p and o cruise suez canal

Useful Tips for your Suez Canal Cruise

A Suez Canal cruise is often on people’s ‘bucket list.’ It’s an experience that differs from your typical ocean cruise as a Suez Canal transit offers a day of scenic cruising. In this post, I share everything you need to know about a southbound Suez Canal cruise , including the landmarks during the journey and the best places on the ship to view the Suez Canal.

The Suez Canal: History and Key Facts

The Suez Canal was opened in 1869 to connect the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. It’s one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world for cargo vessels that transport anything and everything between Europe and Asia. Cruise ships are also known to pass through the Suez Canal , most commonly on repositioning cruises during the shoulder seasons.

The Suez Canal passes through Egypt. Construction began from the Mediterranean side where Port Said now stands. The Suez Canal Company was responsible for the construction of the canal between 1859 and 1869 and over this 10-year period an estimated 1.5 million people worked on the project. Political turmoil in Egypt negatively affected the progress of the work, which was ruled by Britain and France.

Conditions for the workers were dangerous and thousands were reported to have died during the construction of the Suez Canal. The British government was not supportive of the project due to the slave labour enforced. Finally, the Suez Canal was completed on 17 November 1869 under French control.

Did you know…? The first ship to enter the Suez Canal was in fact a British Navy ship, HMS Newport. The British captain had navigated the ship to the front of the line under the cover of darkness the night before the official opening. The ship squeezed ahead of the French ship to take the glory.

The Suez Canal is 120 miles long with ships travelling both northbound or southbound. Each day approximately 50 vessels pass through the canal.

Get up Early for the Suez Canal Cruise

If your Suez Canal cruise is travelling southbound (from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea), your cruise ship will most likely anchor near Port Said overnight to start the transit through the Canal the following morning.

I would highly recommend checking your cruise ship’s daily planner for details of the time that the ship is due to enter the Suez Canal .

Set your alarm and get out on an open deck early . This is going to be the busiest day of your cruise with people out on deck watching the ship pass through the canal.

Sunrise on a Suez Canal cruise is special and shouldn’t be missed. Getting up early also means that you can experience the Suez Canal cruise from the very beginning.

Best Viewpoints on a Suez Canal Cruise

One of the best viewing points on a Suez Canal cruise is at the forward or aft of the cruise ship .

If the front viewing points are too busy, try the aft. From here you can see both sides of the Suez Canal and watch the other ships and tugs behind you.

It is also more likely that there will be open deck at the aft so you can enjoy the sunshine and any photographs you take won’t be effected by glass windows.

If your cruise ship has a viewing platform above the Bridge , this could also be a good option.

Suez Canal Landmarks

There are several landmarks dotted along the Suez Canal that you won’t want to miss. In this section, I share the key sights you need to look out for during your Suez Canal cruise.

Watch my video of our Suez Canal cruise transit from Port Said to Port Tewfik (southbound).

Port Said is the fifth largest city in Egypt and was built purely because of the Suez Canal. You can view the city on the starboard side of the ship transiting southbound (port side, northbound).

Directly opposite Port Said is Port Fuad, its twin city. You may see free ferries crossing this point of the canal, which link the two cities.

El Qantara and the Suez Canal Soldier Monument

The next city you will reach is El Qantara, a city that inhabits both sides of the Suez Canal. The city is linked by the Mubarak Peace Bridge .

On the port side , look out for the ferryboat station and a little further on, the soldier monument. The Soldier of Freedom monument is flanked by tanks and commemorates the end of the Suez Crisis.

Suez Canal Bridge

The Mubarak Peace Bridge, also known as the Suez Canal Bridge, opened in 2001 after Egypt received funding from Japan to assist the development of the Sinai Peninsular ( port side ).

The Suez Canal Bridge will only allow ships with a maximum height of 68m, as your cruise ship passes under the bridge, you will feel quite close to it.

Make sure you’re out on the open decks of your cruise ship as you pass underneath the bridge.

Suez Canal Expansion

After passing under the Mubarak Peace Bridge, the Suez Canal splits into two channels . This is to enable traffic to travel southbound and northbound without having to stop to let ships pass.

The southbound route is the original Suez Canal and the northbound route incorporates an expansion that was completed in 2016.

El Ferdan Railway Bridge

The El Ferdan Railway Bridge is the longest swing bridge in the world , with a span of 340m. Unfortunately, it is no longer in use after the Suez Canal expansion cut off the a-joining railway track.

Incredibly this bridge has been built five times since 1918. It has been destroyed in wars, removed and hit by a steamboat!

Suez Canal Authority Monument

On port side , after the El Ferdan Railway Bridge, is a Suez Canal Authority monument depicting a ship and tower. This monument is near the Timsah Lake and the huge ‘Welcome to Egypt’ sign.

Welcome to Egypt

Your Suez Canal cruise takes you through Egypt and as you near Ismailia, you will be greeted with a enormous ‘Welcome to Egypt’ sign on port side .

At this point your cruise has travelled 45 miles of the Suez Canal.

AK-47 Bayonet Monument

A huge monument of an AK-47 bayonet stands out on the barren landscape on the approach to Ismailia. On first look it resembles a space rocket but in fact the monument is depicting an automatic gun, in memory of the casualties of the Battle of Ismailia.

The Battle of Ismailia monument is a concrete structure that was a gift from North Korea. During the Battle of Ismailia, Egypt and North Korea were allies and fought Israel Defence Forces.

Egyptian Armed Forces Theatre

On port side is an open air theatre that may at first be mistaken for a sports stadium. This is the Egyptian Armed Forces Theatre.

Timsah Lake

Close to the ‘Welcome to Egypt’ sign is Timsah Lake on starboard side .

This is a local holiday resort with several hotels and beaches surrounding the lake.

Memorial Defence of the Suez Canal

This granite memorial is dedicated to the defence of the Suez Canal against the Turkish during World War I and stands at 50m.

Look out for it on starboard side .

Half Moon Building

This building can be seen on starboard side after Timsal Lake .

It’s situated by a lake and ahead of the nearby Olympic Village complex.

• Great Bitter Lake

The Suez Canal opens up into a huge saltwater lake called Great Bitter Lake. It’s said to have been given this name because a local sawmill would dump its logs into the lake and the tannic acid gave the water a bitter taste.

The lake is used as a temporary harbour and passing lane for ships using the canal.

Egypt Peace Sign

As your Suez Canal cruise moves into the canal you will see plenty of local life on the banks.

On starboard side , there is an Egypt Peace sign created from stones.

As your cruise reaches the end of the canal, you will pass the city of Suez.

This is the gateway to the Gulf of Suez.

Port Tawfik Mosque

The final landmark to look out for is a grand mosque, situated on starboard side . This huge building stands on the edge of the Suez Canal next to Port Tawfik.

It’s ornately decorated domed roof, called a qubba, sits between its two minarets.

Things to look out for on a Suez Canal cruise

Apart from the landmarks you will see during the transit, it’s worth looking out for daily life on the canal and its banks.

It’s highly likely that your cruise ship will be followed by tug boats . This is to ensure that the ship doesn’t get stuck on a bank like the Ever Given cargo ship did in March 2021.

You will also see other ships taking the canal transit with you.

Fishermen work in the Suez Canal and can get quite close to the ships. They seem to be used to the traffic although are probably more used to seeing huge cargo vessels than cruise ships!

Wild dogs can be spotted roaming on the banks, in search of food.

Once you get to the point where you can see the northbound canal section the ships may appear to be sailing through the desert . It’s quite a spectacle!

Is it safe to take a Suez Canal cruise?

It is safe to cruise through the Suez Canal and many cruise ships do it during repositioning cruises every year.

You are likely to see plenty of security lookout posts on the Suez Canal banks during the transit.

Our cruise ship was followed by an armed vehicle for the first half of the journey but we didn’t notice it until another passenger pointed it out.

Your Suez Canal cruise will likely need to cruise through the Gulf of Aden, which has had pirate activity in the past but your ship will take the necessary precautions, like armed guards, close some open decks and do a pirate drill.

You can learn more in my post about how cruise ships prepare for pirates .

Suez Canal Cruises 2022

Suez Canal cruises are starting to return in 2022, with a small choice of options from:

• Norwegian Cruise Line
• P&O Cruises for 2023 cruises
• Princess Cruises for 2023/24 cruises
• Holland America for 2024 cruises

Do you need a balcony cabin for a Suez Canal cruise?

If you’re booking a Suez Canal cruise, a balcony cabin is a good idea. It will enable you to enjoy the views from the comfort of your cabin and offers some shade from the midday sun.

We spent the first half of the transit on the open decks and then watched the rest from our cabin balcony.

It has been know for there to be flies so keep your balcony cabin door shut.

Is a port or starboard cabin best for a Suez Canal cruise?

Whichever side of the ship you book a cabin, there will be scenery to enjoy. If you are taking a southbound transit from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, starboard has the most landmarks .

Port side is the Sinai Desert Peninsular and is far more barren. It does have the Welcome to Egypt sign.

Starboard side has more of the landmarks, including the Port Tawfik Mosque and Defence of the Suez Canal memorial.

How long does it take for a cruise ship to go through the Suez Canal?

A full transit through the Suez Canal on a cruise takes around 12 hours. If the ship enters the canal at around 6.00am, you will be able to enjoy a day of scenic cruising and leave the Suez Canal, late afternoon.

Useful Tips for a Suez Canal Cruise

• Find out from the daily planner when the cruise will enter the Suez Canal
• Get up early to experience the sunrise and the start of the transit
• Find a good vantage point at the front or back of the ship
• Spend some time on the open decks, especially when passing under the Mubarak Peace Bridge
• Listen out for ship announcements
• Consider booking a balcony cabin (starboard), where you can enjoy some shade
• Use this guide to look out for the key landmarks on the Suez Canal
• Keep an eye out for glimpses of local life on the Suez Canal

Laura is a UK cruise blogger based in Cornwall, UK. She founded Cruise Lifestyle in 2016 to share useful advice about cruising, destinations and food. Last port visited: Bridgetown, Barbados Next port of call: unknown, but she can’t wait for cruising to resume safely!

Find me on: Twitter

You may also enjoy:

Hawaii helicopter tour (doors off), san francisco cruise port guide, cruise destination guide: monaco.

• Pingback: 8 Helpful Photography Tips for Cruises
• Pingback: The Cruise Maps: Review and How To Guide

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Where to cruise next, how to visit the …, visiting the everglades: the …, roman forum light show: …, grand princess cruise to …, more expedition cruises on …, dhow cruise in dubai | …, las ramblas, barcelona: things …, expedition cruises: things to …, 7 epic safari cruise destinations …, montego bay cruise port …, top tips for visiting …, 3 top tips for a …, the secret cruises you …, cruise destination: 12 hours in …, ultimate st thomas cruise …, discover more from cruise lifestyle.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Arcadia Embarks on P&O’s 2024 World Cruise

• January 7, 2024

The Arcadia embarked on P&O Cruises’ 2024 World Cruise on Saturday. Sailing roundtrip from Southampton, the vessel is now offering a 99-night voyage that will circumnavigate the globe.

Cruising to Central America, the Caribbean, North America, Hawaii, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, the Far East, the Red Sea, the Middle East and the Mediterranean, the full itinerary features visits to a total of 29 destinations.

After leaving the United Kingdom, the Arcadia is set to cross the Atlantic on its way to Freeport, in the Bahamas.

The 2005-built vessel then visits Florida and Aruba before transiting the Panama Canal and arriving in the Pacific Ocean for ports of call in Guatemala and Costa Rica.

Still in the Pacific, the ship visits Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia on its way to Indonesia and the Southeast Asia.

Ports of call in the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia are also on the schedule, in addition to visits to Indonesia and Hong Kong.

On its way back to Europe, the Arcadia sails to other countries in Asia, the Middle East and the Red Sea, including Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Egypt.

The final leg of the 2024 World Cruise features a transit of the Suez Canal, as well as ports of call in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, such as Valletta, in Malta, and Cádiz, in Spain.

Completing the western circumnavigation of the globe, the Arcadia is scheduled to arrive back in Southampton on April 15.

The itinerary is highlighted by extended visits to key destinations across the globe, including overnight calls in Honolulu, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Dubai.

Built by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the Arcadia originally debuted in April 2005. In 2018 , the 1,968-guest ship underwent a major refurbishment that included updates to cabins, public areas, and more.

According to P&O, the project aimed at improving the onboard experience with a fresher and more contemporary feel.

Cruise Industry News Email Alerts

• Breaking News

Get the latest breaking  cruise news .  Sign up.

67 Ships | 172,156 Berths | $57.1 Billion | View

Highlights:

• Mkt. Overview
• Record Year
• Refit Schedule
• PDF Download
• Order Today

• 2033 Industry Outlook 
• All Operators
• Easy to Use
• Instant Access
• Advertising
• Cruise News
• Magazine Articles
• Quarterly Magazine
• Annual Report
• Email Newsletter
• Executive Guide
• Digital Reports

Privacy Overview

• CruiseMapper
• Cruise Ports
• Africa - Indian Ocean Islands Cruise Ports

Suez Canal (Egypt)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Africa - Indian Ocean Islands

Local Time 2024-09-18 01:17

Port Suez Canal cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Suez Canal, Egypt. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Suez Canal is a man-made, sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting Mediterranean Sea to Red Sea. After 10 years of construction, Suez Canal was officially opened on November 17, 1869. It allows passenger and cargo vessels to travel between South Asia and Europe without navigating around Africa, this way reducing the sea cruise distance by around 7,000 km (4,300 mi).

The canal extends from Port Said 's northern terminus to Port Tewfik's southern terminus (at Port Suez). Canal's length is 193 km (120 mi), including its southern and northern access channels. World's other large canal waterway is Panama Canal - connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.

In 2012, a total of 17225 ships traversed Suez Canal (47 vessels per day). The single-lane waterway features passing locations in Great Bitter Lake and Ballah Bypass. It doesn't contain any locks system as seawater is flowing through it freely. In general, north of Bitter Lakes, the canal flows south in summer and north in winter. The current changes south of the lakes, with the tide at Suez.

Suez Canal's (El Suweis/Suez Port's) locode is EGSUZ.

The Suez Canal is owned and maintained by the SCA (Suez Canal Authority) of Egypt. It may be used (under the Convention of Constantinople) "in time of war as in time of peace, by every vessel of commerce or of war, without distinction of flag".

Construction was launched in August 2014 to expand and widen Ballah Bypass for 22 miles (35 km) to speed canal's transit time. The expansion was expected to double the Suez Canal capacity from 49 to 97 vessels per day. At a cost of US$8.4 billion, the project was funded via interest-bearing investment certificates issued to Egyptian individuals and entities. On August 6, 2015 the "New Suez Canal" was officially opened. On February 24, 2016, the SCA opened the new side channel at the northern side of Suez Canal's east extension.

Suez Canal Area Development Project

On August 5, 2014, was officially launched the "Suez Canal Area Development Project" that aims to increase waterway's importance for international shipping trade, as well as to develop its three largest cities - Port Suez, Port Said and Ismailia.

The project involved building a new city, an industrial zone (SCZone / "Suez Canal Economic Zone"), fish farms, 7 tunnels (connecting Sinai with Ismailia and Port Said), improving the existing seaports (and transforming their cities into major trading centers), digging a new canal (2nd second shipping lane parallel to Suez Canal) to double the shipping capacity by allowing vessels to navigate both directions simultaneously. The second lane will decrease waiting hours from 18 to 11 hours and increase the cana;'s capacity from 49 to 97 vessels a day. Some parts of the old Suez Canal were dredged (deepened and widened). The Egyptian Armed Forces participated in the project by digging the new canal and tunnels, and also protecting the location from terrorists.

On November 8, 2017, Suez Canal Authority, SCZone and DP World ( Dubai -based corporation) signed a partnership agreement to develop an integrated industrial-residential zone at Sokhna . A joint venture company was established between SCZone and DP World (51 to 49). The new Sokhna Economic Zone (SEZ) is managed by DP World. Construction works started in 2018-Q1. SEZ covers a total area of 95 km2 (37 mi2) and includes an industrial area, residential zone (sized 20 km2 / 8 mi2). Development of Port Sokhna increased its capacity and linked it to the industrial zone. Zone's facilities serve smaller-sized industries (medical, electronics, communications, construction materials, textiles, auto parts, food processing, petrochemicals), logistics, service facilities. The residential zone (capacity 0,5 million people) houses coastal villas, residential units, shopping centers, nightclubs, entertainment facilities, mosques, schools, hospitals, green spaces.

On May 5, 2019, was inaugurated Ismailia tunnel (10-lane highway under Suez Canal connecting to Port Said East Port), which significantly improved connectivity between SCCT (Suez Canal Container Terminal) and Greater Cairo's industrial zones. Ismailia tunnel has per-hour vehicle capacity 2000 (in each direction). Both tunnel entrances are equipped with 10 scanners (each) processing vehicles and trailers with max capacity 250 units per hour. Six (of the 10) lanes are for trucks and trailers only.

Port Said's Suez Canal Container Terminal is managed by APM Terminals and serves mainly transshipment cargo via boxships between Southeast Asia and Mediterranean-Europe. Terminal's current annual capacity (as of 2019) is 5,4 million TEU-containers.

On August 9, 2019, through New Suez Canal transited one of world's largest container ships - MSC Gulsun, en-route from China to Northwestern Europe. The 23756 TEU-vessel has length 400 m, width 61 m, draught 16 m and GT tonnage 232,000 tons.

For FY2019, Suez Canal Authority reported revenues of USD 5,8 billion (1,3% increase over 2018 / USD 5,7 B). The waterway was transited by 18880 ships with total NT 1,2 billion tons (5/9% increase over 2018). Increased volumes (4,9%) were also reported for cargoes - 1031 million tons (983 M tons in 2018).

New Suez Canal (2023)

The new canal has total length 72 km (45 mi). The project involves dry digging (35 km / 22 mi) and dredging (37 km / 23 mi).

• Construction works were initially scheduled to complete in 3 years, but Egypt's President ordered to be completed in 1 year.
• The projected annual revenue from the doubled Suez Canal is ~USD 12,5 billion (from the previous USD 5B).
• The new canal project's total cost is ~USD 1,7B. The project is domestic as no foreign investors were allowed.

For the period December 2020 through May 31, 2021, SCA-Suez Canal Authority reduced by 48% the transition tolls for VLCCs and ULCCs (Very-Large- and Ultra-Large Container Carriers) with DWT-deadweight tonnage 250,000+ tons. Transit fees for cruise ships were also halved if the vessels dock for min 48 hours in at least 2 Egyptian ports.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the Canal's revenues in FY 2019-2020 (fiscal year) decreased to USD 5,72 billion (USD 5,75 B in FY-2018-2019).

Suez Canal's expansion is currently planned for completion in July 2023. The project for adding a second lane/channel (started in July 2021) was accelerated after the boxship Ever Given (2018-built, IMO 9811000, capacity 20,000 TEUs, owned by Evergreen Marine ) ran aground (due to high winds) and blocked the waterway for 6 days (March 23-29, 2021).

On September 17, 2022, SCA issued new resolutions increasing the transit tolls in 2023 by 15% for all ship types, excluding only dry-bulk carriers and cruise ships (tolls increased just 10%). Tolls' increase was due to the current oil and gas shipping market changes, with daily charter rates (increasing over 2021) +88% for crude oil tankers and +11% for LNG tankers.

Cruise lines cancel Red Sea and Eastern Mediterranean ports amid security concerns

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has reported a significant reduction in port calls in the Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean for the...

Red Sea crisis disrupts Cochin Port’s cruise season: multiple cancellations expected

The ongoing Red Sea crisis has impacted the upcoming cruise season at Port Cochin (India), starting in September, following the cancellation of at...

Seabourn Encore ship changes itineraries in 2025 to bypass Red Sea/Suez Canal

Seabourn has revised its spring 2025 itineraries for the Seabourn Encore ship, to bypass the Red Sea due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East...

Mitsui Ocean Cruises unveils 2025 itineraries including Grand Asia and Golden Week voyages

Mitsui Ocean Cruises has unveiled 5 new itineraries for April to July 2025, including a 66-day Grand Asia Cruise and a 12-day Golden Week cruise...

Princess Cruises alters routes for World Cruises, avoiding Middle East and Asia

Princess Cruises has adjusted the itineraries for its two 2025 World Cruises, opting to exclude visits to the Middle East and Asia due to ongoing...

Bookings on Crystal Serenity ship's World Cruise 2026 open on March 19th

Crystal has announced the opening of bookings for the highly anticipated 2026 World Cruise aboard Crystal Serenity, with a waitlist now available...

Virgin Voyages cancels Australia&New Zealand cruises 2024-2025 due to Red Sea crisis

Virgin Voyages, the travel brand company founded by billionaire Richard Branson, has made the decision to cancel its Australia and New Zealand 2024...

Crystal Cruises cancels voyage and reroutes ships due to Red Sea risks

Crystal Cruises has made operational adjustments in response to ongoing security concerns surrounding ships navigating the Red Sea. The cancellation...

RCI-Royal Caribbean reviews routes over Red Sea and Suez Canal concerns

RCI-Royal Caribbean has confirmed that it is presently exploring alternative routes for its 9-month-long Ultimate World Cruise, citing ongoing unrest...

Resilient Lady's Australia-Europe repositioning itinerary (via Suez Canal) changed to an Around...

In a strategic shift from her traditional relocation voyages, Virgin Voyages' vessel Resilient Lady is set to embark on a circumnavigation of the...

•   show more news

• Favorites & Watchlist Find a Cruise Cruise Deals Cruise Ships Destinations Manage My Cruise​ FAQ Perfect Day at CocoCay Weekend Cruises Crown & Anchor Society Cruising Guides Gift Cards Contact Us Royal Caribbean Group
• Back to Main Menu
• Search Cruises " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-2-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/cruises" target="_self"> Search Cruises
• Cruise Deals
• Weekend Cruises
• Last Minute Cruises
• Family Cruises​
• 2024-2025 Cruises
• All Cruise Ships " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-4-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/cruise-ships" target="_self"> All Cruise Ships
• Cruise Dining
• Onboard Activities
• Cruise Rooms
• The Cruise Experience
• All Cruise Destinations " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-5-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/cruise-destinations" target="_self"> All Cruise Destinations
• Cruise Ports
• Shore Excursions
• Perfect Day at CocoCay
• Caribbean Cruises
• Bahamas Cruises​
• Alaska Cruises
• European Cruises​
• Mediterranean Cruises​
• Royal Destinations
• Cruise Planner
• Make a Payment
• Check-In for My Cruise
• Beverage Packages​
• Shore Excursions​
• Book a Flight
• Dining Packages​
• Royal Gifts
• Required Travel Documents
• Transportation
• Book a Hotel
• Redeem Cruise Credit
• All FAQs " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-7-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/faq" target="_self"> All FAQs
• Boarding Requirements
• Future Cruise Credit​
• Travel Documents​
• Check-in​ & Boarding Pass
• Transportation​
• Perfect Day at CocoCay​
• Post-Cruise Inquiries
• Royal Caribbean
• Celebrity Cruises

Cruise to Suez Canal (Passage), Egypt

Suez canal (passage) shore excursions, amazing experiences coming soon., sorry, there are no excursions for this port at this moment., things to do in suez canal (passage).

Landmark Lighthouse

See Port Said waterfront's quarter with its 19th-century villas. Fascinating historical buildings include the Lighthouse, an octagonal-shaped, 56-meter-high tower that was completed one week before the inauguration of the canal. It's also the first building in the world created with reinforced concrete and the longest-standing construction in the city.

From Coptic to Colonial

As you pass by Ismailia, you'll see Lake Timsah — one of the main lakes of the historic Nile Delta, the cradle of ancient Egyptian civilization. Spot the Coptic Church of Ismailia with its cross-topped domes. Look for colonial-era buildings like De Lessep's House, the impeccably maintained former residence of the French consul to Egypt.

Bridge Over Suez

Near the city of Suez, you'll pass by the Suez Canal Bridge with your Egypt cruise, also called the Mubarak Peace Bridge or simply El-Qantara ("The Bridge"). Note the bridge's two massive pylons on either side of the canal — one is in Asia, while the other is in Africa. Asia, while the other is in Africa.

Best Deals to Suez Canal (Passage), Egypt

These cruises are selling out fast, get them while you can.

Departs From {{card.portName}}

Onboard {{card.shipName}} of the Seas

{{ card.totalGroups }} Itineraries

We've circled the globe and couldn't find any sailings that match your search. View All Cruises

We're having trouble retrieving these cruises. View All Results

Similar to Suez Canal (Passage), Egypt

Previewing: Promo Dashboard Campaigns

My Personas

Code: ∅.

Repositioning Cruises

Ships, Itineraries, Sailng Dates, Prices

• Cruise Industry
• Cruise Market

Suez Canal Cruises

See here the list of all of Suez Canal transit cruises 2024-2025-2026 ships schedule, lines, and transition itineraries (ports of call). Most Suez cruises offer cheap deals on one-way transit itineraries between Europe (Mediterranean) and Asia (Dubai, India, Singapore, or even China). Some transits are part of World Cruises, transiting Suez Canal.

Repositioning cruise ships through Suez Canal provides a range from “affordable luxury” to really cheap big-sized ship travel deals. Not to forget this is a unique opportunity to enjoy cruising to exotic destinations at some of the market’s best rates.

Suez Canal transition cruises

Passing through the Suez Canal is a unique experience related not only to cruising but also to the Africa-Asia region itself. The Egypt Nile cruise deals may be booked separately (they are optional) offering the not necessarily cheap, but always so much exotic Alexandria and Cairo tours and excursions.

The Egyptian resorts on the Red Sea offer a unique chance to sample so many things in this ancient region. You can perfectly combine visiting the Pharaoh’s mysterious kingdom, enjoying the beautiful shores, the amazing coral reef and marine life with luxury ship amenities and stylish experiences on board.

The diving holidays in the Red Sea are also very popular though optional Red Sea vacation deals. Know that snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing, glass-bottom boats, and even submarine trips are at their very best in the Suez Canal region. And, of course, the numerous archaeological sites, museums, the desert safaris. Not to forget the great night-life in major coastal towns.

The “Egyptian Riviera” – Red Sea resorts and diving tours

This information could be of some help to you only if you consider the option of staying in some of the great resorts in the Red Sea region. These are the main destination points for touring the Egypt Coast at the Red Sea:

• from Cairo (Ain EL- Soukhna)
• from Safaga (Hurghada, El Gouna, Sahl Hashish, Giftun Island), Marsa Alam (has an airport).

Best Red Sea diving tours are operated in the following areas:

• the Northeastern Coast (El Gouna, Hurghada, Safaga)
• the Sinai Peninsular (Sharm el Sheik, Dahab, Nuweiba)
• the Southeastern Coast (El Quseir, Marsa Alam, Hamata).

Best for Red Sea diving trips is the coastal area between  El Gouna and Safaga. The reason is this area perfectly combines the region’s amazing reefs and wrecks with the convenient proximity to Egypt’s most famous historical sites for touring – Luxor and Cairo.

Suez Canal facts

Suez Canal is an artificial waterway in Egypt, which is sea-level and connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas. In November 1869 Suez Canal was available for sailing after ten-year construction works. The Canal allows vessel transport between Asia and Europe without around Africa navigation.

• Port Said is northern terminus; Port Tawfiq is the southern terminus at the Suez city; Ismailia lies on the west bank of Suez Canal, 3 km from the half-way point.
• After first built, the canal was long 164 km, 8 m deep. After plenty of enlargements, as of 2010, it is long 193.30 km, 24 m deep, 205 m wide.
• Suez Canal consists of a northern access channel (22 km), the canal itself (162.25 km), and a southern access channel (9 km).
• The Canal acts for a single lane that has passing places in Great Bitter Lake and “Ballah By-Pass”. There are no locks and seawater freely flows through the canal. Generally, north of Bitter Lakes the canal flows south in summer and north in winter. South of lakes the current changes with the tide at Suez.

The canal is maintained and owned by SCA  (Suez Canal Authority of Egypt) and is under international treaty. It may be used in peace and war times, by every vessel of war or of commercial ships without flag distinction. Learn more at Wikipedia .

Suez Canal cargo ship transits

On February 24, 2016, a new Suez Canal shipping lane was inaugurated by the canal’s authority. The new line is parallel to Port Said and effectively lowers canal transition times. It allows vessels to sail in both directions and increases the containership traffic.

In 2015, the canal was expanded at the cost of USD 8,5 billion. However, the low crude oil price now allows cargo ships to avoid paying the costly Suez Canal transition prices (USD 465,000 on average) by taking the long way around South Africa instead.

Between October 2015 and February 2016, a total of 115 westbound cargo vessels loaded with goods from Asia to Northern Europe or the USA took the around Africa route instead of transiting the canal. Statistics show that the South African route saves USD 235,000 on average per voyage. The Suez Canal Authority reported for 2015 an increased number of passing ships (17483 vessels, or 2% increase). The report also revealed decreased bulk cargoes (5,7%) and container cargo ships (3,1%). To compete with the falling oil prices, the Suez Canal needed to cut transition prices by roughly 50%.

The South African shipping route has a big environmental impact. It was calculated that the route’s increased fuel consumption results in additional 6800 tons of CO2 on average per voyage.

Cargo ship cruises through Suez Canal, transit routes

• 1. cargo cruise from Singapore to Barcelona – visits Piraeus (for Athens), Naples and Genoa.
• 2. cruise from Malaysia (Tanjung Pelepas port departure) to Trieste, Italy – visits Port Said, Piraeus, and Rijeka (Croatia)
• 3. cruise from China (Shanghai port departure) to Hamburg, Germany – visits China (Ning-bo, and Yantian) and Felixstowe (UK)
• 4. cruise from India (Mundra port departure) to Southampton UK – visits Salalah, Djibouti, Jeddah, Malta, and Tangier.

Suez Canal cruises from Asia to Europe

Choose a Freighter Cruise from AU$4600 for 23 days through the Suez Canal. This option includes a voyage by freighter from Asian port to Europe. You can return back to Asia on the same vessels. Note that cabins continuing to Sydney or Melbourne from Europe are booked usually six months in advance.

Felixstowe Freighter Voyage via the Suez from Asia to Europe offers all year-round weekly departures via Suez Canal in either direction. The tariff from AU$4600 pp includes meals and port fees. For booking or inquiries call: 02 8270 4899.

Onboard facilities include open deck area, passenger lift, TV/VCR room, passenger lounge, self-service laundry, indoor pool and sauna, fitness room (with table tennis, exercise bicycle, rowing machine).

Special requirements imposed for yellow fever injection and travel insurance which are compulsory. Passengers have to possess a valid passport (at least six months of validation).

Suez Canal cruises from Australia to Europe

Choose a Freighter Cruise from AU$5730 pp for 48 days through the Suez Canal. This option includes a voyage by freighter from the Australian port to Europe. The Round-trip duration is 91 days for AU$10,180 pp. For each voyage, four cabins are available (one single, two double bed, one twin bed) but there are only four cruises per year, so book early. Visit Genoa, Italy, and Chennai, India with Freighter Expeditions. For booking or inquiries call: 02 8270 4899.

All cabins are carpeted, with air conditioning, small refrigerator, wardrobe, desk, and chair. Facilities include an elevator, small fitness room plus sauna, outside pool, and onboard steward.

Special requirements imposed for yellow fever injection and travel insurance which are compulsory. Passengers have to possess a valid passport (at least six months of validation). A visa required for Sri Lanka, India, and Egypt. The ship only takes up to 79 years of age. On container ships accepted for carriage are only travelers of good physical and mental health. Container ships don’t provide a medical officer or doctor onboard, only basic first aid treatment is available.

Suez Canal cruises 2024-2025 transition schedule

IMPORTANT : Due to instability in the Red Sea region (Houthi rebels attacks from Yemen), all major cruise companies canceled their scheduled transition itineraries through the Canal.

In January 2024, Egypt’s revenues from the waterway decreased by ~40% (over Jan 2023) due to ship diversions (mainly cargo/container ships).

You can share/like/rate our Suez Canal cruises review via the social buttons. Follow us on the main social networks for the latest updates (more transition dates to be announced soon). Happy vacations, and best luck with the ship relocation deals – to enjoy the magical combination of Egypt, Red Sea, and the Mediterranean at more reasonable prices!

Cruise Lines

• Holland America
• Marella (Thomson UK)
• NCL Norwegian
• P&O (Australia, UK)
• Royal Caribbean
• Viking Ocean

Destinations, Ports

• Vancouver BC
• Panama Canal cruises
• Transatlantic cruises
• Suez Canal cruises

Copyright © 2012 - 2024 Repositioning Cruises

• P&O Cruises ( UK )

By Son of Anarchy , March 24, 2021 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

Recommended Posts

Son of Anarchy

Not that any cruise ship passengers will be affected but the Suez canal has been blocked by large container ship running aground sideways.

Egypt's Suez Canal blocked by huge container ship - BBC News

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

50 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said: Not that any cruise ship passengers will be affected but the Suez canal has been blocked by large container ship running aground sideways.   Egypt's Suez Canal blocked by huge container ship - BBC News   If you're gonna block the canal, might as well do it properly!  

I can imagine the lawyers will have a field day in terms of compensation claims from other ships etc.

12 minutes ago, 230462 said: I can imagine the lawyers will have a field day in terms of compensation claims from other ships etc.

They say if they can't re float it with the tugs they will have to unload some of the containers, how are they going to do that

Interesting that the BBC say the Egyptians are reopening an older channel to divert traffic. I’ve looked on Marine Traffic and can’t find an alternative channel at the point of the blockage!

All they need is a big enough barge pole!

terrierjohn

4 hours ago, Spike11 said: Interesting that the BBC say the Egyptians are reopening an older channel to divert traffic. I’ve looked on Marine Traffic and can’t find an alternative channel at the point of the blockage!  

The lunchtime news said it had now been re-floated.

4 minutes ago, terrierjohn said: The lunchtime news said it had now been re-floated.

Still stationary looking at Marine Traffic.

The duplicate channel is at the northern end of the canal so it cannot bypass the point where the ship is stuck.

Some bad reporting by the BBC.

ohnonotmeagain

@sddsddean ...on a completely different topic, I must just say how I love your avatar, it always makes me smile when I see it. The best Thunderbird IMO. Here's mine!

P&O SUE

5 hours ago, BrianI said: Still stationary looking at Marine Traffic. The duplicate channel is at the northern end of the canal so it cannot bypass the point where the ship is stuck. Some bad reporting by the BBC. Brian

This happened to the ship I was stationed on (USS Shreveport LPD-12) back in 2000.  Long story with that one with running aground in Great Bitter Lake and then 2 more times in the canal one of them jackknifed.  We held up traffic in just the same way!  There is a small entry about it on wikipedia. 

23 hours ago, ohnonotmeagain said: @sddsddean ...on a completely different topic, I must just say how I love your avatar, it always makes me smile when I see it. The best Thunderbird IMO. Here's mine!

I think thats the modern version that came out in the 90's when Thunderbirds was shown on BBC2. I used to have one from the 60's, but alas, no more! Of course, you are correct...it is the best one, with Thunderbird 6 close behind! (Lets see how much of a fan you are!)

1 hour ago, sddsddean said:     I think thats the modern version that came out in the 90's when Thunderbirds was shown on BBC2. I used to have one from the 60's, but alas, no more! Of course, you are correct...it is the best one, with Thunderbird 6 close behind! (Lets see how much of a fan you are!)   Simon

You mean the film? Yes, this was my daughter's,  mine (1960's)  went to the great  space station  in the sky.

yorkshirephil

Now that it looks like it may take a couple of weeks to refloat the ship and ships may have to go the long way round, I wonder whether people will start panic buying trainers and TVs?

7 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:  I wonder whether people will start panic buying trainers and TVs?

You can bet your bottom dollar they will. Could have been worse, bog rolls could have been mentioned, or Butt-coin as they are now termed locally.

8 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said: Now that it looks like it may take a couple of weeks to refloat the ship and ships may have to go the long way round, I wonder whether people will start panic buying trainers and TVs?

Looking at the diagram on the BBC report, which shows the containers being unloaded, the comment by Dr Mercogliano is quite horrific "Worst case scenario, the ship breaks in half due to uneven weight distribution". Makes sense really, you can only safely unload at each end, so with all that weight in the middle .....  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/56523659   

Seeing the issues currently in the Suez at the moment it made me think about the two transits I’ve done (both on Aurora on way home from World a cruise). On one occasion a very strong wind came from nowhere. Captain Turnbull made a quick announcement over the tannoy advising everyone to leave the open decks immediately as a sand storm was fast approaching. Within moments the burning sand arrived and completely covered all the decks. I think he later joked that he was getting the crew to bag it all up for him to use for his planned new patio at home.

5 minutes ago, Angel57 said: Seeing the issues currently in the Suez at the moment it made me think about the two transits I’ve done (both on Aurora on way home from World a cruise). On one occasion a very strong wind came from nowhere. Captain Turnbull made a quick announcement over the tannoy advising everyone to leave the open decks immediately as a sand storm was fast approaching. Within moments the burning sand arrived and completely covered all the decks. I think he later joked that he was getting the crew to bag it all up for him to use for his planned new patio at home.

How exciting Gill. I bet everyone was watching from inside. Have you booked anything for this year? Jane.x

7 minutes ago, Beckett said: How exciting Gill. I bet everyone was watching from inside. Have you booked anything for this year? Jane.x

Yes, we all shot inside very quickly. I watched the sand storm from the Crows Nest. It was an amazing phenomenon.

No cruises booked or planned as trying to move house!

6 minutes ago, Angel57 said: Yes, we all shot inside very quickly. I watched the sand storm from the Crows Nest. It was an amazing phenomenon. No cruises booked or planned as trying to move house! Gill x

I would have loved to have seen that and The Crows Nest on Aurora is a lovely place to be. Moving house is incredibly stressful Gill. You may need a cruise at the end of it! I don't have anything booked either - not until next year - but I have a FCC with Cunard so may consider one of their seactions when they are released next week -  price dependant. Have a great weekend. Speak soon. Jane.x

BREAKING NEWS :   Yorkshire holds it breath as main shipping route of pork pies is blocked !! Fred Slathwaite , Captain of the vessel, said “ One minute we were fine , then a gust of wind caught us !!” “Yorkshire is expected to loose as much as £3.45 a day until the carnage can be cleared , which could potentially take weeks to clear “ a spokesman said .

25 minutes ago, davemorton said: BREAKING NEWS :   Yorkshire holds it breath as main shipping route of pork pies is blocked !! Fred Slathwaite , Captain of the vessel, said “ One minute we were fine , then a gust of wind caught us !!” “Yorkshire is expected to loose as much as £3.45 a day until the carnage can be cleared , which could potentially take weeks to clear “ a spokesman said .

Wot no pies? Blummin eck what we bahn to do?

Looks like there is a big aircraft carrier there helping get that stuck ship out now. www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:169049/mmsi:225357000/imo:0/vessel:CAMPECHANO_I_L61 www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9811000

Edit:  To be fair, I dont know what its doing, as looking on marinetraffic, it looks like it is sailing straight through it. 

Edit2:  And the Spanish Navy ship has now vanished from the screen. 

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• Hurricane Zone 2024
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!
• How To: Follow Topics & Forums (Get Notifications)

541 What Kind of Cruise Ship Decor Do You Like Best?

1. what kind of cruise ship decor do you like best.

• Colorful and wacky! It sets the vibe for fun.
• Serene and soothing! Greige helps me relax.
• Arty and sophisticated! Whimsical pieces make me smile.
• Nautical and classic! I want to feel like I'm on a ship.
• Mod and shiny! Give me all the glass and chrome.
• Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Write An Amazing Review !

Click this photo by member XFrancophileX to share your review w/ photos too!

Parliament, Budapest

Features & News

LauraS · Started Yesterday at 09:24 PM

LauraS · Started Yesterday at 08:36 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 09:01 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 06:28 PM

LauraS · Started September 11

Cruise Planning

Find a cruise, popular ports, member reviews.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

Russia seizes on Suez blockage to promote merits of Arctic route

• Russia seizes on Suez blockage to promote merits of Arctic route on x (opens in a new window)
• Russia seizes on Suez blockage to promote merits of Arctic route on facebook (opens in a new window)
• Russia seizes on Suez blockage to promote merits of Arctic route on linkedin (opens in a new window)
• Russia seizes on Suez blockage to promote merits of Arctic route on whatsapp (opens in a new window)

Nastassia Astrasheuskaya in Moscow

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

As hundreds of ships and tankers were held up in the Suez Canal, Russia has been reminding Europe of the benefits of unblockable pipelines and the long-term opportunities of the alternative northern sea route to Asia along its Arctic coast, where the width and depth of vessels are not in question.

The northern sea route shipped 33m tonnes of cargo last year, while the Suez Canal, unblocked on Monday after a week of disruption, transports more than 3m tonnes of cargo daily. But given rising trade volumes, the emergence of additional short routes for cargo delivery is inevitable, Russia’s energy ministry said. 

“The northern sea route . . . has high potential in expanding the cargo transportation volume, allowing to significantly cut the duration of goods transportation from Asia to Europe,” it said.

Even though year-round navigation is not expected until 2025-2030 and climate risks remain, Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation and the body in charge of the northern sea route, expects a rise in demand for the route after the Suez incident.

“The northern sea route’s development hedges logistical risks and makes global trade more sustainable. Undoubtedly, such Asian countries as China, Japan, and South Korea will take the precedent of the Suez Canal’s blockage into consideration in their long-term strategic plans,” said Vladimir Panov, a special representative for Arctic development at Rosatom, according to Interfax news agency.

“The situation is positive for Russian companies and economy for a number of reasons. That includes the fact that in the long run, the current circumstances serve as a heavy argument in favour of using the northern sea route as an alternative to the Suez Canal,” said Anna Butko, an oil and gas analyst at Aton, a Moscow brokerage.

Demand for railway cargo shipments across Russia has already increased, with Trans-Siberian railway bookings multiplying in the past few days, Russian freight company TransContainer told media.

Moscow also wasted no time in reminding global energy markets that it provides unimpeded oil and gas deliveries.

“Russia’s unique geographical position gives it the natural advantage in the energy market as far as access to key consumer markets goes, as well as the speed of delivery of energy supplies,” the energy ministry said, praising its extensive oil and gas pipelines network to Europe, Turkey and China for reliability and competitive costs.

As for oil, not only did the Suez blockage have no significant effect on Russia’s exports because the canal is not the main route for them, it may add upward pressure on Moscow’s benchmark Urals blend’s price, as well as that of spot gas prices in Europe, Butko said. 

The gas market offers an even greater upside. While Qatar, one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas producers, sending on average five LNG cargoes to Europe via the Suez Canal each week, has 500,000 tonnes stuck in the Gulf of Suez, Russia can easily make up for gas volumes Europe may need to replenish the low underground stock levels, according to Rystad Energy consultancy. 

“Given that Russian pipeline supplies to Europe are currently below maximum capacity, Russian supplies could help provide some flexibility,” Carlos Torres Diaz, head of gas and power markets at Rystad, said in a note.

“Looking at who benefits most from the current situation, Russia is definitely the country not in a hurry to see the blockade resolved,” he added.

The Suez blockage could also serve as a trump card for Russia’s Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline . The controversial project that would carry gas directly from Russia to Europe avoiding Ukraine has been delayed for two years under strong US pressure. 

However, Russia has been affected to some degree by the Suez blockage. There are 2.5m barrels of Russian oil waiting to resume their journey via the canal to customers in Asia. Several empty LNG tankers used by Novatek, Russia’s largest LNG producer, are also stuck on their return. 

But in the long run, Moscow is banking on shipping companies and energy buyers turning to Russia for alternatives. “The current force majeure confirms the repeatedly proven fact that diversification and the existence of many alternatives is positive for the global economy,” Butko said.

Letter in response to this article :

Co-operation is how to avert Arctic sea disaster  /  From William A Wallace, Yamada Corporation Professor, Head, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, US

Promoted Content

Follow the topics in this article.

• Nastassia Astrasheuskaya Add to myFT
• Global Insight Add to myFT
• EU energy Add to myFT
• European companies Add to myFT
• Global trade Add to myFT

• River Cruising

GCT M/S Tikhi Don - St. Petersburg to Moscow

By usnavyguy , June 24, 2012 in River Cruising

Recommended Posts

This is a review of a St. Petersburg to Moscow river cruise from 5/31/2012 - 6/14/2012 with Grand Circle Travel. I'll divide the review into sections starting with the ship so folks can jump to those sections of interest & ignore what isn't pertinent to them. For an excellent discussion on pre-trip planning, visa issues, comments on various cruise lines, this link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1559518

will give you all the details you need. I'll not repeat it here.

So, let's get to the specifics:

Ship : Tikhi Don is owned by Grand Circle Travel (GCT) and is one of two ships, the other being M/V Rossia they operate between Moscow & St. Petersburg. All the cabins are identical: 146 square feet with one window that opens, situated on 3 decks. The only difference is location on the ship. The cabins were clean as were the attached bathrooms. Storage space was adequate for two weeks. There is one 120V and one 220V electrical outlet in the cabin as well as a 115V electrical outlet in the bathroom. I purchased a 4 outlet power strip specifically for this trip to plug in rechargeable digital camera batteries as well as a cell phone. The ship has an elevator near the reception desk forward that services Decks 1, 2, and 3. There is a double stairway in the after end of the ship that runs from the Main Deck to Decks 2, 3, and 4. All other stairways are external and serve all 4 decks. We had about 206 passengers embarked and about 100 staff, so the ratio of staff to cruisers was pretty high. It seems that all river ships operating in Russia carry about 200 or so customers which make them quite a bit larger than the average European waterways river ship. Since they have far fewer bridges to deal with in terms of height, and water depths are somewhat deeper than European rivers, they can and do take advantage of that to leverage a larger number of customers. That doesn't make it bad; it just makes it different. Tikhi Don draws about 9 feet of water which I suspect is about average for a Russian river cruiser. The ship has two bars, one on the 3rd deck forward (Tsar Bar) and one on the 4th deck aft (Presidents Bar). The restaurant is located on the 2nd deck aft and is used for the breakfast buffet and the sit down daily lunches & dinners. One disadvantage to my way of thinking was the sit down lunch. When we've cruised on Viking, they offered a light buffet lunch in the bar/lounge and a sit down lunch in the restaurant. That gave one some options which weren't available with GCT. Again, not necessarily bad; just different. Each cabin is equipped with a flat panel LCD TV with various satellite channels available depending upon the location of the ship at the time. There also were 3 different movie channels showing a different movie each day. Since we didn’t watch TV, I can only surmise it must have worked okay as we did not hear any complaints. While each cabin has individual air conditioning controls, they didn’t appear to function very effectively and the cabin remained around 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. There is a separate heating unit mounted beneath the window on the outside bulkhead which proved very useful on some of the colder mornings we experienced during the cruise. The cruise covers 829 miles between St. Petersburg and Moscow, and consists of several lakes, rivers and canals including the transit of 16 locks.

Travelers: One significant difference I noted was the average age of the passengers was somewhat older than we had previously experienced with Viking in Europe. I would guess that average age was around mid-70s; some younger, and some a good bit older. We had several veterans of WW2 embarked and I can only hope I'm as spry as they were when I'm that age. They also are very loyal to GCT. Those folks who had previously traveled 3 or more times with GCT or their companion company, Overseas Adventure Travel were identified with a gold name badge. I'd estimate that at least 50% of the embarked travelers fell into this category. This was a very seasoned group of world travelers. Few on the trip were making their 1st river cruise and even fewer were traveling with GCT for the 1st time (we fell into that category). The tours generally involved quite a bit of walking and a not so slow pace, but most everyone managed to keep at it, and few opted out of the walking tours. I'll discuss those in more detail later in this post.

Ship Staff: The staff was quite young (mid to late 20s mostly), inexperienced, but always willing to help. Their command of English was generally very limited although I expect that will improve as the season wears on. Their English was way better than my Cyrillic so they get an A+ for effort. The cruise is managed by a Cruise Director who spoke idiomatic English. The ship's Captain was the most personable Captain I have ever sailed with on a cruise ship. He spoke good English, greeted all the travelers as they debarked for each tour, met each traveler at the gangplank when they returned, and along with the Cruise Director and Hospitality Manager stood on the pier and waved goodbye to every bus that departed. I'm used to the Captain putting in a brief appearance at the Welcome & Farewell Cocktail parties, then disappearing for rest of the cruise. This was a novel & most welcome change.

We were divided into 6 groups of about 32-35 people, assigned a Tour Director who worked exclusively with that group for the entire cruise. Very occasionally for an optional tour, the groups would be combined to keep the numbers about the same, but basically, you functioned within your assigned group. The Tour Directors all had majored in foreign languages at the University and had anywhere from two to as many as eight years with GCT. They all spoke idiomatic English and did a great job of keeping track of their charges. I liken managing U.S. tour groups to herding cats and these folks were always cheerful, ready to answer any question, and resolve any problem. The wait staff in the dining room had limited English, but knew enough to converse with the passengers with regard to the menu & was a hustling young group of Russians. They were extremely pleasant to deal with.

Food on Board: In general the meals were quite good. Breakfast was served buffet style and one always had the opportunity to order an omelet or eggs of any style. There also was a special breakfast order each day. They also included the European breakfast meats and other items common on European river cruise ships. Service was quick and efficient. Restaurant seating included tables for 2, 4, 6 or 10 passengers so there was a wide variety of seating. Lunches & dinners would be best described as Russian modified for American taste. As I remarked previously, all lunches were sit down, formal service with soup, entre (including a vegetarian selection). Salad bar and dessert. Dinners consisted of an appetizer, followed by a soup course, entre (again including a vegetarian choice), and dessert. At dinner, there was always available salmon or chicken breast with a baked potato and steamed vegetables for those who did not fancy the main course. Food was served hot when appropriate and cold when in order. Service was friendly and efficient. Even with 200 people sitting down to eat, there was no sense of “steam table” cooking. With the exception of two meals ashore, all meals were served onboard. In the event of an evening tour such as the Moscow circus or the St. Petersburg ballet, an early dinner was served to those attending the event, followed by a late night heavy snack following return onboard. While I did not eat very many lunches, my wife tried most of them and said the food was very good. We found the dinners to be tasty and a nice introduction to Russian cooking, including the famous Russian stroganoff which is not served over noodles as it is in the U.S., but over spaetzle or mashed potatoes which we were told is common in Russia. Early bird coffee was available from 6:00-7:00AM and also throughout the day at the coffee station on the main deck. Lunch was served at either noon or 1:00PM depending on the tour schedule, with dinner at 7:00PM.

Onboard Activities: There was never a shortage of things to do onboard, but all were voluntary so you could participate in as few or as many as you wished. They featured the usual port talks, introduction to the Russian language, lectures on Russian handicrafts, vodka tastings, blini parties, pelmeni (dumpling) cooking class, and hand painting of Russian Matryoshka (nesting) dolls. We also noted several spontaneous bridge, cribbage, and canasta card games in progress at various times.

There is a large, well stocked gift store on the ship, operated as a separate concession. My wife found the prices for souvenirs of all types were generally better than souvenir shops ashore. They accept major credit cards or roubles. You cannot charge items from the store to your shipboard account.

Tours: There were a limited number of optional (extra cost) tours available. In St. Petersburg, that included:

Rivers & Canals of St. Petersburg

Yusopov Palace

St. Petersburg Ballet

Peterhof Gardens

In Petrozavodosk: Karelian Folk Show

Zlatoust Singers

Jewish Heritage of Moscow

Tretyakov Gallery

You can view the details of these optional tours on the GCT website: http://www.gct.com

under the Russian river cruise itinerary.

All passengers are provided with a pair of head phones & a battery powered receiver to provide the ability to listen to the tour guide while still wandering about the particular venue. The system works perfectly and depending upon location & interference such as walls, floors, and the like is crystal clear up to 100 feet from the tour guide. I have used these systems on other tours and would never consider a tour/cruise that did not employ this technology.

We took the Rivers & Canals of St. Petersburg tour which entailed taking a canal boat up & down the various rivers & canals running through St. Petersburg. It lasted approximately 90 minutes with a well informed local guide who commented on what we were seeing. It was interesting and informative and gives you another whole perspective on St. Petersburg than from a city bus tour.

We also went on the Peterhof gardens tour which unfortunately, did not go as well. The morning tour for that day was Peter & Paul Fortress which was really not that interesting and turned out to be just another church tour. However, because of the distance from where the boat moored to the fortress, then into St. Petersburg for lunch, the morning and part of the afternoon was pretty well shot by the time we departed for Peterhof. Peterhof is a good 45 minute drive from St. Petersburg; so consequently, it was well after 2:00PM when we arrived at the gardens. I’d like to say the local guide tried to cram what could easily have been a 4 hour tour into something less than two hours. So, we consequently were trying to set land speed records for walking tours as she was determined to show us as many of the Peterhof fountains as possible, and there are more than a few. My wife is a bit slow of foot as she has limited walking capacity so she was hard pressed to keep up. I, on the other hand, wanted more time to take pictures of the fountains and didn’t appreciate being rushed from spot to spot. Fortunately, our tour director Alex was particularly solicitous of my wife and made sure we could cut some corners and get ahead of the tour where necessary. Unfortunately, the local tour guide was annoyed when told to slow down and became somewhat hostile. The tour ends at the Peterhof palace which has a very large number of very beautiful fountains, all in gold leaf and is a photographer’s dream. It easily could have been worth an hour or more of picture taking opportunities. While I do understand some folks just want to check the block of having seen it and move on, there are, I think, a larger number of us who don’t expect to see those things again and want to take full advantage of the picture taking opportunities.

St. Petersburg: We spent 4 days in St. Petersburg not counting the day of arrival. The 1st full day, we had a city bus tour which included a stop & tour of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and an approximately two hour visit to the famed Hermitage Art Museum with an option to stay for an additional 90 minutes, On Day 2, we had Catherine’s Palace & Park Tour, an offsite lunch paid for by GCT followed by the optional Rivers & Canals Tour, Day 4 was the Peter & Paul Fortress, again followed by lunch (this time on your own) followed by the optional Peterhof Gardens tour. On Day 3 of the visit, there were optional tours available of Yusopov Palace and the St. Petersburg ballet (evening). The boat was moored about 1 hour from downtown, depending on traffic, as the city authorities do not allow the riverboats to moor downtown. This caused some angst among those taking their 1st river cruise as they assumed this was standard. Of course, it’s not, and in fact, almost all European river cruises including Paris moor almost in the heart of the city. However, for those with free time and a little bit of adventurism, the subway took you downtown in less than 40 minutes. There is a bus from the head of the pier which costs 30 roubles (in early June 2012, roubles were 32.5 to 1 USD). That dropped you at the nearest metro entrance where 25 roubles and 5 stops later, landed you in the heart of Nevsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg’s equivalent to Times Square in NY or Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The metro is clean, no graffiti in the stations or on the cars, efficiently run and very safe. To return to the ship, just reverse the process. Once downtown, there are many attractions within easy walking distance such as the statue of the Bronze Horseman, a tribute from Catherine the Great to Peter the Great and the Church of our Savior on the Spilled Blood on which site, Tsar Alexander II was murdered by an assassin on 1 March 1881.

This was our 2nd time in St. Petersburg as we were there on an ocean cruise of the Baltics in 2003 when the city celebrated its 300th anniversary. It is to my mind, much more European than Russian with the latest fashions on display, many, many outdoor restaurant cafes and a mostly young, apparently well off population (at least during a business day).

We had previously been to Catherine’s Palace and the Hermitage and enjoyed returning to both places. St. Isaac’s is very impressive, but unfortunately, it is crowded and pickpockets are afoot. Several men & at least 1 woman had wallets stolen in the crowds so for them, not so much fun. Peter and Paul Fortress from a historical perspective is important, but rather unimpressive.

We visited St. Petersburg during the period of the summer referred to as “White Nights” which are quite famous. Sunrise occurs about 4:30AM and sunset at 11:15PM. Since winters are long, cold, and sometimes very harsh, the many hours of sunlight are greatly appreciated and folks go out to stroll, especially on Nevsky Prospekt well into the evening hours enjoying the many parks and recreation areas throughout the city.

Svir Stroi: This is a small village of about 600 people located on the Svir River. They have the requisite souvenir shops, but the highlight of the stop was the visit to the home of a Russian villager. Our opportunity came to visit the wife of a local employee of the hydro electric plant. We visited her home and were served tea & pirozhki’s (Russian tea cakes). With the able help of our tour director, Tanya who translated, the lady explained her daily life in the village and the challenges ordinary people now face compared to the days of the Soviet Union. This is also where we first encountered the fierce Russian mosquitoes or as the tour directors called them, the KGB mosquitoes. They’re big, they bite and they fly around over the 3 months of summer. Mosquito repellent does, however, work when liberally applied.

Petrozavodsk: This port city on Lake Onega which is the second largest lake in Europe, only surpassed by Lake Ladoga, included a bus tour as well as a visit to the memorial to Russian’s Unknown Soldier from World War II, and a tour of the local market. It is the industrial, cultural, and scientific center of the Republic of Karelia. The visit also included an optional tour to a Karelian folk show which we opted not to attend.

Kizhi (Kee-shee) Island: This small island in the center of Lake Onega is home to the oldest known wooden church in Russia, the Church of Transfiguration which features 22 timbered onion shaped domes. The church was assembled without the use of a single metal nail and is currently undergoing extensive renovation. The stop also featured a “Fishing with the Ship’s Captain & Staff” for those who are ardent anglers. Fishing apparently wasn’t so successful as we did not have fish on the menu that evening!

Goritzy/Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery: Goritsky is just another tiny town, but the monastery was built in 1397 and had close connections with Ivan the Terrible. At one time, over 200 monks lived in the monastery, but with the Russian revolution and the harsh suppression of religion in Russia, it deteriorated significantly and now houses only 6 monks. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, restoration efforts have begun and the museum features an impressive collection of Russian Orthodox icons.

Uglich: The last city we visited prior to Moscow is located on the Volga River. Cruising on the river as you come onto Uglich is very impressive. The Kremlin (or fortress) has no exterior walls so the many colored churches and domes make great picture opportunities. The very large Cathedral of Transfiguration looms over the town while the Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood with its rich red walls and blue onion domes offer a sharp contrast. Souvenir and shops selling all sorts of goods line the route from the ship’s berth to the main street of Uglich. We were told by the local guide that as many as 7 to 8 river cruise ships a day visit Uglich during the summer. They also were having a display of lacquer and paper Mache’ boxes for sale at very Western prices. Enameled watches are also a specialty of Uglich. We were treated to a short concert by a group of male classically trained singers who rendered several Russian songs a capella during our visit.

Moscow: We arrived in Moscow about 3 hours late because of heavy fog the previous evening while transiting the Moscow Canal. The river authorities do not allow movement in the canal during heavy fog, so we waited out the down time in one of the locks. The ship moored a good ways from downtown as the city authorities do not allow river cruise ships downtown, the same rule as St. Petersburg. Moscow is a city of 11.5 million people and traffic can be a nightmare. However, we were fortunate to arrive on a Monday before a national holiday (Day of Russia) on Tuesday and Moscovites are like people everywhere; they angle to take the day before a big holiday off. So, the traffic to downtown was pretty light and we made up some time on the city tour which started in the famous Red Square outside the Kremlin walls. The tour included a walk around Saint Basil’s Cathedral which is actually a museum, then on to the GUM department store which resembles a U.S. mall. We also walked past a “Historic Toilet” located in Gum’s that I believe was the 1st indoor lavatory in a Moscow department store. (Use of the WC was 84 roubles for those interested; I took a pass). We also went for a ride on the famed Moscow metro where many of the stations are elaborately decorated in frescoes, busts representing the struggle of the common man, and other adornments of the Russian revolution. As in St. Petersburg, the metro is clean (no graffiti in the stations or on the cars) and very safe.

The next day was the national holiday so our tours steered us quite far from Red Square (where demonstrations were purported to occur against the Presidential election recently completed) and out to Sparrow Hills which is a high priced area of the city. We also toured the New Maiden cemetery where various Russian notables such as Boris Yeltsin and Nikita Khrushchev are buried. The evening tour involved a visit to the Moscow circus which has been in continuous operation since 1980. A fun time of clowns, jugglers, trained poodles, bears, a lion taming act and culminated with a trapeze performance by 5 daring men & 1 woman.

The following day was a tour inside the Kremlin walls and to one of the 5 churches located inside the walls. I found it ironic that 5 churches would be allowed to exist following the revolution, but many things in Russia are strange, this only being one example. We also toured the Kremlin armory which contains the Tsar’s Crown Jewels, armor and armaments of the 16th- 18th century, many Tsarina coronation and wedding dresses as well as a very extensive display of Faberge eggs. The tour concluded with lunch at Moscow’s Hard Rock Café and time to tour Arbat Street which is a pedestrian only street in the heart of Moscow.

We had family obligations that required us to cut the last full day off the cruise and return home via direct flight from Moscow to Dulles International.

Final Observations: It was a very interesting and different river cruise for us. Because the distances are so vast, there is a lot more down time on this cruise than one in European waters, but Grand Circle can make it as busy or as relaxed as you like. The meals were comparable to those served on our other river cruises for quantity and quality. There are slightly more optional tours than with some other companies, but on the other hand, some of the included tours were excellent. St. Petersburg is a great city and one I’d be pleased to visit again; Moscow, not so much. Grand Circle is certainly worth your consideration as a cruise line as the prices are competitive with all other Russian river cruises. We did book our air through Grand Circle which I’m normally reluctant to do, but the routing was the same that I would have chosen had I done my own booking and the pricing was better than I could do on my own, especially considering what GCT would have charged for transfers to and from the ship. We did not purchase travel insurance through GCT as I found we could do better by shopping around over the Internet.

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

beverlyjack

We did this trip in 2004, aboard the chartered Nicholay Chernychevski, before Grand Circle had put the Tikhi Don into service. This was an excellent review and brings back memories. Please post it under Travelers Reviews on http://www.gct.com on this trip.

Thank you for the informative review. I am taking this tour in mid August. I will print what you wrote so that I can refer to it as I do some of my planning.

How many people were in your "group" ? Did you take the pretrip to Helsinki and Tallinn?

We had about 32 people in our group. I don't know what, if any criteria, other than numbers were used to make up the groups. We did not take any pre or post trips with this cruise.

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• Hurricane Zone 2024
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!
• How To: Follow Topics & Forums (Get Notifications)

541 What Kind of Cruise Ship Decor Do You Like Best?

1. what kind of cruise ship decor do you like best.

• Colorful and wacky! It sets the vibe for fun.
• Serene and soothing! Greige helps me relax.
• Arty and sophisticated! Whimsical pieces make me smile.
• Nautical and classic! I want to feel like I'm on a ship.
• Mod and shiny! Give me all the glass and chrome.
• Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Write An Amazing Review !

Click this photo by member XFrancophileX to share your review w/ photos too!

Parliament, Budapest

Features & News

LauraS · Started Yesterday at 09:24 PM

LauraS · Started Yesterday at 08:36 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 09:01 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 06:28 PM

LauraS · Started September 11

Cruise Planning

Find a cruise, popular ports, member reviews.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...