MS Lev Tolstoy

MS Lev Tolstoy cruise ship ("Лев Толстой" круизный корабль) is a traditional Russian river passenger vessel built for the USSR (Soviet Union) in Austria. The ship is currently owned and operated by the Russian company VODOHOD ("Водоход"). MS Tolstoy cruises along the Volga River between St Petersburg and Moscow, as well as on the Moscow–Astrakhan route.

Vodohod is Russia’s largest river cruise operator. Established in 2004 as the Volga Shipping Company, it later merged with Volga Flot Tour. Today, Vodohod operates over 50 cruise ships sailing on the Don, Volga, Kama, and Moscow rivers, as well as the Volga-Don Canal, Volga-Baltic Waterway, and the lakes Ladoga and Onega.

VODOHOD’s predecessor, the Volga Shipping Company (Volzhskoye Parokhodstvo / Волжское пароходство), was founded in 1843 as a Volga River steamship company. By 2011, it operated more than 300 passenger and cargo vessels, carrying over 6.7 billion tons of cargo and more than 368,000 passengers along Russia’s major inland waterways.

MS Tolstoy was named after the Russian author Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828–1910), best known for his novels "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina." The vessel was last refurbished in 2012.

Cabins

The ship offers 6 suites, 7 junior suites, 94 twin cabins, 6 singles, and 14 triples. All accommodations are exterior (no interior cabins) and feature large opening picture windows. Each stateroom includes individually controlled air-conditioning and heating, a private bathroom (WC, shower, washbasin), radio, refrigerator, wardrobe, safe (in the closet), 220V power outlets, and a hairdryer.

• Suites (Boat Deck) are two-room accommodations with a separate living room and bedroom, large opening windows, a sofa, two armchairs, a coffee table, a king-size double bed, and two wardrobes. They can accommodate up to three guests via a folding bed.
• Junior Suites (Boat Deck) are spacious twin/double cabins with opening windows, two armchairs, a coffee table, and twin beds convertible to a double.
• Single Cabins (Middle and Boat Decks) are one-bed staterooms with an opening window and a fixed bed.
• Twin/Double Cabins (Main, Middle, and Boat Decks) feature two fixed single beds (non-convertible) and an opening window.
• Triple Cabins (Main Deck) include two fixed lower beds (non-convertible to double), one upper bunk, and an opening window. They can also be booked as doubles.

Shipboard dining and entertainment

Dining aboard MS Lev Tolstoy features European cuisine with traditional Russian influences. Breakfast is buffet-style, lunch includes a Russian soup course, and dinner is waiter-served with a classic Russian menu. 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 (led by professional guides) provide information about destinations, excursions, and tours. Guests can also enjoy traditional Russian tea ceremonies, language lessons, dancing and singing classes, vodka tastings, and matryoshka (nesting doll) painting workshops.

One of the ship’s highlights is its indoor swimming pool with a glass roof.

MS Lev Tolstoy’s onboard facilities include:

• (Main Deck) Medical Room (Infirmary), Sauna, Beauty Salon (hairdresser, barber, and massage services), Ironing Room (laundry service), Lobby (Reception Desk, spiral staircase), Coffee & Tea Station
• (Upper Deck) Restaurant “Katrina”
• (Upper Deck) Library/Reading Hall (books, travel guides, cards, and board games)
• (Boat Deck aft) Indoor swimming pool with Coffee Bar “Neva,” comfortable seating area, and open-air terrace
• (Boat Deck forward) Music Hall (Panorama Lounge and Bar, dance floor, grand piano for live performances), Boutique (Souvenir Shop)
• (Sun Deck) Conference Hall and Bar (Dance Hall/Cinema/Meeting Room)
• (Sun Deck) Solarium and Fitness area (covered outdoor gym), sunbathing zone with deckchairs and 4-seat tables

VODOHOD cruise deals

• Departure port, check-in, boarding, and landing times are listed on the company’s website (vodohod.com) and on passengers’ boarding passes. The exact departure time is confirmed online the day before sailing.
• Discounted child fares apply to children up to 14 years old (inclusive) as of the departure date.
• Children aged 2–5 (inclusive) travel free of charge without an extra bed (if no free bed is available). Shore excursions are also complimentary.
• Infants under 2 travel free, but no separate bed, meals, or tour services are provided. Baby cribs and cots are not available onboard.
• The single supplement for twin cabins is 75%.
• Cabin numbers are assigned seven days before departure. Selecting a specific cabin number costs EUR 50 per person per cruise.
• Ticket prices include three daily meals. Onboard dining features buffet-style breakfast (with tea, coffee, cocoa, milk, juices, and hot/cold dishes), buffet lunch, and waiter-served dinner with a choice of starter, main course (meat, fish, or vegetarian), and dessert (two options or fruit).
• On embarkation and disembarkation days, meal times depend on landing schedules. If a land tour overlaps a mealtime, passengers receive complimentary meals at a local restaurant or a packed lunch.
• Included onboard events: Welcome Aboard ceremony (“bread and salt”), Welcome Cocktail (one complimentary drink per person), “Tea Ceremony” (tea and pastries), “Vodka Show” (blini and vodka tasting), Cocktail Party (once per cruise, one free drink per person), Captain’s Dinner (gourmet menu, once per cruise), mulled wine or iced tea (depending on weather), and complimentary Coffee Station (various times daily). Guests also receive one 0.33L bottled water per person per day in their cabin. Prices include entertainment, guided excursions, live music, dancing, and a Wheelhouse tour.
• Complimentary excursions are listed in the cruise itinerary. Optional tours can be booked onboard. An additional daily excursion fee applies to foreign passengers (including children aged 6–14), except for citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The surcharge varies by cruise length (1–2, 3–4, 5, 6, or 7 days).
• Prices exclude land transfers, beverages and snacks (sold in onboard bars and lounges), phone use, sauna visits, optional tours, travel insurance, gratuities, and personal expenses. All prices include 18% VAT.
• Onboard payments are cashless via the company’s debit card “Vodohod,” issued at registration. The card is accepted at all onboard venues and incurs no fees or commissions. Cash is not accepted. International bank cards can be used for final settlements.
• Vodohod gift certificates (vouchers) are available for any amount. Recipients may choose the itinerary, departure date, and cabin category. If the cruise cost is less than the certificate value, the difference is non-refundable.
• Smoking is permitted only in designated areas (marked “Place for Smoking”) located aft on the Middle and/or Boat Decks. Smoking is prohibited in all indoor spaces and open decks except in designated zones.
• All Vodohod ships offer morning exercise sessions led by a certified physician, oxygen cocktails, and dietary meal options.
• Free medical services include emergency care, treatment for acute illnesses or chronic conditions, blood pressure and temperature checks, and first aid for minor injuries.
• Passengers are advised to arrive at the departure port at least six hours before sailing. Boarding begins two hours before departure, and all passengers must be onboard at least one 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.

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