MS Pyotr Velikiy

The 2022-built MS Pyotr Velikiy cruise ship ("теплоход Пётр Великий" круизный корабль) is a Russian passenger ship owned by the private Russian shipping company Mosturflot ("Мостурфлот") and operated under charter by Russia's largest cruise company, VODOHOD ("Водоход"). The 6-deck newbuilds (sisterships Pyotr Velikiy and Mustai Karim/Мyстай Карим) were both designed and constructed in Russia. The vessel was scheduled for launch in May 2020. This new-design Russian riverboat (Project PV300LMPP-110, sea-and-river vessel) is currently under construction at Lotos Shipyard in Narimanov (Astrakhan, Russia).

The cruise vessel is named after Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great, or Peter I / 1672-1725). He was the ruler of the Russian Empire in the period 1682-1725. After winning the Great Northern War with Sweden (1700-1721) and several battles with the Ottoman Empire, he greatly expanded Russia to the north, west and south and gained access to the waterways of the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Caspian Sea. Peter I founded St Petersburg, which served as Russia's capital city in the period 1703-1917.

VODOHOD's cruise ship "Project PV300LMPP-110"

At the end of 2016, VODOHOD (Russia's largest passenger shipping company) signed a contract with the Russian shipbuilder USC (United Shipbuilding Corporation) for the construction of one PV300 unit. The shipbuilding contractor was USC's subsidiary PJSC "Krasnoe Sormovo". The newbuild was planned to be ready for the 2020 Volga River navigation season. The cost of the contract was ~RUB 3.2 billion (USD 57 million).

VODOHOD's new cruise ship project partly resembles the PV300 project, which was modified to meet the company's updated standards for commercial shipping efficiency. The full name of this ship design is PV300LMPP-110. The cruiser Pyotr Velikiy was planned for navigation on the Volga River (between homeports Moscow and Saint Petersburg during summer, for up to 5-6 months) and for sea cruises (during winter) in the Caspian Sea, Azov Sea and Black Sea.

Decks and Cabins

VODOHOD increased the ship's passenger capacity from 300 to 342. The boat has 6 decks and a total of 169 staterooms, including 2 Suites, 2 Owner Suites, 2 Junior Suites, 159 Deluxe (Twin Comfort) and 4 Standard Twin cabins. All staterooms are outside (no interior cabins) and have floor-to-ceiling windows. Standard cabin amenities include twin beds (convertible to Queen-size double), wardrobe, electronic safe box (in the closet), smart HDTV (satellite reception, ship info channel, live camera views), Wi-Fi Internet, radio, phone, mini-bar/refrigerator, power sockets (220 V), en-suite bathroom (single-sink vanity, toilet, shower, hairdryer, shaver socket, toiletries, towels, bathrobes). All suites are with bathtubs.

The average cabin size is 19 m2 (205 ft2). For comparison, the size of Twin Standard cabins on other Russian river ships is 10 m2 (110 ft2). All cabins on this "river liner" have private balconies. Suites and Junior Suites are sized 30 m2 (320 ft2).

A total of 22 cabin pairs (44 rooms) are connecting. There is also an option for booking a 3-Room Suite (midship-portside on Boat Deck), which is comprised of 3 connecting cabins.

Cabin amenities and shipboard services correspond to 5-star hotel standards.

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

Dining onboard features European cuisine specialties with elements of traditional Russian cooking. Breakfasts are buffet-style. Lunches include one meal (Russian soup). Dinner is waiter-served and offers a traditional Russian menu. Waiters are dressed in traditional costumes.

Onboard entertainment is focused on pre-scheduled activities and live performances (classical and Russian folk music). Onboard lectures are themed on the country's history and culture. Port talks (by a professional tour guide) provide information on visited river ports, nearby towns, shore excursions and tours available for booking. Passengers also enjoy traditional Russian tea ceremonies, Russian language lessons, dancing and singing classes, vodka tasting, and nesting doll (matryoshka) painting classes.

Ship facilities include:

• 2 restaurants, 2 bar lounges, Pub (Beer Bar)
• Conference Hall, Reading Hall (Library Lounge)
• Show Lounge (Music Hall with dance floor, stage and grand piano for live performances)
• Ironing Room (laundry service), Kids Room, Souvenir Shop
• Sauna, Spa Salon (Hairdresser, Massage Room)
• 3 lifts (passenger elevators), 2 Atriums (each with its own Reception Desk)
• Sun Deck (Solarium with loungers, 10-m long swimming pool, 2 Jacuzzis/whirlpools), Medical Room (Infirmary)

Itineraries

Pyotr Velikiy ship cruises on the Volga River with northbound and southbound itineraries. The liner navigates between homeports (departure ports) Moscow-Astrakhan and Moscow-St Petersburg (passing through lakes Onega and Ladoga). The riverboat also operates on the route Moscow-Rostov-on-Don (passing through the Volga-Don Canal).

The inaugural cruise was scheduled for May 12, 2020. The 12-day (11-night) itinerary Moscow to St Petersburg visits Moscow (2 overnights), Uglich, Yaroslavl, Goritsy, Kizhi Island (Lake Onega), Mandrogi, and St Petersburg (3 overnights). The reverse St Petersburg to Moscow itinerary has a length of 11 days (10 nights).

Ashore travel and excursion options include:

• Moscow - airport-to-ship transfer, city tour by bus, visiting Kremlin, restaurant lunch
• Uglich - walking tour, visiting Kremlin, Church of St Dmitry on the Blood, and Transfiguration Cathedral
• Yaroslavl - city tour by bus, visiting an outdoor market (shopping), Church of St Elijah the Prophet, Church of St Nicholas the Wonderworker, Art Gallery tour
• Goritsy - visiting the monastery and the museum of icons
• Kizhi Island - visiting the outdoor museum of Russian traditional wooden architecture
• Mandrogi Village - outdoor grill / kebab
• St Petersburg - city tour by bus, visiting Peter and Paul Fortress (1703-built citadel), State Hermitage Museum (art and culture), Peterhof State Museum-Reserve (lower park), ship-to-airport transfer

During winter months, when the Volga River is not navigational, the Pyotr Velikiy ship cruises on routes between ports in the Black Sea and Caspian Sea.

Shipboard activities include complimentary events such as classical music concerts, grand piano concerts, show lounge (daily and nightly live music and dancing), Russian traditional tea ceremony (samovar-prepared tea), food tasting party (vodka and blinis/pancakes), Russian language class, cooking class, yoga with a professional fitness instructor, lecture themed on traditional Russian arts and crafts (English- and French-speaking lecturers), talent show (by crew members), cocktail party (for presenting the ship's crew), Q&A session with Russian students, Navigation Bridge / Wheelhouse tour and Engine Room tour.

VODOHOD cruise deals

• Departure port (dock/berth), check-in, boarding and landing times are indicated on the company's website (vodohod.com) and on passengers' boarding passes. Ship's exact departure time is clarified on the website the day prior to departure.
• Kids discount ticket prices are for children up to 14 years of age (14-yo inclusive), the age being fixed on departure day.
• Kids from 2 to 5 years of age (5-yo inclusive) travel free of charge, but without providing an additional bed (if there are no free beds in the cabin). Shore excursion is also free of charge.
• Toddlers (kids under 2) travel free of charge, but bed, food and tour services are not provided. Extra beds in staterooms (baby cribs, cots) are not available on the ship.
• TWIN (double cabin) single supplement rate is 75%.
• Cabin number is provided 7 days prior to departure. Reservation of a specific room number costs EUR 50 pp per cruise.
• Ticket prices are inclusive of 3 meals a day. Onboard dining includes Breakfast (buffet-style, water in pitchers, tea/coffee served, drinks - cocoa, milk, juices, hot and cold dishes), Lunch (buffet-style, water in pitchers, tea/coffee served), Dinner (waiter-served) with 1 Starter, 1 Main course (choice of 3 available / meat-fish-vegetarian), 1 Dessert (choice of 2 or fruits), midnight soup.
• On embarkation day and disembarkation day (voyage's end), meal times depend on landing times. If a land tour coincides with a mealtime (lunch), passengers are provided with complimentary food at a local restaurant (cafe) or given "dry rations".
• Ticket price inclusive onboard events are Welcome Aboard ("bread and salt" ceremony), Welcome Cocktail (complimentary 1 glass of champagne or juice per person), "Tea Ceremony" (tea and traditional pies), "Vodka Show" (blini and vodka tasting), Farewell Captain's Cocktail Party (once per cruise, complimentary 1 cocktail / out of 3 choices per person), Captain's Dinner (gourmet menu, once per cruise), mulled wine or iced tea (weather-dependent / upon returning from excursions), complimentary Coffee Station (coffee, hot water, packed tea, milk, cocoa, cookies, opening times 6am-breakfast, 10-12am, 4-6pm, 9-11pm), 1 bottled water (0.33 l pp per day in cabins). Tickets are also inclusive of foreign language-speaking guide services and onboard entertainment (language class, singing lessons, live music, nightly dancing music, Wheelhouse tour).
• Complimentary excursions are detailed in the ship's cruise itinerary program. Optional tours are available for shipboard booking. For excursion services, VODOHOD charges foreigners an additional fee per person per day, including children 6-14 yo. This fee is not charged to tourists from the Russian Commonwealth, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The surcharge varies by cruisetour itinerary length (1-2 days, 3-4 days, 5 days, 6 days, 7 days).
• VODOHOD cruise tickets don't include any land transfers, beverages and snacks (in onboard bars and lounges), phone conversations, sauna visits, optional excursions, travel insurance, gratuities, personal spending. Ticket prices include 18% VAT.
• Non-cash onboard payments are made via the company's debit card "Vodohod" (received upon registration), which is without any interest or commissions. The card is accepted in all the ship's venues (bars, restaurant, shop, administration). Cash payments for onboard sales are not accepted. International bank cards are accepted for final payments.
• Gift Certificate "Vodohod" (vouchers) can be pre-purchased for any amount. The recipient can choose an itinerary, cruise departure date and cabin category. The amount specified is not fixed and is set by the buyer. If the cruise tour costs less than the certificate amount, the difference is not refundable.
• Smoking on the ship is allowed only in designated areas (marked with "Place for smoking" signs), located aft on decks Middle and/or Boat (depending on ship). Smoking is prohibited in all interior spaces and on open decks (except at designated areas).
• On all VODOHOD ships are available health gymnastics and morning exercises (led by a certified physician/ship's doctor), oxygen cocktail, dietary food.
• On all VODOHOD ships are provided (free of charge) the following medical services - emergency medical care (assistance required for sudden acute illnesses, conditions, exacerbation of chronic diseases), measurement of blood pressure and body temperature, primary treatment of wounds.
• VODOHOD recommends passengers arrive in departure port cities at least 6 hours prior to ship departure. Boarding starts 2 hours prior to departure. All passengers must be boarded at least 1 hour prior to departure. Late passengers missing their cruise tour are not refunded.
• VODOHOD's departure ports/homeports are Moscow, St Petersburg, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Samara, Kazan, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Saratov.