Tauck World Discovery has unveiled a new cruise itinerary on the Black Sea for 2007, marking the first Black Sea voyage for the 81-year-old tour, cruise and safari operator. The 12-day "Istanbul & The Black Sea" itinerary (from $5,990 per person) includes a seven-night cruise aboard the luxury small ship Le Levant, plus four nights in Istanbul at the five-star Ceylan InterContinental hotel. Tauck's itinerary includes a wide range of experiences reflecting the diversity of the countries bordering the Black Sea. Guests will visit sixth century mosques, the palaces of sultans and exotic spice bazaars in Istanbul. They'll also tour a winery founded by Tsar Nicholas II to supply the royal family, visit a once top-secret, Cold War-era Soviet submarine base carved inside the base of a mountain, and venture into a 620-mile tunnel complex beneath Odessa used by revolutionaries, smugglers and WWII partisans. In all, the cruise visits four countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Turkey. Visit [www.tauck.com].
