DAY 1 - ISTANBUL - MOSCOW
Meeting at 06:00 at the Turkish Airlines counter at Istanbul Airport, International Terminal. After check-in and passport procedures, we will depart for Moscow on Turkish Airlines flight TK417 at 09:10. Following our arrival in Moscow at 13:00 local time, we will embark on a panoramic city tour. During the city tour, we will see landmarks such as Leningrad Avenue, Tverskaya Avenue, the Parliament Building, Bolshoi Theater, Lubyanka Square, KGB Headquarters, St. Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, Gum Shopping Center, Christ the Savior Cathedral, and the Parliament Building. At the end of the tour, we will transfer to our hotel for dinner. Overnight stay at our hotel.
DAY 2 - MOSCOW
After breakfast at our hotel, guests who wish can join an optional tour to NOVODEVICHY Cemetery, where the graves of NAZIM HIKMET and many significant state figures and artists in Russian history are located, as well as tours of the METRO + ARBAT. After the tour, transfer back to our hotel for dinner. Following dinner, guests who wish can join the optional tour “MOSCOW UNDER THE LIGHTS”. Overnight stay at our hotel.
DAY 3 - MOSCOW
After breakfast, guests who wish can join the optional “KREMLIN” tour. After our tour, we will head to the dock to meet our ship. After boarding and settling into our cabins, our ship will set sail. At the designated time, there will be an informational meeting about the ports we will visit, the waterways we will navigate, and the working system of the level pools. In the evening, we will enjoy the captain’s welcome cocktail. Dinner and overnight stay on the ship.
DAY 4 - UGLICH
After breakfast, you can participate in on-board 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 Dmitri on the Blood, built where Ivan the Terrible's son Dmitri died at the age of 9. The ship will depart at 18:00. Dinner and overnight stay on the ship.
DAY 5 - KUZINO
After breakfast on board, we arrive in Kuzino, located at the confluence of the Sukhona and Yug rivers, surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Northern Russia. This small settlement, known for its tranquility and natural beauty, is also an important stop for Viking River Cruises. We will take a break here and for those who wish, we will travel by bus to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, one of the most magnificent structures in the region. This monastery, one of the best examples of medieval Russian architecture, holds immense cultural and historical significance. After our visit to the monastery, we will return to the ship and set sail. After lunch, enjoy the scenery or participate in various activities on the ship. Dinner and overnight stay on board.
DAY 6 - PETROZAVODSK
After breakfast, you can enjoy the beauty of Lake Onega, the second-largest lake in Europe, from the deck. After lunch, at 17:00 we arrive in Petrozavodsk, the capital of the Republic of Karelia. We will explore the significant squares and streets of this city situated on the banks of Lake Onega. Among the places we will see are the famous Onega Quay, where city residents spend their leisure time, and Gubernator Park. After the city tour, we will have free time in the center before returning to the ship and setting sail. Dinner and overnight stay on board.
DAY 7 - SVIRSTROY
After breakfast, you can participate in activities on board or enjoy the beauty of the Svir River from the deck. At 12:00, we arrive in Svirstroy. We will disembark to explore this lovely town on the banks of the Svir River. Svirstroy is home to one of the first hydroelectric power plants in the USSR. This plant played a pioneering role in the construction of hydroelectric plants that began during the Soviet period and significantly impacted the development of energy infrastructure in the USSR, named after engineer and academician Genrik Graftio. Svirstroy also holds an important place in Russian Christian history. After our tour, we will return to the ship, and at 15:30 we will set sail. Dinner and overnight stay on board.
DAY 8 - ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, we will arrive in St. Petersburg. After disembarkation procedures, we will leave the ship with our luggage and begin our city tour. During the tour, we will see landmarks such as Aleksandr Nevsky Monastery, Nevsky Prospect, Strogonov Palace, Palace Square, Winter Palace, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Smolny Monastery, the Anichkov Palace and Bridge, and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. After the tour, guests who wish can join optional tours to the "HERMITAGE MUSEUM" and additionally to the "CANALS." Subsequently, we will transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel.
DAY 9 - ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, we will leave the hotel and head to St. Petersburg airport. After check-in and passport procedures, we will depart on our return flight, concluding our tour.
- Economy class flight ticket between Istanbul Airport – Moscow / St. Petersburg – Istanbul Airport with Turkish Airlines.
- Accommodation in a cabin on the 5* Aleksandra ship with FULL BOARD (Full board service starts with dinner on the embarkation day and ends with breakfast on the disembarkation day)
- 2 nights accommodation in Moscow at a 4* star hotel with half board.
- 1 night accommodation in St. Petersburg at a 4* star hotel with half board.
- Panoramic City Tour of Moscow (Half day).
- Panoramic City Tour of St. Petersburg (Half day).
- Tours at ports of call along the river route.
- Airport transfers as specified in the program.
- Professional Turkish-speaking guiding service.
- Baggage handling service on board.
- Welcome cocktail and Captain's Gala Dinner on board.
- Tea and coffee service at all meals on board.
- Concerts, shows, cultural classes and activities on board (Russian language course, Russian songs course, Russian dances course, Russian cuisine, Russian folk arts, history of costumes and wooden souvenirs and their making)
- Ship personnel service fee (Per person: 80 EURO) is collected at the airport.
- Tips for local guides and drivers (Per person: 70 Euro) are 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 all our passengers to obtain travel health insurance to avoid any inconvenience in case of a health-related cancellation.)
- Visa Fee: Russia applies a visa for regular (ordinary) passports. An ONLINE ELECTRONIC VISA is required for participation in the Volga Tour. The visa fee per person (100 EURO) is not required for Green passports. Regardless of the type of passport, it is necessary to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of the tour and is undamaged, with no tearing in the seams.
- Foreign exit tax.
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The cruise company will not be responsible for any changes in schedule, date, and route made by the airline or train company.
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The cruise, airline, and train companies reserve the right to make these changes.
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The operating days and hours of museums and archaeological sites mentioned in the program may vary.
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Travel documents and plane tickets will be sent to guests 48 hours prior to the trip. Participants are responsible for reading and verifying these tickets and related information.
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Due to river water levels, port conditions, weather, and unforeseen circumstances, the cruise company reserves the right to make changes to the program. Consequently, visited ports, arrival, and departure times may change according to river traffic.
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Passengers who do not meet at the specified airport or the port where the ship will dock at the times communicated by our agency, who do not complete check-in and boarding procedures on time, or who complete these but miss the flight or have to board the ship will not have their travel responsibilities taken by our agency. All expenses related to new round-trip flight tickets or transportation to the port from where they can board the ship, and any transfers in the visited area for passengers who miss the flight or ship are their own responsibility.
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Information regarding the ship's departure times from the port is announced or displayed on information boards within the ship. Guests are responsible for following this information. In cases of missed ship departures, all expenses incurred to continue the journey by boarding from a different port or to return home will be the responsibility of the passenger. No refunds will be made in case of journey interruption.
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For international trips, it is compulsory to have a legally valid passport with at least a 6-month validity from the trip end date. Passports must be intact, undamaged, and not torn, and there must be blank visa pages. Passengers are obligated to fulfill the legal requirements for entry into the countries they will visit. Passengers are personally responsible for any damages arising from not complying with these rules and being denied boarding at airports.
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Passengers participating in the tour are responsible for their personal belongings, bags, and suitcases, and our agency is not liable for forgotten/lost/stolen items. In the event of forgotten items being found, the expenses incurred for delivery to the country and/or individual are the responsibility of the item owner.
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Full board accommodation on the ship starts with dinner on the first day and ends with breakfast on the last day.
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In Russia, museums, archaeological sites, and major squares and arteries of cities can be closed by the state without prior notice. In this case, the decision to change or cancel the planned tours (city tours, additional tours) is at the discretion of the cruise management and the guide. This situation cannot be predicted beforehand.
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Additional tour buses are exclusively for guests who have participated in the additional tour, and guests who do not join the tours cannot use these buses.
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The schedule and days of tours and additional tours in Moscow and St. Petersburg may change depending on the museums and archaeological sites. Some tours may be combined.
Cancellation Policies;
There is a penalty-free cancellation right until 90 days before the trip date (this penalty-free cancellation right only applies to the cruise part until 90 days before the trip date. Airline ticket cuts will be reflected separately).
A 50% penalty applies between 89 days – 60 days!
An 80% penalty applies between 59 days – 45 days!
A 100% penalty applies from 44 days to the day of the trip!