Phoenix Reisen

T/S Maxim Gorki

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Operator: Phoenix Reisen Cruises
Year Built / Last Refurbished: 1969 / 1995
Length / Tonnage: 642 / 24,981
Number of Cabins / Passengers: 400 / 790
Officers / Crew: German / European
Operating Area: Worldwide
Overview: launched as the Hamburg for the German-Atlantic Line in 1968 she cruised for a time as the Hanseatic in 1973. She was sold to the Black Sea Steamship Company and renamed Maxim/Maksim Gorki/Gorky. She achieved a brief note of fame in 1989 when she struck ice and sustained serious damage. She now sails a variety of itineraries around the world including a Baltic route from Bremerhaven to St.Petersburg, Helsinki, and Stockholm for part of the year.

The ship has three restaurants - Odessa, Crimea and Sea - and passengers are served in a single sitting. A buffet is served in the Lido bar next to the pool deck. Service is provided by Russian and Ukrainian waiters and waitresses and is friendly but professional. The quality of the food is very good and Russian specialties are available along with the wide range of dishes you might expect on a cruise ship.

Since the ship was originally built for Transatlantic service, she offers some of the largest standard cabins and bathrooms afloat. Every cabin is equipped with 2 to 4 beds, lots of closet space, satellite TV, radio, telephone armchairs and table. Almost all bathrooms have full bathtub and all include a hair dryer and bathrobes. Suites on Promenade deck have huge panoramic windows, a separate living room and a mini bar.

Since she still runs under steam, she is a very smooth and quiet ship. Most of your fellow passengers will be from Germany. She has a fair amount of deck space and provides an interesting way to visit the Baltic region.