A cruise along the Dnieper River is a journey of discovery. You explore ancient cities and grand monuments and encounter a vibrant culture rich in tradition. With tours in Kiev, Yalta and Odessa, you experience Ukraine's time-honored history firsthand by visiting Yalta's famed White Palace and walking Odessa's Potemkin Steps. You also learn about the country's maritime history in Sevastopol, visit the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev, and immerse yourself in Cossack traditions in Zaporozhye. See how differing societies from the Vikings to the Tatars and the Cossacks have influenced the architecture, culture and people of today's Ukraine.

Day 1: Odessa
Welcome to Odessa. We will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your ship.* After boarding, take free time to relax before dinner-or join our 'welcome walk' to stretch your legs and start getting oriented. (D)

Day 2: Odessa
After breakfast, enjoy a half-day tour of Odessa, an elegant city of terraced hills and landscaped parks. Travel along Primorski Boulevard to the Opera House and Potemkin Steps. You have the rest of the afternoon at leisure to further explore Odessa on your own-as always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Tonight, join an optional evening opera performance. Dine aboard and cruise through the night. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Sevastopol
This afternoon, arrive in Sevastopol, base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Tour the city center and see St. Vladimir Cathedral and Admiral Nakhimov Square. The afternoon is free, or you can attend the optional Black Sea Choir concert. Dine aboard. Dock overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Sevastopol
This morning's tour goes to the Tatar city of Bakhchisarai. Visit the Khan Palace, built in 1519, and see the many different architectural styles within the complex. Visit the courthouse, harem and mosques, then stroll the beautifully landscaped grounds. After lunch, further explore Sevastopol, site of the famed 'Charge of the Light Brigade' on your own. Or take an optional tour to Balaklava to visit the Panorama Museum. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Yalta
Arrive this morning in Yalta and enjoy a morning tour. Travel along Lenin Embankment to Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Livadia. Visit the White Palace, site of the 1945 Yalta Conference between Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill, and take a guided tour through official halls and private apartments of the czar's family. Lunch and dinner are served aboard. Dock overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Yalta
Enjoy a full day to explore Yalta further on your own, or you may join one of the optional tours including: a wine-tasting excursion to Massandra; an excursion to see the beautiful mid-19th-century Aloupka Palace and gardens; or a visit to one of Anton Chekhov's homes in Yalta, now a museum about the famous playwright. Meals are served aboard; remain in Yalta for the evening. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Yalta
Explore Yalta further on your own, or choose an optional tour to the Nikita Botanical Garden featuring 50,000 species of plant life. Return aboard for lunch and afternoon departure. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Kherson
After a morning of scenic cruising, arrive in Kherson this afternoon. Here, board a small boat and cruise the narrow canals to Fishermen's Island with the beautiful Dnieper Delta landscape as your backdrop. (B, L, D)

Day 9: Zaporozhye
After lunch, arrive in Zaporozhye, ancestral home of the Cossacks. Drive along Lenin Street; see the Lenin Monument, the city's dam and massive hydroelectric plant. Then visit the Cossack Museum of Khortitsa. Later, enjoy a special Cossack horsemanship show including folkloric music and dance. Depart early evening and cruise through the night. (B, L, D)

Day 10: Dnieper River & Kremenchuk
During this morning's scenic cruising, take in the Dnieper's landscape of rolling hills, ancient forest groves, historic villages and wide lakes. After lunch, stop in Kremenchuk for a guided city tour. Largely destroyed in World War II, the town has been rebuilt as an important Ukraine industrial center with well-planned parks and squares and monuments of the city's past. Dine aboard. (B, L, D)

Day 11: Kiev
Tour Kiev, one of Europe's oldest cities, with a heritage of Viking, Cossack, and Ukrainian peoples. Explore its historic buildings and monuments, and take a guided tour of the lovely domed St. Sophia Cathedral. After lunch aboard, tour the Monastery of Caves, an extensive complex of churches and museums founded by monks in 1051. Enjoy dinner aboard and remain docked overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 12: Kiev
After breakfast, disembark and we will take you to the airport for your return flight.* (B)