Planning Your Trip>Russia & Ukraine

What To Bring

Dress aboard and ashore is casual, and we suggest you dress comfortably. Bring sturdy walking shoes for sightseeing excursions. Dinner attire is “evening casual”: open-neck shirts, slacks, dresses and sport outfits. Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Nights are dressy, but not formal. During the winter months, we recommend bringing a warm coat, gloves, water-resistant footwear and an umbrella. Here is a short list of items you might want to consider bringing with you:
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Dressier shoes
• Collapsible umbrella/lightweight rain gear
• Lightweight jacket/warm sweater/sweatshirt
• Sunglasses, sun hat or visor
• Toiletries (including medical remedies)
• Warm coat, gloves and water-resistant footwear (as needed for cooler months)

Pack in Your Carry-On Baggage

We suggest you bring copies of your key travel documents (passport information page, airline tickets, credit card numbers and insurance information) and carry them separately in case you lose your originals. Remember to check with your airline for carry-on restrictions. You might also want to consider packing the following items:
• All needed medications, including prescriptions, in their original, labeled containers
• Eyeglasses, contacts, contact lens solution
• Important papers and travel documents
• Camera gear, film, extra memory cards (digital cameras), extra batteries
• Valuables

Optional Items

Here is a list of optional items we recommend you consider bringing with you as well:
• Electric converter/adapter for North American appliances (220V) (recommended)
• Travel alarm clock, travel flashlight, binoculars, anti-bacterial wipes and/or hand sanitizer
• Small calculator for foreign exchange calculations
• Travel journal/notepad and/or reading material
• Small, basic sewing kit/extra buttons; pack scissors in checked bags
• Address list or pre-addressed labels for sending postcards

Notes: Most hotels and Reception onboard have hair dryers available for guest use. Also, laundry service (no dry cleaning) is available onboard for a fee.

Customs

Many countries have laws against the purchase/export of certain items, including antiquities, cultural property and certain animal products. Additionally, U.S. laws prohibit the import of certain items. You can review current restrictions as well as duty free limits by clicking this link.

Travel Documentation

If you are traveling with us to Russia, you will need a visa. As a service to guests, visas are available from an independent third party upon request. If you would like to obtain your visa through our partner, please visit their website here and download a visa kit. Complete and return the forms to the visa company in a timely manner so that you will have your documentation in time to travel—the timing is explained within the kit instructions. Should you decide to obtain a Russian visa directly instead of using the kit, you will need to contact Viking River Cruises for an Invitation Letter. You may download a Request Form for this letter here.

Note: Due to airline security measures, your passport name must match your airline ticket name or you may be denied boarding. Viking River Cruises accepts no responsibility for obtaining required visas nor for advising guests of visa or other immigration requirements.

Currency & Exchange Rates

Russia uses the ruble while Ukraine uses the hryvnia. Current exchange rates are available in the financial sections of newspapers and at: xe.com or CNN Money.

Purchasing Items & Currency Exchange

Many locations in the larger cities like Moscow, St. Petersburg, Odessa and Kiev will accept travelers checks or credit cards. For incidentals and small vendors, you may be able to use the U.S. dollar or euro in small denominations, but we also recommend getting some local currency.

ATMs

ATMs that dispense local currency are widely available and conveniently located in large Russian cities, but are limited in smaller towns. Should you wish to use ATM machines, confirm with your bank prior to departure that your ATM/credit card and PIN number will work abroad.

Changing Cash or Travelers Checks

Russian and Ukrainian currency is regulated. Change your hard currency (U.S. dollars, euros, etc.) only at official exchange points and use only rubles or hryvnia as cash (by law, our ships cannot exchange cash or travelers checks for hryvnia). A fee will be charged. The local people will be happy to accept your dollars for tips, taxi rides and souvenirs, but it is technically not allowed.

Credit Cards

Euro card, MasterCard, Visa and American Express cards are accepted in all countries in major shops, restaurants and hotels as well as to settle your shipboard account. Before you depart, we recommend that you alert your credit card companies that you plan to use your card(s) on your trip as they will often refuse to honor credit cards if they notice irregular and/or overseas activity.

Currency Onboard Ship & Your Onboard Account

The onboard currency is the “unit,” an artificial currency aligned with the euro (1 unit = 1 euro). All onboard purchases are billed with a guest check and added to your personal shipboard account. At the end of your trip, you may pay in cash (rubles, U.S. dollars or euros), or by credit card (your bill will be converted at the current exchange rate). The ship cannot accept travelers checks for payment of your shipboard account. Please review your shipboard bill upon checkout so that we can more easily assist with any questions you may have.

Value Added Tax (VAT)

Many countries have a national “sales tax” (called value added tax or VAT) that is levied on most goods and services. In some cases and with the proper documentation from the point of purchase, it is possible to have a portion of this tax refunded to you on items taken out of a country in unused condition. Depending upon flight schedules and timing, it may be possible to receive a refund by applying at the airport kiosk before departure.

Beverages

Hot coffee and tea are complimentary throughout your voyage. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are available for an additional charge. A complimentary bottle of water per guest is placed in the stateroom each day. Additional bottles are available for purchase. You may bring local wine aboard.

Clothing Suggestions

Dress aboard and ashore is casual; we suggest you dress comfortably and bring sturdy walking shoes for sightseeing excursions. Dinner attire is “evening casual,” and the Captain’s Dinner is dressy, but not formal.

Cuisine & Dining Room Service

All meals aboard are European-style food adjusted for North American tastes. With the exception of Viking Surkov and Viking Kirov, there are two restaurants aboard; you will be assigned to one based on your stateroom number. Within your restaurant, meals are open-seating. Viking Surkov and Viking Kirov each have one restaurant and meals are open-seating. Room service is not available.

Dietary Needs

Guests requiring special diets such as vegetarian, low salt, diabetic or low cholesterol meals must alert Viking River Cruises one month prior to departure and inform the Maitre d’ when on board. The chefs will make reasonable efforts to accommodate these requests.

Electricity

Onboard electricity is 220V; for more detailed information on plugs and adapters click here. Staterooms will have one or two North American-style outlets for shaver use, in the bathroom and/or desk area.

Hair Dryers

The ship has hair dryers for guest use; they must be checked out at the Reception Desk and quantities are limited. Hair dryers are in each cabin on Viking Surkov and Viking Kirov. Your stateroom amenities include shower gel, shampoo, lotion, shower cap and vanity kit.

Internet

For your convenience, all of our ships in Europe offer free wireless internet access. Guests may use their own laptop or a computer will be made available. Note that the internet connection functions via cellular service or satellite, and there may be times when reception is not possible and/or when the connection is extremely slow. For this reason, we recommend only checking and sending email, as surfing the Web or downloading large files may be difficult.

Laundry

Laundry services are available for a fee; we regret that clothes cannot be dry cleaned. Click here to view a typical list of laundry charges for Russia and here for Ukraine—please note that prices are subject to change.

Medical Services

There is a small clinic and a physician onboard your ship in case of emergencies.

Onboard Language

The onboard language is English. While your Program Director, key staff and tour guides all speak English, other crew members and staff speak limited English.

Onboard Shop

Each ship has an onboard shop area offering film, Viking River Cruises logo items, souvenirs and select toiletries.

Safes

Valuables can be checked in at the Reception Desk and kept in the ship’s safe in all ships, with the exception of Viking Surkov and Viking Kirov where valuables should be placed in your stateroom safe.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted indoors on any ship.

Tap Water

Use bottled/purified water only when drinking, brushing your teeth or shaving. Do not use tap water unless it is clearly marked potable/drinkable. A complimentary bottle of water per guest is placed in the stateroom each day. Additional bottles are available for purchase.

Telephone Service

With the exception of Viking Surkov and Viking Kirov, there are no telephones in the staterooms. For ship-to-shore calls and faxes, contact the Reception Desk. Charges will be billed to your shipboard account. The phones function via satellite and there may be times when reception is not possible.

Televisions

With the exception of Viking Surkov and Viking Kirov, there are no televisions in the staterooms. Viking Surkov and Viking Kirov have satellite transmission televisions in each stateroom. There is a DVD player with movies available on all ships.

Viking News & Onboard Activities

The onboard daily newsletter, Viking News, features information about daily activities, shore excursions and tour departure times.

Now is a great time to start learning more about the places you’ll be visiting. Even a few background details can go a long way toward maximizing your enjoyment of your destinations. We are pleased to provide customized recommended reading lists courtesy of Longitude, a specialty bookseller. Select your itinerary below to get a hand-picked selection of topical and current books and maps; Essential Reading items at the top are offered at a 15% discount including shipping.

Footsteps of the Cossacks

Waterways of the Czars

Weather

For your convenience we have included a chart that shows the average temperatures in the major cities in Europe that we visit. You can view this by clicking here. For the latest live weather reports, you can visit either weather.com or CNN Weather.

General Physical Fitness

Our tours and cruises are not physically demanding; however, because of the nature of many of the sites you will be visiting, this tour may not be appropriate for guests with certain medical conditions and physical restrictions. Walking tours are often on uneven ground or cobblestones and may include stairs and steep inclines. If you have concerns or questions, please discuss the nature of your itinerary with your Viking River Cruises Travel Consultant.

Tipping

Tips are not included in your cruise price, but are your way of showing satisfaction for good service. You may tip onboard staff in cash or charge your tips to your credit card at the end of the cruise. For local guides, we recommend tipping at the end of each tour in cash. We suggest a gratuity of $10-$12 U.S. per guest, per day which is distributed among the ship’s staff, including your Program Director. Additional tipping is at the guest’s discretion. You can use these guidelines for other service providers:

• Airport Porters – $1 U.S. per bag
• Hotel Porters – $1 U.S. per person, on check-in and check-out
• Local Guides – $1-$2 U.S. per person, per day
• Drivers – $.50-$1 U.S. per person, per day
• Hotel Room Attendants – $1 U.S. per person, per day
• Restaurant Wait Staff – Restaurants often add a service charge to bills, but an additional tip of 5%-10% is customary
• Viking River Cruises Guide/Hospitality Desk (during land or extension programs) – $3-$5 U.S. per person, per day of service

Emergency Contact Info

If there is an emergency and you must be contacted while traveling, your family/friends should attempt to reach you directly by contacting the ship or hotel. The ship’s phone and fax systems operate on mobile reception and may not get good reception throughout the trip. If unsuccessful, your family/friends can call the Viking River Cruises toll free number (1-877-668-4546) during our normal business hours. (Monday-Friday 5:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. All times are Pacific Time).

Ship Phone Numbers

A list of ship phone numbers can be found here.

Russian & Ukraine Phone Numbers

We have listed phone numbers that include country and city codes where the hotel, company or ship is located. If you are calling from within the same city, you do not need to dial the country or city code. If you are calling from outside the country, the codes you must dial will be different depending on whether you are calling from within the same country, another European country or from the U.S. To call from the U.S. dial 011 plus the entire number listed. We list the following codes applicable to your trip for your convenience.

Russia country code: 7
Moscow city code: 495
St. Petersburg city code: 812
Ukraine country code: 380
Kiev city code: 44
Odessa city code: 48

If you are phoning home from Russia, use the following codes:

U.S. country codes: 8 10 1
Canada country codes: 8 10 1
U.K. country codes: 8 10 44
Australia country codes: 8 10 61

And if you are phoning home from Ukraine, use the following codes:

U.S. country code: 001
Canada country code: 001
U.K. country code: 0044

International Mobile Phones

If you are planning to make or receive phone calls on a non-emergency basis, you should know that your cell phone may not work overseas. For your convenience, we provide international mobile phones for rent through a partner—more information about this program can be found here.