BLACK SEA PORTS

A cruise ship enters the Black Sea from the Mediterranean through the Turkish Straits. The Black Sea is technically part of the Mediterranean Sea, but it is separated by land and a waterway that sit between Europe and Asia. The way through this waterway is three water stages with port options.

  1. First, through the Dardanelles Strait.
  2. Second, cross the Marmara Sea.
  3. Finally, past Istanbul through the Bosphorus, which is also sometimes referred to as the Strait of Istanbul. It opens up into the Black Sea.

Countries with a coastline on the sea are TURKEY, UKRAINE, RUSSIA, BULGARIA, GEORGIA, and ROMANIA.

Eastern Mediterranean - Turkey

A white star and crescent moon were initially associated with Constantinople renamed Istanbul in 1930. Constantinople was the capital city of the Roman/Byzantine Empire, the Latin Empire and the Ottoman Empire. The crescent and star also represented Persia and the Ottoman empire; two important kingdoms of antiquity.

CURRENCY:  The Turkish Lira (TRY). The second-best is Euro, and then US dollars. However, you will get more value for your money if paying in Lira rather than Euro and dollars.

Amasra
clear sky
14.4 ° C
14.4 °
14.4 °
86 %
2kmh
3 %
Wed
19 °
Thu
15 °
Fri
13 °
Sat
14 °
Sun
12 °

Amasra is an easy town to stroll through. It is an old trading town,

Sinop Province
scattered clouds
11.1 ° C
11.1 °
11.1 °
92 %
3.3kmh
33 %
Wed
17 °
Thu
10 °
Fri
10 °
Sat
10 °
Sun
8 °

In the ancient region of Paphlagonia, Northern Turkey, Sinop has a long concrete jetty, but few guests. Azamara and Windstar are amongst those to choose from.

Trabzon Province
broken clouds
14.1 ° C
14.1 °
14.1 °
88 %
3.1kmh
75 %
Wed
19 °
Thu
17 °
Fri
15 °
Sat
15 °
Sun
12 °

Trabzon is on the Black Sea side of northern Turkey, near Georgia.

Ukraine should not be underestimated despite being ranked as one of the poorest countries in Europe along with its neighbour, Moldovia to the south. It is the second-largest country in Europe, second to its other neighbour Russia to the north, but has the third biggest military force being displaced by France. The inland borders include Poland, Belarus and Estonia. It has a relatively small coastline on the black sea, with Odessa being its only cruise port. Access to the sea is what has been fought for over the years. (As with Russia and St Petersburg on the Baltic) It has a mixed past from Otterman, Hungarian, Russian and cossack influence. Graventtian culture in the Crimean mountains gives it its earliest reconds of human settlement, which can be traced back to 32,000BC.  The currency is the hryvnia, hryvna, or sometimes gryvnya (UAH). US dollars and Euros are the easiest currency to exchange in Ukraine. WARNING. Although ATMs are available and credit cards are widely used, the cloning of credit and debit cards is common. You should be vigilant when using ATMs. The official language is Ukrainian, which is a Slavic language. Russian and Crimean Tartar are spoken, English is not widely spoken especially away from tourist areas.

Odesa
overcast clouds
11.2 ° C
11.2 °
11.2 °
85 %
5kmh
100 %
Wed
15 °
Thu
13 °
Fri
12 °
Sat
12 °
Sun
9 °

Phoenix, Seabourn, TUI, Windstar, Star Clippers and Seabourn are amongst those who sail into Bodrum.

English may not be spoken in many places in Russia. The currency is the Russian rouble (RUB). Credit/debit cards are widely used in major Russian cities, including most hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, supermarkets and other shops. ATMs are easy to find; predominantly in bank outlets.

One of the oldest human remains was found in Russia and was 40,000 years old.

Adler
overcast clouds
15.1 ° C
15.1 °
15.1 °
94 %
3kmh
100 %
Wed
19 °
Thu
18 °
Fri
16 °
Sat
16 °
Sun
13 °

The first cruise ship docked there in 2014. Sochi has held the Winter Olympics.

Rostov
overcast clouds
5.7 ° C
5.7 °
5.7 °
90 %
2.6kmh
96 %
Wed
7 °
Thu
7 °
Fri
7 °
Sat
10 °
Sun
8 °

Some will be heading for the railway museum, others will take a walk down Pushkin Street in town for shops and bars, or visit the highly coloured dome monastery built in 1903. There are also botanical gardens to relax in. Established in 1749 it grew and by the time of the second world war it was a successful industrial town which the Germans occupied. It was one of the venues for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. It is the starting place for River cruises that get to Moscow on a 14 day trip.

Sochi
scattered clouds
15.1 ° C
15.1 °
15.1 °
75 %
2.6kmh
49 %
Wed
19 °
Thu
17 °
Fri
17 °
Sat
16 °
Sun
13 °

Sochi has held the Winter Olympics.

Novorossiysk
overcast clouds
9.3 ° C
9.3 °
9.3 °
67 %
1.5kmh
87 %
Wed
17 °
Thu
15 °
Fri
11 °
Sat
10 °
Sun
9 °

Crystal Serenity is the only cruise ship with this port currently listed.

Formerly part of the Soviet Union, Georgia is very cheap. Best for nature, culture and history it features a 12th-century cave monastery and the ancient wine-growing region Kakheti.

CURRENCY: The lari is divided into 100 tetri. Lari mean property, tetri is a Georgian monetary term that was used in ancient Colchis from the 6th century BC.

Batumi
shower rain
17 ° C
17 °
17 °
94 %
0.5kmh
75 %
Wed
20 °
Thu
17 °
Fri
16 °
Sat
15 °
Sun
14 °

This port

Currency: Although Bulgaria is an EU member state, it has not adopted the euro. The Bulgarian lev (plural leva) (BGN) is the official currency, one leva is 100 stotinki. Leva means lion.

Bulgaria is a multicultural country. English is spoken in most tourist areas. The main religions are Eastern Orthodox and Sunni Muslim but the mix of people is far more diverse, from a diverse past which includes the Crusades, Greek, Slavic, Ottoman, and Persian influences.

Bulgarian folklore is a reflection of this conflicted past and the element of fire is traditionally used to banish witches, a dragon, evil spirits and illness. Men, Kukeri, dressed in costumes, with tall pointed hats, also perform traditional rituals to scare away evil spirits There are also woodlands fairies and nymphs. It has a rich heritage of traditional dance, music, costumes, and crafts.

Burgas
clear sky
12.6 ° C
14.1 °
12.6 °
97 %
1kmh
2 %
Wed
18 °
Thu
16 °
Fri
15 °
Sat
15 °
Sun
10 °

The Church of Saint Cyril and Methodius is known for striking stained-glass windows

Nesebar
clear sky
14.2 ° C
14.2 °
12.8 °
81 %
1.7kmh
0 %
Wed
17 °
Thu
15 °
Fri
14 °
Sat
14 °
Sun
10 °

Old cobbled streets lined with Byzantine-era ruins of fortifications, baths and the 5th-century Church of St. Sofia. The 11th-century Church of St. Stephen has murals, paintings and opulent altarpieces.

Varna
clear sky
11.5 ° C
14.1 °
11.1 °
98 %
1.5kmh
3 %
Wed
17 °
Thu
14 °
Fri
13 °
Sat
14 °
Sun
9 °

I

The Euro is not yet (2021) accepted. The Romanian leu is not part of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II), although the Romanian authorities are working to prepare the changeover to the euro. ATMs are easily found, but beware, speaking as you find Romania is the only country I have been mugged in and twice. The first was by a woman as I turned away from an ATM putting money into my pocket.

Konstanz
light rain
13.4 ° C
14.8 °
12.8 °
96 %
0.9kmh
95 %
Wed
16 °
Thu
20 °
Fri
18 °
Sat
16 °
Sun
13 °

I have visited here twice before and found it very reminiscent of an old English Seaside resort. Sandy beach, great weather, the usual facilities. I was living in the Capital shooting movies there.

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