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Exclusive: singer-songwriter/saxophonist/guitarist vanessa collier premieres title track ‘do it my own way’, ten years after premiere their complete 1969 woodstock festival set, craft recordings to reissue ‘brenton wood’s 18 best’.

Stevie Van Zandt and Sixthman Unveil Outlaw Country Cruise 7 Lineup

Stevie Van Zandt’s Renegade Circus and Sixthman have announced the initial lineup for the Outlaw Country Cruise 7 , sailing February 21-27, 2023 from Miami, FL to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas and Cozumel, Mexico aboard Norwegian Pearl for six nights of outlaw country on the Caribbean Sea. 

Pre-sales will be available beginning Tuesday, July 5 with general on-sales following on Friday, July 8, exclusively at www.outlawcountrycruise.c o m .

The seventh voyage will feature The Mavericks, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Old 97’s, Kathleen Edwards, Carlene Carter, Elizabeth Cook, The Waco Brothers , and more. 

The Norwegian Pearl will once again provide special performances, collaborations, tribute shows across five unique venues — with SiriusXM Sessions hosted by Outlaw Country DJs Steve Earle, Elizabeth Cook, and Mojo Nixon. 

Outlaw Country Cruise 7 may just be the most exhilarating cruise vacation ever, with fully stocked bars at (almost) every corner, tasty dining options, the Pool Deck (with multiple hot tubs), the Pearl Club Casino, Mandara Spa, Body Waves Fitness Center, Sports Court, and much more. The cruise will also include unforgettable shore excursions in Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas (offering gorgeous white sand beaches, ideal for snorkeling and swimming with pigs) and the island of Cozumel, Mexico (perfect for its fantastic fishing, snorkeling, and diving opportunities and exploring historic Mayan ruins).

Please note: Shore excursions will not be available until 3-5 weeks (Great Stirrup Cay) and 4-6 weeks (Cozumel) prior to sailing. Outlaw Country Cruisers will be able to book excursions upon receipt of their official booking number. 

Sixthman festivals tear down walls between artists and fans by creating community-inspired vacation experiences at resorts and at sea. Since 2001, Sixthman has set the stage for moments that make life rock, serving over 300,000 guests on over 150 unforgettable vacations on sand and at sea with their favorite artists, athletes, actors, comedians, and brands.

These carefully curated, intimate events bring non-stop performances, artist collaborations, in-depth panels, Q&As, fan-artist activities, museums, and overall truly immersive experiences that celebrate community and change expectations of what a vacation can be. Sixthman’s domestic homeport of Miami brings escapes for guests to dream destinations in the Virgin Islands, Belize, Honduras, Mexico, and The Bahamas. In 2019, Sixthman expanded their festivals at sea to Europe, sailing from Barcelona, Spain to exotic Mediterranean ports. 2022 will bring sailings through the Greek Isles.

In addition to festivals at sea, in 2019 Sixthman brought their innovative vacation concept to world-class, all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic and will do the same in Mexico in 2022. In 2020, Sixthman Services was launched to support other event holders with a suite of on-site and virtual event management services and enhanced experiences. 2022 has brought the organization’s first foray into immersive Music Camp experiences in partnership with Rock-n-Roll Fantasy Camp. 

Full Lineup:

The Mavericks

Lucinda Williams

Steve Earle & The Dukes

Ray Wylie Hubbard

Kathleen Edwards

Carlene Carter

Elizabeth Cook

The Waco Brothers

Mike and the Moonpies

The Twangbangers

Jesse Dayton

Supersuckers

Linda Gail Lewis

Jason D. Williams

Rosie Flores

The Warner E. Hodges Band

Sarah Borges

Eric “Roscoe” Ambel

The Mastersons

The Whitmore Sisters

Eddie Angel’s Guitar Party

Chris Sprague & His 18 Wheelers

Roger Alan Wade and the Honky Tonk CIA

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Outlaw Country West

Thank you for sailing with us

The cruise wouldn't have been the same without YOU! Missing the boat already? Check out The Outlaw Country Cruise!

Relive the Memories!

Take a look at all of the moments our photographer, Will Byington, captured while on board. They're available to download for free on his website!

A huge thank you to everyone that joined us on the first-ever Outlaw Country West cruise. The experiences we had together and the memories made are sure to last a lifetime!

Renegade Circus and Sixthman are working together on future events. Please join the mailing list to stay informed on what is to come!

Questions? 877-738-2761

Stevie Van Zandt and Sixthman Announce Outlaw Country Cruise 8

• March 26, 2023

Stevie Van Zandt’s Renegade Circus and Sixthman announced the eighth Outlaw Country Cruise sailing, departing on February 4, 2024.

The voyage aboard the Norwegian Pearl will set sail from Miami, Florida to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and San Juan, Puerto Rico for six nights of music.

The journey will feature a lineup of stars including Blackberry Smoke, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Nikki Lane, 49 Winchester, Shinyribs, Kaitlin Butts, Drivin’ N Cryin,’ Los Straitjackets, Jim Lauderdale, Dale Watson and His Lone Stars, Chuck Mead, Jason Ringenberg & His Barnstormers, The Warner E. Hodges Band, Rosie Flores & The Talismen, Dash Rip Rock, Sarah Gayle Meech, Lillie Mae, Kristi Rose and Fats Kaplan, Charlie Overbey, Raelyn Nelson Band, Roger Alan Wade and Honky Tonk CIA, Mojo Nixon & The Toadliquors, and more. 

The adventure onboard the Norwegian Pearl will also include special performances, specially curated tribute shows, and SiriusXM Sessions at Sea radio tapings hosted by SiriusXM Outlaw Country DJ Steve Earle and Mojo Nixon.

In addition to the onboard experiences, guests will also have the opportunity to enjoy shore excursions in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Travelers will be able to book an excursion after receiving a receipt of their official booking number.

Guests can sign up for pre-sales from now through Wednesday, March 29 while public sales start on Friday, March 31.

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Stevie Van Zandt and Sixthman announce Outlaw Country Cruise 8

Article contributed by big hassle media | published on saturday, march 25, 2023.

Stevie Van Zandt’s Renegade Circus and Sixthman, the leader in festivals and music cruises for more than two decades, have announced Outlaw Country Cruise 8 , sailing February 4-10, 2024 from Miami, FL to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and San Juan, Puerto Rico aboard Norwegian Pearl for six nights of music and adventure on the Caribbean Sea. Sign-ups for pre-sales are available now through Wednesday, March 29 at 11:59 pm (ET), with public on-sales following on Friday, March 31 at 2:00 pm (ET), exclusively at www.outlawcountrycruise.com .

The eighth voyage of the critically acclaimed Outlaw Country Cruise will feature a star-studded lineup of legendary icons and rising new artists including Blackberry Smoke, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Nikki Lane, 49 Winchester, Shinyribs, Kaitlin Butts, Drivin' N Cryin,' Los Straitjackets, Jim Lauderdale, Dale Watson and His Lone Stars, Chuck Mead, Jason Ringenberg & His Barnstormers, The Warner E. Hodges Band, Rosie Flores & The Talismen, Dash Rip Rock, Sarah Gayle Meech, Lillie Mae, Kristi Rose and Fats Kaplan, Charlie Overbey, Raelyn Nelson Band, Roger Alan Wade and Honky Tonk CIA, Mojo Nixon & The Toadliquors, and more to be announced soon. The outlaw music and activities never stop, with five unique venues stacked with special performances, once-in-a-lifetime collaborations, specially curated tribute shows, and SiriusXM Sessions at Sea radio tapings hosted by SiriusXM Outlaw Country DJ Steve Earle and of course, the one and only Mojo Nixon.

The Norwegian Pearl will provide everything needed to make the eighth installment of the Outlaw Country Cruise the most luxurious cruise vacation ever, with fully stocked bars at (almost) every corner, tasty dining options, the Pool Deck (with multiple hot tubs), the Pearl Club Casino, Mandara Spa, Body Waves Fitness Center, Sports Court, and much more.

Beyond the onboard experience, Outlaw Country Cruisers will have the chance to enjoy once-in-a-lifetime shore excursions in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and San Juan, Puerto Rico – both first-time ports of call for the Outlaw Country Cruise. Please note: Shore excursions will not be available until 4-6 weeks prior to sailing. Cruisers will be able to book an excursion upon receipt of their official booking number.

OUTLAW COUNTRY CRUISE 8

February 4-10, 2024

Sailing From Miami, FL to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and San Juan, Puerto Rico

aboard Norwegian Pearl

Blackberry Smoke   

Lucinda Williams   

Steve Earle   

Ray Wylie Hubbard

Nikki Lane   

49 Winchester   

Shinyribs   

Kaitlin Butts   

Drivin' N Cryin'   

Los Straitjackets   

Jim Lauderdale   

Dale Watson and His Lone Stars   

Chuck Mead   

Jason Ringenberg & His Barnstormers   

The Warner E. Hodges Band   

Rosie Flores & The Talismen   

Dash Rip Rock   

Sarah Gayle Meech   

Lillie Mae   

Kristi Rose and Fats Kaplan   

Charlie Overbey   

Raelyn Nelson Band   

Roger Alan Wade and Honky Tonk CIA

Mojo Nixon & The Toadliquors

• Stevie Van Zandt
• Jim Lauderdale
• Lucinda Williams
• Blackberry Smoke
• Steve Earle

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Outlaw Country Cruise

Extraordinary Collaborations

Experience extraordinary performances, thoughtfully crafted tribute shows, captivating guitar pulls, and engaging artist activities across multiple venues during six nights of uninterrupted musical mayhem!

Bask in the Sunshine

Indulge in the glorious sunshine of Nassau, Bahamas, where pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters beckon. Then, explore the lively streets of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, where each corner reveals a unique blend of culture and charm.

SiriusXM Sessions at Sea

Enjoy live radio tapings featuring unique acoustic performances hosted by SiriusXM Outlaw Country DJs!

clock This article was published more than  2 years ago

Six days at sea with 1,200 Outlaw Country fans, two years into a pandemic

Stars, coronavirus tests and an endless buffet do their part as the cruise and music industries make a return

SOMEWHERE IN THE CARIBBEAN — It’s just past 4 on a Friday in February when Carlee Thomas takes to the pool deck stage to lead the opening toast of the Outlaw Country Cruise. Steve Earle is playing the first set, branded the “Sail Away,” but the Norwegian Pearl won’t be leaving port for two more hours. Carlene Carter’s flight to Miami is late; the ship is standing by so the singer can hop on.

“Thank you for being here!” screams Thomas, who serves as “senior warrior” for Sixthman, which is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line and presents everything from wrestling to music festivals on the company’s fleet. “Thank you all for sticking with us.”

Servers circulate plastic shot glasses containing a pinkish substance.

“It looks like they’re bringing us our psych meds,” says David Mansfield, the multi-instrumentalist who played in Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue.

After the toast, Earle takes the stage with the Dukes, his band, and kicks into a grinding version of his anthem, “Feel Alright.”

On paper, this might not seem like the golden ticket. Take 1,200 country fans weary from two-plus years of pandemic and put them on a six-day cruise with a buffet, a booze package and masking rules that just aren’t going to be enforced. And do this when the surge of omicron might be subsiding but has not disappeared.

Some are clearly leery. After five straight sellouts, Outlaw Country Cruise 6 is only about 60 percent full. Even those aboard have doubts.

Singer Laura Cantrell, who is married to SiriusXM satellite Outlaw Country programmer Jeremy Tepper, says that she was expecting a “s--- show, and that 20 percent of the bands at least would have band members that didn’t get on board.” Then she arrived at the Port of Miami that Friday. Whether you were Emmylou Harris or a first-time cruiser in a room without a porthole, you had to show a vaccine card and take a coronavirus test. And if you tested positive — as did Waco Brothers mandolinist Tracey Dear — you were shuttled off to a cheap hotel and not allowed to sail. In the holding room, waiting like everyone else for the results, Cantrell began to feel better about the Pearl.

“Maybe we’re emerging from whatever the latest wave was,” she says, a few days into the cruise. “Between vaccines and good practices, maybe we can move forward. I mean, I’m still not totally sure.”

The pandemic has been a slog for everyone, but it’s been particularly brutal on the two industries represented on the boat. In the early days, cruises teeming with infected passengers were kept at sea, which was miserable for the passengers and a public-relations nightmare. Then the industry shut down.

Norwegian Cruise Line started back last July, and in the fall Sixthman returned with events, including cruises with Kiss, Melissa Etheridge and Joe Bonamassa. Outlaw Country, originally set for February 2021 and co-organized by SiriusXM’s Tepper, had been postponed to this year. With omicron surging, Norwegian offered ticket-buyers a chance to bump their cabins to a future festival, including 2023’s “Outlaw Country Cruise” or “Outlaw Country West!,” which will sail from Los Angeles in November. Hundreds took up that offer. A few weeks ago, Tepper found himself texting friends and musicians with offers of free cabins. (A berth can cost anywhere from $1,580 to $5,300 — excluding a drink package.) That’s how Josh Kantor, a talented musician who is the organist for the Boston Red Sox but also plays with Wilco and other bands, ended up hauling his accordion onto the Pearl. During the cruise, he sat in with multiple acts, from Cantrell to the punkier Waco Brothers.

As hard as the pandemic’s been on the cruise industry, it’s been just as brutal on musicians. The ship’s headliners — Lucinda Williams, Earle and Harris — have been able to play gigs while maintaining a safe, social distance from crowds. Others have been more desperate.

Linda Gail Lewis, 74, the younger sister of Jerry Lee, says there were times she couldn’t make the $549-a-month payment on her Nissan Altima.

“It financially ruined me,” says Lewis, on her first Outlaw cruise. “I had four tours in Sweden that were canceled. I lost so much money and I had no money. I get little piddling gigs around Texas. You can’t make huge money playing locally because everybody wants to. And of course, Texas is wide open. And as scared as I was of that virus, I went out and did gigs before I could get the vaccine.”

Albert Lee, 78, the guitarist who has played with Harris, Eric Clapton and the Everly Brothers, ate through his savings. Lee’s inactivity also took a physical toll. He doesn’t practice offstage and keeps loose through a lifetime of steady gigs.

“Over the last two years, my hands just weren’t working like they did before,” he says, bending his fingers as if to show how they were stiffened.

And Sarah Borges, 43, who has recorded seven albums and had an eighth ready for release, spent the pandemic using the band’s Ford Econoline making courier trips from Boston’s Logan Airport. She was crushed when Tepper didn’t invite her to cruise for a third time. Then her fans began to post on the Outlaw Country Facebook page and make memes and tag Sixthman. Eventually, Tepper called. She would be a late add.

Borges brought enough clothes to change three times a day, from a purple sequin-and-ostrich-feather dress she got for $19.99 on eBay to a black Boston T-shirt in deference to her hometown. Then Sarah Shook, the North Carolina-based singer, came down with the coronavirus. Borges got bumped onto a special SiriusXM program onstage with singer and radio host Elizabeth Cook.

Tepper sat in the front row, nodding and laughing as Borges and Cook talked. “This isn’t a DJ talking to an artist,” he tells a reporter. “This is an artist talking to an artist. Just two girls talking.”

Later, Tepper was asked whether Borges had earned a spot on next year’s cruise.

“I don’t know,” he says.

But wasn’t she great?

“She’s awesome,” Tepper says. “But everybody’s awesome.”

Y ou hear it over and over, from passengers and also musicians: I’m not a cruise person. I’ve never been on a cruise before. Normally, I’d never do this.

Which is to say they’re not here for the unlimited buffet or overpriced trinkets at the touristy port stops — Costa Maya, Mexico; and Harvest Caye, Belize — or to drink icy margaritas until they can’t tell Willie Nelson from Willie Mays. Most say they are music fans and blown away by the program.

“If you told me in 2015 that I’d be going on a cruise once a year, I’d have said, ‘You’ve got the wrong person here,’ ” says Marie Lekumberry, 61, who owns a restaurant in Gardnerville, Nev. “Now there’s nowhere else I’d rather be at this moment.”

That goes for the performers, as well.

“I don’t want this to sound the wrong way, but is this work?” says Lucinda Williams, sitting in her suite on the 14th floor of the Pearl. “We’re on this ship, which still blows my mind when I open up the curtains when I get up and see the ocean.”

Jon Langford, the Welsh-born punk veteran of the Mekons and Wacos, remembers coming on board in 2020 for the first time.

“We had our guard up and we were just like, ‘I need a room to get away and hide,’ ” says Langford. “But after a couple of days you realize all the people on this boat are all music lovers and they’re respectful, really polite. I was never in my room.”

For cruisers, the slate can be overwhelming. You wander out of a Williams show in the Stardust Theater and find Linda Gail Lewis banging out “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” in a crowded bar, or the Beat Farmers, on the pool deck, playing an amped-up cover of Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s “Powderfinger.” There are shows recorded for SiriusXM, home of the Outlaw Country channel, and there are the guitar pulls, during which Williams, Harris, Rodney Crowell and Earle sit onstage and trade stories and songs. On this cruise, there’s a tribute to Crowell, 71, which he caps by leading a star-studded cover of Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” that includes Mansfield on mandolin. (Known for his musical exploits, Mansfield once played miniature golf with Gram Parsons.) Characters like cowpunk instigator Mojo Nixon and legendary road manager Phil Kaufman, who famously stole and then ritualistically burned the body of Parsons in Joshua Tree back in 1973, are given plenty of mic time.

And when the music finally wraps, nobody’s hopping in a van to drive through the night to a gig in Millersville.

“I’ve been playing music professionally since 1980 and I’ve never been treated better as an artist,” says Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, the producer and guitarist who has been in bands with Joan Jett and Earle. “There’s no real distinction between the absolute top tier. This artist pass gets you in anywhere you want to go. As a professional musician, even if you’re on a big festival, you never get to see this.”

That goes for the late-night artist parties. On the 14th floor, starting at midnight, they gather in a spacious suite that includes an open bar, a piano, and guitars and basses leaning against the wall. At the first gathering, Pete “Wetdawg” Gordon, a high-energy pianist who plays with Nixon, coaxes Lewis over to the keyboard, where she sings “You Win Again,” a 1958 hit for her brother. Keith Coleman, 65, a fully adorned Elvis impersonator from Tampa Bay, takes the microphone to churn out “Jailhouse Rock,” and grizzled Supersuckers guitarist “Metal” Marty Chandler picks up an acoustic. Eventually, Williams arrives to catch up and keep time with a shaker.

Tepper plays down his role, but by all accounts, he’s responsible for curating this cruise. At 58, he’s a kind of benevolent schmoozer, albeit with a fan’s ear and a music geek’s knowledge. He played in the World Famous Blue Jays, launched a record label, and served as editor of Vending Times and Wrestling’s Main Event magazine. In 2000, as DJ RigRocker, Tepper began spinning vinyl in clubs.

He won’t put down commercial country, but he doesn’t take to songs about short-shorts, pickup trucks and bros, favoring the harder-edge twang pioneered by Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Billy Joe Shaver and later Williams and Earle. In 2004, after a set at Irving Plaza, Stevie Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen band member and SiriusXM programmer, tapped on his shoulder and recruited him for Sirius. Today, he’s program director for Outlaw Country and Willie Nelson’s Willie’s Roadhouse channels on the satellite network.

On the boat, Tepper is a constant presence, his long hair tucked into a bun under a trucker cap, roaming the crowd and backstage areas.

“He’s a musical genius,” says Anthony Diaz, Sixthman’s chief executive. “These aren’t just concerts on a cruise ship. These are environments where you set the stage for collaborations and moments that do not happen on land.”

In 2020, that meant bringing reggae icon Lee “Scratch” Perry on for a cruise to Jamaica, featuring a tribute to Kris Kristofferson. For 2022, Tepper cooked up a reunion of Harris’s 1970s “Hot Band” with guitarist Lee and singer Crowell. In another theater, guitarist Bill Kirchen held a tribute for his pioneering country rock swing band, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. The cruise’s musical highlight may be the return of Williams, who has been recovering from a 2020 stroke.

On the first night of the cruise, Williams’s road manager, Travis Stephens, walks her onto the Stardust Theater stage and positions a chair next to her so she can lean on it for support. But then Williams, the queen of richly detailed story songs that drove the rise of alt-country in the 1990s, begins to sing. The 2020 stroke has clearly hobbled her — she can’t play guitar and tires more easily — but her artistry remains intact.

“Her voice is completely there,” says Harris, who will share the stage with Williams twice during the week. “Her soul, her genius is still there, and nothing will ever take away the things that are still unimpaired.”

During a second performance, on the pool deck, Williams has to deal with a wind so strong it blows over her monitor. Stephens races onstage to tape a set of lyrics to a music stand. Still, Williams manages to deliver a scathing criticism of Russia before a pitch-perfect performance of “Man Without a Soul.” Afterward, in her suite, she will admit that she was touched by the way the cruise crowd responded after she talked about her recovery.

“I just told the audience what was going on and was honest with them,” says Williams. “It’s heartwarming. The audience applauded as I walked out, like kind of welcoming me back, and they had their arms open to me.”

T he one thing this boat isn’t showcasing is politics.

That’s surprising, considering that country music is, as an art form, a microcosm of America. There’s the Steve Earle branch of the country party, which leans hard to the left, and the Travis Tritt axis, which strongly supported Donald Trump.

At the beginning, this latter group seemed more visible. In 2016, the first Outlaw Country Cruise launched as a partnership between Norwegian’s Sixthman and Renegade Circus, the live event division of Van Zandt’s company. It came after Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” cruise had wrapped in 2014. Some of the passengers seemed to be holdovers.

Steve Goldberg, who runs a cybersecurity company in Newton, Mass., remembers sitting at a cafe with his wife, Carol.

“And a guy had a giant Hillary T-shirt with bars and, like, ‘Lock her up’ and a MAGA hat,” says Goldberg. “And we’re like, ‘Oh, gosh, get me out of here.’ ”

By the next year, the shirts were gone. So were the flags.

“I ran all the f---ing Confederate flags off almost single-handedly, trust me, by refusing to sign their s--- and bad-mouthing Donald Trump,” Steve Earle says over lunch in the artists’ lounge. “And they all just went away and they got replaced by other people because there’s waiting lists for all these cruises.”

On the Pearl this time, some wondered whether the vaccination requirement cut out those on the far right. A few past cabin holders had posted angry comments on the Outlaw Country Cruisers Facebook page. Others told their friends they weren’t going if they had to get the shot. Lee’s regular drummer, Jason Smith, wouldn’t get vaccinated, so he was replaced on the boat by keyboardist John “J.T.” Thomas’s son, John. Lee’s wife, Karen, got vaccinated only because she wanted to be on the ship. She was not happy about it and, in her cabin, proudly shows off her Trump bracelets and books she brought onboard about Anthony S. Fauci and Democratic fundraiser George Soros.

“I did a Johnson & Johnson and I can do some blood treatments with ozone to purify my blood later,” she says. “And hopefully that will take me back to where I was before I had the vaccine.”

Then there was the case of Texas singer Dale Watson, an Outlaw Cruise regular. In December, he announced on social media why he wouldn’t be going. He felt he already had natural immunity and pledged to take a test before every gig, but “that’s not enough for this administration.”

Reached by phone after the cruise, Watson says he wasn’t sorry he missed out.

“It was totally Norwegian Cruise Lines, and they have to do what they think is best, but the Outlaw Cruise got stuck in the middle of that,” he says, and pauses. “It didn’t feel very outlaw to do something because you’re made to do it.”

The Waco Brothers, started in Chicago in 1994, have never been chartbusters. And though the band will throw an amped-up George Jones or Johnny Cash song into the set, it’s mainly country in spirit. The band sings of union workers and environmental disaster and are led by Jon Langford, a punk prankster who delivers jagged guitar lines on his sea-green Stratocaster.

It’s playing the final set on the pool deck. The week has been almost flawless, though the Beat Farmer’s bassist had to stay in his cabin after coming down with the flu, and a drunk cruiser did take a header on the floor by the Atrium bar during Bill Kirchen’s set. But that’s barely a blip on a boat occupied by so many.

Langford wears a Waco Brothers sailor hat, has Kantor play the set and calls up Sally Timms, his Mekons partner, for a few songs. (She was one of Tepper’s late, unbilled invites.) He also asks Shinyribs singers Alice Spencer and Courtney Santana to hop onstage.

Two years ago, before the shutdown, Langford and the Wacos took the pool deck with Lee “Scratch” Perry for Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come.”

“Probably the best night of my entire life,” Langford tells the crowd.

Perry died last year, but Langford, as a kind of informal tribute, decides to do the song again. He calls for Texas legend Joe “King” Carrasco to come to the stage.

“Where’s Joe the King? Release the King!”

Crowell, wearing a dark blue T-shirt and checkered Vans, leans against a post to the side of the stage. He spent last year feeling conflicted about his decision to tour behind a new album. He wore a mask and, as soon as he could, got vaccinated. But was his album promotion somehow contributing to the spread?

On this cruise, he has played gigs, been celebrated with a special tribute, and performed with friends Harris and Lee in the “Hot Band.” On the boat, Crowell talks of trying to be more understanding of differing viewpoints. The vaccine doubters got under his skin.

“And no, I don’t want them on a boat with me in the middle of Belize,” he said. “But I’ve grown weary of us and them.”

Even here, among the vaccinated, there are probably people who don’t share his political views. So what? After a few days at sea, with nobody arguing and a fully vaccinated crowd thrilled to be seemingly free to laugh and dance, Crowell has begun to think of the cruise as more than a paycheck. Maybe it’s part of how we move forward.

“Music has always had a transcendent function,” he says. “And that’s one of the things that are brought on this boat. I’m going to let go and I want to let go of this divide that I see because somewhere we’ve got to find some unity.”

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Out-of-control nyc pedicab drivers terrorize tourists, locals — and even sexually assault their own customers: ‘they’re like piranhas’.

They’re hell on wheels. 

Out-of-control pedicab drivers are terrorizing tourists and locals across Manhattan, commandeering stretches of city streets, haranguing passersby — and even sexually assaulting their own customers, The Post has learned.

Over the past few years, the drivers’ behavior has grown increasingly lawless — from blasting loud music and charging outrageous prices to brawling with customers and launching cartel-like attacks on competitors.

The outlaw antics are reflected in a surge in pedicab-related criminal summonses this year, with cops issuing 1,493 violations through June 30, a 51.5% spike from the 985 written during the same period in 2023, NYPD data shows.

Consumer complaints have similarly soared 56.7%, totaling 94 reports through Aug. 12, compared to just 60 reports logged during the same period in 2023, according to 311 data.

“They’re like piranhas just trying to get paid — and they prey on the tourists and on the guests and on the kids,” Ralph Mendez, a doorman at the Sheraton Hotel on Seventh Avenue near Times Square, told The Post.

“They’re nice because they want something,” he added. “As soon, as you tell them you don’t want it, they just absolutely flip on you.”

A fun night out at Midtown club spiraled into a nightmare for two Upper East Side women who encountered one of those piranhas — who badgered them to accept a “free ride” home until they agreed.

As soon as they entered the pedicab, the driver jumped into the backseat and groped both women, and kicked them out of his ride when they fought back, one of the terrified victims told The Post this week.

“It felt very much like he put himself in the right place at the right time” to be a predator, said one of the victims, a 22-year-old, who reported the Aug. 4 incident to cops.

“It was really convenient for him to be in front of a club at 3:30 a.m., offering rides home to girls who have been drinking. I got the feeling that he habitually does that.’”

She continued: “I felt like I got tricked, which is the worst feeling…I was shocked that it happened, but I feel like it was my fault because I was being dumb and naive.”

The incident is just one example of a troubling pattern of mayhem pedicabs are causing across the city, including:

• In May, a half-dozen pedicabbers surrounded a hansom-carriage driver after he asked one of them not to wash his bicycle in a fountain horses regularly drink from in Central Park, according to the coachman and NYPD. The hot-head allegedly decked the 51-year-old carriage driver, who gave only his first name, Yalcin.
• A pedicab driver traded blows with a trio of riders over their fare in June by the Empire State Building, according to a wild video of the incident.

• A foul-mouthed pedicabber was caught on camera near Central Park on Aug. 12 calling carriage horse driver Jill Adamski a “dirt b—h” and “Irish slut,” according to video. The brute is then seen raising his hand, threatening to smack another man who was recording the ugly altercation.
• A pedicab driver in Midtown randomly spat in a transgender woman’s face as men in the vehicle called her a “tranny” in May 2023, according to police sources. The 27-year-old was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment.
• The Glass House Tavern said pedicabbers engaged in a coordinated campaign to tank its business with a cluster of 1-star Google reviews after it posted a sign on West 47th Street warning nearby theatergoers about the exorbitant prices the drivers charged. “Recently, they have become more aggressive and have been verbally abusive to our staff,” the tavern noted at the time.

“They think this is like a third world country, the law doesn’t work over here, ‘We can do anything we want,’” Yalcin said. “They feel like big guys — big mafiosos over here.”

The drivers, who trick out their rides with gaudy decor such as string lights, plush animals and speakers blasting pop music, often target tourists looking to record their rides and post on social media.

The trips have become one of the city’s most expensive tourist traps, with pedicab hacks gouging unsuspecting customers with sky-high — albeit legal — fares , which are usually posted on tiny-type rate cards and have run in some cases as high as $25 a minute.

“If guests are staying here, I tell them, ‘Ask them the price’ before they get in.’ Then I get dirty looks from the drivers,” said Mendez, the Sheraton Hotel doorman, recalling one crestfallen guest who was shocked to learn a pedicab ride from 34th Street ran her $140. 

At the Hilton Hotel near West 54th Street and 6th Avenue, a doorman estimated 15 pedicabs hang out in front his building on a daily basis, conducting annoying “music battles” with their booming speakers and haranguing pedestrians to purchase a ride.

“With the tourists and guests, they are constantly trying to get their attention,” the doorman said. “They’re yelling and doing their whole spiel and everything.”

On Wednesday The Post observed a dozen aggressive pedicab drivers yelling at families with children and following passersby in an effort to snag customers near Central Park South.

“C’mon ladies, you girls look like you can use a ride,” one whistled, waving a laminated page detailing the astronomical prices

“It’ll be fun,” another called out. “It’s cheap, take a ride.”

That same afternoon, a slew of pedicab drivers were spotted around Midtown repeatedly ignoring traffic lights, while others swerved into bike lines and even took their eyes off the road to snap selfies with riders.

“They don’t respect drivers or the traffic rules,” said livery driver Mario Chauch, 43, who had a side mirror smashed off by a pedicabber.

“They pull over all the time, they pull out in front of you.”

And there’s violence within their own ranks too.

The drivers — who predominantly hail from Central Asian nations such as Tajikistan and Uzebekistan — employ mob-like tactics to scare off competition, or anyone even suspected of encroaching on their turf.

“If they feel that you’re not allowed to work on their corner, they’re slashing your tires, they’re attacking people, they’re beating them up,” said a 53-year-old pedicabber, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation.

“They’re running the corners like they own that corner,” he said.

The lawlessness has been accelerated by a post-pandemic explosion of counterfeit Department of Consumer and Worker Protection licenses and registration plates required to legally operate in the city, industry sources told The Post. 

One fleet operator estimated that 60% of pedicab drivers, or roughly 1,500 hacks, are riding around with bogus licenses.

“If there is no liability, you’re going to act differently,” the 46-year-old fleet operator said, explaining authorities’ lax enforcement on the fraudulent paperwork has fueled the rogue behavior. 

The DCWP oversees inspections of licensed pedicabs, and its spokeswoman Stephany Vasquez Sanchez, advised people to report any illicit activity, including harassment, to the NYPD.

In December, cops seized 77 illegal pedicabs in Midtown, weeks after Councilman Erik Bottcher (D-Manhattan) wrote a letter to the NYPD along with DCWP and the Department of Environmental Protection calling for stricter enforcement of pedicabs amid surging complaints. 

“The impact of pedicabs, particularly in relation to Broadway theaters, residential neighborhoods, and tourist experiences, has prompted an immediate call for action to improve the oversight and regulation of these vehicles,” wrote the pol, whose district covers Midtown.

An NYPD spokesperson said it has received complaints about pedicabs, “particularly in the area surrounding the Empire State Building.”

“As a result, we have focused our enforcement in those areas including targeted operations during matinee play times,” the spokesperson said. “This enforcement, which has included working jointly with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, includes inspections of pedicab licenses and registrations. This year the NYPD has seized more than 100 pedicabs as a result of enforcement and operations.”

Those who know the drivers best aren’t so sure the enforcement will change the Wild West culture.

“They’re not answering to anyone,” the veteran pedicab driver said.

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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.

Getting Here

Port of miami.

Our specialty is providing unique experiences, bringing artists and fans together. We do everything we can to ensure that your onboard experience can't be beat, but we will not be able to book your air travel, hotel, or rental car.

Distance from Port of Miami to

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: 9 miles (20 minutes)
 FT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT: 25 miles (40 minutes) PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: 70 miles (1hr 15 minutes)

Port Address

Norwegian shuttle transfers.

NCL offers shuttle service from Miami and Ft. Lauderdale Airport to the Miami port, as well as return shuttle service. These transfers can be purchased after you have received your reservation number (approximately 4 weeks prior to sailing). Transfers to the ship can be purchased in advance and at the airport on the day of sailing for both MIA and FLL at a rate of $25* per person.  Return shuttles may be booked in advance or on the ship at a rate of $25* per person for transportation to MIA or FLL.  *Pricing is subject to change. 

For more information about Norwegian Shuttle Transfers, please call their Reservations Department at 800-327-7030. You'll need to make sure to have your reservation number and flight information available to purchase the transfers.

Shuttle Service Companies

Companies servicing the greater Miami/ Fort Lauderdale Areas (including airports):

• Super Shuttle   
• Go Airport Shuttle

RideShares - Uber/Lyft

Rideshare services are available at all cruise terminals. Average fare between the Miami International Airport and Port of Miami is currently $24 per ride. Pricing is subject to change and for the most up-to-date information on ride share pricing, Uber and Lyft each offer a price estimator.

• Uber Price Estimator
• Lyft Price Estimator

Taxi Service

Taxicabs are available at all cruise terminals. The fare between the Miami International Airport and Port of Miami is currently a flat rate of $27 per ride (not per person) . For other destinations, the cab fare is $2.40 upon entering the taxi and $2.40 per mile thereafter.

Rental Cars

Several car rental agencies are permitted to operate at the Port of Miami and provide courtesy shuttle service to their off-port remote locations. Contact your preferred car rental agency directly for the most up-to-date information and schedules.

The following agencies provide transport shuttle services from the Port to their rental offices:

• Dollar Rent-A-Car
• Avis / Budget  

Parking is available in facilities located in front of individual cruise terminals. No reservations are required to park at the Port of Miami.

Currently garages C, G, J, and Lot # 2 accept cash, credit (Visa, MasterCard, American Express only), or any major U.S. Travelers check (NO DEBIT CARDS ACCEPTED).

Additional Parking Information

• There is no Valet Parking at the Port of Miami.
• Due to security precautions, Car/Shuttle rental company facilities are not located on the Port of Miami premises.
• Long-term parking is $22.00 per day for cruise guests parking for 24 hours/overnight or longer per cruise length.
• Short-term parking is $8.00 (if you are coming to see someone off, but is not intended for overnight parking).
• All Cruises in the current itineraries would fall under Long Term Parking.
• Oversized vehicles (such as motor homes, trucks with trailers or buses that are over 20’ in length) will be charged an additional $22.00 per day and may only park in Lot # 2.
• The Port of Miami currently has 3 Parking Garages available for cruise guests.

* All parking prices at the Port of Miami are subject to change .

Our specialty is providing unique experiences, bringing fans and their passion together. We do everything we can to ensure that your onboard experience can't be beat, but we will not be able to book your air travel, hotel, or rental car.

Airport Options

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Approximately 9 miles (20 minutes)
 from Port of Miami FT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT Approximately 25 miles (40 minutes) from Port of Miami PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Approximately 70 miles (1hr 15 minutes) from Port of Miami

Before The Cruise

Choosing to arrive in Miami the day before our departure date (or a few days prior) can help to avoid any potential flight delays, lost baggage or other problems that could occur. Need to arrive on the day of departure? We recommend that you schedule your flight arrival in Miami for no later than 12:00pm ET, or Fort Lauderdale for no later 11:00am ET.

Guests will be able to begin boarding around 12:00pm ET and must be on the ship no later than 3:30pm, as we will set sail at 4:00pm ET.

After The Cruise

We recommend that you arrange your return flight to leave Miami no earlier than 12:00pm ET or if you are flying out of Fort Lauderdale, no earlier than 1:00pm ET.

Remember, at time of booking, you acknowledged that the laws that regulate the  necessary travel documentation  are subject to change and that it is your responsibility to be aware of what is required for travel.

View the latest information from Norwegian at ncl.com/traveldocs .  Below are recommendations based on the current U.S. government policy. This information could be updated without notice.

Please note that the name on your ticket must match the name on your passport or you will need to provide an original copy of proof of change of name (marriage license, etc).

U.S. Citizens

Sixthman highly recommends all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel. Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that begin & end in the same U.S. port, traveling with a passport enhances your disembarkation experience, as delays may be expected upon your return to the U.S. if you do not have one. Additionally, passports make it easier for you to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port should you miss your scheduled port of embarkation, or need to fly back to the U.S. for emergency reasons. If you do not have a passport you can use an original or state certified copy of a Birth Certificate as listed below.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) allows U.S. citizens (including children) sailing on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port to travel with one of the following WHTI compliant document:

• Valid U.S. Passport
• Passport Card
• Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
• Original or state certified copy of a Birth Certificate   PLUS a government-issued photo ID*
• Certificate of Naturalization   PLUS a government-issued photo ID*

*A government-issued photo ID is also required for all guests, including children 16 and over. For more information, a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents or to obtain a passport application, visit travel.state.gov .

For more information or to obtain a passport application, visit travel.state.gov . 

Non-U.S. Citizens

All guests must carry a valid passport, and if necessary, a multiple entry visa is required for entry into the United States (i.e. B-2 Visitors Visa), or a visa waiver. Please be sure to check with the proper agencies and authorities (such as your local immigration office) before you sail because we can't board you without the proper documents. Travelers from the 38 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries* must have a machine-readable passport to enter the U.S. without a visa. All VWP travelers are required to obtain an electronic travel authorization prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the U.S. under the VWP.

*ANDORRA, AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, BRUNEI, CHILE, CZECH REPUBLIC, DENMARK, ESTONIA, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, GREECE, HUNGARY, ICELAND, IRELAND, ITALY, JAPAN, LATVIA, LIECHTENSTEIN, LITHUANIA, LUXEMBOURG, MALTA, MONACO, NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY, PORTUGAL, REP. OF KOREA , SAN MARINO, SINGAPORE, SLOVAKIA, SLOVENIA, SPAIN, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, TAIWAN and UNITED KINGDOM.

If you are not a US Citizen and are uncertain that you have the correct documentation please call US Immigrations at 1-800-375-5283 to be sure your identification will be satisfactory.

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• 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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