Russia River cruise map
Day 1
Arrival Moscow
Welcome to Moscow! Your guide will meet and greet you at the airport and deliver you to your home of the next week, elegant cruising vessel “MS. Rostropovich”. Lunch and dinner will be served onboard. Depending on your flight schedule, sightseeing can be arranged based on your personal selection of Moscow attractions.
In the evening, meet your fellow passengers at the information briefing. Optional: spend a night out, visit famous night clubs and bars and see Moscow at night. If you would like to get a better understanding of Russia’s capital, we advise you to arrive a couple of days ahead and take your time exploring ancient city of Moscow. Private guided tours will be arranged upon request.
Day 2
CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR
Start your day with a home-made pastries, coffee and breakfast onboard. Today we will take you on a bus city tour to visit the Kremlin and Red Square, walk in city centre, see Cathedral Of Christ The Savior. After lunch in the downtown, our bus will continue driving along the central streets towards our port of embarkation on the north of Moscow. We will pass KGB building, famous Tverskaya street and other highlights to return on board not later than 17:00.
MOSCOW CITY
Our cruise commences with Captains’ Welcome Cocktail, then in the evening we will have safety briefing. Finally, daily information briefing will make your more familiar with the area we’re now cruising. After dinner enjoy live music, movie, dancing and chill out onboard!
Day 3
UGLICH
While we’re cruising towards ancient town of Uglich, there are lots of things happening onboard: Russian national crafts show, lesson of Russian language, games, bingo and even a lecture on Russian history! By the time we arrive to Uglich (16:30) and start city tour including visit of Kremlin, churches and cathedrals, you will already be pretty much acquainted with the sightseeing.
GORITSY
In the evening, we sail further to Goritsy, enjoying beautiful peaceful landscapes and delicious dinner, listening to folk music concert and singing Russian songs. Let evening program as usual included live music in the lounge and some dancing.
Day 4
GORITSY
Today, apart of our traditional morning activities (Russian history lecture, Russian language lesson, route information, fantastic branch) we shall teach you how to cook Russian ravioli (“pelmeni”).
KIZHI
In the afternoon, our ship sails towards UNESCO World Heritage Site, the island of Kizhi, to see the masterpiece of Russia’s 18th century wooden architecture .Daily onboard activities include:
Russian language and songs lessons, Captain’s Bridge tour, St. Petersburg program briefing, lectures on Russian history and fairytales, piano music, Pirate’s games and Pirates’ dinner onboard, movie, live music and dances in the evening.
Enjoy the beauty of pristine nature we’re passing by, amuse vodka tasting and tea ceremony, try typical folk games with your guides, dance Russian dances, try “matryoshka” painting – we’ve made sure you will have lots of things to do before dinner. In the evening we will have “Mister and Mrs Cruise” fun contest, live music and dances.
Day 5
KIZHI
Kizhi Island is a remote yet well-travelled destination thanks to its absolutely amazing, fantastically well preserved examples of wooded architecture.
Kizhi Island is located at pristine and beautiful place, hundreds of picturesque islands and gulfs surround this mystical place. Twisting coastlines, rocks with pine trees at the tops, multi-colored meadows framed by deep blue waters of Onega Lake – all this makes Kizhi Island more than just the largest in Russia open-air museum of wooden architecture. It is also one of the most beautiful places of the Russian North where time is frozen and where that enigmatic something called “the Russian soul” is most felt.
Kizhi Island
The collection of the Open-Air “Kizhi” Museum includes 83 monuments of wooden architecture: old chapels and houses, windmills and granaries, threshing barns and racks for drying crops…The gem of this collection is the 22 domed Church of the Transfiguration of Our Savior, 37 meters height. The Church of the Intercession of Holy Mary and the Bell-Tower located nearby emphasize the harmony and magnificence of the main Church.Sail further to Mandrogi village.
Day 6
MANDROGI
RUSSIAN VILLAGE
Time to enjoy the summer Russian countryside! This incredibly beautiful traditional Russian village is a place where the past meets the present. You will walk the streets of this beautiful village, go inside old wooden houses, visit the estate of a Russian noble family. We will witness ancient Russian folk craftspeople at work: potters, birchbark goods makers, wood carvers, lace makers and painters on wood. Some of these crafts have earned the world’s recognition as absolutely unique. Your kids can prove themselves in a real smithy and make a great souvenir!
And then…fairy tale time! We shall visit mysterious “Lukomorye” where the characters in all the famous Russian tales live. Russian kebab (“shashlik”) will be served ashore for a picnic lunch today. On your way further to St. Petersburg, try yourself in a talent show or simply chill out at Captain’s cocktail and farewell dinner onboard.
Day 7
SAINT PETERSBURG
We arrive to the splendid northern capital of Russia right after breakfast to allow you plenty of time in the city today. Bus city tour includes St Basil island, The Building of Exchange, Winter palace, main street Nevsky avenue, St. Isaac cathedral, cathedral of Savior on the Spilt Blood), Peter and Paul fortress and more.
SAINT PETERSBURG
After lunch we visit the Hermitage Museum and return onboartd by 18:00 to dress up for your optional Ballet/Folk show (necessary to order in advance). Dinner and final overnight onboard.
Day 8
DEPARTURE
Farwell breakfast with all your now favourite Russian dishes and transfer to the airport.
