MS Georgy Chicherin

MS Georgy Chicherin cruise ship ("теплоход Георгий Чичерин" круизный корабль) is a traditional Russian river vessel of the Project 302 (Dmitriy Furmanov-class). This former USSR ship is currently owned and operated by the Russian cruise company VODOHOD ("Водоход"). MS Georgy Chicherin cruises along the Volga River between St Petersburg and Moscow.

The shipowner, Vodohod, is Russia's largest river cruise operator. The company was founded in 2004 as the Volga Shipping Company and later merged with Volga Flot Tour. Today, Vodohod operates more than 50 cruise ships on the rivers Don, Volga, Kama, Moscow, the Volga-Don Canal, the Volga-Baltic Waterway, and the lakes Ladoga and Onega.

Vodohod’s predecessor, the Volga Shipping Company (Volzhskoye parokhodstvo / Волжское пароходство), was established in 1843 as a Volga steamship transportation company. In 2011, the company operated over 300 passenger and cargo vessels, carrying more than 6.7 billion tons of cargo and over 368,000 passengers on Russia’s largest inland waterways.

MS Chicherin is named after the Soviet diplomat Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin (1872–1936), who served in Russia’s Bolshevik government between 1918 and 1930 as Ambassador to Germany. The ship was completely refurbished in 2012.

Cabins

Accommodation includes 2 suites, 128 twin cabins, 14 quads, and 10 singles. All staterooms are outside (no interior cabins) and feature large opening windows, except for Lower Deck cabins, which have round, non-opening portholes. Each cabin offers standard amenities such as central air-conditioning (individually controlled heating and ventilation), private en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, washbasin, hairdryer, towels, bath products), flat TV, radio, direct-dial telephone, refrigerator, wardrobe, safe (in the closet), vanity mirror, writing desk with chair, bedside tables, reading lights, and 220 V power sockets. Suites also include a double bed, sofa, coffee table, armchairs, cabinet, and floor lamps. Cabin ceiling height is 2.2 m.

After extensive refurbishments, all cabins feature larger layouts, new furniture and flooring, premium bedding, and modern lighting.

• Suites (Boat Deck): two-room accommodations with a separate bedroom and living room, four large opening windows, L-shaped sofa, low table, king-size bed (plus folding bed), mirrored vanity table with chair, and wardrobe. Suites can accommodate up to three guests using the folding bed.
• Single Cabins (Boat Deck): one-bed staterooms with a large opening window, conveniently located near the ship’s Main Lounge (dance bar).
• Twin/Double Cabins (Main, Middle, and Boat Decks): two-bed staterooms with a large opening window, featuring one lower bed and one pull-out sofabed.
• Quad Cabins (Lower Deck): four-bed staterooms with two round portholes (non-opening), two sofabeds, and two upper Pullman beds. These can also be booked as double or triple cabins.

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

Dining on MS Chicherin combines European cuisine with traditional Russian specialties. Breakfast is buffet-style, lunch includes a Russian soup course, and dinner is waiter-served with a classic Russian menu. Waiters wear traditional folk costumes.

Entertainment focuses on scheduled activities and live performances, including classical and Russian folk music. Onboard lectures explore Russian history and culture, while port talks (led by professional guides) cover destinations, excursions, and available tours. Guests can also enjoy Russian tea ceremonies, language lessons, dance and singing classes, vodka tastings, and matryoshka (nesting doll) painting workshops.

MS Chicherin’s onboard facilities include:

• (Boat Deck, Middle Deck) Two restaurants – Ladoga and Onega
• (Boat Deck) Panorama Bar Lounge (Main Lounge / Music Hall)
• (Sun Deck) Conference Hall and Bar (Dance Hall / Cinema / Meeting Room)
• (Middle Deck) Berezka Bar Lounge (Library / Reading Room), Boutique (Souvenir Shop)
• (Sun Deck) Solarium (outdoor seating with deckchairs and tables)
• (Lower Deck) Spa (Sauna Room)
• (Main Deck) Medical Room (Infirmary), Beauty Salon (hairdresser, barber, massages), Ironing Room (laundry service), and Lobby (Reception / Guest Services Desk)

VODOHOD cruise deals

• Departure ports, check-in, boarding, and landing times are listed on the company’s website (vodohod.com) and on boarding passes. Final departure times are confirmed online the day before sailing.
• Children up to 14 years old (inclusive) are eligible for discounted fares.
• Children aged 2–5 (inclusive) travel free without an extra bed; shore excursions are also free.
• Infants under 2 travel free but are not provided with a bed, meals, or tour services. Baby cribs or cots are not available onboard.
• The single supplement for TWIN (double) cabins is 75%.
• Cabin numbers are assigned seven days before departure. Reserving a specific cabin number costs EUR 50 per person per cruise.
• Fares include three meals daily: buffet breakfast (with tea, coffee, milk, cocoa, juices, hot and cold dishes), buffet lunch, and waiter-served dinner (starter, main course – meat/fish/vegetarian options, and dessert or fruit).
• Meal times on embarkation and disembarkation days depend on landing schedules. If an excursion coincides with lunch, guests are provided with a complimentary restaurant meal or a packed lunch.
• Included onboard events: Welcome Aboard ceremony (“bread and salt”), Welcome Cocktail (one complimentary drink), Tea Ceremony, Vodka Show (with blini), Cocktail Party (one complimentary cocktail per person), Captain’s Dinner (gourmet menu, once per cruise), mulled wine or iced tea (weather-dependent), complimentary Coffee Station (various times daily), bottled water (0.33l pp per day), multilingual guide services, onboard entertainment, and Wheelhouse tour.
• Complimentary excursions are listed in the ship’s itinerary. Optional tours can be booked onboard. An additional daily excursion fee applies to foreign tourists (except those from CIS countries, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), depending on cruise length.
• Fares exclude transfers, beverages and snacks (in bars/lounges), phone calls, sauna visits, optional tours, travel insurance, gratuities, and personal expenses. All fares include 18% VAT.
• Onboard payments are made using the “Vodohod” debit card, issued at registration and accepted in all onboard venues. Cash is not accepted for purchases. International cards are accepted for final settlements.
• Gift Certificates (“Vodohod” vouchers) can be purchased for any amount and redeemed toward any cruise. If the cruise costs less than the voucher amount, the difference is non-refundable.
• Smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor areas marked “Place for smoking,” located aft on the Middle or Boat Deck. Smoking is prohibited indoors and on open decks outside these zones.
• All Vodohod ships offer morning exercise sessions (led by a physician), oxygen cocktails, and dietary meals.
• Free onboard medical services include emergency care, blood pressure and temperature checks, and first aid for minor injuries.
• Passengers are advised to arrive at the departure city at least six hours before sailing. Boarding begins two hours prior and closes one hour before departure. Late arrivals are not eligible for refunds.
• Vodohod’s main departure ports include Moscow, St Petersburg, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Samara, Kazan, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, and Saratov.

Note: The complete list of river cruise ships and riverboats is available in the “itinerary” section of our River Cruises hub, featuring all operators and their fleets.