The double-deck ship "Vasily Chapaev" was built at the Obuda Hajoguar plant in Budapest (Hungary) in 1964. This is a small river ship, but homely and comfortable. A thorough reconstruction was carried out in 2010 under project 305, that is, the ship was modernized, the cabins and other premises were reconstructed. Cruise trips start from the Southern and Northern river stations of the capital of Russia. In winter, when most of the rivers are ice-bound, the ship is moored in Nizhny Novgorod. It differs from others by the presence of a green waterline.
The structure of the ship
The ship "Vasily Chapaev" is designed for 160 passenger seats. Thanks to a small draft, only 1.5 meters, it can run along all the rivers of Mother Russia. And in fact, he visited all the water streams, except for the Don. In the summer he always stops in Moscow and invites Muscovites and guests from all over the vast country on board. The ship is 78 meters long and 15 meters wide. Engine power - 800 horsepower.
The vessel is moving at a small walking speed 19,5 km/h, which allows vacationers to see in detail the natural beauties of the river banks.
When entering the ship, travelers enter a beautiful lobby with a reception desk located on the lower deck. The floors and gangways throughout the ship are covered with red carpets, while the two open decks, saloons and discos are green. You need to climb the ladders to the middle deck, where the cabins for passengers begin.
Also on the ship "Vasily Chapaev" there are restaurants, a salon where concerts and entertainment events are held, a disco and a karaoke bar. You can play table tennis or sunbathe in the outdoor solarium. Those wishing to take a steam bath can visit the sauna. If necessary, travelers will be provided with qualified medical assistance at the first-aid post.
For corporate meetings and classes there is a comfortable conference room. A large area is occupied by wide promenade decks, where you can walk or sit on comfortable sun loungers. In the evening, they offer to go to the cinema and watch a movie or sit in a bar with a glass of champagne and listen to a concert.
Tasty like home
There are two restaurants on all Project 305 ships. They receive visitors in two shifts. Breakfast is a buffet with a large selection of food. These are cheese and meat cuts, sausages and eggs, rice casseroles and omelettes. For lovers of a thorough breakfast, there are porridges and meatballs with stewed vegetables. For those who are worried about the figure, yoghurts and fruit platter are served. For main coursesoffer a variety of sauces. A delicious fresh bun can be spread with butter and jam. Drinks are also full of variety. These are milk, coffee, tea, juices.
For lunch and dinner, you need to choose one of the two proposed dishes. For example, one of two salads, desserts, soups or main courses. Drinks are also of your choice, at will (jelly, tea or coffee). The menu is varied and the chefs are delicious. The dishes are interesting, not banal. For example, beef tongue with walnut sauce, shchi with mushrooms seasoned with sour cream, a variety of meat, chicken and herb salads. Everything is fresh and delicious.
Desserts also beckon them to try. These are oriental sweets (dried fruits with nuts), and ice cream with fruits, sweet pastries and chocolate mousses. You will lick your fingers!
Cabin classification
Cabins existing on the ship "Vasily Chapaev" are divided into three main groups. These are super comfortable junior suites located on the middle and main decks. There are only six of them. They differ from other cabins in their increased comfort. Each has a wash basin and a shower, a refrigerator, a toilet room with a hairdryer, air conditioning, set to cold and warm, TV with satellite channels, a telephone on the boat, comfortable beds and a sofa, a table with dishes, terry bathrobes and slippers are provided. High class cabins have 2 to 3 windows.
The next type of cabins is denoted by the letter A. There are also several types: single and double, there are also cabins with extra beds (sofas). Compared to junior suites, cabins areareas take up much less space. But the rooms have a shower, toilet, washbasin. There is also a TV, refrigerator, air conditioning, which works in winter for heating, and in summer - for cooling the room. The phone provides intercom.
The last type of cabins is indicated by the letter B. These are economy class cabins. They only have a washbasin. There is no toilet, it is on the deck and is shared. The cabin has bunk beds, refrigerator, TV, small table. But there is a TV, air conditioning and a telephone.
What distinguishes the ship "Vasily Chapaev" from sea liners is that in every cabin, even the economy class, there are windows. This is a huge advantage, since without windows the room is very depressing, and you don’t want to be in the cabin at all. It is comfortable to rest on this ship everywhere.
History of the ship
The ship is named after the commander of the Red Army, the legendary hero of films and the people's favorite Vasily Chapaev. The very first cruise was made in 2005 along the following route: from the Moscow river station to Perm, then there was a call to Ufa and the way back to Moscow.
In 2009, the ship became a pioneer on the Sura River. And in 2011, during a tourist expedition, he followed a new route, exploring the banks of the Sura, Vetluga and Vyatka. The tour was called Tributaries.
In 2013, the ship again became a pioneer among cruise ships that entered the Vyatka River. Continuing the traditions of the beginner, "VasilyChapaev" in 2016 brought travelers to the city of Kirov.
Currently, the ship makes river cruises along many rivers of Russia with calls to the main coastal historical cities of the Volga region, Tatarstan, the North and the famous Golden Ring.
Ship Owners
Immediately after the construction, the ship operated under the leadership of the Volga Shipping Company until 1980. Astrakhan was considered the port of registry. Then, until the fall of 2009, it belonged to the Belsk River Shipping Company, with a home port in Ufa. In this city, he made river trips and cruises. Then the Bashkir River Shipping Company became the owner of the ship.
In 2009, a large cruise company "Infoflot" signed a berth charter agreement for the lease of a ship for a long period. Such a contract means chartering a ship without a crew at the discretion of the owner. After signing a long-term contract, the new owner in the same year put the ship in the Ufimsky backwater for a complete modernization.
Vessel reconstruction
During the modernization, they changed the entire electrical wiring of the ship, carried out a fire alarm. Navigation on the ship "Vasily Chapaev" is carried out using the latest GPS systems, a radar and two modern diesel generators are installed, thanks to which it became possible to increase the consumption of electricity by passengers and staff.
Reconstructed all common areas and cabins. Almost all cabins have their own toilet. Water is supplied to all: cold and hot. We changed the lining of walls and floors, bought new furniture for cabins, restaurantsand bars. The vessel is painted white with patterns and ornaments in blue, light blue and orange, which is unconventional among Russian river vessels.
Each cabin has found technology (TV, air conditioning, refrigerator, hair dryer, telephone). The TV receives signals from a satellite dish. What is interesting is the broadcast on one of the ship's foreground television channels. The image is transmitted from the camera installed on the bow of the ship.
Plastic panoramic windows are installed on the main deck, which open up an overview of the entire surrounding coastal area.
Ship safety
In every cabin for passengers there are life jackets, there are even children's ones. At the beginning of each cruise, there is a drill and a rehearsal for the evacuation of passengers to their rafts and lifeboats. At the captain's signal, everyone takes their vest, puts it on, after reading the instructions in the cabin. Further, at a fast pace, people gather on the upper deck. They also show a film about the actions of people in case of some kind of danger.
Twice a month, boat crew drills, fire alarms and man-overboard drills are held for the ship's crew. Boats, rafts and motorboats are designed for all passengers and crew members in excess. In case of strong wind or waves, the ship does not enter dangerous areas of water, the safest course is chosen.
There are fire extinguishers and fire alarms in all rooms. Navigation safetyis carried out with the help of the latest technologies, navigational instruments and the selection of experienced professionals with extensive experience on cruise river ships. Life-saving appliances are reviewed every year, re-certified and completed in a new way. All passengers are compulsorily insured.
The crew of the ship
Passenger service is handled by the ship's crew of 42 people. The captain of the ship Masharipov Yuri Matyakubovich personally meets tourists on the deck. The director of the cruise Khodyrev Pavel Vladimirovich immediately draws up the documents. Nice and friendly crew members show guests to the cabins, show the location of the restaurant. The cooks cook delicious food, the waiters are friendly and welcoming. The maids are meticulous in keeping the boat clean and tidy.
Recreation of passengers
On the ship, tourists can not only relax and enjoy the views of the river, but also improve their he alth. Every morning, morning exercises are carried out with experienced instructors, you can do yoga and Pilates, work out on various sports equipment, drink tea infused with medicinal herbs, and taste an oxygen cocktail.
Entertaining excursions to historical places are held at the parking lots. Dry rations are allocated for long trips so that passengers do not get hungry. Tour guides tell a lot of informative and interesting things about the city. One excursion is included in the price of the cruise, several are offered at additional rates.
In the evenings, concerts, theme nights, discos are held in the music salon. Worksa team of artists, performances for children, master classes and animation are organized. On the ship "Vasily Chapaev", according to tourists, no one will be bored: neither adults nor children.
Weekend tour
The route of the ship "Vasily Chapaev" passes through several rivers of Russia. These are the Volga, Sura, Vyatka, Oka, Moscow River. Cruises are divided into short, long and weekend tours. The shortest trip Moscow - Tver - Moscow is designed for two nights. On Friday evening departure from the capital. All Saturday, passengers admire the views of the Moscow River and the Volga.
The next day in the evening, at about 18.00, the ship arrives in Tver. This ancient city is a major industrial and cultural center of Russia. Founded in 1135, the city is located at the confluence of three rivers: Volga, Tmaka, Tvertsa. Having made a tour of the city, tourists leave for the return trip. Cruise "Moscow - Tver" is the shortest route of the vessel, only 177 km.
Trip to Nizhny Novgorod
This cruise is a one way trip. Tourists spend 3 nights on the ship and visit several places along the way. These are the ancient beautiful Russian cities of Uglich, Myshkin, Yaroslavl. In each city, there are basic and additional excursions. The last stop will be the most beautiful city on the Volga - Nizhny Novgorod. There the trip ends with a captain's dinner with champagne.
Long cruises
In summer, two Moscow river stations offer multi-day cruises on Russian rivers. These are seven day cruises.along the Volga and the cities of the Golden Ring, two-week tours around the cities of the Volga region and the North. There are even tours for 17 and 18 days.
The boat reaches Ufa. During a cruise on such a small ship, travelers become one close-knit family. Reading the reviews of tourists, you understand that after spending so much time in such a company, you get not only vivid impressions and a lot of useful information about the most beautiful corners of Russia, but also a large number of acquaintances and friends from all over the country.
Travel, relax and explore with the crew of the ship "Vasily Chapaev"!
