planet cruise azamara

The ultimate guide to Azamara cruise ships and itineraries

Azamara Cruises is interesting. Although it includes more in its fares -- gratuities, basic alcohol and some shore excursions -- than most cruise lines, it's not full-on luxury . However it's not mainstream, like Carnival or Royal Caribbean, either.

It has carved out an industry niche that caters to affluent, well-traveled cruisers who enjoy smaller vessels, a country house ambiance and itineraries that focus on destination immersion.

The ships in its four-vessel fleet are nearly identical, all belonging to the R Class, which was originally developed for now-defunct line Renaissance Cruises. Azamara prides itself on bringing its passengers familiarity and onboard experiences that are similar from ship to ship. You won't find waterslides or roller coasters, and that's exactly how the line's demographic likes it.

One of the line's most notable hallmarks is its focus on longer, later stays in port. Coupled with its AzAmazing Evenings program, which takes cruisers ashore to experience cultural performances in jaw-dropping locations, the experience is a little less superficial-feeling than other cruise excursions.

Here, you'll find a rundown of all the crucial information you'll need to decide if an Azamara sailing is right for you.

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3 things TPG loves about Azamara Cruises

• Its ships' smaller size and rich history.
• Later port calls that allow passengers to experience nightlife in several destinations.
• Its upscale yet homey onboard ambiance.

What we could do without

• Its lack of accommodations for solo cruisers.

The Azamara Cruises fleet

Azamara Cruises is one of the cruise industry's smallest lines, with just four ships -- Azamara Quest, Azamara Journey, Azamara Pursuit and Azamara Onward -- at the time of publication. All of Azamara's vessels are R-Class ships, originally built for now-defunct Renaissance Cruises, which folded in 2001, just a couple of years after the vessels debuted.

Azamara has rounded up the ships -- including the most recent, which it acquired from Princess Cruises during the pandemic -- over the years and refurbished them to add the line's signature upscale furnishings. In fact, it did such an impressive job that you'd hardly be able to guess that the vessels are more than 20 years old.

Each of the ships has the capacity for about 700 passengers, which places them in the midsize range -- large enough to provide a laundry list of amenities, but small enough that passengers can still enjoy calls on a number of ports that larger ships can't access.

At just a little more than 30,000 gross registered tons apiece, the ships are about an eighth of the size of Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, which is the largest cruise ship in the world.

During 2020's industrywide pandemic shutdown, Royal Caribbean Group, which previously owned Azamara, sold the line to private equity firm Sycamore Partners. Azamara's president, Carol Cabezas, told TPG that the firm has plans for expansion. Although Cabezas didn't elaborate, Azamara fans anticipate that new hardware could be in the line's future .

Destinations and itineraries

Azamara's ships sail in several regions, including Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, with an emphasis on the Mediterranean, Baltic Sea, Western Europe, British Isles and Greece.

"They cannot get enough of Croatia, Italy, Greece," Cabezas said. "Those are the kinds of places that people want to sail in, so we've dedicated a lot of the deployment into those country-intensives. That and Black Sea."

Azamara prides itself on being destination-immersive, which includes staying late in port -- often until 10 p.m. or even overnight -- to allow passengers more time to soak in the heritage. On most sailings, the line also offers its signature AzAmazing Evenings, which take cruisers ashore to iconic venues where they can experience local cultural performances. (At the time of publication, the line was offering cultural performances onboard , rather than ashore, due to COVID-19.)

Most itineraries range from a week to two weeks in length, but the line has also offered itineraries lasting more than 100 days, calling on more than 60 ports in more than two dozen countries.

Who sails Azamara Cruises?

Due to its price point, popularity in Europe and lack of short voyages, Azamara appeals to older, more affluent travelers with a surplus of vacation time. The average age can fluctuate from sailing to sailing, but it's common to find most passengers in their 60s and 70s.

The line's demographic is largely well traveled and port savvy, with many passengers forgoing shore excursions in favor of independent exploration.

Azamara also draws a large number of repeat cruisers, many having sailed with the line numerous times.

Cabins and suites

All of Azamara's staterooms , regardless of type or category, include at least one queen bed that can convert to two twins, a desk/vanity with a phone, nightstands with reading lamps, at least one TV that's a minimum of 40 inches, outlets and USB charging ports, a minibar, individual climate controls, closets, a safe, a hair dryer, robes, slippers, umbrellas and fresh flowers.

Each cabin has its own bathroom with towels, bath products, a shower, sink/vanity, storage shelves and a toilet. Additionally, all rooms include daily make-up and turndown services, as well as 24-hour room service, a tote bag, a daily bulletin of activities and turndown treats.

All suites come with complimentary butler service for their occupants.

Accommodations on Azamara's ships come in four types: insides (no natural light, 158 square feet), outsides (windows that don't open, 143 square feet), balconies (small outdoor deck areas with sliding glass doors) and suites (like balcony cabins but larger and with more perks). There are several options within each category, including seven cabins on each ship that allow access for passengers in wheelchairs and scooters.

Options within the balcony and suite categories are:

Club Veranda: This basic balcony-style cabin offers 175 square feet, plus a 40-square-foot veranda with two upright chairs and a small table.

Club Veranda Plus: The same size and general layout as regular Club Verandas, these rooms factor in passengers' loyalty status to determine the level of benefits occupants will receive during their sailing. All passengers booked in Club Veranda Plus accommodations are entitled to complimentary Wi-Fi minutes, one free bag of laundry every seven days, one complimentary meal for two in a for-fee restaurant every seven days, priority embarkation and disembarkation and free in-cabin alcohol.

Club Continent Suites: The smallest of the line's suite accommodations, Club Continent Suites are 266 square feet with 60-square-foot balconies. They include all of the amenities mentioned above, as well as a large seating area with a 55-inch flat-screen TV. Besides the TV and the increased square footage, some Club Continent Suite bathrooms also have bathtubs instead of only a stand-up shower.

Club Spa Suites: These suites are located near the Sanctum Spa on each vessel. In addition to soothing decor, cruisers booked in these rooms can expect healthy snacks to be delivered daily. They can also enjoy in-cabin spa music and their own glass-enclosed soaking bathtub. Additionally, Club Spa Suites have rain showerheads and all of the amenities afforded to veranda cabins but with a larger (55-inch) TV and 414 square feet of space, plus a 60-square-foot balcony.

Club Ocean Suites: These 478-square-foot luxury digs come with 173-square-foot verandas, a separate living room and bedroom setup (each room with a 55-inch TV), marble shower-only bathrooms (except on Journey and Quest, which have bathtubs), dressing rooms with vanities and additional closet space. Further, passengers staying in these suites have access to all of the perks to which those in balcony cabins are entitled.

Club World Owner's Suites: The Club World Owner's Suites are Azamara's most lavish, offering everything afforded to those booked in Club Ocean Suites but with significantly more space — 603 square feet with 233-square-foot balconies. They have marble bathrooms (with bathtubs on Journey and Quest) and separate living room and bedroom areas, each with its own television (55 inches in the former and 40 inches in the latter).

At this time, the line does not offer any cabins for solo cruisers, which means the already pricey fares for Azamara's sailings double if you're traveling alone.

Restaurants and dining

Azamara's dining options, although few, are impressive. Steak and seafood are often in the spotlight, and the quality is outstanding.

The line's ships each have one main dining room, Discoveries Restaurant, that allows passengers to dine at any time during set hours for complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner. The waiter-served menu there changes daily, and you should plan on spending at least 90 minutes for dinner, especially if you're having dessert.

Windows Cafe is the line's free buffet venue, which appears on all ships and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Previously a self-serve eatery, thanks to the pandemic passengers now simply point to what they would like and a crew member doles it out. For dinner, cruisers are seated and given menus -- which change nightly to highlight differing cuisines, such as Mexican, German and Greek -- and order from a waiter. Although it's sit-down table service, it's still faster than the main dining room. Outdoor seating at the ship's aft offers fantastic views, weather permitting.

Prime C is the fleet's for-fee steakhouse restaurant. Its menu includes several meaty options like steak, chicken, duck and lamb, plus soups and salads. Dining there costs $30 per person, and reservations are recommended.

Aqualina is where passengers will find extra-fee seafood, Italian and French cuisine in a light, airy atmosphere. The menu might feature items like lobster, seared tuna and the catch of the day. Reservations are recommended, and the cost is $30 per person. (Note: At the time of publication, the venue was temporarily closed due to COVID-19-related capacity restrictions, but diners can still order from Aqualina's menu while dining in Prime C.)

Azamara also offers themed Explorer's Dinners for $65 per person, focusing on a different cuisine -- think French and Italian -- each time. Chef's Table is another option. For $95 per person, cruisers can enjoy a seven-course meal paired with wines. During the experience, the chef explains each dish, and the ship's onboard sommeliers go over the wine selections.

The Patio, a gratis poolside venue, puts on a waiter-served spread during lunch hours each day. The menu stays the same throughout each sailing and might include items like spring rolls, nachos, burgers and chicken fingers.

Mosaic Cafe is the cafe found on each vessel in the fleet. It offers free finger sandwiches, cookies and pastries, as well as a variety of specialty coffees, most of which are complimentary. It's a nice place to go if you're feeling a little peckish between meals.

Those passengers who don't feel quite up to a full meal for dinner can head to The Living Room, a bar and lounge area that doubles as the nightclub on each ship. There, sandwiches and pastries are offered in the afternoons, and tapas are available during dinner hours.

For anyone who missed dinner or who finds themselves hungry in the middle of the night, room service is a free option, 24 hours a day. The menu is considerable, providing pizza, burgers, sandwiches, salads and a plethora of other options.

Entertainment and activities

Entertainment on Azamara is engaging and fun, but not nearly as extensive as what you'll find on ships in larger fleets. You're likely to encounter musicians in bars, lounges and nightclubs, and song-and-dance numbers in the theater, along with an occasional comedian or magician. What you won't find are huge LED screens, acrobatic performances or shows with high production value -- and that's exactly how the line's target audience likes it.

Theaters and shows

During the evenings, there's a piano player in The Den lounge, and the ship's band plays in The Living Room nightclub before a DJ starts spinning dance tunes there late into the night.

As far as theater happenings, you might spot a movie screening on the daily schedule or turn up after dinner to find that there's a boy band performing Justin Bieber hits while dressing like they're part of a doo-wop group. Overall, it's low-key but enjoyable.

Other interior attractions and activities

Hosted activities run the gamut from added-fee wine tastings, scavenger hunts and complimentary deck walks and water aerobics to destination enrichment lectures, dance classes and shore excursion presentations. Also spotted on some daily schedules are coloring, word search challenges and Q&A sessions with officers.

However, one of the most frequent and popular onboard pastimes is trivia. There are multiple rounds offered each day, and they focus on subjects that are often tied to the destinations the ships visit. (Think Greek gods and goddesses or ABBA on Greek Isles itineraries.) Each person receives a grid sheet for stamps, with one stamp given for simply participating and two stamps given to the members of the winning team for each round. At the end of the sailing, passengers tally their stamps to collect Azamara logo prizes.

There's also a number of unhosted activities, such as ping-pong, darts, crossword and sudoku puzzles, board games, book swaps, knitting get-togethers, shuffleboard and LGBTQ, singles and Friends of Bill W. (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetups.

Additionally, one of Azamara's signature activities is its White Night Party, usually found once on each voyage. Passengers are encouraged to dress in white for an evening of dining and entertainment under the stars.

Top-deck attractions

Apart from shuffleboard and a jogging track, there's not much on the outer decks of Azamara's vessels if you're not a sun-worshipper. There's ample deck space with loungers, and a main pool with two hot tubs where passengers can go to cool off -- or warm up. There's a second pool for thalassotherapy near the Sanctum Spa, but it's open only to cruisers staying in suites or those who book passes to use it.

Another one of Azamara's signature offerings is AzAmazing Evenings -- a series of complimentary nighttime shore excursions that take passengers to famous landmarks, such as Ephesus in Turkey or the Russian Ballet, for culturally immersive performances. Currently, due to COVID-19 restrictions, AzAmazing Evenings have been replaced by Destination Celebrations , which involve the ship staying late in port and bringing local talent onboard to perform outdoors.

Children's programs

Although children are welcome onboard, there are no kids clubs on Azamara's ships, and there is no special programming for young cruisers.

What to know before you go

Required documents

You will need a passport for most of Azamara Cruises' sailings. The only ones for which the combination of a birth certificate and photo ID (such as a driver's license) will suffice is on a closed-loop cruise -- one that leaves from and returns to the same U.S. port and visits places that include Alaska, Hawaii, Bermuda, Canada and the Caribbean.

Passports should be valid for at least six months after your travel concludes.

Gratuities are included in all of Azamara's fares. Passengers can choose to leave extra if they wish. Spa services will automatically have an 18% gratuity added.

Azamara's Wi-Fi is some of the worst we've experienced at sea. In addition to being pricey ($19.95 for 60 minutes, $29.95 for full-day access or $19.95 per day for unlimited access for the duration of the voyage), it's spotty at best, especially when the ships are at sea. Azamara officials say the line is planning tech upgrades in the coming years, which hopefully will include a stronger connection.

Carry-on drinks policy

You can bring your own drinks -- including wine, beer and liquor -- on Azamara's ships for private consumption in your stateroom. If you wish to drink them in public areas or dining venues, you'll be charged a $10 corkage fee.

Smoking policy

Generally, Azamara's vessels are nonsmoking, except for clearly designated areas on the forward port ( left, when facing the front of the ship ) side of the pool deck. Passengers are not permitted to smoke in other public areas or in their cabins, including on their balconies.

All Azamara ships have self-service laundry rooms onboard. They're free to use and include complimentary detergent. The vessels also offer send-out wash-and-fold service, as well as dry cleaning and pressing, all for an added fee.

Electrical outlets

Outlets in each cabin consist of a mix of North American and U.K. options. Standard balcony cabins have two of each at the vanity, and two additional North American outlets can be found just above the minifridge (although one of them is used to plug it in).

Additionally, the line has added USB ports near the beds so you can charge your devices as you're curled up in bed scanning Instagram reels or catching up on the latest episode of "Stranger Things" (Wi-Fi permitting, of course).

The currency onboard is U.S. dollars. Passengers will each link a credit card to their onboard account (or put up a set amount of cash), as all onboard charges are cashless. The room key each cruiser is issued at embarkation serves as a room key, charge card and ID card when disembarking and reboarding the ship in port.

Drinking age

On all sailings -- except for those departing from North America, where the drinking age is 21 -- the legal minimum age for alcohol consumption is 18.

Azamara recommends a "resort casual" style of dress, which prohibits bare feet, baseball caps, tank tops, torn or distressed jeans, bathing suits and shorts in the main dining room and all specialty restaurants. More casual wear is allowed in the Windows Cafe buffet, but shoes are required, and cruisers must wear cover-ups over their bathing suits.

There are no scheduled formal nights onboard, but passengers are welcome to dress up. They are also advised to bring a white outfit for the line's signature White Night Party, held once per voyage.

Azamara Cruises' loyalty program

Azamara's loyalty program, Azamara Circle , has five tiers for passengers to reach, based on the number of points they earn each time they sail. With each new tier, they unlock additional benefits, such as free Wi-Fi minutes, complimentary laundry service and discounts on spa treatments and future cruise bookings.

• Adventurer (1-149 points).
• Explorer (150-299 points).
• Discoverer (300-749 points).
• Discoverer Plus (750-2,999).
• Discoverer Platinum (3,000-plus points).

How much does an Azamara Cruise cost?

Azamara sailings are on the pricier side, with fares for weeklong sailings stretching into the thousands per person, especially for higher-end accommodations. Fluctuations occur based on cruise length, cabin type, itinerary and time of year.

At the time of publication, the least-expensive booking we found was $1,459 per person (not including taxes and port fees), based on double occupancy, for an outside cabin on a seven-night Western Mediterranean voyage from Rome's Civitavecchia. The price for a suite on the same sailing was $3,349 per person.

However, you'll find less nickel-and-diming on Azamara voyages than you will with mainstream brands, as gratuities and basic beverages -- soda, bottled water, coffee, a couple of daily house wine selections, beer and standard liquor -- are included in the price of the cruise. AzAmazing Evenings are also rolled into the fares.

Passengers can expect to shell out extra for top-shelf spirits, spa treatments, shore excursions, professional photos, Wi-Fi and send-out laundry and dry cleaning services (assuming they don't receive them for free, based on loyalty status).

How to book

Cruisers can book Azamara voyages directly through Azamara, either on the line's website or by calling 833-292-2292; virtually through a third-party online travel agent; or by calling a travel advisor, who can help with all the details for a commission that's usually covered by the cruise line.

Most cruise lines have their own cobranded credit cards, but unfortunately, Azamara is no longer one of them. Passengers used to be able to use cobranded Celebrity Cruises or Royal Caribbean International credit cards to book Azamara voyages, but it's unclear whether that is still possible, given Azamara's split from Royal Caribbean Group.

To maximize your spending when you book, use a card -- like the The Platinum Card® from American Express -- that will earn you additional points on travel.

Bottom line

Azamara cruises are a good option if you're looking for an upscale line that offers excellent food and service at the lower end of the luxury price spectrum. You'll also receive a more destination-focused experience, with longer stays in port that allow you to take in the local nightlife.

The ships across the fleet will be familiar to you after just a sailing or two, and their elegant-but-relaxed vibe will leave you feeling like you're simply enjoying a drink in a friend's living room.

Courtesy of Azamara |

Find a Cruise on Azamara

with a cruise advisor

Cruising with Azamara

Azamara garners high praise from cruisers and critics alike for its upscale cabins and trips to far-flung destinations. The line's four ships – Azamara Journey , Azamara Quest , Azamara Pursuit and Azamara Onward – sail to hundreds of ports, with popular stops in South America, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, Australia and Asia. With Azamara's ship capacity limited to about 700 guests, it's easy to steer clear of crowds and locate crew members (each ship has approximately one staff member to every two passengers).

While docked at different ports, Azamara voyages offer shore excursions that vary by activity level, including museum visits, wine tastings and walking tours. Whether you choose the shortest five-night cruise or a 155-night world voyage, you can take advantage of each ship's onboard fitness center, lounges and nightly musical and dance performances.

You'll also find six distinct dining options on all four ships, ranging from casual buffets to specialty restaurants like Aqualina and Prime C steakhouse. In addition to beverages and meals in the main dining room, Azamara cruise fares include gratuities, concierge services, self-service laundry and exclusive events.

Pros & Cons

Encourages destination immersion through AzAmazing Celebrations (one complimentary excursion on most cruises)

Relatively small ships, creating an intimate atmosphere

Fare covers most alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, as well as gratuities

Only higher-priced, luxury cruises available; prices fluctuate slightly based on season, destinations and themes

Shore excursions (beyond one complimentary AzAmazing Celebration) not included in cruise fare

Limited onboard activities compared to larger cruise lines

• Expert Rating » 4.0
• Traveler Rating » 4.3
• Health Rating » 3.5

Azamara has been ranked based on an expert evaluation of the line's level of luxury, as well as an assessment of user reviews and health ratings.

• # 4 in Best Cruise Lines for Couples
• # 6 in Best Luxury Cruise Lines
• # 6 in Best Cruise Lines in the Mediterranean

Explore Photos

Azamara Ships

Azamara Journey

Azamara Onward

Azamara Pursuit

Azamara Quest

Before You Book

• If you require special medical services or equipment on the ship, you must contact Azamara no later than 40 days prior to your voyage for U.S. sailings and 80 days prior for all others. Guests can fill out a special accommodations form on the cruise line's website.
• If you cancel your reservation 120 to 31 days prior to departure, you'll be charged between 25% and 75% of your booked fare. If you cancel within 30 days of the ship's departure, you'll forfeit any refund. For more information, check out the line's  cancellation policy .
• To guarantee reservations, Azamara requires a deposit of $1,100 per person for suites and $550 per person for staterooms. The remaining balance must be paid 120 days prior to departure.

Before You Board

• Azamara electronically sends a list of required travel documents for your itinerary, including ticket contracts and payment receipts, 20 to 50 days before departure. Before you board, you must present a passport that is valid for at least six months after the end of the cruise.
• You must check in 90 minutes before the ship is scheduled to depart or your reservation will be automatically canceled. Boarding procedures and departure times will be included in your travel documents.
• The cruise line recommends passengers consult their physicians at least four to six weeks prior to embarkation to ensure they are up-to-date on required vaccinations. The World Health Organization lists vaccination recommendations on its  website .
• Azamara recommends that passengers limit their larger luggage to one or two pieces. Travelers are also encouraged to bring a small overnight carry-on bag for their last night at sea.
• Pre-book shore excursions through the Voyage Planner in your account and reserve specialty dining ahead of time.

Disclaimers about ship ratings: A ship’s Health Rating is based on vessel inspection scores published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a ship did not receive a CDC score within 22 months prior to the calculation of its Overall Rating, its Health Rating appears as N/A; in such a case, the ship’s Overall Rating is calculated using the average Health Rating of all CDC-rated ships within the cruise line. All ship Traveler Ratings are based on ratings provided under license by Cruiseline.com.

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Looking for an Azamara Cruise in 2024, 2025 or 2026?

Whether you’re looking to experience the delights of the Caribbean, exotic Asia or the diversity of the Americas, there’s a fantastic chance that Azamara is the right place for you to begin your quest.

The floating boutique hotels that Azamara offer will change the way you see the world, delivering a fully immersive voyage that provides culture in spades, in addition to all the luxury you can dream of. Azamara visit fascinating, far-from-the-usual ports—with nearly half of all port stops featuring overnight or late-night stays.

Azamara specialise in smaller, intimate ships, opening up a whole new world of ports that bigger vessels aren’t able to access, which means that when you book an Azamara cruise, you know you’re doing something seriously unique.

Intimate, club-like ships. Hidden gems. Unforgettable experiences.

With mid-sized ships providing a genial atmosphere, you can enjoy the perfect blend of ‘big enough to deliver, small enough to care’, while the small Azamara ships offer you the opportunity of sailing to the doorstep of Bangkok, the centre of Bordeaux and the heart of Seville, and docking within just a few minutes of Hong Kong’s buzzing nightlife.

With a huge variety of voyages available, from country intensive voyages through to featured land programs, whatever you’re looking for, you’ll likely find it with Azamara.

And as you’d expect, when on board, you’ll get a delicately refined experience; fantastic, personal service, and world class cuisine and beverages, all delivered in beautifully designed and finished suites and shared spaces.

Why should you book an Azamara Cruise with Panache?

When you book with Panache Cruises, you’re tapping into decades of experience in luxury cruising, ensuring you’ve got a dedicated, experienced cruising team there at your beck and call, to deliver exactly what you need.

James Cole – one of the most recognised names in the industry – is the founder and owner of Panache, which means you really are accessing decades of hard won nous and expertise when it comes to luxury cruising when you choose Panache.

Panache Cruises are based right here in the UK, and we’re a small, friendly team – big enough to cope with exactly what you need, but small enough that you’ll always be able to get through to the person you want to speak to, and you’ll never be sat on hold or talking to a computer.

Luxury cruising is what we do, what we’re passionate about and what makes us truly excited, and we’ll leave no stone unturned to ensure that your experience is one you’ll never forget.

What Our Customers Say

Featured Cruises

Azamara itineraries.

Our Cruise Expert

Gary Buchanan has sailed the Seven Seas during his 33-year career as an award-winning specialist cruise writer. Author of four books about cruising, he regularly contributes to prestigious newspapers such as The Telegraph and magazines including American Express Departures. He is a pundit on all things cruise and is looking forward to enhancing the content library for Panache Cruises.

Gary Says...

“For me, Azamara offers a blithe seaborne venture fused with the allure of the destination. The company’s four ships are classy with plethora tantalising features. Attentive service and cuisine mark this niche cruise company out, but it is destination immersion, where the emphasis is on authentic local experiences and overnight stays, which is their undoubted hallmark. To hurry a cruise with Azamara would be to miss the point.”

What's included with your Azamara Cruise?

AzAmazing Evenings

Complementary Drinks

Speciality dining.

Room Service

Shuttle service, butler service.

All gratuities

Entertainment

Excursions, speciality restaurants and wifi are an additional charge on Azamara Cruises.

Treatments in the spa, each of the onboard shops and the casino all carry additional charges onboard an Azamara cruise.

Things to do onboard

Food and Drink

Azamara have a number of dining options onboard their ships. The 2 speciality restaurants, Prime C and Aqualina have an additional charge.

There are 6 dining options onboard each ship, including:

• Discoveries – Azamara’s main restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner including Destination Immersion choices on the dinner menu.
• Aqualina – serving authentic Italian dishes, including freshly made pasta.
• Prime C – the lush décor and stunning views await in Azamara’s steakhouse.
• The Patio – a casual pool grill by day but becoming an Azamara favourite in the evening with fine tablecloths and flickering candles, serving local flavours as part of the Destination Immersion experience.
• Windows Café – Enjoy a buffet breakfast and lunch. Each evening there is a theme dinner, Indian, Mexican, Spanish and Italian plus an additional live station made from local ingredients purchased in port.
• Room service – available 24/7, features a full breakfast menu from 06:30 to 10:00, then a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches and pizza for the rest of day.

Azamara Cruises are always keen to understand and fulfil dietary requirements. A full Vegan menu is available throughout the ship including 16 main course options.

A wide selection of premium cocktails, wines, beers and spirits are available in each of the dining venues and onboard bars.

Onboard Accommodation

There is a variety of staterooms and suites to choose from when cruising with Azamara, including inside, picture window and balcony staterooms. Plus, Club Suites, including Club Spa Suites.

Your stateroom and suite choices:

• Newly refurbished featuring fresh contemporary décor.
• Twin or queen bed configurations, including fine bed linings and duvet.
• Azamara tote bag
• Bathrobe and slippers
• Complementary use of umbrella
• Complementary shoe shine service
• Complementary Fruit Basket at embarkation
• Turndown treats
• Club Oceanview Stateroom - 143 – 170 sq ft, including all the above amenities.
• Includes balcony with furniture
• 120 minutes of internet minutes per guest
• One free bag of laundry per stateroom, for each 7 nights on board.
• One night complementary dining at either Aqualina or Prime C, for each 7 nights on board.
• Priority embarkation and debarkation
• Complementary in-room spirits
• Butler service
• Dine in your suite from the restaurant menus, breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Priority check in and departure
• Afternoon tea service in your suite
• Complementary speciality restaurant access throughout voyage
• Welcome sparking wine
• Half bottles of Vodka, Rum, Gin and Whisky
• Daily savouries between 4 and 6pm delivered to your suite.
• Club Spa Suite – 474 sq ft – including all the above amenities and situated in the spa.
• Separate bedroom
• Large furnished balcony
• Dining area for upto 4 people
• Aft balcony with dining area for up to 4 people.

Spa, Health and Wellness

Azamara’s Sanctum Spa offers a number of fitness and wellbeing activities, along with hair and beauty treatments.

The Sanctum Terrace includes a private spa enabling you to relax and recharge in peace and quiet whilst enjoying the sea views.

A wide range of massages, facial glow services, body sculpting, spa rituals and even teeth whitening are available within in the tranquil setting of the Sanctum Spa.

The salon provides services ranging from hair cuts and styling to manicures and pedicures.

The fitness centre, complementary entry, contains a wide range of equipment and provides yoga, pilates, cycling, core workouts and nutrition classes throughout the day. Personal Training sessions and Body Boot Camp come at an extra charge.

Acupuncture is another popular onboard service which provide treatments covering pain managements, smoking cessation, weight loss and stress reduction.

Note: Spa and beauty salon treatments come at an additional cost.

Excursions, Entertainment and Activities

Azamara are truly proud of their range of destination immersion excursions, that take you into the heart and soul of the part of the world you are visiting.

Their Locales & Landmarks sightseeing tours take you to the hidden gems, the local secrets and the signature sites of the destination. A guided tour or a panoramic drive or cultural immersion this series of excursions make it easy to enjoy the local authentic experience.

Local Immersions and more intimate experiences that dig deeper and get closer to the local culture, local people and local traditions. Walk the streets, meet local families, sample the local food. These excursions are limited to just 26 people so you need to pre-book so you don’t miss out.

Exclusive Experiences are once in a life time sporting, cultural or world celebration experiences. Watch the Monaco Grand Prix or marvel at the Rio Carnival, these are the type of experiences available if you cruise with Azamara. Overnight experiences are also available so that you can get even closer and even more immersed in the destination.

Being on the ship during the day gives an opportunity to relax and recharge by the pool, perhaps attend a yoga class or why not enjoy one of the bars onboard. There are multiple Jacuzzi Whirlpool’s on board each ship, along with a small main pool and an additional plunge pool at the aft.

There are a small number of shops on board offering a variety of fashion items, cosmetics, jewellery and fine watches. Souvenirs, mementos and logo cruiseware are available to purchase too.

The card room is available throughout the voyage to enjoy a tactical game of Bridge or other popular games.

Seabourn Square is a great place to enjoy a morning coffee or socialise with fellow passengers. Relaxed seating, cocktails, a well stocked library and computers await.

The Bow Bar gives close access to water level enabling guests to spend sometime watching for marine life, whilst the Coffee Bar serves perfect specialist coffees just the way you like them, or unwind and enjoy a cocktail at the Patio Bar.

‘An evening with Sir Tim Rice’ is a concert-style presentations narrated throughout by Sir Tim and performed by members of the Seabourn Singers.

The onboard casino is available for those who enjoy the fun and thrill, offering slot machines, poker and blackjack.

In the evenings, The Grand Salon features a variety of acts during a voyage including comedy, cabaret performances, live music and classical recitals.

Pre or post dinner why not enjoy a cocktail or a digestif in the Observation Bar, enjoying stunning panoramic views.

Enrichment Programmes

AzAmazing Evenings are complementary and available almost all cruises. One evening during the voyage an evening excursion will take you into the heart of the destination to enjoy an exclusive experience courtesy of Azamara Cruises. Enjoy a night out at St Petersburg’s famous Symphony Orchestra, or watch Maori culture come alive at the Te Papa Museum.

In addition Azamara offer land programmes which work seamlessly with your chosen cruise. Over 100 land programmes are available which allow you to explore wonders of the world in small groups, see cities through the eyes of locals or enjoy an in depth exploration of one city. Land programmes can have a focus on Nature & Wildlife, Food & Wine, Culture & History, Adventure and even Trains. They vary from 2 nights in Venice to 7 nights exploring the lost city of the Incas, Machu Picchu, Cusco & Hiram Bingham Train.

Sustainability

Azamara’s mission is to protect and conserve one of the world’s most precious resources - the ocean. They strive to reduce their environmental footprint, further ocean conservation, help ocean life thrive, and engage the global community to raise awareness about the importance of ocean and environmental conservation. Through Azamara’s sustainability goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sourcing sustainable seafood, and destination stewardship, they aim to keep the world’s oceans clean and safe for generations of future passengers.

Azamara will donate a total of $100,000 from all WWF People to Planet Voyages, in addition to $30 from each excursion purchase to WWF in support of the organization’s conservation efforts in beautiful South Africa.

Azamara Cruise Ships

• Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

Moscow - is it worth it?

By socon1217 , June 4, 2011 in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

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I'll be sailing on the Azamara Journey in mid-July with 3 nights in St. Petersburg. I have the option of taking the middle of my 3 days and heading to Moscow. I've heard traffic is awful there and it's a very expensive and long day and possibly not worth it -- that because of the congestion, you don't see much. On the other hand, I don't see a time where I'll ever get back to Moscow and would love the chance to see St. Basil's, Red Square and the Kremlin.

So I'm soliciting more opinions and would love to hear recommendations from those who've done it as a shore excursion. Also, how was Aeroflot? Did you feel safe? Lastly, private tour company or go with the ship?

Thanks in advance!

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I'll be sailing on the Azamara Journey in mid-July with 3 nights in St. Petersburg. I have the option of taking the middle of my 3 days and heading to Moscow. I've heard traffic is awful there and it's a very expensive and long day and possibly not worth it -- that because of the congestion, you don't see much. On the other hand, I don't see a time where I'll ever get back to Moscow and would love the chance to see St. Basil's, Red Square and the Kremlin. So I'm soliciting more opinions and would love to hear recommendations from those who've done it as a shore excursion. Also, how was Aeroflot? Did you feel safe? Lastly, private tour company or go with the ship? Thanks in advance! Sue

Hi, Sue! The great news is that you have three days in St. Petersburg and the potential to go to Moscow. We did that in late July 2008 and it worked well. Below are my notes on what did and saw, plus some of my pictures. Yes, Moscow is large and there is time required to deal with traffic, BUT, how often do you get to see and do this famous city.

I'll offer up some added background, along with various pro/con factors for your consideration. My wife thought it was lots of money, but she viewed it as very much worth it after completing the trip as a "once in a lifetime" experience.

CON FACTORS : It's a long day! Leave the ship about 8 am (greeted by a small welcoming band dockside); lots of driving and traffic; get back by return flight to the St. Petersburg airport around midnight and back to the ship a little before 1 am. The cost through our cruise line was not cheap, but it does include everything, including all bus transfers, your jet air flights on regularly schedule commercial airlines, lunch on the bus, dinner in a nice/historic club/restaurant, admissions, etc., etc. Moscow is a super large city of about ten million people. There has been huge growth in the suburbs of this city during the past decades or so. Traffic and time from the airport to the main downtown takes about an hour. You can get a good feel as you travel into town through the coach windows about the “new Moscow” with its suburban growth, commerce, advertising, capitalism, etc.

PRO FACTORS : Moscow has its unique history, sights and sites, from Ivan the Terrible up through Lenin, Stalin and the new Russian leaders of today. After a long ride in from the airport on the outer edge of this large metro areas of 17.3 million (with 10.5 million in the city), we stopped at a new hotel for coffee/tea/break. Then, we rode the Moscow subway and saw a couple of their very unique and artistic stations. Stalin at the time called these stations “People’s Palaces”. This Moscow Metro was first opened in 1935 and now has 182 stations, 12 different lines,187 miles of routes and carries seven million passengers each weekday. It’s the world second busiest subway system. This subway ride offered a good sampling of real life for people who live and work in Moscow. We then saw more key places enroute, including the home of the Bolshoy Ballet, KGB Headquarters, various Stalin era buildings, etc. Then we went to the Kremlin with its 19 historic towers. WOW, we were really there!

Inside the Kremlin are three key “super stars”. First, was the State Armoury with its spectacular Faberge Eggs, plus so many carriages, crowns, gowns, jewels, etc. Second are the various historic Cathedrals within the Kremlin Walls, plus the Tower Bells, Icon art, etc. This includes the Cathedral of the Annunciation built in the 1480’s and having such spectacular wall murals and icons. Third, was the Great Kremlin Palace with its spectacular reception halls, inlaid wood floors, gold and more gold, fancy ceilings, etc. The Czars were crowned here, plus the current heads of the Russian government, etc. The size and scale of these areas are hard to describe in words, let alone reflect and capture the history that has happened in some of these rooms dating back to the late 1400’s. We have seen lots of great palaces all over Europe, but this is something above and beyond for the eyes, heart and brain.

Then, we saw more building inside the walls of the Kremlin. We went outside of the Kremlin Walls and walked next door to adjoining Red Square, seeing St. Basil’s and the re-done Gum Department Store. Red Square is so historic, especially having grown up seeing the military May Day parades there, visuals of Lenin’s Tomb, etc. Have the words “spectacular” and historic been used too much? Maybe, but it fits for many of these unique places. St. Basil’s was built 1555–1561 on the order of Ivan IV (the Terrible). It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower (266 feet tall) in 1600 inside the Kremlin Walls. To be able to “CONTRAST” and compare Moscow and St. Petersburg during these three short days adds to the benefits of seeing both of these great Russian capital cities. Each is a very different and special city.

We finished with dinner in the Central Writers’ Club, a one hundred years old mansion made into a restaurant with crystal chandeliers, rich wood panelling, fireplaces, and antique balustrades. Finally, we drove back to the airport, passing many of the new suburban commercial development with big box stores and luxury housing, etc.

Is one day too short and limited? YES! You can, however, do and see lots in only that one short day. You get a small sampling above. How often do you get to Russia? The Cold War might not come back in full force, but there are going to be increasing and revisited tensions in future years involving Russia and getting access there. Crystal has done this tour many times and has its details down well and timing perfected. Let me know any questions, thoughts or reactions.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our last July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now at 42,832 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

One of the Kremlin Wall Towers in Moscow:

Walking on the famed Red Square of Moscow:

St. Basil's sits on Red Square and dates back to its 1555-61 construction on the orders of Ivan the Terrible (Ivan IV). It commemorates the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan and marks the geometric center of the city. This location has been the hub of its growth for Moscow since the 14th century. It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 1600. This church was near destroyed in the 1930’s when Stalin was in control.:

The famed KGB Headquarters in Moscow where many entered and did not exit (alive) during the 1950’s and 1960’s:

Kremlin Treasures: Some of the Royal books & other items:

These are the series of smaller domes on the top of the Church of the Deposition of the Robe in the Kremlin Cathedral Square area.:

Wow - Thanks, Terry! What a great, detailed post -- so much more info than I ever would've expected. I'm sold... I'm absolutely going to go. Thanks for taking the time to respond... I really appreciate it!

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• River Cruising

GCT M/S Tikhi Don - St. Petersburg to Moscow

By usnavyguy , June 24, 2012 in River Cruising

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This is a review of a St. Petersburg to Moscow river cruise from 5/31/2012 - 6/14/2012 with Grand Circle Travel. I'll divide the review into sections starting with the ship so folks can jump to those sections of interest & ignore what isn't pertinent to them. For an excellent discussion on pre-trip planning, visa issues, comments on various cruise lines, this link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1559518

will give you all the details you need. I'll not repeat it here.

So, let's get to the specifics:

Ship : Tikhi Don is owned by Grand Circle Travel (GCT) and is one of two ships, the other being M/V Rossia they operate between Moscow & St. Petersburg. All the cabins are identical: 146 square feet with one window that opens, situated on 3 decks. The only difference is location on the ship. The cabins were clean as were the attached bathrooms. Storage space was adequate for two weeks. There is one 120V and one 220V electrical outlet in the cabin as well as a 115V electrical outlet in the bathroom. I purchased a 4 outlet power strip specifically for this trip to plug in rechargeable digital camera batteries as well as a cell phone. The ship has an elevator near the reception desk forward that services Decks 1, 2, and 3. There is a double stairway in the after end of the ship that runs from the Main Deck to Decks 2, 3, and 4. All other stairways are external and serve all 4 decks. We had about 206 passengers embarked and about 100 staff, so the ratio of staff to cruisers was pretty high. It seems that all river ships operating in Russia carry about 200 or so customers which make them quite a bit larger than the average European waterways river ship. Since they have far fewer bridges to deal with in terms of height, and water depths are somewhat deeper than European rivers, they can and do take advantage of that to leverage a larger number of customers. That doesn't make it bad; it just makes it different. Tikhi Don draws about 9 feet of water which I suspect is about average for a Russian river cruiser. The ship has two bars, one on the 3rd deck forward (Tsar Bar) and one on the 4th deck aft (Presidents Bar). The restaurant is located on the 2nd deck aft and is used for the breakfast buffet and the sit down daily lunches & dinners. One disadvantage to my way of thinking was the sit down lunch. When we've cruised on Viking, they offered a light buffet lunch in the bar/lounge and a sit down lunch in the restaurant. That gave one some options which weren't available with GCT. Again, not necessarily bad; just different. Each cabin is equipped with a flat panel LCD TV with various satellite channels available depending upon the location of the ship at the time. There also were 3 different movie channels showing a different movie each day. Since we didn’t watch TV, I can only surmise it must have worked okay as we did not hear any complaints. While each cabin has individual air conditioning controls, they didn’t appear to function very effectively and the cabin remained around 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. There is a separate heating unit mounted beneath the window on the outside bulkhead which proved very useful on some of the colder mornings we experienced during the cruise. The cruise covers 829 miles between St. Petersburg and Moscow, and consists of several lakes, rivers and canals including the transit of 16 locks.

Travelers: One significant difference I noted was the average age of the passengers was somewhat older than we had previously experienced with Viking in Europe. I would guess that average age was around mid-70s; some younger, and some a good bit older. We had several veterans of WW2 embarked and I can only hope I'm as spry as they were when I'm that age. They also are very loyal to GCT. Those folks who had previously traveled 3 or more times with GCT or their companion company, Overseas Adventure Travel were identified with a gold name badge. I'd estimate that at least 50% of the embarked travelers fell into this category. This was a very seasoned group of world travelers. Few on the trip were making their 1st river cruise and even fewer were traveling with GCT for the 1st time (we fell into that category). The tours generally involved quite a bit of walking and a not so slow pace, but most everyone managed to keep at it, and few opted out of the walking tours. I'll discuss those in more detail later in this post.

Ship Staff: The staff was quite young (mid to late 20s mostly), inexperienced, but always willing to help. Their command of English was generally very limited although I expect that will improve as the season wears on. Their English was way better than my Cyrillic so they get an A+ for effort. The cruise is managed by a Cruise Director who spoke idiomatic English. The ship's Captain was the most personable Captain I have ever sailed with on a cruise ship. He spoke good English, greeted all the travelers as they debarked for each tour, met each traveler at the gangplank when they returned, and along with the Cruise Director and Hospitality Manager stood on the pier and waved goodbye to every bus that departed. I'm used to the Captain putting in a brief appearance at the Welcome & Farewell Cocktail parties, then disappearing for rest of the cruise. This was a novel & most welcome change.

We were divided into 6 groups of about 32-35 people, assigned a Tour Director who worked exclusively with that group for the entire cruise. Very occasionally for an optional tour, the groups would be combined to keep the numbers about the same, but basically, you functioned within your assigned group. The Tour Directors all had majored in foreign languages at the University and had anywhere from two to as many as eight years with GCT. They all spoke idiomatic English and did a great job of keeping track of their charges. I liken managing U.S. tour groups to herding cats and these folks were always cheerful, ready to answer any question, and resolve any problem. The wait staff in the dining room had limited English, but knew enough to converse with the passengers with regard to the menu & was a hustling young group of Russians. They were extremely pleasant to deal with.

Food on Board: In general the meals were quite good. Breakfast was served buffet style and one always had the opportunity to order an omelet or eggs of any style. There also was a special breakfast order each day. They also included the European breakfast meats and other items common on European river cruise ships. Service was quick and efficient. Restaurant seating included tables for 2, 4, 6 or 10 passengers so there was a wide variety of seating. Lunches & dinners would be best described as Russian modified for American taste. As I remarked previously, all lunches were sit down, formal service with soup, entre (including a vegetarian selection). Salad bar and dessert. Dinners consisted of an appetizer, followed by a soup course, entre (again including a vegetarian choice), and dessert. At dinner, there was always available salmon or chicken breast with a baked potato and steamed vegetables for those who did not fancy the main course. Food was served hot when appropriate and cold when in order. Service was friendly and efficient. Even with 200 people sitting down to eat, there was no sense of “steam table” cooking. With the exception of two meals ashore, all meals were served onboard. In the event of an evening tour such as the Moscow circus or the St. Petersburg ballet, an early dinner was served to those attending the event, followed by a late night heavy snack following return onboard. While I did not eat very many lunches, my wife tried most of them and said the food was very good. We found the dinners to be tasty and a nice introduction to Russian cooking, including the famous Russian stroganoff which is not served over noodles as it is in the U.S., but over spaetzle or mashed potatoes which we were told is common in Russia. Early bird coffee was available from 6:00-7:00AM and also throughout the day at the coffee station on the main deck. Lunch was served at either noon or 1:00PM depending on the tour schedule, with dinner at 7:00PM.

Onboard Activities: There was never a shortage of things to do onboard, but all were voluntary so you could participate in as few or as many as you wished. They featured the usual port talks, introduction to the Russian language, lectures on Russian handicrafts, vodka tastings, blini parties, pelmeni (dumpling) cooking class, and hand painting of Russian Matryoshka (nesting) dolls. We also noted several spontaneous bridge, cribbage, and canasta card games in progress at various times.

There is a large, well stocked gift store on the ship, operated as a separate concession. My wife found the prices for souvenirs of all types were generally better than souvenir shops ashore. They accept major credit cards or roubles. You cannot charge items from the store to your shipboard account.

Tours: There were a limited number of optional (extra cost) tours available. In St. Petersburg, that included:

Rivers & Canals of St. Petersburg

Yusopov Palace

St. Petersburg Ballet

Peterhof Gardens

In Petrozavodosk: Karelian Folk Show

Zlatoust Singers

Jewish Heritage of Moscow

Tretyakov Gallery

You can view the details of these optional tours on the GCT website: http://www.gct.com

under the Russian river cruise itinerary.

All passengers are provided with a pair of head phones & a battery powered receiver to provide the ability to listen to the tour guide while still wandering about the particular venue. The system works perfectly and depending upon location & interference such as walls, floors, and the like is crystal clear up to 100 feet from the tour guide. I have used these systems on other tours and would never consider a tour/cruise that did not employ this technology.

We took the Rivers & Canals of St. Petersburg tour which entailed taking a canal boat up & down the various rivers & canals running through St. Petersburg. It lasted approximately 90 minutes with a well informed local guide who commented on what we were seeing. It was interesting and informative and gives you another whole perspective on St. Petersburg than from a city bus tour.

We also went on the Peterhof gardens tour which unfortunately, did not go as well. The morning tour for that day was Peter & Paul Fortress which was really not that interesting and turned out to be just another church tour. However, because of the distance from where the boat moored to the fortress, then into St. Petersburg for lunch, the morning and part of the afternoon was pretty well shot by the time we departed for Peterhof. Peterhof is a good 45 minute drive from St. Petersburg; so consequently, it was well after 2:00PM when we arrived at the gardens. I’d like to say the local guide tried to cram what could easily have been a 4 hour tour into something less than two hours. So, we consequently were trying to set land speed records for walking tours as she was determined to show us as many of the Peterhof fountains as possible, and there are more than a few. My wife is a bit slow of foot as she has limited walking capacity so she was hard pressed to keep up. I, on the other hand, wanted more time to take pictures of the fountains and didn’t appreciate being rushed from spot to spot. Fortunately, our tour director Alex was particularly solicitous of my wife and made sure we could cut some corners and get ahead of the tour where necessary. Unfortunately, the local tour guide was annoyed when told to slow down and became somewhat hostile. The tour ends at the Peterhof palace which has a very large number of very beautiful fountains, all in gold leaf and is a photographer’s dream. It easily could have been worth an hour or more of picture taking opportunities. While I do understand some folks just want to check the block of having seen it and move on, there are, I think, a larger number of us who don’t expect to see those things again and want to take full advantage of the picture taking opportunities.

St. Petersburg: We spent 4 days in St. Petersburg not counting the day of arrival. The 1st full day, we had a city bus tour which included a stop & tour of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and an approximately two hour visit to the famed Hermitage Art Museum with an option to stay for an additional 90 minutes, On Day 2, we had Catherine’s Palace & Park Tour, an offsite lunch paid for by GCT followed by the optional Rivers & Canals Tour, Day 4 was the Peter & Paul Fortress, again followed by lunch (this time on your own) followed by the optional Peterhof Gardens tour. On Day 3 of the visit, there were optional tours available of Yusopov Palace and the St. Petersburg ballet (evening). The boat was moored about 1 hour from downtown, depending on traffic, as the city authorities do not allow the riverboats to moor downtown. This caused some angst among those taking their 1st river cruise as they assumed this was standard. Of course, it’s not, and in fact, almost all European river cruises including Paris moor almost in the heart of the city. However, for those with free time and a little bit of adventurism, the subway took you downtown in less than 40 minutes. There is a bus from the head of the pier which costs 30 roubles (in early June 2012, roubles were 32.5 to 1 USD). That dropped you at the nearest metro entrance where 25 roubles and 5 stops later, landed you in the heart of Nevsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg’s equivalent to Times Square in NY or Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The metro is clean, no graffiti in the stations or on the cars, efficiently run and very safe. To return to the ship, just reverse the process. Once downtown, there are many attractions within easy walking distance such as the statue of the Bronze Horseman, a tribute from Catherine the Great to Peter the Great and the Church of our Savior on the Spilled Blood on which site, Tsar Alexander II was murdered by an assassin on 1 March 1881.

This was our 2nd time in St. Petersburg as we were there on an ocean cruise of the Baltics in 2003 when the city celebrated its 300th anniversary. It is to my mind, much more European than Russian with the latest fashions on display, many, many outdoor restaurant cafes and a mostly young, apparently well off population (at least during a business day).

We had previously been to Catherine’s Palace and the Hermitage and enjoyed returning to both places. St. Isaac’s is very impressive, but unfortunately, it is crowded and pickpockets are afoot. Several men & at least 1 woman had wallets stolen in the crowds so for them, not so much fun. Peter and Paul Fortress from a historical perspective is important, but rather unimpressive.

We visited St. Petersburg during the period of the summer referred to as “White Nights” which are quite famous. Sunrise occurs about 4:30AM and sunset at 11:15PM. Since winters are long, cold, and sometimes very harsh, the many hours of sunlight are greatly appreciated and folks go out to stroll, especially on Nevsky Prospekt well into the evening hours enjoying the many parks and recreation areas throughout the city.

Svir Stroi: This is a small village of about 600 people located on the Svir River. They have the requisite souvenir shops, but the highlight of the stop was the visit to the home of a Russian villager. Our opportunity came to visit the wife of a local employee of the hydro electric plant. We visited her home and were served tea & pirozhki’s (Russian tea cakes). With the able help of our tour director, Tanya who translated, the lady explained her daily life in the village and the challenges ordinary people now face compared to the days of the Soviet Union. This is also where we first encountered the fierce Russian mosquitoes or as the tour directors called them, the KGB mosquitoes. They’re big, they bite and they fly around over the 3 months of summer. Mosquito repellent does, however, work when liberally applied.

Petrozavodsk: This port city on Lake Onega which is the second largest lake in Europe, only surpassed by Lake Ladoga, included a bus tour as well as a visit to the memorial to Russian’s Unknown Soldier from World War II, and a tour of the local market. It is the industrial, cultural, and scientific center of the Republic of Karelia. The visit also included an optional tour to a Karelian folk show which we opted not to attend.

Kizhi (Kee-shee) Island: This small island in the center of Lake Onega is home to the oldest known wooden church in Russia, the Church of Transfiguration which features 22 timbered onion shaped domes. The church was assembled without the use of a single metal nail and is currently undergoing extensive renovation. The stop also featured a “Fishing with the Ship’s Captain & Staff” for those who are ardent anglers. Fishing apparently wasn’t so successful as we did not have fish on the menu that evening!

Goritzy/Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery: Goritsky is just another tiny town, but the monastery was built in 1397 and had close connections with Ivan the Terrible. At one time, over 200 monks lived in the monastery, but with the Russian revolution and the harsh suppression of religion in Russia, it deteriorated significantly and now houses only 6 monks. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, restoration efforts have begun and the museum features an impressive collection of Russian Orthodox icons.

Uglich: The last city we visited prior to Moscow is located on the Volga River. Cruising on the river as you come onto Uglich is very impressive. The Kremlin (or fortress) has no exterior walls so the many colored churches and domes make great picture opportunities. The very large Cathedral of Transfiguration looms over the town while the Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood with its rich red walls and blue onion domes offer a sharp contrast. Souvenir and shops selling all sorts of goods line the route from the ship’s berth to the main street of Uglich. We were told by the local guide that as many as 7 to 8 river cruise ships a day visit Uglich during the summer. They also were having a display of lacquer and paper Mache’ boxes for sale at very Western prices. Enameled watches are also a specialty of Uglich. We were treated to a short concert by a group of male classically trained singers who rendered several Russian songs a capella during our visit.

Moscow: We arrived in Moscow about 3 hours late because of heavy fog the previous evening while transiting the Moscow Canal. The river authorities do not allow movement in the canal during heavy fog, so we waited out the down time in one of the locks. The ship moored a good ways from downtown as the city authorities do not allow river cruise ships downtown, the same rule as St. Petersburg. Moscow is a city of 11.5 million people and traffic can be a nightmare. However, we were fortunate to arrive on a Monday before a national holiday (Day of Russia) on Tuesday and Moscovites are like people everywhere; they angle to take the day before a big holiday off. So, the traffic to downtown was pretty light and we made up some time on the city tour which started in the famous Red Square outside the Kremlin walls. The tour included a walk around Saint Basil’s Cathedral which is actually a museum, then on to the GUM department store which resembles a U.S. mall. We also walked past a “Historic Toilet” located in Gum’s that I believe was the 1st indoor lavatory in a Moscow department store. (Use of the WC was 84 roubles for those interested; I took a pass). We also went for a ride on the famed Moscow metro where many of the stations are elaborately decorated in frescoes, busts representing the struggle of the common man, and other adornments of the Russian revolution. As in St. Petersburg, the metro is clean (no graffiti in the stations or on the cars) and very safe.

The next day was the national holiday so our tours steered us quite far from Red Square (where demonstrations were purported to occur against the Presidential election recently completed) and out to Sparrow Hills which is a high priced area of the city. We also toured the New Maiden cemetery where various Russian notables such as Boris Yeltsin and Nikita Khrushchev are buried. The evening tour involved a visit to the Moscow circus which has been in continuous operation since 1980. A fun time of clowns, jugglers, trained poodles, bears, a lion taming act and culminated with a trapeze performance by 5 daring men & 1 woman.

The following day was a tour inside the Kremlin walls and to one of the 5 churches located inside the walls. I found it ironic that 5 churches would be allowed to exist following the revolution, but many things in Russia are strange, this only being one example. We also toured the Kremlin armory which contains the Tsar’s Crown Jewels, armor and armaments of the 16th- 18th century, many Tsarina coronation and wedding dresses as well as a very extensive display of Faberge eggs. The tour concluded with lunch at Moscow’s Hard Rock Café and time to tour Arbat Street which is a pedestrian only street in the heart of Moscow.

We had family obligations that required us to cut the last full day off the cruise and return home via direct flight from Moscow to Dulles International.

Final Observations: It was a very interesting and different river cruise for us. Because the distances are so vast, there is a lot more down time on this cruise than one in European waters, but Grand Circle can make it as busy or as relaxed as you like. The meals were comparable to those served on our other river cruises for quantity and quality. There are slightly more optional tours than with some other companies, but on the other hand, some of the included tours were excellent. St. Petersburg is a great city and one I’d be pleased to visit again; Moscow, not so much. Grand Circle is certainly worth your consideration as a cruise line as the prices are competitive with all other Russian river cruises. We did book our air through Grand Circle which I’m normally reluctant to do, but the routing was the same that I would have chosen had I done my own booking and the pricing was better than I could do on my own, especially considering what GCT would have charged for transfers to and from the ship. We did not purchase travel insurance through GCT as I found we could do better by shopping around over the Internet.

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We did this trip in 2004, aboard the chartered Nicholay Chernychevski, before Grand Circle had put the Tikhi Don into service. This was an excellent review and brings back memories. Please post it under Travelers Reviews on http://www.gct.com on this trip.

Thank you for the informative review. I am taking this tour in mid August. I will print what you wrote so that I can refer to it as I do some of my planning.

How many people were in your "group" ? Did you take the pretrip to Helsinki and Tallinn?

We had about 32 people in our group. I don't know what, if any criteria, other than numbers were used to make up the groups. We did not take any pre or post trips with this cruise.

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