Moscow day trip - which airline?

[Move]

Anyone know which airline Celebrity Cruises uses for their day trip to Moscow shorex?

Alex

[TLCOhio]

Anyone know which airline Celebrity Cruises uses for their day trip to Moscow shorex? Alex

 

When we did this trip to Moscow in late July 2008, the airline name was Rossiya Airlines flying from Pulkovo airport. My understanding is that Rossiya has been merged in some way into the operations of national carrier Aeroflot in February 2010. Our trip was through Crystal, not Celebrity, but the same suppliers are probably used by most all of the major cruise lines. As the rail service has been upgrade between these two key cities, some cruise lines have been testing recently doing this one-day trip via rail. Our morning flight was on a larger 300-passenger jet and the evening trip back was on a 727-type/size of jet. The Rossiya equipment we flew on seemed fairly new and in reasonable order and standards. Compared to the old Soviet plane used in 2001 flying into Havana, Cuba, these Russian planes seemed fairly modern. Do you have other questions on what you can see and do while in Moscow? It was a great, very interesting trip for us. You can search back to see many earlier posts, pictures from Moscow, etc., on this board.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 27,925 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Move]

Thx for update - your posts are very detailed..thanx. Alex

[TLCOhio]

Thx for update - your posts are very detailed..thanx. Alex

 

THANKS for the kind comments! For your benefit and anyone else considering these Moscow options, here are more specifics on what our tour did.

 

Moscow has its unique history, sights and sites, from Ivan the Terrible up through Lenin, Stalin and the new Russian leaders of today. After a long ride in from the airport on the outer edge of this large metro areas of 17.3 million (with 10.5 million in the city), we stopped at a new hotel for coffee/tea/break. Then, we rode the Moscow subway and saw a couple of their very unique and artistic stations. Stalin at the time called these stations “People’s Palaces”. This Moscow Metro was first opened in 1935 and now has 182 stations, 12 different lines,187 miles of routes and carries seven million passengers each weekday. It’s the world second busiest subway system. This subway ride offered a good sampling of real life for people who live and work in Moscow. We then saw more key places enroute, including the home of the Bolshoy Ballet, KGB Headquarters, various Stalin era buildings, etc. Then we went to the Kremlin with its 19 historic towers. WOW, we were really there!

 

Inside the Kremlin are three key “super stars”. First, was the State Armoury with its spectacular Faberge Eggs, plus so many carriages, crowns, gowns, jewels, etc. Second are the various historic Cathedrals within the Kremlin Walls, plus the Tower Bells, Icon art, etc. This includes the Cathedral of the Annunciation built in the 1480’s and having such spectacular wall murals and icons. Third, was the Great Kremlin Palace with its spectacular reception halls, inlaid wood floors, gold and more gold, fancy ceilings, etc. The Czars were crowned here, plus the current heads of the Russian government, etc. The size and scale of these areas are hard to describe in words, let alone reflect and capture the history that has happened in some of these rooms dating back to the late 1400’s. We have seen lots of great palaces all over Europe, but this is something above and beyond for the eyes, heart and brain.

 

Then, we saw more building inside the walls of the Kremlin. We went outside of the Kremlin Walls and walked next door to adjoining Red Square, seeing St. Basil’s and the re-done Gum Department Store. Red Square is so historic, especially having grown up seeing the military May Day parades there, visuals of Lenin’s Tomb, etc. Have the words “spectacular” and historic been used too much? Maybe, but it fits for many of these unique places. St. Basil’s was built 1555–1561 on the order of Ivan IV (the Terrible). It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower (266 feet tall) in 1600 inside the Kremlin Walls.

 

To be able to “CONTRAST” and compare Moscow and St. Petersburg during these three short days adds to the benefits of seeing both of these great Russian capital cities. Each is a very different and special city.

 

We finished with dinner in the Central Writers’ Club, a one hundred years old mansion made into a restaurant with crystal chandeliers, rich wood panelling, fireplaces, and antique balustrades. Finally, we drove back to the airport, passing many of the new suburban commercial development with big box stores and luxury housing, etc.

 

Is one day too short and limited? YES! You can, however, do and see lots in only that one short day. You get a small sampling above. How often do you get to Russia? The Cold War might not come back in full force, but there are going to be increasing and revisited tensions in future years involving Russia and getting access there.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is nearly 28,000 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Move]

Thx. We're going to do it - how often do you get this close?

Trouble now is finding some other folk to do a 1 day tour of St Peterburg..most other cruisers are doing the 2 day tours.

[Move]

Thx. We're going to do it - how often do you get this close?

Trouble now is finding some other folk to do a 1 day tour of St Peterburg..most other cruisers are doing the 2 day tours.

[TLCOhio]

Thx. We're going to do it - how often do you get this close? Trouble now is finding some other folk to do a 1 day tour of St Peterburg..most other cruisers are doing the 2 day tours.

 

Glad you're doing the Moscow trip. Clearly with only one day left for St. Petersburg, that gets a little challenging. I would just make your plans for that one-day private tour there and hope to hook up with others who might share. Having four people in a private tour is ideal, especially if you're with another couple who shares your interests. Have you posted on your ship's roll-call??? Be patient! It's still very early in the process and many folks had not yet focused on their planning for this trip.

 

THANKS! Let us know any added questions. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 29,390 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[scubasteve00]

We are thinking about doing the one day trip to Moscow also... did you get to actually get to go into St. Basil's? I don't see and interior vist listed on the cruiseline site or any other independent people either. Thanks,

 

Dustin

[TLCOhio]

We are thinking about doing the one day trip to Moscow also... did you get to actually get to go into St. Basil's? I don't see and interior vist listed on the cruiseline site or any other independent people either. Thanks, Dustin

 

We did not go inside St. Basil. My understanding is its full interior is not open for tours as it is still undergoing or needing some forms of restoration, improvements, etc. During the 20th century, many of the famed church interiors suffered during the Communist periods that were very anti-religion.

 

There are lots and lots of great church in and around the Kremlin and Red Square. The interior for Moscow's most historic church, Assumption Cathedral, is shown below and is considered the most important, must-see church interior. Below are some added visual samples and historic details related to certain of these spectacular churches.

 

Reactions and questions? THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 29,400 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

This is the interior for Moscow's most historic church, Assumption Cathedral or the Cathedral of the Dormition, inside the Kremlin walls. It is the mothr church of Muscovite Russia. The church stands on Cathedral Square and was built in 1475–1479 by the Italian architect Aristotele Fioravanti. It was erected on the spot of an older 14th century cathedral of the same name:

 

 

 

These are the series of smaller domes on the top of the Church of the Deposition of the Robe in the Kremlin Cathedral Square area.:

 

 

 

St. Basil's sits on Red Square and dates back to its 1555-61 construction on the orders of Ivan the Terrible (Ivan IV). It commemorates the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan and marks the geometric center of the city. This location has been the hub of its growth for Moscow since the 14th century. It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 1600. This church was near destroyed in the 1930’s when Stalin was in control.:

 

 

 

Kazan Cathedral sits on the northeast corner of Red Square in Moscow. The current building is a reconstruction of the original church which was destroyed at the direction of Joseph Stalin in 1936. The original church was erected as a shrine in the early 1630s to mark the city's liberation from the Polish aggressors. After the Soviet Union’s fall, this was the first church to be completely rebuilt. The cathedral's restoration (1990–1993) was based on the detailed measurements and photographs of the original church:

 

 

 

The domes of the historic church inside the walls of the Kremlin:

 

[scubasteve00]

Thank You! Great Pictures!