TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE
This trip with Voyages of Discovery (0844 822 0802/ www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk) spends most of its time cruising Black Sea ports once it departs the Turkish city of Istanbul.
In addition to stops at Yalta and Odessa the ship calls at Sochi where you can visit Stalin's summer residence, set in the pine-covered hills.
Try Russian "champagne" when it stops at the city of Novorossiysk and follow the fascinating story of the Charge of the Light Brigade at Sevastopol in the Ukraine.
Old churches and traditional Black Sea houses are worth seeing in Nessebur, one of Bulgaria's oldest towns, before you sail out of the Black Sea to the Turkish resort of Kusadasi, the port for visiting the ancient ruins of Ephesus.
Discovery prides itself on its "classic and contemporary" cruise experience for its 600 or so passengers. Guests can brush up their knowledge at the on-board lectures, take afternoon tea in the Palm Court or enjoy a game of bridge in the Card Room.
Voyages of Discovery offers a 13-day sailing from £2,181pp (two sharing), full board.
Price includes return flights from the UK. Departs Istanbul, October 13, 2011.

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UKRAINIAN ADVENTURE
Sail off on this 14-day voyage with Holland America Line (0845 351 0557/www.hollandamerica.com) to the Black Sea ports in Russia and the Ukraine. On leaving Athens this cruise sails for the Bosphorus and into the Black Sea where the first port is the Russian spa resort of Sochi.
Next stop is Novorossiysk, one of the main Russian resorts on the Black Sea and home to the Russian navy. Take a walking tour to visit the memorials dedicated to the city's fierce resistance to the Nazis in the Second World War.
Go underground in the port of Odessa to explore the catacombs. The cruise then visits Turkey before ending in the Italian port of Civitavecchia.
Stylish and classy sums up HAL's smallest ship Prinsendam, which comfortably accommodates 835 passengers. The entrance to its spa is lined with Grecian columns, complementing the artwork decorating the ship.
There's a culinary arts centre for cooking demonstrations.
Holland America Line offers a 14-day sailing from £1,348pp (two sharing), full board. Departs Athens, October 10, 2011. BA (0844 493 0787/www.ba.com) offers return flights from Heathrow to Athens from £148.

CULTURAL ODYSSEY
Follow in the footsteps of Russian royalty and world leaders on a 12-night sailing with Princess Cruises (0845 355 5800/www.princess.com) from Athens.
From the first stop in Greece at Volos take a trip to see the monasteries of Meteora perched on rocky outcrops.
Yalta and Odessa are the first stops in the Black Sea followed by the Romanian seaside resort of Constanta and its engaging old town.
Head to Instanbul and Koper in Slovenia, with a trip to its capital Ljubljana and a colourful open-air market, before the cruise ends in Venice. Pacific Princess hosts fewer than 700 passengers in stylish surroundings which include two speciality restaurants and a wine and caviar bar, while you can also dine on your balcony.
Princess Cruises offers a 12-night sailing from £2,380pp (two sharing), full board.
Price includes return flights from the UK. Departs Athens, August 28, 2012.

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SAIL INTO HISTORY
Discover the ancient cultures of Italy and Greece before reaching two of the most popular Black Sea ports, Yalta and Odessa, on this 11-night round-trip voyage with MSC Cruises (0844 561 7412/ www.msccruises.co.uk).
After setting off from the Italian port of Genoa, the first stop at Civitavecchia enables passengers to see Rome's classic attractions including the Colosseum. Piraeus near Athens showcases the ancient splendour of the Acropolis but more modern history takes centre stage in the pretty Black Sea port of Yalta. History buffs should visit the Livadia Palace where Allied leaders met at the end of the Second World War.
Don't miss Odessa's ornate Opera House and Preobrazhensky Cathedral and enjoy a stop at the bustling Turkish city of Istanbul.
Carrying 1,050 passengers MSC Melody boasts a good line-up of facilities. Enjoy alfresco dining on the Riviera Terrace, relax in the seven bars and lounges or splash around in the two pools, one of which has a retractable roof.
MSC Cruises offers an 11-night sailing from £699pp (two sharing), full board.
Departs Genoa, March 9, 2012.
easyJet (0843 104 5000/www.easyjet.com) offers return flights from London Stansted to Genoa from £80.