Frequently Asked Questions

Some people adapt quickly to the rocking of the ship, yet some people adapt slower. Everyone, however, does adapt. Athletic people adapt especially quickly, often instantly.

While our ship is equipped with rocking stabilizers, we do recommend starting some exercises to help train your vestibular apparatus a week before the cruise.

When the waves do rock the ship, it is very important to see the movement of the surrounding environment. Therefore, while the rocking amplitude is stronger on the upper decks than in the hold, the view of the horizon helps lessen the effect. If you do start feeling bad, we recommend drinking less liquids, eating some bread (it absorbs liquids) and keeping a slice of lemon in your mouth.

You may take medications in advance. There are some effective medications to help with sea sickness, such as Dramamine, Aeron, Air-Sea and menthol drops. Please be sure to check for any counter indications for some conditions and individual intolerance to components.

Yes, vaccinations are necessary in order to visit certain countries (especially those along our more exotic itineraries). You may not be allowed on a cruise without an international certificate confirming you have obtained the appropriate vaccinations. Feel free to consult our cruise experts regarding which vaccinations may be required for your selected cruise.

It should be noted that women who are 24 weeks pregnant by the completion of a cruise (in some cases, 28 weeks) may not be allowed onboard. Therefore, pregnant women should bring a medical certificate confirming the due date. The cruise company carries no responsibility for the health and state of a pregnant woman during a cruise.

Your wardrobe on a cruise would not differ much from a wardrobe at any stylish onshore resort. Sporty and casual clothes will be a suitable daytime attire both onboard and onshore during warm weather months (or in hot waters). Do take a sweater or a light jacket for cool evenings. Forget about high heels for tours and strolls on deck! Take comfortable footwear with a non-slippery (rubber) sole or sandals with a covered back and, preferably, a closed front. Deck shoes (top-siders), which are sold in specialized yachting shops, are ideal. Absolutely no slippers or flip flops! On some sightseeing tours (visit of churches, monasteries, etc.) tourists cannot wear shorts, and ladies need a skirt and a head scarf.

During a cruise, your passport is kept in a captain’s safe at all times in order to take care of any visa issues and other formalities in ports of entry. In place of passport, you will be given an electronic card to use for the duration of a cruise. With this card, you may easily go on and off the ship.

Surely, most everyone has a medical insurance policy; however, our patient tourist will not rush to call a doctor on every occasion, especially if the ship is in the open sea. It is better to have some medications on hand. If you use certain medications on a permanent basis or in case a chronic condition flairs up, you must take them along.

Such medications as Dramamine, Aeron, Air-Sea and menthol drops will help ease motion sickness.

For minor injuries and traumas, as well as bleeding, the following are helpful: hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, iodine.

For burns - Syntomicine ointment, Panthenol, Solkoceryl. These also are great in aids in facilitating wound healing. Be sure to have on hand band-aids, cotton balls, antiseptic wipes.

Pain-relieving medications, such as Analgin, Baralgin, Tsitramon, Kaffetin. Cardiovascular aids, such as Valerian root, motherwort solution, Corvalol.

For common colds, take nasal drops, Oxsolin ointment, Paracetomol and Aspirin. Ear and eye drops. Activated charcoal, Maalox, Immodium and Festal are recommended in case of indigestion.

For allergic reaction, take Syprastin, Phenkarol and Sinaphlan ointment.

Don’t forget some sun protection in the form of a headwear and skin creams. Take precaution when spending long periods of time in the open sun. Protect yourself from insect bites, use repellents.

Narcotic substances are prohibited onboard, as well as compressed gases, caustic substances, firearms, self-protection means of any kind, munitions, radioactive materials, poisons, infectious materials, explosives and other hazardous items. If any of the abovementioned items are found, a passenger will not be allowed onboard.

As a cruise passenger, one is subject to the ship’s internal rules and requirements, and has to adhere to all safety rules and fulfill all instructions given by the naval officers and management of the cruise. This is one of the most important conditions of safety for you and other passengers.

Right after boarding the ship, it is important to get thoroughly acquainted with the location of the ship’s premises, learn fire safety rules and the evacuation plan in case of emergency. We recommend paying special attention to rules of behavior on the water. The Captain will provide instructions for onboard safety right after leaving port of sail.

Passengers are forbidden to do the following:

• Hinder work of the crew when the ship is sailing, mooring or disembarking;
• Be present in the zone of sails operation;
• Go outside safety rails, dive from decks or within the direct vicinity of the vessel;
• Lean over the open deck railing while sailing or anchored or sit on guard rails;
• Litter onboard the ship or overboard;
• Overindulge in alcoholic beverages, be drunk or intoxicated from narcotics;
• Run on staircases, go up or down a staircase without holding on to handrails;
• Leave household electrical devices unattended in the cabin.

Smoking onboard the ship is allowed only in specially designated areas – on the open decks in the bar and cockpit areas, where ashtrays are located. Smoking in the cabins is strictly forbidden!

Packing for a cruise is quite an important task. We recommend using hardside suitcases, preferably without the clothes hangers fixtures on top. It is best to use clear plastic bags for packing items whenever possible, as this would expedite safety check procedures at the airport and when boarding the ship.

Before you hand over your luggage to the ship crew, please be sure to fill out and affix luggage tags to your suitcases (tags should have your name and passport information, ship name and cabin number, all done in Latin alphabet). These tags are provided along with cruise documents or are offered at the registration stand.

VERY IMPORTANT: for safety reasons, luggage not fitted with luggage tags will not be loaded on board the ship.

Before handing over your luggage, please double-check to be sure you did not pack your passport, medications, airline or cruise tickets into it. Always keep them with you. On the other hand, do not put the following items into your carry-on – perishable goods, liquids, money, bank cards, gold, silver and other valuables, important documents, breakable video- and audio equipment. Keep in mind that you can insure your luggage, which can help eliminate any worries. Your luggage will be brought into your cabin.

Please note that passengers’ check-in starts 6 hours before departure and all passengers have to be onboard the ship not later than 1 hour before the scheduled departure. This rule applies in any port along the cruise itinerary. Passengers are the ones responsible for the timely return to the ship.

Our company requests to take note that boarding time may vary depending on destination port. A passenger should be the one to monitor the ship’s schedule. In the event that a passenger is late arriving on the ship, the passenger is the one to bear all expenses required to return onboard the ship.

Expenses may be significant and include meals, accommodation, flight, car rental and other expenses not listed here.

Upon arrival to a port of entry, local authorities’ representatives carry out a paperwork inspection. Once completed, passengers are invited to proceed towards the staircases. Boarding and de-boarding of the ship are done using plastic ID cards issued onboard the ship.

Motor boats (called “tenders”) are used in cases when the liner is not able to approach a pier. The tenders regularly circulate between the ship and the shore during the entire time of stay.

On the last evening of the cruise, paper tags will be distributed. Please write your name and home address on them and attach them to your luggage. Late at night (by 7 o’clock in the morning) put your luggage into the hallway outside of your cabin door. The luggage will be collected and unloaded onto the pier after arrival to the port.

Do not place breakable items into the luggage, valuables, personal care items you would need in the morning or items you plan to use the next day. All belongings remaining in the cabin would need to be taken out as your carry-on.

On the disembarkation day, breakfast is served early. You will be requested to vacate the cabin early enough for the steward to prepare it for the next passenger.

Before leaving the ship, please do not forget to take your belongings from the safe and pay your onboard bill.

Meals are served four times a day in the ship’s restaurant - breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. A coffee station is accessible 24 hours a day.

An emergency drill is conducted on every ship before its departure (emergency exits and life boats locations will be shown). All passengers are required to participate. Do not forego this important exercise: at the very least, you should know where the rescue station is and how to reach it, if needed.

Usually, an emergency drill takes place within the first 24 hours from departure from the port of sail. You will be given an advanced warning about the emergency alarm signal and later on the actual alarm will sound. The traditional alarm signal consists of seven (7) short honks followed by one long honk. You will find life jackets in your cabin.

According to the international convention, attending of this emergency drill exercise is mandatory, so please take it seriously. You should learn how to use life jackets of the model specific to the ship you are on and memorize the shortest way to the rescue station. The drill will take no more than 15 minutes of your time but is an important investment in your own safety.

Every evening, you will find a next-day’s program in your cabin. This program covers the events and entertainment onboard, working hours of restaurants, bars and other onboard services. The program also contains information about the time of arrival to the next port, departure time, possible sightseeing tours and information about the area. The ship has an onboard announcement system, so please pay attention to its announcements.

The price of excursions and tours is not included into the cruise price, except for special programs established and approved in the beginning of the journey.

Some excursions have limited availability, so please sign up in advance. Tours and excursions are usually designed to accommodate 10 - 15 people. If you have signed up for an onshore excursion but you did not take part in it (you were late for a bus, you changed your mind, etc.), the price of the excursion shall not be refunded.

Please, pay special attention to meeting time and place of each excursion.

Payment is to be made in cash.

Tours to the captain’s bridge, to the machinery compartment and to the cookhouse will take place during the cruise. Learn how to manage sails or to stand behind the wheel. The most courageous may climb onto the crow’s nest to the height of 22 m. The crew of the ship will conduct workshops on sea knots, serving tables in the chief cabin, etc. Evenings offer various competitions, karaoke and dancing. You may play football, volleyball, badminton and other active games on specially designated green areas.

The aft of the ship offers a fully equipped diving center with an exit to the hydraulic ramp. The rear part of the stern goes down onto the water and transforms into a platform for diving and aquatics.

Personal instruction is available for swimming, snorkeling and windsurfing.

• Souvenir shop;
• Laundry;
• Massage parlor

Taxi and individual transfer may be ordered from a cruise director. Be sure to order any such services in advance!

Various souvenirs with company logo, sun products, windbreakers, T-shirts and beach bags.

Payment is done on a tab basis. The bill is settled via cash or by credit card on the last day of the cruise prior to the arrival to the port of entry. When you use fee-based services onboard, you simply sign an appropriate bill for service. At the end of the cruise, a detailed bill will be brought to your cabin, which you should check before paying in cash or by credit card (Visa, American Express and MasterCard). If you prefer to pay your onboard bill in cash in the beginning of the cruise, you will be asked to make a deposit. If your onboard expenses exceed the deposit amount, you will be asked to put forth additional funds. If at the end of the cruise your expenses is less than the deposited amount, then you will get your change on the morning of disembarkation from the cruise director.

Throughout the cruise, the ship personnel will be at your side to ensure your comfort and good mood. We sincerely believe that giving tips to the ship’s crew shows your appreciation of their work, which in turn encourages them to increase the level of service and work better. Of course giving tips and the amount of tips are at your discretion. All tips are divided among personnel who serves you during the cruise: waiters, your steward, employees of the ship's kitchen, etc. Tips at the massage parlor go to your masseur. However, if you do find any service bad, you may refuse to pay tips simply by making a note in the questionnaire, which will be brought to your cabin at the end of the cruise.

Yes, all cabins are air conditioned. The cabin temperature can be adjusted with a thermostat so you are comfortable in any weather.

Many cruise companies except regular itineraries have so called crossings. Crossings usually mean technical transfer of a vessel from port to another. Such journeys take place by price lower than cruise one. This is real chance for those who are “in doubt” to get acquainted with beauty of travels under sail.