delta riverboat christmas cruise

Celebrate SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS. with Gaylord Opryland

The countdown to Christmas begins! One of our favorite holiday traditions is a visit to the Gaylord Opryland hotel to enjoy all the holiday fun and sights.

The 2021 debut of “SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS.” is November 19th, although some activities begin as early as November 12th. Enjoy all the festivities through January 2, 2022.

An Important Note: All tickets to the different activities and events must be purchased in advance, online. There is no box office on site this year.

Click here for tickets to all the different activities.

Commitment to Clean

Although cleanliness and guest safety has always been a top priority for Gaylord Opryland, they have raised their standards to an even higher level as we all continue to face unprecedented times with Covid-19. The activities are ticketed, based on time slots, to help ensure social distancing.

Face coverings (masks) are required in all public areas of the hotel for unvaccinated guests. For fully vaccinated guests, masks are optional. The exception to this policy includes:

• Children younger than 2 years old
• Persons who are actively engaged in recreation such as running, swimming or water attractions, or while seated for eating or drinking.

You can read more about the cleaning protocols and steps the Gaylord Opryland hotel has taken to keep both guests and employees safe from the spread of Covid-19.

Limited Daily Access Starting Nov. 26, 2021

Gaylord Opryland is prioritizing guests health and safety, so beginning November 26th, Friday, Satruday, & Sunday access to the hotel will be limited to hotel guests and those that have tickets to the holiday events and attractions inside the hotel building. This allows for social distancing within the hotel.

To ensure capacity management, beginning at 2pm CST every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from November 26, 2021 through January 2, 2022, access to enter the hotel will be available only to registered overnight guests and event ticketholders with reservations. Access to enter the Gaylord Opryland Events Center and Pinetop area will be available only to ticketholders with reservations for events located in those areas and to registered overnight guests. Resort access will not be restricted Monday through Thursday at this time; however, additional restrictions may apply without advance notice.  – Gaylord Opryland Hotel

Please plan accordingly if you are going to see the lights and enjoy the holiday cheer. *PLEASE NOTE: Last year due to overcrowding during the week Opryland did eventually have to restrict access to the hotel during the week, as well. I would imagine there’s a good chance that will happen again this year. If you plan to visit, click here to purchase tickets now, to ensure you have access the day you plan to visit .

Ticket Bundles

Ticket Bundles are the way to go if you know you’ll want to experience more than one or two of the activities this year. Save up to 40% on all the family fun Opryland has to offer for the season!

Platinum  Includes: – Mission: Save Christmas featuring ELF™ – Tubing – Reindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt featuring Rudolph and The Misfit Toys – Ice Skating – Gingerbread Decorating – Ice Bumper Cars – Hot Chocolate

Gold   Includes: – Mission: Save Christmas featuring Elf™ – Tubing – Reindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt featuring Rudolph and The Misfit Toys – Ice Skating – Gingerbread Decorating

Silver   Includes: – Mission: Save Christmas featuring ELF™ – Tubing – Reindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt featuring Rudolph and The Misfit Toys

Gaylord Opryland’s SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS.

This year’s offerings are even bigger and you can make a day out of your visit. See Santa, go ice skating, build a Gingerbread house and more!

The activities are in two main areas; the Pinetop Village area is outside in the courtyard of the convention center where you can experience “MISSION: Save Christmas featuring ELF™ .” Inside the hotel, you can see Santa, ride a special themed Delta Riverboat ride , see the magically decorated gardens and more. Read on to learn about each special holiday event and experience.

MISSION: Save Christmas Featuring ELF™

MISSION: Save Christmas featuring ELF is brand new this year! It’s a walk-through of the classic movie we all know and love, starting at the Candy Cane Forest and going through all of your favorite scenes. Each room has different interactive games and activities and as you move through you’re helping to “Save Christmas” by spreading Christmas cheer! You even get to see the Clausometer go higher and higher. The sets are designed really well and the games are lots of fun. My kids didn’t want to leave!

“Christmas is in trouble and Santa needs your help! For the first time this Christmas, journey into Buddy the Elf’s world to help save the holiday in our all-new, multi-sensory experience. Team-up with Mr. Narwhal and friends in the candy cane forest, stay ahead of the toy quota in the North Pole, prepare for Santa’s arrival at the iconic department store, and take part in an epic virtual snowball fight in Central Park. These are just a few of the fun, interactive challenges you’ll need to complete to muster enough Christmas cheer to power the Kringle 3000 and Santa’s sleigh!”

The North Pole Kitchen

The cookie bakery was our favorite part. When you put the wooden ingredients into the bowl they show up on your screen. Pick which kind of cookie you want to bake and how you want to decorate it. When you’re all done you “put it into the oven”. You’ll start smelling delicious baked cookies from the smoke coming out of the big oven there in the corner and your cookie will pop up on the oven screen with your name and everything! It was absolute MAGIC, y’all!

Snowball Fight

Another favorite for my kids was the snowball fight in Central Park! Throw real “snow balls” at the screens and try to get those silly elves. Your little ones will love it, and adults will inevitably show their competitive side in this fun game!

All of the ELF activities are located indoors, but separate from the hotel, inside of the Gaylord Opryland Events Center, which is located near the Pinetop Village area. Secure your family’s tickets HERE.

Pinetop Village

Pinetop Stage at Gaylord Opryland is where you’ll find all the thrills and chills of SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS. this year! Ice tubing , ice skating , ice bumper cars , live performances, shopping, hot chocolate, and other delicious treats!

Ride in a tube down a snow packed slide! Fun for kids of all ages (Parents – I’m talking to you!) the snow tubing experience provides a tube (in 3 sizes) and a chance to slide for unlimited rides.

Have smaller children? Ride down with them in a double tube. There are some height & weight restrictions – must be 36″ to ride in a double tube with an adult, 42″ to ride solo in a small tube, and 60″ to ride a large tube, so be sure to measure before you go to be sure your child is tall enough.

Weight limit of 325 lbs.

Snow tubing opens for the season on November 12 and is available through January 2, 2022. Get all the prices and details HERE .

Ice Skating

Enjoy a perfect day or evening under the stars by going on a yuletide glide at Gaylord Opryland’s 9,000 square-foot outdoor skating rink made with real ice.

The rink opens November 12 and will be available daily until January 2, 2022. Children 11 and under must be accompanied by an adult on the rink. Skate Buddies (plastic bears with handles and seats for beginning skaters) will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Children 3 and under are free with a paid adult admission. Purchase tickets and see the rink’s opening times HERE .

Ice Skating Lessons

If you are novice or new skater, take a 30 minute private skating lesson on Opryland’s holiday rink. The lessons are provided by professional skaters and are available for all ages. Sign up for lessons in advance HERE .

Rockin’ Ice Skating Show

The Skating Champions Ice show features professional skaters who will amaze you with lifts, spins, and tricks.

Ice Bumper Cars

Slide across the ice and collide into your friends and family in this fun new attraction. There’s guaranteed to be lots of giggles with this activity! Grab tickets HERE .

Bumper car driver/passengers: Minimum height and age to operate alone: 36 inches / 5 years old Children must be age 3-7, under 65lbs, and under 50 inches tall to ride with an adult 18 years or older and 60 inches or taller. Maximum weight: 350 lbs. total per car

Pinetop Stage

See all kinds of fun entertainment on the Pinetop stage. It is a great place to sit, enjoy some music, and drink some hot cocoa with your family.

Activities inside the Gaylord Opryland Hotel

The Gaylord Opryland Resort is magical year round, but it really shines during the holidays.

The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas in Tennessee Dinner Show

Spoil your family with a holiday feast prepared by Gaylord Opryland’s award winning Chefs and then enjoy a holiday concert with The Oak Ridge Boys and their band performing Christmas classics, new favorites and many of the timeless hits that shaped their legendary career. 

Tickets are $39.99 for children (ages 4-11) and $99.99 for adults. Children 3 and under are free. Be sure to purchase tickets in advance online; there is no box office on site.

Character Breakfast with Rudolph™

Eat a holiday breakfast with Rudolph and his friends! Enjoy a delicious breakfast with photos and visits with Santa’s favorite antlered hero. $34.99 for adults and $19.99 for children (4-11). Children 3 and under are free with a paying adult. Tickets must be purchased in advance online. M ake your reservations and purchase tickets HERE.

R eindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt

Take your family on a scavenger hunt through the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and enjoy all the holiday decorations. A few years ago we searched for the bears from Build-A-Bear .

New for 2021, you can search throughout the hotel’s 9 acres of indoor gardens for Rudolph and all of the Misfit Toys! Purchase a guide online , pick it up at the Family Fun Zone in the Delta Atrium and venture through the hotel following clues to find the Misfit Toys and send them on their way to their new homes. The adventures begin on November 12th and continues through January 2, 2022.

Gingerbread Decorating Corner

The Gingerbread Corner is even sweeter this year with more options for decorating kits, as well as the addition of Nutmeg – a real life gingerbread man available for photo ops after your little ones are finished with their cookie decorating.

There is plenty of space for your family to spread out and decorate a kit on one of the many available tables. The best part? You get to be creative and you don’t have to clean up afterwards!

Buy a ticket and reserve a gingerbread house kit for your family to create when you visit!

Santa’s Spinners & Holiday Express

At just $4.99/person/activity, the winter themed teacup ride , as well as the Holiday Express are wonderfully affordable additions to the activity line-up this year! These ticketed attractions are indoors, but not located inside the hotel. They are right outside the entrance to MISSION: Save Christmas Featuring ELF, inside of the Gaylord Opryland Events Center near the Pinetop

Build-a-Bear

Right around the corner from the Gingerbread Decorating Corner is a pop-up Build-a-Bear workshop. Create a new friend to take home!

Fountain Shows

The Delta fountain shows have been transformed to celebrate the season. Dancing fountains, along with lights and songs of the holidays, immerse you in Christmas spirit.

Photos with Santa

SANTA?! I KNOW HIM! This year Santa is back with a great set, ready to meet with your little ones and take lots of photos. He’ll be at the resort daily starting November 12th, right up until Christmas Eve.

Photo packages vary by price, but start at $35 .

Make sure to make reservations online in advance to save a time and date to visit Santa.

Delta Riverboat Christmas Cruise

See the decorations in the Delta from a different vantage point. This festive cruise winds through the atrium along a quarter-mile-long river traveling through the 12 Days of A Country Christmas.

The cruise is especially magical at night. Tickets are available now.

Carriage Rides

See the lights on the grounds of the hotel from a private horse drawn carriage. Carriages are available for up to 6 people, and they do sell out. So, if this is an experience you want to include in your holiday festivities, be sure to book a time and date online early.

Outdoor Nativity

Located on the lawn outside the Magnolia entrance is a life-sized Nativity. It is lit up at night by thousands of white twinkling lights.

There is so much to do at Gaylord Opryland this holiday season.  In addition to the events we have listed above there is also the Yule Learning Log, Frosty’s Pub (perfect for date night!), the Holiday Horticulture Trek, Holiday Selfie Spots located throughout, Nightly Tree Lighting & Caroling, Delta Flatboat rides, the Parade of Trees, the General Jackson Showboat , Luminaries of Love benefiting the Children’s Miracle Network, Christmas Fountain Shows, and 3 MILLION CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!! ! (That’s our favorite part!)

There is one huge downside to having so many great Christmas activities in one spot.  Traffic.  There’s just no way around it friends.  Gaylord Opryland is located adjacent to one of the biggest shopping malls in Tennessee.

My best advice is this: try to go on a weekday.  If you can’t, you can still enjoy a trip to Opryland but you have to be patient.  Give yourself lots of extra time especially if you are attending an event at a specific time.

Enjoy the holidays at Gaylord Opryland’s “SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS.” .  It’s a Nashville tradition.

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Lauren is a transplant from Texas and has become a local tourist exploring the area with her two children. She loves to discover new places in Nashville to share with others.

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Is it possible to get the names of the 2020 professional skaters? My granddaughter took a lesson with a young lady and we would love to know her 1st name to complete our photo scrapbook. All we can remember is she was married to one of the other skaters.

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A Country Christmas at Opryland

Experience all-out holiday cheer at this seasonal extravaganza

At  Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center , more than 3 million twinkle lights cast a warm glow on " A Country Christmas ," the holiday extravaganza that justifies stretching the celebration from mid-November through the New Year. This Nashville icon charms children with appearances by beloved storybook and cartoon characters, Build-a-Bear workshops, photo ops with Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides, ice skating, snow tubing, and gingerbread houses. Adults can get into the spirit of the season with an outdoor Nativity, holiday cruises on the Cumberland River, and non-stop fun. Hotel packages include accommodations and event passes.

Opryland Christmas Lights

More than 3 million Christmas lights and an outdoor Nativity draw visitors from near and far to this annual spectacle of  Nashville Christmas lights . Embark on a horse-drawn carriage ride from the Magnolia Lawn for a nostalgic view of the seasonally decorated resort grounds.

It takes 2 million pounds of ice and 40 skilled carvers from Harbin, China, to create the ICE! experience. This whimsical winter wonderland of interactive ice sculptures and displays — some larger-than-life — comes to life with a new theme each year. In 2018, look for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" with four two-story tall ice slides and a frozen Nativity.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze

An international roster of performers in elaborate costumes dazzles the audience with acrobatics, and musical and dance numbers in the variety show-style Cirque Dreams Holidaze show at the Grand Ole Opry House .

Feast With the Grinch

Brandon Tucker

Enjoy a meal and meet the famed Grinch while you eat. The buffet-style brunch features items inspired by Who-ville and the Grinch will make tableside visits to diners during the meal. This dining experience has special Dr. Seuss touches that fans will love and lasts from November 17-December 30.

Opryland's Nativity Displays

Explore the Nativity at Opryland, where you can reenact the biblical story of the birth of Christ. The Nativity scenes are the ICE! Nativity  and the Outdoor Nativity on the Magnolia Lawn.

Delta River Christmas Cruise

 Gaylord Resorts Opryland

A Country Christmas Delta River Cruises take visitors on a scenic indoor river cruise on a Mississippi-style river flatboat. Delight in the spectacular lights and sights of Gaylord Opryland Resort's Delta Atrium Christmas decorations.

Christmas on the General Jackson

Take a holiday cruise (day or night) down the Cumberland River on one of the largest showboats in the country, the General Jackson Showboat , and enjoy plenty of live holiday music and entertainment along with a special feast.

A Trace Adkins Christmas

Gaylord Resorts Opryland 

 Grammy Award-winning Country star Trace Adkins will serenade fans with Christmas and Celtic classics and more with performances of songs from "A King's Gift." Gaylord Opryland's talented chefs will prepare a three-course meal for you to enjoy while listening to Trace Adkin's performance.

SoundWaves at Gaylord Opryland

SoundWaves is an indoor/outdoor waterpark that blends music and water to create a unique experience for all. Covering more than 200,000 square feet SoundWaves has thrill rides and relaxing experiences. The indoor and outdoor areas were designed to offer an incredible experience and the water is always the perfect temperature. 

Non-Stop Fun

Visit with Santa and ride the Santa Spinners teacups; build a new best friend at the Build-A-Bear Workshop, then head out together on a scavenger hunt; bake and decorate gingerbread cookies with Mrs. Claus; meet Snoopy; take a horse-drawn carriage ride; and hop on the Opryland Express for a scenic miniature train through Holiday Hall. The Brightest Star Fountain Show tells the story of the first Christmas through synchronized music. water, and lights.

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‘ICE!’ is Back! Gaylord Opryland’s Arctic Holiday Tradition Returns After Two-Year Hiatus

Beloved Tale ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ Told Through Ice Sculptures.

(August 17, 2022) NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Gaylord Opryland Resort invites guests to “freeze the day” this Christmas as the longtime holiday tradition, ICE!, returns to the annual A Country Christmas celebration Nov. 11, 2022 - Jan. 1, 2023, after a two-year hiatus.

Using more than 2 million pounds – or 1,000 tons – of ice, the classic 1964 Christmas animated television special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer , will be brought to life by a team of 40 ice artisans who carve for thirty days to create the nearly 20,000-square-foot, frozen attraction.

Starting with more than 6,200 massive ice blocks – created by three different ice manufacturers because of the sheer amount needed – carvers will tally more than 12,000 manhours on the project. The artisans, using skills passed down from generation to generation, follow a 300-page design book to create the spectacle.

This year, ICE! will include 12 scenes from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer , featuring classic characters including Clarice, Bumble. Sam the Snowman, Hermey the Elf, and of course Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer himself. Ice carvings range in size from details as tiny as a coin to soaring scenes more than 20 feet tall.

The environment will be kept frozen by a state-of-the-art chilling system which maintains the temperature at a frosty 9 degrees Fahrenheit. And while the 9-degree temperatures turn ICE! into one of the coldest spots in Nashville, guests experiencing the attraction will be provided Gaylord Opryland’s signature blue parkas to keep them warm and toasty.

Colored ice (created by a chemist who mixes special food colorings to ensure sculptures maintain their bright colors the entire season), clear ice, and LED lights are all used to create the display, as the frozen fun follows Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as he guides Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve.

“We are thrilled to welcome guests back to experience ICE! and help them create even more holiday memories with their family and friends at Gaylord Opryland. Since debuting here in 2001, ICE! has always been our most popular attraction during A Country Christmas, and we’re excited to welcome this Gaylord Hotels tradition back this year with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” said Tom Petrillo, General Manager and Managing Director of Gaylord Opryland Resort.

In addition to seeing characters from the classic television special, guests can also take rides down four two-story-tall ice slides and traverse through ice tunnels and arches. The ICE! experience concludes in a separate area dedicated to a beautiful Nativity scene, meticulously carved and shaped in a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice.

The talented carvers who create this arctic artwork will travel more than 6,413 miles from their homes in Harbin, China to Nashville, Tennessee. Known as “Ice City,” Harbin is no stranger to elaborate ice carvings – it’s home to the world’s largest annual ice and snow sculpting festival. At Gaylord Opryland, some of the same artisans who create the Harbin festival will carve 300-pound blocks of ice into the larger-than-life, whimsical scenes. Carvers will use chisels, chippers, tongs, handsaws, grinders and even chainsaws to bring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and friends to life. The artisans from Harbin have created ICE! for Gaylord Hotels for many years but haven’t been able to travel to the United States the past two holiday seasons because of international travel restrictions.

There’s Snow Much More!

While ICE! is the signature attraction for the 39th annual A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland, there are plenty more festive activities, events, attractions, and dazzling decorations throughout the 2,888-room property. The entire resort transforms into a holiday wonderland with more than 4 million lights, elaborately themed Christmas trees displayed throughout the property including a fully adorned 48-foot tree, 15,000 poinsettias,15 miles of green garland and 10 miles of hand-tied ribbon. Christmas shows and activities are presented in the atriums, while guests can also enjoy a variety of exciting experiences at Pinetop, an outdoor Appalachian-esque village.

Here’s a rundown of the events, live entertainment, hands-on activities, holiday meals and exciting attractions taking place this holiday season at Gaylord Opryland:

Unique Holiday Dining Experiences

• The Oak Ridge Boys “Christmas in Tennessee” Dinner Show   - GRAMMY® Award-winning, Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry members, The Oak Ridge Boys, are back to spread holiday cheer with a 32 day-show residency at the resort. Keeping the musical tradition alive, the “ Christmas in Tennessee” dinner show will feature a delicious holiday meal prepared by the resort’s culinary team followed by the legendary band performing Christmas classics, new favorites, and timeless hits.
• Rudolph’s Holly Jolly   Breakfast -  Children and adults alike can look forward to a delicious breakfast and interactions with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and other characters from the beloved holiday classic.
• General Jackson Showboat’s Christmas Cruises - Guests can hop aboard Nashville’s famous 300-foot paddlewheel riverboat for the Tennessee Christmas Lunch Cruise or the Music City Christmas Dinner Cruise while enjoying scenic views of the Cumberland River and Nashville Skyline. Guests can look forward to a delightful Southern meal and world-class live musical performances.
• Frosty's Pub  -  The resort’s holiday eatery, Frosty’s Pub, features over the top seasonal décor, festive dishes, and naughty or nice cocktails with a touch of cheer.
• Holiday Brunch - A celebratory Christmas Day Brunch will be offered at Gaylord Opryland Resort. Thanksgiving Day Brunch will be offered at the resort as well as Gaylord Springs Golf Links.

Outdoor Thrills at Pinetop

• Snowball Build & Blast - In this brand-new attraction, guests can take their best shot with real snowballs at interactive targets.
• Ice Skating - Enjoy a yuletide glide, day or night, on the resort’s 9,000 square foot skating rink made with real ice. Guests can also hone-in on their skating skills with ice-skating lessons.
• Ice Skating Show  - Experience an all-new, awe-inspiring live ice-skating show featuring champion skaters, big jumps, fast spins and mesmerizing throws and lifts. Guests can purchase tickets in advance for reserved seating.
• Ice Tubing - Guests looking for thrills can enjoy all the fun of sledding with the added speed of ice on a 15-foot high, four-lane ice tubing hill.
• Bumper Cars - Enjoy classic bumper car rides in the great outdoors. Get ready to slide and glide during this action-packed experience.
• Live Musical Performances - Guests can get into the holiday spirit while enjoying live holiday tunes performed on the Pinetop stage.

Even More Outdoor Excitement

• Annual Lighting Ceremony  -  On November 10, at 5:30pm, the public is invited to attend the 39th Annual Lighting Ceremony on the Magnolia Lawn with live performances, special surprises, and the flipping of the switch to turn on more than 4 million holiday lights and officially start A Country Christmas.
• Nightly Tree Lighting -  Step outside of the resort to watch the resort’s giant trees light up while Dicken’s Carolers serenade guests with favorite Christmas carols.
• Carriage Rides - Experience a private fairytale horse-drawn carriage ride while marveling at the sparkling Christmas lights.
• Outdoor Nativity -  Step outside of the resort to experience special lighting effects and an audio rendition of the beloved biblical story.

Indoor Adventures

• Parade of Trees - Universal Music Group Nashville will again host Parade of Trees, featuring some of country music’s biggest names and showcasing the artist’s uniquely themed Christmas trees on display in the resort’s garden atriums. While visiting the trees or viewing them online, guests will have the chance to donate to win “Once In a Lifetime VIP Experiences” donated by the artists, to benefit mental health services provided by charitable beneficiary First Responders Children’s Foundation, including a new collaboration with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® for the local Monroe Carell Jr Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
• Photos with Santa by DEI - Meet Jolly Old St. Nick in person and capture the amazing memory with a picture.
• Delta Riverboat Christmas Cruise - Hop aboard the resort’s Delta riverboat for a festive-themed cruise down the winding quarter mile long Delta River.
• Gingerbread Decorating Corner - Decorate your dreamhouse or delicious cookie with a variety of sweet treats. Guest can also visit the Gingerbread Bakery for even more tasty treats.
• Build-A-Bear Workshop ® -  Guests can bring imagination to life and create their very own furry friend with personalized outfits, accessories, scents, and sounds.
• Reindeer Games TM Scavenger Hunt featuring Rudolph and The Misfit Toys - Guests of all ages can embark on a riveting scavenger hunt to find the lost misfit toys around the resort.
• Christmas Fountain Shows - Watch in awe as the dancing fountains are synchronized to holiday music and bright lights.

Winter Relaxation

For the holiday season, Relâche Spa at Gaylord Opryland is featuring Winter Wonderland massage, facial and pedicure treatments, highlighting the benefits of eucalyptus. The aromatic plant is known to be high in antioxidants, to promote relaxation and reduce pain.

Year-Round Fun

In addition to a full lineup of special events, attractions and activities duringA Country Christmas, guests can enjoy many year-round amenities. The resort features three atriums spanningover nine acres full of plants, flowers, waterfalls, streams, and fish. Also inside the atriums, a delicious selection of dining options await, including authentic Italian cuisine at Ravello, gourmet steaks and an award-winning wine list at Old Hickory Steakhouse, Mexican fare and signature margaritas at Solario Cantina, and and array of classic dishes, fresh sushi, and a variety of cockatils at Cascades American Cafe.

Even during the holiday season, guests can visit Gaylord Opryland’s upscale aquatic adventure, SoundWaves , which fuses music and water to create a modern-day oasis featuring lazy and rapid rivers, a family mega-raft ride, four thrilling tube and body slides, a multi-level play structure and toddler water play area, a FlowRider® Double and an adults-only pool and bar. Additionally, the water attraction features an arcade with virtual reality games, a rock-climbing wall, game tables and more. The only guaranteed way to visit SoundWaves is by booking an exclusive holiday package including wristbands or the SoundWaves Experience Package. Seasonal specials and Tennessee resident package rates are available.

Packages and Tickets

For guaranteed access to Gaylord Opryland Resortduring the holidays, purchase event tickets orholiday packages including room accommodations, tickets to ICE!and more, on sale now atChristmasAtGaylordOpryland.com

Christmas Hiring Events

Gaylord Opryland will hold several A Country Christmas hiring events beginning August 18 to fill nearlytwo hundred seasonal part-time and seasonal full-time positions including Special Event Manager, Special Event Coordinator andSpecial Event Attendants for Retail, Box Office, Delta Riverboat Co. driver, and Attraction locations. For more information on hiring events and to apply online, visit GaylordOprylandHiring.com.

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Gaylord Opryland Christmas Events (2023 Update)

Posted on Published: 09/01/2023

I’ve visited the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville a few times for conferences in the past years, and I’ve always wanted to bring my children. It’s a beautiful, unique resort that is truly stunning to see. It’s especially festive during the holiday season when they host a number of events and activities.

Finally, for Thanksgiving, we booked a four-day stay so that we could experience Nashville and the Gaylord Opryland Hotel Christmas events. It was the perfect location for our Thanksgiving getaway and we especially enjoyed their fantastic holiday events.

The Gaylord Opryland really is one of the best Christmas hotels – whether you are traveling before or during the holiday. It’s festive and offers some really great unique activities.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. A purchase and/or click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Gaylord Opryland Hotel Christmas Events

Decorations at the gaylord opryland.

Upon walking into the Gaylord Opryland, you are immediately greeted with gorgeous holiday decorations – from musical note-themed holiday lights in the Garden Conservatory atrium to beautiful hot air balloons in the Delta atrium.

While the decorations are there all day, it’s really in the evening when they come alive. We just spent time each day walking through the various atriums and exploring. Definitely save some time in your schedule to just enjoy the hotel.

In the evenings, the Delta Fountain offered a holiday-themed Christmas fountain show. It ran for about 15 minutes or so and featured lights and water choreographed to music. It’s definitely worth seeing, so check out the schedule so that you can grab a seat and watch it.

This year the Christmas events at the Gaylord Opryland run from November 10, 2023 – January 1, 2024 .

ICE! at the Gaylord Opryland

ICE! is the featured event at the Gaylord Opryland Christmas, and we took advantage of it on Thanksgiving day. It’s a separate ticketed event, and prices vary on value and peak days (Thanksgiving was a value day, while the rest of the holiday weekend was peak).

ICE! is located in the Gaylord Opryland event center, just a short walk from the Magnolia section of the resort and the convention center.

I pre-purchased my tickets before we arrived at the Gaylord, but they can also be purchased from the ticket desk or kiosks in the resort. ICE! is open to everyone – not just guests of the resort and lots of locals visit during the holiday season.

After watching a quick video at ICE!, you’ll be handed a big blue poncho so that you can go through the 9 degree (F) exhibit. I recommend bringing along gloves if you can – it can be VERY cold.

We were so impressed with the beautiful ice characters that can be seen throughout the exhibit. The kids especially loved them. It’s so amazing to think that all of these amazing sculptures were made from blocks of ice.

There are also ice slides that are lots of fun. I recommend sliding down on the blue poncho so that you don’t get stuck. The end of the exhibit features a gorgeous nativity scene that is absolutely stunning.

The ICE! exhibit changes annually. In the past, some themes have included “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “A Christmas Story”. In 2023, it’s Polar Express-themed.

Outside of ICE! are a few other separate ticketed activities – a snowball toss, 5 tubing lanes, and an ice skating rink. There are a variety of different ways to purchase tickets, including a buy more and save bundle.

During our visit, we chose to add on the ice tubing, and while it wasn’t the same type of snow tubing that we get at the Northeast ski resorts, it was still a really fun time.

Other Christmas Events and Activities at the Gaylord Opryland

While ICE! is definitely the headline, there are other great Gaylord Opryland Christmas events planned for 2023. These include:

Darryl Worley & Friends: Home for the Holidays Dinner Show : This 2-hour dinner show includes entertainment from Darryl Worley and a rotating set of country stars, including Deana Carter and Lorrie Morgan. It includes a three-course dinner and reservations should be made in advance.

Breakfast with Charlie Brown & Friends: Visiting with young kids? Book this special, limited breakfast where they can meet Charlie and his friends while having breakfast.

A Country Christmas Breakfast Show: Listen to Christmas music while enjoying a breakfast buffet.

Delta Riverboat Christmas Cruise: The Delta Riverboat is a boat that actually travels on the river that runs through the Delta Atrium of the Gaylord. It’s a pretty spectacular sight, and guests can purchase tickets to a special Christmas-themed cruise during the Christmas at the Gaylord event.

Gingerbread Decorating: Guests can reserve a kit to decorate their own gingerbread house or gingerbread cookies.

While the lights inside the Gaylord Opryland Resort are absolutely beautiful, there are also gorgeous lights outside. On our last night, we ventured outside the Magnolia area to check out the nativity scene on the lawn, and look at the resort’s exterior.

There are also carriage rides that can be booked. Some of these were already sold out when I arrived, so it’s probably best to reserve those in advance (before your stay).

Other activities include bumper cars and visits with Santa. Most items require a ticket, so check the website to purchase your dated/timed tickets as soon as you can.

Rooms at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville

Although I had booked our vacation package through Jetblue Getaways, I wanted to upgrade our hotel room to an atrium view. That was easy to do at the front desk. We arrived early during our stay, so we did have to wait a little while for our room to be ready.

It was worth it, however, because we had a beautiful room overlooking the Delta Atrium. While the room was a standard hotel room, it was so nice to have the atrium view and the small balcony.

It was a great place to savor my coffee while looking out at all of the beautiful holiday decorations in the Delta. If you can upgrade your room to get an Atrium view, I’d definitely recommend it.

This year, the Gaylord Opryland is offering a package deal that includes a stay at the hotel, and tickets for both ICE! and the new SoundWaves Water Experience water park.

Wondering if you can visit the Gaylord Opryland Hotel without staying there? These events, plus the restaurants and the spa, are all open to any guest.

You can read more reviews about the Gaylord Opryland here . For more information about the Christmas events, check out this link . Before visiting over the holiday season, I definitely recommend looking at the schedule and booking things in advance. We stayed over Thanksgiving, and one of the big Thanksgiving dinners was completely sold out. So, definitely take some time to make reservations before you leave.

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Sunday 12th of November 2017

Is buying an ICE fast pass worth the added price

Susan H Easterday

Sunday 5th of November 2017

We are locals and often stay overnight at the Gaylord during the holiday season! We typically enjoy the shows, and walking around the hotel with the lights and decor. My kids also love the indoor pool and will run outside to enjoy the hot tub right outside the door--even when cold. The shows at the Grand Ole Opry (a short walk or shuttle ride) are Broadway quality! We've seen the Rockettes, the Grinch and look forward to the Cirque Holidaze in December. Also, if shopping is your thing, the Opry Mills Mall is next door. The kids will enjoy the Disney and Lego Store. Also, you have the fun dining experiences of the Aquarium Restaurant, the Rainforest Cafe or Johnny Rockets. We're looking forward to our 2017 overnight in just a few short weeks.

Jodi Grundig

So fun! I'm jealous that you can go for just an overnight. We are going to miss it this year.

B-1 Cabin (188.4ft²) with drop-down panoramic window:

Spacious bathroom, drop-down panoramic window, mini-bar, walk-in wardrobe, choice of bed configuration (double or twin bed), flat-screen television, individual climate control, en-suite bathroom with shower/WC, hair dryer, direct dial telephone and in-room safe. Cabins with connecting doors are available on request.

B-4 Cabin (188.4ft²) with drop-down panoramic window:

Russian River Cruise from St Petersburg To Moscow.

By: Author Kate O'Malley

Posted on Last updated: December 6, 2021

Home >> Russia >> Russian River Cruise from St Petersburg To Moscow.

Have you ever dreamed of strolling through Moscow’s Red Square or seeing the ballet in St Petersburg – A city where opulent palaces offer a glimpse into one of the world’s most  intriguing royal dynasties .

Russia’s two great cities still invoke the old school romance of travel – a journey into the enigmatic and exotic. However, in a country as immense as it is fascinating, there is so much to see beyond the metropolis of Russia’s great cities.

A Russian River Cruise , St Petersburg to Moscow on Viking Cruises Waterways of the Tsars cruise will take you to Russia’s great cities and beyond.

Sailing the rivers and lakes of Russia from St Petersburg to Moscow takes you into Russia’s heartland. It is deep in the country where you find the Golden Ring cities, charming towns and iconic, sometimes forgotten monuments that helped define Russia’s history.

A Russian river cruise opens up possibilities to visit parts of Russia that may otherwise be logistically difficult. It also offers a very efficient and cost-effective way to see the best of this vast country.

Table of Contents

Visiting Russia

Unfortunately, Russia is a country too often sidestepped by many travellers. It has been more than two decades since Russia emerged from behind the Iron Curtain and began welcoming tourists with semi-open arms and a cold stony smile.

However, Russia still carries the stigma of being a difficult country to travel to and in. Thanks mostly to a reputation of complicated, bureaucratic visa processes and rumoured corruption.

Russian Visa Requirements

If you are travelling through Russia on a river cruise, unless you are eligible for the new 16 day e-Visa, most foreign nationals must have a tourist visa.  The Russian visa process can take up to a month or two. It is important to check your visa requirement and make sure you get it submitted well in advance of your intended travel date.

The gradual introduction of the new e-visa is making the process simpler but is restricted for visits of only eight days and specific entry points. Based on this, the e-visa is not suitable for a river cruise in Russia. 

Applying online for your Tourist Invitation Letter is quick and simple, allowing you to proceed with your application. You can read more about planning your trip to Russia here . 

Travel in Russia

As independent travellers, our biggest dilemma with Russia is logistics. Russia covers two continents and nine time zones, and the highlights and must-sees are spread far and wide, with nothing in between.

When you don’t have unlimited time or an unlimited budget, the distances can pose some issues. Transport through Russia can be expensive and less than comfortable, and car hire could be a costly alternative.

Is a River Cruise The Best Way To See Russia?

We would say yes, a river cruise is a fantastic way to see Russia. For most, Russia is a once in a lifetime adventure, so, it boils down to how much of Russia do you want to see.

A river cruise makes sense for most travellers to Russia and most travel budgets. A cruise enables visitors to experience more of Russia than perhaps they would on their own.

You Might Also Like: What to Take on A Russian River Cruise

Viking River Cruise in Russia

Much like some of the unreliable, uncomfortable transport methods available in Russia, some of the Russian cruise lines are shall we say, still a little Soviet.

Viking Cruises, on the other hand, offers a product in Russia to the same high, 5- star standard as their river cruises throughout Europe. A full-service luxury river cruise from the moment you make your booking to the time you disembark.

And much like Viking’s European itineraries, the Viking Russian Cruise itineraries are destination focused with high quality shore excursions and enrichment experiences. 

Plan Your Trip to Russia: Know The Best Time to Visit Europe

Viking’s All-Inclusive Cruise Packages

The big appeal of cruising for some is the all-inclusive aspect, so they know what to expect. With Viking Cruises, you can expect so much more than just an all-inclusive cruise package of meals and drinks.

In addition to optional excursions, there are also lots of free shore excursions throughout the cruise. 

Fly Cruise Packages

You can book your Russian river cruise inclusive of flights from your home port, wherever in the world that may be. An attractive option for those wishing to take the guesswork out of arranging flights, knowing you have access to Vikings Cruises discounted fares and upgrades.

Fly cruise packages include all taxes and airport transfers in Russia. Helpful for those who don’t like to navigate the taxi hustle on arrival in a new country. (Speaking from first-hand experience, Russia certainly has some good taxi scams running from the airport).

Information to assist you with the visa process is also included, the most daunting prospect of visiting Russia for many.

More Incredible Viking Cruises You Can Take in Europe:

• Viking Cruises Paris to Swiss Alps Christmas Market River Cruise
• Viking River Cruises Danube Waltz – Passau to Budapest River Cruise
• Viking Homelands Cruise Review. The Best of Northern Europe
• Passage to Eastern Europe Cruise on the Danube Budapest to Bucharest

Shore Excursions and Tours in Russia

During the river cruise, a high quality tour itinerary of shore excursions and tours are included to ensure you experience the best things to do in Russia.

There are also some delightful surprises, such as an evening at the ballet in St Petersburg. The tour schedule is designed with the arts and culture in mind, not just the big tourist hot spots.

Additional or Optional Tours can also be purchased at each destination such as our traditional Russian Banya experience in Mandrogy or the vodka tasting on board.

You also have access to some very appealing Exclusive Access tours such as a behind the scenes look at the Hermitage in St Petersburg.  All tours include transfers where required, entry fees and extremely knowledgeable, tourism professionals as your guides.

On Board Lectures, Demonstrations and Activities.

In addition to activities during cruising times, such as cooking demonstrations and traditional Russian tea’s, the guides also offer daily lectures on Russian history and politics.

The lectures are one of the highlights of the trip. Engaging and well-researched lectures, delivered from a Russian perspective, provide an entirely different and refreshing perspective on Russian culture and politics.

Russian Cuisine on Board

Viking River Cruises always excel when it comes to onboard dining. Interchangeable a la carte menus are available at all meal times showcasing Russian cuisine and produce.

The less adventurous are well catered for with an excellent “always available” a la carte menu. Portions are sensible to allow for all courses to be tried and savoured. Unlike the glutenous portions or “ all you can eat” buffet’s some cruise ships favour. 

Drinks are complimentary with all meals, including a tipple of champagne at breakfast if you are so inclined.

A Silver Drinks Package can be purchased, which gives you unlimited drinks from the bar for the entire cruise as well as a vast selection of wines.

The Convenience and Comfort of River Cruises

There is a lot to be said for having your floating hotel accompany you on your journey through Russia. Unlike some ocean cruises where the focus can be on shipboard life at the expense of the destinations, on this Russian river cruise, the destinations are the focus.  

You get the complete package of the best things to see in Russia without having to navigate multiple modes of transport or having to unpack, pack and move accommodation all the time.

Once you are on board, whether it be in the big cities or the remote countryside, you only need to check in and out once. You do feel like you have your hotel on the road with you – A fantastic boutique hotel.

And it is not only the tour guides who are tourism professionals. You also have at your disposal a 5-star hotel team — professional food and beverage staff, well versed in the art of fine dining and world-class chefs.

The staterooms are spacious and extremely comfortable. Private balconies, quality furnishings, and enough high tech amenities such as Satellite TV and WIFI to keep you entertained are standard throughout the ship.

There are also plenty of comfortable public spaces, both indoors and out with panoramic views to relax and take in the vista while you are cruising.

Cruise St Petersburg to Moscow

For us, opting to travel through Russia on a river cruise was primarily motivated by the itinerary. Most people would be happy to visit Moscow or St Petersburg. But why make an effort to visit this intriguing country and miss all the beautiful and exciting things to see outside of the main cities despite the vast geographic distances.

The Cruise Itinerary

The river cruise itinerary is what sold us on this mode of travel. The itinerary enabled us to spend ample time in St Petersburg and Moscow; then with our floating hotel in tow, we took to the river.

It is here where we saw the other Russia. Stunning countryside, small villages, abandoned churches and majestic cathedrals dotted along the river banks. A view of Russia that speaks volumes about the country’s history and culture.

As we slipped down the river, we had the  White Nights  in our favour so could take advantage of the long days and very short nights of summer. Enjoying the sights of the Russian countryside en route to our next destination. Each day a different destination with a cruising schedule set to maximise time spent ashore.

Waterways of the Tsars Schedule

Seven different destinations are visited in the 13 days onboard. This includes three full days in both Moscow and St Petersburg. We would not have achieved this on our own in the two weeks we had.

Viking Cruises Waterway of the Tsars St Petersburg to Moscow Itinerary

Commencing either in St Petersburg or Moscow, the itinerary allows for three days in each city. You can read about the cruise itinerary and shore excursions in St Petersburg and Moscow here.

St Petersburg & Moscow

Between Moscow and St Petersburg, you can experience the beautiful Golden Ring cities and villages of Russia. These are the towns and cities that lie beyond Russia’s great cities on the Waterways of the Tsars. 

Mandrogy Russia

Mandrogy, built in 1996 as an open-air museum, is a replica of   Verkhine Mandrogi , a Russian village destroyed during WWII. The enterprise was intended to give travellers cruising between St Petersburg and Kizhi a feel for traditional Russian life. 

Unfortunately, we found Mandrogy to be very much that – a fabricated tourist attraction including costumed craftsmen and women with innumerable craft stalls and workshops selling the same trinkets. 

Paint your Own Russian Matryoshka Doll

The central premise for this village appears to be shopping and, of course, the famed Russian Matryoshka Dolls. You can partake in a workshop to learn how to paint your own nesting dolls or, watch any number of the local artists paint dolls in their style. These, of course, are available for purchase. 

While Mandrogy was not our cup of tea, there was a silver lining to this little settlement – the traditional Russian Banya.

Experience a Russian Banya

The banya is one of those quintessentially Russian experiences.  One of the oldest Russian traditions dating back centuries. A tradition that has not lost its appeal and is still popular today.

Essentially the banya is a steam room or sauna where water is poured over hot rocks to create steam with temperatures often exceeding 93ºC. However, the banya comes with a little more ceremony than your average steam room or sauna.

Specific brooms are used in the banya called veniks . These are usually bunches of birch or oak branches which are dipped into cold water in the sweltering steam room. They are then smacked briskly over the body.

Typically,  there will be a person responsible for this task – a banschik.  As the banya is considered a very social activity, a  banschik  is often not required as friends will usually smack each other with the veniks.

Thankfully our experience included a banschik as we would not have known the sequence of events nor the protocols for polite smacking! So, how does one banya?

• Enter the banya and wait for temperatures to become almost unbearably hot.
• Relax while the banschick  completes a ceremonial beating of everyone’s bodies with the veniks.  It includes intense rustling of the branches either side of your head, which is repeated several times.
• Leave the banya and allow the  banschick  to pour freezing cold water over you.
• Adjourn to the adjacent room for tea and jam.
• Repeat steps 1 & 2.
• Leave the banya house and run to the river to plunge into the icy waters.
• Repeat step 6.

You get the gist! Used as a method of bathing in Russia for centuries, the banya is said to have a myriad of health benefits. There are many communal or public banyas in the cities and towns, and some people still have private banyas in their homes.

The banya is one Russian experience we highly recommend, providing you have the constitution to withstand the intensity of it.

Near the centre of the Lake Onega, the second largest lake in Europe, you will find the wild and isolated island of Kizhi. Kizhi is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed open-air museum.

At only 6 km long and 1 km wide, this tiny island is one of Russia’s most visited. The settlements buildings date back to the 15th century, some of which were moved from various Karelian villages during Soviet times to help preserve them.  

However, the islands most notable and recognisable attractions are the famous wooden onion-domed buildings- the twenty-two domed Transfiguration Church and the nine domed Intercession Church.

Locals will tell you; both churches were constructed without the use of a single nail. The unknown builder is also said to have destroyed his axe on completion of the Transfiguration Church. He is quoted as saying: “ There was not and will not be another to match it”.

Within the smaller Church of the intercession, you may hear the local clergy, a beautiful and moving baritone choir intone the ancient liturgy. The islands ancient settlement gives insight into the harsh realities of life in the Russian heartland. Places where entire settlements were isolated for much of the year throughout long winters. You can read more about  visiting Kizhi Island here .

Along the Volga – Baltic waterway you will find the urban settlement of Kuzino approx. 600km north of Moscow.

In addition to some fascinating churches, some abandoned or in various states of repair that are worth exploring, the highlight of this region is the Kirillo – Belozersky Monastery. More like a fortress than a monastery, the magnificent complex sits on Severskoye Lake.

Severskoye Lake is deemed so pure no motorboats are allowed on it. According to urban myth, the waters were blessed, giving them qualities similar to those of the mythical fountain of youth.

From humble beginnings in 1397 when two monks founded the monastery in nothing more than a cave dug by two men. By 1494, now a stone structure, it was the largest church in medieval Russia.

Defended by thick walls and towers it was a refuge for not just monks and peasants, but also a place of pilgrimage for Tsars and so benefited from generous donations and tax breaks. Ivan the Terrible was said to be a regular visitor and big tipper. The financially favourable guest list enabled the monastery to grow in size and importance.

By 1764, Catherine the Great had stripped the monastery of its land and converted the complex into a prison. In 1924 the Bolshevik government shut the complex down and executed or arrested the monks. Interestingly, unlike most monasteries, it was not converted into a concentration camp but rather a museum.

Yaroslavl, the largest city on the Volga, lies just 250 km’s north of Moscow which makes this Golden Ring city a popular weekend getaway.

Perhaps this quaint city of six hundred thousand should be called the city of churches because here you will find an impressive kaleidoscope of onion domes. At the convergence of the mighty Volga and Kotorosl rivers is the historic part of the city, a listed UNESCO World Heritage site.

The city dates back to Prince Yaroslav or Yaroslav the Wise  when he came ashore in around 998, slew the sacred bear worshipped by the local pagan tribes and converted them to Christianity. Hence, the bear on the city’s coat of arms.

While these events may have attributed to the city’s religious fervour – the churches that now adorn the skyline were the work of 17th and 19th century merchants on a quest to outdo each other in a bid to beautify the city.  To this day it remains a magnificent city, one that appears to have remained unscathed by the soviet facelift given to much of Russia. 

Uglich, another of the Golden Ring Cities. A picturesque riverside city filled with inviting parks and brightly coloured church domes. The history of Uglich is steeped in a murder mystery that changed the history of Russia.

Ivan the Terrible was never quite right following the death of his wife Anastasia and so instituted a reign of terror that earned him his name. Although respected for his military victories and management of Russian interests, he was also feared for some terrible deeds.

One such deed was accidentally killing his son and heir with a blow to the head. Due to this faux par on Ivan’s behalf, his crippled son Feodor, who by all reports was not well in mind or body, ascended to power. However, the country was being run by Feodor’s brother in law, Boris Godunov.

Quietly in the wings was Dimitry, Ivan’s younger son who could have succeeded the throne in light of Feodor’s lack of interest in political issues. In 1591, at the age of ten, Dimitry was found dead thanks to a stab wound. It was decided Dimitry slit his own throat with a sword during an epileptic fit.

At the risk of stating the obvious – it was widely assumed the boy was murdered. However, those who dared to accuse Boris Gudunov only did so once. The mystery remains, and so does this beautiful city close to Moscow.

Should You Choose A River Cruise to Travel Russia?

When it comes to visiting a country like Russia, we feel a river cruise is possibly the best way to maximise your experience of this incredible country.  Had we decided to travel independently, there is no way we would have had the vast and varied experiences we were able to on this cruise.

The 5-star hotel service, excellent dining and professional tour organisation far exceeded any of our expectations. We now understand why people often choose river cruises as the best way to experience a country. We have since travelled on a number of river cruises through Eastern Europe and the Danube and still believe it to be a value for money way to travel, especially in Europe.

If you are looking to see Russia beyond the big cities, cruising the waterways from St Petersburg to Moscow will reveal the beauty of the towns and the landscapes of Russia’s heartland. A river cruise is a fabulous way to travel Russia and a great way to glean a deeper understanding of this mysterious country.

Viking River Cruise In Russia Facts

• Viking River Cruises has three vessels operating in Russia offering a  13-day “Waterways Of The Tsars” cruise  running between Moscow and St Petersburg.
• Prices start at ~USD $4,500. Viking Cruises also offer some great “Early Bird” specials available for advance bookings.
• The cruise includes accommodation, all meals, drinks with meals, tours and onboard lectures. Additional or  Optional Tours  can be purchased on board.
• Flights, including taxes and transfers, can be arranged inclusive of your cruise price.
• A tourist visa will be required for most foreign nationals to enter Russia, it is important to check if you will require this well in advance of your cruise date.

We would like to thank Viking Cruises for hosting us on the Waterways Of The Tsars cruise to facilitate this article. As always, all opinions expressed are our own and have not been influenced in any way.

• 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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