Deltastar

Historical background

Deltastar was a Romanian river cruise ship operated by Giurgiu Nav. It was built in Oltenița in 1992 and also bore the names Steaua Deltei and Delta Star. Together with its sister ship Steaua Dunării, it sailed the Danube. Nicko Tours operated the ship on cruises for several years. The identifiers ENI 46000141 and MMSI 264162002 identify Deltastar. In September 2004, the tourism organization Die Donau announced it as one of the ships newly planned for Phoenix Reisen’s 2005 Danube program. The sailing season ran from April to October each year; from November, the ship was laid up in Giurgiu. In its final season in 2013, the route ran from Passau to Mile 35 in the Danube Delta.

Modernization and technical specifications

A modernization in 2001 replaced the original engines with two SKL engines, each rated at 1,200 hp. The ship was 107.32 meters long and 12.80 meters wide, with a draft of 1.90 meters. It had four decks and reached a speed of 21 kilometers per hour. The crew consisted of 54 people. For up to 182 passengers, there were 86 accommodations in four categories: six single cabins, 37 standard double cabins, 39 deluxe double cabins, and four deluxe suites. The accommodations ranged in size from 11 to 20 square meters.

Onboard areas and later use

Communal areas included a panoramic restaurant and a panoramic bar; there was a pool on the sun deck. The ship also had a shop and a hair salon, as well as a safe at reception. The final cruise season for Deltastar and Steaua Dunării was in 2013. Steaua Deltei was detained in Vienna-Nussdorf at the request of a repair and supply company. The passengers continued their journey by bus; some of the crew also traveled home by land. The captain and several crew members initially remained on board.

In January 2014, Deltastar and Steaua Dunării were transferred together to Steaua Dunării Turism International and withdrawn to Zimnicea. The city of Zimnicea is in Romania, on the lower Danube. Later, events such as wedding celebrations were held there aboard the ships.