Moscow - St. Petersburg 5-star cruise by Vodohod

8 days and 7 nights

  • Route
    Moscow - Uglich - Goritsy - Kizhi - Mandrogui - St. Petersburg
  • Languages
    English-speaking guide is guaranteed. Other languages are on request.
  • Cruise Ship
    5-star cruise ship MS Rostropovich
  • Group Tour
    This is a group tour. There will be other people in your group.
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Itinerary

Day 1 - 2

Moscow: Welcome on board! Check in begins at 14:00 (2.00 PM), but you may board earlier or later depending on you arrival in Moscow. If you order a transfer, you will be met at the airport or train station by one of our drivers and taken by comfortable car to the river port where you will board your cruise ship (transfer is optional).

Over the next few days, you will get the chance to explore Moscow and learn about its riveting history. You will be taken on a city tour and see Moscow's most interesting sights and learn about this amazing city's past and present. You will also have a chance to do some light shopping and there will be time to relax aboard the ship in the evenings.

One of the highlights of your time in Moscow is a visit to Red Square and the Kremlin. You will also visit one of the Kremlin's famous cathedrals. The Kremlin as we know it today was rebuilt as a stone structure during the beginning of the 14th century but the actual site has been inhabited and used as a fortified city wall for centuries before this period. The Kremlin is truly a fascinating structure - at the same time it is an ancient tower, the city's former military fortification, a palace and the workplace of the Russian President. The Kremlin is the center of Russia's political life and State power and has been home to Tsars, General Secretaries of the Soviet Union and Russian Presidents.

Moscow is Russia's political and financial capital as well as a major world class cultural center. The city includes many must see attractions from the Kremlin and Red Square to the Assumption Cathedral. Moscow is the largest city in Europe. It is unique in that it blends the ancient with the modern. See medieval structures among modern office buildings, walk down crooked old city streets opening up to wide, busy boulevards. It is a fantastic city and truly a site that shouldn't be missed.

Day 3

Uglich town, Russia
Photo by falco website Pixabay
Russian church interior,Photo by Dimitris Vetsikas website Pixabay

Uglich: You will be taken on a walking city tour with visit to the Kremlin, the Church of St. Demitrius on the Blood and the Transfiguration cathedral.

Uglich was founded in 1148 as a small princedom bordering on Muscovy and is one of the most beloved towns in Old Russia. The view of the town as you approach it from the Volga River is breathtaking with the Cathedral of the Resurrection and St. John's Church rising on the horizon. The history of the town is fascinating; At the end of the 16th century, Maria Nagaya, seventh wife of Ivan the Terrible, lived in honorary exile at the Kremlin in Uglich. It was here in her garden that the 10 year old Prince Dmitry of the Rurik Dynasty, heir to the Russian throne was murdered by Boris Godunov who wanted to seize power for himself. On the spot of his death, the Church of St. Demitrius of the Blood was built and still stands today. The death of Prince Dmitri brought on the start of the Time of Troubles, a dynastic and political crises and one of the most tumultuous periods in Russian history which ended 15 years later after the election of a new Tsar, Mikhail Romanov (the first Tsar of the Romanov Dynasty). Inside the Kremlin the oldest building in Uglich, the Palace of Tsarevich Dmitry also stands. During your time in Uglich you will learn more about the town's past and walk along the paths of Russian history.

Day 4

The Monastery of St. Cyril on the White Lake, Russia
Photo by Vladimir Strebkov website Pixabay
The Monastery of St. Cyril on the White Lake, Russia
Photo by ArinaEs website Pixabay

Arrival in the ancient village of Goritsy. Tour of the St. Cyril on the White Lake Monastery and the Museum of Icons.

Goritsy is a tiny settlement 7 kilometers from the St. Cyril on the White Lake Monastery. The remains of the Nunnery of the Resurrection that sits on the banks of the Sheksna River can be visited and is within a quarter of a mile of where the ship stops. Goritsy is definitely a site to see for anyone with an interest in Russian history. St. Cyril on the White Lake was founded in 1397 by Kirill Belosersky on the shore of Lake Siverskoye. The monastery had wide trade in the 15th to 17th centuries and was used as a fortress to protect Russia's nobility during the Times of Troubles.

After the tour you will return to your ship and set sail in the direction of St. Petersburg along the Volga Baltic Canal. The Volga Baltic Canal is a series of canals and rivers that connect the Volga river to the Baltic Sea.

Day 5

Kizhi Island, Russia
Photo by ANNETka website Pixabay
Russian Wooden Heritage
Photo by tikhonnetpro website Pixabay

You'll cruise along Europe's second largest lake, Lake Onega and arrive on the island of Kizhi. Here you will visit a fascinating open-air museum containing numerous examples of elaborate Russian, wooden architecture.

Kizhi Island: Via the Volga Baltic Canal, our cruise takes us to the tiny island of Kizhi, located at the northern end of Lake Onega. The island is renowned for its open-air Museum of Architecture, which is assembled from over 80 monuments of wooden architecture from various areas of the country and restored to form a glimpse of the past. The most impressive site on the island is the Church of the Transfiguration or Preobrazhenskaya (the church of twenty-two wooden domes). This masterpiece of architecture, featuring five tiers of 22 domes, was built in 1714 without the use of a single nail, only an axe and pine trees. The church magically changes color as the day grows old, it is certainly one of the most interesting things you will see during your time in Russia.

Day 6

Mandrogui village, Russia
Photo by DEZALB website Pixabay
Mandrogui Village, Lori photobank

A stop in the village of Mandrogui. Enjoy walking around this traditional Russian village in its beautiful setting and spend a day of rest, relaxation and fun. We will have a fantastic barbeque picnic on the banks of the river featuring one of Russia's favorite specialties - shashlik (meat shish kebab prepared on an outdoor fire). You will love it!

Mandrogui is really more of a living museum than a live-in village. It features a collection of old wooden houses and is geared towards showing visitors what a traditional Russian village resembled in the past. One of the features here is the Vodka Museum, which contains thousands of different brands and types of Russia's favorite pastime.

Day 7 - 8

Arrival in the imperial capital of Russia - St. Petersburg. Your time in St. Petersburg will begin with a Panoramic City Tour. This tour is the best way to get acquainted with all of the city's major highlights. Our professional guide will take you down Nevsky Prospect, St. Petersburg's most famous and vibrant thoroughfare. There you will see some of the city's most interesting architectural monuments including the Kazan Cathedral (exterior) and the Winter Palace. You will see the Peter and Paul Fortress (interior) - a symbol of St. Petersburg and also the oldest building in the city.

One of the highlights of your entire cruise will be a visit to the Hermitage, Russia's premier museum containing one of the largest art collections in the world. The museum consists of five historical buildings including the Winter Palace - the residence of the Russian Tsars. The museum contains over 3 million pieces of art with dates ranging from high antiquity to the present day. Among the Hermitage's treasures are artworks by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens and many others.

On the last day of your cruise you will say goodbye to Russia, your ship's crew and the many new friends we are sure you will have met during your time with us. We are sure that your memories of the trip will last a lifetime and we look forward to welcoming you to Russia sometime in the future. Our driver will meet you at the ship and take you to the airport to see you off (transfer is optional).

St. Petersburg is Russia's second largest and second most important city - the Northern capital of the country, Russia's cultural center, and considered the world's 'Northern Venice' due to its extensive system of canals and islands. Walk along Nevsky Prospect and experience the grandeur of pre-revolutionary imperial Russia. Pass palaces from the past and gaze at the famous embankment of the Neva River with its numerous bridges and striking architecture. St. Petersburg is also home to Russia's largest and busiest port and with its many world class theaters and museums has a very high level of cultural life.

Ships

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Prices and Terms

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Prices are per person.

The surcharge for single occupancy in a double cabin is 75% of the total cruise price. Surcharge for single occupancy in Deluxe or Suite cabin is 100% of the cruise price.

Included meals:

  • Full board, three meals per day (from dinner on arrival day to continental breakfast on departure day). In case of late arrival (after 23:00) or early departure (before 06:00) a boxed meal is provided instead of dinner/breakfast. Breakfast is buffet style, lunch and dinner are served at your table.
  • Coffee station (tea, coffee, biscuits) available from 06:00 to 19:00;
  • 1 bottle of mineral water (0.5 l) per person per day in cabin;
  • Lunches in the city: water for your table;
  • Dinners in the city: 1 bottle of mineral water (0.5 l) + 1 glass (150 ml) of red/white wine or 1 glass of juice (200 ml) per person;
  • Lunches and Dinners on board:
  • For lunch and dinner: white/red/sparkling wine/beer in glasses (with no limit), water with no limit
  • For breakfast: water with no limit, Cappuccino or Espresso without extra charge 
  • Welcome “bread and salt” ceremony;
  • Welcome cocktail - 1 glass of sparkling wine or juice per person;
  • Tea or coffee for all meals;
  • Russian Tea Ceremony;
  • Themed dinners;
  • “Captain’s dinner” with a special menu
  • In cool weather: hot tea upon returning on board after shore excursions;
  • In hot weather: Cold iced tea or juice upon returning on board after shore excursions;

Included services in cabins

  • Bathrobes in Suite cabins;
  • Toiletries provided in all cabins - shampoo 30 ml., shower gel 30 ml., conditioner 30 ml., body lotion 30 ml. (refill as needed), shower cap, slippers;
  • Safe in all cabins;
  • Minibar in Suite cabins (for additional fee);
  • TVs and phones in all cabins.

Included services on board

  • Hot towels upon returning on board after shore excursions;
  • Onboard guides speaking English / French / German / Spanish / Italian; service of onboard guides for other foreign languages can be provided upon request for an additional fee;
  • Sightseeing programs in each port as per itinerary (optional tours are available on board)
  • Daily entertainment including lessons of the Russian language and Russian songs, dance evenings, folklore concerts, and more.
  • Headsets for shore excursions
  • Luggage handling in river ports from the inspection point to the ship and from the ship to the bus, as well as on board.

Services available on board for an additional fee:

  • Optional tours
  • Culinary master class;
  • Vodka tasting with traditional snacks;
  • Sports equipment rental: bicycles, Nordic walking poles, folding chair canes;
  • Bottled water during shore excursions
  • Birthday greetings (cake, music)
  • Hairdresser services

Other included services:

  • Russian visa invitation - the document necessary for obtaining a Russian visa when applying for a Russian visa at the local Russian Consulate in your country. PLEASE NOTE: your passport should be valid for no less than 6 months after the planned departure from Russia and it should have at least 2 blank pages. The process of applying for a visa may take a long time and we recommend that you start the process 3 months before your trip. In case you are booking the trip last minute, we recommend that you check with the Russian Consulate in your country whether you have enough time for the visa application process. In case you have to cancel your trip because of visa issues standard cancellation policy will be applied. 
  • Port taxes

Not included:

  • Visa processing costs. For US, UK, Australian, Indian and Canadian citizens, our company offers Full Visa Support. With Full Visa Support, you send us your passport and other documentation and we obtain the Russian visa for you. 
  • International airfare.
  • Arrival and departure transfers. We can arrange these for an extra fee.
  • Additional drinks and water in ship restaurant and drinks from onboard bars
  • Suggested gratuity for crew and staff (7€ or $10 per traveler per day)
  • Forwarding of baggage/souvenirs
  • Travel insurance. We highly recommend to purchase travel insurance before embarking on your trip to Russia. It’s always good to have extra protection while traveling far from home. Click here to learn more.
  • Items of a personal nature (laundry services, bar charges, beauty salon services, telephone and cable charges and medical services).

Please be informed that all pre/post cruise services (additional arr/dep transfers, hotel accommodations, additional excursions, etc.) can also be arranged by us.

BOOKING AND CANCELLATION POLICY IN 2022:

Conditions of payment: To book your cruise, a 25% irrevocable deposit is required. The trip must be fully paid 75 days before the cruise starting date.

Cancellation terms: 
75 or more days before the trip – a fee equal to 25% of the entire package will be charged.
74-65 days before the trip – a fee equal to 30% of the entire package will be charged.
64-41 days before the trip – a fee equal to 60% of the entire package will be charged.
40-35 days before the trip – a fee equal to 75% of the entire package will be charged.
34 days or less before the trip or in the event of a no-show - a fee equal to 100% of the package will be charged.

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