The rich heritage of the Ukraine is explored during this Dnieper River cruise on the MS Taras Shevchenko. The well known cities of Kiev and Odessa and thoughtfully selected, unique villages along the Dnieper River are blended for a genuine Ukrainian encounter. However, on this cruise package you also have the opportunity to explore other Black Sea countries: Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey! One of Europe's oldest towns, Nessebar, Bulgaria is known for its architectural and archeological wonders. Turkey's cultural center, colourful, bustling Istanbul, is also visited. In 15 days experience a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, and tastes on your Black Sea odyssey!

Itinerary

Day 2: Istanbul.
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning city tour of Istanbul. Historically Byzantium and later Constantinople, Istanbul is Turkey's most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. The city covers 25 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on the Bosphorus and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world situated on two continents. The "Historic Areas of Istanbul" have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Lunch in a local restaurant, dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 4: Nessebar
Breakfast. Enjoy your walking tour of Nassebar. Walking city tour includes visit to the Old Town, ancient ruins and churches and one of the town's symbols - the wooden windmill. Lunch and dinner aboard.

Day 6: Odessa
After breakfast, arrive in Odessa and take a tour of this extraordinary city. Thanks to its old romantic traditions, Odessa is considered one of the world's most fascinating cities. The inimitable coloring of the city is sustained not only by the sea, the aroma of the acacia flowers and velvety summer nights; it is also enhanced by marvelous monuments of 19th-century architecture. Unique in their beauty, the Opera House, the Museum of Western and Oriental Art, the Museum of Archeology and, of course, the famous Potemkin Staircase are symbols of the city's splendid past and superb present. Lunch and dinner aboard.

Day 8: Yalta
Today enjoy the city tour of Yalta. The loveliest among Black Sea resorts lies in a natural amphitheatre framed by the Crimean Mountains and the sea. It was once the retreat of the tsars and Russian nobility; later it became the playground of Soviet leaders. Yalta has a magical reputation for its sunshine, fine wines and relaxed living. Visit Levadia Palace, built in 1911 for Tsar Nicolas II, which hosted the Yalta Conference in February 1945. During this extraordinary event, the leaders of the three Allied powers - Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin - decided on the postwar division of Europe. Lunch and dinner aboard.

Day 10: Sevastopol
After breakfast, take a city tour of Sevastopol and visit the Panorama Museum. The city was closed to foreigners until 1996. It is a home base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which leases bays and infrastructure from Ukraine. Sevastopol has a long heroic history and is famous for its siege resistance during the Crimean War and World War II. These events are commemorated throughout the city in numerous monuments and the famous 115-meter-long (377 ft) panorama hall. Among the city's historical attractions are the ruins of the ancient Greek colony Chersonesus, founded in 421 BC. Lunch and dinner aboard.

Day 12: Zaporozhye
Morning arrival in Zaporozhye. Take the panoramic city tour. The city of Zaporozhye is more than 200 years old, situated about 600 km southeast of Kiev. Archaeological finds in the area suggest that the Scythian nomads were living here 2,000 to 3,000 years ago. In the 15th to 17th centuries it was the Cossack fortress Zaporizka Sich. In 1770, the Russian government established a new fortress at the Dnipr River, named Aleksandrovsk. Until the beginning of the 20th century Aleksandrovsk was a small town. In 1921 the city's name was changed to Zaporozhye. During and after World War II, the city was the location of prisoner-of-war camps. Enjoy a visit to legendary Khortitsya island. Lunch and dinner aboard.

Day 14: Kiev
Breakfast aboard the ship. After breakfast a half-day city tour. Includes 'Vladimir's Old Town' - the place where Prince Vladimir the Baptist founded his Kremlin and built the first Christian church in Kievan Rus State. See the panorama ground (a marvelous view of the Lower Old Town called Podol) and Dnipr River (third-longest in Europe). See the Golden Gate of Kiev, University Building, Opera House, Kreshchatik Street (main Kiev boulevard), Arch of Friendship Monument to the founders of the city of Kiev and St. Vladimir's Cathedral. Also an inside visit to St. Sophia Cathedral - Kiev's oldest surviving church, built in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise to glorify Christianity, with 13 majestic domes, ancient frescoes and mosaics. This evening you leave Kiev for the start of your cruise. Lunch and dinner on board.

Cruise Price per person - 14 Nights

These prices are converted from Euro to Rand based on current rates of exchange (29 December 2009) and are for guidance only.

M/S "Taras Shevchenko"

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ALL CABINS EQUIPPED WITH SHOWER, TOILET, AIR-CONDITIONER, REFREGIRATOR. SUITE CABINS ARE EQUIPPED WITH BATH TUBS

Total amount of cabins - 140 cabins

- Double cabins on Sun Deck (8 cabins)
- Double cabins on Boat Deck (7 cabins)
- Double cabins on Upper Deck (62 cabins)- Double cabins on Main Deck (36 cabins)
- Single cabins on Boat Deck (10 cabins)
- Quad cabins on Lower Deck (8 cabins)
- Suites on Boat Deck (10 cabins)
- Restaurants – 2 (upper deck 170, boat deck 90)
- Bars - 2 (boat deck 60, sun deck 80)
- Reading lounge - 1 (upper deck)
- Hairdresser’s salon - 1 (main deck)
- Sauna with a small swimming pool - 1 (lower deck)
- Souvenir shop - 1 (upper deck)
- Massage - 1 (main deck)
- Solarium - 1 (sun deck)

Price Includes

- Cruise transportation
- Tour Escort
- Sightseeing Per Itinerary
- Conferences and Shipboard Entertainment
- Accommodations in Select Cabin Category
- Three Meals Daily Shipboard
- Hotel Accommodation As Indicated in Itnerary
- Luggage Handling
- Excursions & Entrances Per Itinerary
- Captain
- Transfers

Price Does Not Include
- Optional Excursions
- Visa To Turkey (15 euro)
- Flight Tickets to Istanbul and from Kiev

Cruise Ship Description

This magnificent motor ship, built in 1991 in Germany and renovated as recently as 2006, is one of the best ships sailing the Dnieper River and Black Sea. The MS Taras Shevchenko is rated the highest river-sea class , built to meet the most stringent international safety standards with all modern amenities. All cabins are outward facing and are equipped with internal phones, air-conditioners, refrigerators, private bathrooms with showers and radios. Cabins on Low Deck have 2 portholes, Main Deck cabins have windows that do not open and all cabins on higher decks feature windows that can be opened. Double sized Suite cabins feature a living room and separate bedroom and bathrooms with bath tubs. Spacious Public areas and amenities on board include a sauna, Hairdressing salon, first-aid, post and Souvenir Shop. Two elegant restaurants on board, Odessa (62 seats) on Boat Deck and Kiev (170 seats) on Upper Deck allow for one seating for all meals, which is a major advantage, especially with shore excursions: Two panoramic bars Sky-Bar (80 seats) on Sun Deck and Panorama (50 seats) on Boat Deck offer ample space to enjoy drinks with friends as well as other on board activities.