Cruises to Moscow

As in any major city, Moscow has its share of pickpockets who are drawn to foreign tour groups. Stay aware of your surroundings and invest in a purse or bag that can either be hidden or worn cross-body.

Many churches and museums in Russia charge a separate fee, usually 50 to 100 rubles, to take photos -- or the sites ban them altogether. Make sure you check before you snap.

It's about a 30-minute ride on the Metro from the Rechnoy Vokzal station, located at the end of the system's Green Line, to Revolution Square. Tickets are 30 rubles each way and allow transfers. Using the system is much like that in any other city, although you'll want to ask your cruise director or hotel concierge to point out the Cyrillic name of the station (and if you take a taxi, make sure you bring a card with you that has the name of the terminal written out in Russian).

Once you're in the city, you can either use the Metro to get to other attractions or walk; most tourist attractions are within 20 to 30 minutes of Red Square. Taxis are available, but it will help to know the name of your destination in Russian and have it written in Cyrillic.

Local currency is the ruble. Check xe.com and oanda.com for current exchange rates. For better prices, get your rubles at an ATM in the airport or in the city. Otherwise, use a credit card. Just make sure to call your bank and let them know you're traveling in advance; Russia is well known for scams, and transactions there will be noted.

Russian is the major language, although in Moscow, some of the vendors and restaurant workers speak a little English, and most signs are in the Cyrillic alphabet.