Chernyshevsky cruise ship was named after Nikolay Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky (July 12, 1828 – October 17, 1889) - a Russian revolutionary democrat, materialist philosopher, critic, and socialist (seen by some as a utopian socialist). He was the leader of the revolutionary democratic movement of the 1860s, and was an influence on Vladimir Lenin and Emma Goldman.

Cruise ship "Nikolay Chernyshevsky" is a four deck vessel built in Germany in 1981 (project 301) and completely refurbished in 2007. The ship is equipped with modern navigation devices and can reach the speed up to 26 km per hour (around 17 MpH). Its length is 125 meters, width is 16.7 meters, and immersion is 2.9 meters. The boat can accommodate up to 265 passengers.