Russian river cruises and ferry transport
What River Cruises in Russia are Like?
Traditionally, there are short and long river cruises. Short cruises usually take two to five days, start in big cities (like Moscow) and cover small provincial towns along the way (the towns of Golden Ring - Uglich, Yaroslavl and Kostroma; Tver). Long cruises usually take nine to twenty days or longer and, starting in big cities (Moscow) go to some other big cities, like St. Petersburg (9 days), Astrakhan (20 days), Nizhni Novgorod etc. Usually, all cruises are return, that is, you'll come back where you started.
Generally, going on a river cruise, means that you'll board a cruise ship, have your own compartment (shared between 2 or 4 passengers), have a meal three times a day (or only once, if you want to save money), stop in the most attractive towns and places along the way, have a few hours or whole days to make a tour or walk around by your own.
The people who would make your company for the whole cruise are usually quite nice, well-educated Russians, schoolchildren or old people on vacations. If you take an expensive cruise, you might share your compartment with a foreigner.
Your main entertainment while the cruise will be observing the views along the way, making sightseeing tours in cultural and historical centers, participating in various entertainment events on the ship (which aren't always interesting).
Some recommendations are:
(a) it's better to start with short trips if you never tried river cruises before, because you might not be the kind of person who likes this kind of thing;
(b) don't take the most expensive tours, they aren't necessary the best ones;
(c) don't try to save your money on buying a tour, that includes only breakfast (and not a 3-days meal), because you won't have much time to buy food in the towns you stop and there'll be not chance to cook it;
(d) if you would like to hop off in one of the places you stop for a walking tour, ask your cruise company if they will refund you for the rest of the trip;
(e) the price for the most 'luxury' conditions with a meal 3 times a day and a private compartment is three times more expensive than the price for the cheapest compartment (shared between 4 people) and no meal included.
(f) it's better to take a compartment shared between 4 people, you'll have a chance to meet people, and it's less expensive too.
(g) ! before choosing a cruise, ask to see what kind of compartments are offered, because what is called 'luxury' in one company, may be 'economy' in the other. it's always better to go on the ship and to see the conditions yourself, especially, if you're going to spend long time in the cruise.
Some Short Cruises:
1. Moscow (River Port) - Tver - Moscow.
Route: Moscow (1st day, 17.30) - Tver (2nd day, 6.30) - Moscow (3rd day, 12.00). Length: 3 days. Price: luxury (a private compartment, 3 meals a day) 9000R ($300) to economy (a compartment shared between 4 people, 1 meal a day) 4400 R ($140). Cruise company: Stolichnaya Sudokhodnaya Kompania (SSK).
2. Moscow (River Port) - Tver - Moscow.
Route: Moscow (1st day, 21.30) - Tver (2nd day) - Moscow (3rd day, 15.30). Length: 3 days. Price: luxury (private compartment, 3 meals a day) 3500 R ($120) to economy (compartment shared between 2 people, 3 meals a day) 2000 R ($70). Cruise company: Tur Flot.
3. Moscow (River Port) - Uglich (a Golden Ring town) - Moscow.
Route: Moscow (1st day, 17.30) - Uglich (2nd day, 3.00) - Moscow (3rd day, 20.00). Length: 3 days. Price: luxury (a private compartment, 3 meals a day) 6000 R ($2000) to economy (a compartment shared between 4 people, 1 meal a day) 2600 R ($80). Cruise company: Stolichnaya Sudokhodnaya Kompania (SSK).
4. Moscow - Kostroma - Moscow.
Length: 5 days. Price: from luxury (a private compartment, 3 meals a day) 14700 R ($470 US) to economy (a compartment shared between 4 people, 1 meal a day) 7500 R ($340 US). Cruise company: SSK
5. St. Petersburg - Valaam - St. Petersburg.
Length: 3 days. Price: from 4250 R ($130) for a private compartment, 3 meals a day to 2500 R ($80) a compartment shared between 3 people, 3 meals a day. Cruise company: RechFlot.
6. St. Petersburg - Valaam - St. Petersburg.
Route: St. Petersburg (1st day, 21.00) - Valaam (2nd day) - St. Petersburg (3rd day, 7.00). Length: 3 days. Price: luxury (private compartment, 3 meals a day) 3800 R ($130) to economy (compartment shared between 2 people, 3 meals a day) 2400 R ($80). Cruise company: Tur Flot.
SOME LONG CRUISES:
1. Moscow (River Port) - St. Petersburg.
Route: Moscow - Uglich (Golden Ring) - Yaroslavl (Golden Ring) - Goritsy - Kizhi (Karelia, famous monastery) - Svirstroi - St. Petersburg. Length: 9 days. Price: from luxury (a private compartment, 3 meals a day) 22000 R ($650 US) to economy (a compartment shared between 4 people, no meals) 5596 R ($170 US). Cruise company: Stolichnaya Sudokhodnaya Kompania (SSK).
2. Moscow - St. Petersburg.
Route: Moscow - Uglich (Golden Ring town) - Kostroma (Golden RIng town) - Yaroslavl (Golden Ring town) - Goritsy - Kizhi - Mandrogi - St. Petersburg. Length: 8 days. Price: from luxury (a compartment shared between 2 people, 3 meals a day) 15000 R ($480) to economy (a compartment shared with 4 people, 3 meals a day) 12500 R ($400). Cruise company: RechFlot
3. Moscow - St. Petersburg.
Route: Moscow - Uglich (Golden Ring town) - Kostroma (Golden RIng town) - Yaroslavl (Golden Ring town) - Goritsy - Kizhi (Karelia, famous monastery) - Svirstroi - St. Petersburg. Length: 7 days. Price: from luxury (a private compartment, 3 meals a day) 60000 R ($2000) to economy (a compartment shared with 3 people, 3 meals a day) 12250 R ($390). Cruise company: Tur Flot.
4. Moscow (river port) - Nizhny Novgorod - Moscow.
Route: Moscow - Uglich (a Golden Ring town) - Yaroslavl (Golden Ring) - Kostroma (Golden Ring) - Nizhny Novgorod - Murom - Kasimov - Ryazan - Konstantinovo - Moscow. Length: 10 days. Price: luxury (a private compartment, 3 meals a day) 22000R ($650) to economy (a compartment shared between 4 people, 1 meal a day) 6400 R ($210). Cruise company: SSK
5. Moscow (river port) - Nizhny Novgorod - Moscow.
Route: Moscow - Uglich (Golden RIng town) - Yaroslavl (Golden Ring town) - Kostroma (Golden Ring town) - Plyos - Nizhni Novgorod - Pavlovo - Kasimov - Ryazan - Konstantinovo - Moscow. Length: 10 days. Price: from luxury private compartment, 3 meals a day 15000R ($500) to economy compartment shared between 4 people, 3 meals a day 6000 R ($200). Cruise company: Tur Flot.
6. Moscow - Astrakhan - Moscow.
Route: Moscow - Uglich - Kostroma - Plyos - Nizhni Novgorod - Kazan - Samara - Saratov - Volgograd - Astrakhan - Akhtuban - Volgograd - Saratov - Usovka - Vinnovka - Samara - Ulianovsk - Cheboksary - Yaroslavl - Tver - Moscow. Length: 20 days. Price: from luxury (a private compartment, 3 meals a day) 36600 R ($1200) to economy (a compartment shared between 4 people, no meals included!) 12276 ($400). Cruise company: SSK
Cruise Companies Contacts
Rech Flot. Some cruise itineraries on their website, in Russian only.
Address: 125195, Moscow, Leningradskoe Shosse, 59 (metro Rechnoi Vokzal), Moscow River Transport Department building (right wing), 3rd floor, office 331.
Contacts: phone: (+7 495) 459-72-70, 459-70-91, 459-73-0, 459-78-72, fax: +7 495 459-74-04, Internet: http://www.rechflot.ru/, e-mail: info@rechflot.ru
Stolichnaya Sudokhodnaya Komania (SSK). Probably the biggest river cruises operator. The website is in Russian only.
Address: Leningradskoe shosse, 51 (metro Rechnoi Vokzal), or Leningradski Prospekt, 1 (metro Belorusskaya, centrum).
Contacts: phone: (+7 095) 257-7112, 257-7109, 458-9163, 458-9624. Internet: http://www.cck-ship.ru/
Tur Flot. Has a good website in Russian with complete schedules of their cruises for 2002. Also provides cruises in Urals, Siberia, and CIS countries (Ukraine). Good prices.
Address: B. Ordynka Ul., 21 (metro Dobryninskaya, Tretyakovskaya, city centrum).
Contacts: +7 495 363-94-52, 363-94-53; Internet: http://www.turflot.ru/, e-mail: turflot@dialup.ptt.ru
RIVER PORTS.
In Moscow: North River Port -- address: Leningradskoe Shosse, 51 (metro Rechnoy Vokzal, green line).
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