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Join the yacht-like Le Levant for a voyage to spellbinding ports of call on Tauck’s new Black Sea cruise. Spend four days exploring the wonders of exotic Istanbul, including such fabled sights as the Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, the Hippodrome and UNESCO World Heritage Site Hagia Sophia. Take in the antiquities and architecture of Nessebar, Bulgaria, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. During your Black Sea cruise, explore rich cultural traditions as Le Levant calls at ports in Romania and along the coast of Ukraine. Enjoy included shore excursions, accompanied by your professional Tauck Director and informative local guides.
2007 Itinerary
2008 itinerary now available.
• Indicates day of cruising
Day 1: On the Banks of the Bosphorus
Welcome to Istanbul, where Europe and Asia meet. Your Black Sea cruise begins at Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul at 6:00 PM. Start your adventure with an in-depth exploration of this age-old city at the juncture of east and west.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul
Day 2: Istanbul’s Timeless Treasures
The Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the famed Blue Mosque await your discovery today.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul
Day 3: Opulence and Art
Visit Dolmabache Palace, the opulent former residence of Turkish sultans and final home of Atatürk, founder and first president of the Turkish Republic. Later, view the Turkish art, history, and archaeology on display at the Sadberk Hanim Museum.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul
• Day 4: Turkish History and Commerce
Following a lecture on Turkish history, see the Rustem Pasa Mosque, which dates from 1550, the Byzantine Church of St. Savior and the ancient Theodosian Walls. Before boarding Le Levant for your Black Sea cruise, explore Istanbul’s famed Grand Bazaar, the largest covered market in Turkey with approximately 4000 shops under one “roof.”
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant
• Day 5: Archaeology and Architecture
Today, your Black Sea cruise takes to you to Nessebur on the coast of Bulgaria. The town’s ancient Greek ruins and outstanding examples of Ottoman architecture have earned it a designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit a museum devoted to salt and savor lunch at a local winery.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant
• Day 6: Beaches and Ruins in Romania
The charming port of Constanta is a fascinating stop on any Black Sea cruise. Explore the Roman ruins and admire the Greek sculpture in this city named for Constantine the Great. Enjoy some leisure time to sample the beautiful beaches that make it popular with vacationers.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant
• Day 7: The St. Petersburg of the South
When she founded Odessa in 1794, Catherine the Great envisioned a city in the south of Russia that would rival St. Petersburg in the north. Explore the tunnels that sheltered resistance fighters during the 1905 workers’ revolution and Russian partisan freedom fighters during World War II.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant
• Day 8: Submarines in a Mountain
Today, your Black Sea cruise calls at intriguing Sevastopol in Ukraine. Discover the “City of the Sea Glory” on a walking tour during which you will see the Monastery of the Assumption, the Fountain of Tears and the Palace of the Khans. Learn the secrets of a submarine base concealed in a mountain during a visit to Balaclava.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant
• Day 9: Where the Cold War Began
No Black Sea cruise would be complete without a visit to Yalta, where Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin met to discuss the future of Europe in 1945. The center of the Ukraine Riviera, today Yalta is a very popular seaside vacation destination. Learn how the tsars spent their summer vacations at Livadia Palace, followed by a visit to the private wine collection at the Massandra winery and a wine tasting.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant
• Day 10: Over the Bounding Main
Today is a glorious day at sea. Relax and reflect upon all that you’ve seen during your Black Sea cruise as Le Levant sails back to Istanbul. The Captain invites you to join him for a farewell cocktail party and dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant
Day 11: Spices and Summer Estates
Two more of Istanbul’s renowned sights await your exploration today. Built in the mid- 1500s, the magnificent Suleymaniye Mosque is considered to be the most beautiful of Istanbul’s imperial mosques. The famed Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, intrigues the senses with its scents and sights. Cross the Bosphorus to view the magnificent summer homes on the Asian side.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul
Day 12: Homeward bound
Tour ends: Istanbul International Airport. As your Black Sea cruise comes to an end, a transfer from your hotel to the airport is included. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.
Meals: Breakfast
Dates & Prices
Jul 20, 27
Aug 3, 10, 17
12 Days from $5,990 plus airfare
| Cabin Category | Double | Single | Triple |
| Champlain Deck | $5990 | $10,170 | $5385 |
| La Pérouse Deck | $6290 | $10,470 | $5685 |
| Bouogainville Deck | $6790 | $11,370 | N/A |
Special Singles Departure dates of August 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2007 where the single price is: Champlain Deck $7170; La Pérouse Deck $7470; Bougainville Deck $8370. Ask at booking for details.
29 meals included.
International Airfare is additional. Tauck can book your international air for travel originating in the United States, subject to availability; inquire upon booking for special airfares that may be available.
Land / Cruise Price includes everything outlined in General Information, private Tauck shore excursions, cruise fare, port charges, wine with dinner aboard Le Levant, and gratuities to ship staff.
Please ask at time of booking about additional hotel nights before or after your cruise and about our comprehensive Cruise Protection Plan.
All prices are per person in U.S. dollars.
- 11406
- Ocean
- 01 Jan 00
- Europe
- 07 Jun 16
- Tauck Cruising
- Cruise Only
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Important Terms
- * This product is priced in USD (USD), AUD rates can fluctuate depending on exchange rates, final rates in AUD will be confirmed by your consultant at time of booking.
- Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes unless otherwise stated.
- Advertised price includes any bonus nights, special offers or discounts listed in the inclusions.
- Surcharges may apply due to demand, Christmas & New Year's Eve, school or public holidays, trade shows, special events & other unforeseen circumstances.
- Prices may be based on Dynamic Rates and as such, may fluctuate at anytime without notice, due to matters outside our control, such as adverse currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and airfare increases, or at the property's discretion.
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Tauck Cruising
Go beyond the ordinary and experience cruise travel at its best with Tauck. What makes Tauck’s Small Ship Cruising and River Cruising unique is the focus on the destination. Each scenic ports of call connect you with people and places, which will give you a moving, compelling and heart-warming experience both onboard and ashore.
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For the second time in three years, Tauck has been named the “World’s Best River Cruise Line" by the readers of Travel + Leisure, one of the world’s most authoritative and respected publications for travellers. The World’s Best Awards from Travel + Leisure are selected by the magazine’s readers. Every year, T+L holds a survey for readers to fill out on their main website. The survey remains open until April.
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The heart of history meets the art of sophisticated river cruise travel aboard Tauck’s river cruises. Experience the Tauck difference on cruise travel days along great European waterways from the Rhine to the Danube, from the canals of the Netherlands to the Rhône, from the Main to the Danube and the Moselle…
You’ll cruise aboard spacious riverboats that have been custom designed to meet American standards with well appointed outside facing cabins and suites, a choice of on-board dining venues, complimentary wine with dinner, fitness centers and attentive personal service from Tauck’s staff and the ship’s crew.
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The difference in Tauck’s small ship cruise travel lies in the choreography of the total cruise travel experience – the combination of personalized cruising with cultural land exploration. How you spend your days ashore – where you go, what you do, who you meet – that’s the Tauck difference. From the moment you step ashore, with 85 years of expertise on land ensures that on every cruise travel day, every moment of your shore excursions (all included in the price) count! Smaller ships hold fewer passengers, which means more personal attention from the captain and the crew – you’ll find the on-board atmosphere to be both club-like and comfortable. The pace is more relaxed, the conversations are richer, and the day-to-day experiences are shared with like-minded travelers.
