saltwater eco tours reviews

Saltwater Eco Tours

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• Saltwater Eco Tours consists of a small team of highly passionate and professional crew, who deliver a 5 star service onboard a unique heritage listed vessel.
• Professional tour guide

Bushtucker Cruise

Sunset Tour with Live Music

River Cruise on Historical Vessel

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

SALTWATER ECO TOURS (Mooloolaba) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Saltwater Eco Tours

• See all photos

• Saltwater Eco Tours consists of a small team of highly passionate and professional crew, who deliver a 5 star service onboard a unique heritage listed vessel.
• Professional tour guide

Bushtucker Cruise

Sunset Tour with Live Music

River Cruise on Historical Vessel

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Saltwater Eco Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

Saltwater Eco Tours

• See all photos

• Saltwater Eco Tours consists of a small team of highly passionate and professional crew, who deliver a 5 star service onboard a unique heritage listed vessel.
• Professional tour guide

Bushtucker Cruise

Sunset Tour with Live Music

River Cruise on Historical Vessel

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

SALTWATER ECO TOURS (Mooloolaba) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Saltwater Eco Tours

Location & Hours

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The Wharf, Mooloolaba

123 Parkyn Parade

Mooloolaba Queensland 4557

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Whether you are a local or just visiting I definitely recommend booking a trip. My family and I booked the Native bush food and seafood cruise. Upon boarding we were offered a complementary drink (alcoholic & non-alcoholic options). During which Simon introduced us to the crew Nikki, Jamie and Bella, the boat and a little history of the area. The staff were extremely accommodating and seemed to love what they do. Simon gave us further information during the 2 hour trip but didn't talk so much as to not allow you time to chat with your group. There was a bar which included some specialty cocktails. The food, native to the area was delicious, both quantity and quality was perfectly planned and presented.

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Saltwater Eco Tours

• See all photos

• Saltwater Eco Tours consists of a small team of highly passionate and professional crew, who deliver a 5 star service onboard a unique heritage listed vessel.
• Professional tour guide

Bushtucker Cruise

Sunset Tour with Live Music

River Cruise on Historical Vessel

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

SALTWATER ECO TOURS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Saltwater Eco Tours

• See all photos

• Saltwater Eco Tours consists of a small team of highly passionate and professional crew, who deliver a 5 star service onboard a unique heritage listed vessel.
• Professional tour guide

Bushtucker Cruise

Sunset Tour with Live Music

River Cruise on Historical Vessel

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Saltwater Eco Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Saltwater Eco Tours review

Saltwater Eco Tours combines owner Simon Thornalley’s passion for the ocean with his Indigenous heritage and showcases the Indigenous culture of the local Kabi Kabi people and the beauty of the Sunshine Coast. However, this tour wasn’t what our family expected. We might have been connecting with the oldest living culture in the world but our three hour trip along the Mooloolah River was light-hearted and fun in addition to providing a deeper understanding of local indigenous culture. Saltwater Cultural Tours kept our teen off his phone and enthralled for the entire three hour trip which shows just how good this tour is.

We arrived at Penny Lane Jetty near Mooloolaba Wharf and immediately spotted the 100 year old gaff rigged ketch, Spray of the Coral Coast , sailing towards us. Thornalley had seen the historic ketch around Mooloolaba and thought it was a beautiful vessel. However, it had been left to deteriorate and wasn’t getting the care it deserved. He originally looked at boats all over the country for Saltwater Eco Tours and was planning to buy an old one and do it up. However, it didn’t take him long to realise that the local ketch which had caught his eye had everything he was after and more and he purchased it from the owners.

The historic boat adds an extra touch of magic to this entertaining tour as do the lively tales from guide Kerry Neill. This tour combines dreamtime legends, ancient traditions, beliefs, stories and the lifestyle of the Sunshine Coasts first eco-custodians, the Saltwater People, with an engaging dash of larrikin humour from guide Kerry Neill. One of the things that our family of two adults and a teen enjoyed the most about the Cultural Tour was that it was informal but also very informative. There was no well-rehearsed commentary or tourist spiel. Information was delivered with heartfelt passion and knockabout charm. Neill’s enthusiasm for sharing his culture and the stories of the Kabi Kabi people was contagious.

Neill pointed out a sea eagle nest and explained the bird is the totem animal of his people. He loves watching them flying when he is out fishing as they remind him of the people who came before him. “Where the eagles go hunting for fish is where I go fishing. I also go hunting at Woolworths,” he joked. “I catch a lot of fish there too.”

After some delicious cheese platters were passed around it was time for the boomerang throwing section of the tour. Neill held up a large 200 year old burragun (boomerang) and explained it was left handed and the matching right handed boomerang was still with the original family. As the only teen on the tour, our son got called up to stand at the front of the boat and be ‘the kangaroo’. Neill explained that Kabi Kabi hunters wanted the kangaroo as close as possible to increase their chance of success and held up a small boomerang. “If a kangaroo smells a human, it is going to hop in the other opposite direction. We use this small boomerang to trick it into getting close.”

He went on to explain how the small boomerang is rubbed under the hunter’s arm “to get that nice Rexona smell” and then thrown to confuse the ‘roo. When the kangaroo smells the humans as the boomerang zooms past he ‘runs away’ but due to the skillful throw, the kangaroo is actually hopping towards the hunter. When the kangaroo gets very close, the hunter throws the large boomerang to kill the kangaroo instantly with one knock. Hunting is never something that is done for sport. “If a hunter feels sad when he kills the kangaroo then he’s a true hunter. We only take what we need,” Neill explained.

After the teenage ‘kangaroo’ makes its way back to its parents and everyone eats the oysters served with finger lime and fresh Mooloolaba prawns that Neill passes around, it’s time to sail back along the waterway with the sounds of a didgeridoo swelling around us. As the sun sinks slowly towards the horizon, it’s easy to understand the deep spiritual connection Thornalley and Neill and his people have with the land. And that it’s something we all share, even though we may not be indigenous Australians. Kerry Neill’s final words are particularly poignant and provide the perfect ending to what has been a superb tour.

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“We all have a connection to country. It’s like when you’re having a bad day at work or nothing is going right, as soon as you walk outside and see that grass and feel the wind, you feel better. You’re all connected to country and you’re all welcome here.”

Disclosure: The writer travelled with assistance from Tourism & Events Queensland.

Heading to the Sunshine Coast? We’ve got lots of helpful information to help make this your best trip yet including accommodation reviews for Eumarella Shores Noosa Lake Retreat Review , Oceans Mooloolaba , Rumba Beach Resort , Seahaven Noosa , King Parrot Retreat , On the Beach Noosa , Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort and Peppers Resort & Villas Review . We’ve also reviewed Australia Zoo Review , Kanu Kapers Everglades Tours , SEA LIFE Mooloolaba , Sails Restaurant Noosa , Noosa helicopter tours , Noosa Oceanrider , Noosa Dreamboats , and Betty’s Burgers Noosa . Don’t miss our tips for Things to do on the Sunshine Coast , Noosa Things to Do for Active Travellers , The Best Restaurants at Mooloolaba , The Ultimate Guide to Noosa , Things to do at Mooloolaba , Healthy Noosa Holidays , Where to Find the Best Views on Hastings Street , and How to Plan Your Noosa Honeymoon .

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Tiana Templeman

Dr Tiana Templeman is an award-winning food and travel journalist, travel author and media industry academic. She is the creator of The Travel Temple, writes for Australian and international media outlets and appears on radio talking about where to go, what to see and travel industry trends.

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SALTWATER ECO TOURS

CONNECTING CULTURE TO COAST

Saltwater eco tours forges a deeper connection to australia's indigenous culture through unique marine experiences on board a beautifully restored, heritage- listed vessel., operating on the peaceful waterways in mooloolaba, gubbi gubbi/kabi kabi country, the company is the first of its kind, combining culture, maritime history, native foods and unforgettable live music experiences..

SALTWATER EXPERIENCES

Sunset Tour with live music

Bushtucker Cruise

Private Charters

SAIL BACK IN TIME

Welcome aboard the “spray of the coral coast”, a 100 year old, classic 58ft gaff-rigged huon-pine ketch with a fascinating history of its own. , saltwater eco tours blog.

Choose your cruise: Which tour is best for you?

Sunset Sessions - Meet musician Pat Tierney

Don't just flop and drop: Finding culture in Queensland

Saltwater Eco Tours turns three!

Find us on facebook and instagram.

  CONTACT  US

The wharf, mooloolaba 123 parkyn parade, mooloolaba 0447 085 521 booking enquiries: [email protected].

Saltwater Cultural Tour

• Enjoy a delicious bushtucker infused lunch with local produce and native ingrediants, plus fresh Mooloolaba prawns and oysters. Try our signature lemon myrtle cocktail.
• 123 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba QLD 4557, Australia Our vessel is at the busy hub of The Wharf Mooloolaba. Signage and flag is at jetty entrance where our crew will come to collect.
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Near public transportation
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travellers can participate
• This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
• This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travellers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

• 498cheriem 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Beyond expectation amazing 10/10 very good highly recommend. Would do again. Food sublime. Crew amazing and very informative about local people ♡ Read more Written 8 April 2024
• johanlM2720DQ 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles What an Amazing experience It was such a privilege for my Family and I to be on this boat with amazing Owners on this heritage listed boat. We were on the Bushtucker Cruise and we enjoyed the knowledge and the passion that every dish had and showing us just a tiny glimpse of the proud original people and owners of Australia, that so generously share their time and knowledge with visitors from all over the world. Read more Written 8 April 2024
• Sherryn28 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Bushtucker Cruise What a wonderful afternoon cruising the canal on a spectacular old vessel. Simon provided great commentary, the native inspired canapes were absolutely delicious. This is the 2nd cruise I've done with Saltwater Eco Tours and the family thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Highly recommend. Read more Written 31 March 2024
• traceyhW5099GX 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing cruise and food. Food was amazing. Music was great. Cruising the canal was smooth (I was a little worried it wouldn’t be). Staff were amazing and very informative. Even my 16 yo enjoyed it. Highly recommend. Read more Written 29 March 2024
• 747lynnep 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Don't miss the Bush Tucker Cruise! We had a wonderful time on the Bushtucker Cruise. All the staff were amazing. Nathan was a most charming barman, Simon gave fantastic commentary on the history of the ketch as well as details about the various canals and waterways and Nicole was a brilliant skipper. Best of all was the food! It was incredible. The chef made superb canapes which were presented at regular intervals throughout the cruise. We loved all the indigenous flavours. Towards the end of the cruise we had some digeridoo and drum music to finish off an amazing time. We highly recommend the Bushtucker Cruise to anyone coming to the Sunshine Coast or staying in Mooloolaba. Read more Written 27 March 2024
• STH889 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Fantastic und unique indigenous experience! What a fantastic indigenous experience in Mooloolaba - the Bushtucker Cruise in the canals - an absolute must do experience whilst spending your holiday on the Sunshine Coast. The native-flavour inspired canapes are so delicious and the commentary from Simon and the team is very knowledgeable. I highly recommend visiting their new shop at the Wharf to take home some indigenous and local souvenirs as well as trying one of the great cocktails onboard. I cannot wait to come back for the Sunset Cruise with live music. Read more Written 22 March 2024
• lizzyb2015 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Best way to end the day What a GREAT experience - Simon and his team were absolutely fantastic and we enjoyed ourselves immensely - a MASSIVE thank you to everyone. I highly recommend Salt Water Eco Tours and the live music too was fabulous. So much so that we are now following this new artist on socials. (Pat Tierney) We were spoilt with a complimentary drink on arrival and were also given a really neat grazing box too to nibble on and enjoy the sunset. Will certainly be back in the near future for another cruise for sure. Thanks again Liz and Basil Jones Read more Written 17 March 2024
• Eelee M 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Beautiful views Absolute legend staff felt comfortable right from the get go, the cocktails were to die for and the views were great ! 10/10 Read more Written 15 March 2024
• Gk5152 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Make sure your do this Wonderful experience. We took our friends who live in UK/France to experience the area, food and culture. Wonderful young man and his crew looked after us. So passionate and professional with a wealth of experience and knowledge. Saw it on Weekender. Will absolutely go again when we have visitors. Great day and highly recommend. Read more Written 10 March 2024
• 541erinj 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Fantastic in every way Incredible boat and history, absolutely beautiful food and drinks but most importantly the crew were amazing. Informative, engaging and approachable. I loved spend time onboard and ended up going for drinks with the other passengers after. An absolutely beautiful experience from start to finish with Simon, Nicole and Nathan, and I was lucky enough to purchase a beautiful piece art Art from the tour shop, done by Nathan. Can't recommend this tour enough. It ticks every box and more Read more Written 9 March 2024
• norrirainbow 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A wonderfully delicious lunchtime cruise in Mooloolaba! We had a wonderful time on the Bushtucker cruise through the canals of Mooloolaba. Every single course we were served was beautifully presented, was a unique combination of ingredients and flavours and tasted amazing! We enjoyed chatting with the owner of the boat about the joys of owning a beautiful old sailboat. We also enjoyed the commentary on the history of the area, local bushtucker foods and the story behind the boat. All in all it was a great day out and we will be back again! Read more Written 8 March 2024
• paulmP1553TB 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great cruise The crew were informative, friendly and attentive. The cruise was laidback and relaxing and the scenery was interesting. All in all, a must do for anyone on the Sunny Coast. Read more Written 6 March 2024
• X5952XRkarenv 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great tour Great tour! The crew was amazing and very informative. The food was incredible. Compliments to the chef! The barman very entertaining even the music was good. Well done to all of you! Read more Written 6 March 2024
• I243ZHchrisb 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A must do for locals and tourists alike! Thoroughly deserves the five star rating. Great live music. Fascinating history of the boat itself. Felt like we were aboard a legend. The staff were legends too. We are locals. This tour is for everyone - locals and tourists alike. Such a chill experience. So relaxed and so beautiful. Thoroughly, really thoroughly recommend this one. Top tourist attraction and experience for all. Loved it. Read more Written 4 March 2024
• kimwL6900JH 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable. So well organised! We had such a lovely cruise, so relaxing, with great music. The little food packs were lovely, just right. We loved hearing about the history of the boat at the start, and while cruising, we just sat back and enjoyed the music and cruising the river and canals. Read more Written 3 March 2024

More to explore in Mooloolaba

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Saltwater Cultural Tour provided by Saltwater Eco Tours

• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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THE 10 BEST Moscow Boat Tours

Boat tours in moscow.

• Adrenaline & Extreme Tours
• Equipment Hire
• Nature & Wildlife Tours
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
• District Central (TsAO)
• Garden Ring
• Boulevard Ring
• Good for Couples
• Good for Big Groups
• Good for Kids
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Budget-friendly
• Honeymoon spot
• Adventurous
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Flotilla Radisson Royal

2. Moscow River Boat Tours

3. CheapRussia Tours

4. Erwin. Reka

5. Lovely Russia Tours

6. Capital River Boat Tours - Moscow Centre

7. MORE MOSCOW

8. Mosparokhodstvo

9. S-cruises

10. Water Taxi

11. MosFlot

12. Insider Moscow Tours

13. UTS GROUP

14. Russia CityPass

15. Argo Travel

16. Moskva Flot

17. Magiya Otdykha

18. Moscowkremlintours

19. DIVAS TOUR

20. moskva s gidom.

21. Moskvatrip

22. Follow Locals

23. S-Cruises

24. Miceversa

25. russian travel and tours

26. nizhny novgorod 4* vodohod.

28. Mosflot.ru

29. Ksenia Maximova

What travellers are saying.

• CheapRussia Tours
• Lovely Russia Tours
• MORE MOSCOW
• Insider Moscow Tours
• Russia CityPass
• Flotilla Radisson Royal
• Moscow River Boat Tours
• Erwin. Reka