MS Mikhail Sholokhov

MS Mikhail Sholokhov cruise ship ("теплоход Михаил Шолохов" / translated "Mikhail Sholokhov") is a traditional Russian river passenger vessel built for the USSR (Soviet Union) in the GDR (East Germany). The ship is currently owned and operated by the Russian shipping company Doninturflot ("Донинтурфлот"). MS Sholokhov cruises along the Volga River between St Petersburg and Moscow on 10-day southbound and 11-day northbound itineraries. Ports of call along the route include Mandrogi, Kizhi Island, Goritsy Monastery, Uglich, and Yaroslavl.

From the same series, a total of 28 vessels were built between 1983 and 1992. All these ships feature diesel-electric propulsion (three propellers) and were originally designed to accommodate up to 332 passengers.

The vessel was built in 1985 for the USSR’s state-owned company "Volga-Donskoe Retschnoje Parochodstvo" ("Волго-Донское пароходство", now "Азово-Донское Пароходство") based in Rostov-on-Don. Today, the ship is owned by Doninturflot and operated under charter by the Russian companies "Orthodox Cruise Company" and "Imperial River Cruises Russia".

The ship is named after the Russian novelist Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov (1905–1984), winner of the 1965 Nobel Prize in Literature. He is best known for his novel "Lazorevaja Step," which depicts the life of the Don Cossacks during the Russian Revolution of 1917. The vessel was fully refurbished in 2001.

As typical for this class of Russian river cruise ships, MS Sholokhov offers the following onboard facilities:

• 2 restaurants (main dining room and bar-restaurant / dinner only)
• 3 bars and a small Boutique (Souvenir Shop)
• Spacious Lobby (Reception / Guest Services Desk), Coffee Station (coffee, hot water, packed tea, milk, cocoa, cookies)
• Bar Lounge (Piano Bar)
• Conference Hall and Bar (Music Hall / Cinema / Meeting Room)
• Reading Lounge (Library)
• Sun Deck (Solarium with outdoor seating, deckchairs, and four-seat tables), outdoor swimming pool (metal-frame above-ground pool located aft), covered fitness area (outdoor Gym with exercise machines)
• Wrap-around Promenade Deck with outdoor seating areas
• Medical Room (Infirmary)
• Beauty Salon (hairdresser and barber services, massages)
• Ironing Room (laundry service) and Sauna
• Wi-Fi is available onboard at $5 per device per day.

Onboard entertainment includes games, traditional tea ceremonies (with pies), themed parties (folk shows, dance evenings), daily live music performances (grand piano and concerts), Russian language lessons, dance and singing classes, blini (pancake) and vodka tastings, and lectures. The Dining Room menu features local specialties inspired by the regions and ports along the cruise route.

The ship’s crew includes licensed Russian tour guides fluent in English or German, who conduct onboard and ashore enrichment programs. Throughout the voyage, these professional guides deliver lectures on Russian culture, art, history, and current affairs, as well as detailed presentations about each port of call and shore excursion.

Cabins

The ship offers several stateroom categories, including 6 Triple, 4 Single, 126 Standard Twin, and 2 Suite cabins. All cabins feature individually controlled air-conditioning (thermostat-regulated heating and ventilation), a wardrobe, bedside table, mirrored dressing table with padded stool, mini-refrigerator, radio, flat-screen TV, safe deposit box (in the closet), and an en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, single-sink vanity). Each cabin has large opening windows, except for Lower Deck cabins, which are fitted with portholes.

Most staterooms have two single beds. Suites are two-room accommodations with a separate bedroom (double bed) and a living room furnished with a sofa and armchairs. Suites can accommodate a third guest using a folding bed.

Note: You can find CruiseMapper’s full list of river cruise ships and riverboats in the “itinerary” section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.