Travel along the beautiful Volga River as you make your way between Russia's largest and most fascinating cities: St. Petersburg and Moscow and see several charming cities on the way
ITINERARY & MAP
Day 1
St. Petersburg: Your cruise departs at 5:00 PM.
PLEASE NOTE: The program of this cruise doesn't include any sightseeing in St. Petersburg. We will be glad to help you arrange a pre-cruise program in St. Petersburg (hotel, excursions, transfers), just ask your reservation specialist.
Shlisselburg: Our first stop will be Shlisselburg Fortress named “Oreshek, located where the Neva River originates from Lake Ladoga. Many years ago, the fortress was of great strategic importance. Over time the fortress was converted into the Russian version of Alcatraz as a prison for especially serious criminals. Now the fortress is a branch of the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg - Leningrad.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2
Valaam: Today, we will head to the main island of a unique archipelago in the northern part of Lake Ladoga, where ships with foreign guests rarely visit. Your time on Valaam will be a truly unforgettable experience. You will make the trip on a small boat that heads along the coast of the island and visit the impressive island monastery, which is a most important center of Russian Orthodoxy.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3
Lodeynoye pole and Svirstroy: Enjoy a bus tour to the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery founded in 1487. Svirstroy boasts one of the few preserved three-tented belfries and medieval clock towers in Russia. The stop in Lodeynoye pole is only for cruises going from Saint Petersburg to Moscow.
Mandrogui: Accompanied by a folk ensemble you will have “shashlik” (traditional Russia barbecue). Then you will take a walk around this amazing village inhabited by talented craftsmen; watch the artisans carving wood and making “matryoshkas” (Russian nesting dolls), view the Russian izba - traditional Russian houses. The village illustrates the traditions and lifestyle of Russia’s past.
Meals included: Breakfast, BBQ outdoors in Mandrogui, Dinner
IMPORTANT! 2021 program doesn't include a visit to Mandrogui. Only Svirstroy visit is included on this day.
Day 4
Kizhi Island: Explore the island of Kizhi and its open air museum with a precious collection of wooden churches and chapels. Walking on the island, you can see peasant houses, bell towers, windmills and more which were all collected from different parts of the Russian North. Among them is the pearl of the collection — the 22-dome Transfiguration Cathedral (1714), that was built without a single nail. The museum’s collection is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Kuzino: Today, we visit the Monastery of St. Cyril on the White Lake. Founded in the 14th century, the monastery has preserved its magnificent architecture and enchants visitors with its wonderful collection of Russian Orthodox icons and majestic churches.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Myshkin: Welcome to Myshkin, a typical old Russian town almost unchanged since the beginning of the 20th century. A brave mouse is a symbol of the town and actually gave the name of this place - myshka in Russian means mouse.
Uglich: After lunch, we will visit the fascinating and ancient city of Uglich, part of the Golden Ring of cities surrounding Moscow. You will also visit the modern, interactive Museum of Hydropower, one of the five best regional museums in Russia.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Moscow: The ship arrives in Moscow in the evening and your cruise ends here. We are sure that you will have memories to last a lifetime.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
PLEASE NOTE: The cruise program doesn't include any sightseeing in Moscow. We will be glad to help you arrange a post-cruise program in Moscow (hotel, excursions, transfers), just ask your reservation specialist.
PRICES & DATES
Swan Lake 3*
Prices are per person.
Two-room suite is only available on MS Moonlight Sonata.
Prices include:
- Accommodation in the cabin.
- Excursions with English speaking guide (other languages are on request).
- English accompaniment: English-speaking cruise director, English restaurant/bar menu, daily program in English.
- Full board during the cruise, Captain’s dinner, Russian national cuisine dinner, sparkling wine at breakfast.
- Daily entertainment on board: concerts, movies, master classes, morning exercises.
- Tea and coffee for early risers.
- Luggage handling onboard the ship.
- 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.
Prices do not include:
- 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
- Optional tours
- Tips for crew and ship staff
- Forwarding of baggage/souvenirs
- Travel and health insurance. We highly recommend to purchase insurance before embarking on your trip to Russia. It's always good to have extra protection for peace of mind 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 arranged by us.
BOOKING AND CANCELLATION POLICY IN 2020
Conditions of payment: To book your cruise a 40% deposit is required in advance. The trip must be fully paid 65 days before departure.
Cancellation terms:
65 or more days before departure - a fee equal to 25% of the entire package will be charged.
55-64 days before departure - a fee equal to 50% of the entire package will be charged.
35-54 days before departure - a fee equal to 75% of the entire package will be charged.
34 days or less before departure or in the event of a no-show - a fee equal to 100% of the package will be charged.
BOOKING AND CANCELLATION POLICY IN 2021
Conditions of payment: To book your cruise a 40% deposit is required in advance. The trip must be fully paid 75 days before departure.
Cancellation terms:
75 or more days before departure - a fee equal to 25% of the entire package will be charged.
65-74 days before departure - a fee equal to 30% of the entire package will be charged.
40-64 days before departure - a fee equal to 60% of the entire package will be charged.
35-39 days before departure - a fee equal to 75% of the entire package will be charged.
34 days or less before departure or in the event of a no-show - a fee equal to 100% of the package will be charged.
Ship
Ships
Swan Lake 3*
"Swan Lake" is a 4-deck ship built in Germany. The motorship features 2 restaurants, a bar, a theater hall, baby club, cinema club, sauna, souvenir kiosk, ironing room, and a rental store.
JUNIOR SUITE A WITH A BALCONY ON BOAT DECK (17.5-21 sq.m.)
The cabin has 2 beds (can be twin or double on request), a sofa (2 additional sleeping places can be arranged), private facilities (with a walk-in shower), AC, 2 bedstands, an armchair, a table, a safe, a fridge, radio, a wardrobe, a hairdryer, a TV. Each cabin of this type has a private balcony. A shower kit, bathrobes, slippers, tableware are provided.
JUNIOR SUITE B WITH A BALCONY ON BOAT DECK (15.5-16 sq.m.)
The cabin is equipped with 2 beds, which can be put together or separate, a sofa (which can be used for accommodation of 3rd person) or 2 armchairs, private facilities (with a walk-in shower), AC, 2 bedstands, a safe, a table, a banquette, a fridge, radio, a wardrobe, a hairdryer, a TV. Each cabin of this type has a private balcony. A shower kit, bathrobes, slippers, tableware are provided.
JUNIOR SUITE ON BOAT DECK (14 sq.m.)
The cabin has 2 beds, which can be put together or separate, private facilities (with a walk-in shower), AC, 2 bedstands, a safe, a table, 2 armchairs, a fridge, radio, a wardrobe, a hairdryer, a TV. This type has 2 panoramic windows. A shower kit, bathrobes, slippers, tableware are provided.
SINGLE CABIN WITH BALCONY ON BOAT DECK (A1+, 7.6 sq.m.)
The cabin has 1 bed, private facilities (with a walk-in shower), AC, a wardrobe, a fridge, radio, a TV, a hairdryer, an armchair. There is also a bunk bed for the 2nd person (if needed). Each cabin of this type has a private balcony.
SINGLE CABIN ON MIDDLE OR BOAT DECK (A1, 7.6 sq.m.)
The cabin has 1 bed, private facilities, AC, a wardrobe, a fridge, radio, a TV, a hairdryer. Cabins of this type have a panoramic window which can be open
STANDARD TWIN CABIN ON MAIN OR MIDDLE DECK (A2, 10 sq.m.)
The cabin has 2 separate beds, private facilities, AC, a wardrobe, a fridge, radio, a TV, a hairdryer. Cabins of this type have a panoramic window which can be open.
QUADRUPLE/TRIPLE CABIN ON LOWER DECK (A4-L, 13 sq.m.)
The cabin has 2 separate beds and 1 or 2 bunk beds, private facilities, a wardrobe, AC, a fridge, radio, a TV, a hairdryer. In this type of cabins there are portholes which cannot be open.
TESTIMONIALS
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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
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.