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Customer Reviews for Go Ahead Tours Russian River Cruise
Go Ahead Tours Russian River Cruise
Cruise along Russia’s river to experience a diverse Russia, from the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg to the rural ports of Uglich and Goritsky.
Average Customer Rating:
(13 Reviews) 13
11 out of 13 85% of customers would recommend this tour.
Customer Reviews for Russian River Cruise
Review 1 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
3
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Fran |
Number of past tours:8
Traveled on:9/11/2011 12:00:00 AM
Location:FL
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by Fran |
October 11, 2011
Interesting but more time, please!
St Petersburg & Moscow were amazing ... the 3 hours in the ports along the ship's route not so interesting ... 5 people in our little group and everyone agreed on this point, and we would have liked more time in the Hermitage and the Armory ... too fast & too furious, whirlwind tours through these magnificent treasures. The Tour Director, Maria, was superb! Tips for the crew is still confusing.
Recommended for: Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Relaxing Retreat
+6points
7out of 8found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Fran |
Number of past tours:8
Traveled on:09/11/2011
Location:FL
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by Fran |
October 6, 2011
River cruise vs high-speed rail ....
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This tour was filled with a few pleasant surprises, but also a few disappointments. Our tour director, Maria, was adorable, congenial, and the perfect ambassador for her country. Our ship (M/S Litvinov) was comfortable, clean and the meals were beautifully presented and delicious. St Petersburg with all her palaces, cathedrals and the Hermitage were breathtaking, but far too little time was spent in this awesome city. Moscow was very congested but we eagerly navigated through to see Red Square (night & day excursions), the Kremlin & the famous Metro stops. However, I must have blinked going through the Armory to see the magnificent imperial jewels & Fabrege' eggs ... it was a blur & everyone wished we had more time here. Which brings me to the disappointments: We spent way too MANY hours on the ship having only 3-4 hours on most days in port (with the exception of one day). I don't mean to disparage the residents of those lovely little villages (whose livlihood depends on tourists, I'm sure), but everyone agreed that St Petersburg & Moscow were the big draws for the trip. The ship offered minimal entertainment except card games and jigsaw puzzles in the bar, so travellers need to take lots of books for reading and there's certainly not much in the way of scenery during the cruise. The visa for Russia cost over $300 and everything had to be overnight expressed at a cost of $46 ... expensive! Forget Russian rubles but get lots of Euros ... everyone in Russia wants Euros. Near the end of the cruise, a note was slipped under every door laying out the terms of tipping and an envelope was provided to us with details on how much we should tip all the crew and reminded us not to forget the ship's Cruise Director. Many objected to tipping the Cruise Director whose job it seemed was acting as a liason between the crew and the various Tour Directors. Our tips to our GAT TD (Maria) and our concierge (Yulia) were generous and given directly to each ... servers and bartenders were remembered as well. In summary: Loved St Petersburg & Moscow, adored our TD & Concierge ... just was not crazy about the cruise itinerary and whirlwind stops. This river cruise would be nice for Seniors and those persons who want to relax, read, sleep and have a little history & culture thrown in the mix. I gave this tour 4 Stars for the St Petersburg & Moscow visits. (Note to GAT: The consensus around the dinner table was that we would much rather have spent more days in St Petersburg, take the high speed rail to Moscow and have more time in cosmopolitan Moscow.)
Recommended for: Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Relaxing Retreat
+10points
10out of 10found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Anonymous |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:09/11/2011
Location:MS
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by Anonymous |
October 3, 2011
Good Trip Woderful tourguide
We enjoyed the tour especially our tourguide, Maria. She was helpful to eveone and very friendly. The palaces in St. Petersburg were unbelievable and we enjoyed seeing all of the city.
As a whole we enjoyed the boat tour, but would perfer to see fewer churches an have more time to explore the towns, especially the town
where the arts and crafts were.
As a whole we enjoyed the boat tour, but would perfer to see fewer churches an have more time to explore the towns, especially the town
where the arts and crafts were.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
3
/
5
Tour Director
3
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by GNYQUIST1 |
Number of past tours:5
Traveled on:07/16/2011
Location:MN
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with friend(s)
by GNYQUIST1 |
August 10, 2011
Russian River
St Petersburg and Moscow were very positive experiences. The river trip was so-so. The ship's food and accommadations were better than we expected. Noticible conflict between Go Ahead and ship tour guide. I think this needs to be worked on. Both went on many excursions and this became alittle confusing. Who do we tip and how much. Uncomfortable.
Recommended for: Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers
+11points
11out of 11found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by KBRADSHAW4 |
Number of past tours:6
Traveled on:07/16/2011
Location:VA
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by KBRADSHAW4 |
August 7, 2011
Cruise with a Purpose: Russia in Transition
Traveling to the Russian cities of Saint Petersburg, Moscow and the towns along the Volga River and its other waterways was to experience firsthand the Russian culture, history, architecture and art. Go Ahead chose a superior boat with an amazing crew. We had many wonderful opportunities to learn about Russian dance, music, language, folk art, politics, history and food and drink from exceptional musicians. historians, educators and staff. The family of musicians were very talented and the variety of quality programs were appreciated. The cruise staff was very professional and friendly. The dining room staff especially added to our overall enjoyment of the cruise. The food far exceeded our expectations as it was delicious and the presentation was often remarkable. The natural beauty of the river and the "white nights" gave the cruise a special touch.
Recommended for: Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Relaxing Retreat
+7points
7out of 7found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by AANTHONY5 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:07/16/2011
Location:CO
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by AANTHONY5 |
August 7, 2011
Russian River Cruise
Over all it was a great trip. We did a good amount of walking. Be aware that many of the places that we visited did not have air conditioning.
The ship accomadations were adequate. Do not expect luxury!
Our tour guides were very knowledgeable and were always willing to instruct and guide us when we wanted to do something on our own.
The ship accomadations were adequate. Do not expect luxury!
Our tour guides were very knowledgeable and were always willing to instruct and guide us when we wanted to do something on our own.
Recommended for: Art, History, & Culture
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by SSTOLITZA |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:07/16/2011
Location:OH
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:solo
by SSTOLITZA |
August 6, 2011
Fantastic Trip
Whatever I thought I expected the trip was so much more than that. The country amazed me. It was clean and safe and the people were so very friendly and willing to be helpful. It was a wonderful experience! The treasures of the country are truly that!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
2
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by JALBINS1 |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:07/16/2011
Location:TN
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by JALBINS1 |
August 6, 2011
Russian River Cruise
This trip was one of the best that we've taken with EF/GoAhead, and we've taken LOTS! Its success was due in large part to the ship Litvinov and its crew. The service was impeccable. We couldn't get over seeing staff wiping down interior hallways while guests were at dinner and watching crew swab down exterior decks on a regular basis. Although the ship itself showed its age (frayed curtains at windows), it was kept "spit-spot". Meals onboard were "4-course SUPER" where presentation really counted. I'd like Customer Service to contact me regarding the Tour Director role on this particluar trip. For, if possible, we had TOO MANY guides.
Recommended for: Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers, Relaxing Retreat, Experienced Travelers
+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
3
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by RALBINS |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:7/16/2011 12:00:00 AM
Location:TN
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by RALBINS |
July 30, 2011
A Russian Revelation!
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
July 2011. Wow! What an adventure! Really opened my eyes to a fascinating and long-suffering people and culture. Had always wanted to visit Russia but was hesitant to go by bus from hotel to hotel considering their infrastructure & recent emergence as an open society. River cruise is the way to go! Although cabins were small & dated, ship (M/S Litvinov) was kept spotless & customer service was excellent. Four-course meals were often in local flavor – interesting but prepared lavishly & always good (& I’m your basic meat & potatoes guy). On-board ship activities while cruising were entertaining & optionals in port were well planned with good local guides. (Only complaint was ship anchored 2 hrs in Volga River to refuel before docking at Jaroslavl port 100 yards away. Silly waste of time). Overall one of our best trips!
Recommended for: Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Food & Wine
+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by SROBERTS70 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:9/11/2010 12:00:00 AM
Location:ON
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by SROBERTS70 |
November 9, 2010
Tzarinas
I travelled to Russia last September and was truly awed. The magnificent churces and palaces far exceded my expectations. I think the museum in the Kremlin is the best I have seen. I think that was because I was thrilled to see some Faberge eggs.
I would recommend this tour to everyone who is interested in Russian history, magificent scenery and enjoyable company.
I would recommend this tour to everyone who is interested in Russian history, magificent scenery and enjoyable company.
Recommended for: Art, History, & Culture
+22points
29out of 36found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
2
/
5
Tour Director
2
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by JMC DOUGALL19 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:09/11/2010
Location:IL
Age:40-49
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by JMC DOUGALL19 |
November 6, 2010
russian cruise
The scenery and the excursions were interesting. The cruise ship was not very accomodating to travelers. I did not like the fact that the front desk was closed at night, so it was not possible to talk with the cruise staff. The cruise did not offer a very wide variety of beverages, i asked for diet coke and there was none. The meals were ok. The state rooms were too small and the beds very uncomfortable.
+28points
28out of 28found this review helpful.
Response from Go Ahead ToursBy Go Ahead Tours, Customer Relations Department, November 12, 2010
Thank you for your review! We appreciate hearing from our customers and the feedback provided is vital in helping us improve our tours.
Based on your feedback and that of other customers we have made the decision to use a different cruise ship for future departures. Our hope is that this change will be more in line with our standards & provide travelers with the quality experience they expect from Go Ahead Tours.
I hope that you enjoyed your time and returned home with some wonderful memories of Russia! Thank you again for your feedback and we hope to see you on another Go Ahead Tour in the future.
Based on your feedback and that of other customers we have made the decision to use a different cruise ship for future departures. Our hope is that this change will be more in line with our standards & provide travelers with the quality experience they expect from Go Ahead Tours.
I hope that you enjoyed your time and returned home with some wonderful memories of Russia! Thank you again for your feedback and we hope to see you on another Go Ahead Tour in the future.
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Review 12 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by GANDRES2 |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:09/11/2010
Location:ND
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by GANDRES2 |
November 5, 2010
the trip needs work
You were very fortunate to have had an excellent tour director/guide.
Advanced information was mostly wrong.
It appeared that there was very little contact with what the boat expected and what Go Ahead told us.
I am sure that this will improve in the future.
I further appreciate the way Go Ahead handled the "after the Tour' phase.
We have confidence in your tours and have booked our next tour.
Advanced information was mostly wrong.
It appeared that there was very little contact with what the boat expected and what Go Ahead told us.
I am sure that this will improve in the future.
I further appreciate the way Go Ahead handled the "after the Tour' phase.
We have confidence in your tours and have booked our next tour.
Recommended for: Family Vacations, Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers, Relaxing Retreat
+17points
18out of 19found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Russian River Cruise
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Anonymous |
Number of past tours:3
Traveled on:9/11/2010 12:00:00 AM
Location:ON
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by Anonymous |
November 4, 2010
A Uniue Experience!
Images for this Review
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Russia is a fascinating country with a turbulent history and an enigmatic culture. We loved the northern landscapes, glimpses of village life, shopping in local markets, and strolling along exotic city streets.
Highlights of the tour included: the fabulous Russian architecture, which changed from St. Petersburg to Moscow, and is yet again different in small towns and villages; glimpsing the incredible wealth and opulence of the lives of the Tzars and Tzarinas; the Russian wilderness and countryside, which looked almost Canadian but not quite; Red Square - wow!; onion domes, multitudes of them, in glittering gold, incredible colors and designs, and domes even covered in hand-carved wooden "shingles"; making new friends, some of them Russian; the vodka - every conceivable flavor and quality!
We enjoyed cruising down the river as we spent time visiting, reading, sipping vodka and gazing at the scenery. We participated in some on-board activities that were much fun! Optional tours allowed us to experience a folk show, the famous Russian ballet, palaces and cathedrals, the cities at night, and shopping districts. We're pleased that we chose the St. Petersurg pre-extension as that city is particularly beautiful and engaging.
My friends and I overall had a fabulous experience, and we'll treasure our Russian memories forever. We received the excellent service from Go Ahead that we've come to expect. All issues were dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner. Our tour director and her partner (there were two groups on board) were friendly, helpful and contributed to our positive experience. Thanks, Go Ahead, for another unforgettable experience of a lifetime!
Highlights of the tour included: the fabulous Russian architecture, which changed from St. Petersburg to Moscow, and is yet again different in small towns and villages; glimpsing the incredible wealth and opulence of the lives of the Tzars and Tzarinas; the Russian wilderness and countryside, which looked almost Canadian but not quite; Red Square - wow!; onion domes, multitudes of them, in glittering gold, incredible colors and designs, and domes even covered in hand-carved wooden "shingles"; making new friends, some of them Russian; the vodka - every conceivable flavor and quality!
We enjoyed cruising down the river as we spent time visiting, reading, sipping vodka and gazing at the scenery. We participated in some on-board activities that were much fun! Optional tours allowed us to experience a folk show, the famous Russian ballet, palaces and cathedrals, the cities at night, and shopping districts. We're pleased that we chose the St. Petersurg pre-extension as that city is particularly beautiful and engaging.
My friends and I overall had a fabulous experience, and we'll treasure our Russian memories forever. We received the excellent service from Go Ahead that we've come to expect. All issues were dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner. Our tour director and her partner (there were two groups on board) were friendly, helpful and contributed to our positive experience. Thanks, Go Ahead, for another unforgettable experience of a lifetime!
Recommended for: Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+24points
26out of 28found this review helpful.
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