Non-profit Partnership "Tourist Office of Veliky Novgorod" has conducted a research of the possibility to continue the existing cruise routes from Ladoga Lake to Veliky Novgorod in order to form a proposal concerning river cruises to Veliky Novgorod for tourist companies in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg.
Currently, the route from Staraya Ladoga up the Volkhov river to Veliky Novgorod is considered a dead-end, and regular transportation of the passengers is not realized.
The Novgorod fleet consists of passenger vessels of the Young Mariners Club, private motor ships and freighters of Novgorod River Port. Cargo transportations are carried out only by Novgorod River Port, and they are mostly timber cargoes directed to the Baltic Sea region. The task of supervision and control over the river conditions is held by the Novgorod Department of Waterways and Navigation of Public Board "Volga-Baltic State basin board of the waterways and navigation" of the Service of the inland water transport of the Transportation Ministry of the Russian Federation.
During the last 7 years, no technical improvements of navigation by the Volkhov river have been done. Illumination is absent, and navigation is possible only during the light hours of the day: necessary signs and markings are partly absent. Especially difficult to pass are the area of Velevskie rapids and the area between the sluice of the Volkhov Hydro-electric power-station and the Issadsky Bridge where the river is only 2.2 meters deep. The water level in these areas is currently regulated by the Volkhov Hydro-electric power-station through the Novgorod VodoKanal organization to which the power-station is subordinate. Ships more than 8 meters high experience difficulties passing the Issadsky Bridge. The height of 10 meters from the calculated level is accurate only starting mid-June and depends on the condition of the Ladoga Lake (e.g. a strong downriver wind may cause the water level to rise).
Thus, navigation along the Volkhov river between Staraya Ladoga and Veliky Novgorod is possible only for ships with a 2,2 m max draught, and 10 m max height, only during the period from mid-June until the end of the navigational season, and only accompanied by a local pilot.

A large variety of boats and yachts with capacities from 25 to 100 seats are at your disposal for fascinating pleasure or business river- and lake-trips from the 1st of May to the 1st of October. There may be organized banquets and dancing parties, picnics, folklore groups' performances, and other opportunities for yourself or your clients. The comfortable ship MO-28 will welcome you and offer a modern conference-hall, a cozy restaurant with traditional Russian and European cuisine, a bar with a wide range of beverages, and appetizers and a disco-hall on board. Information is available in the town agencies and in the Red Izba.