Radisson Royal Flotilla — Cruise the Moscow River Every Day of the Year
In 2008, we decided to introduce an exciting new project: bringing river cruises to the Moskva River every day of the year, even when the river is frozen over. In yet another collaboration with Radisson, like the Radisson Collection Hotel Moscow and Radisson Slavyanskaya, we launched the Radisson Royal Flotilla.
Since the launch, our fleet of river yachts with their transparent domes and sleek designs have become a familiar sight to Moscow locals and have entertained countless visitors from overseas. In 2018, over 600,000 visitors were transported by the Radisson Royal Flotilla with around a third being from countries all over the world. During the World Cup, we had guests from the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Poland, and many other countries.
A Meticulous Design Process
The luxurious yachts of the Radisson Royal Flotilla were designed under my personal guidance. I specified the dimensions of the yachts including the width and length, the integrated systems that should be used, and other aspects of the functionality of the yachts. My ideas were captured and drawn up by design professionals, and the remaining 10% was originated by others who worked with me on the project.
The Rise of Gastronomic Entertainment Cruises
Our fleet offers a range of unique experiences, including cruises that are themed or focused around cuisine. The Montana yacht was one of the first to offer this level of entertainment on the Moskva River. In 2017, we began hosting poetic evenings, and in 2018, we started offering dinners combined with classic theater shows on the river, which became very popular. The fleet’s entertainment offering now also includes literary evenings with popular performers and artists like Igor Vernik from the Moscow Art Theater who was featured in a show on the river in June 2019.
Introducing River Trams
In April this year, we introduced yet another service offered by the Radisson Royal Flotilla fleet: river trams. This new type of boat has a retractable roof, which can be closed when it rains or snows or can be opened for passengers to enjoy good weather as they explore the river. We have a total of 10 river trams that leave the Hotel Ukraina every 30 minutes and take passengers on guided tours complete with headphones and audio in six language options. The tours feature interesting historical information and noteworthy stops like the Novoskassky Bridge, Gorky Park, Sparrow Hills, Kievsky Station, and Zaryadye.
Making the Moskva River Conveniently Accessible to All
To give visitors an even more enjoyable and convenient experience, it is now possible to pay using a Troika transportation card (which also gives them a discount on the trip!) The idea to integrate the Troika with river cruises came from a joint project between the Moscow Department of Transportation, the Smart River transportation, and Sberbank. Because of this initiative, tourists won’t need to stand in line to buy tickets since all they need is a Troika card. Over the years, transportation on the Moskva River has faced major challenges and has been rather chaotic. The Radisson Royal Flotilla and the Troika card initiative has greatly reduced these issues.
The Future of the Moskva River and the Radisson Royal Flotilla
We envision that the river trams of the Radisson Royal Flotilla will not only be used for entertainment and leisure but will also provide another form of urban transport. Working with us to make our river trams available for river transportation using the Troika card is the first initiative by the city to expand the service offering from the card. Part of the initiative involved equipping each yacht with modernized equipment and smart card readers so it’s possible to use the Troika card as a payment system. The Department of Transportation and Road Infrastructure and Development in Moscow reported that more than 90% of the people using metropolitan transportation use the Troika card. Using the card to pay for river transportation is the next logical step to take.
Ensuring a Range of Transport Options in Moscow
The leadership of the city of Moscow believes that it is time to modernize the river transportation industry of Moscow and considers the development of this type of transportation to be highly important. Muscovites should be given the option to choose their desired method of getting around the city and should have a convenient way to pay. Whether they prefer to cruise around the capital by motor vehicle, public transportation above ground, the high-speed metro, or by a river on one of the comfortable river trams, the citizens of Moscow now have a range of convenient options.
