Although my husband and I are not cruisers, we thought it was the best way to see Russia and we were right. The itinerary and the excursions offered were outstanding. We had opportunities to see other places that were not included by taking the subway in St. Petersburg and in Moscow. The crew was superb and the guides Viking selected were very knowledgeable and helpful. We loved the trip and even if we still don't like to cruise, we recommend this cruise to see Russia. Chef Marcel was amazing and the food was incredible. Andre and Micha were fantastic waiters. Paulina, our guide for most of the excursions, was incredibly knowledgeable and generous with her answers. The local guides were equally knowledgeable. The tour director, Douglas, did everything to make our cruise fun and the excursions worth our while. We also appreciated the history lectures on board, as well as the language lessons. The itinerary was perfect because the villages we visited were all unique and different from one another which provided us with a remarkable experience..
It had everything we wanted and it was comfortable. The best part was the location which was next top the panoramic bar. Our balcony allowed us to open the door and walk the entire perimeter of the bow of the ship. The only detraction was that Viking had to double up on the docking of its ships in Moscow and St. Petersburg, so, if you were on the side where another ship was docked, it blocked the view of the river and we had to close the curtains because the view was another ship right in front of us. It lasted two days in both cities.