Cruise ship "Viking Ingvar. The saga of Ingvar and the Viking campaigns to the East - maximus101 Viking motor ship Ingvar schedule
The saga of Ingvar the Traveler tells about the campaign of Ingvar and his squad to Gardarika (Rus) and further along the rivers south to Serkland (the countries of the Caliphate) in 1040. Presumably, Ingvar's campaign ended in Transcaucasia, where he and almost his entire detachment died. The saga surprisingly resonates with the chronicle. Despite the fact that the date of Ingvar’s campaign is later (approximately 1040), the result of the expedition almost completely coincides with the narrative of Miskaveikh - almost all the participants and Ingvar himself die from disease, the Armenian chronicler Movses Kagankatvatsi, describing the Russian campaign against Berdaa , especially noted the pernicious role of local women who poisoned the Rus, as did the Scandinavian creator of the saga.
Almost all participants in Ingvar’s campaign died in the Caliphate, but in Scandinavia memorial stones with runic inscriptions were installed for them. These are the so-called “Ingvar stones”, I added some of the epitaphs from these stones to this post.
The birth of Ingvar and the adventures of his father Eymund
A few winters later, the king who was called Yaritsleiv (Yaroslav the Wise) and ruled Gard[ariki] (Rus) wooed Ingigerd. She was given to him, and she left with him to the east. When Eymund learned this news, he went there to the east, and King Yaritsleif received him well, as well as Ingigerd and her people, since at that time there was great unrest in Gardariki due to the fact that Buritsleif, the brother of King Yaritsleif, attacked state. Eymund fought 5 battles with him, but in the last one Buritsleif was captured and blinded and brought to the king. There he received enormous wealth in silver and gold, and various jewelry and expensive items.
The runic inscription "Serkland" is how the lands of the Caliphate were designated in Scandinavia. 
Sö 131 Spyoti, Halfdan, they erected this stone after Scardi, their brother. [He] left here to the east with Ingvar, the son of Eyvind lies in Serkland (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
Eimund was in Holmgard (Novgorod), and fought many battles and won them all, and conquered and returned to the king many lands that paid tribute. Then Eymund wanted to visit his possessions, and took a large and well-equipped army, because he had no shortage of money or weapons. Here comes Eymund from Gardariki with great honor and popular respect, and now comes to Svitjod (Sweden), and establishes himself there in his state and possessions, and immediately he decided to marry, and takes the daughter of a powerful man as his wife, and he was born with her son, whose name is Ingvar.
Sö 179 (Gripsholm stone) Tola ordered this stone to be installed for her son Harald, Ingvar's brother. They bravely traveled far for gold and fed the eagles in the east. They died in the south in Serkland. 
Ingvar's first trip to the Baltic states
At the time when the relatives - Onund and Ingvar - matured, the people called Semigallians (Latvians) were at enmity with King Olav, and for some time they did not pay tribute. Then King Olav Onund and Ingvar sent on three ships to collect tribute. They came to the country and convened the inhabitants to a Thing, and collected tribute there from their king. Ingvar showed the perfection of his eloquence, so that it seemed to the king and many other chiefs that there was no other solution than to pay the tribute that was demanded [from them], except for three chiefs who did not want to carry out the king’s decision, and refused to pay tribute, and collected army. When the king heard about their act, he asked Onund and Ingvar to fight with them and gave them an army. They fought, and many people were killed before they put the Chiefs to flight. As they retreated, the one of them who was most opposed to paying tribute was captured, and they hanged him, but the other two escaped. They took a lot of goods there as war booty, and took all the tribute, and took it all to King Olaf, and brought it to him great wealth gold and silver and jewels.
U Fv1992;157 (Arlanda stone) Gunnar and Bjorn and Thorgrim erected this stone after Thorstein, their brother. He died in the east with Ingvar. And they made this bridge (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
Invar's stay in Rus'
After some time, Ingvar sailed from Svitjod on 30 ships and did not lower the sails until they arrived in Gardariki; and King Yaritsleif received him with great honor. Ingvar stayed there for three winters and learned to speak many languages. He heard stories that three rivers flowed from the east along Gardariki, and the largest was the one in the middle. Then Ingvar began to walk around Austrrichka and asked if any of the people knew where that river flowed from, but no one could tell him this. Then Ingvar set out on a journey from Gardariki to walk and find out how long this river is. He gave the bishop the opportunity to consecrate the ax and flints for him.
U 654 Andvett and Kar, and kiti, and Blasi, and Dyarv erected this stone after Gunnleif, their father. He was killed in the east with Ingvar. God help their souls. I, Alrik (Askel?), carved the runes. He could steer the ship well (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
Ingvar and Greek fire
...Soon an island floated up to them and rained down a hail of stones on them; but they covered themselves [with shields] and fired back. And when the Vikings met strong resistance, they began to blow up the furnace in which there was fire with blacksmith bellows, and this caused a strong roar. There was a copper pipe, and from it a large fire flew towards one ship, and it burned to the ground in a matter of minutes.
And when Ingvar saw this, he regretted his loss and ordered to bring him tinder with consecrated fire. Then he bent his bow, and placed an arrow on the string, and lit the end of the arrow with consecrated fire. And this arrow flew with fire from the bow into the pipe protruding above the stove; and the fire spread to the pagans themselves and in the blink of an eye burned the island along with people and ships.
U 644 Andvett and kiti, and Kar, and Blasi, and Dyarv, they erected this stone after Gunnleif, their father. He fell in the east with Ingvar. May God help [his] soul (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
About King Harald
...long ago Harald, the king of the Swedes, passed this way, and in the abyss of Raudahav he disappeared with his companions, and now he has come here as a guard; and as evidence of the [authenticity] of my story, his banner is kept here in the hall, and let Ingvar take it with him and send it to Svitod, so that they do not remain in the dark about what happened to their king.
Sö 281 Alvi ordered a monument to be made for ... brother Ulva. They are in the east... with Ingvar in Serkland... (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
Battle of Ingvar in Transcaucasia
...And when they sailed to the city of Heliopolis for the second time, King Yulf came out to meet them with many ships and then asked Ingvar to lower the sails, “because now you must help me with an army against Bjolf, my brother, whose other name is Solmund ; because he himself and his eight sons want to take away my state.” Then Ingvar went to the city, and they prepared for battle. Ingvar ordered to build large wheels and strengthen the teeth and rods on the outside; and he also ordered that battle spurs be forged. So both kings gather an army and come to the place about which they agreed among themselves; and [by the time] Ingvar had prepared himself, Bjölva had more people than he did. King Yulv led his army against his brother. And when they were both ready, they shouted a battle cry. Ingvar and his people then rolled those wheels with all the accessories, and from this many people died and the battle ranks were broken. Then Ingvar attacked from the flank and killed all the sons of King Bjolf, but he himself escaped unharmed.
U 661 kairui and Gulli erected this stone after Onund, their father. He died in the East with Ingvar. May God help the soul of Onunda (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
Poisoning of Ingvar's people
Then they saw that many women were coming to the camp, and they began to lure [the warriors]. Ingvar ordered to beware of women as the most poisonous snakes. But when evening came and the army began to prepare for bed, the women came to their camp, and the one who was the most noble prepared a bed for herself next to Ingvar. Then he got angry and pulled out a knife from his belt and hit her in the genitals. And when the soldiers saw what he did, they began to drive away these unkind women, but there were some who, because of the devil’s witchcraft, did not resist their caresses and lay with them. And when Ingvar heard about this, the rejoicing from the silver and the joy from the wine resulted in great sorrow, because in the morning, when they examined their army, eighteen people turned out to be dead. Then Ingvar ordered to bury those who died.
The Armenian chronicler Movses Kagankatvatsi in his “History of the Country of Aluank” describes a similar episode as follows:
“The women of the city, resorting to treachery, began to poison the Rus; but they, having learned about this treason, mercilessly exterminated the women and their children, and after staying in the city for 6 months, completely devastated it.”
U 778 Tjalvi and Holmlaug ordered all these stones to be set up by baka, their son. He alone owned the ship and led [it] in the east in the army of Ingvar. God help my soul baka. Askel carved (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
Death of Ingvar and his warriors
...the disease began to spread so quickly in their army that all their best people died, and more people died than survived. Ingvar also fell ill, and then they sailed to the state of Silkisiv. Then he called his army to him and ordered to bury those who died. Then he called Gardaketil and the rest of his friends to him and said: “I have fallen ill with this disease, and I think that it will lead me to death, and then I will take the place that I deserve. But with God’s mercy I expect that the Son of God will give me hope, because day after day with all my heart I give myself into the hands of the Lord, my soul and body; and that is why I cared so much about these people, as far as I understood it. But I want you to know that we are stricken with this deadly disease by God’s fair judgment, and most of all this disease and witchcraft are directed at me, because with my death the disease will immediately cease. But I want to ask you, and first of all you, Ketil, that you take my body to Svitjod and bury it in the church. And I order my share of property, which I have in gold and silver and expensive clothes, to be divided into three parts.
And then, when Ingvar died, one winter (1041 winter) had passed since the birth of Jesus Christ (1040). He was then twenty-five years old when he died.
U 439 Herleif and Thorgerd ordered this stone to be installed after Sabjorn (?), their father. He sailed the ship with Ingvar to the east askalat (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
Ög 155 Torfrid installed this stone after Asgaut and Gauti, her sons. He, Gauti, died in the army of Ingvar (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
U 431 Tova and hominkr ordered this stone to be set up for Gunnar, their son. And he died far away among the Greeks. May God and the Mother of God help his soul (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
Sö 320 Geirvat and Onund and utamr set up a stone for Bürstein, their brother. He was in the east with Ingvar, a brave warrior, the son of Khlivey (translated by E. A. Melnikova). 
U 153 (Hagby stone) [Svein] and Ulf ordered [these] stones to be installed according to Halfdan and according to Gunnar, their brothers. They died in the east... (translated by E. A. Melnikova).
U 518 Thorgerd and Svein, they ordered the stone to be set up for Orm and Ormulf and Frigeir. He died isilu in the north, and they died in Greece. May God help [their] spirit and soul (translated by E. A. Melnikova).
Texts about the Rus and Slavs.
"Viking Ingvar"- four-deck passenger river boat, making 14-day flights in Russia, departing from Moscow and St. Petersburg. The operator of the ship is the company, and the contingent of passengers consists entirely of foreign tourists, since cruises on the ship are not sold in Russia.
The motor ship was built under its original name in 1990 in Germany, at a shipyard, as a series of 27 ships built for the USSR between 1983 and 1991.
After commissioning, the ship entered the North-Western River Shipping Company and was assigned to Leningrad (St. Petersburg). Since the beginning of the 90s, the ship has been operating on flights with foreign tourists: initially from the ICH company, and since 1997 from the company. The ship received its current name after modernization and re-equipment - in April 2012. The ship is named in honor of Ingvar Hrerekson (Norman name of Igor Rurikovich) - the first Old Russian prince, Grand Duke of Kyiv (875-945), son of Rurik.
The length of the vessel is 129 m, width - 16.7 m, draft - 2.8 m. The displacement of the ship is 3800 tons, the ship reaches a speed of up to 25 km/h. The crew of the ship is 120 people. The vessel operates under the Russian flag and is registered in St. Petersburg, the shipowner is Passenger Fleet LLC. The captain of the ship "Viking Ingvar" is Igor Stepanov.
The ship can accommodate 250 tourists, who have a restaurant with an area of about 350 square meters. m. There is a viewing bar in the bow of the boat deck. At the bow of the boat deck there is a viewing bar with an area of about 100 square meters. m.. On the tent deck there is a music salon with a bar of about 150 sq. m. m. and a large open deck with sun loungers and an awning. On the main deck there is a passenger check-in desk, with a seating area and a library. A passenger elevator connects all passenger decks of the ship.
On board the ship there are double single-tier cabins, most of of which are equipped with balconies. Each cabin has a double bed, private bathroom with separate shower, air conditioning, refrigerator, public telephone and personal TV with satellite channels, free wi-fi in the cabins.
Meals on board the ship are 3 times a day, included in the price. Breakfast - Buffet, have early coffee before breakfast. Lunch and dinner - on an order basis. Complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks during lunch and dinner. Captain's cocktail on the first day of the cruise, and on the last evening of the cruise - Captain's dinner. The cuisine is international, American style, as well as traditional Russian dishes.
All port taxes are included, but an additional voluntary gratuity of up to $25 per day may apply for excursion and onboard services.
In July 2015, writer and photographer K. D. Leperi took a two-week cruise around Russia on the company's ship, from Moscow to St. Petersburg. In his blog, he showed how he saw his trip Viking River Cruises’ Waterways of the Tsars.
The journey begins in Moscow, but the ship departs for a cruise only on the 4th day: for the first three days, tourists get acquainted with the capital of Russia. These are excursions to the Kremlin, the Armory Chamber, the Pushkin Museum, the Moscow metro, a concert of Russian folk music with Cossack dances and a night walk around the city. Particularly impressive was the visit Bolshoi Theater- to see the famous “Swan Lake”. You can also choose additional excursions. As the author writes, he chose a trip to Star City and to the submarine (museum) in Tushino.
Then the ship proceeds to St. Petersburg, making a stop at (), (Church of Elijah the Prophet, the Kremlin and the Governor's House), (excursion to), () and. Leperi notes that the route is optimal for getting to know Russian culture: “ luxurious palaces and monasteries, whose iconic dome shapes play with a kaleidoscope of colors.” The highest wooden churches in the world, vodka with tea in homes local residents(apparently we are talking about such a type of excursion as visit local house in Goritsy - approx. website), excursions to the Hermitage, Catherine Palace. As Leperi writes, the most interesting place For him, the excursion to Kizhi was the most boring, and the most boring thing was the master class on painting matryoshka dolls.
The comfortable Viking Ingvar vessel also contributes to relaxation, the author continues. This is a “stylish, to a European look, liner, 423 feet long, which was renovated in 2013 - 2014. It accommodates 210 guests and has a crew of 115 people. On board, guests will enjoy a panoramic restaurant, a lounge area and two bars, a library, a solarium with a shaded seating area, three outdoor promenade decks, a boutique store and an elevator,” he writes.
“The ship we are traveling on is named after Ingvar, the son of Rurik, the Viking leader who founded Rus'. After the death of his father, he was raised by his uncle Helga, and eventually succeeded in becoming the ruler of the Russian Empire,” continues Leperi.
Help website: motor ship operated by Viking River Cruises and registered to Passenger Fleet LLC, Russian flag, home port of St. Petersburg. The ship was built according to and under the original name received in 1990 to the North-Western Shipping Company. Since the beginning of the 90s, the ship has been operating on flights with foreign tourists: initially from the ICH company, and since 1997 - from . The ship has had its current name since April 2012.
The boat is as comfortable on the inside as it is beautiful on the outside, notes Leperi. The cabins feature balconies with river views, air conditioning, and a modern bathroom with separate shower and hairdryer. There is a free set in the bath - shampoo, hair conditioner, shower gel, body lotion. Robes and slippers are available upon request. Laundry services are available at an additional cost. There is a free bottle of water in the cabins every day.
Also in the cabin is a telephone for on-board communications, a personal safe, a mini-fridge, free wifi and a 26-inch Sony flat-screen TV, on which you can watch English-language satellite TV channels such as CNN, BBC.
The cabins are spacious and efficiently laid out, with ample closet space and under-bed space for suitcase storage. I had a small cabin - 225 square meters. feet (21 sq. m.), and the largest were the suites - 400 sq. m. ft (37 sq. m.). There were two places in the cabin and I lived with my friend, he writes. I would especially like to note that the glass doors separating the cabin from the balcony could be opened completely, enjoying the view of the river.