I take a peek through the closed curtains; we are quickly overtaking a cargo ship cruising alongside, a hundred yards away.  It is barely dawn and we are transiting the Dardanelles, a narrow straight between Europe and northwestern Turkey which connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara.  The Sea of Marmara, an inland sea which splits Turkey into its European and Asian parts is connected to the Black Sea by the Bosphorus Straight.

I throw the curtains open and jump back into bed, we have a day at sea to plan.  A sea day on a Crystal ship is just what the doctor ordered; there are so many things to do that it's hard to slow down and make sure we leave plenty of time to do nothing at all.

Blake heads to the Promenade deck for a three mile run, I have an eight o'clock appointment at the spa.  The Promenade deck on Crystal (both ships) is a rarity on cruiseships nowadays.  It is a wide, teak-clad, wraparound deck perfect for jogging.  You can also get a good workout by picking up a "walk-on-water" vest (a vest loaded with mini weights that you can adjust to your liking) or a pair of Nordic walking poles, or ditch the good intentions and simply sit on one of the teak sofas and watch the world go by.

Promenade Deck 

We meet for a late breakfast of apricot french toast and pancakes, fresh squeezed OJ, small apple-chicken sausages, bacon and plenty of fruit.  The Lido guys hover over making sure we have everything we need.  By now they know what we like and are constantly tempting us with drinks, ice cream and fresh-baked cookies.

We then head to the Hollywood theatre for a lecture entitled "Legendary Landmarks of the Black Sea Coast" followed by another one entitled "Modern Greece and the West: Two Centuries of Troubled Independence".  Crystal does this well; it employs an impressive roster of world-class presenters who offer balanced lectures covering the gamut of topics, from destination specific pieces to world affairs, from environmental matters to literary reviews, they cater to every taste.

As we finish a light lunch Istanbul comes into view; we're sailing into the Bosphorus Straight.  We make our way to the observation deck from where we get a wonderful introduction to Turkey.  Minarets and palaces flank the straight, Europe and Asia withing spitting distance of one another.  I feel so happy and priviledged to experience this moment.

Hagia Sofia

Mosques and Minarets

Dolmabahce Palace

Istanbul is huge.  Twelve million people live in this incredible city where east and west meet and blend.  It spreads in all directions from the banks of the Bosphorus in a jumble of mosques and towers, modern buildings and multi-million dollar mansions. We sail under the Bosphorus Bridge, snapping pictures left and right, drinking in the beauty and the historical significance of this marvelous place.  Some two hours later we sail past the remnants of an ancient tower and see the mouth of the Black Sea approach.

We go to the Avenue Saloon for a pre-dinner drink and have a great time in the main dining room; we've hit it off with our table mates and truly enjoy their company.  Afterwards we catch the show (Curtain Call) and then go to the Palm Court for a little dancing.  We have the dance floor practically all to ourselves but it is quickly becoming part of the nightly routine.  By now the Crystal sextet guys know the songs we like the most and we are happy to dance a few hundred calories away before calling it a night.