Black Sea Ports - DIYable?

[roaming_kiwi58]

We are doing the Azamara Black Sea cruise in August 2013 and I am looking for feedback from people who have done Amasra, Constanta or Nessebar on their own. I have read some other posts, but generally there does not seem to be much info about the Black Sea ports - particularly recent.

I see that Amasra is a tender port. Is where the tenders dock close to the town? Is it easy to just walk around the town from the tender dock?

Constanta gets a lot of adverse publicity about how safe it is, but the town appears to be walkable from where the cruise ships dock. Is it indeed easy to do this? Is it safe to do this town on your own?

Nessebar sounds small but very interesting and easy to walk around from the port. Is this correct?

Any feedback/thoughts from anyone who has done a Black Sea cruise would be very welcome. Thanks in advance.

[Julessmiles]

Input appreciated from me, too. We are doing Nessebar, Constanta & Sevastopol. Want to do the submarines at Sevastopol. Have read that Constanta is not that nice; I have 2 Romanian nurses that I work with that are looking at the ship's tours for me to recommend one; they both said that Constanta has a lot of gypsies & not much else. Rhodes town had quite a few gypsies when we went there last year, it was a bit overwhelming at times.

[Travel Girl TX]

Of the ports being discussed, we have visited Nessebar, Constanta, and Sevastopol.

 

We found Nessebar to be charming and very easy to DIY. There are at least 6 charming, little churches spread around the town. Yes, there were also cheap, tourist shops that you will find in any beach resort town, but those should not tarnish your visit unless you are completely against any type of commercialism.

 

We were on the Oceania Nautica and tendered to the port. There was a short uphill walk to the main "town". We walked through the entire town and admired all the pretty little churches that date back as old as the 9th century up to the 16th century. The signs describing the churches were in English. During this walk we came across a lovely little wine shop and sampled many wines before purchasing 2 bottles. We continued our journey around the town and found a nice little square to sit in and watch life go by. We walked by the beach and the port. We probably spent a very leisurely 4 hours in Nessebur before returning to the ship.

 

Go to this link and scroll down to post #11 to see my pictures from our Nessebar DIY.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1685951&highlight=nessebar

 

Constanta is another story. They only purpose is to 1. add Romania to your country list or 2. departure point for another place in Romania like Bucharest. We did the long trip to Bucharest and were glad we did. Do we need to do it again? No.

 

We hired a private guide for Sevastopol and had a great time. We visited the Charge of the Light Brigade site, the Panorama, the incredible secret submarine base, and went farther north into the Crimea to visit Bakhchisaray and the Crimean Tatar Khan's palace and the Armenian monastery that is built in a cave. This day was the highlight of our cruise.

[cruisemom42]

 

Constanta is another story. They only purpose is to 1. add Romania to your country list or 2. departure point for another place in Romania like Bucharest. We did the long trip to Bucharest and were glad we did. Do we need to do it again? No.

 

 

As someone with a strong interest in history, I'm actually very excited about visiting Constanta; in fact, I'm trying to figure out how I can visit the ancient ruins of Istria, the archaeological museum, and the Tropaeum Traiani all in one day.

[Julessmiles]

Of the ports being discussed, we have visited Nessebar, Constanta, and Sevastopol.

 

 

We hired a private guide for Sevastopol and had a great time. We visited the Charge of the Light Brigade site, the Panorama, the incredible secret submarine base, and went farther north into the Crimea to visit Bakhchisaray and the Crimean Tatar Khan's palace and the Armenian monastery that is built in a cave. This day was the highlight of our cruise.

 

Thank you for this information. I have spoken again to one of the Nurses at work today & she said Constanta is very easy to DIY & she is going to put together a DIY tour for us to do. She suggested that the tours that the ship offer are very expensive & very easy to do on your own (apart from the 8 1/2 trip north of Constanta which she didn't really recommend)

 

Are you allowed to say who you used for your independent guide? We are looking forward very much to Sevastopol.

[Hlitner]

I will be very blunt. Constanta would rank as one of the worst ports we have visited anywhere in the world (and we have been in over 100 countries). We generally do places on our own (and did explore Constanta on our own with another couple) and could not find a single redeeming factor that would mitigate our feelings of this place. That city is in a "world of hurt" with high unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, a street crime problem, etc. If anyone here on CC disagrees with my assessment we hope they post some details of what we missed :)

 

Hank

[Julessmiles]

I will be very blunt. Constanta would rank as one of the worst ports we have visited anywhere in the world (and we have been in over 100 countries). We generally do places on our own (and did explore Constanta on our own with another couple) and could not find a single redeeming factor that would mitigate our feelings of this place. That city is in a "world of hurt" with high unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, a street crime problem, etc. If anyone here on CC disagrees with my assessment we hope they post some details of what we missed :)

 

Hank

 

Can I ask when you went, ie what year? Can't really understand why cruise ships call there if it's that bad. Would you say it is safe to explore as a couple with teens in tow?

[cruisemom42]

I will be very blunt. Constanta would rank as one of the worst ports we have visited anywhere in the world (and we have been in over 100 countries). We generally do places on our own (and did explore Constanta on our own with another couple) and could not find a single redeeming factor that would mitigate our feelings of this place. That city is in a "world of hurt" with high unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, a street crime problem, etc. If anyone here on CC disagrees with my assessment we hope they post some details of what we missed :)

 

Hank

 

Well, I won't b able to confirm or refute until 2014. But did you do any of the things mentioned in my post #4 or just stay in Constanta?

[Travel Girl TX]

As someone with a strong interest in history, I'm actually very excited about visiting Constanta; in fact, I'm trying to figure out how I can visit the ancient ruins of Istria, the archaeological museum, and the Tropaeum Traiani all in one day.

 

 

I hope you're able to get to Tropaeum Traiani as it looks really interesting. We'll have to wait until 2014 for your review. It would be really nice if there was something other than the long ride to Bucharest for this port. As Hank mentioned above, Constanta is in a "world of hurt".

[Travel Girl TX]

Can I ask when you went, ie what year? Can't really understand why cruise ships call there if it's that bad. Would you say it is safe to explore as a couple with teens in tow?

 

Ships stop here for the trip to Bucharest. The trip and tour in Bucharest are very safe. This trip includes over 6 hours on a bus which gets very long.

[Travel Girl TX]

Are you allowed to say who you used for your independent guide? We are looking forward very much to Sevastopol.

 

If someone asks, then you're allowed to post information about a service you have used.

 

Our guide from our fabulous day in Sevastopol was Sergey Tsarapora and he is very popular as I along with a few others have recommended him many times. Here is his website:

http://sergoyalta.at.ua

and here is his email address that I use: Ok, they're not letting me post his email address. However, it is shown on the website I listed.

If you know your sail dates, then I suggest you contact him to start to plan your day.

[roaming_kiwi58]

On our 18 August Black Sea cruise with Azamara, we only have a half day in Constanta, as the boat does not arrive there until 1pm, departing at 8pm. The Bucharest day trip is therefore not an option. Azamara only offer 2 shore excursions, both of which include wine tastings, so not much variety. We will therefore be DIYing Constanta. Was just a bit concerned about the posts that say it is not a safe place to be walking around.

 

Anyone done Amasra? This port does not get mentioned much. I am particularly interested in whether the town is an easy walk from wherever the tenders come in.

[Julessmiles]

Ships stop here for the trip to Bucharest. The trip and tour in Bucharest are very safe. This trip includes over 6 hours on a bus which gets very long.

 

The ship we are going on does not offer a trip to Bucharest; the trips they offer sound fairly uninspiring and are all very local which is probably why we will DIY. The only one of slight interest was to North Dobrogea Monasteries however it is an 8 1/2 trip with approximately 4 hours on a coach. My Romanian friend suggested for the price it is and the amount of travelling that it probably is not worth doing.

[Julessmiles]

If someone asks, then you're allowed to post information about a service you have used.

 

Our guide from our fabulous day in Sevastopol was Sergey Tsarapora and he is very popular as I along with a few others have recommended him many times. Here is his website:

http://sergoyalta.at.ua

and here is his email address that I use: Ok, they're not letting me post his email address. However, it is shown on the website I listed.

If you know your sail dates, then I suggest you contact him to start to plan your day.

Thank you for this, I will have a look

[RicardoC]

Thank you for this, I will have a look

 

We also did a private tour with Sergey's company in Yalta/Sevastopol/Balaklava and it was one of the highlights of our trip. I've posted some thoughts (and pics :) ) in my review. You can find the link in my signature next to the "Black Sea" cruise...hope it is some help :)

[John Bull]

Black Sea is still on my "to do" list.

 

But if your cruise includes the Russian port of Sochi, the formalities are very much like St Petersburg. If you are on a tour organised by the ship or an accredited local tour operator you don't need a Russian visa - your tour ticket (e-mailed to you) is sufficient for Russian immigration.

Locally-organised tours in SPB are way better than ships' tours, & in smaller groups. Guessing the same is true of Sochi

 

JB :)

[delraydoll]

This particular cruise is Athens-Istanbul. Not interested in Constanta as we were in Bucharest a few years ago as part of a Uniworld Bucharest-Amsterdam river cruise (fantastic).

 

I've posted elsewhere on CC, but would appreciate any comments re tours that were organized on a Black Sea cruise as we all know Oceania's excursions are off the charts price wise. Please e-mail me direct at cyr13408@gmail.com. Many thanks.

[NoWhiners]

Of the ports being discussed, we have visited Nessebar, Constanta, and Sevastopol.

 

We found Nessebar to be charming and very easy to DIY. There are at least 6 charming, little churches spread around the town. Yes, there were also cheap, tourist shops that you will find in any beach resort town, but those should not tarnish your visit unless you are completely against any type of commercialism.

 

We were on the Oceania Nautica and tendered to the port. There was a short uphill walk to the main "town". We walked through the entire town and admired all the pretty little churches that date back as old as the 9th century up to the 16th century. The signs describing the churches were in English. During this walk we came across a lovely little wine shop and sampled many wines before purchasing 2 bottles. We continued our journey around the town and found a nice little square to sit in and watch life go by. We walked by the beach and the port. We probably spent a very leisurely 4 hours in Nessebur before returning to the ship.

 

Go to this link and scroll down to post #11 to see my pictures from our Nessebar DIY.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1685951&highlight=nessebar

 

Constanta is another story. They only purpose is to 1. add Romania to your country list or 2. departure point for another place in Romania like Bucharest. We did the long trip to Bucharest and were glad we did. Do we need to do it again? No.

 

We hired a private guide for Sevastopol and had a great time. We visited the Charge of the Light Brigade site, the Panorama, the incredible secret submarine base, and went farther north into the Crimea to visit Bakhchisaray and the Crimean Tatar Khan's palace and the Armenian monastery that is built in a cave. This day was the highlight of our cruise.

 

Hi Travel Girl TX

 

great post, very helpful. I am hoping you are still reading this thread. We thought we could DIY Nessebur but wanted to try the wine tasting, so were thinking of booking a HAL excursion that does this. But , if we can walk around and still taste/buy some wine, that would be great. do you have any info on the little wine shop, like an address or some way to find it? also, about how much for a bottle of wine and what currency did you use?

 

Hoping you see this and thanks for any help.

Mary Lynn

[Travel Girl TX]

Hi Travel Girl TX

 

great post, very helpful. I am hoping you are still reading this thread. We thought we could DIY Nessebur but wanted to try the wine tasting, so were thinking of booking a HAL excursion that does this. But , if we can walk around and still taste/buy some wine, that would be great. do you have any info on the little wine shop, like an address or some way to find it? also, about how much for a bottle of wine and what currency did you use?

 

Hoping you see this and thanks for any help.

Mary Lynn

 

Mary Lynn,

 

I am out of town right now, but when I get home I will check my pictures and give you a location better than this: it is up the main st. into town from the port and then after a few blocks take a left turn onto a side street. I think we paid in dollars, but it could have been euros. I believe I have a picture of me and the shop owner in front of her shop. I'll get back to you in a few days.

 

We were on Oceania and know people who did the Nessabar wine tasting excursion. They enjoyed it, but for not getting a few snacks with our wine, we had the exact same experience for free. We paid less than the equivalent of $20 for the 2 bottles.

 

Travel Girl TX

[WAPilot]

If someone asks, then you're allowed to post information about a service you have used.

 

Our guide from our fabulous day in Sevastopol was Sergey Tsarapora and he is very popular as I along with a few others have recommended him many times. Here is his website:

http://sergoyalta.at.ua

and here is his email address that I use: Ok, they're not letting me post his email address. However, it is shown on the website I listed.

If you know your sail dates, then I suggest you contact him to start to plan your day.

 

 

• We used Sergey's guides in Yalta & Sevastopol last September & can confirm they were excellent. The visit to Balaklava, including the former USSR Navy's underground submarine base was very interesting. Was quite surprised to find an active iron ore mine quite near the harbour! The Crimea War Diorama is also well worth a visit.
  
• Nessebur - definitely agree you really do not need a ship's shore excursion. A very quaint UNESCO heritage listed town with wooden buildings & Byzantine ruins, but most of the shops seemed to be selling similar 'touristy' things. We felt it was a bit like a small 'open air' version of Istanbul's 'Grand Bazaar'
  
• Constanta - Sorry to be somewhat negative, but 'downtown' Constanta for us was somewhat depressing. I understand the museums are excellent, but after 2 weeks travelling around Turkey prior to the Black Sea cruise, we were 'museumed out'. I had been there in the late 70's during the Ceausescu 'Regime' & it did not feel that much different. The contrast between Odessa & Constanta was truly amazing.
  

[NoWhiners]

Mary Lynn,

 

I am out of town right now, but when I get home I will check my pictures and give you a location better than this: it is up the main st. into town from the port and then after a few blocks take a left turn onto a side street. I think we paid in dollars, but it could have been euros. I believe I have a picture of me and the shop owner in front of her shop. I'll get back to you in a few days.

 

We were on Oceania and know people who did the Nessabar wine tasting excursion. They enjoyed it, but for not getting a few snacks with our wine, we had the exact same experience for free. We paid less than the equivalent of $20 for the 2 bottles.

 

Travel Girl TX

 

Travel Girl

 

I am so happy you came back and saw this post!! Thanks for any info--I can be patient until your return. I am thinking we can skip the HAL excursion (and the snacks!), and just DIY. Also, I am guessing they don't speak English in Nessebur or the wine shop--how did you communicate and get wine samples?

 

Thanks again and safe travels

ML

[WAPilot]

Travel Girl

 

I am so happy you came back and saw this post!! Thanks for any info--I can be patient until your return. I am thinking we can skip the HAL excursion (and the snacks!), and just DIY. Also, I am guessing they don't speak English in Nessebur or the wine shop--how did you communicate and get wine samples?

 

Thanks again and safe travels

ML

 

Cannot answer for the specific wine shop, but most of the shops, cafes, bars & restaurants etc., seem to have at least one person who speaks English.

 

In fact, a few of the restaurants had English speaking 'spruikers' with menus outside trying to drum up business. Although it is quite a small town on its own peninsula, it is very 'touristy' not just for visiting cruise ships, but also Bulgarians & other Middle Europeans arriving by bus & car.

[NoWhiners]

Cannot answer for the specific wine shop, but most of the shops, cafes, bars & restaurants etc., seem to have at least one person who speaks English.

 

In fact, a few of the restaurants had English speaking 'spruikers' with menus outside trying to drum up business. Although it is quite a small town on its own peninsula, it is very 'touristy' not just for visiting cruise ships, but also Bulgarians & other Middle Europeans arriving by bus & car.

 

WAPilot

 

Thanks for this info--it is very helpful. I am really thinking Nessebur is a place we can DIY. Do you have any insights on this city? For example, what currency do they prefer?

 

Thanks

ML

[WAPilot]

WAPilot

 

Thanks for this info--it is very helpful. I am really thinking Nessebur is a place we can DIY. Do you have any insights on this city? For example, what currency do they prefer?

 

Thanks

ML

 

Sorry, but have no info on currency, as we did not spend anything whilst ashore.

 

Nessebur was our last port of call in the Black Sea & we just wanted to have a decent walk & see why it was UNESCO heritage listed.

[4774Papa]

We are on a Black Sea cruise September/October and have arranged very inexpensive private tours in all the Ukrainian ports. When you can get a full day tour for $55, going DTY is a poor option. You will waste a lot of time finding your way around. Also, for Yalta and Sevastopol, the sites are not in the port area, you will need transport there.

At Odessa, you can DTY the city, since the port is right in the city center, but for a few more bucks, you can have a local guide.