Cruise shows beauty around Black Sea

MS ROTTERDAM » For a few thousand years now, the Black Sea has had an image problem.

Of course, it is not really black. Depending on the weather, its waters are as brilliantly blue as the Aegean or as wine dark as the Mediterranean, the seas to which it is connected by the Bosporus. That's the narrow, 18-mile-long strait that divides Istanbul in half, its northern neighborhoods in Europe, its southern streets in Asia.

If You Go ... For the Sept. 6 Black Sea & Egyptian Adventure cruise, per-person fares begin at $1,799 for an inside cabin (no window), $1,999 for an outside cabin and $6,999 for a deluxe verandah suite. For the Sept. 18 voyage, they are $2,199, $2,399 and $6,999, respectively. Fares for similar itineraries in 2008 begin around $2,300. Airfare to Athens is not included. For more detailed information, contact a travel agent or Holland America Line, 300 Elliott Ave. West, Seattle, WA 98118. Call (877) SAIL HAL (724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

In ancient times the Romans were afraid of the Black Sea. So were the Greeks, mostly -- at least they were until Jason and the Argonauts braved sailing through the Bosporus in their search for the Golden Fleece. And no one seems to know why everyone has always called it "Black."

This year, the Black Sea turned out to be a major part of one of the most delicious cruises my wife, Sara, and I have taken. Our appetizers were Athens and Istanbul, followed by a main course of Varna (Bulgaria) and then Odessa and Sevastopol in Ukraine. For dessert we headed back through the Bosporus again, down the coast of Turkey to Kusadasi (Ephesus), over to the islands of Rhodes and Cyprus, and finally crossed the Mediterranean for a taste of Alexandria, Egypt, before returning to Athens.

In 12 days we called at nine cities on three continents -- Europe, Asia and Africa -- in the port-intensive cruise the Holland America Line calls its "Black Sea & Egyptian Adventure." The Rotterdam is scheduled to repeat the itinerary twice this the fall, and has also scheduled similar cruises for 2008.

The Rotterdam turned out to be one of the best-decorated ships, to our taste. It seems to be filled with museum-quality art and antiques. There's an oval-shaped, three-deck atrium dominated by a massive gold-colored 17th-century Flemish astrolabe, with 14 clocks giving the time in 14 parts of the globe.

The ship's mostly Old World decor reflects its popularity with European passengers. Although English is the ship's official language, it seemed that nearly half the souls on board were not native English speakers. We found that a welcome, cosmopolitan atmosphere -- except that more Europeans and Asians mean more smokers. The ship did its best to keep smokers and nonsmokers in separate areas.

Our evening meals in the two-level dining room were excellent and varied, and we saw no need to pay extra for a dinner in the smaller "premium" restaurant. Courses were sometimes slow in coming, but we scored a table with two other convivial couples and so were not concerned. We took breakfasts and lunches in the Lido Deck's cafeteria-style facilities.

Crew members were generally cheerful and helpful. And we prefer Holland America's automatic tipping policy over that of some other ships. If you wish to add to or reduce those amounts, you are free to do so.

In any case we were there more for the port calls than the pot roast, and were seldom disappointed. Of course, shore excursions can mean a terrific extra expense, so we chose judiciously, taking tours in places we had not visited before and exploring on our own in some other locations. (See sidebar.)

Our only disappointment in an otherwise great cruise was a lack of ecological and other lectures explaining the features of the Black Sea and other areas. We sailed past the scenes of historic events such as the Trojan War and the Battle of Gallipoli, with no mention made of them. The ship offered a casino, some entertaining stage shows and lots of trivial pursuits like Bingo and Name That Tune but was shy on academic presentations. (Sara reported, however, that a culinary class she took was excellent.)

I HAD DONE some advance reading on the Black Sea and learned that a couple of millennia ago, it might have been a relatively small, freshwater lake, fed as it still is by several European rivers like the Danube and the Dnieper. Then, an earlier round of global warming raised the world's sea levels, until the Mediterranean broke through the Bosporus in a sudden massive flood that might have been the basis for Noah's deluge as described in the Bible.

Even today, salt water flows into the Black Sea via the Bosporus, underneath a current of fresher water that, at the same time, flows in the opposite direction -- out from the Black Sea right on top of that incoming salty current below. Underwater explorers like Dr. Robert Ballard, of Titanic discovery fame, are interested in looking for evidence of ancient civilizations far below. The dense salt water kills virtually all life in its depth, thus preserving even wooden structures from otherwise destructive microbes.

Although we didn't learn more of such things on the journey, the visual riches were fulfilling. Among my most vivid memories is the afternoon we sailed through the Bosporus, providing us with unusual and otherwise unobtainable views. There we were, surrounded by the bustling, 10-million-strong city of Istanbul with its mosques, palaces and towers. Like most of this cruise, it was a glorious experience.

Nine ports in 12 days Athens: Before boarding the ship, we partially recovered from jet lag by overnighting at the Athens Intercontinental Hotel, which provided an admirable view of the Acropolis. Istanbul: It was our third visit, so we enjoyed window-shopping and people-watching at the Grand Bazaar. First-timers, however, should consider a tour that includes the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque and the former cathedral named the Hagia Sophia. Varna: We took the ship's $42 Varna Highlights bus tour, which included stopping at the 1886 Cathedral, with its singing priests, and a stroll through the Roman thermal bath ruins. Odessa: Our ship-sponsored city walking tour was excellent. A special feature was the famous Potemken Steps, scene of a 1905 massacre and depicted in the classic Sergei Eisenstein silent film of the tragedy. The Ukrainian city includes some architectural masterpieces that rival those of St. Petersburg. Sevastopol: An ancestor of mine fought in the Crimean War, so we signed up for the afternoon Battles of Balaklava tour. It included viewing the "Valley of Death," as described in Tennyson's poem the "Charge of the Light Brigade." We also explored the formerly secret Soviet submarine repair tunnels built under a hill, designed to survive an atomic bomb. Kusadasi: For first-timers the ruins of the ancient Roman colonial city of Ephesus are a must. Some passengers told us they saved money by taking a taxi round trip to Ephesus instead of joining a guided tour. Rhodes: This Greek isle was also a repeat, but this time, Sara enjoyed a bus tour to see Lindos with its Temple of Athena. Cyprus: On an earlier visit, we toured several temples and the beach where Aphrodite allegedly was born full grown from the sea. This time, we explored the narrow streets of Limassol and checked out its Medieval Castle. Alexandria: Most evidence of the ancient capital lies underwater and is therefore invisible. So as first-timers to Egypt, our big splurge was a speedy three-hour bus drive to Cairo to see the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. It was followed by a floating lunch on the Nile River. The price for the 12-hour experience was nearly $300 each, but we had no regrets. Robert W. Bone, Special to the Star-Bulletin

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