Cunard Black Sea Cruises

[Host Sharon]

Thanks for the link, Sharon. Your photos have given my loads of good ideas on what I need to see.

 

Incidentally, where was the image about taken - those look like WW2 defences. I take it it's somewhere near Sebastopol.

 

J

 

It's overlooking the "Valley of Death", but there are many other defences around that area. Incidentally - and don't laugh - but the Ukrainian bus shelters en-route to Sevastapol were fabulous - Russian modernist architecture at its best and every one different - worth a book IMO!

[Cruachan]

A big thank you to everyone who has responded to this thread - this is CC at its best.

 

Loads of information here to assist in my planning although I will need to revisit it all rather closer to the time.

 

Thanks for the tip about the bus shelters Sharon - I will make a point of photographing a selection of those for my website!

 

J

[heywood]

Yes J, it sounds really interesting and this has been lovely to read.

The only diversion of course, introduced by yourself with the photo of Gari's official state car- no number plate.

I think we will be able to recognise him now as he tours the kingdom ;)

[GCurry]

Good thread J, I'll not respond to Gari's car nor will I touch Foxy's ole rusty musket, as I have the remarkable ability to get a thread deleted by my second or third post; only on the Cunard board of course.:)

 

Aside from history where one of our Presidents loaned Eastern Europe to the Communists for a number of years, and the property still seems in disrepair, are there any bargains or values that you should look for in these ports?

 

"Kiss of Death Curry"

[Pies4u]

We did the QV "Black Sea" cruise in Sept 2010. Fabulous - Yalta & Odessa were spectacular.

 

Must "do's" inlcude the Potemkin Staircase (straight outside the port!) and the Cathedral and Opera House in Odessa - the War Memorial is also a great experience with the school children taking turns on display duty. The Palaces in and around Yalta are truly remarkable - Livadia, Alupka & the Swallow's Nest are all worth a visit.

 

Sailing in and out of the Black Sea waa fascinating - as is the "Istanbul section", the Dardenelles & Bosphorus of course.

 

Amazing trip on an elegant and luxurious ship. Would repeat the whole experience if given the opportunity!

[altiva]

I have been to Odessa, but not by ship... It is a Russian/Ukrainian vacation spot... You must see the famous steps featured in Eisenstein's movie Battleship Potemkin.

 

Yalta is in Ukraine.