Black Sea Odyssey - 2022
Discover the wonders of the Black Sea aboard the MS Island Sky
- 1 September 2022
- 12 September 2022
Join us aboard the MS Island Sky as we explore the shores of the Black Sea, one of the most fascinating and historically rich regions in the world. Our voyage begins in Istanbul and from the Golden Horn follows the Turkish coast to Trabzon (Trebizond) before crossing to Georgia where the richness of its culture reflects the influence of Greeks, Byzantines, Persians, Turks and Mongols. Georgia’s ‘Golden Age’ reached its height between the reigns of David the Builder and his granddaughter Queen Tamara in the 11th and 12th centuries.
From Georgia we follow the coastline to Russia’s premier resort and spa, Sochi. Here the microclimate produces wonderful year round weather and a lush countryside. After a day at sea which will be filled with interesting lectures by our onboard Guest Speaker, we reach Odessa, the historic city founded by Catherine the Great at the mouth of the great River Dnieper where we have the benefit of an overnight stay. We continue to Constanta, an ancient metropolis and Romania’s largest seaport. Finally, we reach Nessebar, a delightful Bulgarian town with a fascinating history before our cruise ends where it all began, in the captivating city of Istanbul.
Such a journey as this would be totally impractical by any means other than a cruise. Whether your interest lies in ancient or military history, architecture, literature, contemporary politics or just in visiting some of the most atmospheric and fascinating places on earth, the Black Sea has a lot to offer. Local guides and our onboard Guest Speaker will contribute greatly to our enjoyment and understanding of this intriguing corner of the world where East meets West.
Useful links & Travel Advice
Please find a selection of useful websites to refer to for information from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, on visa requirements, NHS travel health advice and other useful travel tips.
Island Sky
The MS Island Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Caledonian Sky and MS Hebridean Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world.
Itinerary
Day 1 London/Manchester to Istanbul, Turkey.
Fly by scheduled flight. On arrival transfer to the MS Island Sky and embark in the late afternoon. Set sail this evening.
Day 2 Bartin.
From the port of Bartin in ancient Paphlagonia, we have a choice of excursions today. The morning tour will include a drive along the coast to nearby Amasra (ancient Sesamus) which is located on a headland in between two bays. We will explore the attractive old town which was founded by the Milesians in the 6th century BC and later became an important possession of both Byzantium and Genoa. See the Genoese citadel and learn more about its Greek and Roman past. Alternatively join a full day tour to the UNESCO site of Safranbolu, a preserved Ottoman style town named for its prominence in saffron production. On a walking tour we will visit the marketplace, the streets where copper makers, iron makers and Turkish delight makers work, the Mosque and a Turkish Hammam all from the time of Suleiman the Magnificent. Our tour will end at a typical Safranbolu house which is now an ethnographical museum. Enjoy lunch in an Ottoman caravanserai before returning to the MS Island Sky and sailing this evening.
Day 3 Sinop.
Founded by the Greeks in the 7th century BC Sinop flourished as a Black Sea port on the caravan route. On a walking tour this morning we will discover this walled city including the 13th century Alaadin Mosque, constructed after the Seljuk conquest of the Sinop Province. The architecture is representative of the Seljuk period consisting of a rectangular plan featuring five domes. A fountain adorns the courtyard, which also contains ancient tombs. We will visit the Archaeological Museum of Sinop with a collection of objects dating from the Hittite, Hellenistic, Phrygian, Roman and Byzantine periods and the Ethnography Museum located in a typical Ottoman House. Return to the MS Island Sky for lunch and enjoy a relaxing afternoon cruising.
Day 4 Trabzon.
Trabzon is a gateway to Eastern Turkey and Iran which was founded in the 7th century BC. On our morning excursion we drive through the picturesque mountain scenery to Sumela to see the dramatic Byzantine monastery carved out of a sheer rock face in the Pontic Alps. After lunch on board we discover the church of Aya Sofia and the old town of Trabzon, then travel to the outskirts to visit Ataturk’s lovely villa set high on a cliff above the city.
Day 5 Batumi, Georgia.
Enjoy a day amongst the sights and sounds of charming Batumi. On a full day tour visit the ancient Gonio fortress dating back to the first century AD and the Ethnographic Museum that highlights the varied and fascinating history of the country. Continue to the impressive botanical garden ‘Dendrarium’, and see the golden statue of Medea before heading to the bustling farmers market. Lunch will be served in a local restaurant where we will also enjoy a truly exhilarating private performance of Georgian song and dance by the Adjara State Assembly of Music and Dance.
Day 6 Sochi, Russia.
We have a day to explore delightful Sochi, framed by the Caucasus Mountains and famous for its marvellous climate and health spas. On a morning tour we will visit Dagomy’s tea plantation, the most northerly in the world where we learn about the cultivation processes and challenges before having the chance to enjoy a local brew. After lunch on board we will visit Stalin’s Dacha, built in 1937 as his summer residence it remains intact as it was in Stalin’s time.
Day 7 At Sea.
Enjoy a day at sea as we cruise to Odessa. Maybe join one of the lectures or relax with a book in the library.
Days 8 & 9 Odessa, Ukraine.
We have two days to explore this fascinating city. Founded by Catherine the Great in 1794 following the Russian victory over the Turks, Odessa today is a busy port and popular resort. On our morning tour we will see the famous Potemkin Steps, Primorsky Boulevard and the Preobrazhensky Cathedral. Explore the city’s Fine Arts Museum before returning to the ship for lunch. This afternoon is free to explore at leisure and we hope to enjoy a concert this evening at the acoustically perfect Opera House (details will be provided approximately 12 weeks prior to departure). Return to the ship and moor overnight. On our second day we recall Odessa’s former splendour by visiting two of the city’s many mansions. First visit the Tolstoy Mansion, built in 1832 in a Russian classical style, which belonged to Count Mikhail Tolstoy, a cousin of the famed Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy. After a short drive we will reach the Gagarin Mansion, designed by Otton in the middle of the 19th century for the nobleman, Prince Gagarin. This now houses the Museum for Russian & Ukraine Literature. Tour the museum before enjoying a superb violin recital in the Golden Hall. Return to the ship for lunch and enjoy a relaxing afternoon at sea.
Day 10 Constanta, Romania.
During breakfast we arrive in Constanta, known as Tomis to the Greeks but named Constanta by the Romans. Choose this morning to stay in Constanta and enjoy a tour to include the excellent Archaeological Museum and a visit to the Treasury to see the gigantic 3rd century Roman Mosaic. Later, stretch your legs with a walk along the Black Sea waterfront promenade. Alternatively join a full day tour to Bucharest. We will explore the main sights of the city and see the boulevards with their decidedly French style. After lunch in a local restaurant we visit the Parliament Palace, the second largest administrative building in the world at 3.77 million square feet and renowned as former dictator Ceausescu’s most infamous creation.
Day 11 Nessebar, Bulgaria.
After a morning at sea we will arrive in the ancient town of Nessebar, a delightful place to spend an afternoon. A guided walk of the town will include the 5th century Bishopric, the 12th century St Stephen’s Church and some of the traditional-style houses with their overhanging first floors above winding cobbled lanes.
Day 12 Istanbul, Turkey to London/Manchester.
Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to London or Manchester.
Dates and Prices
1 to 12 September 2022 • 12 to 23 September 2022 | ||
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Category | Brochure Price | Special Offer Price |
Magellan Deck Standard Suites | £5995 | £5695 |
Columbus Deck Superior Suites | £6295 | £5995 |
Marco Polo Deck Premium Suites | £6795 | £6495 |
Marco Polo Deck Corner Suites | £6995 | £6695 |
Erikson Deck Deluxe Balcony Suites | £7495 | £7195 |
Explorer Deck Owner's Balcony Suite | £7895 | £7595 |
Explorer Deck Island Suite | £8895 | £8595 |
Magellan Deck Standard for sole occupancy | £7395 | £7095 |
Columbus Deck Superior for sole occupancy | £7595 | £7295 |
Tour Reference Code: SCISK120922
PRICE INCLUDES: Economy class scheduled air travel • 11 nights aboard the MS Island Sky on a full board basis • House wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch & dinner on board • Noble Caledonia onboard team including Guest Speaker • Gratuities • Transfers • Airport taxes • Port taxes • Group visa for Russia.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
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Deckplan
Island Sky
The MS Island Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Caledonian Sky and MS Hebridean Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world.
Travelling with You
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Air Commodore Phil Wilkinson
Phil Wilkinson’s 40 years in the Royal Air Force (RAF) involved thousands of hours in the air – in the skies over many parts of the world. His time on the ground was equally challenging, including exchange appointments at both the French and United States Air Forces War Colleges, and assignment as commander of the RAF station in Berlin at the time of the Fall of the Wall. His final period of duty was based in Moscow, as Defence and Air Attaché, during the turbulence of Russia’s emergence from the Soviet era.
During those three and a half years, he travelled widely across the former Soviet Union, including journeys to Murmansk and Archangel, accompanying RAF and other British veterans as they re-visited the scenes of their operations in World War Two. 600 RAF men, and aircraft to form two ‘Hurricane’ squadrons, made up the cargo of the first-ever Arctic Convoy, in August 1941. Those veterans are still linked and supported by a Royal Air Force Russia Association, of which Phil is the director. They, and naval Convoy veterans, are on hand at ceremonies at the Soviet Memorial in London, honouring the 27 million Soviet Union victims of the Second World War. Phil is a trustee of the fund maintaining that memorial.
In retirement, he has lectured widely on these and other themes. His lectures, and his published articles, cover a range of British – Russian relations and interactions, cultural as well as military, and reflect on his own transition from Cold War warrior to military diplomat at a time of great change. The central theme – the interaction between the RAF and Russia during a shared century – is examined in detail in his recently-published book, ‘Red Star and Roundel’.Air Commodore Phil Wilkinson will be on the following tour dates: 1 to 12 September 2022 -
Dr David Price-Williams
David Price-Williams has a first degree from the University of Wales in Ancient Near Eastern languages with a subsidiary in Attic and Koine Greek. His postgraduate work and his doctorate, from the University of London, is in Near Eastern archaeology. His first overseas archaeological field work in the eastern Mediterranean was in 1969 as a field surveyor at the classical site of Knidos in Turkey. He then worked for the Smithsonian Institution as an archaeological field surveyor on excavations in the Near East before directing his own field research in the same area through the early 1970s.
David has just retired after almost forty years lecturing on the Archaeology of Western Asia (Eastern Mediterranean) at the Institute of Archaeology for the University of London Extra Mural Department. He is the author and co-author of numerous academic papers on the area and several books. David has designed and lectured on many tours to Greece, Turkey and the Near East and is very familiar with the archaeological sites of Turkey. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an elected life member of the Society for Old Testament Studies as well as the Southern African Quaternary Research Association.
Dr David Price-Williams will be on the following tour dates: 12 to 23 September 2022
Tour Extensions
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Istanbul is blessed with a magnificent natural setting on the Bosphorous Strait and our pre-cruise extension offers an opportunity to discover the many facets of this deeply fascinating and historically important city where East meets West.
Hagia Sophia
The Itinerary
Day 1 London/Manchester to Istanbul, Turkey.
Fly by scheduled flight. Arrive this evening and transfer to Pera Palace Hotel for our three night stay. Meet tonight for dinner in the hotel restaurant. (D)
Day 2 Istanbul.
After breakfast at the hotel we start our exploration of Istanbul at the Hippodrome, the centre of civic life in the capital of the Ottoman Empire and the site of speeches, chariot races, and riots. Next, visit the nearby Blue Mosque, named for its glorious 17th century painted tiles; and the Hagia Sophia, first a Byzantine patriarchal basilica and later an imperial mosque. Known for its massive domed roof and colourful mosaics, this structure is widely regarded as the world’s finest example of Byzantine architecture. A short walk brings us to the Basilica Cistern, which dates back to the 6th century and is supported by 336 Corinthian columns making it one of the most magnificent covered cisterns in Istanbul. Lunch is taken at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel where the remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure. (B, L)
Day 3 Istanbul.
Our day begins with a visit to the Suleymaniye Mosque, the largest in the city and a masterpiece of the 16th century architect Sinan before we continue to the small yet lavishly decorated Chora Church. Part of a Byzantine monastery complex it was originally built outside the city walls of Constantine the Great. View the many frescoes and mosaics here depicting the beginnings of Christianity. Before lunch in a local restaurant stop at the Fener Greek Quarter, visiting the Greek Patriarchate and Orthodox Church and Balat, the Jewish Quarter, which dates back to the Byzantine period. Return to the hotel and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure. (B, L)
Day 4 Istanbul.
Take some time to explore independently or relax in the hotel before we check out in the late morning. We will enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before continuing to the impressive Topkapi Palace, a complex of buildings and annexes that was used as the Imperial residence of the Ottoman Sultans for nearly 400 years. Since 1924 it has been preserved as a museum, and it is noted for its beautiful shaded courtyards and elegant architecture. In the late afternoon we will transfer to the MS Island Sky for embarkation. (B, L)
Prices per person based on double occupancy
29 August to 1 September 2022 • 9 to 12 September 2022 Category Price Twin £995 Single £1245 Price Includes: Three nights accommodation at the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, meals as indicated (B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner), Noble Caledonia Tour Manager, excursions, transfers, gratuities.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
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Book with Confidence
Speak to one of our advisors on 020 7752 0000