lions gate bridge cruise ship

For better or worse, the Lions Gate Bridge is a barrier to cruise-ship tourism

The early edition's about here columnist says the span is blocking ever-bigger boats.

Social Sharing

Every ship headed into Vancouver harbour needs to fit under the Lions Gate Bridge, which has a clearance height of 61 metres.

This is a problem for cruise ships like the Norwegian Bliss. At a height of 60 metres, it can only fit under the bridge at low tide. It's an issue that makes the local tourism industry very nervous.

As cruise ships grow in size, the Lions Gate Bridge is becoming a barrier to the tourism dollars the industry brings — and could be hampering Vancouver's bid to attract more lucrative cruises as competition from Seattle and Victoria increases.

A vessel like the Norwegian Bliss injects $3 million into the local economy each time it docks in the city, according to the Port of Vancouver. Passengers spend money on food, hotels, and souvenirs and cruise companies pay port fees and purchase fuel and supplies.

• Opinion TransLink's bus signs could be a lot better

Nearby cities like Seattle and Victoria have harbours without bridges in the way and they've been getting more cruise traffic lately. In 2008, the number of passengers in Seattle surpassed Vancouver's numbers for the first time. Ever since, Vancouver has been in second place, with Victoria hot on its heels. 

With that in mind, the Port of Vancouver is now considering a new terminal in Delta or Richmond to accommodate these ships. 

I have to be honest: At first glance, this seems a bit desperate. Where is our confidence in Vancouver as a destination? If these cruise ships really wanted to come to the city, wouldn't they keep their ships small enough to fit under the bridge?

I looked into this more and it turns out Vancouver isn't really the destination. It's actually a launching point.

The West Coast cruise ship industry exists because of Alaska. People want to see glaciers and fjords and those things are hard to get to by car. Until recently, Vancouver was the only place in the Pacific Northwest where cruise ships could start and end this journey. 

But in 1996, Seattle entered the scene with the Bell Street Cruise Terminal and, ever since, more and more cruise ships  start their Alaska trips there. In 2010, Seattle launched 70 per cent of all round-trip cruises to Alaska.

Victoria, which is currently a rest stop for these cruises, has also announced plans to turn its port into a launching point . 

Basically, the cruise industry doesn't need Vancouver. With most passengers headed to Alaska, the launching point can be any of these three cities. The industry can afford to sacrifice Vancouver for bigger vessels and profits.

When you see it this way, that terminal in Delta starts to make sense. But, in my opinion, doing that would still be a mistake. 

• Opinion Vancouver, you're using escalators wrong, but that's (mostly) OK

If you look at the data, Vancouver was losing business to Seattle way before the largest ships on the West Coast were even built. A report from the Port of Vancouver suggests the higher cost of flights to Vancouver compared to Seattle is a major factor behind this trend. The report doesn't mention the Lions Gate Bridge once.

On top of that, cruise ships and the tourism they bring can be too much of a good thing. 

They come with an environmental impact; the jobs they create are often low paying and seasonal; and they tend to make us forget that destination cities are ultimately about the people who live there.

Venice and Barcelona are exploring limits on cruise ships after residents protested the "Disneyfication" effect on their cities, which they said were increasingly being treated like resorts. Even Victoria itself recently passed a motion to limit the number of cruise ships coming through its harbour. 

• Opinion Should we tear down the Vancouver seawall?

The Lions Gate Bridge, despite its flaws, is naturally placing limits on an industry that can become problematic if left untethered. Its height could actually be a blessing in disguise.

To hear the interview with Uytae Lee and The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn tap the audio link below:

This column is part of CBC's Opinion section. For more information about this section, please read our  FAQ .

With files from The Early Edition

Related Stories

• Top stories from British Columbia
• Hundreds take a foundation course. Only dozens are accepted to study nursing. It's a 'cash grab,' students say
• B.C.'s $830M in fossil fuel subsidies undermines efforts to fight climate crisis, report says
• Blast of chilly, blustery weather set to roll through B.C.

• SOUTH DAKOTA

Lions Gate Bridge from a cruise ship! 🏔 Sailing under the bridge 🏔 Vancouver BC cruise travel blog

The Lion’s Gate Bridge is an iconic bridge in Vancouver.

You can walk across the bridge as a pedestrian.

And, if you are on a cruise from Vancouver, the cruise ship will sail directly under the Lion’s Gate Bridge as you sail away from Canada Place and the Vancouver cruise port!

Canada Place basically is the Vancouver cruise port.

Yes, cruise ships go under the Lions Gate Bridge!

If you have a cruise from Vancouver, be sure to be out on the open deck as the cruise ship is sailing away from the Vancouver cruise port!

Ideas for your Alaska cruise from Vancouver

• Skagway footbridge
• Things to do in Ketchikan
• Things to do in Juneau
• Things to do in Skagway
• Princess cruise tips
• Vancouver cruise port embarkation day

More pictures below of seeing Lions Gate Bridge from a cruise ship!

• Hotel absolutely nearest to the cruise port: Read the reviews and check availability for Pan Pacific Vancouver

Sailing under the Lions Gate Bridge from Vancouver cruise port!

The cruise ship starts sailing towards the Lions Gate Bridge from Canada Place!

More for your Alaska cruise from Vancouver

• Ketchikan excursions
• Juneau excursions
• Skagway excursions

HAPPY SEEING THE LIONS GATE BRIDGE IN VANCOUVER!

Vancouver Sun ePaper

U.s. bridge collapse shows `what's at stake' for b.c., glenda luymes.

B.C. officials have been aware of the risk of a ship striking the Lions Gate and Ironworkers Memorial bridges for almost a decade, but plans to install enhanced collision barriers on both bridges remain in the early stages.

The attention on Metro Vancouver's bridges comes after a cargo ship lost power and crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday morning. Six construction workers who were fixing potholes on the bridge deck when it collapsed are presumed dead.

In 2016, a group of retired engineers identified the risk of ship strike on the Ironworkers Memorial bridge and urged the federal government to do a full risk analysis before approving the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

A short video released with the group's report showed an oil tanker with rudder failure hitting the CN Rail bridge before taking down the Ironworkers bridge.

Eugene Kung, a lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law who helped the group with publicity, said he was “horrified” to see the Maryland bridge collapse this week.

“It was exactly the type of scenario that was contemplated,” said Kung, who regularly drives and cycles over the Ironworkers bridge. “You take it for granted, but this is a reminder of what's at stake.”

Wilderness Committee campaigner Peter McCarthy said the provincial government studied the issue independent of the pipeline approval in 2018 and confirmed the bridges did not meet certain standards.

“The good news is that the province is planning to address the issue,” he said. “The bad news is that they're still in the design phase.”

Tanker traffic beneath the Ironworkers bridge is expected to double when Trans Mountain begins pumping oil in the next few months.

A ship strike would be a “nightmare scenario,” said McCarthy.

“It's frustrating that people have been raising this concern for a decade, and we're still in the same place.”

In the 2018 report prepared for the Ministry of Transportation, engineers found the Lions Gate Bridge's south tower faced the greatest risk from the “flared bow” of a container ship or cruise ship. The top of the bow could hit the tower at a weak structural location above the water and cause serious damage.

Last spring, the provincial government issued a request for proposals for a company to design vessel impact protection for both North Shore bridges.

According to a news release, at the Lions Gate Bridge, the existing concrete collar at the base of the south tower would be enhanced with an in-water, rock-fill berm, similar to one already in place at the north tower. The sloped berm would cause vessels to run aground before striking the bridge tower. At the Ironworkers Memorial bridge, in-water deflection structures would be installed.

The Ministry of Transportation did not provide answers to questions about the status of the protection work before deadline.

But University of B.C. civil engineering Prof. Tony Yang said there is “no bridge in the world that can lose its foundation and stand.”

“If you knock down a pier, the same thing will happen to all bridges, no doubt,” he said. “The real question is what is the risk of that happening?”

Yang said there are ways to mitigate risk through operational strategies, including strict regulations to keep boats away from bridge towers, limit boat speeds or require tugboats to guide boats into harbour.

He said engineers can also design bridges for greater impacts or install preventive measures, such as bumpers, to dissipate or deflect energy. Yang said the Baltimore disaster is being watched by engineers around the world. “We were devastated,” he said. In a statement, Shri Madiwal, acting vice-president of operations at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, said the port has created traffic control zones that limit ship speed, as well as transit windows based on tidal heights and currents, ship size and air draft.

In 2017, the port authority changed the navigation channel under the Lions Gate Bridge from a two-way to a one-way channel to allow ships to stay in the centre of the channel, he said.

In addition, tugboat support is required, with every foreign ship over 350 gross registered tons required to use a local marine pilot when they enter B.C. waters.

“We have supported planning by the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to strengthen the resilience of bridges in Burrard Inlet,” he added.

The City of Vancouver is responsible for maintaining the three bridges that span False Creek. In a statement, the city said a previous risk assessment concluded impact by the smaller vessels that are allowed to access False Creek “would not be able to cause significant structural damage.”

In a situation where a vessel that is not permitted approaches False Creek, such as a loose barge, the city would follow its emergency response procedures and consider an immediate bridge closure.

2024-03-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://epaper.vancouversun.com/article/281513641158838

Far from ordinary but not far from you

Getting to Vancouver’s North Shore is simple, quick, and scenic. If you’re not driving, sit back and enjoy the sights. The North Shore is linked to Vancouver by two historic bridges: the landmark Lions Gate Bridge and the Ironworker’s Memorial Bridge.

One of the most popular and scenic ways to cross Burrard Inlet is by SeaBus, a short 12-minute harbour-hop that zips you from downtown Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay, amidst freighters, tugs, float planes, helicopters and occasional cruise ships and kayaks that ply the bustling harbour.

• Other approaches to Vancouver’s North Shore-along Highway 1 from the east or Highway 99 from Pemberton and Whistler-are equally scenic.

The Lions Gate Bridge

Also known as the First Narrows Bridge, the  Lions Gate Bridge is a landmark similar in style to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. It was built in 1937 in large part to help develop land owned by the Guinness family (of beer fame) in West Vancouver. A toll bridge for many years, it cost a princely 25 cents. Tolls were removed in 1955 when the Guinness family sold the bridge to the Province of British Columbia, and in 1963 the tolls were dropped. The family purchased decorative lights for the bridge in 1986, which still makes the span a distinctive sight against the nighttime skyline.

The bridge was named for the Lions, two visually striking North Shore mountains, and the most recognizable Vancouver landmarks. Film director Robert Altman, who founded Lions Gate Films, named the company after the bridge.

The Ironworker’s Memorial Bridge

The  Ironworkers’ Memorial Bridge , originally called the Second Narrows Bridge, was renamed in 1994 to honour the workers who lost their lives during its construction. On June 17, 1958, several spans of the new bridge collapsed, and 79 workers were injured and 18 died.

The  SeaBus is a passenger-only, accessible ferry service. The 400-passenger catamaran ferry takes you between downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver in only 12-minutes. Be sure to have your camera ready, as the ride is very scenic with spectacular views of the city, mountains and Burrard Inlet.

The North Shore terminal is located at Lonsdale Quay. You will find a bus terminal which with connecting buses waiting to take you where you want to go. You should also check out the  Lonsdale Quay Market .

Canada Place cruise ship terminal arrival and departure information

You’re either coming or going from the Canada Place Cruise Ship terminal to the North Shore! If you are coming our way, head to Waterfront Station when leaving the front of the cruise ship terminal at Canada Place, and turn left towards Gastown. Buy a two zone Seabus ticket in the terminal, and arrive at Lonsdale Quay terminal 12 minutes later. If you are going to the Cruise Ship terminal, take the Lonsdale Quay terminal Seabus station to Waterfront Station. When leaving the station, turn right and head to Canada Place.  You can’t miss it! There is no better view on your Seabus ride to and from the North Shore!

Useful Resources

Translink Trip Planner: find public transport routes and schedules

West Vancouver Blue Bus

Nice by Nature

Adele & Whiskey

Kristin L May

Katherine Rammo

Visitor Centre

#explorenorthshore, let's stay in touch, sign up for the newsletter to stay in the loop..

• Country * Country Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darrussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini (Swaziland) Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Réunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay US Minor Outlying Islands Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key Bridge wreckage in Baltimore

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore this week after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city’s port.

The Balsa 94, a bulk carrier sailing under a Panama flag, passed through the new 35-foot channel Thursday, headed for St. John, Canada. Two more commercial ships followed later that day, including a vehicle carrier headed to Panama.

Their long-awaited voyages marked an important step in the ongoing cleanup and recovery effort as crews have been working around the clock to clear thousands of tons of mangled steel and concrete from the entrance to Baltimore’s harbor.

Five vessels that have been stranded for weeks are expected to finally leave Baltimore through the new, temporary channel. Other ships are scheduled to enter the port, which normally processes more cars and farm equipment than any other in the country.

World & Nation

First vessel uses alternate channel to bypass wreckage at the Baltimore bridge collapse site

A fuel barge has become the first vessel to use an alternate channel to bypass the wreckage of Baltimore’s collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

April 2, 2024

Thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small-business owners have seen their jobs affected by the collapse, prompting local and state officials to prioritize reopening the port and restoring its traffic to normal capacity in hopes of easing the economic ripple effects of the collapse. Officials have also established various assistance programs for unemployed workers and others affected by the closure.

On Thursday morning, the Balsa 94 moved through the channel guided by two tugboats, one in front and one behind. It glided slowly past the fallen bridge and grounded Dali, the massive container ship that caused the collapse when it slammed into one of the bridge’s support columns.

Pieces of the steel span are still blocking other parts of the port’s main channel, which has a controlling depth of 50 feet, enough to accommodate some of the largest cargo and cruise ships on the water.

Salvage crews have begun removing containers from the ship that collapsed Baltimore’s Key bridge

Salvage crews have begun removing containers from the cargo ship that crashed into and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

April 8, 2024

The Balsa 94 is expected to arrive in Canada on Monday.

The Dali lost power and veered off course shortly after leaving the Port of Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka last month.

Six members of a roadwork crew — all Latino immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras — plunged to their deaths in the collapse. Four bodies have been recovered from the underwater wreckage; two remain missing.

A memorial for the victims near the south end of the bridge has grown in recent weeks. It now includes six large wooden crosses decorated with flags from the victims’ home countries and other personal items, including the hardhats and work boots that allowed them to provide for their families and chase the American dream. A painted canvas backdrop displays abstract scenes from the bridge collapse and salvage efforts as well as handwritten notes from the men’s loved ones.

Efforts underway to remove Baltimore bridge ruins; search suspended for 4 workers presumed dead

Cleanup the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore begins and authorities announce suspension of the search for four workers.

March 28, 2024

“We want to send a message to the world that we’re here and we care,” said the artist, Roberto Marquez, who was visiting the memorial late Thursday morning. “We will be here working until they are all recovered.”

The new channel will remain open until Monday or Tuesday and then close again until roughly May 10. During the closure, crews will work to remove steel spans from the deck of the Dali and refloat the ship, which will then be guided back into the port, officials said this week.

The port’s main channel is set to reopen next month after the Dali has been removed from the collapse site. That will allow for a normal flow of traffic to resume through the port.

But for now, the 35-foot depth is a substantial increase over the three other temporary channels established in recent weeks. It puts the cleanup effort slightly ahead of schedule, as officials previously said they hoped to open a channel of that depth by the end of April.

A hulking vehicle carrier named Carmen that is nearly as long as the Dali became the third commercial ship to traverse the channel Thursday afternoon. Viewed from the deck of a nearby passenger boat, it appeared to sail steadily between the marker buoys, dwarfing the cranes, barges and other wreckage removal equipment that was stationed nearby.

The Baltimore bridge collapse reminds us immigrants often do unheralded and dangerous work

Immigrants built America, but some politicians and pundits would like us to believe that the great contributions of immigrants stopped somewhere in the late 1800s.

March 29, 2024

Even with commercial ships chugging past, crews continued the arduous process of clearing debris from the collapse site. On Thursday, they were using a crane apparatus to smash the fallen roadway into more manageable pieces that could be lifted from underwater with a giant claw.

In a court filing Monday, Baltimore’s mayor and City Council called for the Dali’s owner and manager to be held fully liable for the bridge collapse, which they said could be devastating for the regional economy. They said the port, which was established before the nation’s founding, has long been an economic driver for Baltimore and the surrounding area. Losing the bridge itself has also disrupted a major East Coast trucking route.

The filing came in response to an earlier petition on behalf of the two companies asking a court to cap their liability under a pre-Civil War provision of a maritime law — a routine procedure for such cases. A federal court in Maryland will ultimately decide who’s responsible and how much they owe.

In the meantime, the FBI and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting probes to determine what caused the ship to lose power and strike the bridge.

Skene writes for the Associated Press.

More to Read

Ship that caused bridge collapse had electrical issues while still docked, AP source says

April 15, 2024

Biden tours collapsed Baltimore bridge and declares, ‘Your nation has your back’

April 6, 2024

Channel opens for vessels clearing wreckage at Baltimore bridge collapse site

April 1, 2024

Start your day right

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

10 people are shot amid fight at a florida party venue; teen is arrested.

April 28, 2024

Putin likely didn’t order death of Russian opposition leader Navalny, U.S. official says

Police officer hiring in U.S. increased in 2023 after years of decline, survey shows

Oklahoma governor declares state of emergency for 12 tornado-battered counties

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Slovenščina
• Science & Tech
• Russian Kitchen

Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

• What to do in Moscow City, if you’re not mega-rich
• Moscow after dusk: 10 places to drink, dance, and groove
• 5 things you must do in Moscow in 2018 between football matches (or without them)
• Sandwiched between Moscow and St. Petersburg: How to spend a perfect weekend in Tver 
• 24 or 48 hours in Moscow: Where to go and what to do in 2019

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.

9 Things to See in Moscow's Red Square

 Sir Francis Canker/Getty Images

In most cases, you'll be entering Red Square from the north, passing landmarks such as the Bolshoi Theatre and Duma parliament building as you make your way southward. Although you don't necessarily have to pass through the Voskresensky (or Resurrection in English) Gates in order to gain access to the square these days, they definitely provide a sense of arrival, to say nothing of the way their left arch frame's St. Basil's Cathedral if you look from just the right angle.

An interesting fact is that while a gate of some kind has stood here since the mid-16th century, the one you currently see wasn't built until 1994, having been destroyed in 1931 so that tanks could enter and exit Red Square during military parades.

St. Basil's Cathedral

TripSavvy / Christopher Larson 

Few sights are as iconic not only of Moscow and Red Square but indeed of Russia than St. Basil's Cathedral, whose colorful, onion-shaped domes are a symbol of the country around the world. Officially known as the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, this church has stood since 1561, which is quite miraculous when you consider all the turbulent history that has transpired since then.

Among other things, religion was severely prohibited during the Soviet period , which led some to believe that this emblem of the Russian Orthodox church might not withstand the tenure of the USSR. 

An interesting fact is that St. Basil's is the so-called "Kilometer Zero" of Russia; all of Moscow's main roads (which can take you anywhere in Russia) begin at the exits to Red Square. In this way, St. Basil's iconic status also has an extremely tangible element.

The Kremlin

TripSavvy / Christopher Larson

When you think of The Kremlin, it's unlikely that positive images enter your mind. The fact that simply saying the word "Kremlin" is too vague a descriptor (most Russian cities have their own Kremlin complexes; you should say "Moscow Kremlin") notwithstanding, this misunderstood place is incredibly beautiful, even if you don't like the policy that comes out of it.

Senate Square

In spite of its name, which refers to the role the building that rises above the square played during Imperial Russia, Senate Square is actually home to Russia's presidential administration, currently helmed by Vladimir Putin. In order to see where Russia's legislature operates from, walk just outside Red Square to the Duma parliament building.

Dormition Cathedral

Dating back to the year 1479, the gold-domed Dormition Cathedral pays homage to an Orthodox religious feast that commemorates the death of the Virgin Mary . As is the case with St. Basil's, it is curious that such a conspicuously religious structure was able to survive through the Soviet period.

Armoury Chamber

Though it takes its name from the fact that it housed Russia's royal arsenal when it was built in the 16th century, the most notable resident of the Kremlin's Armoury Chamber today is the Russian Diamond Fund.

Notable Kremlin Towers

Robert Schrader

The interior of the Moscow Kremlin is more beautiful and inviting than you'd expect, but the walls and towers that rise around it better live up to the intimidation with which the complex is associated. 

Borovitskaya Tower

Named to commemorate the dense forest that once stood atop the mount where it's built, this tower is extremely picturesque. Built in the late 15th century, it's visible from most places in the square, and also as you walk along the Moskva River.

Nikolskaya Tower

Also built in the year 1491, this tower currently suffered destruction at the hands of Napoleon's army in the 19th century. What you see now is the result of an 1816 re-design and renovation, though artillery fire during the Russian Revolution also caused superficial damage to the tower, named to honor St. Nikolas of Mozhaysk , so it's difficult to know which elements of it are original.

Spasskaya Tower

Known in English as the "Savior's Tower," this iconic, star-topped tower is perhaps the best-known of all the Kremlin's towers. Built in 1491 like the other two towers on this list, it's certainly the most photographed. As a result of its proximity to St. Basil's, it often makes its way into tourists' pictures.

Mausoleum of Lenin

Just as it's strange to learn how many religious monuments survived through the Soviet period, it's a bit odd to think that Lenin's preserved body still sits in a mausoleum just beneath the walls of the Kremlin on Red Square, given the lack of consensus about the ultimate impact of his Revolution, even in Russia.

It's not guaranteed that you'll be able to see the body (which, believe it or not, seems to be improving with age ) when you go, and if you do you will likely have to wait in line, but even strolling past the outside of the Lenin Mausoleum, flanked by stone-faced guards that almost look like statues, illuminates the gravity of his body still being here.

GUM Shopping Center

You might cringe, at least initially, when you realize that one of the most iconic stops on a tour of Red Square is a department store—until you see said department store, that is. Built in 1893 and known during Soviet times as the State Department Store, GUM  ( Glávnyj Universáľnyj Magazín​ or Main Universal Store in English) hearkens back to the grandeur of the late 19th century, both seen from the outside (especially, when lit up at night) and the interior, which might have you feeling like you're further west in Europe.

A trip inside GUM is a particularly good idea during winter, when frigid temperatures outside will have you savoring the heat, the quality of souvenirs, confections and other goods sold inside notwithstanding. Also, make sure not to confuse GUM with CDM, which sits near the Bolshoi Theatre, even though both are stunning and iconic in their own right.

State Historical Museum

The Russian State Historical Museum is located near Voskresensky Gates, though you should wait until after you've seen the first few attractions of Red Square and the Kremlin to head back there and go inside. To be sure, as you pass by its facade (whose late-19th century grandeur somewhat obscures that fact that it's currently a museum accessible to the public) you might not even think to try and gain entry.

Once inside the museum, you can plan to spend at least a couple of hours, given that artifacts here date back to the very beginning of the Russian state in the ninth century. As is the case with GUM, this will be a particularly alluring prospect if you visit in winter, when Moscow is arguably at its most beautiful, but certainly at its least tolerable. 

Minin-Pozharsky Monument

It's somewhat easy to disregard this monument, which pays homage to the two Russian princes who ended the so-called "Time of Troubles" in the mid-16th century, during which Polish-Lithuanian forces occupied Russia, among other awful things including a famine. That's because the statue currently sits just at the base of St. Basil's Cathedral, which makes it very difficult to photograph or even see without being overwhelmed by that much more famous edifice.

Though the statue originally sat at the very center of Red Square, it came to be an obstacle to the movement of tanks during the Soviet period, much like the Voskresensky Gates. As a result, authorities moved it during that time, and it's stayed where you currently find it ever since.

Kazan Cathedral

Taken by itself, the smokey-pink Kazan Cathedral is an architectural marvel; originally built in the 17th century, the church you find here today, located just north of the GUM department store, dates back only to 1993.

Unfortunately, since it sits not only in the shadow of GUM, but also in the shadow St. Basil's and the Towers of the Kremlin, it's easy to miss entirely if you aren't looking. As a result, you might wait until you've seen just about everything else in Red Square before coming here to take photos, and to appreciate the understated beauty of this oft-overlooked cathedral.

Moskva River

As you head south from St. Basil's Cathedral to exit Red Square, make sure to walk onto Bolshoy Moskvoretskiy Bridge, which crosses the Moskva River. If you look due north, you can get an excellent shot of the church framed, on the left, by the towers of the Kremlin. Directing your gaze a bit to the west allows you to see the skyscrapers of Moscow City as they rise above the Kremlin's walls.

Walking westward along the riverbank is also a worthwhile excursion, for the views it provides of Red Square and the Kremlin, as well as the fact that doing so takes you to other iconic Moscow attractions, including Gorky Park and the Pushkin Museum. The views you enjoy from the river and the bridge are particularly stunning at night, though you should make sure you bring a tripod if you want to get a clear picture, given how strong winds over and near the river can be.

Moscow - Russian Rivers and Waterways Port of Call

Moscow Metro: The Complete Guide

25 Best Things to Do in Moscow

The Impressive Castles of Eastern Europe

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow: Planning Your Visit

St. Petersburg, Russia

10 Must-Visit Palaces and Castles in Russia

Top 12 Things to Do in Kazan, Russia

The Top 12 Things to Do in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

The Top 12 Things to Do in Astrakhan

Soviet Sights in Moscow – Moscow USSR Sites

A Guide to the 4th Arrondissement in Paris

The Top 15 Places to Visit in Russia

The Top 12 Things to Do in Novgorod, Russia

The Top 15 Things to Do in Bordeaux, France

A Guide to Moscow: Capital of Russia, City of Domes