MS Dnieper Princess

Built as "Yevgeniy Vuchetich", MS Dnieper Princess 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).

"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

• Vladimir Ilyich (1975, now Sankt Peterburg / Санкт-Петербург)
• Mariya Ulyanova (1975, now Viking Rurik)
• Yevgeniy Vuchetich (1976, now Dnieper Princess)
• Sovetskaya Ukraina (1976, now Konstantin Korotkov)
• Tikhiy Don (1977, Тихий Дон)
• XXV Syezd KPSS (1977, now Petr Chaykovskiy)

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 Belinsky (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)