Zosima Shashkov Review
Rating by category
Additional details
I sailed on the Zosima Shashkov with Gate 1 from May 18-28, 2019 on a 10-night river cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow. The word, Zosima, means “full of life” and this cruise was just that. A river cruise was a bucket list trip for me and Gate 1 delivered again. After 8 trips, I have confidence in their product and had no hesitation in booking this trip despite the complex Russian visa process.
I will echo the comments of those who praise the ship. She is immaculate. My roommate and I often strolled Deck 3 early in the morning. Without fail, a ‘sailor’ (the term used) was swabbing and cleaning the deck every morning. I didn’t see how any paint could be left on the railings or deck floor with his diligent work. Our cabin was also kept spotless thanks to our cabin attendant. Each passenger is issued one small/hand towel, one large/bath towel and one bar of soap. The small towel is exchanged every day; the large towel and bed sheets are changed every three days. I always bring my own toiletries including hand soap. There are no tissue boxes in the cabin.
While basic, the cabin is comfortable and functional. The beds are narrow and tall people may have a little trouble stretching out but I had no discomfort in sleeping, although I bring my own pillow. One side of the bed has a bolster-type cushion; the other bed has several shelves and cabinets above it. The cabin has one electrical outlet; we brought a charging base with multiple outlets (available from Brookstone) and USB ports to charge our devices. All we needed was a 2-prong converter to plug into the outlet and we were set. We also brought our own small travel hairdryer (Amazon) rather than having to depend on borrowing one from Reception. There is a decent-sized refrigerator and ‘radio’ in the cabin designed to transmit internal communications such as announcements, route information and wakeup calls.
Cabin Review
Our cabin was kept spotless thanks to our cabin attendant. Each passenger is issued one small/hand towel, one large/bath towel and one bar of soap. The small towel is exchanged every day; the large towel and bed sheets are changed every three days. I always bring my own toiletries including hand soap. There are no tissue boxes in the cabin.
While basic, the cabin is comfortable and functional. The beds are narrow and tall people may have a little trouble stretching out but I had no discomfort in sleeping, although I bring my own pillow. One side of the bed has a bolster-type cushion; the other bed has several shelves and cabinets above it. The cabin has one electrical outlet; we brought a charging base with multiple outlets (available from Brookstone) and USB ports to charge our devices. All we needed was a 2-prong converter to plug into the outlet and we were set. We also brought our own small travel hairdryer (Amazon) rather than having to depend on borrowing one from Reception. There is a decent-sized refrigerator and ‘radio’ in the cabin designed to transmit internal communications such as announcements, route information and wakeup calls.
Bathroom: The bathroom design has some wondering about Gate 1’s terminology: “a unique combination.” To use the shower, you pull the curtain around the bathroom on a track until it stops at the sink. The toilet, shelf, clothing hooks and toilet paper are protected from water. The water temperature is regulated from the hot and cold faucets on the sink. When the desired temperature is reached, pull the knob to activate the shower head which also can be removed from the bracket to rinse off. The water drains into the floor; you stand on a blue mat (housekeeping cleans it daily). Bring shower shoes. The water pressure and temperature were excellent; however, sometimes the water became hotter when someone elsewhere had the water on. Push the knob down to flush the toilet; pull up on the knob to stop the water once the bowl is cleared.
Cabin Storage: I was concerned about luggage storage in such a small space since I usually travel with a large pullman. I needn’t have worried since there was room for it to stand upright next to the closet. Instead, I managed perfectly with a carry on and roller board which fit inside my half of the closet (with 4 provided hangers) and out of the way.
Each person is issued a room key with a typical lock: no magnetic keys.