MS Lenin

MS Lenin cruise ship ("теплоход Ленин" круизный корабль) is a traditional Russian river vessel of Project 302 (Dmitriy Furmanov-class). This former USSR ship is currently owned and operated by the Russian company VODOHOD ("Водоход") and also chartered by "Imperial River Cruises Russia". MS Lenin sails on the Volga River between St Petersburg and Moscow.

Vodohod is Russia's largest river cruise operator. Founded in 2004 as the Volga Shipping Company, it later merged with Volga Flot Tour and today operates over 50 cruise ships along the rivers Don, Volga, Kama, Moscow, Volga-Don Canal, 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 transport company. By 2011, it operated over 300 passenger and cargo vessels, carrying more than 6.7 billion tons of cargo and over 368,000 passengers on Russia’s major inland waterways.

MS Lenin was named after the Russian revolutionary and political theorist Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (1870–1924), known as Lenin. The ship underwent a major refurbishment in 2010.

Cabins

The vessel offers 2 suites, 120 twin cabins (2-bed), 6 quads (4-bed), and 10 singles (1-bed). All staterooms are outside (no interior cabins) and feature large opening windows, except Lower Deck cabins with round, non-opening portholes. Standard amenities include central air-conditioning (individually controlled heating and ventilation), private en-suite bathrooms (WC, shower, washbasin, hairdryer, towels, toiletries), flat-screen TV, radio, direct-dial phone, refrigerator, wardrobe, safe (in closet), vanity mirror, writing desk with chair, bedside table, reading lamps, and 220 V power sockets. Suites additionally feature a double bed, sofa, coffee table, armchairs, cabinet, and floor lamps. Cabin ceiling height is 2.2 m.

• Suites (Boat Deck) are 2-room accommodations with 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. They can accommodate up to 3 passengers with the folding bed.
• Single Cabins (Boat Deck) are 1-bed staterooms with one large opening window, located near the ship’s Main Lounge (Dance Bar).
• Twin/Double Cabins (Main, Middle, and Boat Decks) are 2-bed staterooms with one large opening window, one lower bunk, and one pull-out sofa bed.
• Quad Cabins (Lower Deck) are 4-bed staterooms with two non-opening portholes, two sofa beds, and two upper Pullman beds. These cabins can also be booked as doubles or triples.

Shipboard dining and entertainment

Dining aboard MS Lenin features European cuisine with elements of traditional Russian cooking. Breakfast is buffet-style, lunch includes a classic Russian soup, and dinner is waiter-served, offering traditional Russian dishes. Waitstaff wear traditional costumes.

Entertainment focuses on scheduled activities and live performances, including classical and Russian folk music. Lectures cover Russian history and culture, while port talks (by professional tour guides) provide information on visited ports, nearby towns, and available excursions. Guests can also enjoy Russian tea ceremonies, language lessons, dance and singing classes, vodka tastings, and matryoshka (nesting doll) painting workshops.

MS Lenin’s onboard facilities include:

• (Boat and Middle Decks) Two restaurants – Neva and Volga
• (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 Hall) and Boutique (Souvenir Shop)
• (Sun Deck) Solarium with outdoor seating, deckchairs, and 4-seat tables
• (Lower Deck) Spa with sauna
• (Main Deck) Medical Room (Infirmary), Beauty Salon (hairdresser, barber, massage), Ironing Room (laundry service), and Lobby (Reception / Guest Services)

VODOHOD cruise deals

• Departure port, check-in, boarding, and landing times are listed on the company’s website (vodohod.com) and passengers’ boarding passes. Exact departure times are confirmed one day before sailing.
• Children up to 14 years old (inclusive) qualify for discounted tickets, based on age at departure.
• Children aged 2–5 (inclusive) travel free of charge without an additional bed. Shore excursions are also free for them.
• Infants under 2 travel free of charge, but no bed, food, or tour services are provided. Extra beds (cribs, cots) are not available onboard.
• The single supplement for a twin (double) cabin is 75%.
• Cabin numbers are assigned 7 days before departure. Selecting a specific cabin costs EUR 50 per person per cruise.
• Ticket prices include three daily meals: breakfast (buffet with beverages and hot/cold dishes), lunch (buffet with water, tea, or coffee), and dinner (waiter-served with one starter, one main course – meat, fish, or vegetarian – and one dessert or fruit).
• On embarkation and disembarkation days, meal times depend on landing schedules. If a land excursion coincides with a meal, guests receive complimentary food at a local restaurant or packed meals (“dry rations”).
• Included onboard events: Welcome Aboard ceremony (“bread and salt”), Welcome Cocktail (one complimentary glass of champagne or juice), Tea Ceremony (tea and pies), Vodka Show (blini and vodka tasting), Cocktail Party (one complimentary cocktail per person), Captain’s Dinner (gourmet menu, once per cruise), mulled wine or iced tea (weather-dependent), and a complimentary Coffee Station (open during specified hours) with coffee, tea, milk, cocoa, cookies, and bottled water (0.33l per person daily). Tickets also include guide services, entertainment (language lessons, music, dance), and a Wheelhouse tour.
• Complimentary excursions are detailed in the cruise program. Optional tours can be booked onboard. Foreign passengers are charged an additional daily excursion fee (except tourists from the Russian Commonwealth, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). The surcharge varies depending on cruise length (1–7 days).
• Ticket prices exclude land transfers, beverages and snacks (in bars/lounges), phone calls, sauna visits, optional tours, insurance, gratuities, and personal expenses. Prices include 18% VAT.
• Onboard payments are made using Vodohod debit cards (issued at registration), accepted in all venues. Cash payments are not accepted. International cards are accepted for final payments.
• Vodohod Gift Certificates (vouchers) can be purchased for any amount. Recipients can choose itinerary, date, and cabin category. If the cruise costs less than the voucher value, the difference is non-refundable.
• Smoking is permitted only in designated areas (aft sections of Middle and/or Boat Decks). It is prohibited in all interior spaces and open decks except marked zones.
• All Vodohod ships offer morning exercise sessions (led by a ship’s doctor), oxygen cocktails, and dietary meals.
• Free onboard medical services include emergency care for acute illnesses, blood pressure and temperature checks, and first-aid treatment.
• Passengers are advised to arrive in the departure city at least 6 hours before sailing. Boarding begins 2 hours before departure, and all guests must be onboard 1 hour prior. Late arrivals are non-refundable.
• Vodohod’s main departure ports are Moscow, St Petersburg, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Samara, Kazan, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, and Saratov.

Note: You can explore CruiseMapper’s list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "Itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub, where all operators and their fleets are listed.