MS Crucelake-Lebedinoe Ozero

Former names: MS Crucelake, MS Vatutin, General Vatutin

MS Crucelake-Lebedinoe Ozero last position

MS Crucelake-Lebedinoe Ozero last location was at Russia Inland (coordinates 57.72107 N / 40.36530 E) cruising at speed of 11.2 kn (21 km/h | 13 mph) en route to MSK-UGLICH-MSK. The AIS position was reported 5 months ago.

Current Position

Specifications of MS Crucelake-Lebedinoe Ozero

Year of build1986  /  Age: 38
Flag state Russia
BuilderVEB Elbewerften Boizenburg (Rosslau, Germany)
ClassUSSR Russian cruise ship (Project 302)
Ferry route / homeportsSt Petersburg-Moscow
Speed14 kn / 26 km/h / 16 mph
Length (LOA)129 m / 423 ft
Beam (width)17 m / 56 ft
Gross Tonnage5500 gt
Passengers256
Crew98
Decks5
Cabins133
Decks with cabins4
Last Refurbishment2017
Sister-shipsDmitriy Furmanov-class
Former namesMS Crucelake, MS Vatutin, General Vatutin
OwnerBreeze Cruise Lines Ltd
OperatorVantage Travel, DCS Touristik via Infoflot (Russia)

MS Crucelake-Lebedinoe Ozero Review

Review of MS Crucelake-Lebedinoe Ozero

MS Crucelake/Lebedinoye Ozero cruise ship ("теплоход Лебединое Озеро" круизный корабль / translated "Swan Lake") is a traditional Russian river passenger ship built for the USSR (Soviet Union) in GDR (Eastern Germany). Until September 2017, the boat was named "MS General Vatutin" ("теплоход Генерал Ватутин") - after the Red Army general Nikolai Fyodorovich Vatutin (1901-1944) who during WW2 (1939-1945) commanded the Southwestern Front and was responsible for many military operations in Ukraine.

Lebedinoye Ozero ship cruises on Volga River, between St Petersburg and Moscow (8-day northbound and southbound itinerary). Also offered are roundtrips from St Petersburg (3-5-day itineraries visiting Lodeynoe Pole, Svirstroy, Mandrogi, Kizhi Island, Valaam islands) and from Moscow (3-4-5-6-day itineraries to Uglich, Kostroma, Plyos, Yaroslavl, Myshkin, Kalyazin). MS Vatutin operated on Dnieper River and the Black Sea cruises leaving roundtrip from Kiev to Odessa (Black Sea) and Vylkove (Danube Delta).

Lebedinoye Ozero cruise ship (MS Vatutin) Russia, Volga RIver

From the same series (Project 302) are a total of 28 boats manufactured in the period 1983-1992. All these ships are with diesel-electric propulsion (three propellers) and originally designed with a capacity of 332 passengers (max).

Previous shipowner (2002-2017) was the Kiev-based Ukrainian company LLC Chervona Ruta. In May 2017, the vessel was purchased by "Breeze Cruise Lines Ltd" and chartered to the St Petersburg-based Russian company Infoflot (Инфофлот). Infoflot operates as both tour operator and travel agency for Russian and international river and ocean cruise deals.

For foreign tourists, (as MS Crucelake) the ship is chartered by the travel companies Vantage Deluxe World Travel (USA) and DCS Touristik (Germany).

Lebedinoye Ozero cruise ship (MS Vatutin) Russia, Volga RIver

The vessel is currently named after the ballet "Swan Lake" - composed by Tchaikovsky (in 1875-1876) and ranked one of the world's most famous ballets of all times. The ship was last refurbished in February 2017. With similar amenities is the fleet mate Lunnaya Sonata (former MS Dnieper Star). From the same series (Project 302) are a total of 28 boats manufactured in the period 1983-1992. All these ships are with diesel-electric propulsion (three propellers) and originally designed with a capacity of 332 passengers (max).

Cabins

The ship has a total of 133 staterooms, including 24 Junior Suites, of which 20 are with private balcony (categories A and B) and named after famous Russian ballet dancers. The other cabins include 12 Singles (categories A1 and A1-Balcony), 12 Quads (category А4, can be booked also as Triples/category А3) and 85 Twins (category А2, some can be booked as Triples).

All cabins are air-conditioned and heated. Each stateroom as standard amenities offers individually controlled air-conditioning, refrigerator, phone (intercom), radio, flat TV (satellite reception), en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, washbasin, hairdryer, towels, bath products), opening window (excepting Lower Deck cabins which are with portholes). Suites additionally have a cabinet, low table with armchairs, dining table, double bed, single or double sofabed (3rd-4th person), floor lamps, bathroom with glass-door shower, step-out balcony (furnished with 1 table and 2 chairs).

Cabin TVs show all-Russian channels, as well as recorded films and cartoons, live views (from a camera installed on the bow), ship security channel (instructions in cases of emergency), ship channel (showing itinerary map and current location).

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

Lebedinoye Ozero ship's facilities include:

  • (Upper-Circle / Sun Deck) Swan Park is a covered area with outdoor seating (loungers, deckchairs, tables), indoor Theater (Cinema / Silent Disco / Conference Hall / Karaoke Bar / Dance Lounge), Gym (outdoor fitness area with training machines), Mini-golf course (putting green)
  • (Baignoire / Boat Deck) Fouette Bar (Main Lounge / Piano Bar), Odile Restaurant (Bar-Restaurant), Coffee Station
  • (Amphitheater / Middle Deck) Cafe Libretto (Patisserie Bar), Odette Restaurant (Dining Room), Library ((Reading Lounge), Boutique (Souvenir Shop)
  • (Parquet / Main Deck) Medical Room (Infirmary), Beauty Salon (hairdresser and barber services), Spa (Massage Room), Lobby (Reception / Guest Services Desk, Cruise Director's Office, Tour Desk), Arts Salon, Coffee Station, Kids Room (Little Swan / indoor playground), Ironing Room (laundry service)
  • (Orchestra / Lower Deck) Sauna Room, Fitness (Gym Room), staff and crew cabins

Shipboard activities include:

  • The theatre is the ship's Cinema that doubles as Conference Hall / Meeting Room / Dance Lounge / Disco / Karaoke Bar, and is served by its own Bar. The lounge also serves the cruise company's enrichment program. Here are hosted lectures and media presentations themed on Russia's history and culture. Port talks (by professional tour guides) provide information on visited regions, river ports, nearby towns, shore excursions and tours. Here are also held traditional tea ceremonies, Russian language lessons, dancing and singing classes, master classes on vocals and musical instruments, blini and vodka tastings, live shows and musical performances (classical and Russian folk music, concerts), nightly disco (with headphones).
  • Theater's karaoke sessions are with high-quality sound equipment, a wide repertoire of songs and accompaniment of professional back-vocalists from the ship's art group.
  • The Solarium is served by its own full-service Bar, selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.
  • Bar-Restaurant Odile is a dinner-only restaurant with a la carte priced menu.
  • Fouette Bar is the ship's Main Lounge (Piano Bar / Patisserie / Coffee House / Music Salon) with full-service bar, dance floor, grand piano and stage for live performances. Before and after dinner, at the Bar Lounge is played live music in various styles, including classical (also chamber concerts), jazz, blues.
  • Cafe Libretto (patisserie) serves speciality coffee and gourmet sweets.
  • The Arts Salon offers complimentary art and craft activities and classes (including nesting doll/matryoshka painting classes).
  • Kids room "Little Swan" is an indoor playground with qualified (full-time) staff providing supervised activities for children ages 2 to 12.
  • On the Main and Middle decks, 24-hour Coffee Stations with complimentary drinks and snacks (coffee, hot water, packed tea, milk, cocoa, cookies) are available.
  • Both restaurants offer buffet-style breakfast and waiter-served lunch and dinner with Russian cuisine-themed menus. European cuisine is offered on longer itineraries. Three meals a day are included in cruise ticket prices. Dietary meals, as well as vegetarian dishes,  are also available in the menus. Free drinks include a glass of champagne (at breakfast) and a glass of wine or vodka (at dinner). Complimentary are offered herbal teas and oxygen cocktails.
  • The ship provides free Wi-Fi, complimentary morning exercises, yoga and pilates classes (led by a professional instructor), sports training (gym equipment), Bicycle Rent Point, covered Solarium (Swan Park).
  • All shore excursions are guided, and most of them are included in cruise tour prices.

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.

MS Crucelake-Lebedinoe Ozero - user reviews and comments

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Built as General Vatutin, MS Lebedinoye Ozero is one of Russia's signature "Project 302" river cruise ships.

Dmitriy Furmanov-class Russian river ships

"Dmitriy Furmanov class" (aka "Project 302") are 4 series of Russian river cruise ships built in GDR (Eastern Germany) for USSR (Soviet Union) in the period 1983-1992. The vessel class name honours the Russian writer Dmitriy Andreyevich Furmanov (1891-1926) who also served as Bolshevik commissar (Red Army officer).

These Russian river cruise ships (a total of 27 units) were all produced by VEB Elbewerft Boizenburg and represent an upgraded (larger) version of Project 301 (Vladimir Ilyich-class) riverboats. These ships were used for passenger (cruise) shipping in Northwestern USSR - on the rivers Volga, Belomorkanal, Lake Onega, Volga–Don Canal, Kama and Amur rivers, as well as on Dnieper River (Ukraine), Black Sea (coastal cruising) and Yangtze River (in China). Following the USSR's collapse (1991), all these boats were acquired by private companies (Russian and foreign).

Russian river cruise ship (Project 302) Dmitriy Furmanov-class

"Project 302" ship technology

"Project 302" ships have the following details:

  • LOA length 129 m (423 ft)
  • width 17 m (55 ft)
  • DWT tonnage 3852 tons
  • V-shaped hulls - differ by series as external elements, window shape (rectangular or rounded), wheelhouse headlights
  • 5 decks (4 passengers)
  • Originally, each boat had capacity 332 passengers and 98 crew, all-outside cabins (1-2-3-bed), 2 restaurants (180 seats plus 80 seats), Cafe Bar (79 seats, with dance floor), 2 bar lounges (common rooms), Cinema (102 seats), Music Hall with Bar (75 seats), Observation Lounge with Bar (75 seats), Sauna Room, Souvenir Shop, Hair Salon, Massage Salon, Library, Hospital (first-aid room), 360-degree Promenade Deck (with outdoor seating / 100 seats, sports area).
  • Powerplant includes three marine diesel engines "Viertakt-Dieselmotor " (4-stroke, model 6ЧРН 36/45 / aka ЭГ70-5) each with a turbocharger.
  • Propulsion consists of 3 bow thrusters.
  • The powerplant consists of 3x diesel engines (4-stroke 6ЧРН 36/45, aka EГ70-5) with turbocharger and total power output 2,2 MW.
  • Staterooms are single, double and quads (originally 1-2-3-bed cabins) with en-suite bathrooms.
  • After reconstruction, to the ships were introduced larger cabins (including suites) and quads (with 2 upper bunks / wall-mounted Pullman beds).
  • All these traditional Russian ships were modernized, completely refurbished and rebuilt for both domestic and foreign river cruise companies. During their multi-million dollar drydock refits, the vessel's passenger capacity was considerably reduced to improve travel comfort and safety.

Project 302 ships

From Project 302's first series are the boats

  • Dmitriy Furmanov (1983, Дмитрий Фурманов)
  • Akademik Viktor Glushkov (1983, now Igor Stravinsky / Игорь Стравинский)
  • Novikov-Priboy (1983, now Sergei Rachmaninov)
  • Aleksey Surkov (1984, now Viking Helgi)
  • Konstantin Simonov (1984, Константин Симонов)
  • Leonid Sobolev (1985, Леонид Соболев)
  • Mikhail Sholokhov (1985, Михаил Шолохов)

From Project 302's second series are the boats

  • Aleksey Vatchenko (1985, now Ivan Bunin)
  • Yuriy Andropov (1986, Юрий Андропов)
  • Zosima Shashkov (1986, Зосима Шашков)
  • General Vatutin (1986, Генерал Ватутин, now Lebedinoye Ozero)
  • MS Russ (1987, Русь)
  • MS Lenin (1987, Ленин)
  • Sergey Kirov (1987, now Viking Truvor)
  • Marshal Rybalko (1988, now Zirka Dnipra / Dnieper Princess)
  • Marshal Koshevoy (1988, now Viking Akun)
  • Georgy Chicherin (1988, Георгий Чичерин)
  • Leonid Krasin (1989, Леонид Красин)
  • Nikolay Bauman (1989, now Knyazhna Anastasia)
  • General Lavrinenkov (1990, Генерал Лавриненков)
  • Narkom Pakhomov (1990, now Viking Ingvar)

From Project 302's third series are the boats

  • Gleb Krzhizhanovskiy (1990, Глеб Кржижановский)
  • Maxim Litvinov (1991, Максим Литвинов)

From Project 302's fourth (last) series are the riverboats

  • Taras Shevchenko (September 1991, now TG Shevchenko)
  • Konstantin Stanyukovich (October 1991, now Princess Jeannie / Xian Ni) Regal China Cruises
  • Arkadiy Gaydar (November 1991, now Princess Sheena / Xian Na) Regal China Cruises
  • Aleksandr Grin (December 1991, now Princess Elaine / Xian Ting) Regal China Cruises
  • Vladimir Vysotsky (planned, hull built in 1996, launched in 2003 as "Ocean Diva Original")