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Home / Cruise Lines / Crystal Cruises / / Black Sea Brilliance - Athens to Istanbul Cruise

Black Sea Brilliance - Athens to Istanbul Cruise

  • Departure DateTue 27th Jun 2023
  • Crystal Cruises Crystal Serenity
  • 12 Night Cruise From Athens
  • Call us on

Itinerary

  • Athens
  • Mykonos
  • Kusadasi
  • Nessebar
  • Constanta
  • Odessa
  • Novorossiysk
  • Sochi
  • Batumi
  • Istanbul

What's Included

  • Ultra-luxury accommodation in stylish staterooms
  • All gratuities for dining room and wait staff
  • Dining in each speciality restaurant once per cruise
  • Complimentary select fine wines, premium spirits & champagnes
  • Complimentary bottled water, custom coffees, soft drinks and juices
  • 24-hour In-suite Dining
  • 60 minutes complimentary Wi-Fi and internet per person, per day
  • Butler-serviced suites and penthouses
  • Additional amenities for Suite guests including packing and unpacking, complimentary pressing, shoeshine, dinner reservations, salon and spa appointments, and arranging cocktail parties
  • Shuttle service to and from port communities, where available
  • Streamlined sales and booking processes; reduced deposits, admin fees and relaxed schedules for Early Payment Savings and cancellations
  • ABTA & ATOL Protection
  • All Port Taxes & Fees

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Day 1 - Athens

Arrive: Tue 27 June 2023 / Depart: Tue 27 June 2023 at 18:00

Piraeus is Greece's largest port and has been a gateway to the Mediterranean since 482 BC. It lies on the innermost point of the Saronic Gulf and is a short drive from Athens, the cradle of Western democracy and culture. Throughout the ages, Athens' lofty Acropolis has been a source of inspiration. The ancient ruins scattered throughout this legendary city are reminders of Greece's great cultural heritage.

Day 2 - Mykonos

Arrive: Wed 28 June 2023 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 28 June 2023 at 22:00

Mykonos, a former 18th-century pirates' bastion, is now a sophisticated and cosmopolitan island resort. This quintessential Greek island offers a maze of winding streets, graceful windmills, inviting beaches, domed churches and whitewashed houses accented in blue. Dotting the waterfront are cafés, taverns and tempting shops.

Day 3 - Kusadasi

Arrive: Thu 29 June 2023 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 29 June 2023 at 19:00

A lovely seaside resort on Turkey's Aegean coast, Kusadasi [koo-SHAH-duh-see] is renowned for its inviting sparkling waters, broad sandy beaches and large marina. The shops in town are filled with designer clothing, carpets, jewelry and leather goods. South, along the Aegean coast, the ancient Greco-Roman cities of Priene, Miletus and Didyma furnish impressions of the sophisticated civilizations that once thrived here. Kusadasi is perhaps best known as the gateway to the archaeological site of Ephesus, one of the world's greatest archaic finds. Excavations continue in the 4,000-year-old city and it is believed that more than half of it still remains buried in the hillside. Its marble streets are lined with architectural masterpieces. The city played a significant role in the life of the Apostle Paul, who wrote an epistle to its people.

Day 4 - Cruising dardanelles

Day 5 - Nessebar

Arrive: Sat 01 July 2023 at 09:00 / Depart: Sat 01 July 2023 at 19:00

Replete with narrow cobblestone lanes, quaint houses and an ancient fortress wall with gate and towers, the entire old quarter of Nesebur, Bulgaria, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Two of its churches might have also helped the village earn that distinction. One was built in the 5th century, and is appropriately called the Old Bishopric. The other church is called the New Bishopric; given that it was built in the 10th century, "new" is clearly a relative term in the town of Nesebur.

Day 6 - Constanta

Arrive: Sun 02 July 2023 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 02 July 2023 at 18:00

Day 7 - Odessa

Arrive: Mon 03 July 2023 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 03 July 2023 at 23:59

Odessa is barely two centuries old, yet it has a wealth of history. A summer retreat of the czars, this "Pearl of the Black Sea" also hosted Russia's greatest artists, writers and musicians. Many historic opera houses, museums and ballet theaters remain, alongside the impressive onion-domed basilica and the broad Potemkin Steps.

Day 8 - Black Sea Cruising

Day 9 - Novorossiysk

Arrive: Wed 05 July 2023 at 09:00 / Depart: Wed 05 July 2023 at 18:00

Day 10 - Sochi

Arrive: Thu 06 July 2023 at 07:00 / Depart: Thu 06 July 2023 at 18:00

Day 11 - Batumi

Arrive: Fri 07 July 2023 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 07 July 2023 at 18:00

Day 12 - Black Sea Cruising

Day 13 - Istanbul

Arrive: Sun 09 July 2023 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 09 July 2023

For poets, Istanbul, next to Venice and Rome is the loveliest city in Europe and one of the most splendid in Asia. It is the only city in the world spread over two continents, separated by the Bosphorus. Istanbul was founded by Greek scouts in 660 BC and later became capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. With its 3,000 years of history behind, it has always been the meeting point of East and West. It is a city filled with wonders of architecture and monuments to the faiths that inspired them. Formerly known as Byzantium, then Constantinople, its mosques, minarets and museums span two continents where the Bosphorus divides Asia from Europe. This strategic position has assured Istanbul's status as a crossroads for trade and cultural exchange during the centuries. Must-see attractions include the dazzling treasury in Topkapi Palace and exquisite buildings of timeless beauty such as the Blue Mosque and Basilica of St. Sophia. Even those who are not avid shoppers will be enticed by the colorful sights and sounds of the world's largest bazaar.

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