 "Van Gogh" replaced the on short cruises out of Limassol.The "Belorussiya" class ships were built with an exterior appearance that was in keeping with the aesthetic of the time, described by Douglas Ward in 2006 as being "reasonably smart-looking – with a square-ish 1970s profile".The hull of the ships had a rounded bow and a rear that tapered inwards so that at the very back the width of the hull was only marginally wider than the width of the large central car-ramp (however, in addition to the ramp at the rear, side doors were fitted on the starboard side) The lowest deck of the superstructure (deck 6) extended slightly beyond the width of the hull, resulting an appearance similar to the overhanging promenade decks of many ocean liners.