MS Yuri Andropov

MS Yuri Andropov cruise ship ("теплоход Юрий Андропов" круизный корабль) is a traditional Russian river passenger vessel built for the USSR in the GDR (East Germany). The ship is currently owned and operated by the Russian company VODOHOD ("Водоход"). MS Andropov cruises on the Neva River, operating round-trip itineraries from St Petersburg: 3–4-day routes to the Valaam Islands (Lake Ladoga) and a 6-day itinerary to Valaam–Kizhi Island–Petrozavodsk.

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

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

MS Andropov was named after the Soviet politician Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov (1914–1984), who served as Chairman of the KGB (1967–1982) and as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the USSR (1982–1984). The vessel was extensively refurbished in 2012.

Cabins

Accommodations include 2 suites, 124 twins (2-bed cabins), 9 quads (4-bed cabins), and 8 singles (1-bed cabins). All staterooms are outside (no interior cabins) and feature large opening windows, except 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, wash basin, hairdryer, towels, bath products), flat TV, radio, direct-dial phone, refrigerator, wardrobe, safe (in the closet), vanity mirror, writing desk with chair, bedside table, reading lights, and 220 V power sockets. Suites additionally offer a double bed, sofa, coffee table, armchairs, cabinet, and floor lamps. Ceiling height is 2.2 m.

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

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

Dining onboard MS Andropov features European cuisine with elements of traditional Russian cooking. Breakfast is buffet-style. Lunch includes one main dish (Russian soup). Dinner is waiter-served and features a Russian-themed menu. Waitstaff wear traditional costumes.

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

MS Andropov’s onboard 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), Boutique (Souvenir Shop)
• (Sun Deck) Solarium with outdoor seating, deckchairs, and 4-seat tables
• (Lower Deck) Spa (Sauna Room)
• (Main Deck) Medical Room (Infirmary), Beauty Salon (hairdresser, barber, massages), 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 website (vodohod.com) and on passenger boarding passes. Exact departure time is published online the day before sailing.
• Kids’ discount fares apply to children up to 14 years old (including 14), age determined on departure day.
• Children aged 2–5 (including 5) travel free of charge without an additional bed (if no free beds are available). Shore excursions are included.
• Toddlers under 2 travel free, but bed, food, and tour services are not provided. Extra beds (cribs, cots) are not available onboard.
• The single supplement for TWIN (double) cabins is 75%.
• Cabin numbers are provided 7 days before departure. Reservation of a specific cabin number costs EUR 50 per person per cruise.
• Ticket prices include three meals daily: Breakfast (buffet; water in pitchers; tea/coffee served; cocoa, milk, juices, hot and cold dishes), Lunch (buffet; water, tea/coffee served), and Dinner (waiter-served) with 1 Starter, 1 Main course (choice of meat, fish, or vegetarian), and 1 Dessert (choice of two or fruit).
• On embarkation and disembarkation days, meal times depend on landing times. If a shore excursion overlaps with lunch, guests receive complimentary meals at a local restaurant or “dry rations.”
• Fares include: Welcome Aboard ceremony (“bread and salt”), Welcome Cocktail (1 complimentary glass of champagne or juice), Tea Ceremony (tea and pies), Vodka Show (blini and vodka tasting), Cocktail Party (1 complimentary cocktail per person), Captain’s Dinner (gourmet menu), mulled wine or iced tea (weather-dependent after excursions), complimentary Coffee Station (set opening hours), and 1 bottle of water (0.33 l per person per day). Fares also include multilingual guide services, onboard entertainment (language classes, singing lessons, live music, nightly dancing, Wheelhouse tour).
• Complimentary excursions are listed in the cruise program. Optional tours may be booked onboard. Foreign tourists are charged an additional per-day excursion fee (including children 6–14). This surcharge does not apply to tourists from the Russian Commonwealth, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania. The fee varies by itinerary length.
• Fares do not include land transfers, beverages and snacks from bars/lounges, phone calls, sauna use, optional excursions, travel insurance, gratuities, or personal expenses. Prices include 18% VAT.
• All onboard purchases are paid using the Vodohod debit card (issued at registration), accepted at bars, restaurants, shops, and the administration desk. Cash is not accepted. International bank cards are accepted for the final settlement.
• The Vodohod Gift Certificate may be purchased for any amount. The recipient may choose itinerary, departure date, and cabin category. If the cruise is priced lower than the certificate value, the difference is not refunded.
• Smoking is permitted only in designated areas located aft on the Middle and/or Boat Decks. Smoking is prohibited indoors and on all open decks except marked areas.
• All Vodohod ships offer morning exercises and health gymnastics (led by a certified physician), oxygen cocktails, and dietary food options.
• Complimentary onboard medical services include emergency care, blood pressure and temperature measurement, and basic wound treatment.
• Vodohod recommends arriving at the departure port at least 6 hours before sailing. Boarding begins 2 hours before departure. All passengers must be onboard at least 1 hour prior to departure. Late arrivals are not refunded.
• Vodohod departure ports include Moscow, St Petersburg, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Samara, Kazan, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, and Saratov.

Note: CruiseMapper’s full list of river cruise ships and riverboats can be found in the “itinerary” section of the River Cruises hub, where all companies and their fleets are listed.