Day 1 - ISTANBUL - St. PETERSBURG
Meeting at Istanbul Airport, International Terminal, Turkish Airlines counter at 05:00. After check-in and passport procedures, we will depart for St. Petersburg on Turkish Airlines flight TK401 at 08:15. Arrival in St. Petersburg at 11:50 local time, followed by a complimentary panoramic city tour of St. Petersburg, which includes sights such as Moskovski Prospekt, Nevsky Prospekt, the Stroganov Palace, Palace Square, the Winter Palace, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Anichkov Palace and Bridge, and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. After the tour, transfer to our hotel, check-in and room distribution. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel.
Day 2 - St. PETERSBURG (EMBARKATION)
After breakfast at the hotel and check-out procedures, guests who wish may join an optional Hermitage Museum tour. The Hermitage, one of the world’s most important art museums, consists of five buildings. It encompasses the Winter Palace, which was once the residence of Russian tsars and empresses, as well as the magnificent collection of the art museum established by Empress Catherine and developed over the years. After the museum visit, you can enjoy some free time in the city center and relax at cafes on Nevsky Prospekt. After gathering at the designated time, we will transfer to our ship. After check-in procedures and settling into the cabins, there will be an informative meeting about the ports of stop, sailing routes, and the functioning of the level pools. The ship will depart at 19:00. In the evening, you will meet the captain and crew at the "Welcome" cocktail. Dinner and overnight stay on board our ship.
Day 3 - VALAAM
After breakfast on board, we will arrive in Valaam. The Valaam archipelago, located north of Lake Ladoga, is known for its extraordinary beauty, nature, and historical monasteries. During our walking tour on the largest island, Valaam, we will discover historical structures from the 14th century and the island's stunning natural beauty. Valaam holds significant importance in Orthodox Christianity and has witnessed many historical events. We will learn about the history of the island and the region, along with its monasteries and religious centers. After the tour, we will return to the ship and it will depart.
Day 4 - MANDROGİ
After breakfast on board, we will arrive in Mandrogi at 10:30. Mandrogi is a lush village with colorful Russian wooden houses and free time will be provided. Here you can take a walk in the open air, visit the mini zoo, and the souvenir shops located in beautiful wooden buildings, as well as the souvenir workshops. There is also a small vodka museum here (entrance fee required). After lunch, the ship will depart. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery while sailing through Russia's northern forests. Tonight, you will be hosted at the Captain's Gala Dinner. Overnight stay on board our ship.
Day 5 - KIZHI
After breakfast, you can participate in onboard activities or enjoy the beauty of Lake Onega. After lunch, we will arrive in Kizhi at 17:00. This island, located above the 60th parallel in Lake Onega, is an open-air museum and is on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list. During our free Kizhi walking tour, we will see the wooden Transfiguration Church, with its 22 domes, which was built without using any nails, and we will learn about the past village and island life while seeing the traditional wooden Russian houses. After the tour, there will be free time on the island. Later, we will return to the ship, and it will depart at 20:30. Dinner and overnight stay on board our ship.
Day 6 - GORITSI / KIRILOV
After breakfast, you can participate in various onboard activities and enjoy the beauty of the Volga River from the deck. After lunch, we will arrive in Goritsi. Goritsi is known as a picturesque and tranquil village in Russia, with a small port on the riverbank. You will explore the simplicity of this charming little village and the medieval atmosphere it offers. This area is also an important center of early Christianity in Russia, reflecting the spiritual life of many monasteries and monks. Upon arrival at this beautiful village located on the riverbank, we will transfer to Kirilov, which is 10 km away by bus. After visiting the monastery in the town, we will return to the village. We will have free time to explore the town and do some shopping. At the designated time, we will return to the ship, and it will depart. You can sip your coffee on the upper deck and enjoy the picturesque views along the riverbank. Dinner and overnight stay on board our ship.
Day 7 - UGLICH
After breakfast, you can take part in onboard activities or enjoy the beauty of the Volga River from the upper deck. After lunch, our ship will arrive in Uglich. During our free Uglich walking tour, we will visit the Transfiguration Cathedral located in the Old Kremlin Square and the Dmitry on the Blood Church, built where the son of Ivan the Terrible, Dimitri, was killed at age 9. The ship will depart at 18:00. Tonight, you will be hosted at the captain’s farewell dinner. Overnight stay on board our ship.
Day 8 - MOSCOW
After breakfast, we will have time for preparations before check-out procedures from the ship. Around noon, our ship will arrive in Moscow. After disembarking, we will take a panoramic city tour of Moscow, which includes sights such as Leningrad Avenue, Triumph Palace, one of the tallest buildings in Europe, 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 Duma Building. During the city tour, guests who wish can join an optional Kremlin + 2 Cathedrals tour. Later, we will transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 9 – MOSCOW
After breakfast at the hotel, we will check out and take our luggage as we leave the hotel. Guests who wish can join an optional tour to Novodevichy, Metro + Arbat. After the tours, we will meet at the specified time for transfer to Moscow Airport by bus. After check-in and passport procedures, we will depart for Istanbul New Airport on Turkish Airlines flight TK416 at 19:35. Arrival in Istanbul at 23:00 local time, and our tour ends.
- Economy class flight ticket from Istanbul Airport to Moscow / St. Petersburg – Istanbul Airport with THY.
- Accommodation in a cabin with FULL BOARD on the 5* Alexandra ship (Full board service begins with dinner on the day of boarding and ends with breakfast on the day of disembarkation).
- 1 night half-board accommodation in a 4* star hotel in Moscow.
- 1 night half-board accommodation in a 4* star hotel in St. Petersburg.
- Panoramic City Tour of Moscow (Half day)
- Panoramic City Tour of St. Petersburg (Half day)
- Tours at the ports visited on the river route.
- Airport transfers as specified in the program.
- Professional Turkish guiding service.
- Luggage handling service on the ship.
- Welcome cocktail on the ship and Captain's Gala Dinner.
- Tea and coffee service during all meals on the ship.
- Concerts, shows, cultural lessons, and activities on the ship (Russian language lesson, Russian song lesson, Russian dance lesson, Russian cuisine, Russian folk arts, histories and how to make wooden souvenirs).
- Crew 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 mentioned in the program.
- Travel Health and Cancellation insurance (We recommend our guests to obtain travel health insurance to avoid any issues in case of a health-related cancellation.)
- Visa Fee: Russia applies a visa for ordinary (regular) passports. It is necessary to obtain an ONLINE ELECTRONIC VISA for participation in the Volga Tour. Visa fee per person is (100 Euro) a visa is not required for Green passports. Regardless of passport type, a passport valid for at least 6 months from the end of the tour that is undamaged in any way, with no tears in the seams, is required for entry into Russia.
- International exit fee.
- The cruise company shall not be responsible for any changes in time and date made by the airline or train company.
- The cruise, airline, and train company reserves the right to make these changes.
- The working days and hours of the museums and archaeological sites specified in the program may vary.
- Travel documents and plane tickets will be sent to guests 48 hours prior to the trip. Participants are responsible for reading and checking these tickets and the related information.
- Due to changes in river water levels, port conditions, weather, and unforeseen circumstances, the cruise company has the right to make changes to the program. Accordingly, the ports to be visited, arrival and departure times may vary according to river traffic.
- Passengers who are not present at the specified airport or cruise docking port at the times communicated by our agency, who do not complete check-in and boarding procedures in time, or who complete these procedures on time but cannot board the plane or cruise are not the responsibility of our agency. All expenses related to new round-trip plane tickets or transportation to the port where they can board the cruise, and related transfers in the destination area for passengers who miss the plane or cruise will be borne by them.
- Information regarding the departure times of the ships is announced inside the cruise or posted on information boards. Guests are responsible for following this information. In case of missing the cruise departure, all costs created for continuing the trip by boarding from a different port or for returning by cutting the trip short will be borne by the passenger. No refunds will be made for the tour fee in case the trip is cut short.
- For international trips, it is mandatory to have a passport that is legally valid and has at least 6 months remaining until the expiration date. Passenger passports must be free of damage, wear, and tears, and must have blank visa pages. Passengers are obligated to fulfill legal obligations necessary for entry into the countries to be visited. In cases of non-compliance with these rules, passengers shall be personally responsible for any damages resulting from being denied boarding at airports.
- Passengers participating in the tour are responsible for their personal belongings, bags, suitcases, and our agency is not responsible for items that are forgotten, lost, or stolen. In case forgotten items are found, the costs incurred during their delivery to the country and/or the person shall be borne by the item owner.
- Full board accommodation on the cruise starts with the first day's dinner and ends with breakfast on the last day.
- In Russia, without prior notice, the government may close museums, archaeological sites, and main squares and arteries of cities. In this case, changes and cancellations in planned tours (city tours, extra tours) are at the discretion of the cruise management and the guide. This situation cannot be predicted in advance.
- Extra tour buses are only for guests participating in extra tours, and guests not participating in tours cannot use these buses.
- The programs and days of tours and extra tours in Moscow and St. Petersburg may vary depending on museums and archaeological sites. Some tours may be combined.
Cancellation Conditions
Guests have the right to cancel without penalty up to 90 days before the trip (this cancellation without penalty is only valid for the cruise portion. Airline ticket deductions will be charged separately).
A penalty of 50% will be applied for cancellations between 89 and 60 days.
A penalty of 80% will be applied for cancellations between 59 and 45 days.
A penalty of 100% will be applied for cancellations from 44 days to the day of the trip.