Day 1 - ISTANBUL - MOSCOW
Meeting at Istanbul Airport, International Terminal, Turkish Airlines counter at 06:00. After check-in and passport procedures, we will depart for Moscow at 09:10 on Turkish Airlines flight TK417. Arriving in Moscow at 13:00 local time, we will start our panoramic city tour. The places we will see during the city tour include Leningrad Avenue, Tverskaya Avenue, the Parliament Building, the Bolshoi Theatre, Lubyanka Square, KGB Headquarters, St. Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, GUM Shopping Center, Christ the Savior Cathedral, and the House of the Government. At the end of our tour, we will transfer to our hotel and have dinner. Overnight stay at our hotel.
Day 2 - MOSCOW
After breakfast at our hotel, for those who wish, we will have an extra tour of the NOVODEVICHY Cemetery where NAZIM HIKMET and many statesmen and artists who shaped Russian history are buried, as well as a METRO + ARBAT tour. After the tour, transfer back to the hotel for dinner. After dinner, for those who wish, we will embark on the extra tour “MOSCOW UNDER LIGHTS.” Overnight at our hotel.
Day 3 - MOSCOW
After breakfast, for those who wish, we will have an extra tour of the “KREMLIN.” After our tour, we will move towards the port to board our cruise ship. After the boarding procedures and settling into the cabins, our ship will set sail. At the designated time, there will be an information meeting where details regarding the ports we will visit, the waterways we will navigate, and the working system of the level pools will be provided. In the evening, we will be at the captain's welcome cocktail. Dinner and overnight on our ship.
Day 4 - UGLICH
After breakfast, you can participate in onboard activities or enjoy the beauty of the Volga River from the upper deck. After lunch, our ship arrives in Uglich. In this charming town located on the banks of the Volga, we will take a free walking tour where we will see the Transfiguration Cathedral in the Old Kremlin Square and the Church of Dmitry on the Blood, built at the site where Ivan the Terrible's son Dmitry died at the age of 9. The ship departs at 18:00. Dinner and overnight on our ship.
Day 5 - KUZINO
After breakfast on the ship, we will reach Kuzino, located at the confluence of the Sukhona and Yug rivers, accompanied by the beautiful scenery of Northern Russia. This small settlement is located just across from the historic Veliky Ustyug and is an important stop for Viking River Cruises due to its tranquility and natural beauty. We will stop here and for those interested, we will take a bus to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, one of the most magnificent structures in the region. This monastery, which is one of the finest examples of medieval Russian architecture, has a unique value not only religiously but also culturally and historically. After our visit to the monastery, return to our ship and sail away. After lunch, you can enjoy the scenery or participate in various activities. Dinner and overnight on the ship.
Day 6 - PETROZAVODSK
After breakfast, you can enjoy the beauty of Lake Onega, the second largest lake in Europe, from the deck. After lunch, our ship will arrive in Petrozavodsk, the capital of the Karelia Autonomous Republic, at 17:00. We will explore the important squares and streets of this city located on the banks of Lake Onega. The famous Onega Embankment and Gubernator Park, where the city residents spend their leisure time, are among the places we will see. After the city tour, we will have free time in the center. Later, we will return to the ship and set sail. Dinner and overnight on the ship.
Day 7 - SVIRSTROY
After breakfast, you can participate in activities on the ship or admire the beauty of the Svir River from the deck. We will arrive in Svirstroy at 12:00. We will disembark to explore this charming town on the banks of the Svir River. Svirstroy is home to one of the first hydroelectric power stations built during the Soviet Union. This station pioneered hydroelectric plants designed in the Soviet Union and played a significant role in developing the energy infrastructure in the country. Svirstroy also holds a significant place in the history of Christianity in Russia. After our tour here, return to the ship and sail at 15:30. Dinner and overnight on the ship.
Day 8 - ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, we will arrive in St. Petersburg. After disembarkation procedures, we will leave the ship with our luggage and start our city tour. During our tour, we will see the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, Nevsky Prospect avenue, Count Stroganov Palace, Palace Square, the Winter Palace, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Smolny Cathedral, the Anichkov Palace and Bridge, and the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky. After the tour, there will be optional extra tours for those who wish to visit the “HERMITAGE MUSEUM” and an optional canal tour. Afterwards, we will transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
Day 9 - ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, we will check out from the hotel and head to St. Petersburg airport. After check-in and passport procedures, we will take our return flight, concluding our tour.
- Economy class flight ticket between Istanbul Airport – Moscow / St. Petersburg – Istanbul Airport with THY.
- Accommodation in a cabin on the 5* Aleksandra ship with FULL BOARD (Full board service starts with dinner on the day of boarding and ends with breakfast on the day of disembarkation).
- 2 nights accommodation in a 4* hotel in Moscow with half board.
- 1 night accommodation in a 4* hotel in St. Petersburg with half board.
- Panoramic City Tour of Moscow (Half day).
- Panoramic City Tour of St. Petersburg (Half day).
- Tours at the ports of call along the river route.
- Airport transfers as specified in the program.
- Professional Turkish guiding service.
- Luggage transport service on the ship.
- Welcome cocktail and Captain's Gala Dinner on the ship.
- Tea and coffee service at all meals on the ship.
- Concerts, shows, cultural lessons, and activities on the ship (Russian language course, Russian songs course, Russian dance course, Russian cuisine, information about Russian folk arts, costumes, and the history and making of wooden souvenirs).
- Cruise personnel service fee (Per person: 80 EURO) will be collected at the airport.
- Tips to local guides and drivers (Per person: 70 Euro) will be collected at the airport.
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and bottled water on the ship.
- Tours not specified in the program.
- Travel Health and Cancellation insurance (We recommend that all our passengers obtain travel health insurance to avoid any issues in case of a health-related cancellation).
- Visa Fee: Russia applies a visa requirement for ordinary (normal) passports. An ONLINE ELECTRONIC VISA is required for participation in the Volga Tour. Visa fee per person (100 EURO) is required for ordinary passports. Green passport holders do not need a visa. Regardless of the passport type, a passport that is valid for at least 6 months from the end of the tour and is in perfect condition, with no damage or torn seams, is required for entry into Russia.
- International departure tax.
-
The cruise company is not responsible for changes in times, dates, and routes made by the airline or train company.
-
The cruise, airline, and train companies reserve the right to make these changes.
-
The working days and hours of museums and historical sites specified in the program may vary.
-
Travel documents and flight tickets are delivered to guests 48 hours before the trip. Participants are responsible for reading and checking these tickets and the information contained in them.
-
Due to changes in river water levels, port conditions, weather conditions, and unforeseen circumstances, the cruise company has the right to make changes to the program. Accordingly, the ports to be visited, as well as arrival and departure times at ports, may vary according to river traffic.
-
Participants who are not present at the specified airport or at the port where the ship will dock at the times indicated by our agency, who do not complete the check-in and boarding procedures on time, or who complete these procedures on time but miss the flight or the ship, are not the responsibility of our agency. All expenses related to booking new round-trip flight tickets or transport to the port where they can reach the ship, as well as transfers in the region to be visited, are the responsibility of the passengers who miss the flight or the ship.
-
Information regarding the departure times of ships from the port is announced or posted on information boards within the ship. Guests are responsible for following this information. In the event of missing the ship's departure, all expenses for continuing the journey by boarding from a different port or the costs incurred for returning by cutting the trip short lie with the passenger. No refund of the tour fee will be made in case the trip is cut short.
-
For international trips, it is mandatory to have a legally valid passport with a minimum of 6 months validity from the end of the trip. Passengers' passports must be undamaged, unwrinkled, and intact, and must have empty visa pages. Passengers are obligated to fulfill the necessary legal requirements for entry into the countries to be visited. Passengers are personally responsible for any damages resulting from non-compliance with these rules, leading to being refused boarding at airports.
-
Passengers participating in the tour are responsible for their personal belongings, bags, and suitcases, and our agency is not responsible for forgotten, lost, or stolen items. If forgotten items are found, any expenses incurred in delivering them to the country and/or person are the responsibility of the item owner.
-
Onboard accommodation is full board, starting with dinner on the first day and ending with breakfast on the last day.
-
In Russia, museums, historical sites, and major squares and arteries of cities may be closed by the government without prior notice. In such cases, the ship management and guide have the right to change or cancel planned tours (city tours, extra tours). This situation is not foreseeable.
-
Extra tour buses are exclusively for guests who have participated in the extra tour, and guests who do not participate in the tours cannot benefit from these buses.
-
The programs and days of the tours and extra tours in Moscow and St. Petersburg may change depending on the museums and historical sites. Some tours may be conducted in combination.
Cancellation Conditions;
A penalty-free cancellation right is available up to 90 days before the tour's departure date (the penalty-free cancellation right 90 days before the tour's departure date is only valid for the cruise portion. Flight ticket deductions will be charged separately)
A 50% penalty applies between 89 days and 60 days!
An 80% penalty applies between 59 days and 45 days!
A 100% penalty applies between 44 days and the day of the tour departure