The cruise ship season has kicked off in the Danube Delta with the arrival of the first river cruise ship carrying tourists from Western Europe. The ship, named ‘Nestroy’ and flying the Swiss flag, docked in Portul Tulcea on Friday, April 11, 2025. It brought nearly 170 guests who are now exploring the stunning monasteries in the terrace area of the county and the picturesque landscapes of the Danube Delta.
Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has altered many tour operators' excursion programs, the visitors have remained unfazed in their enthusiasm for the region. The ship is scheduled to depart next week, after some travelers return to Bucharest to visit the iconic Parliament Palace and catch their flights home. Meanwhile, other tourists, who have already explored Romania's capital, will be transported to Tulcea to board the cruise ship and continue their adventures in the Delta and its surrounding monasteries.
Leontin Șerbănescu, manager of one of the largest cruise ship tour operators in Romania, highlighted the courage of the shipowner who insisted on reaching Tulcea despite the complicated regional situation. “This requires a logistical effort, but despite these challenges, we managed to find a solution for the ship to dock in Tulcea and offer tourist programs near the city and at Sfântu Gheorghe,” he told AGERPRES.
The Delta is a unique destination that serves as a central focus of the entire cruise experience. Some ships specifically aim for kilometer zero, the point where the Danube flows into the Black Sea at the Sfântu Gheorghe branch, for a memorable turning maneuver that excites tourists. “It’s a target for tourists arriving on cruise ships,” Șerbănescu added.
In recent years, due to the war in Ukraine, many cruise ship operators have chosen to avoid docking in Tulcea County, preferring the ports in Brăila County instead. Consequently, tourists arriving at the Brăila port are now transported by coach to Tulcea for their excursions. “For Dobrogea, we expect about 250 ships to arrive this year in the Tulcea-Brăila area,” said Șerbănescu. “Due to the current situation, ships will not be able to dock in Tulcea, so we have to propose docking in Brăila as a backup. This is the best possible option to ensure that we do not disrupt the tourist programs and provide passengers with exactly what they paid for.”
The transit of tourists through the Măcin Mountains presents an opportunity to showcase Romania's oldest mountains. However, establishing a tourism product, such as wine tastings in Dobrogea's wineries, will take several years, according to the same source.
Regarding incoming tourism in Romania, Șerbănescu noted that the situation remains influenced by the conflict in Ukraine. “At the national level, incoming tourism has survived. We’re on an upward trend, but everything is affected by the situation in Ukraine. Some people are fearful about the idea of visiting Romania, while others understand that Romania is a safe country, a NATO member. Especially on cruise ships, people feel secure and have no hesitations. We are trying to promote Romania, although it is very complicated during this period when everyone is asking about the situation at the borders,” he concluded.
The excursions currently offered to tourists have not differed from those prior to the outbreak of the war. On Saturday, April 12, 2025, visitors explored the Celic-Dere and Saon monasteries, which delighted them with their stunning landscapes and monastic life. “Everyone is happy. We’re currently in a restaurant in Tulcea, and everyone enjoyed the soup. Yesterday, we had an excursion in the Danube Delta, starting from Mila 35, and we reached near the border with Ukraine, where we unexpectedly saw many birds after the cold and snowfall of recent days,” shared Cosmin Moldovan, a tour guide.
Tourists aboard the ‘Nestroy’ ship have expressed their appreciation for the experience in the Danube Delta. “We didn’t feel any danger at all in the Delta. We really enjoyed it. It was a very interesting experience. The pelicans we saw near Sacalin Island were the highlight for us,” remarked Mark, one of the tourists.
The first river cruise ships began arriving in Tulcea in the early 2000s, with the initial number of dockings being minimal. Over time, the number of vessels carrying Western European tourists increased, and by the late 2010s, the annual number of dockings in Tulcea's ports surpassed 300. However, the pandemic in 2020 had a significant impact on this type of tourism, reducing the number of dockings nearly tenfold that year.
The war in Ukraine, which began in 2022, has further hindered the growth of this tourism phenomenon, prompting cruise ship operators to seek alternative solutions for travelers wishing to cruise on the Danube. Last year, approximately 250 river cruise ships docked in the counties of Brăila and Tulcea.
Tourists aboard the cruise ships can choose excursions in areas close to the ports where the ships dock. The programs offered by tour operators are designed to minimize the time visitors spend on the ships. The Danube, the second-longest river in Europe after the Volga, has been an important navigable route for centuries, serving as the boundary of the Roman Empire in ancient times. It flows through ten countries, with its basin extending across the same number of states.
The Danube Delta, designated a Biosphere Reserve in 1990, covers a total area of 4,455 square kilometers, with 84% of it located in Romania and the remainder in Ukraine. This internationally significant wetland is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and approximately 12,000 people reside in communities isolated by water within Romania.
