The Lenin is an impressive ship, the world’s first nuclear powered ice breaker. (Handy for boring cocktail parties I’m sure!). In fact she was also the first nuclear powered surface vessel and the first nuclear civilian vessel. Commissioned in 1957, her purpose was to clear the shipping routes of ice for soviet vessels off the northern coast.

Typical of older vessels, the interior is very grand and ornate. There is a lot of wood paneling and decorative brasswork, almost reminiscent of the Titanic. (Fortunately the Lenin never sank, but there were a couple of nuclear incidents in its history).

Pictured is the officers board room, with Karelian birch paneling and a 50 year old ‘bird’s eye’ maple table. (My banjo’s made of that!). The crew mess was a little plainer, but it had some great artwork. I also liked the crew tables where you could raise the edges. This was in order to keep your dinner plate on the table in rough seas!