desired. 

Walking through the Church of Our Savior on Spilt Blood and learning of its history and its multicolored brilliant mosaics covering the entire inside was definitely a highlight of St Petersburg. The tour of the Faberge Museum was unbelievable and we ended our time in the city by touring St Petersburg from the Water . We rode along the canals and under iconic bridges in a comfortable barge-like boat. Sailing past ornate palaces and historical Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral was amazing and a unique way to explore.

Our time in St. Petersburg was at an end and the Viking Ingvar set sail. 

The Church of the Savior on Spilt Blood in St Petersburg. As sumptuous on the outside as it was on the inside.

Life Onboard The Viking Ingvar During Our Russia River Cruise

What I especially enjoyed about this specific Viking Russian river cruise itinerary was there was a nice mix of shore excursions and sailing days. When sailing, there was always a full schedule we could participate in. Or not if we so chose. 

There was a cocktail party every evening before dinner in the Sky Bar that included live music. Sasha, the program director, hosted a daily port talk about the next day’s excursions and events. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were scheduled according to the itinerary. After dinner, there was live music and dancing in the Sky Bar.

We are ending an evening onboard the Ingvar with cocktails and friends in the Sky Bar. Sasha joined us as well.

The onboard guides hosted a series of Russian history lessons which were extremely enlightening and informative. At the end of the trip, they hosted a question and answer session about Russia where no question was off-limits. 

These lectures and talks were streamed live into our staterooms rooms, which was very convenient so we did not have to miss out on any activity.

Day 5: Waterways of the Tsars, Mandrogy

Viking Ingvar arrived in Mandrogy after lunch. This charming Russian village is more of an open-air living history museum that visually keeps the traditions of the Russian inhabitants of the area alive.

We meandered around at our leisure and saw brightly colored houses. My favorite, of course, was the Vodka Museum . There is a literal wall of vodka. Here one learns of the history of Russian vodka and is fortunate to sample a few of the 2,800 bottles in stock.

The lovely 18th century recreated village is dotted with craftsmen/women crafting their wares, and selling them as well. Lovely authentic Russian souvenirs were for sale. 

We were able to paint our own Matryoshka (nesting) dolls and learned the history of them. Others indulged in the banya ritual, the traditional Russian sauna. There were several of us who decided at the last minute we wanted to try the Russian banya, but we were too late as this optional excursion had sold out. Be forewarned: if you do not sign up for your excursions early enough, you run the risk of being disappointed as we were when they sell out. 

Mandrogy, a lovely open-air historical and crafts village on the Svir River

Mandrogy was a great place to purchase authentic Russian souvenirs directly from the artisan!

The Food And Where To Find It On The Viking Ingvar

Breakfast:  Breakfast could be found in three locations during my Russian river cruise aboard the Viking Ingvar. The coffee stations , located outside the main dining room, had coffee and pastries every morning. Self-serve coffee of every variety was available 24/7, as well as my favorite, hot chocolate. Some sort of pastry, or regional cookie (with an explanation of its history) was also always accessible there.

There was a continental breakfast every morning at the Panorama Bar with beverages and breakfast items. And a full breakfast buffet was served every morning in the Restaurant . Hot dishes cooked to order were available as well.

Lunch:  A lighter buffet lunch was served in the Panorama Bar and the main Restaurant served a generous buffet and dishes to order every afternoon. We had lunch in the Restaurant every afternoon. Chef Joaquim was around serving at the buffet and explaining the regional dishes to all passengers. 

Dinner : Dinner began every evening at 7:00 PM most every evening in the elegant Restaurant . There were always several dishes that were available every night of our Russia river cruise. However, the culinary staff made a great effort to serve historical and regional dishes every evening that originated in the area we visited that day.

Continental breakfast was available every morning in the Panorama Bar.

Day 6: Viking Russian River Cruise, Kizhi Island

The Ingvar docked at Kizhi Island on the shores of Lake Onega. I was very excited to begin the Kizi Island Walking Tour because I wanted to see the huge wooden church that was built in 1714 without a single nail.  

Kizi Island is famous because it is an open-air Museum of Architecture . Wooden barns, farmhouses, bell towers, and banyas and even windmills were relocated there to preserve them and their history. The island is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

We toured a period farmhouse and the inside of the Russian Orthodox Chruch of Intercession . The scenic beauty of Kizhi Island was absolutely stunning and a perfect backdrop for the Russian architectural lesson it provided!

Wooden Transfiguration Church alongside The Church of the Intersession on Kizhi Island located on Lake Onega

Entertainment Onboard The Viking Ingvar

There was always something to do or nothing at all to do. The choice was absolutely up to each passenger during our Viking Russia river cruise how busy they wanted to be. 

Each evening during turndown service, our cabin steward left us a copy of the Viking Daily . It was the ship’s daily newsletter that contained everything we needed to know to be in the know and organized for the next day’s events. 

On sailing days, there were Russian language lessons, Russian history lessons, and cooking/baking demonstrations. There was a sommelier led wine tasting, and a vodka tasting event led by our cruise director, Sasha that led to much hilarity. One of my favorite onboard events was the galley tour!

Every evening after dinner there was live music and dancing in the Sky Bar with Eduardo and Sonia. Several evening, Sasha led games which were a great way for us to get to know our staff and fellow passengers.

Victoria with Sasha, the Viking Ingvar Program Director, at the vodka tasting event. There is a secret, you know, how to down vodka shots and not get drunk!

Victoria, along with other passengers,  is dancing while Sasha leads us during a music trivia game.

Day 7: Viking Russia River Cruise, Kuzino

The tiny port town of Kuzino holds the entrance to the amazing Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery , one one of the largest Orthodox monasteries in northern Russia. From the ship, we boarded a comfortable coach and headed to the monastery.

As we walked to our busses though, we passed through a mini-market of sorts. Many locals had set up and were selling their wares. It was a great place to barter as it seemed everyone had the same kind of Russian souvenirs for sale.

Founded in 1397 by two monks, the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery is located on the picturesque shores of Lake Silverskoye. The entire monastery complex is surrounded by white walls and towers for protection.

From the outside, it is rather deceiving, because inside the monastery is quite large. There are at least eleven preserved churches, with impressive exterior frescoes. The icons were remarkable as well. Today the monastery is a museum, but there are a few Russian Orthodox monks who live there. 

After some free time to meander around, we boarded our Viking coaches and headed to visit a school in Kuzio.  It was enlightening, revealing and thought-provoking. We toured a school, interacted with students and were entertained. We learned about the Russian education system. It was certainly NOT what I expected. It was much more!

Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery on the shores of Lake Siverskoye.

Scenic Cruising Onboard The Viking Ingvar

Our cruising days were far from the hustle and bustle of the larger towns.  But they were filled with as much history as the open-air museums and small villages we visited along our way. Each waterway, lake, river or reservoir had a history that helped shaped the Russia of today.

Just over 40 miles, we departed St Petersburg on the Neva River, one of the deepest and shortest in Europe. Once out of town we passed sumptuous summertime villas used by the wealthy,  along with wildlife and calm waters. Soon we entered Lake Ladoga , the largest lake in Europe at a whopping 7,000 square miles. It is not very deep and it freezes during the cold Russian winters.

Imagine ending your Russian river cruise evenings with a sunset like this!

The Svir River connects Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega. Here we passed small villages with cute houses. There are many sawmills and stacks of logs from the Karelian forests. Once sailing on Lake Onega , we learned it is the second-largest European river, covering an area of 4,000 square miles. Over 50 Russian rivers empty into Lake Onega making their way into the Svir River.

The Volga River , “Mother Volga,” is the national river of Russia. At a commanding 2,300 miles long, she is the longest river in Europe and the main waterway in western Russia. There is a lot of boat traffic on the Volga because it carries two-thirds of Russia river freight. On our journey, the Viking Ingvar passed through sixteen Volga River  “locks” leveling out the river’s height permitting us to progress. 

Finally, as we approached Moscow, we sailed the seventy-nine-mile man-made waterway called the Moscow Canal . Where the Moscow Canal meets the Volga River there is an eighty-foot statue of Vladimir Lenin.

Much commerce takes place along all of Russia’s waterways. We viewed wildlife, quaint villages, locks, dams and reservoirs. We were blessed with absolutely perfect weather and the ability to meander outside on the decks to gaze as the small towns passed by and learn first hand some of the histories of Russia’s scenic waterways.

Viking Rusia River Cruise sunset!

Day 8: Viking Russian River Cruise, Yaroslavl

We arrived at Yaroslavl after lunch, around 3 PM. Over 600,000 people call Yaroslavl home and we headed out on our walking tour: Yaroslavl Up Close .  

One of the eight Golden Ring cities, Yaroslavl is a very significant and beautiful city along the Volga River. Yaroslavl is an extremely important shipping port along the river.

We stopped into the iconic and stunning Church of St Elija and strolled the city. There are over 70 churches in Yaroslavl, with almost half of them in use today. Another stunning church we visited was the Assumption Russian Orthodox Church. The gleaming gold onion domes on the outside and the amazing frescoes inside were all magnificent.

Stunning Russian Orthodox Church of the Assumption in Yaroslavl , Russia, on the River Volga

Tech Amenities Onboard The Viking Ingvar

Yes, there is FREE wifi during the Russian river cruise aboard the Ingvar. You will receive the login information once you board. Most of us want to post pictures on social media or be in some kind of contact with our family and friends back home. 

Now the bandwidth varied, and sometimes the connectivity and speed were less than what we were used to at home. No big problem though, because we stopped at so many villages and towns along the way that had stronger wifi reception. With a little planning, much of our online work was done when we were docked in port. That’s when the balcony came in very handy!

If you wanted to check your email but did not bring along a laptop, or did not wish to use your phone, there was a computer station onboard. There were two computers with printers we were able to use at any time.

There were both American and European outlets in the Ingvar’s staterooms. Victoria and I brought along some European converters because we had a lot of devices to charge and did not wish to ‘take turns.’ If you don’t plan to bring along lots of electronic devices, you will be fine with the outlets.

There is a computer station onboard for passengers.

Day 9: Viking Russia River Cruise, Uglich, Russia

A dreary rainy day did not sabotage our morning in Uglich. The second of Russia’s Golden Ring cities we explored on our Waterways of the Tsars  Russian River Cruise, Uglich was such a quaint town along the water.

We began with a walking tour and headed to the Kremlin of Uglich. It was merely a ten-minute stroll from the Ingvar. We began by visiting the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Our Saviour’s Transfiguration. 

Every small village or town, and every large city had the loveliest and most ornate Russian Orthodox churches and cathedrals. All have interesting histories and tragedies. Uglich holds the end of a dynasty as one of its tragedies. 

Young Dimitri was only 8 years old when he died. Murdered or accidental we will not know. We do know that his death, this son of Ivan the Terrible, ended a dynasty, sparked civil unrest, and gave rise to the Romanov dynasty. 

Next, we toured the beautiful Church of St Dimitry on the Blood . It was built in the 1690s on the spot where young Dimitry’s body was found. Through frescoes inside the church, the story of Dimitry along with Bible stories are seen. Dimitry’s grave is also inside, and it is very small (because he was a child when he died.)

A visit to a local family followed where we were transported by Viking coaches. There we shared a light meal, a cup of tea and toasted with vodka shots! We had free time to shop for souvenirs along the way back to our ship if we so desired. 

Beautiful Uglich, Russia looking towards the Russian Orthodox Saint Dimitry on the Blood Cathedral.

Viking Russia River Cruise: Staterooms 

102 outside staterooms make up the Viking Ingvar. Sizes range from the two 400 square foot Suites to the 160 square feet Deluxe staterooms. Most staterooms feature floor to ceiling sliding glass doors that lead out onto a large verandah. Some categories have a large picture window (4 feet X 3 feet) that opens instead.

There is a twenty-six inch flat screened TV in each room that offers live news shows, along with a variety of ship information, like positioning and live streaming of any lectures and demonstrations happening in the Sky bar. 

All rooms are furnished with both 110/220 volt outlets, a telephone, safe, hairdryer, and air conditioning. We used our safe every day. I kept my passport and credit cards in there whenever I was not using them. 

Our verandah stateroom onboard the Viking Ingvar during our Russia river cruise.

Cushy fluffy white spa-like robes and slippers are available upon request. All rooms receive servicing twice daily, when bottled water is replenished and the Viking Daily newsletter is delivered. 

Victoria and I thought there was plenty of storage space for all of our belongings for the two of us on a 13-day cruise. With our luggage easily stored under our beds, there was ample space to walk around. 

We used our desk to house our laptops and camera equipment.

Our spacious verandah. We spent many a morning or afternoon, depending on our itinerary, outside relaxing and watching the countryside sail by.

We leisurely sailed and enjoyed the stunning views from the ship all morning. At 1:30 PM we arrived in Moscow, one of the world’s most iconic and fascinating cities. Over twelve million people live in Moscow. It is Russia’s political and cultural epicenter.

Three days was a great amount of time to explore Russia, yet not enough time at all! There were unbelievable included tours to participate in, and exquisite optional tours that offered privileged access to some of Russia’s most beloved locations.

Moscow is famous for its legendary ornate underground subway stations . Victoria and I elected to take an included walking tour of Moscow , where we visited several of the iconic and elaborate stations. 

One of the elegant subway stations we visited in Moscow on our Viking walking tour.

We also attended a special concert of Russian music and dance that was extraordinary. Tours of the Cosmonaut Museum, the Jewish Museum, and the sumptuous Treasures of the Kremlin Armoury were offered. 

I was most interested in touring Red Square and the Kremlin. Household words to me growing up during the rise and fall of Russian communism, I was very excited to experience them. And of course, seeing the world-famous and iconic St Basil’s Cathedral.  

And Viking Russia River Cruises did not disappoint. I enjoyed the mixture of tour time and free time to explore Moscow on our own. The Ingvar was docked thirty minutes out of town next to a beautiful green lush city park. It was very conveniently located less than a ten minute walk from a subway station. And then it was a straight shot to the city center of Moscow. 

Moscow did not disappoint either. Not one bit. From walking around Red Square, which was barricaded when we visited due to state horse shows and concerts, to visiting St Basil’s Cathedral, it was so exciting.

St. Basil Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow. YES, it is that brilliant and beautiful in real life!

We spent time in the GUM Department Store (much more like a mall) which was the most ornate and exquisite shopping center I have ever visited in the world, anywhere!  We chose NOT to visit Lenin’s Tomb (and see his corpse) in Red Square.

Our visit inside the Moscow Kremlin walls was unforgettable. Long considered the symbol of Russian power, most people, including me, think of the Kremlin as one building. Actually, it is a walled city. Inside are numerous government buildings and home of the Russian president. Also, we saw unbelievably beautiful palaces, cathedrals, and museums mostly congregated in Cathedral Square.

Kremlin (meaning ‘fortress’) walls adjacent to Red Square in Moscow. The Kremlin is the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

Probably one of the most popular optional excursions was Moscow By Night . It was amazing seeing Moscow all lit up and glittering while riding in our coach. Then we transferred to a boat and admired Moscow from the water!

 Viking River Cruise Staff: The Backbone of the trip.

The food could be the absolute best. The excursions could be the most captivating. The staterooms could be the loveliest ever. But none of the experiences we had on our Viking Russian River Cruise Ingvar would have been as special if it were not for the extraordinary staff.

The staff of the Viking Ingvar definitely exemplified what it means to offer unparalleled service. Every single staff member, from the captain himself to the kitchen staff working behind the scenes, put forth extreme effort to make the trip so very special. From the extraordinary cabin steward, the servers during our meals, to the bar staff, there was nothing that they could not do for us. The  

Finally, I must add that I spoke with several members of the staff and crew and one major theme emerged. And that was how much they enjoyed their jobs and were blessed to be working for Viking.  

One of the onboard activities was a Galley tour where we met the unsung heroes of the kitchen!

Reymond made the best cocktails! He instructed me on Russian vodkas.

Read These Next:

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Packing Tips For Your Viking Russian River Cruise

I think that using these useful packing tips will enhance your trip to Russia:

A  concealed travel pouch may be one of the most important items you bring with you to Russia. This unisex RFID blocking concealed travel pouch is  lightweight and comes in several colors. It has lots of organization to give you peace of mind. You can keep your most valuable documents safe and secure next to your body.

If you have a pouch already you may not want to or need to invest in a new one. If it does not come with the RFID protection,  these  RFID  sleeves  would be handy to prevent identity theft. This configuration comes with enough passport and credit card sleeves that the entire family would be protected. They are slim too, so they will easily fit into your current pouch or wallet. 

I was never a fan of  packing cubes  until I tried them out! Now  I am sold .  These Bagail packing cubes   are  the exact ones I use whenever I travel . I cannot believe how much more organized I am now.

Don’t forget to bring along a  universal power adapter to Russia.  This worldwide   power plug  is a great example and will charge your phone at the end of your busy days. And this  world traveler adapter kit   can charge several devices at the same time. This is what you will need when there are several people traveling in your group, or if you bring several electronic devices on your trip that require charging at the same time. 

If you are planning on taking a lot of pictures with your phone you will definitely want to consider an  external charging battery . This  Anker high-speed phone charging battery  is the exact  one I carry with me on all of my trips . It can be used on a variety of phones, not just an iPhone like I have. And wow is it fast! I like that it holds its charging capabilities for several uses so I do not have to worry about it while out and about. And if I forget to recharge it at night, it will still be good to go the next day.

My daughter gifted me this  FugeTek Selfie Stick and Tripod  for my birthday. It has Bloothtooth connectivity so it is very easy to use . It is made of durable aluminum and is very lightweight and easy to carry. I love mine and I think you will enjoy it too!

Hydration is so important. You want to remain hydrated to support your immune system which in turn will be stronger to fight off any germs you will encounter during your travels.  You will want to bring your own  refillable water bottle  with you.  I never leave home on a trip without my  Bobble  filtration bottle.  The 18.5-ounce size is perfect for travel and it will fit nicely in the pocket of a backpack or your purse. Also when filled with water, it is not too heavy to carry. And the Bobble carbon  filter  ensures fresh clean water whenever and wherever you fill the Bobble. You can find  filter replacements here. 

Perhaps you are traveling a long distance and packing space is a premium. Then this  set of collapsible silicone foldable water bottles  would work well for you. Would not take up much space in your suitcase at all. And you will be receiving a set of two.

You will want to bring a  backpack or daypack  with you to store snacks, your water bottle, phone, extra clothes, etc.. This   foldable water-resistant backpack  would be great. It is very affordable and is available in many color options for you to choose from. The fact that it folds down into a zippered pouch will make it easy to pack.

Perhaps you need a more substantial  backpack  for your international travel. This  antitheft backpack   has a charging port, is water-resistant and can comfortably carry up to a 15.6″ laptop. It comes in a range of colors to choose from and it is inexpensive as well. 

You will be walking more than usual on your Viking Russian River Cruise. A sturdy and comfortable pair of walking shoes  is a must-have. These  waterproof all-season shoes  are extremely affordable and yet fashionable.  Mostly everyone is familiar with the Skechers brand, and these   Air Run high fashion sneakers  come in a lot of colors to match your outfits and are still affordable.

You may be visiting Russia in warmer weather, and you may want a pair of sandals  to wear exploring.  I highly recommend these  Vionics adjustable strap orthotic sandals.  I have several pairs of these  exact  Vionic sandals in several colors that I bring with me *everywhere* I travel. They are very comfortable. I also sometimes bring along my  Vionic Tides flip flops.  The toe post is so comfortable which makes wearing these super comfortable. 

Please be advised : on your Viking excursions, I advise you to wear comfortable closed-toe shoes. The excursions can cover a lot of distance. Also, cobblestoned streets can be difficult to negotiate in sandals or flip flops, even if the weather is warm.

Bring a lightweight scarf or shawl . Scarves and shawls are very popular in Europe, And Russia is no exception. Both men and women wear scarves, both decoratively and as a layering piece to keep warm. This cotton   unisex lightweight  scarf is versatile and can be worn in any season. And here’s another option to consider: this  lightweight sunscreen shawl scarf   would do double duty to protect you from the sun in the warmer seasons as well as being a fashion accessory layering piece.

Also, in most Russian churches, women’s heads and shoulders must be covered. So the scarf can be used for that purpose as well.

We all need to  protect our eyes  from the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays. These  unisex polarized sunglasses   come in a lot of lens colors and frame designs and are extremely affordable too.

If you are fond of the  aviator-style of sunglasses  these polarized aviators may interest you. I like polarized sunglasses because they remove the glare and help you to see things more clearly. This will be very helpful in Ireland.

If you are in need of  new luggage,  this  expandable soft side spinner luggage  is affordable and comes in lots of colors. If you like hard-sided better, then you may favor this  hard-sided luggage set better. Both sets come with TSA approved zippers locks and 8 wheels per piece. Either will be great for the plane or train or even your car depending on how you plan to travel to Russia. 

Truthfully, before I visited Russia, all I knew was what I learned as a child during the Cold War: communism, KGB, and that the Russian people do not smile much. Viking’s Russia River Cruise did an *exceptional* job of introducing me to Russia as she is today. After spending 13 days with Viking Cruises I feel we were expertly guided to every monument and museum and well-known church in each and every city or village we visited.

We were informed about every part of Russian life and its extraordinary history as a country and introduced to the dazzling opulence of her architecture. Not only DO Russian people smile, but they are also warm and friendly. A surprising number of them spoke English. Viking Cruises’ Waterways of the Tsars 13 day Russian River Cruise was an outstanding and unforgettable experience, one I think you would love as much as I did.

Have you ever traveled to Russia? Were you as surprised and impressed as I was? Please share your experiences in the comment section below!

Please note: I was provided with a complimentary Viking Russian River cruise for myself and a guest, and a stipend, by Viking Cruises in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.

Linda On the Run  is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, designed to provide a means to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Reader Interactions

November 14, 2019 at 6:43 pm

Hi there, I enjoyed your review. It was very detailed and will help us on our cruise. My sister and I will be traveling to Russia in May 2020 with Viking. Just to give us idea, how much cash in Russian ruble did you spend while on your 13 day cruise? I know we can use our credit card in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but I’m guessing not in the small towns. Thank you!

November 19, 2019 at 8:40 am

You are correct. The major metropolitan cities accept credit cards. The small rural villages do not. Plus you will want to have rubles on hand in case you wish tip the local tour guides. I can not recommend an exact amount of rubles. We used an ATM machine upon arrival at the airport. There are other ATMs along the route as well should you find you require more rubles. Please be advised, the ship you sail on will not not change currency into rubles for you. I am wishing you the absolute best experience ever with Viking as you explore and discover Russia!

December 22, 2019 at 9:47 am

Going next September! Can you tip and purchase small items in more rural locations in USD?

January 23, 2020 at 8:33 am

Great job telling your story & sharing pictures about your Viking Russian River Cruise, very helpful!! We are going in July, I read they frown on sandals being worn in churches, museums & other areas. Croc flip flops probably out the question? How strict? In St. Petersburg, how far are we from the City Centre? Viking proves transportation if you would like to walk around town on your own? Thank you.

January 23, 2020 at 11:24 am

Hi Phyllis. So excited for you? I would not suggest wearing flip flops when touring any European city. Crocs will be ok. Sturdy closed-toe shoes would be ideal. When entering a lot of the churches in Russia your shoulders/head must be covered. I always had a scarf tucked into my purse for such an occasion. In St Pete, the city center is a bit far from the ship. We secured an Uber and it was very reasonable! In Moscow, the Metro is within walking distance. My Viking Russian River Cruise was *extraordinary* and so far surpassed any expectations I had. I wish safe journeys and a spectacular cruise for you as well.

January 10, 2021 at 3:04 pm

Thank you for providing such a detailed review. Can you please say what month you cruised? We are deciding now between May and July and are unsure of conditions. Thank you!

January 10, 2021 at 6:01 pm

Hello Kathleen. I sailed in mid-September.

January 10, 2021 at 6:32 pm

We actually had our Russian Cruise rebooked for July 2021. I called Viking today for updates due to Visas, hate to put money out for Visas if Cruise is canceled. We heard all positive reviews for the Russian River Cruise in July, weather is beautiful & temps in high 70s during the day, evening 60s. We start in St. Petersburg, so many say how much they like St. Petersburg, if you have extra time spend it there.

January 12, 2021 at 2:42 pm

We started our cruise from St. Petersburg as well. The optional excursions in that magnificent city were spectacular!

January 13, 2021 at 4:19 am

Hi Phyllis, what did Viking say about your July cruise and about obtaining a Visa. My sister and I are scheduled for September 2021 and have the same question. Our May 2020 Viking cruise was cancelled and we had already obtained our Visas, which are no longer good, so yes the additional cost to get new ones. Thank you!

January 15, 2021 at 10:14 am

Viking Rep., told me to contact GenVisa directly to answer my questions. On Monday I called, they told me to allow 8 weeks for processing, cost $632 per couple , for everything including 3 yr Visa. They advised me to get paperwork started, mail it to them, once borders open our applications can be processed quickly, basically we would be ahead. It was worth the call, found them resourceful.

January 10, 2021 at 6:53 pm

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Russian River Cruise – Waterways of the Tsars

Updated December 14, 2017

// By Margherita

Back to Russia! Did you follow our Russian river cruise in August and September? We travelled between Moscow and St Petersburg on the Waterways of the Tsars Viking River Cruise – here’s what we got up to!

We both share a deep connection with Russia. I was named after the heroine of Master and Margarita , one of the best Russian books of the 20th century. Nick is actually of Russian ancestry – his maternal great-grandparents were from St Petersburg, and spent the best part of 50 years wandering around Europe escaping wars and revolutions, before settling in Australia .

Russia has been at the top of our travel dreams for several years , but somehow something always came up whenever we made plans to visit. Once we couldn’t get a visa on time. Another time we couldn’t get time off. Winter is too cold, summer is too hot.

This year, Russia was one of our travel resolutions . Our desire was for the trip to be special – something different from what we’d done so far. We wanted a higher level of comfort, help with visa arrangements, and a trip that would help us understand the country we longed to visit for so many years . The Waterways of the Tsars river cruise with Viking ticked all boxes, so we made arrangements for a departure from Moscow in late August.

Things to Know Before a Russian River Cruise with Viking

When we announced our friends we would be travelling on a Russian river cruise , some of them were really surprised. A CRUISE? You guys are such hardcore independent travellers! What are you doing ON A CRUISE with all those OLD PEOPLE? True, the average age on a Viking river cruise might be a fair bit higher than 35 – but really, who is to say we wouldn’t enjoy the experience?

This awesome post by One Modern Couple  really nails the point – a Viking river cruise is an experience that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. In their words ‘River cruises are cultural, experiential, educational and scenic. Enjoy the ride, take in the surroundings, learn about the countries you are visiting – from history to local life, food to language – and experience the destinations in a thoughtful way.’ 

Whether you’re 30, 60 or 90, it doesn’t really matter.

Secondly,  who’s to say that travelling in a group is not ‘real’ travel? We have always been (and continue to be) lovers of independent travel, but sometimes you just can’t beat the insights given to you by a local guide . Viking River Cruises offer plenty of guided tours included in the cruise price, all led by experienced local guides.

Meals were always excellent – breakfast and lunch included a combination of buffet and à la carte specialties, while dinner was always à la carte. Every day we were given the choice to sample some Russian specialties, like beef stroganoff, borsch, pelmeni, solyanka and lots of delicious desserts.

Another great plus of a Russian river cruise with Viking is that during sailing time lots of cultural activities are on offer – things like cooking demonstrations, Russian language lessons and lectures about Russian history and culture, led by the local tour escorts who were with us for the whole duration of the trip. On top of that, every day we received a briefing detailing the following day’s activities, optional excursions and that night’s menu.

Whenever we passed points of interest on the boat, such as Mother Volga statue or the sunken Kalyazin Cathedral, we were always called out on the loudspeaker to make sure we wouldn’t miss them. There was no pressure to join in any of the activities – we could spend the whole day chilling on the deck or on our veranda, looking at the beautiful colourful churches built on the riverbank, surrounded by nothing but nature.

Waterways of the Tsars – the Itinerary

The Waterways of the Tsars cruise is 13 days long, starting either in Moscow or in St. Petersburg . Most Russian river cruises had always been described to me as ‘Volga Cruises’ – in fact, our boat cruised along a variety of waterways, including the Moscow Canal, the Volga-Baltic Waterway, the Rybinsk Reservoir, Lake Onega and Ladoga (the two largest lakes in Europe) and the Neva River (the shortest in Europe!)

Here’s a map to give you an idea of the route.

Days 1-4 Moscow

Three days were barely enough to get an idea of how amazing Moscow is. Our days were packed from morning to night with tours and activities – from visiting Moscow must visits like Red Square, the Kremlin, the Moscow Metro and the Arbat, to quirky locations like the Museum of Cosmonautics , located in one of Moscow’s best districts for Communist architecture (one of our passions!)

Even though our itinerary was packed full, we managed to spend half a day touring Moscow independently , visiting some of the sights mentioned in The Master and Margarita – Patriarch’s Ponds, both Bulgakov Museums and Sparrow Hill. Let’s just say that we need to get back to Moscow soon to explore more! Meanwhile, here’s our things to do in Moscow for first timers article, detailing our Moscow visit with Viking.

Day 5 Uglich

After setting sail from Moscow, our first stop was Uglich , a cute town on the Volga River, famous for its pretty churches and for being the location of one of the darkest chapters in Russian history .

After the death of Ivan the Terrible, his youngest son and heir to the throne Dmitry was exiled to Uglich, where he was murdered at the age of 10. Suspicion fell on the tsar’s chief advisor, but Dmitry’s cause of death (i.e. throat slitting) was ruled to be an accident. This episode started a period of political unsettlement, that ended with the start of the Romanov dynasty.

We spent an afternoon around Uglich , starting with a home visit of a local family where we had the chance to try homemade grain vodka (the best we’ve had in Russia) and a variety of pickled vegetables, tea and cakes. Then, we toured the Kremlin – the word ‘kremlin’ actually means fortified city, and several Russian cities have one. Moscow’s Kremlin just happens to be the best known!

Day 6 Yaroslavl

The following morning we reached Yaroslavl , a much larger city compared to Uglich. It looked like the perfect Russian city – large enough not to get bored (there was even a cat cafe!) but small enough not to get frustrated with the traffic and crowds found in Moscow or St. Petersburg.

Our Yaroslavl visit was centred around four points of interest . The centre of Yaroslavl is located on the Strelka, a promontory formed at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl rivers. Our first stop was the covered market , where we tasted some local products, and then we headed to the Church of Elijah the Prophet , where we had a guided tour (and played with some cute cats). Afterwards, we visited the Governor’s Mansion , now an art gallery. We were welcomed by some beautiful ladies in period costumes, and treated to a music concert. Our final stop was the Yaroslavl Kremlin , where we admired the façade of the Dormition Cathedral, destroyed by the Bolsheviks and rebuilt and reopened in 2010 in time for Yaroslavl’s millennium celebrations.

Before heading back to the ship, we stopped at the lookout over the Millennium of Yaroslavl Park at the end of the Strelka – the flowerbed right in the centre displays a bear (Yaroslavl’s coat of arms) and the city’s age – 1006 at the time of our visit. Looking good!

Day 7 Kuzino

Kuzino is a small village in in the middle of nowhere – we visited on a chilly and rainy morning, to visit the stunning Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery , the largest in Europe. The Monastery is surrounded by walls and located on the shores of Severskoye Lake, with waters so pure that boat traffic is prohibited.

Kirillo-Belozersky was founded at the end of the 14th century, and had its heyday between the 15th and 17th century, when Russia’s tsars and noblemen (including Ivan the Terrible!) paid frequent visits and showered the monks with icons and precious gifts. Luckily the Bolsheviks spared the monastery from destruction, turning it into a museum instead. The day we visited was the feast of the Assumption and the churches were crowded with locals, but we had a lovely guided tour of the museum and time to appreciate its beautiful icons.

Day 8 Kizhi (Sailing)

Whenever travelling, you always need a plan B. Autumn was well on its way by the time we reached the northernmost section of our cruise, and we were held at a lock for the best part of one night due to thick fog . This meant we had to sail the whole day and miss out on Kizhi , a tiny island on the northern side of Onega Lake, famous for its spectacular wooden churches.

We were all disappointed when boat staff made the announcement – personally, Kizhi was one of the stops I was looking forward to the most, after reading about it on the Guardian and knowing that the site is very difficult to visit without a river cruise. However, we didn’t mind too much because we were both suffering the consequences of the previous night’s vodka tasting , organised by Frank, the hotel manager who also happened to be a real vodka connoisseur!

Viking staff were really amazing at keeping us busy during the sailing day with activities like guided tours to the wheelhouse, the room where the captain and sailors pilot the ship.

Day 9 Mandrogy

The last stop before reaching St. Petersburg was Mandrogy , a village on the banks of the Svir River, built in 1996 as a replica of a village destroyed during WW2. A Russian businessman had the idea of ‘rebuilding’ Mandrogy to provide a stop to river cruise passengers before reaching St. Petersburg. So, the village is not actually ‘real’ – it’s more of an open air museum. Cute little painted houses were built around a little forest, with people in traditional dress showcasing traditional crafts and selling souvenirs.

Those in search of souvenirs loved Mandrogy – the quality of matrioshka dolls, icons and other handicrafts was far higher than anywhere else we had been. We are not into souvenirs, but if there was a place to get something, Mandrogy would be it. The village was pretty, but it felt a bit fake for us – kind of like a tourist amusement park. Which in a way, it is.

However, we did enjoy Mandrogy for two reasons – the first was the chance to attend matrioshka painting workshop  where we decorated our own matrioshka dolls. That’s the best kind of souvenir in my opinion! The second was the delicious piroshki place where we had some delicious buttery pastries filled with green onion and egg. Just ask Viking staff and they’ll point you the way to the piroshki place!

Days 10-13 St. Petersburg

After 6 days spent cruising, covering a distance of 1800 kilometers, we made it to Saint Petersburg . We had three gorgeous sunny days, and the city dazzled us with its beauty and artistic wealth – after all, it’s UNESCO-listed ! There’s no way I can convey everything we saw and did in three days in just a couple of paragraphs, so watch this space – a St. Petersburg article is coming soon!

There are several St. Petersburg experiences already included by Viking in the tour price – a visit to the Hermitage Museum, a ballet performance, a visit to Catherine Palace in the village of Pushkin and a St. Petersburg city tour, either on foot or by bus. On top of that, we also joined some optional tours – a river cruise, a morning tour to amazing Peterhof Palace and my very own favourite, a Cossack performance!

Things to Know Before Travelling to Russia

• Make sure you sort out your Russian Visa on time . Viking Cruises helps with an invitation letter that you can use to apply for your own Russian visa at your closest consulate – the process is pretty straightforward, provided you are applying in your own country, and takes approximately 2-3 weeks.
• You can also ask Viking to sort out your Russian visa for an additional charge . This is especially convenient if you live in the US or if your hometown doesn’t have a Russian consulate.
• River cruises of Russia only run between April and October, when the waterways are not frozen. The weather can be change dramatically between Moscow and Saint Petersburg , the latter usually being much colder than the former. Make sure you check the weather reports before packing!
• English isn’t widely spoken around Russia , not even in the main cities. If you’re planning to spend some time travelling independently, learning a bit of Russian is a VERY good idea. The Russian language classes we had on board came in very handy!
• Russia’s currency is the rouble , which fluctuates quite a bit. Larger cities are full of moneychangers, and some souvenir shops (like those in Mandrogy) also accept euro and USD.

We would like to thank Viking Cruises for having welcomed us aboard the Waterways of the Tsars cruise.

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2 thoughts on “Russian River Cruise – Waterways of the Tsars”

Truly amazing place & photography! I loved the view of church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, looks awesome. I enjoyed reading. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Thank you for reading! It was a fab trip!

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• Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

Thinking of going to Moscow?

By scubacruiserx2 , October 11, 2013 in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

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scubacruiserx2

We thought about it and did it September 21, 2013. We would like to share how we did it and explore options on how to visit this great city.

Because we were staying in St. Petersburg, we chose a "Day Trip".

We found a guide on the internet and contacted her. We asked her the best way and day to visit Moscow. We agreed Saturday would be good and the Sapsan train is the preferred way to travel. We booked our e-tickets for the train on the internet.

The day began early with an accuweather check. It showed brilliant sun all day - in St. Petersburg (1 of only 35 days a year) and rain all day in Moscow. Walking to the Metro station we began the long ride down to the underground train.

The early morning Metro

This is the Moscow train station in St. Petersburg

And here is the Sapsan at rest

After scanning our tickets and a walk through a metal detector ( which we set off) we walked to wagon #3. Showing our passports to the attendant , we were seated by 0630 and ready to ride !

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After we were seated we received this overhead greeting

Russian Railways welcomes you aboard ! We soon found out that every thing would be in Russian first and then in English. Our launch time was reached - and we were off.

Here is some information about the Sapsan

http://www.russiantrains.com/en/page/sapsan-train

As the sun began to rise we saw some fog , but a clear sky just outside of St. Petersburg @ 125 mph.

We settled in for the 4 hour train ride to Moscow.

Appreciate your posting of these visuals in connection with your rail trip to Moscow and back. As noted below, we did this "adventure" in 2008 via the air routes. Keep sharing your nice and interesting visuals. Below are a few of mine showing the "prizes" to be enjoyed in Moscow. Fortunately, we had three days on our cruise stop in St. Petersburg, making this one-day trip work better.

The high-speed train connection does make a big, big difference currently. We did the one-day Moscow trip in 2008 by the air connections. I'll offer up some added background, along with various pro/con factors for your consideration. My wife thought it was lots of money, but she viewed it as very much worth it after completing the trip as a "once in a lifetime" experience.

CON FACTORS : It's a long day! Leave the ship early (greeted by a small welcoming band dockside); get back to the St. Petersburg airport around midnight and back to the ship a little before 1 am. Moscow is a super large city of over ten million people. There has been huge growth in the suburbs of this city during the past decades or so. Traffic and time from the airport to the main downtown takes about an hour, but the train takes your directly into the heart of this large city. Since we had to drive in from the airport, we had a good feel as we traveled into town through the coach windows about the “new Moscow” with its suburban growth, commerce, advertising, capitalism, big box stores, etc.

PRO FACTORS : Moscow has its unique history, sights and sites, from Ivan the Terrible up through Lenin, Stalin and the new Russian leaders of today. After a long ride in from the airport on the outer edge of this large metro areas of 17.3 million (with 10.5 million in the city), we stopped at a new hotel for coffee/tea/break. Then, we rode the Moscow subway and saw a couple of their very unique and artistic stations. Stalin at the time called these stations “People’s Palaces”. This Moscow Metro was first opened in 1935 and now has 182 stations, 12 different lines,187 miles of routes and carries seven million passengers each weekday. It’s the world second busiest subway system. This subway ride offered a good sampling of real life for people who live and work in Moscow. We then saw more key places enroute, including the home of the Bolshoi Ballet, KGB Headquarters, various Stalin-era buildings, etc. Then we went to the Kremlin with its 19 historic towers. WOW, we were really there!

Inside the Kremlin are three key “super stars”. First, was the State Armoury with its spectacular Faberge Eggs, plus so many carriages, crowns, gowns, jewels, etc. Second are the various historic Cathedrals within the Kremlin Walls, plus the Tower Bells, Icon art, etc. This includes the Cathedral of the Annunciation built in the 1480’s and having such spectacular wall murals and icons. Third, was the Great Kremlin Palace with its spectacular reception halls, inlaid wood floors, gold and more gold, fancy ceilings, etc. The Czars were crowned here, plus the current heads of the Russian government, etc. The size and scale of these areas are hard to describe in words, let alone reflect and capture the history that has happened in some of these rooms dating back to the late 1400’s. We have seen lots of great palaces all over Europe, but this is something above and beyond for the eyes, heart and brain.

Then, we saw more building inside the walls of the Kremlin. We went outside of the Kremlin Walls and walked next door to adjoining Red Square, seeing St. Basil’s and the re-done Gum Department Store. Red Square is so historic, especially having grown up seeing the military May Day parades there, visuals of Lenin’s Tomb, etc. Have the words “spectacular” and historic been used too much? Maybe, but it fits for many of these unique places. St. Basil’s was built 1555–1561 on the order of Ivan IV (the Terrible). It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower (266 feet tall) in 1600 inside the Kremlin Walls. To be able to “CONTRAST” and compare Moscow and St. Petersburg during these three short days adds to the benefits of seeing both of these great Russian capital cities. Each is a very different and special city.

We finished with dinner in the Central Writers’ Club, a one hundred years old mansion made into a restaurant with crystal chandeliers, rich wood panelling, fireplaces, and antique balustrades.

Is one day too short and limited? YES! You can, however, do and see lots in only that one short day. You get a small sampling above. How often do you get to Russia? The Cold War might not come back in full force, but there are going to be increasing and revisited tensions in future years involving Russia and getting access there. They have done this tour many times and have its details down well and timing perfected. Let us know any questions, thoughts or reactions.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 120,278 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Walking on the famed Red Square of Moscow. This square separates the Kremlin, as the former royal citadel and the current official residence for Russia's President, from a historic merchant quarter. Red Square is often considered the central square of Moscow and all of Russia, because Moscow's major streets originate from here. The name Red Square comes neither from the color of the bricks nor from the link between the color red and communism. The name came about because of a Russian word that can mean either "red" or "beautiful". This word, per Wikipedia, has the meaning "beautiful", was originally applied to Saint Basil's Cathedral. Then, later, the meaning was transferred to the nearby square. It is believed that the square acquired its current name in the 17th century. Red Square was the leading stage and trade center for Moscow. Ivan the Great decreed that trade should only be conducted from person to person, but later these rules were relaxed and permanent market buildings began appearing on the square. After a fire in 1547, Ivan the Terrible reorganized the lines of wooden shops on the Eastern side into market lines and part of that transitioned into what is now GUM department store that adjoins this famed square.:

St. Basil's sits on Red Square and dates back to its 1555-61 construction on the orders of Ivan the Terrible (Ivan IV). It commemorates the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan and marks the geometric center of the city. This location has been the hub of its growth for Moscow since the 14th century. It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 1600. This church was near destroyed in the 1930’s when Stalin was in control.:

The domes of the historic church inside the walls of the Kremlin:

This is the interior for Moscow's most historic church, Assumption Cathedral or the Cathedral of the Dormition, inside the Kremlin walls. It is the mother church of Muscovite Russia. The church stands on Cathedral Square and was built in 1475–1479 by the Italian architect Aristotele Fioravanti. It was erected on the spot of an older 14th century cathedral of the same name:

The famed KGB (Secret Police) Headquarters in Moscow where many entered and did not exit (alive) during the 1950’s and 1960’s:

Here is a small sampling of the Kremlin Royal Treasures of the Czars: Eggs & Jewels inside the famed State Armoury in Moscow. One of the oldest museums in Moscow, it was established in 1808 and located within the Kremlin Walls. It originated as the royal arsenal in 1508 during when it was in charge of producing, purchasing and storing weapons, jewelry and various household articles of the Tsars. There are ten Fabergé eggs in the Armoury collection (all Imperial eggs). This is the most Imperial eggs, and the second-most overall Fabergé eggs, owned by a single owner. The Trans-Siberian Railway Egg is a jeweled Easter egg made under the supervision of the Russian jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé in 1900 for Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. It was presented by Nicolas II as an Easter gift to his wife. The exterior of the 1900 Trans-Siberian Railway egg is made of onyx, silver, gold, and quartz, and is decorated with colored vitreous enamel. The lid of the egg is hinged, has an overlay of green enamel, and is decorated with inlaid leaves of acanthus. On top of the lid is a golden three-headed eagle in gold with the Imperial Crown. The interior is lined with velvet. A route map of the Trans-Siberian Railway is engraved in silver across the face, with major stations marked by a precious stone, forming a belt around the egg. The egg is supported by three griffins made of gold-plated silver on a stepped triangular base of white onyx.:

Scuba and Terry, thanks for sharing the information and beautiful pictures.

One question... I assume the one day tour is similar to the St Petersburg tours, in that you don't need to obtain a Russian Visa if you are booked through a Russian tour agency?

Scuba and Terry, thanks for sharing the information and beautiful pictures. One question... I assume the one day tour is similar to the St Petersburg tours, in that you don't need to obtain a Russian Visa if you are booked through a Russian tour agency?

Appreciate the nice comments and good question from our friend in Las Vegas. YES , if your cruise is there three days or less . . . A ND . . . you are with a licensed travel/tour firm , then there is no need to do a Russian Visa. You cannot take that one- or two-day train to Moscow and back unless you either have a visa or are with an appropriate such firm traveling with you.

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik . Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 144,153 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

The announcements on the train requested turning off phones. We quietly greeted and introduced ourselves (In Russian) to our table mates . It seems that we were the token foreign passengers and we quickly realized that on the train (Like most public transport), people don't usually speak unless they have a question or know one another. Even when they do it's respectful of others privacy with no loud talking or phone calls." I could get used to this" I thought to myself. Reading was the norm and listening to music was socially acceptable. Out came the Eyewitness Travel Moscow and cued Al Stewart's Road to Moscow on the mp3. After a quick nap and a snack we noticed that the movie Moscow does not believe in tears was playing on the TV and people were seemed surprised that we knew the movie.

The next thing we knew, the train was arriving in Moscow !

Exiting the train , we headed for the station.

Irina was waiting for us at the end of the platform and it was starting to rain. " Welcome to Moscow and it's weather" she said. " Nine months of expectations and three months of disappointment" she remarked. We headed to the Metro for a tour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Metro

As you can see , at 11 in the morning and we still had an empty Metro. Saturday or Sunday is the way to tour Moscow with a minimum of crowds

The first station that we visited was Komsomolskaya which is named for the Communist Youth League

Here is a mosaic from the ceiling

And at the end of the station was comrade Lenin

The Kievskaya Station is dedicated to the friendship between Russia and the Ukraine and is named after it's Capital - Kiev

It features idealized mosaics in the Soviet realism style

The Ukraine was the bread basket of the Soviet Union so agriculture and handicraft is displayed prominently in it's mosaics.

Because it is on the ring line #5 , it connects with #3 and #4 line and can get very busy.

Desertbelle

Thank you for these wonderful reviews. We are going to St. Petersburg for two days on the Brilliance next May. We have decided we want to go to Moscow for one of the days....your great photos make me want to go even more now! :D

The train ride of 8 hours (4 hours one way) and only 8 hours in Moscow doesn't sound perfect. Should we look for a tour guide who will take us by plane? Any recommendations? We would not want to undertake this on our own.

Thank you for these wonderful reviews. We are going to St. Petersburg for two days on the Brilliance next May. We have decided we want to go to Moscow for one of the days....your great photos make me want to go even more now! :D   The train ride of 8 hours (4 hours one way) and only 8 hours in Moscow doesn't sound perfect. Should we look for a tour guide who will take us by plane? Any recommendations? We would not want to undertake this on our own.

Congratulations on your upcoming TA and Baltic cruise and thank you for your kind comments. We did a TA in April of 2009 , followed by a 10 day stay in St. Petersburg. It's really a great time for the weather. Going to Moscow from St. Petersburg on a 2 day stay is going to be an either/ or proposition. Unless you can do a post cruise stay , it will be either Moscow or St. Petersburg . If its your first visit to Russia , we would recommend that you stay in St. Petersburg. It will save you travel time and money and there is more than enough to do in 2 days. If you decide on Moscow , many of the cruise ship offer this trip. We don't normally use or recommend the ship's tours but Moscow would be an exception. Few if any private tours offer this option for 2 days. If you chose to DIY with a Visa you could fly and meet the guide in Moscow and stay overnight. The problem with a 2 day stay is that Sapsan leaves before your ship arrives in port on the first day and arrives after your ship leaves on the second day. A more radical plan that we considered was to jump ship (With the Captain's permission) with a Russian Visa and stay longer in St. Petersburg / Moscow. Because we wanted more time in Russia , we cancelled our post TA Baltic cruise and just stayed in St. Petersburg.

Our last Metro stop before entering Red Square was Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Square of the Revolution). The hall contains life size sculptures of 'everyday people' who made The Revolution and the Metro possible.

Rubbing the nose of this border guards dog is said to bring good luck. I was amazed to see how many people touched this dogs nose after we stepped away.

This last 'every day person' is Lyudmila Pavlichenko who was credited with 309 kills as a sniper during WWII.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyudmila_Pavlichenko

Upon leaving the Metro station we were greeted by a steady rain and it was time to pop the umbrellas. After entering through The Resurrection Gate we stopped to take a picture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iberian_Gate_and_Chapel

And turning around , there is was - Red Square ! I felt like like Dorothy opening the door in OZ. All of my childhood fears of ICBM rockets , goose stepping troops , 1 PM air raid sirens on Saturday , bomb shelters and duck and cover drills at school flooded my memory! Focusing on the task at hand , I had to learn to shoot pictures with one hand while holding an umbrella with the other. The first picture is Marshal Zhukov , a war hero

mounted on a horse , in front of The Historical Museum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgy_Zhukov

Kazan Cathedral was consecrated in 1636 by Prince Pozharsky and stood for 300 years until Joseph Stalin destroyed it in 1936. This faithful reconstruction was completed and consecrated in 1993.

There was a sea of umbrellas watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I could only get a picture by holding the camera overhead. If you look carefully, you can see his rifle beneath his raincoat.

The crowd thinned as they quickly marched away

But I sprinted ahead to capture a video clip

It was raining harder so we headed for GUM in hopes that the rain would abate.

GUM (pronounced goom) was the name given to this building after the Revolution in 1921. It was built in 1893 and currently has over 1000 shops. A banner proclaims 120 years.

This was one of my favorite photos of our trip. Watching a game of Bridal tug of war.

Maybe they were here shopping for this Mother In Law Cake. It features poisonous mushrooms on top ( I think they are sugar but didn't try them ).

We moved on to Yeliseev's Gastronom. The original store is in St. Petersburg.

http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/business/grigory-yeliseev/

This is their souvenir shop

With no sign of the rain stopping it was time to pop the umbrellas and head out to Red Square. The square is about 500 yards long.

The small platform in front of St. Basil's is called The Lobnoe Mesto. It is where the Tsar and patriarch would address the people at various times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobnoye_Mesto

Even in the rain and overcast skies the cathedral is striking !

To the right of the photo is The Savior's Tower. It was the main entrance to the Kremlin and stands 230 feet tall.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasskaya_Tower

We thought we would go inside of St. Basils to dodge rain and see what the interior looked like. Here's the porch.

Fancy doors

Iconostasis

And here is a view of Red Square with everything labeled

Wow! What else can be said. The photos and your trip are amazing! We have booked a Baltic cruise for June, 2014. We had not considered going to Moscow and after reading your blog, we are still not. BUT if we ever are lucky enough to come back sometime, it will definitely be on our TO DO list! Thank you for sharing the pics, vids and memories!

Jim and Pam

Hi: I am new to CC and we are going on our first cruise in June 2014 with Crystal Cruises. Scuba - I would like to find out more about your Moscow trip - not sure how one goes about emailing here, but could you please email me at [email protected] ?

Welcome to Cruise Critic ! We are honored to be your first post. Don't be afraid to ask questions and browse the threads on CC. They are many experienced people willing to help and share with your upcoming trip. We are emailing now.

Wow! What else can be said. The photos and your trip are amazing! We have booked a Baltic cruise for June, 2014. We had not considered going to Moscow and after reading your blog, we are still not. BUT if we ever are lucky enough to come back sometime, it will definitely be on our TO DO list! Thank you for sharing the pics, vids and memories!   Jim and Pam

Hi Jim and Pam, how was the Fall in Michigan this year ? DW is a Michigander and we met in Michigan. We love spending the fall there. Congratulations on your Baltic cruise. We fell in love with St. Petersburg when we visited there on our 2006 cruise. You will have 2 full and enjoyable days there. Is it possible to do a post cruise stay in Moscow or St. Pete. ? We wished that we did when we first went because there a lot that we missed and wanted to see things at our own pace. It would be much quicker and cheaper to fly from Copenhagen than another transatlantic flight from Michigan. If you have not seen our thread on St. Petersburg - you may want to check it out.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1775172

In front of St. Basil's Cathedral is a statue of a butcher Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitniy Pozharskiy. When Moscow was occupied in 1612 by the Polish Army , they raised a volunteer group to repel the invaders.

To me, the most amazing church in Moscow is The Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

After Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812 , the strategy of retreat and destroy (scorched earth) was employed by Russia to allow Napoleon to enter Moscow. He found it in ruins - burned by the residents. When winter arrived on October 19, Napoleon began the long retreat to France. Along the way with no food , the winter and the Russian people attacking , the French troops were decimated. 600,000 troops had entered Russia and less than 60,000 left alive. To celebrate the victory Tsar Alexander ordered the Cathedral built to thank Christ for the victory.

In 1931 Joseph Stalin blew up the cathedral to build a skyscraper - The Palace of the Soviets , that would be taller than The Empire State Building. It would feature a giant statue of Lenin on top. The plans were abandoned when Germany invaded in 1941. After the war , it became a giant pool when construction was needed for housing. It was rebuilt beginning in 1995 , and was completed in 2000.

There was a crowd at the door and we waited in the rain and cold. It was beautiful inside (no pictures allowed). We stayed about an hour and the crowd had left and we took the second picture in the rain. A quick Metro ride to the train station and we said goodbye to our guide Irina.

http://www.newbyzantines.net/byzcathculture/christsavior.html

We returned to St. Petersburg on the Sapsan 1st Class. It included dinner , a drink and internet connections. The internet only works with a Russian phone service - so it did not work for us. The chairs reclined , so we got a nice nap after a long day.

Hi Jim and Pam, how was the Fall in Michigan this year ? DW is a Michigander and we met in Michigan. We love spending the fall there. Congratulations on your Baltic cruise. We fell in love with St. Petersburg when we visited there on our 2006 cruise. You will have 2 full and enjoyable days there. Is it possible to do a post cruise stay in Moscow or St. Pete. ? We wished that we did when we first went because there a lot that we missed and wanted to see things at our own pace. It would be much quicker and cheaper to fly from Copenhagen than another transatlantic flight from Michigan. If you have not seen our thread on St. Petersburg - you may want to check it out.   http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1775172

Ok, so now that I spent hours looking at and reading your posts, I see why you suggest a post tour. There is no way to see everything in only 2 days. But thank you so much for your information on SPB. We are really looking forward to our visit and want to get the most out of it.

We had snow flurries today in Michigan. Our fall was pretty short which means winter will be pretty long. We will survive though because we have 2 cruises to look forward to... Caribbean in February and the Baltic in June!

Thanks again for the great photo review and tips! I'll keep reading...

Ok, so now that I spent hours looking at and reading your posts, I see why you suggest a post tour. There is no way to see everything in only 2 days. But thank you so much for your information on SPB. We are really looking forward to our visit and want to get the most out of it.   We had snow flurries today in Michigan. Our fall was pretty short which means winter will be pretty long. We will survive though because we have 2 cruises to look forward to... Caribbean in February and the Baltic in June!   Thanks again for the great photo review and tips! I'll keep reading...   Jim

It sounds like a couple of great cruises coming your way. The Western Carib. is our most common trip cause we dive in all 4 ports. It's a great way for you to beat that long winter ! My wife's sister (from Bay City) does a girl cruise every winter to beat the cold and avoid the Spring breakers. We would encourage you to prioritize in St. Petersburg - you won't get to see it all in 2 days so pick the best for you. Please know your camera well before you visit ! The sites will come fast and furious so you want to catch them all. I had some new lenses and made some rookie mistakes and muffed some good shots ! If we can answer any questions - give us a holler. Joe

Thank you for your great report and photos! We will be in St. Petersburg for 3 days next June on Legend of the Seas. I arranged private tours in St. Petersburg on days 1 and 3, and to Moscow on day 2 - all with Alla Tours. I previously visited St. Petersburg in 2005, and am especially looking forward to visiting Moscow this trip.

Good to know that Nancy has these great Russian locations on her future, upcoming list. That assumes she survives her earlier “down under” visit, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice sailing, departing Sydney, going from Australia to Auckland/NZ doing 14 days on this ship we loved in the Med in June 2011. Nancy will be "riding" with us on this Aust-NZ cruise. Will share more on Russia with Nancy while we are sailing on this early 2014 adventure.

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 123,372 views.

Sounds like the perfect plan NancyIL ! Maybe something old and something new in St. Petersburg and something Red in Moscow! Did anyone watch Miss Universe in Moscow ? We enjoyed seeing the locale shots at night - something that we missed on our day trip. It also confirmed what we observed when we were there. Moscow like St. Petersburg has the majority of it's main sites located in a very small area. Catherine's Palace , Peterhof and Moscow require an amount of travel time equal or greater than the time spent there. There is the additional cost to Moscow as well. But it's great that you have 3 days and have seen some of St. Petersburg before so it made your decision easy. If you look at the map of Moscow you will see that most of the sites are very close together

and can be seen in a day, but Petersburg requires several days or more for maximum enjoyment.

Red Square and The Kremlin are next to each other and , in the lower left corner, is The Cathedral of Christ the Savior - all within walking distance.

We will be taking the Sapsan from Moscow to St. Petersburg next summer. Is there much of a difference between first class and coach? We're booked in coach as the TA says there's not all that much difference for the money. Also, do you have any opinion on whether to ride on the left or right, facing forward, headed to St. Petersburg? I want to get the best views.

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VIKING RIVER CRUISES 13 Days | Waterways of the Tzars Southbound

ST. PETERSBURG TO MOSCOW D ay 1 | St. Petersburg, Russia. Embark Ship. Arrive in St. Petersburg, “The City of 300 Bridges,” then transfer to your ship. After boarding, you have free time to relax before dinner. (D) Day 2 | St. Petersburg. This morning, proceed to the Winter Palace to visit the legendary Hermitage Museum, where you marvel at the vast collection of art, antiquities, jewelry and sculptures. After a picnic lunch, the rest of the day is at leisure to further explore St. Petersburg. Enjoy an early dinner, followed by an evening performance of traditional Russian ballet or opera. For a unique, privileged access experience, consider booking the Behind the Scenes at the Ballet excursion. For a video preview, click here. Or, spend additional time at the Hermitage, visit the vaults and learn from a Hermitage art expert on the Hermitage Behind Closed Doors excursion. Catch a glimpse here. (These excursions are optional and can be booked in advance, no later than 30 days prior to sailing. Limited space may be available for onboard booking, but cannot be guaranteed. Since these excursions run at the same time, it is not possible to book both.) (B, L, D) Day 3 | St. Petersburg.  Today’s excursion goes to the Pushkin area where you visit Catherine’s Palace, the elegant rococo 18th-century summer residence of the Russian Czars named for Catherine I (widow of Peter the Great). Tour its various halls, including the storied Amber and Agate Rooms, and see the ornate décor throughout. After lunch, embark on a city tour; see noted sights including St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Peter & Paul Fortress and Nevsky Prospekt. Dine aboard and enjoy an optional Russian folkloric performance this evening. (B, L, D) Day 4 | St. Petersburg.  Most of the day is free to see the sights that interest you. Visit one of the many palaces, churches or museums, or take an optional morning tour to Peterhof Palace, with its landscaped gardens, beautiful fountains and French Gothic interiors. In the afternoon, explore more of the city or take an optional tour including Yusupov Palace (where Grigori Rasputin met his dramatic end) and a relaxing canal cruise. Lunch and dinner served aboard; ship departs early evening. (B, L, D) Day 5 | Scenic Waterways. Mandrogy. Spend a relaxing day cruising along Russia’s intricate waterways. Sail on the Neva River, then cross Lake Ladoga, Europe’s largest lake. Cruise the Svir River to Mandrogy where you have some time to explore this museum village. Visit the vodka museum or shop for handmade Russian craft items. For a truly immersive experience, try an optional visit to a banya (traditional Russian bath house). Continue along the Svir’s 139-mile “Blue Route” toward Lake Onega. (B, L, D) Day 6 | Kizhi.  Cruise through the early morning, admiring the tranquil waters of Lake Onega, Europe’s second largest lake. Arrive during breakfast at the island village of Kizhi. Set out on a walking tour through the Open Air Museum of Architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, see a collection of wooden houses, windmills and churches representing ancient Russian architecture, highlighted by the famous three-tiered Preobranzhenskaya (Transfiguration) Church—a fairytale-like structure built in 1714 without a single nail. Depart late morning and cruise through the night. (B, L, D) Day 7 | Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. Continue cruising along the Volga-Baltic Waterway. This system of rivers and canals, spanning 229 miles and seven locks, links the Volga River with the Baltic Sea. Arrive in Kuzino, a typical Russian village. Take a guided walk through the historic Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, founded by Saint Cyril in 1397; see several small wooden chapels, the Assumption Cathedral and a museum. Or, see the Monastery and then visit a children’s art school and restoration workshop. Return aboard for an afternoon departure. (B, L, D) Day 8 | Yaroslavl.  Arrive mid-afternoon in Yaroslavl, one of the Golden Ring cities—ancient towns that preserve the memory of Russia’s historical events. Visit the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet, featuring detailed frescoes and icons. Here, you are treated to a stirring à capella choir performance. Then, take a guided stroll through the covered food market. Or, join an excursion to the Governor’s Palace, a living museum of Russian art, history and culture. Shop for handcrafted souvenirs before returning aboard for dinner and evening departure. (B, L, D) Day 9 | Uglich. After breakfast, disembark for a walking tour through the provincial village of Uglich, another Golden Ring city. See the former Kremlin of Uglich and visit the Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood, built on the site where Ivan the Terrible’s son Dmitry was mysteriously killed. Then a local family invites you into their home for tea and friendly conversation. Lunch served aboard; cruise through the night. (B, L, D) Day 10 | Moscow Canal. Moscow.  This morning, cruise along the Moscow Canal, approaching Moscow during lunch. Disembark for a half-day city tour. See the famed Bolshoi Theater and stop at Red Square for a view of the colorful onion domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral. You will also get the chance to explore the famous GUM Department Store and experience the city’s Metro. Enjoy an evening performance of traditional Russian folkloric music followed by a late dinner on board. (B, L, D) Day 11 | Moscow.  Today you have a full day to further explore Moscow’s many buildings, parks and monuments. Or you may choose from two optional experiences—a full-day excursion to Sergiev Posad, a Golden Ring city named for the greatly venerated St. Sergius of Radonezh, to see one of the four most important Russian Orthodox monasteries in Russia; or an engaging optional morning tour to the Military Museum where you visit with Red Army veterans as you explore Russia’s military history. Lunch is served aboard, or included in your full-day excursion. Dine aboard, then relax—or take an optional Moscow by Night tour. (B, L, D) Day 12 | Moscow. After breakfast, travel to the city’s famous red brick enclosure known as the Kremlin. See its many tall towers and elegant palaces, and tour inside one of the brightly colored cathedrals. The afternoon is free to relax and explore—you may wish to spend some time people-watching in Red Square or visit Lenin’s Tomb. Or, you may take an optional afternoon tour to Tretyakov Gallery, the world’s foremost museum of Russian fine art. Return aboard for a farewell dinner. (B, L, D) Day 13 | Moscow. Disembark Ship. After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight. Or take some extra time in Russia with a 2-night Moscow extension. (B) NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule you receive with your final documents.