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
broken clouds
24 ° C
24 °
24 °
74 %
3.7kmh
72 %
Fri
21 °
Sat
18 °
Sun
20 °
Mon
22 °
Tue
25 °

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

Sinop Province
scattered clouds
15.2 ° C
15.2 °
15.2 °
52 %
3.1kmh
41 %
Fri
18 °
Sat
22 °
Sun
24 °
Mon
25 °
Tue
26 °

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
clear sky
13.1 ° C
13.1 °
13.1 °
63 %
2.6kmh
0 %
Fri
17 °
Sat
16 °
Sun
17 °
Mon
19 °
Tue
21 °

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
few clouds
18.2 ° C
18.2 °
18.2 °
41 %
9.4kmh
11 %
Fri
19 °
Sat
12 °
Sun
11 °
Mon
13 °
Tue
19 °

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
21.1 ° C
21.1 °
21.1 °
30 %
3kmh
100 %
Fri
19 °
Sat
14 °
Sun
15 °
Mon
18 °
Tue
19 °

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

Rostov
overcast clouds
5.7 ° C
5.7 °
5.7 °
81 %
6.5kmh
95 %
Fri
5 °
Sat
10 °
Sun
12 °
Mon
16 °
Tue
18 °

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
overcast clouds
21.1 ° C
21.1 °
21.1 °
63 %
4.2kmh
100 %
Fri
19 °
Sat
14 °
Sun
15 °
Mon
18 °
Tue
19 °

Sochi has held the Winter Olympics.

Novorossiysk
overcast clouds
12.4 ° C
14.3 °
12.4 °
62 %
2.6kmh
100 %
Fri
16 °
Sat
16 °
Sun
19 °
Mon
18 °
Tue
19 °

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
scattered clouds
18 ° C
18 °
18 °
52 %
9.3kmh
40 %
Fri
17 °
Sat
16 °
Sun
18 °
Mon
18 °
Tue
22 °

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
22.6 ° C
23.1 °
22.6 °
46 %
4.1kmh
0 %
Fri
23 °
Sat
20 °
Sun
24 °
Mon
26 °
Tue
21 °

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

Nesebar
clear sky
23.2 ° C
23.2 °
22.8 °
49 %
3.3kmh
1 %
Fri
22 °
Sat
16 °
Sun
21 °
Mon
21 °
Tue
18 °

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
24.1 ° C
24.1 °
22.9 °
31 %
7.2kmh
0 %
Fri
24 °
Sat
19 °
Sun
24 °
Mon
25 °
Tue
21 °

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
overcast clouds
11.6 ° C
17.1 °
10 °
62 %
1.8kmh
93 %
Fri
18 °
Sat
20 °
Sun
18 °
Mon
14 °
Tue
9 °

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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