St. Petersburg - Moscow Luxury Cruise by Vodohod

ITINERARY & MAP

Day 1

St. Petersburg: Embarkation, night pass under the bridges from the English Embankment to the Utkina Zavod pier.

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.

Day 2

St. Petersburg:   Bus city tour, lunch in the city, visit to Peterhof (Grand Palace + Lower Park)

Day 3

Valaam: Visit to the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior

Valaam is an archipelago of about 50 islands in Ladoga Lake. It is also the largest island in the area of Karelia, at one time belonging to Sweden. In the period of 1811-1917 the island belonged to the Grand Duchy of Finland, a part of the Russian Empire. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Finland received its independence. Valaam was one of the few holy places that was not destroyed and closed. After the war between the Soviet Union and Finland, Valaam was returned to the USSR. Valaam is famous for the Valaam Monastery as well as for numerous sketes. A skete is the place where monks live keeping much stricter rules than in monasteries. On Valaam, many monks who were searching for salvation through renunciation of the world, would move from monasteries to sketes, and later become hermits. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were 13 sketes and numerous hermitages with their churches and chapels throughout the islands.

Day 4

Mandrogui: Walking tour “Acquaintance with the life of the Russian village”, visit to museum of vodka, picnic ashore

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 5

Kizhi: Open-air museum of wooden architecture, interactive program “Music of Northern Village”

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

Goritsy: Visit to Ferapontov monastery

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.

Day 7

Uglich: Walking city tour with the visit to the territory of the Kremlin, exclusive concert of choir “Kovcheg”, visit to the home of local family (Russian izba, degustation of Russian home-made vodka, pickled goods, tea-party with pies), free time

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 8

Moscow: Disembarkation (planned arrival time in Moscow is at 18:00)

IMPORTANT: Since the ship arrives in Moscow late and there can be delays due to weather conditions, it is necessary to book at least 1 night at the hotel in Moscow after the cruise. If you need help with booking, please ask our travel specialist. 

 

PRICES & DATES

Prices are per person.

The surcharge for single occupancy in a Standard, Deluxe or Junior Suite cabin is 75% of the total cruise price. The surcharge for single occupancy in Suites is 100% of the cruise price.

Included meals:

  • Full board, three meals per day (from dinner on arrival day to breakfast on departure day). For Moscow to St. Petersburg cruises in 2022, the first meal on arrival day will be lunch. Breakfast is buffet style, lunch and dinner are served at your table.
  • Russian welcome “Bread and salt” ceremony on embarkation day
  • Coffee station available 24/7
  • 1 bottle of mineral water (0.5 l) per person per day in cabin
  • 1 bottle of mineral water (0.5 l) per person for excursions
  • Unlimited water for your table for all meals (including lunch in the city in St. Petersburg)
  • Cappuccino or Espresso at breakfast without extra charge 
  • ALL INCLIVISE system as follows: passengers can order any drinks from the list below without extra charge during meals on board and in all onboard bars:
    • vodka, whiskey, cognac
    • tequila, rum, gin
    • vermouth, liqueur
    • infused vodka
    • white / red / rose / sparkling wine
    • draught / bottled beer
    • alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails
    • soft drinks
  • Lunch in the city in St. Petersburg: water for your table + 1 glass (150 ml) of red or white wine or 1 glass of juice (200 ml) or 1 beer (0,33 l) or 1 soda (0,33) per person
  • Welcome drink on embarkation day – 1 glass of sparkling wine or 1 glass of juice and 1 canape per person
  • Crew presentation cocktail – 1 cocktail per person (choice of 3 cocktails: 2 alcoholic and 1 nonalcoholic)
  • Russian Tea Ceremony
  • Farewell cocktail – 1 glass of sparkling wine or 1 glass of juice and 1 canape per person
  • Captain’s Farewell dinner (special menu)
  • Vodka tasting ceremony
  • Themed dinners
  • In cool weather: hot tea upon returning onboard after shore excursions;
  • In hot weather: cold iced tea or fruit drink upon returning onboard after shore excursions
  • Afternoon snacks (traditional cuisine of Russian regions)

Included services:

  • Sightseeing programs in each port as per itinerary
  • Reception desk available 24/7
  • Onboard guides speaking English, French, German, Spanish, Italian
  • Daily entertainment including Russian language lessons, live lounge music, live dance music at night, piano music concerts, lectures about Russian history and culture and more.
  • Bathrobes and slippers in all cabins
  • Umbrella in all cabins
  • Minibar all cabins (for additional fee)
  • Hot towels upon returning onboard after shore excursions
  • 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 onboard
  • gratuities
  • port taxes
  • Russian visa invitation - the document necessary for obtaining a Russian visa when applying for a 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 visa may take a long time and we recommend that you start 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 the standard cancellation policy will be applied. 

Not included:

  • Hotel accommodation before or after the cruise

IMPORTANT:

For Moscow to St. Petersburg cruises it is necessary to book at least 1 night at a hotel in Moscow before boarding the boat, as an early departure is planned on the embarkation day. 

For St. Petersburg to Moscow cruises it is necessary to book at least 1 night at the hotel in Moscow after the cruise, as a late arrival is planned on the disembarkation day.

Please ask your order manager to help you with a hotel booking.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Premium brand drinks in bars
  • Birthday greetings (cake, music)
  • Sauna, hairdresser, massage
  • Sports equipment rental: bicycles, Nordic walking poles, folding chair canes
  • Personal spending
  • Culinary master class

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

Ship

Ships

TESTIMONIALS

Barbara and Louis, USA

Louis and I want you to know that our vacation was just great. The Rostropovich was very nice boat. All the crew were pleasant and helpful, including our guide Antonne. The food was very good. All the transfers worked out perfectly. We certainly would recommend your company.

Barbara and Louis, USA (August, 2018)
Stephen, UK

We have just returned home to the UK after our visit to Russia and the cruise on the MS Rostropovich. We had a superb time. The quality of the ship was superb and the service provided by all the staff was very friendly and professional. A very good introduction to Russia on our first visit to your country. I am emailing to thank you personally for the very efficient service provided by Express to Russia. From the initial enquiry, through the provision of additional information, to the conclusion of the booking you have always responded very promptly to my emails. This made the whole process much easier than it might otherwise have been and I would most certainly recommend your services to others. Thank-you and best wishes for the future.

Stephen, UK (August, 2018)
Hugo , Ilona , Marie-Pierre and Jean-Marie, South Africa

We had the most wonderful cruise and really enjoyed Russia. The crew on board were fantastic, food was great and we had a professor on board discussing current affairs, amazing. Tours were amazing and informative. Transfers were on time, so all in all, thank you for arranging such an experience, much appreciated.

Hugo , Ilona , Marie-Pierre and Jean-Marie, South Africa (July, 2018)
Gordana, Serbia

Two days ago we have returned from our journey in Russia. It was absolutely a wonderful experience! We had enjoyed every minute of our trip. Beautiful country with so much to offer! Many thanks for the great assistance that you have provided to us with the booking of the cruise!

Gordana, Serbia (July, 2018)
Mike & Irma, South Africa

I want to provide to you some feedback about the boat trip which we undertook from 12 till 19 May 2018. 1. The transfers from the airport to the boat was fantastic. Your driver went out of his way to assist us till into the reception area of the correct boat. He was on time at the airport also. He was very friendly also. 2. The cruise: this was a memorable experience for us. We got much more than we expected. The Russian history lessons; the Russian language lessons; the Vodka tasting lecture – these were very informative 3. The crew on the ship went out of their way to make us comfortable and relaxed. They were always available and very friendly 4. The local tours and the guides were very well planned and executed. The Guides are so passionate about their tasks and made one feel ashamed of the way we were told by our government in the communism era how bad Russia was. 5. The transfer from the ship to the airport in Moscow was great. The driver was there on time and drove safely to the airport with us. Very friendly also. I will definitely recommend the tour and your company to all who ask me about the visit to Russia. Perhaps I will come visit Russia again in the future and spend more time in Moscow also. Thank you once again for assisting with arranging a most memorable vacation!

Mike & Irma, South Africa (May, 2018)
Olive, Australia

I enjoyed my holiday in Russia very much and I found your company to be extremely helpful and courteous, it was a joy to correspond with you, thank you for making my holiday plans easier.

Olive, Australia (September, 2017)
Svetislav, Slovenia

Staff of Express to Russia and especially ms, Galina are exceptional competent ladies: very communicative and prompt with answers; booking, invitation letters, transfer from the airport to pear and in Saint Petersburg to hotel (we extended staying there for five days on our own) etc. went smooth. Pleasure to do business with ms. Galina and Express to Russia!

Svetislav, Slovenia (August, 2017)
Helga and Al, USA

We are back from our beautiful, Russian Cruise Excursion. My wife Helga and I want to thank you for helping me/us to arrange this wonderful trip. The specific reason for this trip was to take once more an adventure trip of this kind as a gift to our self on our 50th wedding anniversary. The anniversary was on the 10th while we were in St. Petersburg were we celebrated at the Astoria hotel with a ballet in the evening at the Mariinsky Theater in Tsar Nicolas Box. Upon our arrival on ship, and thanks to you I felt like a Russian finding the bottle champagne in our cabin and enjoying it. I made a toast to you and want to express my sincere thanks. My wife and I would have liked to have met you while in St. Petersburg. I now would like to say, that we experienced some of the Russian Soul and would wish that the rest of the world would have such love for their country.

Helga and Al, USA (June, 2017)
Jennifer, Australia

It was a long held dream of mine to visit your beautiful country. Cruising between St Petersburg and Moscow was beyond my expectations , so far my best travel experience Thanks to Express to Russia for all their assistance in organising my trip

Jennifer, Australia (May, 2017)
Brian Asmus, USA

I LOVED THE CRUISE!!!!! It was amazing and I had the best time. The food/service/cabin were all great and the price was FANTASTIC!!!!! I have mentioned this to my sister and her husband and they are considering going next year. LOVED it. I don't have ONE complaint :). THANKS for an amazing experience.

Brian Asmus, USA (October, 2016)

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