VodokhodЪ shipping company intends to launch for the first time a five-star sea cruise on the Azov Sea in September and October this year. Guests of the new Mustay Karim motor vessel will visit Rostov-on-Don, the ancient wine-making region Temryuk with excursions to Abrau Durso and Novorossiysk, as well as Yeisk and Taganrog. In addition, tourists will be able to visit museums, places of interest and walk the streets of resort towns.

"Working on the idea to extend navigation to autumn we have gone further, accelerated with the development of the southern routes, which have long been in the plans, because autumn is particularly good and beautiful there. Now we are glad to announce that we start new direction that we've been waiting for and dreaming about together with you. In September and October Azov Sea cruises are waiting for us. It will be an incredible gastronomic voyage to the south - in autumn, when the harvest is ripe fruits and vegetables, and the best farm products are on the tables", - said the General Director Rishat Bagautdinov.

He added that apart from tours, guests can try southern wines, honey and local cuisine, visit southern bazaars and go fishing.

Aboard the new five-star high-service hotel-liner guests will stay in spacious, comfortable cabins and as an entertainment program is prepared for them. Also the guests will be offered bars and restaurants, spa, conference hall, gym with sauna and hammam, library, hairdresser, outdoor walking area on the upper deck.

Expansion of routes geography

For the new motor ship "Mustay Karim" company's management not only prolonged the autumn navigation, but also expanded the geography of the routes. It is planned that the liner will operate also on Russian and foreign lines on popular routes from Moscow to St. Petersburg and from St. Petersburg to Moscow with calling at picturesque Plyos and also will perform cruises of different duration from Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod.

"Mustay Karim

The contract for the construction of the cruise ship was signed in January 2017 between representatives of Vodokhod shipping company, Krasnoye Sormovo plant and Mashpromleasing JSC . In March of the same year, the laying of the motor vessel itself took place, and the vessel was launched at the manufacturing plant in Nizhny Novgorod on September 11, 2019. Mustay Karimis expected to sail on both Russian and foreign lines.

"Mustay Karim" is the first river vessel built in Russia for the last 60 years as since 1950s all large passenger sea and river vessels operated in the country have been ordered only abroad.

The new motor vessel may accommodate 329 guests and 144 crew members. Its length is 141 m and beam is 16.8 m. The motor ship is named after the people's poet of the Republic of Bashkortostan Mustafa Safich Karimov (Mustay Karim), whose centenary was celebrated in Bashkortostan in 2019.

The ship is considered the newest product in the domestic river cruise market and the best in the Vodohod company's fleet .

"Maxim Gorky".

The second novelty not only of the company, but also of the Russian market is a luxury product, an expedition cruise along the Yenisei on the four-deck 5-star ship "Maxim Gorky". The vessel is equipped with modern navigation equipment and speed up to 22 km/hour. The length of the ship is 110.1 m, width - 14.5 m, the number of seats - 98. The motorboat is named after the Russian and Soviet writer, poet and playwright Maxim Gorky.

The ship is to sail from Krasnoyarsk to Dudinka. The voyage to Dudinka will last for Russian and foreign tourists for 11 days on the way from Krasnoyarsk to Dudinka and 13 days in the opposite direction. There has never been such cruise on Yenisey river before.

There is a real Siberian expedition for tourists: untouched nature of Taiga, acquaintance with culture of small peoples of the North and Old Believers, visiting of unique museums, reserved places, included in the list of UNESCO. Tourists will also have an opportunity to cross the Polar Circle, to descend into the permafrost cave and to ascend the Putorana plateau, to reach the northernmost railway - "Stroyka 503" and to learn the GULAG history, to try their skills at crafts master-classes and real Siberian fishing, and also to stroke reindeer.

For tourists there is a special menu of Siberian cuisine, Siberian bar and a wine library with a premium wine list. A special fish restaurant 'Catch of the Day' offers guests a large selection of fresh fish and delicacies.

As the result of major modernization of the ship in 2019-2020 there are only 52 cabins on the ship, large restaurant and entertainment complex is located on the boat deck and SPA zone with a gym on the upper deck.

About the company

"VodohodЪ is the largest Russian river cruise operator and full-service tourist operator with 16 years of experience. The fleet offers cruises from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan along the main rivers in European Russia and popular tourist routes as well as organizes exclusive expeditionary tours along the Yenisei River between Krasnoyarsk and Dudinka in Siberia. The company plans to enter the Arctic and Baikal.