Our expectations were constantly exceeded by a company that really takes their client's best interests to heart! Our itineraries every day were designed to minimise the crowds and maximise the impact. For example we were almost the first group into the Armoury in the Kremlin and were definitely the first group into the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg on the days we visited them. And friends who've been before say on seeing our pictures "but we never saw those beautiful floors!" or "but where are the crowds?" The only scrum was the Summer Palace. Our groups were small, max 15, and our guides were superb. How they retain the freshness of their stories and their sense of humor amongst ignorant but interested tourists is a wonderful quality. Our accommodation everywhere was excellent and it was lovely to have the space and central location of the hotels in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. On board our cabin was more spacious than expected and the bathroom was perfect. The food was full of choice, delicious, and always enough to go round. The complimentary wines were great but never ending! We slept very well, even the locks didn't disturb us. The excursions and on board entertainments kept everyone's interests up and many new friends were made.

But best of all was Russia. What a beautiful country