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Ship Chehov: Moscow - Rostov-on-Don, River Cruise 18 Sep 2011 - 06 Oct 2011Route description:Begin your voyage in Moscow, one of the liveliest and most interesting capital cities in Europe before sailing southwards through the historic heartland of Russia. Visiting numerous cities and towns which have each played their role in the formation of modern Russia, you will arrive in Rostov-on-Don, the capital of the legendary Cossack people. Itinerary
Cruise details  Interested in this cruise? Call us: 1-800-884-1721 Lower Deck Triple: $2,876 Main Deck Twin: $3,076 Upper Deck Twin: $3,202 Boat Deck Twin: $3,628 Suite: $5,363 Preferred currency: Date: 18 Sep 2011 - 06 Oct 2011 Ship: Route: Duration: 19 days What's included:
*Only US citizens and residents can have the full visa support, for other guests we will provide visa invitation
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Welcome to Russia! Your driver will be waiting for you at the airport arrivals gate, you will see him holding a sign with your name. He will take you to the port for ship embarkation. There is no special program for this evening. You will have a chance to relax after your flight, to enjoy the dinner on board and to meet your fellow travelers for this extraordinary adventure across Russia.
oscow is Russia's largest city, its political and economic capital. The town of Moscow was the center of Moscovy - a small principality that unified the Russian lands against the Mongols in the late 14th century and has ruled Russia ever since. As the Mongols burnt major cities across Russia, refugees fled to smaller principalities like Moscow, Tver and Nizhny Novgorod. Through bribes, diplomacy and coercion, Moscow overcame its two rivals to become "Russia's first city." Moscow's role was briefly challenged when Tsar Peter the Great moved Russia's capital to his new city, St Petersburg, on the shores of the Baltic Sea..jpg)
The tour starts after breakfast and today we will head to the heart of Moscow - the Kremlin. This giant fortress was originally built in 1147. It expanded and enhanced overtime to repel the Mongol hordes eventually becoming one of the world's largest and most unique fortresses. The Kremlin was the center of political power across the Eurasian continent and to this day remains the symbol of Russia.
Uglich is a small town located on the banks of the Volga River. It’s tiny by modern standards, but back in the medieval times it was one of the best defended fortresses of the kingdom of Moscovy (the principality of Moscow). Uglich was attacked by many invaders who attempted to rule Moscow such as Mongols, Tatars, Lithuanians, Teutonic knights and Moscow’s neighboring principalities such as Tver.
Everyone has heard of Kiev and Novgorod, these cities are still famous today. Historically these cities were the largest in Eastern Europe. 
Nizhny Novgorod was one of the newly founded towns that escaped
Mongol devastation on account of its insignificance. Nizhny
Novgorod, similarly to Moscow and Tver, attracted refugees from
other cities pillaged by the Mongols and expanded rapidly during
the period of the "Mongol yoke" that lasted for a little over 100
years. Moscovy incorporated the city in 1392 and soon thereafter
the Tatars of Kazan burnt it down (1408). It took over one century
to construct an enormous redbrick castle here which was soon of use
when the Tatars tried to burn it again in 1520 and 1536. Today,
just like 500 years ago, Nizhniy is one of the main commercial
centers of Russia.
Cheboksary is a vibrant commercial hub located on the Volga River which, similarly to Astrakhan, was first conquered by the Mongols and then by the Russians. There is nothing particularly special about Cheboksary, except that it is famous for the church bells produced here which are used by many Russian churches..jpg)
Kazan was the capital of Tatars, the allies of Mongols. Ivan the Terrible conquered Kazan in 1552 and forced its Muslim ruler to convert to Christianity. Ivan remodeled Kazan's castle to the Russian style and built St. Basil's Cathedral on the Red Square of Moscow in the celebration of his victory. It is interesting that St. Basil's domes, all nine of them, correspond to the number of days that the siege of Kazan lasted.
Enjoy the day on board of your cruise ship. Crew have prepared a rich entertainment program.
Samara has long been Russia's link to the East. The growing bread trade in 19th-20th centuries turned this city into an important economic center and during World War II many of military factories were moved from western parts of the country to Samara. The soviet leaders even had a contingency plan to move Russia's capital to Samara had Moscow fallen to the German hands. Today, Samara is the third largest metropolitan area in Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg and an important industrial center.
Saratov was the northernmost colony of Greek Empire. In 512 BC it was completely annihilated by Persia and one millennium later, Ivan the Terrible established a colony on the ruins of the ancient city. Saratov used to have a large population of Germans, who migrated here during 19th century. When World War II erupted, they were relocated to Siberia and Kazakhstan. During the Cold War Saratov became the center of aircraft production and not surprisingly, Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, came from here.
Volgograd (former Stalingrad) is famous for the battle that unfolded here during the World War II. German forces attempted to cut off the Russian armies and their industrial production from their fuel supplies. To that end, they needed to take Stalingrad, situated on the western bank of the Volga River. Hitler sent his best armies and generals, including famous marshal Von Paulus to command the siege. The Battle of Stalingrad lasted for almost one year. The heroic defense of the city enabled the Russian army to prepare a counter attack and to surround the invading forces. This was a serious loss from which Hitler forces were never able to fully recover. This was not the victory for the allies yet, but it was in Stalingrad that the tide of war turned against the Germans. Volgograd has a giant memorial Rodina Mat (Motherland) commemorating those who fought and died here.
The Volga is often mentioned in Russian literature. In ancient times this river was used as a trade route by the Vikings who traveled to Greece. It was along this route that the first Russian settlements were formed and even today, more than half of the population of Russia lives along the banks of this ancient trade route. We will spend this day sailing and enjoying fun entertainment on board.
Astrakhan is located where the mighty the Volga meets the Black Sea, on the trade route from India to Persia. Astrakhan was the capital of Khazaria and then of the Golden Horde (the Mongols). Moscow took Astrakhan in 1556 and has ruled it ever since. As Russia's gate to the Orient, this city features a unique mixture of East and West.
The Volga is often mentioned in Russian literature. In ancient times this river was used as a trade route by the Vikings who travelled to Greece. It was along this route that the first Russian settlements appeared. Today, more than half the population of Russia lives along this ancient trade route.
We are returning to Volgograd on the way to Rostov-on-Don. Here you will have free time and will be offered optional program:
You will have a great entertainment program while on board of the cruise ship Chekhov
Rostov-on-Don (Rostov-na-Donu) is famous for the freedom-loving Cossack community who inhabited it since its foundation in 1749. In this city apart from visiting some highlights, you will get to know and experience genuine Cossack culture and their way of living.
Your voyage is coming to an end. It is time to say goodbye to this beautiful country, the crew and your fellow passengers. It is time to pack up and to go home bringing unforgettable memories with you. 
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