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© Vidmantas Matutis photo

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Almost in every presentation of Odessa, the capabilities of modern design maritime passenger station are pinpointed and compared to the complexes in Europe and in the world’s largest cities.

Collapse passenger fleet

The residents of Odessa who are famous for their unique sense of humor love to boast. Seemingly unremarkable objects in the stories told by the inhabitants of Odessa can turn into the very finest. The same applies for their marine passenger station. During the Soviet era, it was built and used according to the needs. Odessa was known as a passenger port, stretching from the surrounding ports of Simferopol, Yalta, Sochi, Feodosia and also foreign countries. Now, the routes are not used and the ship passenger carrying company has collapsed.

The only passenger ship route in Odessa port is to Istanbul. However, the route is not valued. The inhabitants of Odessa joke that the ship carrying people to Istanbul is no better than the Russian ship Bulgaria, which sank in the Volga River.

Odessa marine passenger station was established in a beautiful place. It is like a gateway from the sea to Odessa. From the passenger station, through Potemkin stairs, the central pedestrian street of Odessa can be accessed. The entrance is guarded by the monument for the first Duke of Odessa, Richelieu. He is depicted like a Greek god.

Long cruise season

Once-great Odessa passenger station does not stand empty. As you walk around the six-storey station’s observation deck you can see not only the Southern tourists but also people from the Northern countries. Odessa is visited by Finnish cruise ships. Such ships usually sail in the Mediterranean Sea, but sometimes, in order to refresh their routes, turn to the ports of Black Sea.

This year, Odessa port was visited by cruise ships 78 times. It is more than in Yalta, where average number of visits is 60. Odessa is unmatched by the largest Black Sea port of Constanta (Romania) (30 visits), Russian Sochi (22 times) and Sevastopol (11 times). Cruise season in Odessa is 3-4 months longer than, say, in Klaipeda. The first cruise ships to Odessa are coming in March and the season ends in early November. Most of the cruise ships to visit Odessa are average, up to 200 meters in length. Several times, it was visited by big 292,5 meters in length Costa Cruise ship Costa Atlantica.

Although most of the ships sailing to Odessa are from cheap countries, it is possible to see cruise ship companies’ vessels from Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Great Britain, Greece and U.S. Ships are from such well-known companies as MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, Aida Cruises, Cunard Line, P&O Cruises, Phoenix Reisen Gmbh, Voyages of Discovery, Holland America Line and Hansa Kreuzfahrten. Also, the ships from lesser known companies come to the port.