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This ship was renovated end of 2017 and beginning 2018. Our cabin all new carpets, bedding, new bathroom, no chipped furniture anywhere. I was worried after previous reviews. Our cost was half the fare on other cruise lines. Cocktails $8.00 aud. We had two English speaking guides, Sasha and Dasha, who were great. They made us laugh and were so helpful. Nothing was too much trouble, even to booking some private tickets to help us off the ship.Only one free drink at dinner(beer, wine soft drink) but costs weren’t very expensive. A couple of optional tours for St Petersburg and Moscow . The ones we chose cost approx $65.00 aud each. There is a great review on trip advisor from July 18. Worth the read. Bottled water and bathroom products replenished daily. I was always able to find food in the restaurant that I likes. As it is Russian style food it seems more basic than on ocean cruises. A tip. If you put Yandex taxi app on your phone, it is far cheaper for transport in both St Petersburg & Moscow. It worked well for us, both for trip from hotel to ship and to Catherine Palace. Unlimited wifi available on the ship and most times good reception. We did not have wifi set up on phone, just used hotspots. Read Less

To travel to St.Petersburg. The ship was O.K. The cabin was alright, a few bits of chipped furniture but clean and adequate. The trips were good with very good guides. The staff were very pleasant. The entertainment was mixed but O.K. It would have been better if we had stayed in a hotel at the beginning at Moscow and then at St.Petersburg, as the boat is moored quite a distance from the towns, so it would have been nice to be able to go out in the evenings. The thing that spoiled the trip was the food! It was poor. If I had been in a restaurant I would have sent it back to the kitchen.It would have been embarrassing to have made a big fuss as you are still going to have the same chef all the time. The other moan was that we had to buy all the drinking water, as the water was for washing only. It was twice the price on the boat, so we bought it whenever we were out on trips. I do think that it should have been supplied free. The food and water were the 2 things that spoiled the trip. I know of friends who have been with this company Vodohod on a different boat and if was fine, that is why we chose this company. I have written to them but no reply. I suggested that the chef should be sacked!! Read Less

it was a wonderful experience and i would recommend the Vodohod cruise line to any one. the beds are narrow. i was travelling as a solo - so one bed for sleeping and one for putting stuff on. the referigerator in the room worked ( I did not use it). the meals are generous. you do have to order a couple of days in advance and you are expected to sit at the same table and place during the trip. the crew are russian with limited english , german french etc so they know place the ordered meal in number place on the table. six to most tables. four courses for lunch and dinner, Big range for buffet breakfast, from cold meats cheeses to hot dishes, cereals, sweet cakes. The tables are with marked signs ie english speaking or french speaking or the name of the tour company. on my trip there were tour group from Austria, italy and Iceland as well as the above mentioned ones. you will need all your own lotions and potions, shampoos ( one cake of soap provided). rooms cleaned daily, towels in line with green policy, sheets replaced every 3/4 days. suggestion take a thermos / insulated cup and your tea bags if you like a cup of tea. dining room is only open at meal times, there is a hot water tap on one floor - but unlike more expensive Viking no biscuits or cafe machine. no cups - thats why you need your own insulated mug. wifi seems to work well early in the morning only at the one place place on the ship. If you come from australia i would say its shaped. guides speak excellent english french german etc and are allocated to each group of passengers, they are also called upon to sort out the issues when people dont understand the instruction to sit in the same place for each meal. bar / drinks they are not out to make a fortune from selling alcohol. unlike Viking there are no flags red carpets crew to find you on land and guide you to the boat - you have to find it yourself. just a matter of reading the name. the russian name is in big letters and the english above the door. make an effort to recognise or write the russian name - then it will be easy to find the boat. warm musical welcome on board. great places to see as you cruise along - lots of information. there is walking on the daily trips - so come fit, no lift on the ship there are steps to climb. Read Less