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Idyllic Aegean - 7 Nights

Discover the rich history, fascinating culture and sumptuous cuisine of the unforgettable Greek islands. With rugged landscapes to explore, our 7-night experience invites you to indulge in traditional flavors, admire stunning landscapes and delve deeper into charming villages . We even give you a unique chance to take guided visits to the grand Palace of Knossos and the intriguing city of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Our extra special tour takes you on a romantic and effortless odyssey to sun-soaked shores, quaint fishing villages, and iconic historical sites. With overnight stops in the stunningly beautiful and buzzing islands of Santorini and Mykonos, you will have the opportunity to discover hidden secrets and indulge in an authentic experience of Mediterranean cuisine and the classic Greek lifestyle.

Cruise itinerary

Your idyllic 7-night Aegean escape begins in the majestic ancient city of Athens. As one of the oldest cities in the world, the vibrant modern metropolis boasts an intriguing and contrasting mix of the old and the modern architecture that is in perfect balance and harmony. Explore the city and soak up the atmosphere by the harbour’s edge as you wait to embark for your exciting adventure.

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is a gorgeous and cosmopolitan seaside city and the largest in Greece after Athens. Centuries of cultural commingling has also made Thessaloniki a culinary nirvana, with almost too many great restaurants and little eateries to count.

The dynamic beach resort of Kusadasi welcomes you with its warm and friendly ambience. From here you will be whisked away for a guided tour round ancient Ephesus, one of the highlights of this iconic Aegean cruise. Before rebounding the ship, take time to enjoy the scenic seafront promenade and the town’s impressive Grand Bazaar.

(Heraklion)

As we pull into Heraklion, you have the chance to snap the imposing 16th-Century walls of Koules Fortress. Here you can enjoy the calm of the stunning waterfront, explore the Cretan countryside or discover the Palace of Knossos. This spellbinding tour invites you to listen to tales of intrigue and learn about Europe’s first civilisation in the Knossos museum. Was the Minotaur half-man or myth? You’re about to find out!

The romantic island of Santorini is the remnants of a devastating volcanic eruption in the 16th-Century BC. The picture-perfect scenery features clustered traditional whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches set against a beguiling brilliant blue backdrop. Here you will have the chance to experience the Mediterranean lifestyle of the idyllic oasis and relax in the island’s calm and tranquillity.

The sun-drenched island of Mykonos is affectionately known as the ‘Island of the Winds’. Easily recognised by its iconic 16th-Century windmills perched high on the hill, the vibrant Mykonos Town is an alluring landscape of smooth sandy beaches dotted along a dramatic coastline. Indulge in the islands culinary delights or take a short boat trip to explore the sacred island of Delos.

The volcanic origins of the beautiful Greek island of Milos are clearly evident in its complex and bewitching landscape. Here you have the opportunity to explore the dramatically surreal and sculptured looming rock formations that rise out of the crystalline waters and create the stunning coastline. Why not join a local expert to explore the many beauty spots and charming fishing villages.

As we pull into the port, your cruise may be over but your day is just beginning and the magical city of Athens is one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Discover the heart of ancient Greece in the many historically important archaeological sites including the iconic landmark of the Acropolis or relax on the city’s beautiful beach.

At a Glance

Amazing excursions carefully curated, house of virgin mary & ancient ephesus, ancient ephesus through the ages hellenistic and roman, ancient ephesus and the terrace houses, ancient ephesus & miletus, land of alexander the great, the royal tombs of vergina, panoramic thessaloníki, spectacular oia village perched on the caldera rim, cruise to santorini’s islands & volcanoes, akrotiri village excavations, walking tour in the medieval city of rhodes, philerimos church and the palace of the knights, athens tour and the new acropolis museum, athens monuments and the acropolis, panoramic athens and corinth canal crossing, the acropolis & the new acropolis museum, experience the cretan countryside and lifestyle, knossos palace and the archaeological museum, minoan palace of knossos – 1st european civilisation, nostalgic milos cruise – land & sea, step back in time, step back in time – (religious), the amazing beaches tour, cycladic tastes (food on foot), delos – sacred island & apollo sanctuary, mykonian countryside tour with chora and little venice, mykonian dinner, an inclusive experience.

COMPLIMENTARY DINING

We know the best recipes are the ones passed down between generations. And we love to share that with our guests. So onboard a Celestyal cruise, you can expect freshly prepared by our local chefs – morning, noon and night!

SELECT DRINKS WITH MEALS

Sit down to an authentic evening meal and enjoy specially selected drinks to go with it. Our dedicated hospitality team know how to make every meal a delicious experience so let them take your taste buds away.

VIBRANT ENTERTAINMENT

Immersing our guests in the local way of life is at the heart of the Celestyal experience. Take Greek dancing lessons from a pro and take the Mediterranean culture home with you. Enjoy a drink with your group as you watch the stars glitter off the Aegean with our front-seat, panoramic horizon bar views. And don’t miss the colour and magic of Cirque Fantastic!

$80 SHOREX EXCURSION DISCOUNT

We can’t wait to welcome you to our beautiful blue world, so when you step foot on the sands of Greece and the Eastern Med, our endless excursion options are designed to take you to the heart of our homeland. As standard, all of our guests enjoy a $80 excursion discount to put towards any of our immersive experiences.

PORT CHARGES AND GRATUITIES

With all charges, port expenses and gratuities included in our fares, you can relax knowing we’ve got you covered. We’ll bring your next adventure to you, with no additional fees.

Our 2023-2024 brochure has arrived! Download your very own to start planning your Celestyal experience.

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Sample the best of the Greek islands when you cruise with Celestyal Cruises

By Jessica Chandra | 2 years ago

The thought of planning a trip to the Greek islands, especially if you have never been, can seem daunting. Which are the must-visit islands? How do you travel between them? What time do you need to get to Oia for the perfect sunset photo in Santorini?

Thankfully there are options to make the organisation process a little easier and one of them is a cruise.

If you have to take a ferry between islands anyway, why not make it a big boat where you only have to unpack once?

READ MORE: Cruising tricks every first-timer needs to know

Celestyal Cruises is a company that specialises in showcasing the best of the Greek islands and Greek hospitality, with stops including Athens, Rhodes, Mykonos and Santorini. While it has a destination focus, there's a lot to enjoy about the time you spend onboard, too.

The Crystal, which is the ship we sailed on, can accommodate up to 1,200 guests. As a mid-size ship it's actually perfect for your own maiden voyage because it's not so overwhelmingly large, and it doesn't take long to get your bearings.

There are 10 decks, however it's mainly decks four to 10 that are accessible for guests (crew generally sleep on the lower decks). Most of the official business happens on deck five – the reception, the desk for shore excursions, the duty free shop – and there are several decks dedicated to guest cabins.

The higher you go, the more fun it gets. The restaurants are located across decks eight and nine. There are also multiple lounges and bars (indoor and outdoor) on these decks, so you're pretty spoilt for choice for where to have a cocktail.

READ MORE: Inside P&O's brand new Aussie cruise ship Pacific Encounter

Deck eight houses Muses Lounge, where all the main stage shows take place, and the casino. Deck nine is where the beauty/wellness centre and gym are located (obviously you need to book yourself in for a massage, because being on a cruise isn't relaxing enough), as well as a small pool. Then right at the top on deck 10 are the sun deck and dance floor, for anyone who wants to keep their night going for as long as possible.

As with all hotels and cruises, there's a variety of different cabin options available on the Crystal – suites, interior staterooms and exterior staterooms. Suites are on the pricier end of the scale and have a balcony or multiple windows. Exterior staterooms have windows; interior staterooms don't.

I stayed in an exterior stateroom, and while I don't know any different, I'd say having a window made a big difference. It was nice to see the water outside my window and I'd open the curtains a little before going to sleep to wake up with natural light.

I was also impressed with the economical use of space in the bathroom. It was pretty small but didn't feel cramped at all.

Every crew member we encountered was extremely polite, professional and friendly. By the second day they could recognise us (even with our masks on) and remember some of our mealtime preferences. There was a day towards the end of the cruise when I felt unwell, and many of them asked how I was feeling the next day (word must travel fast on a medium-size ship).

Here's one thing I quickly learned about cruise life: you will never go hungry. Every meal is like a three-course extravaganza that makes you wish you had a bigger stomach.

For breakfast, most of the restaurants are open with generous buffets, though some also have à la carte options. If you feel like starting every day with an omelette there's even an omelette-making station, which I consider a big indulgence.

Lunch and dinner are also three-course affairs, however there's at least one restaurant with a buffet for those who just want a quick bite.

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What amazed me was the variety of food on the menu – it changed every meal. There would be about four or five starter options, three or four mains to choose from, about three desserts, and even a few authentic Greek dishes. At least you know the chefs will never get bored cooking up the same meals…

Here's one thing I quickly learned about cruise life: you will never go hungry.

At the moment Celestyal Cruises has a partnership with Greek American chef Diane Cochilas (also the host, creator and co-producer of My Greek Table), so one of their restaurants has been refurbished to be a specialty restaurant, where guests can enjoy Diane's authentic Greek six-course meal. It's not part of the package and costs an extra €40 per person. The dishes include Cretan octopus carpaccio, Aegean fisherman's soup, Kalogeros terrine and a dessert known as the 'Floating Greek Island in a Wine-Dark Sea'.

The onboard activities/entertainment

Ah, the entertainment. It became an evening ritual of ours to make sure we stuffed ourselves at dinner with delicious food and wine, then made our way to the performance space to get decent seats for the show – not too close and not blocked by poles. The same troupe performed a different show every night, including a circus-themed show, a retelling of Greek mythology through dance and acrobatics, and ABBA night.

During the day there were activities to help enhance the cruising through the Greek Islands experience, such as a beginner's Greek lesson and watching a cooking class. And if you need to make sure your loved ones back home can see what an amazing time you're having, you can purchase an internet package to get Wi-Fi access.

READ MORE: Five things to do in South Africa – that aren't Table Mountain

The port/land stops

Without a doubt, the highlight of Celestyal Cruises' Idyllic Aegean offering is the land stops.

For a seven-night cruise, we had eight land stops. They were Athens (where we boarded and disembarked), Thessaloniki, Kuşadası (which is in Turkey), Rhodes, Crete (specifically the city of Heraklion), Santorini, Mykonos and Milos. Most of them were day-long stops, however Crete and Santorini were on the same day.

(Note: We were supposed to stop at Milos, however the conditions on the day were not safe for boarding tender boats to reach the island. The cruise pivoted to stop at Syros instead, which was stunning – so it's good to know there are back-up options in case Mother Nature thwarts the original plan.)

There are multiple 'shore excursion' options available for every port, however most of them will come at an extra cost to your cruise package. For the Idyllic Aegean cruise, two half-day land trips are included in the package – on our trip they were the ruins at Rhodes and a tour of Ephesus in Kuşadası.

Of course, you don't have to do the shore excursions and can make your own plans for each stop. But shore excursions will take the stress out of your holiday planning – your tour guide and transportation will be organised for you. Another bonus: passengers who book shore excursions are prioritised with disembarkation, which means more time exploring the city.

What about COVID-19?

At the time of my trip (I boarded in late June) we were asked to do a supervised RAT test within 24 hours of boarding (or just before my flight to Athens) and provide proof with a certificate. RAT testing is also available just before boarding. There's a requirement that booster shots have been received in the last nine months to maintain the validity of vaccination certificates.

Once on board, all of the usual COVID-19 measures were in place. Hand sanitiser stations were everywhere – and we were required to sanitise before entering any of the restaurants, and a crew member stood at the entryway to check – and all crew wore masks. It was also mandatory for guests to wear masks indoors except when eating and drinking, however they weren't required on the decks unless it was busy.

The company has just announced an easing of restrictions for all sailings from August 26, 2022 – for example, instead of needing a certified negative COVID antigen test within 24 hours of embarking, the window of time has extended to 48 hours.

Capping the number of onboard guests to about two-thirds of its full capacity is also one way Celestyal Cruises is keeping passengers safe, but they estimate by the end of 2023 they will return to 2019 cruising numbers and capacity.

The writer was a guest of Celestyal Cruises .

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