Pacific Princess - Black Sea Sept 2013

[Goingagin]

Pacific Princess Black Sea Cruise Sept 12th

I've been looking at the shore excursions offered and there is not a great range. The ports are - Volos, Yalta, Odessa, Constanta, Nessebar, Istanbul,

Koper. Can anyone help please - What's best? Which ports have HOHO buses, and any info on Ship berth locations and proximity to towns and sites/sights?

Hoping to hear from EVERYBODY.

Thanks

Goingagin:o

[Essiesmom]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. There is a section here for Ports of Call, where you will find all sorts of information and recommendations for shore excursions. there is also a Roll Call forum, where you can 'meet up' with others sharing you cruise. They will be full of discussions about shore excursions, and organizing groups for independent tours. Go back to the main boards page, click on ROLL CALLS, select Princess, then Pacific Princess, and look for a thread with the dates for you sailing. EM

[Goingagin]

Thanks Essiesmom will do.:)

[5326jan]

In Yalta, try to get Sergey Tsarapora for your guide. He is a history professor and our day with him was amazing!!! He "lives" the history and tells it as if he was there, with passion and deep love of the history of his area. Read up on the Battle of the Light Brigade, the Russian Czar Alexander II and the Yalta Conference. Also, be sure to build in time to see Balacava, where the Russians hid the submarines in caves. It was fascinating and eery, especially if you grew up during the cold war. You'll drive by Kruschev's summer home and visit Lavadia Palace, see Sevestapol and the battlefields of Crimean War.

 

Romania and Bulgaria we did on our own, just walking around. The port towns have never really flourished after Communism was defeated and the beautiful towns struggle to survive. We felt safe, but it was somewhat depressing to see so much unrealized potential. In Constanta there is a casino that is very art deco and is/could be so beautiful. Try to peak in the windows. There is inlaid marble, relief plaster work, chandeliers, etc. We couldn't go in... it was boarded up, but I found this video of it:

when the guy videos out the window, you'll see the ship. The casino is right there at the port.

 

The cruise was great and we loved the Pacific Princess!

 

PS> we were there in September of 2011. Reading on TripAdvisor, it seems that the interest from cruises coming to the area has opened the casino to tourists. Apparently, they now charge a fee to tour it. Maybe it will earn it's way back into repair! :)

[Goingagin]

In Yalta, try to get Sergey Tsarapora for your guide. He is a history professor and our day with him was amazing!!! He "lives" the history and tells it as if he was there, with passion and deep love of the history of his area. Read up on the Battle of the Light Brigade, the Russian Czar Alexander II and the Yalta Conference. Also, be sure to build in time to see Balacava, where the Russians hid the submarines in caves. It was fascinating and eery, especially if you grew up during the cold war. You'll drive by Kruschev's summer home and visit Lavadia Palace, see Sevestapol and the battlefields of Crimean War.

 

Romania and Bulgaria we did on our own, just walking around. The port towns have never really flourished after Communism was defeated and the beautiful towns struggle to survive. We felt safe, but it was somewhat depressing to see so much unrealized potential. In Constanta there is a casino that is very art deco and is/could be so beautiful. Try to peak in the windows. There is inlaid marble, relief plaster work, chandeliers, etc. We couldn't go in... it was boarded up, but I found this video of it:

when the guy videos out the window, you'll see the ship. The casino is right there at the port.

 

The cruise was great and we loved the Pacific Princess!

 

PS> we were there in September of 2011. Reading on TripAdvisor, it seems that the interest from cruises coming to the area has opened the casino to tourists. Apparently, they now charge a fee to tour it. Maybe it will earn it's way back into repair! :)

 

Thank you.

Great to get the inside information

Gerry