Before Carnival and Royal Caribbean where established as a cruise companies USSR had its own Cruise ships sailing in western world and Caribbean. Back in 1964 East German company Mathias Thesen Werft delivered the first of the five liners to be named after famous Russian writers, Ivan Franko. One year later USSR christened second ship from this class named Alexander Pushkin followed by Taras Shevchenko build in 1967. The last two ships entered in service in 1973 Shota Rustaveli and finally the Mikhail Lermontov.
These cruise ships where build not only to carry passengers but also to serve in military purposes if needed. For example they were constructed with greater hull strength and stability than usual passenger ships of that time. They also had unusuly big provision and storage areas, enabling a cruising range of over 10,000 nautical miles. Other equipment that looked more like military ship was the powerful deck lifting gear, apparently to be able to transport military vehicles.
Ships capacity was between 650-766 passengers in two classes and additional 500 cabinless passengers.
Eight years after Ivan Franko was build the ships where send to dry dock for extensive modifications. The cargo facilities were eliminated and the forward superstructure extended, allowing for additional public spaces and cabins. Also some modern features where installed such as stabilizers and the cabins were re-configured. Also one interesting feature was included and that was first Soviet disco on a cruise ship.
Reconstruction and refitting with all modern facilities was done with one purpose only and that was spreading Soviet propaganda in the Western world of ideal life in USSR. Since most of the ships where used as a ocean liners from USSR to Canada, USA and Western Europe.
MS Alexander Pushkin was used for regular trans-Atlantic service between Montreal, Canada and
Leningrad, and later on used for cruising.
MS Mikhail Lermontov was originally used as an ocean liner on the Leningrad—New York run. Arriving on the 11th of June, Mikhail Lermontov become the first Russian liner to call there in twenty five years. He continued to serve New York during the Summers, with Winters spent cruising out of European ports.
Russian invasion of Afghanistan was the reason President Reagan to ban all Soviet ships entering US waters.
Only poet ship still sailing today is Alexander
Pushkin who was bought by Orient Line and was renamed Marco Polo.
Mikhail Lermontov sank in New Zeland on 15th of February 1986.
MS Ivan Franko was scrapped in 1997 at Alang, India.
MS Taras Shevchenko was bought by Ukrainian company Antarktika JSC in 2003 she and used for cruises aimed at a Ukrainian market. This venture was not successful, and Taras Shevchenko was sold for scrap in 2004.
MS Shota Rustaveli was handed to Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union. In 2000 she was sold to Kaalbye Group and renamed MS Assedo. In 2003 the ship was scrapped in India.
