Summer is a great time for holidays and travel. And in recent years, Russian tourists increasingly prefer to rest at home. In this article we will talk about a rather unusual and interesting way to spend time - about a cruise on the ship "Dmitry Furmanov".
A bit of history
The tourist life of the ship began in 1991. But at that time the ship "Dmitry Furmanov" served only for the entertainment of foreign tourists and went along the route Moscow - St. Petersburg.
In 1995 the ship was completely refurbished. Furniture and carpets have been replaced, and all cabins have been equipped with all the necessary amenities (air conditioners, showers, washbasins and toilets).
In 2012, the ship became available to Russian tourists. In 2016, the ship was taken over by the Infoflot shipping company.
Description
The ship "Dmitry Furmanov" was built at German shipyards in 1983. The crew is 98 people, and the cabins can accommodate 332 people.
The ship is a shipincreased comfort. Each cabin is equipped with refrigerator, air conditioning, TV, radio and hair dryer. The deluxe category includes a set of cutlery and crockery, drinking water, bathrobes and slippers. Several central channels are available on board, which are received thanks to the satellite, as well as on-board broadcasting: security channel, cartoons and movies, GPS map, excursion channel, view from the camera located on the bow of the ship.
Tourists are provided free of charge:
- Table games: chess, checkers, backgammon, etc.
- Volleyballs, soccer balls, badminton set, playing cards, beach mats and warm blankets.
- Children's beds are available and can be installed in the cabin if desired. The restaurant has special baby chairs.
- There is also a large library on the ship.
For a hotel fee, you can rent binoculars and towels, order video and photography, use the laundry and order a taxi. Also on board are two restaurants, three bars, a sauna, a conference room, a souvenir shop, a solarium, a first-aid post and an ironing room.
Cabins
On the ship "Dmitry Furmanov" most of the cabins (with the exception of suites and junior suites) are marked A. They have a washbasin, toilet and shower. The number that is written after the letter A indicates the number of seats. The remaining letters indicate exactly where the cabin is located.
Now let's look at which decks the cabins of a particular category are located on:
- Boat. There are double suites and junior suites, as well as cabins of class A1 and A2.
- Middle deck only has A2 class rooms. An overview of some of them is blocked by a ladder located nearby. And this should be taken into account when choosing seats.
- Main. Here, too, only class A2 cabins are available.
- Lower. Only this deck has triple and quadruple cabins.
The ship "Dmitry Furmanov" is very large, so usually there are no problems with the selection and reservation of seats. Each passenger can choose what suits him and his loved ones.
Maintenance
The journey on the ship will begin with check-in and boarding, which takes place two hours before the departure of the flight. Departure times can be found in travel packages.
The registration itself is quick and without any bureaucratic delays. At the entrance, you just need to present your passport and a ticket, then tourists will be given the keys to the cabins, which you can immediately check into. Later, they will be given boarding passes, which indicate the number of the tour group and table in the restaurant. Passengers can also ask for extra keys to their cabins.
If tourists arrive earlier at the river station, they can leave their things for storage at the cruise directorate, but only if the ship is at the pier. However, you are not allowed to be on board until you have checked in.
Passengers can have breakfast, lunch and dinner in one of the twoship restaurants. At the same time, breakfasts are served according to the "buffet" system, and at lunches and dinners, you can choose one of several dishes offered on the menu. Passengers are offered main courses, soups, salads and desserts. From drinks for breakfast, you can choose juices, milk, tea, coffee, champagne; for lunch - coffee, fruit drink and tea; for dinner - tea and alcoholic drinks. There is a special children's menu for children under five who can travel for free.
The ship also has three bars that delight customers with a large assortment of alcoholic and soft drinks, as well as desserts. Until 00.30 you can also get hot dishes here. It is also possible to order any bar products to the cabin. During the daytime, beer, soft drinks and snacks are delivered to the promenades of the ship.
Routes
The cruise on the ship "Dmitry Furmanov" involves several stops with excursions. All passengers are divided into groups, if necessary, you can use the services of an English-speaking interpreter.
More than a dozen cruise routes. They differ in many ways. First of all, by the number of days - the duration of the trip can be from 3 to 15 days. As well as the number of cities visited. The ship can enter both one port, for example Tver, and fifteen. The only thing that remains unchanged is that the cruise starts and ends in the port of Moscow.
We list the cities that can be included in the tour: Uglich, Tver, Myshkin, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Ples,Kizhi, Goritsy, Mandrogi, St. Petersburg, Valaam, Sortavala, Svirstroy, Cherepovets, Vytegra, Petrozavodsk and others.
Price and schedule
You need to find out the travel schedule on a four-deck ship immediately before buying tickets, as it changes often.
As for the cost, the amount will depend on the route, duration of travel and cabin class. On average, the price can range from 12,000 to 75,000 rubles per person.
The system of discounts also works constantly. For children under 14 years old, a 15% discount is provided, and for passengers under 5 years old, travel is free. Also, birthday people, pensioners and those who got the upper berths in cabins of classes A3 and A4 can count on a price reduction. Tourist groups also receive discounts from 7 to 13% depending on the number of travelers.
Expected to be able to go on a cruise in installments. The down payment will be only 40%.
The ship "Dmitry Furmanov": reviews
Now let's talk about what impressions the trip on the ship left for tourists. Let's make a reservation right away that reviews about the cruise leave both positive and sharply negative.
Let's talk about the pros first. First of all, these are gorgeous views and educational excursions. They also note the courtesy of the staff, good cuisine, reasonable prices in bars for alcohol and other drinks. Plumbing in the cabins works properly. A large number of entertainment on board, even the most demanding client will not get bored. Friendly staff, high-quality and timely cleaning in the rooms.
However, not everyone liked the boat trip. Some passengers found the following shortcomings. The cabins have old furniture and narrow beds. You can not eat anywhere except restaurants during breakfast, lunch or dinner. Other tourists noted the indifferent attitude of the ship's crew.
