The Black Sea cruise experience gives you the opportunity to explore different cultures of eastern bloc countries such as Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine or even explore the northernmost coast of Turkey. The Black Sea is a more off-the-beaten track destination and it offers cruisers the chance to visit areas that are now rapidly changing, for the better. Although there are Mediterranean cruises from the UK that include the Black Sea in the itinerary, most are fly/cruises sailing from Athens or Istanbul and many will also include some Greek Islands in the itinerary.

Black Sea

Black Sea ports including Nesebur, Varna, Constanta, Yalta and Odessa will almost certainly be visited as part of the Black Sea Cruise. These places are changing quickly as some of these countries expand their tourist resorts and prepare for EEC membership. World heritage site Nesebur and atmospheric Varna are both in Bulgaria while Constanta lies on the Romanian Riviera. In the Ukraine you can visit Yalta and Odessa, where you will see the famous Potemkin Steps or Sevastopol in the Crimea, site of the valley of the "Charge of the Light Brigade". 

Northern Turkey

A few of the cruises will follow the southernmost coast of the Black Sea visiting ancient ports like Trabzon and Sinope in Turkey. Further east is Batumi - and an opportunity to explore south west Georgia.

Eastern Mediterranean

Black Sea cruises will also visit the Eastern Mediterranean stopping at Aegean Sea islands and ancient sites like Ephesus in Turkey, Olympia in Greece or Knossos on Crete.