Print Itinerary

Join the yacht-like Le Levant for a voyage to spellbinding ports of call on Tauck's Black Sea cruise. Spend three days in exotic Istanbul at a 5-star luxury hotel where your room has views of the Bosphorus, exploring such fabled sights as the Blue Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque, Topkapi Palace and UNESCO World Heritage Site Hagia Sophia. Enjoy included shore excursions accompanied by your professional Tauck Director and informative local experts. Take in the antiquities and architecture of Nessebur, Bulgaria, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and visit a private Bulgarian home. Your Black Sea cruise explores rich cultural traditions as Le Levant calls at ports in Romania and along the coast of Ukraine, featuring visits to a former secret Soviet submarine base in Sevastopol... the renowned Massandra Winery for a tasting... the Museum of Partisan Glory and the Potemkin Steps in Odessa... Livadia Palace in Yalta and much more!

2010 Itinerary

Prices11 Days from $6,490 plus airfare

April and August Cabin Category	Double	Single	Triple
Cabins 301 and 402	$6490	$9139	$5790
Champlain Deck	$6980	$9885	$6280
La Pérouse Deck	$7380	$10,485	$6680
Bougainville Deck	$7640	$10,875	N/A

May Cabin Category	Double	Single	Triple
Cabins 301 and 402	$6890	$9539	$6190
Champlain Deck	$7380	$10,285	$6680
La Pérouse Deck	$7780	$10,885	$7080
Bougainville Deck	$8040	$11,275	N/A

Special Singles Departure dates of Aug 23 & 30 where the single price starts at: Cabins 301 and 402 – $7139; Champlain Deck $7885; La Pérouse Deck $8485; Bougainville Deck $8875. Ask at booking for details.

Click here for deck plan and other information about cruising aboard Le Levant.

27 meals included.

International Airfare is additional. Tauck can book your international air for travel originating in the United States, subject to availability; inquire upon booking for special airfares that may be available.

Land / Cruise Price includes private Tauck shore excursions, cruise fare, applicable fuel surcharges, port charges, cocktail hour, all-day soft drinks, wine with dinner aboard Le Levant, entertainment and lectures, and gratuities to Tauck Director and ship staff. Departures will be hosted by one Tauck Director for every 40 Tauck guests.

Please ask at time of booking about additional hotel nights before or after your cruise and about our comprehensive Cruise Protection Plan.

Inclusive Prices

Not Included

Additional Information

Preparing to Go

ATM and Credit Cards - We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing for this tour to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to "suspicious" charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of the front and back sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Clothing and Packing - As you prepare for travel, select an adaptable wardrobe. Many days are spent outside or in transit. Therefore, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Occasionally cool weather will require warmer, layered clothing.

Aboard Le Levant, the dress code throughout your journey is informal, and casual clothing is the order of the day. For the welcome reception and dinner on the first evening – and the captain's farewell cocktail party and dinner on the last night of the cruise – many guests like to dress up, but certainly be comfortable.

Swimsuits and shorts are considered unsuitable for function rooms.

Valet dry-cleaning and laundry service is available at the Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul. In addition, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards are either located in your hotel guest room or are available immediately upon request. Aboard the ship, laundry and pressing services are available for a fee; there is no dry-cleaning available. Hair curling and clothes irons are not permitted aboard the cruise ship.

When visiting mosques, Muslims wash themselves and remove their shoes. Other visitors should also remove their shoes, show the respect they would any other house of worship, and avoid visiting the mosque during prayer time. Men and women should cover their shoulders, arms and knees, and should not wear shorts or sleeveless shirts. A headscarf is not required. (In certain famous mosques, complimentary robes are provided for those deemed not suitably dressed.)

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription, or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for travel to the Black Sea:

Sport jackets for men and casually elegant attire for women for the welcome and farewell receptions
Shorts and pants for casual daytime wear
Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
Bathing suit
A light sweater or jacket for the cooler months or a breezy night
Binoculars (7x50 suggested)
Insect repellent
Camera, lenses, batteries, film and memory cards
Comfortable walking shoes with firm ankle support
Travel alarm
Raincoat and umbrella
Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room or stateroom while traveling

Elevation - Most of your time on this tour will be spent at sea level.

Health - To enjoy this active itinerary, you should have good health and be able to walk moderate distances over uneven terrain and cobblestone streets up and down ancient seacoast villages, as some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. In addition, many of the museums and historical sites visited necessitate climbing multiple staircases. The journey also includes various modes of transportation, including cruise ship and motor coach.

Le Levant has an elevator that connects all decks, except the Sun Deck.

We regret that we are unable to accommodate wheelchairs on this tour. Le Levant does not have wheelchair-accessible cabins or staterooms. We also cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.

Le Levant has a licensed and registered French physician on board for professional and emergency services, which are available at customary charges. The ships' small infirmary is designed to provide medical care for certain temporary illnesses and accidents, and is not intended or capable of providing ongoing treatment of preexisting medical conditions.

Smoking is very common in Turkey. As a result, few restaurants and hotels have non-smoking sections. A “non-smoking” room often means the establishment has removed the ashtray. Where possible we have requested non-smoking rooms and non-smoking sections of restaurants. On board the ship, certain outer decks have been designated as non-smoking areas. There is no smoking permitted in the interior of the ship.

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify Tauck as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

If you are a citizen of the U.S., no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Turkey; however, Turkey does require you to provide an International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever if you arrive within 5 days of leaving an infected area. For complete vaccination information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour, prerecorded "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 877-394-8747 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC Internet website by clicking here.

If you are a citizen of another country, please contact an embassy or consulate of each of the countries on the itinerary to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for you to visit.

Luggage Restrictions:

Checked Luggage – General
While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.

In addition, airlines have adopted more strict policies in enforcing size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.

Many carriers require checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, Tauck cannot be held liable to the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers.

Tauck World Discovery cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.

Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home.

Carry-on Luggage - General
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many intra-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and only those items you need handy during the day such as purses, make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or in the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may not allow for access during daytime travel.

Travel Document Requirements – A valid passport or similar acceptable travel document is required of all people wishing to travel to and enter Turkey, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Romania.

U.S citizens do not need a visa to travel to these countries for this tour, with the exception of Turkey. We suggest you obtain your Turkish visa upon arrival at the Istanbul airport. The process is very brief, requires no forms to be filled out and costs $20 USD for your passport to be stamped. You will need pay for your visa in U.S. dollars or Euro as they do not accept credit cards or Turkish Lira. The countries of Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine require you to have a valid passport but do not require you to obtain a visa for tourist travel of up to 30 days.

Citizens of other countries should contact an embassy or consulate of the countries visited on this journey to determine what travel documentation is required.

Tauck strongly recommends that your passport be valid for six months beyond the completion of your tour. In addition, we recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship, as well as both sides of your driver’s license. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Visas for Ports of Call – You enjoy the right to go ashore without a visa during the period of the cruise ship's stay at any port of call. You must return aboard the vessel prior to its departure according to the schedule. If you are a U.S. citizen, you typically do not need to obtain a visa if you are not staying in the country of the port of call for more than 90 days. If you are a citizen of another country, you must check with a consulate or embassy of the countries visited to determine what documentation you may require embarking or disembarking at the various ports of call.

Travel with Children

Age Recommendations – Children 5 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, for each itinerary we have a minimum recommended age to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.

Babysitting – Tauck journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. However, our guests have occasionally inquired about babysitting services. If you are interested, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements, to ensure your precise needs are met. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer babysitting services that may be arranged on site; however, babysitting services are not guaranteed at all of our hotels and there are no babysitting services aboard Le Levant. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.

Safety and Welfare Responsibility – We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with Tauck, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.

Special Travel Documentation for Children

Authorization for Travel

If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so.

CBP also suggests that this note be notarized. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.

If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.

Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, Tauck requires all guests to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information is available from each country’s consulate.

Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment

In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.
Tauck is not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for any travelers, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard for these letters, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.

Destination Information

Cell Phones--We understand and appreciate the value of instant communication when we travel; it keeps us in touch with friends and family, and it's a reassurance in the event of an emergency. However, the use of cell phones can be disruptive to a tour and to other guests who are enjoying their vacation. As a courtesy to others, we ask that you refrain from using your cell phone during motor coach travel or group functions. There are usually many opportunities to make or receive calls at times when it does not affect others.

Please contact your cell phone carrier to determine whether your cell phone service extends to Ukraine, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania.

Currency and Exchange Rates – The official currency in Turkey is the Turkish New Lira; in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Lev; in Romania, the Romanian New Lei; and in Ukraine, the Ukraine Hryvnia.

The exchange rate for local currency tends to fluctuate. Local merchants do not always accept U.S. travelers' checks, although banks, host hotels and exchange counters will accept them as well as cash. Expect to pay fees for using travelers' checks. ATM machines are accessible in most areas visited. Credit cards may be used for purchases in many stores and restaurants, although a fee may be charged. Local currencies are generally the most acceptable and can usually be obtained upon arrival in each country.

You may settle your shipboard account with U.S. currency, Euro currency, American Express, Visa, MasterCard and travelers’ checks. There is no foreign exchange facility on board Le Levant.

To obtain the most current exchange rate, you may want to check your local newspaper or log on to the Internet website, oanda.com, by clicking here.

Customs and Tax-Free Shopping – Each country visited has its own Customs clearing process. You should familiarize yourself with each country’s specific required declarations before you travel. In general, you are not permitted to bring live plants, fresh fruits and other produce items into most countries.

Turkey – VisaHQ.com

Bulgaria – VisaHQ.com

Romania - VisaHQ.com

Ukraine – VisaHQ.com

If you are a U.S resident who will be returning to the U.S. at the end of the tour, current regulations permit bringing back $800 worth of items duty-free, as long as you physically bring them with you. There are limits to the amount of alcohol that can be a part of this exemption. Certain restrictions apply to unaccompanied goods mailed from abroad to the United States. Please call your local customs office or consult the U.S. government's customs regulations as contained in their publication entitled Know Before You Go.

If you are a resident of another country, please refer to your own country’s rules and regulations regarding customs and duty-free shopping to ensure compliance upon your return.

Currently, each country visited on this tour levies a Value Added Tax (VAT) of approximately 18-20% on consumer purchases. (The tax rate may be higher for luxury items and lower for basic goods.) If you are not a resident of the country (or of the country’s intergovernmental economic community, e.g., the European Union) in which the purchase is made, you may be entitled to a VAT refund and should inquire about the refund policy where you shop.

Electrical Current – The electrical systems in all the countries visited and aboard Le Levant operate at 220 V, 50 Hz. If you bring electrical devices that are not compatible with these systems, you may want to bring the appropriate adapters and converters.

Internet Access is available as indicated below:

Ceylan InterContinental – High-speed access in rooms; access in public areas for a fee
Le Levant – Satellite email may be sent or received for a fee – there is no internet access aboard the ship.

Time Zones – All locations visited on this tour share the same time zone. They are 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (or Greenwich Mean Time). From late March through October, these locations switch to Daylight Saving Time and are then 3 hours ahead. To determine current time in major cities around the world, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, timeanddate.com, by clicking here.

Weather – Daytime temperatures on the Black Sea coast range in January from 30/40 ºF (1/4 ºC), and in July from 70/80 ºF (21/27 ºC). While the city of Istanbul has moderate and seasonal rainfall, Odessa has a dry climate with average precipitation of only 18 in (460 mm) spread evenly over all months.

To obtain the most current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, weather.com, by clicking here.

If You Have to Cancel

Cancellation Fees – Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in Tauck incurring costly penalties and cancellation fees from our travel and hotel providers. Therefore, if you have to cancel a confirmed booking, Tauck will charge you a cancellation fee according to when your cancellation notice is received in its Norwalk, CT office. To help limit your liability, Tauck offers a

If you choose to purchase Tauck’s Travel Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will have your cancellation penalties reduced. Click for more details.

If you choose not to purchase Tauck’s Travel Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will incur cancellation penalties per person as follows:

60 days or more before departure
$1,100 per person (the cost of the deposit)

59-30 days before departure
50% of the cost of the tour per person

7-1 days before departure
100% of the cost of the tour per person