TS Maxim Gorkiy was a cruise ship owned by Sovcomflot, Russia, under long-term charter to Phoenix Reisen, Germany.

[10] She was due to enter service with her new owners on 15 April 2009 under the name TS Marco Polo II,[11][12] but in November 2008 the relaunch of the Orient Lines brand was cancelled.

[5] The new flagship of the German Atlantic Line,[9] Hamburg, set on her maiden voyage from Cuxhaven, Germany on a cruise to South America on 28 March 1969.

Her career under the new name proved short however, as already on 1 December 1973 German Atlantic Line ceased operations, the newest Hanseatic was laid up in Hamburg and placed for sale.

On 25 January 1974 Hanseatic was sold to Robin International, New York City, who immediately re-sold her to the Black Sea Shipping Company.

[18] In June the ship began twice-monthly Caribbean cruises from New York, and was attacked twice while berthed in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

[22][23] On November 1, 1975 two bombs attached to the starboard hull exploded, producing holes about 35 feet forward of the rudder post.

All passengers and a third of the crew were instructed to abandon ship, while the Norwegian coast guard vessel Senja was dispatched to assist.

Meanwhile, the crew of Senja had managed to stop Maksim Gorkiy's sinking, by which time her bow had already sunk down to the level of the main deck.

The ship sailed to Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven under her own power and after repairs was back on service on 17 August 1989.

[2][18][27][28] Maksim Gorkiy made news again in December of the same year, when she was used as a venue for an international summit between George H. W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev at Malta.

[10] Orient Lines planned to rename the ship Marco Polo II and refit her to comply with the SOLAS 2010 requirements.

[11] However, on 19 November 2008 Orient Lines made a statement that the relaunch of their cruise operations has been delayed indefinitely due to the financial crisis of 2007–2008.

The upper level of the complex was extended all the way to the sides of the ship, allowing a view uninterrupted by lifeboats from the lido to the surrounding sea from behind the shelter provided by high glass screens.

[27] A major factor in establishing this sense of space was the effectively designed galley, restaurant and crew mess complex located in the forward part of decks 4 and 5.

The galley was linked by direct vertical cores to service areas on the upper deck lounges, the whole design minimizing the space required for effective catering of the passengers and crew.

[5][33] This was required for the potential use as hospital ship, a condition to be fulfilled for the loan back up from German government, if war would break out.

The deluxe cabins located on promenade deck, installed after the ourchase by Russia, feature floor-to-ceiling windows and separate bedrooms and living rooms.