In the Black Sea, Constantza is riding out the political situation to the best of its abilities.
“In two years we dropped from 70,000 to 10,000 passengers and from 90 calls to nine,” said Teodor Patrichi, a spokesperson for the Port of Constantza’s cruise terminal.
When the ships do come back, a new passenger terminal will be waiting in Constantza, with capacity to move 100,000 passengers per year with a 293-meter-long berth.
The ship is seeing a handful of calls this year from Costa Crociere, which has the NeoRomantica in the area.
“They keep saying to everyone they are testing the waters with one ship even if they don’t stop to Turkey due to political and safety situation,” said Patrichi.
Among the highlights this year is a regatta event for tall ships, which will assemble in the Port of Constantza as a departure point, then sailing to Novorossiysk and Varna.
“The message is that this is a safe region,” added Patrichi, underlining the tourism would improve with more promotion highlighting the port and city.
Additional calls include the Regent Seven Seas Navigator in September and MSC Opera in October.