Cruises from Kharkiv

Kharkiv is located farthest from the western border among the cities on this list, and that is the main thing to keep in mind when planning a cruise. The liner, of course, is not waiting in a Ukrainian port but in Barcelona, Venice, Civitavecchia, Genoa, or Piraeus, where MSC, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Costa, and Celestyal passengers fly, and the road there for someone from Kharkiv consists of several separate legs. The first and longest is the trip deeper into the country, closer to the western border: many people choose an overnight train for this, which lets them sleep through most of the journey and arrive in the morning relatively fresh, instead of covering the whole distance in one exhausting day trip. Next comes the border crossing, usually by bus or transfer, and only then the flight from the neighboring country airport to the European port of embarkation. Because of the number of legs, travelers from Kharkiv should budget noticeably more time for the road than residents of western regions, and it is better not to plan a departure from Europe or the liner boarding right on the next day after leaving the city. A sensible buffer, one more day just in case, costs far less than the stress and the risk of missing your own cruise. It is also worth thinking ahead about where exactly the stopover will be, in Lviv, Uzhhorod, or another border city, to break the long road into comfortable stages. The detailed route with connection options is described in the article "How a Ukrainian can get on a cruise: the road to the port."