Grand Circle’s 16-day “Russian Waterways” tour

Usually, the ships that cruise in Russia are rather sparse in amenities, unless you upgrade to a suite, but our cabin aboard the M/S Tikhi Don, with Grand Circle Travel (347 Congress Ave., Boston, MA 02210; 800/959-0405, www.gct.com), had regular beds, a TV, a Western-style bath, a phone, an in-room safe, a fridge, two chairs and a table as well as closet space. We even had great reading lights above the beds, which we’ve never seen before. We chose the middle deck, where the cabins are 150 square feet and each have a picture window.

We sailed on the Tikhi Don on Grand Circle’s 16-day “Russian Waterways” tour, June 28-July 13, 2006. The price was $4,227 per person from New York, figuring in our “Good Buy” discount (given for early payment in full). We flew on Lufthansa (New York-Moscow via Frankfurt, with return from St. Petersburg) and found it uncomfortable with little distance between seats.

Food on the cruise was excellent and beautifully presented.

Sightseeing was comprehensive, and the optional trips were of the same quality. We had some interesting experiences interacting with the Russian people, including dinner in a local home and a visit to a nursery school.

The evening entertainment on board was superb, including concerts. The educational program was comprehensive. Each day we were given material about Russian crafts, the ports or the language.

For our tour, we spent the entire 16 nights aboard ship, but the format is now changed so that the group stays in hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg. This will cut down considerably on travel time spent on transportation in those cities, as the boats were docked a great distance from the heart of the cities.

This is an excellent trip for both content and price, and we highly recommend it.

JUDY SILVERSTEIN

Hudson, NY