MS Leonid Sobolev

MS Leonid Sobolev cruise ship ("теплоход Леонид Соболев" 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 shipping company VODOHOD ("Водоход"). MS Sobolev cruises the Neva River on round-trip itineraries from St Petersburg — a 3-day voyage to the Valaam Islands (Lake Ladoga) and a 6-day route to Valaam–Kizhi Island–Petrozavodsk.

Vodohod is Russia’s largest river cruise operator. The company was founded in 2004 as Volga Shipping Company and, following its merger with Volga Flot Tour, now operates over 50 river cruise vessels on the Don, Volga, Kama, and Moscow rivers, the Volga-Don Canal, the Volga-Baltic Waterway, and 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, it operated over 300 passenger and cargo vessels, transporting more than 6.7 billion tons of cargo and over 368,000 passengers along Russia’s major inland waterways.

MS Sobolev was named after Imperial Russian Army General Leonid Nikolayevich Sobolev (1844–1913), a veteran of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). The vessel underwent an extensive refurbishment in 2010.

Cabins

The ship offers 2 suites, 121 twin cabins (2-bed), 6 quads (4-bed), and 10 singles (1-bed). All staterooms are outside (no interior cabins) with large opening windows, except for Lower Deck cabins, which have round non-opening portholes. Standard cabin amenities include central air-conditioning (individually controlled heating and ventilation), private en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, washbasin, hairdryer, towels, bath products), flat-screen TV, radio, direct-dial phone, refrigerator, wardrobe, safe (in closet), vanity mirror, writing desk with chair, bedside table, reading lights, and 220V power sockets. Suites also feature a double bed, sofa, coffee table, armchairs, cabinet, and floor lamps. Ceiling height is 2.2 m.

• Suites (Boat Deck): 2-room cabins with separate bedroom and living room, 4 large opening windows, L-shaped sofa, coffee table, king-size bed (plus folding bed), vanity table with chair, and wardrobe. Suites can accommodate up to 3 passengers.
• Single Cabins (Boat Deck): 1-bed cabins with one large opening window, conveniently located near the Main Lounge (dance bar).
• Twin/Double Cabins (Main, Middle, Boat Decks): 2-bed cabins with one large opening window, 1 lower bunk, and 1 sofabed (pull-out couch).
• Quad Cabins (Lower Deck): 4-bed cabins with two non-opening portholes, 2 sofabeds, and 2 upper bunk beds. They can also be booked as doubles or triples.

Shipboard Dining and Entertainment

Dining aboard MS Sobolev features European cuisine with traditional Russian influences. Breakfast is buffet-style, lunch includes a Russian soup course, and dinner is waiter-served with a traditional Russian menu. Waitstaff wear traditional costumes.

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

MS Sobolev facilities include:

• (Boat Deck, Middle Deck) 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 (outdoor area with seating, deckchairs, and 4-seat tables)
• (Lower Deck) Spa (Sauna Room)
• (Main Deck) Medical Room (Infirmary), Beauty Salon (hairdresser, barber, massage services), Ironing Room (laundry service), Lobby (Reception / Guest Services Desk)

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 online one day prior to sailing.
• Child discounts apply to passengers up to 14 years old (inclusive), based on age at departure.
• Children aged 2–5 (inclusive) travel free of charge but without an extra bed (if none are available in the cabin). Shore excursions are also complimentary.
• Toddlers under 2 years old travel free but are not provided with a bed, meals, or tour services. Baby cots or cribs are not available onboard.
• Twin (double) cabin single supplement: 75%.
• Cabin numbers are assigned 7 days before departure. Specific cabin reservations cost EUR 50 per person per cruise.
• Fares include three daily meals: buffet breakfast (with water, tea/coffee, cocoa, milk, juices, hot and cold dishes), buffet lunch, and waiter-served dinner (1 starter, 1 main course – meat, fish, or vegetarian – and 1 dessert or fruit).
• On embarkation and disembarkation days, meal times depend on landing schedules. When excursions overlap with lunch, guests receive complimentary meals at a local restaurant or packed lunches.
• Included onboard events: Welcome Aboard (“bread and salt” ceremony), Welcome Cocktail (1 glass of champagne or juice), Tea Ceremony (tea and pies), Vodka Show (blini and vodka tasting), Cocktail Party (once per cruise, 1 cocktail per person), Captain’s Dinner (gourmet menu), mulled wine or iced tea (weather-dependent after excursions), Coffee Station (open several times daily with coffee, tea, milk, cocoa, cookies), and 1 bottled water (0.33L per person per day). Fares also include multilingual guide services, onboard entertainment (language and singing lessons, live music, nightly dancing, wheelhouse tour).
• Complimentary excursions are listed in the ship’s itinerary. Optional tours can be booked onboard. Foreign passengers are charged a daily excursion fee (except citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), which varies by cruise duration.
• Not included: land transfers, bar beverages and snacks, phone calls, sauna access, optional tours, insurance, gratuities, and personal expenses. All fares include 18% VAT.
• Payments onboard are cashless via a “Vodohod” debit card issued upon registration. It can be used in all ship venues without commission. International cards are accepted for final settlement.
• Gift Certificates (“Vodohod” vouchers) are available for pre-purchase for any amount and can be used toward any cruise, date, or cabin category. Unused balance is non-refundable.
• Smoking is permitted only in designated areas (aft sections of Middle and/or Boat Decks). It is strictly prohibited in all interior spaces and on other open decks.
• All Vodohod ships offer morning exercises led by a certified physician, oxygen cocktails, and dietary meal options.
• Complimentary onboard medical services include emergency care for acute illnesses, blood pressure and temperature checks, and first-aid wound treatment.
• Passengers are advised to arrive at the departure port at least 6 hours before sailing. Boarding begins 2 hours before departure, and all passengers must be onboard at least 1 hour before departure. Late arrivals are non-refundable.
• Vodohod’s departure ports include Moscow, St Petersburg, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Samara, Kazan, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, and Saratov.

Note: You can find CruiseMapper’s complete list of river cruise ships and riverboats in the “Itinerary” section of our River Cruises hub, which includes all companies and their fleets.