Hi.

Has anyone been on a cruise in the Black Sea? This is a part of the world unknown to me and would appreciate whatever comments you all might have. We are seriously considering the Navigator July 2008 cruise. Thanks so much. Love the LCT!

Marcia

The Black Sea Cruise sound Very Interesting and we too are might try it. I loved Istanbul - such a fascinatng city but know zero about most of the other ports. Wonder what the temperature would be like in the middle of summer . Know Athens would be hot but the Black Sea area should be more like Canada I'd think. Anxious to hear what others think.

Jan

Hi Jan,

Tom and I just signed up for the Black Sea cruise. I hope you and Charles sign up too!

Cheers, Pam

Wandra has been there she may chime in also. I enjoyed it. Some of the ports are third world but fascinating at the same time. Lots of interesting history as well. We are quite happy to return. I know that Wendy posted a lot of her pictures when she went maybe they are still up on line and she can share the link.

Suzanne and JHP were with us too so they may share their thoughts.

We went this time last trip we took and the temperatures were fine. Not overly hot.

Yes, a very good trip. Some towns were non-descript but I so enjoyed Nessabur, Bulgaria. We walked the very hilly town and the people were not used to tourists and stared at us more than we stared at them. Istanbul is always an exotic place to visit.

Oh, how we long to take this cruise...if we weren't already on CAMEL, it would be our first choice, indeed.

I spent a year at Sinop, Turkey (about halfway between Trabzon and Istanbul) as a Russian linguist in the Army Security Agency. It is hot in the summer on that part of the Black Sea, but not unbearable by any means. On a ship, it will be delightful.

Enviously yours, Fred

Oh wow Fred, I forgot about you being in Turkey! (Our trip didn't go to Trabzon.)

It's a very interesting cruise. Not a beginner's cruise, but I found the ports in the Crimea very beautiful and thought-provoking. I like Eastern Europe quite a lot, and would love to go back. David's less enthusiastic, he's rather go somewhere more relaxed like Greece.

We did it on the Diamond, which in retrospect was the most beautiful ship we have been on. And it was a spotlight on classical music, which was executed exquisitely, and coordinated with many music-related excursions. We also had a Crimean War specialist on board, which was really great.

We were there in June, and heat wasn't really an issue. The weather was perfect.

I have reviews somewhere, I'll dig them up. Here, I found it...(disclaimer: I'm betting conditions have changed quite a bit in these countries, probably for the better, since I was there.)

http://www.luxurycruisetalk.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000059#000000

No guts no glory. Marcia and I are going, and I look forward to meeting Pam et al. For me, the chance to meet LCTrs was the real kicker.

Wandra,

thanks so much for the information. I am signed up with my sister, Diane, AKA "coffeecup."

Marcia

Have done this trip twice on HAL and highly recommend it. High points are Istanbul, Nessebur, Odessa, and Yalta.

Romainia is also very interesting.

I think you will enjoy this cruise greatly.

We'll be on this cruise. Thankfully, Regent is coming up with a few new and unique itineraries each year. They really, really need at least one more ship so they can keep the bread-and-butter itineraries while offering something new each year that (relatively) frequent cruisers will find appealing. This’ll also be our first cruise on Navigator so that’s also an attraction.

We have surrendered to the siren call of the Black Sea and have signed up. The ports that RSSC has visited before look wonderful; and the two new ones, Sochi and Trabzon, allow us to go to the east end of the Black Sea. Just too good to pass up. Now to start studying up on Russian and Turkish...

Fred, now don't you dare tell me you are going to cancel CAMEL in favor of this. If so, you have Suzanne and me to deal with!

Olivia, dearest - We are certainly not cancelling CAMEL. We have simply gone a bit bonkers and added a cruise between CAMEL and ROAR 2 (another home improvement project will just have to be deferred - crikey, at this rate, our house will fall down around our heads - it's all Ngaire's fault for tempting us with these cruises, no??!!). So now we expect other CAMELites (sort of like Carmelites, but not at all pious or contemplative - hmm, imagine Suzette as a contemplative nun...) to join us on this remarkable Black Sea itinerary. Remember, folks, this ain't your father's Black Sea cruise.
Cheers, Fred

Fred, congratulations! What a good decision. I'm sure you'll have a great time, I only wish we were going too.

Fred - I just hope you can keep all your cruises straight and show up for the right one on the right date!!! <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" /> You are still doing CROSS right??? :D :D

JoAnn - How could we not do CROSS?? We need to stock up on saffron in Spain and camel jerky in Morocco (frankly, I don't know how good camel jerky is; but it may be okay with Moroccan harissa hot sauce). As I mentioned in my reply to Olivia, we are simply adding this wonderful cruise to our retirement-busting plan, rather than cancelling another cruise to take this one. We will likely end up living in a refrigerator carton somewhere; but we will have great memories!!!

Freddie--I only know you from these boards, including the poopquest, but I am so excited that I will be able to meet you on this cruise! Don't use all your wit and good cheer up on CROSS, etc. Save some for us!

See you on CROSS Freddie, looking forward to it.

Diane - I don't think Fred ever runs out of wit, good cheer, and energy - never seen him without a huge grin.

Aloha

OK- You have convinced us. We are in the process of booking a cabin on this cruise with Linda. A couple of years ago we did a cruise out of Istanbul. The cruise was wonderful on Windstar, quite a different experience. Before our cruise we went inland from Istanbul to Cappadocia. We would highly recommend this pre-cruise if you can !
Look forward to meeting all of you on the cruise.

John & Christina

Me too John and Christina

We need a name for this cruise. Any suggestions. There are 16 people booked so we are past the required amount for an official Acronym.

CAVIAR

Cruising2
Athens
Via
Istanbul
Alcohol&
Roe!!

Oh my is that EVER good. Not the REAL caviar, you can have mine but the acronym is fabulous.

That may be VERY hard to beat.

These latest group of acronyms are really quite outstanding. A talent group of people I can never think of anything.

I already have the perfect teapot for CAVIAR :)

Suzanne--that is tremendous

CAVIAR is perfect - what a great name. We are very excited about this cruise and meeting all you new folks.

Cappadocia - now that's a neat idea - I'll have to think on that one. We cruised Turkey 10 yrs. ago on a gulet from Antayla to Marmaris and loved it all but never got to Cappadocia. Wonder how we could figure that out as a pre trip. Always a trip to plan.

Looking forward to CAVIAR****

Jan & Charles

They usually offer Cappadocia and it is usually very reasonable. I have had people take it before and love that pre cruise trip.

We will wait a while incase there are other entries but this one may be a no brainer.

No brainer to me, and those on the cruise so far seem to love it. Maybe if Karen showed us the teapot, we might get another entry. I thought of a few, SLAV, CRIMEA, NewSSR, but nothing hit me like this one! I had a lesson on the Diamond in the Black Sea on the proper accoutrements to caviar. Didn't like it any better than I did before, so I'm with you, Ngaire!

CAVIAR is so good that it's just not worth burning out any more cerebral synapses to try to find something better. However, we will only vote for that acronym if Suzanne agrees to join us on this excellent cruise - the best Black Sea itinerary we've found on any of the luxury lines. (There are some similar itineraries on Russian or Turkish lines; but I don't think we'd like that experience a lot - think of ensuite bathrooms with a hole in the floor with footprints in the tile on either side and a little faucet on the wall - not exactly 5-star cruising...)

Freddie
Actually I like the footprint in the tile, takes all the guess work out of it !!
We also like the "CAVIAR " name, just don't like the stuff.

John

Suzanne did the Black Sea with me on the Diamond Fred. As much as she has booked now with I dont think we can have her with us on this one. SO PLEASE give your "seal of approval" to allow us to your use her brillance without her actual presence.

Alas...

As much as I would love to return to that lovely little monastery in, well, wherever we were, it is just not my time to revisit the Black Sea shores.

Ngaire, do make sure Fred and Pat don't miss that most unforgettable private excursion and picturesque 'stroll' to the top of the hill to view that 'local wonder'.

Okay official no other people dare compete with CAVIAR --- winner of the teapot Suzanne.

Congrats Suzanne, CAVIAR is perfect! The teapot is on it's way to you!!

Thank you Karen!

Perhaps I should print it out so that I could almost use it!

Gee - I think we were on DABS too :)

YES Peter, wasn't it grand?

Yes, Peter!

I have a photo of you framed by breadsticks in Don Vito's to prove it! Although I don't remember seeing you two in the bar at the Four Seasons!

Ha Ha - thanks a bunch to Delta :(