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Royal Russia River Cruise
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16
Days
35 Meals
Breakfast
daily
2 dinners
All meals aboard cruise |
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Itinerary
at a glance: |
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Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15
Day 16 |
Overnight flight
Moscow, Russia
Moscow
Moscow
Uglich
Yaroslavl
Goritza
Kizhi
Mandroga
St. Petersburg, Russia
St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg
Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki, Finland
Return flight home |
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Departures
& Rates: |
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Travel
Inclusions: |
•
Call or
email us for
departure dates and pricing from your gateway city.
•
Prices are per person and based on two people
sharing a twin-bedded room.
• Single Room Supplement will apply. |
• Roundtrip air transportation from your gateway.
• Personal airport VIP greeting & check-in
• All transfers and luggage handling between airports and hotel
• Comprehensive sightseeing throughout the itinerary
• Professional, Tour Manager while on tour
• Pre-departure orientation and travel docs
• All tips and taxes for included services, except airport departure taxes and tips to drivers
and guides. |
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Detailed
Itinerary: |
DAY 1: USA - MOSCOW
Your exciting holiday begins with a transatlantic
flight to Moscow, the grand capital of Russia. (Inflight
meals)
DAY 2: MOSCOW
Upon arrival check into your floating hotel. The
balance of the day is at leisure to relax, get
acquainted with the ship, the cruise staff and meet
your fellow passengers. (D)
DAY 3: MOSCOW
Enjoy a morning city tour and see the famous
landmarks and major sights of Russia’s most dynamic
city. See the venerable Bolshoi Theater and the
impressive Moscow University. Drive to Lenin Hills
for a splendid view of the river Moskva and the city
below. Explore Red Square - the name alone evokes so
many historical associations - and marvel at the
sinister Kremlin walls and the flamboyantly-colored
onion domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral. In the early
afternoon, you’ll be treated to a tour of the Metro,
where numerous great works of art are on display.
The rest of the afternoon is free. In the evening, a
performance of the Moscow State Circus provides an
exhilarating complement to an exciting day. (B,L,D)
DAY 4: MOSCOW
This morning visit the Kremlin and its incomparable
Armory Palace Museum. A walk within the Kremlin
provides a fascinating view of the lavish government
(formerly Czar’s) palaces and splendid cathedrals.
See three of the most important cathedrals in all of
Russia - the Assumption Cathedral; the Annunciation,
with its nine golden domes; and St. Michael’s the
Archangel, the internment place of the Russian
rulers until the time of Peter the Great. This
afternoon, visit the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.
The museum contains a wealth of works ranging from
ancient Egyptian to the Impressionists, including
works by Cézanne, van Gogh, Gaugin and Matisse. (B,L,D)
DAY 5: UGLICH
A relaxing day aboard as you cruise along the Volga,
Europe’s longest river. Enjoy shipboard activities,
including lectures on Russian history and Russian
language lessons. After lunch arrive in the historic
town of Uglich. As you approach this picturesque
Golden Ring city, be prepared for a lovely view of
its Cathedral and St. John’s church looming on the
horizon. Founded in 1148, Uglich is one of the
oldest and most beloved towns in Russia. A walk
through this enchanting town is a delight. Among the
magnificent architectural monuments you’ll see are
the Kremlin, the Palace of Czarevich Dimitry and the
Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior.
Continue cruising in the evening. Enjoy a classical
concert being performed on board, dance the night
away in the Lounge or watch a piano performance in
the Entertainment Lounge. (B,L,D)
DAY 6: YAROSLAVL
This morning, arrive in Yaroslavl, another Golden
Ring city, founded in 1010 by Grand Prince Yaroslav
the Wise of Kiev. Several buildings here rank among
the world’s greatest architecture. On your
sightseeing tour, see the exquisite Church of Elijah
the Prophet, a masterpiece of local architecture,
richly adorned with precious frescoes, and the 12th
century Transfiguration Monastery with murals
depicting St. John’s apocalyptic visions. A special
treat will be a concert by the 30-member choir in
this church, where the acoustics are outstanding! In
the afternoon continue your journey northward,
cruising through the vast Rybinsk Lake. (B,L,D)
DAY 7: GORITZA
Enjoy breathtaking scenery as you sail north through
the White Lake, once known as the “Czar’s fishing
grounds”, and through the Volga-Baltic Canal. Arrive
in Goritsy, a peaceful farming community where your
cruise pauses for a few hours for a tour ashore and
a visit to a Russian farming village, where you’ll
even catch a glimpse of the local crafts being
performed by peasants. In the afternoon continue
northward. In the summer the days are long here and
the sun is up well after 10:00 pm. (B,L,D)
DAY 8: LAKE ONEGA
Cruise through Lake Onega, the second largest lake
in Europe and one of the world’s purest. In the
afternoon (at 5:00 pm) arrive on Kizhi Island, an
enchanting place and one of the highlights of your
waterway journey. Here the magnificent Church of the
Transfiguration is more than a match for the
colorful splendor of Moscow’s St. Basil’s. Its 22
shimmering domes in three tiers are the ultimate in
Russian fairy-tale architecture. A walking tour will
encompass some splendid examples of 18th century
Russian architecture including typical wooden
churches, houses and a windmill. Visit the
spectacular Transfiguration Church before sailing in
the evening. Also, enjoy an amazing caviar and
champagne party on board this evening. (B,L,D)
DAY 9: MANDROGA
Cruise through the 139-mile Svir River which
connects Lake Onega with Lake Ladoga. Pause for a
few hours in Mandroga. Enjoy the surrounding
countryside while the cruise cooks prepare a
wonderful outdoor shashlik barbecue lunch complete
with wine and entertainment! Enjoy the captain’s
gala farewell dinner tonight. (B,L,D)
DAY 10: ST. PETERSBURG
Early morning arrival in one of the loveliest of
European cities, St. Petersburg. After breakfast,
disembark for a city tour of this fabled city of
canals and Northern Lights. Drive along the Nevsky
Prospect, the city’s main boulevard lined with smart
shops and restaurants. Explore the Palace Square,
the historic heart of St. Petersburg. See the
spectacular St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Bronze
Horseman, the Admiralty Tower and the sinister Peter
and Paul Fortress, the Bastille of Czarist Russia,
built on a small island in the Neva River. This
afternoon, explore the extraordinary Hermitage
Museum, located in the former Czar’s Winter Palace,
without a doubt one of the greatest treasure houses
of the world. You’ll be dazzled by its fabulous art
collection. (B,L,D)
DAY 11: ST. PETERSBURG
In the morning, enjoy an excursion to nearby Pushkin,
formerly known as Czar’s Village, to see the
magnificent Catherine’s Palace. Then you’ll travel
to the splendid Peterhof Palace, built by Peter the
Great to rival Versailles. The Palace stands on a
natural terrace with its formal gardens sloping down
to the shores of the Gulf of Finland. In the
evening, enjoy the performance of one of St.
Petersburg’s premier folklore troupes. (B,L,D)
DAY 12: ST PETERSBURG
Following disembarkation this morning, enjoy a canal
cruise en route to your hotel. The rest of the day
will be free for shopping or to relax on your own.
You will stay in a St. Petersburg hotel. (B)
DAY 13: ST PETERSBURG
This morning, you’ll visit the Peter and Paul
Fortress. Located in the middle of the fortress is
the Peter and Paul Cathedral, a church where all the
Russian Emperors and Empresses from Peter the Great
to Alexander III are buried. Following this tour,
you’ll have the balance of the day to shop and
explore. Tonight enjoy dinner and a farewell
folklore performance. (B,D)
DAY 14: ST PETERSBURG - HELSINKI
Depart, by air, this morning for Helsinki, the
capital of Finland. Once you arrive, enjoy a
sightseeing tour with a local guide, featuring City
Hall and Parliament House, the Presidential Palace,
the monumental railroad station, the great Lutheran
Cathedral, and the strikingly modern Temppeliaukio
Rock Church. (B)
DAY 15: HELSINKI
Today, travel west along the coastline to enchanting
Porvoo, one of Finland’s oldest towns, for pictures
of the colorful wooden houses and a leisurely break.
View many coastal vistas before returning to
Helsinki, known as the “Daughter of the Baltic” and
Europe’s most enchanting capital. Tonight you and
your fellow travelers will be treated to a wonderful
farewell dinner. (B,D)
DAY 16: HELSINKI - USA
This morning, you’ll depart Helsinki for the USA.
(B, Inflight meals) |
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