Cruising the Imperial Rivers of Russia and the Ukraine

CRUISING THE VOLGA RIVER IN RUSSIA AND THE DNIEPER RIVER IN THE UKRAINE:

Discover Russia and the Ukraine along their natural highways with a cruise through the imperial rivers and lakes. Whether it’s Moscow’s golden onion domes and red-walled Kremlin, the legendary palaces and canals of St. Petersburg, or the romantic vastnesses of the Ukraine and Crimea, a Russia or Ukraine river cruise has to be the most relaxing way to experience these still relatively unexplored areas of the world.

Not the same as the West

Russian river cruises tend to be a bit different to those in Western Europe. For a start, some are multilingual and there are often more relaxed rules about smoking in public areas. Another difference appears to be a greater emphasis on providing background information on board, with experts providing lectures on Russian history, culture and economy.

The Ukraine is the largest country in Europe and also one of its oldest. Although there is much to see in this country, it attracts relatively little tourism. A river cruise is a great way to experience this country’s landmarks and history. There are not many English-language cruise operators offering Ukraine river cruises, with Viking River Cruises being one of the more established companies.

Older boats have character, but fewer facilities; however, with the growing interest in river cruising Viking River Cruises now have four newly refurbished ships for their Russian river cruises. Shipboard amenities include a shop, library and full-length sun deck with bar.” Uniworld is using the remodeled “River Victoria” for their English-only tours between Moscow and St Petersburg. The River Victoria is not a Uniworld-owned ship and whilst this Russian-style ship is comfortable, its amenities are different to those of their company-built ships.

Volga River Cruises

The unique cultural heritage and stunning architecture of Russia’s most interesting cities are right there when you take a Volga River cruise. The Volga River, at 2,293 miles, is the longest river in Europe. You can visit Russia’s two most important cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg on a Volga River Cruise. From Moscow, the cruise will travel along the Moscow Canal, the Volga river, and the Svir and  Neva Rivers before arriving in St. Petersburg.

Dnieper River Cruises

Experience the best of the Ukraine and visit cities like Kiev, Odessa, Yalta on a Dnieper River Cruise.  The Dnieper River, the third largest river in Europe, flows 1,370 miles from the heart of the Ukraine to the Black Sea.

OUR ADVICE: Concentrate on the route you want to travel and the reputation of the cruise operator as it is generally more difficult to operate in these parts of the world  (of course, there’s also price!). Be sure to check out our “Things to watch for” page too!

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