The Cold Turnkey

The Black Sea is where Europe and Asia come together, a critical waterway for commerce between east and west for centuries. Last year alone 55,000 ships sailed these waters and many of those were cruise ships. If you’re interested in the history of European commerce or the ancient Persian Empire then the Black Sea is a must-see. Cruise holidays include ports-of-call in Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, and South-eastern Russia, with additional ports available in Greece though the Sea of Marmara. The Danube River, a major waterway in the history of this region, has been the subject of stories and poems for centuries. It flows past Bucharest, Romania and enters the Black Sea south of Odessa, Ukraine and north of Varna, Bulgaria. All three cities are available ports-of-call for Black Sea cruises. You can also visit the land once known as Thrace if you follow the western coast slightly farther south. The next stop, if you happen to be circling the Black Sea in that direction, is the city of Istanbul, where the Blue Mosque, the Chora Church, and the magnificent Hagia Sofia await tourists and pilgrims alike. Istanbul has been a major port and trade centre for centuries so make sure you buy something while you’re there. The famous bazaar offers far more than any shopping mall in the western world. In Turkey there are a number of port cities along the southern coast of the Black Sea, each which has its own allure. Zonguidak, Samsun, and Trabzon greet you before you come to Batumi in Georgia, and Sochi and Novorossiysk in Russia. From there you can take a right at the Crimean Peninsula and enter the Sea of Azov to visit Berdyans’k or you can continue west back to Odessa. Black Sea cruises are available that offer both routes. Why visit the Black Sea on a cruise? These waters have seen centuries of commerce, trade, and battles at sea to establish supremacy. Today they are a major waterway for tankers and container ships carrying oil, automobiles, and manufactured goods from east to west and back. The cities, beaches and tourist attractions are some of the most interesting and exotic on earth. On top of all that, Black Sea cruises are typically affordable and offer an opportunity to meet travellers from all over the world. This is where Europe and Asia come together and Africa is just across the Mediterranean to the south. Why wouldn’t you want to go on a Black Sea cruise?