Bulgaria as a Schengen refuge?

[Jdege]

I've seen discussion of cruisers visiting Croatia, Morocco, and Turkey, to wait out their Schengen period.

I've not seen mention of Bulgaria or Romania.

Is there any particular reason that cruisers would avoid these countries?

[Pizzazz]

Recreational boating on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast has started to develop only recently. There is little infrastructure with only a few small marinas (Sozopol and Sunny Beach/Dinevi are two well known. There are no islands to explore and coastal living is very inexpensive. Most visitors (and locals) just go to the beach (which is excellent). The wind/wave conditions are either two strong or too weak. People do sail out of Sozopol but the majority just goes to the Greek islands. Many Bulgarians keep their boats in Greece which says a lot.

Your best bet to explore Bulgaria is to leave the boat in Greece and travel by car to the coast.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Jdege

I've seen discussion of cruisers visiting Croatia, Morocco, and Turkey, to wait out their Schengen period.

I've not seen mention of Bulgaria or Romania.

Is there any particular reason that cruisers would avoid these countries?

Don't forget Montenegro, Albania and Israel.

[removalizer]

Originally Posted by Jdege

I've seen discussion of cruisers visiting Croatia, Morocco, and Turkey, to wait out their Schengen period.



I've not seen mention of Bulgaria or Romania.



Is there any particular reason that cruisers would avoid these countries?

Excuse my ignorance but what does waiting out schengen period mean ?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by removalizer

Excuse my ignorance but what does waiting out schengen period mean ?

Non-Europeans (soon to include you) are limited to 90 days in any 180 day period in the Schengen zone. So once you've spent your 90 days, you have to get out for 90 days to reset the clock.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Don't forget Montenegro, Albania and Israel.

And UK, and Channel Islands, and Russia.

Also, some Schengen countries have bilateral treaties with certain countries including U.S., Canada, and especially Australia and New Zealand, which vary the 90/180 rule with respect to that country (only!).

Kiwis have such treaties with the majority of Western European countries so the rule is almost inapplicable to them.

[valhalla360]

Could it be you have to cruise by Turkey and it's nice cruising grounds to get to them? They aren't on the way to anywhere for most cruisers (russia and ukraine aren't popular destinations).

[chuckr]

We sailed the entire Black Sea last year - North Turkey, Georgia, Russia (no crimea) Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria - there is a bit of infrastructure but you really need to be in by say mid May and be out by end of Sept - we did not make it out until mid Oct and paid the price -
But the entire west coast of the Black Sea is really great - but wintering over - well be prepared for really really cold
We made many friends along the way and what a great time we had - would we go back? you betcha we would -