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Istanbul & the Black Sea
Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine aboard Le Levant |
| 12 Days / 11 Nights • August 9,16,23,30 • September 6, 2009 |
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Join the yacht-like Le Levant for a voyage to spellbinding ports of call on 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 Cruise Director and informative local guides
2009 Itinerary
• 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: Secrets of the Cold War
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: Step back in time in Safranbolu
Dock in the port of Bartin for a full day excursion to Safranbolu, which was an important caravan stop on the "Silk Road," the main East-West trade route.
The town is rich in Turkish history, and was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO mainly due to the successful preservation efforts of its historic and cultural heritage.
A guided tour shows you excellent examples of Turkish architecture, from cobblestone streets lined with centuries-old homes to the Old Mosque, Old Bath and Süleyman Pasha Medrese.
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
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| MORE
INFO |
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| SHIP
STATISTICS |
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Built:1998
Flag: France
Number of Crew:50
Official Language: English
Passeng. Cap.: 90
Ship Speed: 16 knots
Tonnage: 3,500 GRT
Length: 330 Feet
Beam: 46 Feet
Draft: 12 Feet
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PORT
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ARRIVAL |
DEPARTURE |
Voyage at a Glance
8 Cruise Days aboard Le Levant
| 1 |
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| 2 |
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| 3 |
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| 4 |
Embark Le Levant
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6:00 PM |
| 5 |
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7:00 AM |
6:00 PM |
| 6 |
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7:00 AM |
5:30 PM |
| 7 |
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7:00 AM |
6:00 PM |
| 8 |
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8:00 AM |
9:30 PM |
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4:00 PM |
5:00 PM |
| 9 |
Bartin, Turkey
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8:30 AM |
11:00 PM |
| 10 |
Black Sea
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Day at sea |
| 11 |
Disembark Istanbul
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9:00 AM |
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| 10 |
Depart Istanbul
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| sCruise Rates (per person) |
Category
August 9 - 23
Champlain Deck
La Pérouse Deck
Bouogainville Deck
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Double
$ 6,790
$ 7,090
$ 7,590
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Single
$ 8,135
$ 8,435
$ 9,335
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Triple
$ 5998
$ 6298
$ N/A
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Category
Aug.30, Sep.6
Champlain Deck
La Pérouse Deck
Bouogainville Deck
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Double
$ 7190
$ 7490
$ 7990
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Single
$ 11,535
$ 11,835
$ 12,735
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Triple
$ 6,398
$ 6,698
$ N/A
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| Inclusive Prices
Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars.
All accommodations, motor coach, and cruise ship transportation, sightseeing, admissions, shore excursions, luggage handling, and the services of cruise Directors are included.
Hotel and Ship Accommodations
Price includes all hotel and ship accommodations with private baths. Standard is to provide the best available hotels without sacrificing value. Although the quality of accommodations may differ from place to place, this standard remains uncompromised. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot and are not recommended for comfort.
Meals
Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary.
Meal codes are: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
Onboard Le Levant, breakfast and lunch are served in a panoramic restaurant; dinner is served in a fine-dining restaurant. French cuisine is featured and complimentary wine is offered with dinner. Both restaurants accommodate all guests in one seating.
Cruise & Land Director
Each Istanbul and the Black Sea cruise is conducted by two Directors who remains with the group throughout the duration of the tour.
Your Directors are professional, fully trained employee.
Gratuities Included
All appropriate gratuities for bellmen, doormen, dining room servers, drivers, ship staff and local guides are included.
No Options Sold
Directors sometimes assist with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance, but they will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed, pleasant experience for you.
Not Included
Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours
Luggage Responsibility
Although every effort is made to handle guests’ luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities.
Personal Expenses
Phone calls, room service, alcoholic and bar beverages, laundry, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees (if applicable), and other optional incidental extras are not included and may be significant.
You may settle your onboard expenses using American Express, MasterCard and VISA. U.S. traveler’s checks are accepted on a limited basis. The U.S. dollar is the currency used onboard.
Director Gratuities
The customary gratuity to the Director is not included. Gratuities should be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.
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