jane mcdonald thames cruise

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Welcome aboard

Magna carta, luxury hotel barge.

Explore England’s Royal River

Magna Carta is the finest most luxurious vessel cruising the British Isles. In 1936 built as a working barge in Belgium and working as such until 1999 in Holland, she was converted into a beautiful floating hotel by us (Dominic Read and Geoffrey Temple) in 2001. Ever since she has created amazing memories and incredible holidays for hundreds of guests on our 6-night cruises along the Upper Thames. Arriving and unpacking once and still staying somewhere else each night is exactly what happens on Magna Carta. A guided sightseeing tour and a few hours of cruising every day combined with very personal and attentive service and fantastic food from your very own chef, Magna Carta is a home away from home!

In October 2020 we were delighted to host the incredibly talented singer, entertainer and cruising guru Jane McDonald. For Jane McDonald’s Thames cruise we pretty much followed our Classic England Itinerary with a few changes. We are always able to make bespoke itineraries for charter groups as we did for Jane and her friends, please contact us for charter ideas and of course we can recreate Jane’s cruise for any charter group that requests it.

The TV programme “Cruising With Jane McDonald” featuring Magna Carta was shown on Sunday 23rd May 2021 on Channel 5 and the second episode was shown on Sunday 30th May 2021.

Jane, thank you for choosing us.

Check out our

6-night classic england, 6-night custom cruises, shorter cruises, what our guests.

To the captain and crew of the Magna Carta. Thank you for an unforgettable cruise. And also thank you to my new friends. Unbelievable food.

- Nancy & Thomas -

What can I say… This was the BEST! The crew, the boat, the food, the new friends – you can’t beat a week on the Magna Carta! Thank you,

*Nancy & “Sir” Thomas*

- Mary Ann & Angelo -

Dear Magna Carta – Thank you for a fabulous week. The stops were wonderful but the crew was even better – the best! We will always remember you + the trip. God speed

*Mary Ann & Angelo*

- Karen & Ken -

To our Magna Carta Friends. Words cannot describe what a fantastic time we had. Everything I had hoped and much more! Wishing you all the very best. Thank you for everything, so very sad to leave. (Katie, I will send you my resumé)! Fondly,

*Karen & Ken*

- Bronwyn & Neil -

Dear “Team Maggie”… Max, Laura, Katie, Dominic, Carl & Sarah-Jane. Thank you for a most glorious 6 nights cruising with you on the River Thames. We leave this floating palace with wonderful memories of superb & delicious food, sensational wines, excellent service, comfortable (very!) accommodation and new friendships. We are sad to leave our relaxed and indulged life style on board and hopefully will return again. Thank you – our days with you all exceeded our expectations and have been very happy. Warmest regards,

*Bronwyn & Neil*

- Rachel & Vern -

And so it comes to an end… but our memories will last a life time! This has been such a fabulous holiday, thanks to you all, Dom, Katie, Carl, Max, Laura & Marcy, you have made our Honeymoon + official Wedding Day the best it could possibly have ever been. We love you all so much, thank you! Another thank you must go to our fellow guests, we loved every minute spent with them! Much more love,

*Rach + Vern* ooxxoo (The Bride & Groom!)

- Peter & Sydney, Ashley & Scott, Heather & Jim -

Magnificent Magna Carta! Thank you so much for taking such wonderful care of us this past week! Dom, Katie, Laura, Max, Carl, Oliver & Sarah-Jane you all are topnotch. Fabulous food, conversation, history, cruising and touring and making parasols and football magically appear! 🙂 We return home with very fond memories of you all + the beautiful Magna Carta. Fondly,

*Peter, Sydney, Ashley, Scott, Heather & Jim*

Photo gallery

Magna Carta

Luxury barge cruises.

Book now: only 1 week available in 2024!

Cruising between hampton court and henley-on-thames on the river thames, cruise highlights.

8 passengers ★★★★★ 5 star rating

• Explore Henry VIII's Hampton Court Palace
• Moor beneath and visit Windsor Castle
• Tour of Cliveden and its gardens
• Tour the Stanley Spencer Gallery at Cookham
• Enjoy English cream tea at the Stafford Hotel, London
• Visit Henley-on-Thames, the Royal Regatta town
• Tour of Christ Church College, Oxford
• Great walking and bicycling opportunities along the Thames Footpath
• A tour of Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) is also available on selected departure dates

Cruise route & itinerary

Hampton Court to Henley-on-Thames River Thames

Brochure ↓ Factsheet ↓

Hampton Court to Henley-on-Thames ↓

Magna Carta PDF brochures

Magna Carta cruise file

• From 4890 USD per person
• Charters from 35,100 USD
• Length 116′10″ ft ( 35.60 metres )
• Width 0′0″ ft ( 0.00 metres )

Specifications

• Crew members : 4
• Up to 8 guests
• Central heating
• Air-conditioning
• Spa or pool
• TV/DVD in suites
• Bicycles : 4

Guests have awarded ★★★★★ stars

About magna carta barge cruises.

As featured in Cruising with Jane McDonald, the Magna Carta provides a truly relaxing holiday aboard one of the most luxurious vessels cruising in the British Isles.

The ambience created by combining a traditional 1936-built barge hull with fine mahogany, teak and oak wood is outstanding. Modern amenities include underfloor heating, a spa pool and contemporary ensuite facilities for the four air-conditioned /centrally heated, spacious 200sq feet suites, complete with TV/DVD.

The upper deck saloon and dining area feature picture windows and stylish furnishings. Your master chef produces a range of mouthwatering dishes whilst you enjoy the riverside surroundings from your floating country hotel barge.

On deck, you can make use of the spa pool or take one of the 8 touring bikes for a ride. 4 British crew accompany you throughout your stay attending to your needs both aboard and onshore.

Magna Carta deck and cabin plans

Magna Carta photo gallery

Click any photo to zoom

Magna Carta cruise route & itinerary

Hampton Court to Henley-on-Thames

River Thames Download itinerary brochure ↓

Hampton Court Palace

Sunday We meet our guests in central London at the Stafford Hotel.  Enjoy a traditional English Cream Tea before being transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Magna Carta where a champagne reception awaits. Dinner on board.

Hampton Court Palace to Runnymede

Monday After a hearty breakfast, we will tour the lovely Hampton Court Palace this morning. We explore the Royal Chapel and Henry VIII's rooms, experience the eerie atmosphere of the haunted gallery, and marvel at the Tudor kitchens. The Great Vine, the oldest grapevine in the nation still bearing fruit, and the well-known maze are two stunning features of the outside gardens. Following lunch, we moor at Runnymede after cruising through several locks, including Sunbury and Molesey. Dinner on board.

Runnymede to Windsor

Tuesday This morning, you may choose to make use of the spa after breakfast at the recently renovated Runnymede-on-Thames Hotel. After that, we cruise to Windsor, passing by the Magna Carta Memorial and Magna Carta Island, where King John was compelled to meet with the influential barons in 1215 to seal the historic charter. Windsor Castle is the destination of our afternoon excursion. This is the world's largest inhabited castle, constructed in 1066 by William the Conqueror and used as the Royal Family's residence for more than nine centuries. We take in the expansive views, see the State Apartments, and visit Queen Mary's Dolls' House and St. George's Chapel. Dinner on board.

Windsor to Cliveden

Wednesday We take a quick journey this morning to Dorney Court, a very special Tudor manor house that has been owned by the Palmer family for almost 450 years and is frequently used as a film location. Later, we travel upstream to our unique mooring on the Cliveden estate, passing by the magnificent Bray waterfront homes and through the breathtaking Cliveden Reach. It features beautiful grounds and was, of course, the site of much political controversy and intrigue when it was the Astor family's residence. Dinner aboard.

Cliveden to Hurley

Thursday Following breakfast, we continue upstream to Cookham, where we visit the Stanley Spencer Gallery and stroll around the village that he famously referred to as "Heaven on Earth." From there, we continue through Marlow to Hurley. While on a tour of the adjacent boatyard owned by Peter Freebody, we observe with amazement how the skilled artisans construct and repair antique wooden objects. Before heading back to the hotel barge, we have time to visit the historic village, which includes Ye Olde Bell, which is said to be the oldest inn in the nation. Dinner on board.

Hurley to Henley-on-Thames

Friday We follow in the oars of many a famous rower this morning, along with the Henley Regatta Rowing Course, a morning voyage through breath-taking scenery, to our mooring at Henley-on-Thames. After an early lunch, travel to Oxford for a fascinating tour of Christ Church, the university's most illustrious college, which was founded by both King Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey. Alice in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll, was set in these amazing settings. We return to Magna Carta in time for a fabulous Captain's Farewell Dinner on board.

Henley-on-Thames

Saturday After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus to their choice of location in central London.

Hampton Court to Henley-on-Thames rates

The rates shown are standard, before any applicable discounts or promotions.

Themed cruises

2024 Departure dates Value dates: April 7 - April 21; September 29 - October 20 Regular: April 28 - Septemner 22 2025 Departure dates Value dates: April 6 - April 20; September 28 - October 19 Regular dates: April 27 - September 21

These are sample itineraries, on alternate weeks the cruise will be in the reverse direction.

Availability for Magna Carta

The dates indicated as "Available" may be booked on a charter or cabin basis.

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Episode list

Cruising with jane mcdonald.

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Cruising with Jane McDonald

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Singer Jane McDonald travels the seas on a mega vessel to explore cruise culture, and she immerses herself in the food, activities and community on the boat. (S7 Ep 4)

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• Jane McDonald River Cruises

CRUISING WITH JANE McDONALD

As seen on tv - channel 5.

Follow in the footsteps of Jane McDonald on one of these incredible river cruises, as featured in her BAFTA award-winning show, Cruising with Jane McDonald on Channel 5.

BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE With the UK's number one river cruise specialists! Family-run since 1959!

View our best Jane McDonald river cruise offers by using the search facility below! Our team of UK based river cruise experts are available from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 6pm on Sundays, to help plan your river cruise holiday! Recently awarded the UK & Ireland's NUMBER ONE River Cruise Agency, you can trust our 4th generation, family business to look after you! All of our holidays are protected by ABTA & ATOL for financial protection and 100% peace of mind. We are also proud to boast the 5* Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award for our customer care, both before and after booking! Read more about our award-winning company here and we look forward to speaking with you soon!

Jane McDonald River Cruise Itineraries

Cruising with Jane Mcdonald

Jane continues the celebration trip along the River Thames.

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Episode 4 - Jane continues the celebration trip along the River Thames.

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Jane McDonald shares her 'sexy' cruise hacks on latest episode of Cruising with Jane McDonald

Author: Harriet Mallinson

Published on: 24 May 2021

Updated on: 24 May 2021

Jane McDonald is undeniably a cruise pro so when the expert dishes her top packing tips it's worth listening in. Jane shared her latest advice in Cruising with Jane McDonald on Sunday evening.

Jane McDonald graced television screens once again last night in her hit cruise show.

Sunday's episode saw the singer enjoy a river cruise down the Thames to celebrate her friends' birthdays.

Jane, who often shares her travel advice with her fans, shed some light on how best to pack for such a holiday.

Her tips ranged from which toiletry bag you should take to why a "sexy outfit" is a must.

Jane explained the importance of being prepared when packing.

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"Because we're in the UK you have to be prepared for all weathers," she said.

"I pack within an inch of my life, starting with my toiletries."

The star shared she likes to use a toiletry bag with removable compartments that can be hung up in your cabin.

"I always have it packed with everything I need for travelling," Jane told the camera, showing the bag in the bathroom - with all items easily accessible whenever she needs them.

Another packing aid the singer puts to good use is a packing cube.

These are designed to organise and compartmentalise clothes inside luggage and are a go-to among many travel experts.

"I have my trousers rolled up in there," she explains, indicating her leopard-print packing cubes "and that will now go straight into a drawer. Voila!"

As for the items she hangs up in the wardrobe, Jane likes to plan ahead.

"I've got jackets, coats, for every season," she shared. "I'll put an outfit on a hanger so I know what scarf goes with what jacket."

Another luggage must-have is a "sexy outfit."

For this river cruise , Jane has packed a pair of white heeled boots.

"You just never know when you want a little sexy outfit," she said, adding: "We might do that because it's the girls birthday week."

Later, when checking on the kitchen on the boat, Jane pointed out the advantage of vacuuming packing, joking she'd like to vacuum-pack her pants in order fit in another pair of shoes.

Of course one big positive of heading off on a domestic cruise is the lack of luggage restrictions.

In fact, Jane even brings a giant Jenga set away with her to while away her evenings!

The sky’s the limit on Sky Princess

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Another perk of river cruising in the UK is the ease.

Unlike the "kerfuffle" that comes with airport travel, observed Jane, "you just turn up here and get on your barge."

In last week's episode of Cruising with Jane McDonald , the star explained cruisers should stick to black and white or brown and cream colour palettes - and not to mix the two when packing clothes for a cruise holiday.

"If you're going to go for black, don't pack brown," Jane warned.

"Because that means two sets of handbags and however many shoes you've got to pack to match brown and black. Either go for black or brown, whichever is your colour."

She added: "And white, lots of white - and then whatever colour suits you, you can match that with black and white; or brown and cream."

Cruising with Jane McDonald continues Sunday 30 th May, 9pm on Channel 5

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Home » Cruises » Jane McDonald’s ‘lovely commute to a restaurant’ from her river cruise – ‘like in Venice’

Jane McDonald’s ‘lovely commute to a restaurant’ from her river cruise – ‘like in Venice’

Jane McDonald reveals her top tips when packing for cruises

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Jane McDonald is cruising the Thames River with her closest friends on a trip made to discover “England’s great heritage”. She is onboard a four-berth private luxury river cruise with two of her best friends, Sue and Olwen, for their 70th birthdays.

They have been sailing the River Thames for weeks in order to enjoy the beautiful English countryside.

The trip started in Hampton Court, stoping in Windsor and Cliveden before finishing at Henley-on-Thames.

When they decided to set off for a birthday lunch in Windsor, they encountered a minor problem: their cruise ship couldn’t park.

Jane explained: “Our river cruiser is the biggest boat this side of the Thames, which means that it can’t always park up on a mooring if the water is too shallow.”

The crew onboard the ship arranged a transfer with a smaller boat to take Jane and her friends to their restaurant.

“What a lovely way to commute to our restaurant,” said Jane.

“It’s like being in Venice!

“We don’t have a gondola but we do have a little 1960s motorboat called Fringilla,” explained the presenter.

“And what a way to arrive!” she said when arriving at their lunch spot.

“We actually feel a bit like royalty here, don’t we?” she asked her friends.

“It’s very posh, isn’t it? What we call posh up north,” her friend said.

To what Jane replied: “They call it posh everywhere, Sue!”

Although theirs wasn’t a proper gondola, as Jane would have liked, it’s a very similar way to commute to that they use in the city of canals.

In Venice, big boats can’t get on the narrow canals, and gondolas have to take tourists to the city centre.

As opposed to what many people think, residents of the Italian city don’t use gondolas to move around.

It is reported that although there are only a few hundred gondolas left in Venice, almost none of them are used as private transport by local Venetian families.

When returning to the cruise at night, Jane commented on how relaxed the life of those living on boats was.

“This is a really relaxed way of life, isn’t it?”

They continued their journey towards beautiful Cockhand and Hurley and finished in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

“As the river is deep enough here, we can moor up next to the shore,” explained Jane this time.

Source: Read Full Article

• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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