Travel to Russia by ship?

[Norveilex]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to ask this. I'm sorry in advance if it isn't. Is it possible to travel from the USA to Russia by ship? I want to get off and stay in Russia for a while. Has anyone here traveled to Russia this way? What was your experience like?

[John Bull]

I doubt you'll find a cruise from the US to Russia, unless you manage to put together back-to-back cruises such as a trans-Atlantic followed by a Baltic cruise.

There are Baltic cruises from places such as England & Copenhagen which include St Petersburg, Black Sea cruises from places like Istanbul which include Sochi, and a few Asia cruises which include Vladivostok.

Some of those cruises stop for just a day, some for two days, the max is 3 days to avoid the need for expensive & complicated visas, which (with provisos) are not needed for those short visits by cruise ship.

 

A great experience, but you only get a brief look at Russia - for a proper Russian vacation you need to get a visa, fly, & take a land tour or river cruise.

 

JB :)

Edited February 4, 2014 by John Bull

[dorisis]

I traveled from Finland to the USSR many years ago. The line I used was Silja out of Helsinki.

[calliopecruiser]

If what you're looking for is transport one way, then you might want to consider a freighter cruise......they're not a "cruise" in the sense that Carnival or Princess has cruise ships, but they do allow you to travel around the world by ship. Various freighters offer cabins for just 8 or 10 passengers on their ships, and it's basic accommodation and food but (from what I've heard) it can be very relaxing and kind of interesting.

 

Do a Google search for "freighter cruises" and check out the CC forum specifically for freighter cruises http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=485