MS Nizhny Novgorod

MS Nizhny Novgorod cruise ship ("теплоход Нижний Новгород" круизный корабль) is a traditional Russian river passenger ship built for the USSR (Soviet Union) in GDR (Eastern Germany). The boat is currently owned and operated by the Russian shipping company VODOHOD ("Водоход"). MS Novgorod cruises on Volga River, departing from Nizhny Novgorod. Most itineraries are roundtrips, visiting Astrakhan (13-day), Perm (9-day), Samara (6-day), St Petersburg (14-day), Kazan (5-6-day), Karelia (14-day), Cheboksary (3-day), Makarievo (2-day), Yelabuga (5-day).

The shipowner Vodohod is Russia's largest river cruise shipping operator. The company was established in 2004 as Volga Shipping Company. After the merger with Volga Flot Tour, Vodohod now operates over 50 cruise ships along the rivers Don, Volga, Kama, Moscow, Volga-Don Canal, Volga-Baltic Waterway and the lakes Ladoga and Onega.

VODOHOD's predecessor - Volga Shipping Company (translated Volzhskoye parokhodstvo / Волжское пароходство) was founded as a Volga steamship transportation company in 1843. In 2011, the company had in operation over 300 passenger and cargo river vessels and carried over 6,7 billion tons of cargoes and over 368,000 passengers on Russia's biggest inland waterways.

The ship is named after the Russian city Nizhny Novgorod, completely renovated in 2011 and last refurbished in 2019.

In 2021 (May-September), the riverboat was chartered by Emerald Waterways and rebranded to "MS Rossia". To the 11-day Volga cruisetour itinerary (themed "Imperial Charms of Russia", between St Petersburg and Moscow) can be added an overnight in Saint Petersburg City with included guided tour to the Peterhof Palace.

Emerald Waterways Russia cruise bookings opened on July 27, 2020. Early bookings (any 2021 departure) received free roundtrip flights to Russia plus USD 1100 discount on the cruise cost. Full-paying customers (within 14 days of booking) receive USD 250 (per person) in savings.

Cabins

Accommodations include 6 suites, 94 twins, 19 singles and 10 triples. All staterooms are outside (no interior cabins) and with large opening windows (except Lower Deck cabins with round-shaped non-opening portholes). Each cabin as standard amenities offers central air-conditioning (individually controlled heating and ventilation system), private en-suite bathrooms (WC, shower, washbasin, hairdryer), flat TV, radio, refrigerator, wardrobe, safe (in the closet), vanity mirror, writing desk with chair, bedside table, bed lights, 220 V power sockets. Suites additionally have a double bed, sofa, coffee table, armchairs, cabinet, floor lamps. Ceiling height is 2,2 m.

Following multi-million refurbishments, all cabins feature larger than original sizes, new furniture and flooring, deluxe bedding, modern lighting.

• Suites (location Middle Deck) are 2-room cabins with separate living room/bedroom and 4x large windows (opening). Suites feature double sofabed, armchairs, coffee table, bedroom with King-size double bed, mirrored vanity table with chair, wardrobe. Suites can accommodate up to 4 passengers.
• Single Cabins (location Middle Deck / Boat Deck) are 1-bed staterooms with 1x large window (opening).
• Twin / Double Cabins (location Middle Deck / Boat Deck) are 2-bed staterooms with 1x large window (opening).
• Triple Cabins (location Lower Deck) are 3-bed staterooms with 2x porthole windows (non-opening). Triple cabins can be also booked as doubles.

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

Dining onboard MS Novgorod features European cuisine sp[ecialties with elements of Russian traditional cooking. Breakfasts are buffet-style. Lunches include 1 meal (Russian soup). Dinner is waiter-served and with a traditional Russian food 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, nesting doll (matryoshka) painting classes.

MS Novgorod ship facilities include:

• (Boat Deck, Middle Deck) 2 restaurants (Volga and Neva)
• (Boat Deck) Panorama Bar Lounge
• (Sun Deck) Conference Hall and Bar (Dance Hall / Cinema / Meeting Room)
• (Middle Deck) Bar Lounge / Library / Reading Hall
• (Sun Deck) Spa (Sauna), Solarium (sundeck area with outdoor seating/deckchairs and 4-seat tables), covered fitness area (outdoor Gym with exercise machines)
• (Main Deck) Medical Room (Infirmary), Beauty Salon (hairdresser and barber services, massages), Boutique (Souvenir Shop), Lobby (Reception Desk)
• (Middle Deck) Ironing Room (laundry service)
• (Lower Deck) Fitness (Gym Room), Kids Room

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 departure.
• Kids discount ticket prices are for children up to 14 years of age (14-yo including), the age being fixed on departure day.
• Kids from 2 to 5 years of age (5-yo including) 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 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) and Dinner (waiter-served) with 1 Starter, 1 Main course (choice of 3 available / meat-fish-vegetarian), 1 Dessert (choice of 2 or fruits).
• On embarkation day and disembarkation day (voyage's end), meal times depend on landing times. If a land tour coincides with a meal time (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), 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 ice tea (weather-depending / 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 (0.33l pp per day in cabins). Tickets are also inclusive of foreign language speaking guide services, 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 with 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 cruise tour 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 spendings. 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's 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 to arrive in departure port cities at least 6 hours prior to ship's departure. Boarding starts 2 hours prior departure. All passengers must be boarded at least 1-hour prior departure. Late passengers missing their cruise tour are not refunded.
• VODOHOD's departure ports are Moscow, St Petersburg, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Samara, Kazan, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Saratov.

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.