Viking Rurik

Former names: Viking Peterhof, MS Mariya Ulyanova

Viking Rurik last position

Viking Rurik last location was at Baltic Sea (coordinates 59.86046 N / 30.49531 E) cruising en route to SAINT-PETERSBURG. The AIS position was reported 10 months ago.

Current Position

Specifications of Viking Rurik

Year of build1975  /  Age: 49
Flag state Russia
BuilderRSW Rosslauer Schiffswerft GmbH (Dessau-Rosslau, Germany)
ClassUSSR Russian cruise ship (Project 301)
Speed14 kn / 26 km/h / 16 mph
Length (LOA)125 m / 410 ft
Beam (width)17 m / 56 ft
Gross Tonnage5400 gt
Passengers196
Crew105
Decks5
Cabins98
Decks with cabins3
Last Refurbishment2012
Sister-shipsVladimir Ilyich-class
Former namesViking Peterhof, MS Mariya Ulyanova
OwnerNorth-Western Shipping Company (UCL Holding, Russia)
OperatorViking River Cruises Russia

Viking Rurik Review

Review of Viking Rurik

The Viking Rurik ship cruises on Volga River in Russia, departing from Moscow to St Petersburg, and from St Petersburg to Moscow. This Viking cruise ship is named after Rurik - a Viking in origin (prince/chieftain from the Varangian Rus tribe), brother to Sineus and Truvor. Consolidating the lands of his two brothers, Rurik and his dynasty established their capital in Kyiv. They ruled over Russia (the huge Kievan Rus empire) for nearly 700 years.

Discover the treasures of Russia on one of the best river ships sailing there: Viking Rurik. Fully refurbished in 2012, the ship carries up to 196 guests in its spacious 98 staterooms (32 Deluxe, 2 Junior Suites, 4 Suites, 60 Veranda), as those on the middle and upper decks feature private verandas.

Viking Truvor cruise ship (Russia, Volga River)

Cabins

Viking Rurik has a total of 98 cabins (of which 6 Suite, 60 Balcony, 32 with a non-opening window) in 6 cabins. All accommodations meet the European standards of elegance and comfort, with amenities like in-room refrigerators, hotel-style beds and 26-inch flat TVs. An expanded restaurant and beautiful public areas are a plus to the pleasure of sailing on Viking Rurik. 

Cabins Types/Categories (number, location), high to low

  • Suites - JR (x2, deck3), AA (x4, deck2)
  • Balcony Staterooms - AX (x36, deck3), BX (x24, deck2)
  • Deluxe RiverView Staterooms - CX (x4, deck1), DX (x20, deck1), EX (x8, deck1).

Shipboard facilities

Viking Rurik dining options include Restaurant Neva (dining room) and Odessa (casual). Other facilities include Panorama Lounge (observation), Rurik Atrium (lobby), Library (Internet stations), Shop (traditional Russian souvenirs /gifts), Promenade (deck 1), Rurik Lounge & Bar and Sun Deck Lounge & Bar (show, observation /both on the top deck), 1 elevator.

Viking Rurik river cruise deals are inclusive of Internet (Wi-Fi), laundry, room-service, Russia land tours/excursions, all ground transfers, themed live onboard entertainment, lecturers, Russian traditional food and vodka tastings, 24-hour tea/coffee, replenished daily bottled water.

Viking Rurik river cruise prices are per person and based on double occupancy. These are only indicative of Viking cruise rates. They might be different when you book your Viking River Cruises Russia cruise tour deals, influenced by travel agency promotions, special offers and discounts, group travel booking or last-minute deals rates. On some Viking Rurik's Volga cruise tours, the line offers round-trip USA airfare discount deals (on select cabins or itineraries/dates).

River Cruise Itineraries

Follows the list of Viking Rurik river cruise itineraries as themes, officially announced by the Viking Cruises line:

  • "WATERWAYS OF THE TSARS" are 12-days luxury Volga river cruises from Saint Petersburg to Moscow, and the reverse from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. There are 11 complimentary land tours/excursions and no hotel packages included in the fares. Feature port activities and tours along the route are:
  • St Petersburg excursions (Winter Palace, the Hermitage Museum - one of the world's largest and oldest, with a huge and unique collection of arts and antiquities, jewelries, sculptures, traditional Russian ballet performances, Pushkin district excursion, Catherine Palace - the summer residence of the Russian monarchs/"tsars"), St Petersburg bus tour, optional tour to Peterhof Palace (gardens, fountains), St Petersburg departure in early evening (on day 4)
  • Neva River cruise and crossing Lake Ladoga (the largest in Europe, on day 5)
  • Svir River cruise to Mandrogy (local Vodka Museum, Russian handmade souvenirs. Optional excursions in Mandrogy are themed "banya" (visiting a traditional Russian bathhouse) and "matryoshka" (traditional Russian wooden doll making)
  • Cruising along the Russian “Blue Route” (225 km / 139 ml in length)
  • Onega Lake cruise (Europe's second-largest)
  • Kizhi (local Museum of Architecture /outdoor exposition of traditionally built Russian wooden houses, windmills, churches, most of them built without nails)
  • Volga-Baltic waterways cruising (370 km / 230 ml long system of small rivers, canals and 7 locks connecting Volga River with Baltic Sea
  • Kuzino (Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Assumption Cathedral, local museum)
  • Yaroslavl (a local covered market for food and handmade items)
  • Moscow Canal cruise (arrival during lunchtime, half-day long tour in Moscow visits Bolshoi Theater, Red Square, St Basil Cathedral, GUM Store, Metro. The second day offers full-day long parks and monuments tour, with an optional half-day long excursion to Tretyakov Gallery (fine art museum). Third day Moscow touring visits Kremlin and two cathedrals, with optional Kremlin Armory tour.
  • Departures from St Petersburg offer optional 2-night Moscow hotel package. On departures from Moscow, the line offers an optional 3-night Helsinki hotel package (Finland).

Next, are listed two exemplary itineraries with port dates:

  • (southbound) 6-day from Saint Petersburg to Moscow - Oct 03 (Saint Petersburg, dep), Oct 04 (On River), Oct 04 (Mandrogi), Oct 05 (Kizhi Island), Oct 06 (Kuzino), Oct 07 (Yaroslavl), Oct 08 (Uglich), Oct 09 (Moscow).
  • (northbound) 6-day from Moscow to Saint Petersburg - Oct 15 (Moscow, dep), Oct 16 (Uglich), Oct 17 (Yaroslavl), Oct 18 (Kuzino), Oct 19 (Kizhi Island), Oct 20 (On River), Oct 20 (Mandrogi), Oct 21 (Saint Petersburg).

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.

Viking Rurik - user reviews and comments

Viking Rurik Wiki

Viking Rurik is one of Viking Cruises Russia ships. The other vessels in the line's "Europe-Asian" fleet are AkunHelgiIngvarTruvor, and in Ukraine - Sineus. You can compare Russian river cruises as prices also on Uniworld River Victoria and Scenic Tours Scenic Tsar - sailing the same route between Moscow and Petersburg.

The Viking Rurik ship was built in East Germany during the USSR times under the name "MS Mariya Ulyanova". Viking River Cruises acquired the vessel in 1990 and renamed it "Viking Peterhof". In 2012, after an extensive refit and refurbishment, they renamed it once again - to the current "Viking Rurik". MS Peterhof ship was one of all 22 Russian river cruise vessels constructed in the period 1974-1983 (Project name "301" /first series, river passenger ship class "Vladimir Ilyich"). Because of its V-bottom hull shape, Rurik can also operate as Baltic Sea cruising vessel. The ship was ordered by USSR/Russia's "North-Western Shipping Company" (now "Vodohod").

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there. For other Russia-based ships, you can visit our dedicated to Russian River Cruises hub.

Built as "Mariya Ulyanova", MS Viking Rurik is one of Russia's signature "Project 301" river cruise ships.

Vladimir Ilyich-class Russian river ships

"Vladimir Ilyich class" (aka "Project 301") are 3 series of Russian river cruise ships built in GDR (Germany) for USSR (Soviet Union) in the period 1974-1983. The vessel class name honours Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (1870-1924) who is considered the founder of USSR (Soviet Union).

These Russian river cruise ships (a total of 22 units) were all produced by VEB Elbewerft Boizenburg as one of the industry's most successful riverboat designs. These ships were used for passenger (cruise) shipping in Northwestern USSR - in the rivers Volga, Belomorkanal, Lake Onega, Volga–Don Canal, Kama and Amur rivers as well as on Dnieper River (Ukraine ) and in the Black Sea. Following the USSR's collapse (1991), all these boats were acquired by private companies (Russian and foreign).

Russian river cruise ship (Project 301) Vladimir Ilyich-class

"Project 301" ship technology

All "Project 301" ships have the following details:

  • LOA length 125 m (410 ft),
  • width 17 m (55 ft)
  • DWT tonnage 3063 tons
  • V-shaped hulls - differ by series as external elements, window shape (rectangular or rounded), wheelhouse headlights
  • 5 decks
  • Each boat has capacity 240 passengers and 110 crew, 102 cabins (all outside), 2 restaurants, 2 bar lounges, Sauna Room, Souvenir Shop, Lobby (Reception Desk with safe), 360-degree Promenade Deck (with outdoor seating).
  • Powerplant includes three marine diesel engines "Viertakt-Dieselmotor " (4-stroke, model 6ЧРН 36/45 / aka ЭГ70-5) each with a turbocharger.
  • The 3rd (last) series motor ships are with stronger propulsion (bow thrusters).
  • Staterooms are single and double (originally 1-2-3-bed cabins), all fitted with en-suite bathrooms.
  • After reconstruction, to the ships were introduced larger cabins (including suites).

Depending on series, boats differ in terms of size and equipment (different diesel engine designs). Many of these Russian ships were completely refurbished and rebuilt for foreign river cruise companies (like Viking, AMAwaterways, Grand Circle). During their multi-million-dollar drydock refits, the vessel's passenger capacity was considerably reduced to improve travel comfort and safety.

Project 301 ships

From Project 301's first series are the boats

From Project 301's second series are the boats

  • Sovetskaya Rossiya (1977, now Nizhny Novgorod / Нижний Новгород)
  • 60 let Oktyabrya (1978, scrapped as Avicena)
  • Rossiya (1978, Россия)
  • Vladimir Mayakovskiy (1978, Владимир Маяковский)
  • Lenin (1979, now Mikhail Bulgakov / Михаил Булгаков)
  • Aleksandr Ulyanov (1979, now Kronstadt / Кронштадт)
  • Mikhail Lomonosov (1979, now Viking Sineus)
  • Konstantin Fedin (1980, Константин Федин)
  • 30 let GDR (1980, scrapped as Ferris Flotel)
  • Vissarion Belinskiy (1980, Виссарион Белинский)

From Project 301's third (last) series are the riverboats

  • Sovetskaya Konstitutsiya (1981, now Nikolay Karamzin / Николай Карамзин)
  • Nikolay Chernyshevsky (1981, Николай Чернышевский)
  • Nikolay Dobrolyubov (1981, now Andrey Rublev / Андрей Рублев)
  • Aleksandr Radishchev (1982, Александр Радищев)
  • Aleksandr Griboyedov (1982, now Knyazhna Viktoria / Княжна Виктория)
  • Fedor Dostoevskiy (1983, Федор Достоевский)