Ports & destinations
The ancient city of Nessebar off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.
across the Black Sea. From Turkey’s biggest city, you will first head north to the Bulgarian town of Nessebar, its narrow medieval lanes kissed by crumbling wood-framed houses. From there, the Star Pride clings to the sea’s northern shoreline, visiting Romania, Ukraine and Russia, before finally sweeping south towards Georgia and Turkey. At Sinop, around 200 miles due south of the Crimea, you will clamber up to Ottoman fortresses and explore an abandoned prison where Turkish writers and political activists once festered. This is, in short, a trip for adventurers; as Prelog puts it, a “perfect” tour for history buffs. The Star Pride is by no means alone. Over the past few years, international cruise companies have tentatively started returning to the Black Sea. Like for Windstar, these itineraries are mostly historical in nature. Departing in May as well, for instance, is a 12-day trip hosted by Azamara Cruises, where passengers will be taken to a panoply of ancient ruins and archaeological museums. At the same time, it is clear that operators need to take the region’s geopolitical fickleness in their stride. As Prelog explains, his firm is ready to remove Odessa and Sochi from Windstar’s route now that the political winds have changed. Ilyina casts a similar pose, arguing that collaboration between countries is vital if the Black Sea’s fortunes are to improve. To be fair, there are some signs this is happening already, with academics like Melikjanyan collaborating internationally to promote short cruise trips by local brands.
This is also supported by more practical betterment in the area. Despite the conflict in Ukraine, a number of Black Sea nations are working to improve their port infrastructure. The most impressive example here is Galataport. Opened in 2021, amid the bustle of modern Istanbul, the facility can host three cruise ships at once. Among other things, the port will also feature a 29,000m² underground terminal, as well as cafés and shops. And if other countries have less
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money to invest than Turkey, they are nonetheless keeping busy. At the Bulgarian port of Burgas, for instance, officials have spruced up facilities, opening an old lighthouse to visitors. Further north, at Constanta, local leaders recently announced an ambitious €500m port expansion project.
An uncertain future
This activity sounds great in theory – but questions about the future persist. In Georgia, for instance, Melikjanyan notes that the government is sometimes reluctant to invite foreign investors for fear of angering Moscow, stoked by the broader Russian threat. Now that the invasion of Ukraine has materialised, operators like Royal Caribbean have seen their share prices slump. This is followed by nervous passengers and cruise forums filling up with posts about the potential of cancelled trips and insurance claims. To quote Ilyina: “Even if everything is solved tomorrow, people will still be afraid for a year.” Ultimately, though, insiders seem optimistic. “I do believe,” says Prelog, “that once the region is stable, it will be a very successful region for small ship cruising.” Ilyina agrees, suggesting that the Black Sea could one day be integrated into the vast Mediterranean sector. Given that the western sea welcomed nearly 31 million cruisers in 2019, according to a report by Statista, this would certainly be of great benefit to the region. And, indeed, some operators are already sailing in this direction.
Oceania Cruises, to take just one example, now offers a trip that encompasses Black Sea destinations – as well as Greek islands on the far side of the Bosphorus. More broadly, Ilyina emphasises that the region’s hospitality sector is busy laying deep foundations for when cruising finally returns. In her native Odessa, for instance, she points to glitzy new hotels and a revamped airport. We must just hope that they endure whatever Russia has planned over the coming weeks and months. ●
World Cruise Industry Review /
www.worldcruiseindustryreview.com
niki_spasov/
Shutterstock.com
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