Masthead

Minerva%lt;br%gt;28 Night Grand Black Sea and Levant%lt;br%gt;Istanbul to Piraeus

Minerva
28 Night Grand Black Sea and Levant
Istanbul to Piraeus

Ship: Minerva
Cruise Line: Swan Hellenic Cruises
Departures:  12 September 2012
Duration: 28 Nights
Ports: Istanbul, Trabzon, Batumi, Sochi, Yalta, Sevastopol, Odessa, Nessebur, Izmir, Thessaloniki, Kavala/Philippi, Rhodes, Antalya, Tasucu, Latakia, Tartous, Limassol, Piraeus
Airport gateway (Arrival) : Istanbul
Airport gateway (Departure) : Athens

Itinerary

Date Port Arrive Depart
12 Sep Istanbul, Turkey    
13 Sep Istanbul, Turkey   7.00pm
14 Sep Cruising the Black Sea    
15 Sep Samsun, Turkey 7.00am 3.00pm
16 Sep Trabzon, Turkey 8.00am 7.00pm
17 Sep Batumi, Georgia 7.00am 5.00pm
18 Sep Sochi, Russia 7.00am 2.00pm
19 Sep Yalta, Ukraine 12.00am 11.00pm
20 Sep Sevastopol, Ukraine 8.00am 7.00pm
21 Sep Odessa, Ukraine 10.00am 11.00pm
22 Sep Cruising the Black Sea    
23 Sep Nessebur, Bulgaria 8.00am 7.00pm
24 Sep Cruising
Cruise on Minerva
   
25 Sep Izmir, Turkey 8.00am  
26 Sep Izmir, Turkey    
27 Sep Izmir, Turkey   2.00pm
28 Sep Thessaloniki, Greece 12.00am 9.00pm
29 Sep Kavalla, Greece 1.00pm 11.00pm
30 Sep Cruising the Aegean Sea    
01 Oct Rhodes, Greece 8.00am 4.00pm
02 Oct Antalya, Turkey 8.00am 7.00pm
03 Oct Tasucu, Turkey 12.00am 7.00pm
04 Oct Latakia, Syria 7.00am 11.00pm
05 Oct Tartous, Syria 7.00am 7.00pm
06 Oct Limassol, Cyprus 8.00am 7.00pm
07 Oct Cruising the Mediterranean Sea    
08 Oct Syros, Greece 8.00am 4.00pm
09 Oct Piraeus, Greece 6.00am  
10 Oct Piraeus, Greece    

* Ports of call may vary based on itinerary and departure dates selected

Cat Deck Description Brochure
Price
Double Occupancy
12
Baltic Deck 2 Bed Inside 8315
11
Baltic Deck 2 Bed Inside 8400
10
Atlantic Deck 2 Bed Inside 8570
09
Atlantic Deck 2 Bed Inside 9045
08
Baltic Deck 2 Bed Outside 9455
07
Baltic Deck 2 Bed Outside 10065
06
Atlantic Deck 2 Bed Outside 10790
05
Atlantic Deck 2 Bed Outside 11285
04
Promenade Deck Superior 13980
03
Promenade Deck Deluxe 17035
02
Bridge Deck Suite 19850
01
Bridge Deck Owner’s Suite 22175
Single Occupancy
14
Promenade Deck Single Inside 9045

 

Cabin Pricing

For pricing and availability information for this cruise, please complete and submit the following form: (* indicates a required field)

Preferred Cabin Category

Title First Name Middle Name Surname Age Group Qantas Frequent Flyers No
NOTE: Names should reflect your passport

 

Are you a past passenger of this cruise line?
How would you like us to contact you?
:
Special Requirements
Please mention anything you would like us to know, e.g. special dietary requirements, pre existing medical conditions
Contact Details
:*
:*
:*
Type the two words below to ensure priority handling of your enquiry *
 
 

Ports

Istanbul

With its skyline aglow with the glimmer of domes and minarets, arriving in Istanbul is an unforgettable experience. The labyrinth of streets. Bustling bazaars. The serenity of the surrounding waters. This city offers one intriguing adventure after another. Explore Istanbul’s most famous monuments, from the Hippodrome to the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the old city walls. Its sheer size, wealth and beauty await you.

Country - Turkey
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 20kms
Currency - Turkish Lira (YTL)

Places of Interest
Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque

Trabzon

Trazbon has been an important trading city since it was founded by merchants from Sinop in around 1000BC. Over the centuries the city has been ruled by Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Goths and Ottomans. Invaded by the Russians in World War I, the city is rich in historical treasures. The most significant building, the thirteenth-century St. Sophia Byzantine church, was used for centuries as a mosque and is now a museum containing splendid frescoes and examples of Byzantine painting.

Country - Turkey
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 600kms
Currency - Turk Lirasi (YTL)
Places of Interest
St Sophia Byzantine Church

Batumi

A favourite holiday destination for Georgians, Batumi is set on a bay and has wide sweeping beaches. A colourful city, it boasts huge beds of flowers in bloom all year round as well as palms, cypresses, lemon and orange trees.

Country - Georgia
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 150kms
Currency - Lari (GEL)

Places of Interest
Batumi Art Museum

Sochi

Set at the foot of the Caucausus Mountains, the spa town of Sochi enjoys a pleasant climate, warm seas, lush vegetation and the curative powers of its springs at Matsesta. The city played a prominent role during the 1917 Revolution when Lenin decreed that resort facilities for working people should be provided. Relax by the beach, visit the botanical gardens and look out for the many Trees of Friendship around town – citrus trees with buds grafted on by visitors from all over the world as a symbol of peace and friendship.

Country - Russia
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 10kms
Currency - Russian Ruble (RUB)
Places of Interest
Botanical Gardens

Yalta

Center of the Ukraine Riviera, Yalta is the home of Livadia Palace, where Churchhill, Roosevelt and Stalin decided the future of Europe in 1945; and the Swallow's Nest, a fairy tale castle all in white.

Country - Ukraine
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 90kms
Currency - Hryvnia (UAH)

Places of Interest
Livadia Palace, Roosevelt St, Nikita Botanical Garden

Sevastopol

The historic city of Sevastopol built on the tip of the Crimean peninsula with a vast natural harbour, has long been of great strategic importance. Discover more about the Charge of the Light Brigade on a full-day "Crimean War Highlights" tour; alternatively, visit the Museum of the Black Sea fleet and the Panorama, an evocative circular painting depicting the 349-day siege of Sevastopol. There will also be visits to the ancient Greek city of Chersonesus founded in 422 BC and Bakhchisaray, home to the ruling Khans in the fifteenth century.

Country - Ukraine
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 10kms
Currency - Hryvnia (UAH)

Places of Interest
Museum of the Black Sea

Odessa

"Pearl of the Black Sea." From the seafront, it is 192 monumental Potemkin Steps to bustling Primorsky Boulevard. Your reward: museums, shops, and delightful open-air cafes with views of the Gulf of Odessa.

Country - Ukraine
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 27kms
Currency - Hryvnia (UAH)

Places of Interest
Old Town, Opera House

Nessebur

From one of the oldest settlements in the Balkans, tour to the hinterlands to visit a typical Bulgarian village family. Enjoy a folklore show at famed Sunny Beach Resort.

Country - Bulgaria
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 100kms
Currency - Lev (BGN)

Places of Interest
Old Town

Izmir

"Beautiful Izmir" -- the "Pearl of the Aegean" -- is Turkey's third largest city. A city of palm-lined promenades, avenues and green parks set in sweeping curves along a circular bay, Izmir has an exceptionally mild climate and many fine hotels.

Country -  Turkey
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from Port to Airport - 15kms
Currency - Turkish Lira (YTL)

Places of Interest
Cable Railway, Kadifekale Mountain Lookout, Culture Park

Thessaloniki

 

Country
Distance from port to City
Distance to Airport
Currency -

Places of Interest

Kavala/Philippi

The Turks ruled Kavala for more than six centuries, leaving behind their cultural and architectural influences.

Country - Greece
Currency - Euro (EUR) 

Rhodes

Known as the sun island there are hardly any days when the sun does not shine. The third largest Greek Island, Rhodes today offers its visitor an abundance of year round leisure activities. The warm hospitality of the islanders, the natural beauty of the island and the monuments from her long and turbulent history are not to be missed.

Country - Greece (Rhodes)
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 16kms
Currency - Euro (EUR)

Places of Interest
Mandraki Harbour, Mt. Philerimos, Acropolis of Lindos

Antalya

Antalya, Turkey's principal holiday resort in the Mediterranean region (ancient Pamphylia), is an attractive city with shady palm-lined boulevards, a prize-winning marina on the Mediterranean. Antalya is the shining gem of the Turquoise Riviera with some of the clearest waters and most beautiful coast along the Mediterranean, the region is great for divers, swimmers and yachting types.

Country - Turkey
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 13kms
Currency - Turkish Liyra (YTL)

Places of Interest
Kaleici, Archaelogy Museum, Historic Museums

Latakia

Latakia - Is Syria’s main sea-port on the Mediterranean

Country - Syria 
Distance from port to City - N/A
Distance to Airport - N/A
Currency - Syrian Pound (SYP) 

Places of Interest
museum, Roman gateway (Tetraparticus)

Tartous

Tartus was called Antaradus by the Pheonicians and Tortusa by the Byzantines. Tortusa was to become one of supply ports for the Crusaders and a military base of considerable importance. It was held by the Templars, but recovered by Saladin in 1188. The arches, wall-towers and narrow lanes in Tartus evoke what the town must have been like in medieval times. A jewel of Romanesque art is the cathedral of Tartus, which is now a museum containing relics from various Syrian civilizations.

Country - Syria
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from Port to Airport - 160kms
Currency - Syrian Pound (SYP)

Places of Interest
Old City, Tartus Beach, Island of Arwad, Ancient Citadel

Limassol

On the island's south coast, Limassol is very much in the Greek sector of Cyprus. Nearby crusaders' castles, Greco-Roman ruins, olive groves and vineyards all speak to a lifestyle that is intrinsically Hellenic, and wizened lacemakers weave the traditions of their ancestors into their detailed work.

Country - Cyprus
Distance from port to City - 0kms
Distance from port to Airport - 60kms
Currency - Cypriot Pound (CYP)

Places of Interest
Temple of Apollo, Omodos Village, Aphrodite's Rock

Piraeus

Piraeus is located to the south of Athens. It is the capital of the Piraeus Prefecture and belongs to the Athens urban area. It was the port of the ancient city of Athens and it was chosen to serve as the modern port when Athens was re-founded in 1834. Piraeus remains one of the busiest shipping and industrial centres of the Mediterranean.

Country - Greece
Distance from port to City -
Distance to Airport
Currency - Euro Dollar (EUR)

Places of Interest
Greek Maritime Museum and Piraeus Archaeological Museum.

 

Map

Minerva Cabin Info

View Another Cabin:

Cruise line info

Swan Hellenic Cruises

Swan Hellenic Cruises

With over 50 years experience in discovery cruising, Swan Hellenic know all the ingredients for the perfect cruise. From the onboard environment to inspiring itineraries, and from our knowledgeable reservations team to our European ship's officers and attentive crew, we are committed to providing you with the ultimate discovery cruise experience.

 

Ship info

Minerva

PLEASE NOTE:

From November 2011 to March 2012, Minerva will be embarking on a visionary multi-million pound upgrade to take Swan Hellenic and Minerva forward into the next era.
New specifications will feature an increase in balcony cabins, taking the total number to 44 balcony cabins, or 23% of passenger accommodation. There will also be an upgrade for all cabin ensuites and added space and comfort in public areas.
Please visit
here for more information on this exciting new development.


 
No matter which corner of the globe you choose to discover, after exploring ashore, you will always appreciate Minerva’s stately comforts: a relaxed lounge with entertainment, well-stocked library, restaurants, gym, Wheeler bar and Shackleton's bar. An elegant environment in which polished wood and gleaming brass are complemented by works of art and fresh flowers.



Dining

This ship has 2 restaurants

  • Main Dining Restaurant
  • Veranda Dining Room

Entertainment

  • Darwin Lounge / Lecture Hall
  • Wheeler Bar
  • Shackleton's Bar
  • Cinema

Onboard Activities

  • Swimming Pool
  • Gymnasium
  • Sauna & Spa Services 
  • Beauty Salon
  • Library / Card Room 
  • Smoking Room
  • Boutique and Gift Shop
  • Photography Services 

Ship facts

Ship Details
Gross Tonnage 12,500 Tonnes
Star Rating TBA
Size/Style of Ship Mid-Size
Entered Service 29/04/1996
Registry The Bahamas
Former Name N/A
Length 132.9 metres
Beam 20.1 metres
Draft 5.8 Metres
Propulsion/Propellers NA
Maximum Cruising Speed (knots) 15
Passenger Capacity (twin) 350
Crew 160
Nationality of Officers British/European
Nationality of Crew International
Total Cabins TBA
Total Inside cabins  
Total Outside cabins  
Cabin/Suites with Balcony  
Wheelchair Accessible Cabins  
Passenger Decks 6
Cabin Electricity 110v
Elevators 2
Self-Service Laundry Yes
Onboard Currency (subject to change)  

Minerva Deck plans

View Another Deck: