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Based in Newport Beach, California, Newport Star Cruises is a yacht rental company that services weddings and other events. Let your dreams set sail as you begin your voyage through life together. What better way to do it than tying the knot on a yacht. Our experienced planners will assist you in every way to make your dreams become a reality. Whether your hope is for a small intimate gathering or a large lavish affair, we have just the yacht for you.

Facilities and Capacity

Our yachts the Ambassador and Royal Princess are completely state of the art and are exquisitely appointed with the finest of furnishings and luxurious accessories. We provide upgraded Ghost Chivari Chairs, Tables, Linen, China, Flatware, Glassware, and Centerpieces for all of our Weddings & Receptions.

Our team at Newport Star Cruises realizes no two couples are alike, so therefore no two weddings and receptions are alike. We will customize an all-inclusive package especially for you, your style, your needs, and your budget. Marry this with the most gorgeous yachts in Newport Harbor and you need to look any further. The twinkling crystal blue water of Newport Harbor is the perfect place to say “I do”.

Services Offered

We would love to have you contact us to set up a complimentary consultation and tour at our waterfront showroom. Our expert planners will make sure you’re able to leave all your worries at the dock. Come and see what sets us apart from the rest.

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Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue, do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue, which of the following are included in starting site fee, how many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer, describe your venue:, what kind of settings are available, which of the following wedding events does your venue service.

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Newport Star Cruises

Newport Star Cruises

2901 West Coast Highway, Suite 180, Newport Beach, CA

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The Ambassador Yacht

This lovely yacht has plenty of space for you and your guests to “spread out”. Ambassador is Coast Guard Certified.

She is perfect for weddings at sea, receptions, anniversaries corporate events, birthday celebrations, graduations and more.

The Ambassador provides a dance floor, spacious seating for your dinner or lecture guests, and plenty of room to take a stroll.

Coast Guard Certified for over: 149 Passengers

Overnight Accommodations: None

• Spacious Main Salon
• Large bow with additional seating area
• Full Wet Bar
• Spacious Upper Deck for weddings, and dining
• 3 Heads (Restrooms)
• Dining Area
• Full service Galley

Spinnaker Yacht Charters has wedding packages for all sizes of wedding receptions.

We have custom packages for Weddings, Birthday Parties, Seasonal Parade of Lights Cruises, Corporate Events, and all Special Events in Newport Beach.

Spinnaker Yacht Charters Contact Us

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Set a course for adventure: 'Love Boat' cast reuniting for cruise – and a stop in Newport

Bernie Kopell remains proud to have never lost a patient. And that was in 12 years as Dr. Adam Bricker, beloved ship's physician/Casanova on the 1970s-1980s “The Love Boat” television series.

The popularity of Dr. Bricker and the whole ”Love Boat” series refuses to fade. Instead, thanks to four decades of reruns, Doc, Isaac, Gopher, Julie, Vicki and Capt. Stubing may be more popular than ever.

Why else would Princess Cruises keep bringing the ships' crew back again and again and again as ambassadors and stars on their Love Boat-themed cruises? All of the major actors, except Gavin MacLeod/Capt. Stubing (died in 2021), are still with us. And Kopell, Ted Lange (bartender Isaac Washington), Fred Grandy (purser Burl “Gopher” Smith), and Jill Whelan (captain's daughter Vicki) are scheduled to be aboard the Enchanted Princess for its late summer, seven-day, five-port U.S.-Canadian excursion, which includes a Day 2 (Sept. 1) stop in Newport .

“It's a dream, and I've been living my dream with Princess for all these many years,” Kopell, 90, said during a recent phone interview from his home in Tarzana, California. “And I say, lucky, lucky, lucky. Thank you, thank you.”

Christened in the fall of 2021, the 1,083-foot Enchanted Princess features 19 decks, 1,830 cabins and accommodates 3,660 guests served by a crew of 1,346. The summer Love Boat cruise starts and ends in New York City and features port stops in Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, Maine, St. John, New Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The dates are Aug. 31 to Sept. 7.

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"The Love Boat" television series started out with the Pacific Princess (actually two ships were used) on three-night Mexican cruises out of Los Angeles. With the show's popularity, the cruises expanded to Alaska, the Mediterranean, China and beyond. In their roles as ambassadors, the crew has seen even more of the world. It's one heck of a retirement gig.

“It's never-ending. It just keeps on going,” Kopell said. “We go to other places we've never been before. Just came back with the Ruby Princess. We went down to South America, Central America. All over the place. It's just a treat.”

Also loved for his five-season recurring role as hilarious bad guy Sigfried on “Get Smart,” Kopell was no sailing neophyte when he landed the role of Dr. Bricker. Kopell is a Navy veteran, having toured the world while serving aboard the USS Iowa in peacetime between the Korean and Vietnam wars. Enroute to shooting Love Boat outdoor scenes aboard Princess ships in San Pedro, California, Kopell said he would drive right by his old Navy ship.

Aboard the Iowa, Kopell's duties included teaching a GED course to help shipmates earn a high school equivalency diploma. A graduate of New York University, Kopell was also a ship's librarian. “People say, what did you do in the Navy?” Kopell said. “I said, well, I kept America safe from overdue books.”

What was 'Love Boat' like for Bernie Kopell?

"The Love Boat" was somehow given three pilot episodes before ABC brought it into its regular lineup. The first pilot featured Kopell's friend, Dick Van Patten, as the ship's physician, then named Dr. O'Neil. Kopell said ABC, which had Van Patten under contract, yanked him from "Love Boat" to star in “Eight is Enough,” which enjoyed great success. Shortly before “Love Boat,” Van Patten and Kopell both had supporting roles on the famously flopped ABC TV show “When Things Were Rotten.” Van Patten subsequently made multiple guest star appearances on “Love Boat.”

After Van Patten lost his medical license, so to speak, Kopell landed the ship's doc role, but it was not handed to him. He had to audition where, for one of the rare times in his life, he opted not to be a nice guy. Kopell recalled wearing a spiffy nautical jacket. Another actor there to audition complimented Kopell on the jacket and asked if he could use it for his audition.

“I'm supposed to say yes and be so generous,” Kopell said. “But I said sorry. I got it for my own self. So, of course, that's how I got the part.”

Perhaps Kopell's favorite “Love Boat” episode starred dancer/actress Juliet Prowse playing one of Doc's ex-wives. The script called for the two to become, briefly, romantically reunited. Kopell said he was excited and nervous when he first saw the script. He almost went into cardiac arrest when, after a stuttering inquisition into who would play his ex, he was told it was Prowse, whom he confesses to having had a crush on. “I said oh, how lucky can I get?”

Kopell loves to mention that “Love Boat” numbered multiple Academy Award winners among its guests stars. In fact, he said he's writing a book on that topic. He listed Eva St. Marie, Ernest Borgnine and Shirley Jones. He and the late Borgnine, of “McHale's Navy” fame, became close friends.

Kopell said he routinely watches “The Love Boat” on Sundays at 5 p.m. on his Channel 54. Recently, his 21-year-old son, after watching dad on an episode, complimented Kopell for being fit and trim. Kopell said he stayed fit by playing a lot of tennis and skipping rope, which he is shown doing in at least one episode.

Kopell said that today, at 90, he still whacks the tennis ball around. “Keep coming at 'em. That's been my motto since the beginning,” he said.

Kopell said that when he first came to Hollywood, his agent told him he wasn't handsome enough to be a lead nor gooney enough to play a “heavy.” Kopell survived those first five years by playing roles that called for a Latino accent.

His German/Austrian accent served him so well as Siegfried on “Get Smart.” To this day, fans of the show ask him to recite famous lines, often from an episode where he is captaining a KAOS (the self-professed international organization of evil) submarine which is the target of good-guy depth chargers. After one charger shakes the submarine and his crew starts to scream and run about in fear, Siegfried grabs the microphone and barks out, “This is KAOS. You will not panic until you are given the order to panic.”

After another depth charger rocks the sub much more severely, Siegfried again grabs the mic and this time cries out, “Prepare to panic.”

Kopell said he never had a contract to do his “Get Smart” work. At the same time, he also had a recurring role on “That Girl,” starring Marlo Thomas. He said he got to know the ABC schedulers well and was able to shoot “Get Smart” on Mondays and Thursdays, and do “That Girl” on the other days.

Love Boat cruise is 'like coming home'

He also remains close friends with “Get Smart” co-star Barbara Feldon and with Marlo Thomas, and still meets them for dinner when he's in New York City.

Which is where he will be on the last day of August for the Love Boat cruise and yet another reunion with people he considers family. From the beginning of "Love Boat," he said, the cast got along very well. The chemistry was great.

And it's still the same come cruise time.

“It's like coming home,” Kopell said.

Rooms are still available for the late-summer Love Boat cruise which stops in Newport. Visit  www.princess.com  for details.

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‘The Love Boat’-themed cruise, with its iconic original cast, will stop in Newport this September

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You’re in luck if you’re a fan of the iconic “The Love Boat” series. Princess Cruises is bringing back some of the show’s most beloved cast members for an all-new adventure, and the ship is stopping in Newport, Rhode Island, this September.

The company announced the second season of The Love Boat-themed cruise on Friday, Aug. 31. The cruise will sail from New York to Canada and New England aboard the 3,660-guest Enchanted Princess.

The seven-day cruise will stop in Newport, Rhode Island; Boston; Rockland, Maine; Saint John, Canada (for Bay of Fundy); and Halifax, Canada.

“We had such a blast connecting with fans on our theme cruise in 2022, so bringing it back in 2024 feels like it was meant to be, especially with the addition of some surprise guests,” said Jill Whelan, Celebrations Ambassador for Princess Cruises. “Sailing with our fans brings us so much joy and this cruise will undoubtedly be a special reunion, taking us back to where it all began – on a Princess Cruise.”

Princess Cruises Celebrations Ambassador Jill Whelan (aka Vicki Stubing) will join fellow  Love Boat  cast members including Bernie Kopell (Doc), Fred Grandy (Gopher), and Ted Lange (Isaac). Ezra Freeman, the bartender from the recently aired  The Real Love Boat  on CBS reality dating series, will join the cast, along with other surprise guests to be announced.

Fans will also enjoy a meet-and-greet with the cast, have a symbolic renewal of vows ceremony and participate in a cocktail demonstration hosted by Ezra Freeman and Ted Lange. Additional activities include a special Q&A with the cast, a tribute to the late loveboat character Doc, and a memorabilia package for guests.

The Love Boat  is credited with bringing cruising to the masses and showcasing the romance of the sea, taking Hollywood’s biggest stars to sought-after destinations as storylines always ended on a happy note. In the fall of 2022, Princess was featured again as the setting of The Real Love Boat on CBS and Paramount+, a reality dating adventure series where three real-life Princess crew members and 12 singles looking for love joined hosts Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell onboard Regal Princess sailing through the Mediterranean.

Princess Cruises and “The Love Boat” Connection

Princess Cruises’ provides the following background on the connection between their cruise line and “The Love Boat”.

It all began in the mid-70s when television producer Douglas S. Cramer, who had created the popular television series “Love American Style,” decided to shift his popular comedy vignette series from its studio setting to the decks and vacation venues of a (then) modern cruise ship. The resulting television show, “The Love Boat” has been widely credited with introducing millions of viewers to the concept of contemporary cruise vacations and leading to dramatic expansion of the industry and its global success.

Originally, in searching out a location for the movie pilot of what was to become his Love Boat television series, Cramer found the ideal setting with a cruise line that just happened to operate from its world headquarters in Los Angeles known globally today as Princess Cruises.

After the 1977 pilot show, which was shot aboard the line’s original Sun Princess in Mexico, Cramer teamed up with top television producer Aaron Spelling and the rest is history. “The Love Boat” went on to realize phenomenal success, continuing for 10 seasons until 1987 as one of the highest-rated prime-time television shows in the country. Princess Cruises soon became a household name as the primary setting and ocean-going co-star of the popular series and continues to be known as the “Love Boat” cruise line to this day. With ships Pacific Princess and Island Princess the original floating stars of the show, “The Love Boat” was filmed aboard many Princess ships in exotic destinations around the globe. The show, often the catalyst for introducing American viewers to destinations like Sydney, Australia and Opera House, the Great Wall of China, the Acropolis in Athens Greece. Occasional Love Boat television specials have been filmed since the show stopped production.

Actor Gavin MacLeod  (Captain Merrill Stubing)  remained an enthusiastic fan of cruising while serving as the spokesperson for Princess Cruises for more than 35 years (1986-2021), making him the longest-serving celebrity spokesperson in brand partnership history. Actress Jill Whelan  (Vicki Stubing)  continues to serve as Celebrations Ambassador and spokesperson for the cruise line.

In 1997, ten years after the show ended its original run, all six original Love Boat cast members — Gavin MacLeod  (Captain Stubing) , Fred Grandy  (Yeoman Purser, Burl ‘Gopher’ Smith) , Ted Lange (Isaac ‘The Bartender’ Washington), Bernie Kopell (Adam ‘Doc’ Bricker), Lauren Tewes  (Julie McCoy, Your Cruise Director)  and Jill Whelan  (Vicki Stubing, The Captain’s Daughter)  — reunited for the first time in more than a decade for the official naming ceremony and christening of Dawn Princess in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

In 1998 “The Love Boat” popularity was revived with a new version of the show introduced by Spelling Television. “Love Boat: The Next Wave,” which ran for two seasons on the UPN network, was also set aboard a Princess ship, the line’s new Sun Princess. A new cast of characters served as the Sun Princess officers and crew — including Robert Urich as Captain Jim Kennedy — and following the original show’s format, a series of guest stars joined the cast each week as cruise vacation guests.

The original cast also came together again in 2014, to kick off the 50th anniversary of Princess Cruises by officially naming and christening the new Regal Princess cruise ship in a star-studded event also featuring 25 guest stars from the show, including Charo, Florence Henderson, Marion Ross, Doris Roberts, Diane Ladd, Loni Anderson and Jamie Farr, to name a few. The cast continued to celebrate the golden anniversary of Princess and cruised down Colorado Blvd in Pasadena, California on the bow of a modern Princess cruise ship float in the iconic Rose Parade on New Year’s Day in 2015.

In May 2018, the six cast members of “The Love Boat” and Princess Cruises received an honorary star plaque on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of their contributions to the history of television and support of the preservation of the Walk of Fame.

The original “Love Boat” series is currently in worldwide syndication, having been translated into more than 29 different languages, and is viewed by millions of fans in more than 93 countries.

This article was reported with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (AI).

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Meet Our Board

David Converse - President

David M. Converse was born and raised in Newport. He is also on the board for MWA (Memphremagog Watershed Association).  He is past president of Newport Rotary Club. David has been in the funeral service business for over 40 years. He loves Newport and Lake Memphremagog and wants to see them thrive.

Mark Hayes - treasurer

After serving in the US Navy Mark moved Into the family business in 1975 and never left! He is currently serving on several boards including LSC Foundation (scholarships), NCUHS Transportation advisory board, Vermont Auto Dealers Board and last but not least MCM.

Kathryn Converse - Secretary

Kathryn Converse is a native Vermonter. After 40 years in education as a middle school English teacher and a supervisory union administrator, she retired and now finds satisfaction from volunteering. Her husband David got her involved with Memphremagog Community Maritime and the Northern Star where she now serves as the organization’s secretary. 

Tom Amon - Board Member

Carol and Tom Amon live in Brooklyn, New York and spend summers in Newport. Tom is a fifth generation descendant of NEK ancestors-the Tripps and Wolcotts- and Tom’s grandmother, Ethel Tripp Coffin, was born in 1884 and raised in West Charleston. For years she spent her summers at the Coffin Farm, which was on the site of the current North Country Hospital. Carol is a U.S. Federal District Court Judge for the Eastern District of New York and Tom is a practicing attorney in New York City. Tom and Carol are active supporters of many charities, including veteran’s groups, CityTech ( part of CUNY) and the Vermont Land Trust. They are parishioners of the   Assumption Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Brooklyn, NY where Tom serves as Trustee. Tom and Carol have three sons and five grandchildren, all of whom visit the NEK as often as they can.

Douglas Casson Coutts - Board Member

Retired UN humanitarian aid worker (World Food Programme) and UN diplomat, professor emeritus, former USDA and US Congressional staffer, Doug and his wife Lynne live in Auburn, Alabama and spend their summers on Derby Pond.  Born and raised around the Great Lakes in Michigan and Ontario, Doug is a dual citizen of Canada/USA, and is dedicated to providing opportunities for youth to learn about, appreciate and help preserve Lake Memphremagog and it’s watershed.  His priorities include fostering cooperation and collaboration on both sides of the border to support the NEK community through his board membership in the Memphremagog Watershed Association (MWA) as well.

Dan Gauvin - vice president

Dan is a Newport native who is a (FBO) Fixed Base operator for the Northeast Kingdom International Airport and owner-operator of Lakeview Aviation Inc. which he has been at since October, 2003. He has been a Rotarian since 2012 , and also serves on the advisory board for the Automotive program at the Career Center at NCUHS. His involvement with MCM was to support the continued operation of the Northern Star Lake Memphremagog; another cruise vessel like that would never come again to ply the waters of Lake Memphremagog.

Scott Winick - marketing

Scott R. Winick, a native New Englander, fulfilled a life-long dream to live and work in Vermont when, in 2004, he and his wife, Linda, immigrated to the Kingdom. They have three adult children. Scott is gainfully retired from an engineering career that spanned the world in navigation, electrical design automation, semiconductors and cardiology. He is an avid aviator, skier, sailor, fisherman, writer and traveler. He and Linda are founders of the Ben’s Better Dae Foundation, affiliated with Vanguard Charitable, a 501(c)(3), that provides assistance to young men struggling with addiction.

Rev. Laurence Wall - Board member

Pastor Larry has served the Newport Church of God over the past 30 years.  He loves The Northeast Kingdom and has a desire and vision to see the untapped potential of our area come to bear.  MCM and The Northern Star is a tangible way to make a great difference that will benefit many.    His wife Sally is gifted and a great asset to the ministry and community at large.  They have Three Daughters, Hannah, Emma and Penelope as well as six Grandchildren.  Sapphire, Theodore (Teo) Amelia, Angus, Juniper and Iona.

Felicia Updyke - Board member

Felicia Updyke moved to the Northeast Kingdom in 2022 and has since dove right into helping her community. She used to be the Director for MCM but has recently switched career paths. She is the Brand Ambassador for Eden Specialty Ciders.

She is also on the board for Newport City Downtown Development, as well as the Co-Chair for their Events Committee and Marketing Committee. She is the Programs Assistant for Newport Parks and Recreation and on the Organizing Team for the NEK Rainbow Coalition.

In her spare time she loves playing with her sassy daughter, playing video games, reading, and sleeping. 

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• Moscow — St. Petersburg
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Moscow to Saint Petersburg

13 days – 12 nights

Collapse Full Itinerary

Gold, Platinum  Airport transfer / Check-in at centrally located Marriott Aurora***** or Ararat Park Hyatt*****

Imperial : Private airport transfer / Check-in at the luxurious Four Seasons Moscow***** only a minute from the Kremlin and Red Square

Volga dream experience:

Gold: City Tour / Novodevichy Cemetery Imperial, Platinum:  City tour / Lunch in a Moscow City Skyscraper / Novodevichy Cemetery / Sparrow Hills

Meals: Breakfast

Platinum / Imperial

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Gold:  Moscow Kremlin / Armory Museum / Red Square / GUM Department Store

Platinum:  Moscow Kremlin / Armory Museum / Red Square / St. Basil’s Cathedral / GUM Department Store / Park Zaryadye

Gold:  Tretyakov Gallery / Moscow Metro Tour.

Platinum:  Leo Tolstoy House-Museum in Hamovniki / Tretyakov Gallery / Moscow Metro Tour.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Gold, Platinum:  Town of Uglich / Church of St. Dmitri-on-the-Blood

Volga dream experience: Costumed Russian Tea Ceremony & Russian Cooking Class

Gold, Platinum:  Yaroslavl City Tour / Governor’s house 

Volga dream experience: Sun Deck Barbeque

Gold:  Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery  

Platinum:  Ferapontov Monastery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Russian Dinner with Vodka Tasting

Gold, Platinum: Kizhi Island / Lake Onega

Volga dream experience: Piano Concert – Compositions by Tchaikovsky and Rakhmaninov

Gold, Platinum:  Svirstroy village / Local resident’s home / Local primary school

Volga dream experience: Farewell Dinner, Captain’s cocktail

Gold:  City Tour / Peter and Paul Fortress

Platinum:  City Tour / St. Isaac’s Cathedral / Canal boat / Yusupov Palace

Gold:  The State Hermitage Museum / Peterhof: Park and a historic Cottage

Platinum:  The State Hermitage Museum (Early Entrance!) / Gold Room / Peterhof: Park and a historic Cottage

Gold:  Catherine’s Palace / Amber Room

Platinum:  Faberge Museum / Catherine’s Palace / Amber Room

Meals: Breakfast / Imperial

Gold, Platinum, Imperial: Check-out / Airport transfer

Volga dream experience: -

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• Moscow - St. Petersburg 5-star cruise by Vodohod

8 days and 7 nights

• Moscow - St. Petersburg Cruise
• Route Moscow - Uglich - Goritsy - Kizhi - Mandrogui - St. Petersburg
• Languages English-speaking guide is guaranteed. Other languages are on request.
• Cruise Ship 5-star cruise ship MS Rostropovich
• Group Tour This is a group tour. There will be other people in your group.
• Prices and Dates

Moscow : Welcome on board! Check in begins at 14:00 (2.00 PM), but you may board earlier or later depending on you arrival in Moscow. If you order a transfer, you will be met at the airport or train station by one of our drivers and taken by comfortable car to the river port where you will board your cruise ship (transfer is optional).

Over the next few days, you will get the chance to explore Moscow and learn about its riveting history. You will be taken on a city tour and see Moscow's most interesting sights and learn about this amazing city's past and present. You will also have a chance to do some light shopping and there will be time to relax aboard the ship in the evenings. One of the highlights of your time in Moscow is a visit to  Red Square  and the  Kremlin . You will also visit one of the Kremlin's famous cathedrals. The Kremlin as we know it today was rebuilt as a stone structure during the beginning of the 14th century but the actual site has been inhabited and used as a fortified city wall for centuries before this period. The Kremlin is truly a fascinating structure - at the same time it is an ancient tower, the city's former military fortification, a palace and the workplace of the Russian President. The Kremlin is the center of Russia's political life and State power and has been home to Tsars, General Secretaries of the Soviet Union and Russian Presidents.

Moscow  is Russia's political and financial capital as well as a major world class cultural center. The city includes many must see attractions from the Kremlin and Red Square to the Assumption Cathedral. Moscow is the largest city in Europe. It is unique in that it blends the ancient with the modern. See medieval structures among modern office buildings, walk down crooked old city streets opening up to wide, busy boulevards. It is a fantastic city and truly a site that shouldn't be missed.

Uglich : You will be taken on a walking city tour with visit to the  Kremlin , the  Church of St. Demitrius on the Blood  and the  Transfiguration cathedral .

Uglich  was founded in 1148 as a small princedom bordering on Muscovy and is one of the most beloved towns in Old Russia. The view of the town as you approach it from the Volga River is breathtaking with the Cathedral of the Resurrection and St. John's Church rising on the horizon. The history of the town is fascinating; At the end of the 16th century, Maria Nagaya, seventh wife of Ivan the Terrible, lived in honorary exile at the Kremlin in Uglich. It was here in her garden that the 10 year old Prince Dmitry of the Rurik Dynasty, heir to the Russian throne was murdered by Boris Godunov who wanted to seize power for himself. On the spot of his death, the Church of St. Demitrius of the Blood was built and still stands today. The death of Prince Dmitri brought on the start of the Time of Troubles, a dynastic and political crises and one of the most tumultuous periods in Russian history which ended 15 years later after the election of a new Tsar, Mikhail Romanov (the first Tsar of the Romanov Dynasty). Inside the Kremlin the oldest building in Uglich, the Palace of Tsarevich Dmitry also stands. During your time in Uglich you will learn more about the town's past and walk along the paths of Russian history.

Arrival in the ancient village of  Goritsy . Tour of the  St. Cyril on the White Lake Monastery  and the  Museum of Icons .

Goritsy  is a tiny settlement 7 kilometers from the St. Cyril on the White Lake Monastery. The remains of the Nunnery of the Resurrection that sits on the banks of the Sheksna River can be visited and is within a quarter of a mile of where the ship stops. Goritsy is definitely a site to see for anyone with an interest in Russian history. St. Cyril on the White Lake was founded in 1397 by Kirill Belosersky on the shore of Lake Siverskoye. The monastery had wide trade in the 15th to 17th centuries and was used as a fortress to protect Russia's nobility during the Times of Troubles.

After the tour you will return to your ship and set sail in the direction of St. Petersburg along the Volga Baltic Canal. The Volga Baltic Canal is a series of canals and rivers that connect the Volga river to the Baltic Sea.

You'll cruise along Europe's second largest lake,  Lake Onega  and arrive on the island of  Kizhi . Here you will visit a fascinating open-air museum containing numerous examples of elaborate Russian, wooden architecture.

Kizhi Island : Via the Volga Baltic Canal, our cruise takes us to the tiny island of Kizhi, located at the northern end of Lake Onega. The island is renowned for its open-air  Museum of Architecture , which is assembled from over 80 monuments of wooden architecture from various areas of the country and restored to form a glimpse of the past. The most impressive site on the island is the  Church of the Transfiguration or Preobrazhenskaya  (the church of twenty-two wooden domes). This masterpiece of architecture, featuring five tiers of 22 domes, was built in 1714 without the use of a single nail, only an axe and pine trees. The church magically changes color as the day grows old, it is certainly one of the most interesting things you will see during your time in Russia.

A stop in the village of  Mandrogui . Enjoy walking around this traditional Russian village in its beautiful setting and spend a day of rest, relaxation and fun. We will have a fantastic barbeque picnic on the banks of the river featuring one of Russia's favorite specialties - shashlik (meat shish kebab prepared on an outdoor fire). You will love it!

Mandrogui  is really more of a living museum than a live-in village. It features a collection of old wooden houses and is geared towards showing visitors what a traditional Russian village resembled in the past. One of the features here is the Vodka Museum, which contains thousands of different brands and types of Russia's favorite pastime.

Arrival in the imperial capital of Russia -  St. Petersburg . Your time in St. Petersburg will begin with a  Panoramic City Tour . This tour is the best way to get acquainted with all of the city's major highlights. Our professional guide will take you down  Nevsky Prospect , St. Petersburg's most famous and vibrant thoroughfare. There you will see some of the city's most interesting architectural monuments including the Kazan Cathedral (exterior) and the Winter Palace. You will see the  Peter and Paul Fortress  (interior) - a symbol of St. Petersburg and also the oldest building in the city.

One of the highlights of your entire cruise will be a visit to the  Hermitage , Russia's premier museum containing one of the largest art collections in the world. The museum consists of five historical buildings including the Winter Palace - the residence of the Russian Tsars. The museum contains over 3 million pieces of art with dates ranging from high antiquity to the present day. Among the Hermitage's treasures are artworks by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens and many others.

On the last day of your cruise you will say goodbye to Russia, your ship's crew and the many new friends we are sure you will have met during your time with us. We are sure that your memories of the trip will last a lifetime and we look forward to welcoming you to Russia sometime in the future. Our driver will meet you at the ship and take you to the airport to see you off (transfer is optional).

St. Petersburg  is Russia's second largest and second most important city - the Northern capital of the country, Russia's cultural center, and considered the world's 'Northern Venice' due to its extensive system of canals and islands. Walk along Nevsky Prospect and experience the grandeur of pre-revolutionary imperial Russia. Pass palaces from the past and gaze at the famous embankment of the Neva River with its numerous bridges and striking architecture. St. Petersburg is also home to Russia's largest and busiest port and with its many world class theaters and museums has a very high level of cultural life.

Prices and Terms

Prices are per person.

The surcharge for single occupancy in a double cabin is 75% of the total cruise price. Surcharge for single occupancy in Deluxe or Suite cabin is 100% of the cruise price.

Included meals:

• Full board, three meals per day (from dinner on arrival day to continental breakfast on departure day). In case of late arrival (after 23:00) or early departure (before 06:00) a boxed meal is provided instead of dinner/breakfast. Breakfast is buffet style, lunch and dinner are served at your table.
• Coffee station (tea, coffee, biscuits) available from 06:00 to 19:00;
• 1 bottle of mineral water (0.5 l) per person per day in cabin;
• Lunches in the city: water for your table;
• Dinners in the city: 1 bottle of mineral water (0.5 l) + 1 glass (150 ml) of red/white wine or 1 glass of juice (200 ml) per person;
• Lunches and Dinners on board:
• For lunch and dinner: white/red/sparkling wine/beer in glasses (with no limit), water with no limit
• For breakfast: water with no limit, Cappuccino or Espresso without extra charge 
• Welcome “bread and salt” ceremony;
• Welcome cocktail - 1 glass of sparkling wine or juice per person;
• Tea or coffee for all meals;
• Russian Tea Ceremony;
• Themed dinners;
• “Captain’s dinner” with a special menu
• In cool weather: hot tea upon returning on board after shore excursions;
• In hot weather: Cold iced tea or juice upon returning on board after shore excursions;

Included services in cabins

• Bathrobes in Suite cabins;
• Toiletries provided in all cabins - shampoo 30 ml., shower gel 30 ml., conditioner 30 ml., body lotion 30 ml. (refill as needed), shower cap, slippers;
• Safe in all cabins;
• Minibar in Suite cabins (for additional fee);
• TVs and phones in all cabins.

Included services on board

• Hot towels upon returning on board after shore excursions;
• Onboard guides speaking English / French / German / Spanish / Italian; service of onboard guides for other foreign languages can be provided upon request for an additional fee;
• Sightseeing programs in each port as per itinerary (optional tours are available on board)
• Daily entertainment including lessons of the Russian language and Russian songs, dance evenings, folklore concerts, and more.
• Headsets for shore excursions
• Luggage handling in river ports from the inspection point to the ship and from the ship to the bus, as well as on board.

Services available on board for an additional fee:

• Optional tours
• Culinary master class;
• Vodka tasting with traditional snacks;
• Sports equipment rental: bicycles, Nordic walking poles, folding chair canes;
• Bottled water during shore excursions
• Birthday greetings (cake, music)
• Hairdresser services

Other included services:

• Russian visa invitation  - the document necessary for obtaining a Russian visa when applying for a Russian visa at the local Russian Consulate in your country.  PLEASE NOTE:  your passport should be valid for no less than 6 months after the planned departure from Russia and it should have at least 2 blank pages. The process of applying for a visa may take a long time and we recommend that you start the process 3 months before your trip. In case you are booking the trip last minute, we recommend that you check with the Russian Consulate in your country whether you have enough time for the visa application process. In case you have to cancel your trip because of visa issues standard cancellation policy will be applied. 

Not included:

• Visa processing costs. For US, UK, Australian, Indian and Canadian citizens, our company offers  Full Visa Support . With Full Visa Support, you send us your passport and other documentation and we obtain the Russian visa for you. 
• International airfare.
• Arrival and departure transfers. We can arrange these for an extra fee.
• Additional drinks and water in ship restaurant and drinks from onboard bars
• Suggested gratuity for crew and staff (7€ or $10 per traveler per day)
• Forwarding of baggage/souvenirs
• Travel insurance.  We highly recommend to purchase travel insurance before embarking on your trip to Russia. It’s always good to have extra protection while traveling far from home.  Click here  to learn more.
• Items of a personal nature (laundry services, bar charges, beauty salon services, telephone and cable charges and medical services).

Please be informed that all pre/post cruise services (additional arr/dep transfers, hotel accommodations, additional excursions, etc.) can also be arranged by us.

BOOKING AND CANCELLATION POLICY IN 2022:

Conditions of payment:  To book your cruise, a 25% irrevocable deposit is required. The trip must be fully paid 75 days before the cruise starting date.

Cancellation terms:  75 or more days before the trip – a fee equal to 25% of the entire package will be charged. 74-65 days before the trip – a fee equal to 30% of the entire package will be charged. 64-41 days before the trip – a fee equal to 60% of the entire package will be charged. 40-35 days before the trip – a fee equal to 75% of the entire package will be charged. 34 days or less before the trip or in the event of a no-show - a fee equal to 100% of the package will be charged.

Our travel brands include

Express to Russia

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