My husband & I are celebrating our 30th anniversary next year and we want to visit Greece for the first time. We have always loved cruises and were thinking maybe a week long cruise visiting Athens and maybe a couple of the resort islands to get a taste of everything. Another thought was maybe a 3-4 night cruise then some land excursions for a few days. Celestyal Cruises offers both long & short cruises. Am I on the right track? Or should we do all land or all cruise?(being first-timers)
Posted by
New York, NY
1582 posts
Do a combination of cruise/islands and land since you don't know when you will return again to Greece. Start your land excursion in Athens touring the museums and monuments then cruise to Santorini, Naxos, and Mykonos. That should make for a wonderful 30th anniversary.
Posted by
11156 posts
I would do a combination of land and islands if you want a real Greek experience, not cruises, rather travel between the islands by ferries and flying .You should stay put on those islands and the mainland where you will get a real taste of Greece, eating in local tavernas rather than on a ship. I can't begin to imagine seeing Greece from a cruise ship as you would miss so much of the real Greece. Make sure you include beautiful Napflion on the Peoponnesean Peninsula, a two hour drive from Athens airport, surrounded by major antiquities.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8141 posts
We took a comprehensive cruise out of Rome that took us to Malta, Crete, Mykonos, Santorini, Ephesus (Turkey) and Athens--departing in Venice. Just about all the major cruise lines cover this area.
It was just a great cruise and a real bargain.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4573 posts
I was thinking you were considering a local type vessel, 25 - 50 people. I guess not. As there is more to Greece than the islands, I vote for a combo land/cruise.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6501 posts
Matt Barrett's website is a great source for all Greek travel purposes. There's a section on cruises.
I'd suggest a few days in Athens, also Nafplion if possible, and a cruise to several islands -- not necessarily Mykonos or Santorini which get a great many visitors. Look for a cruise that starts and/or ends in Athens so you'll have more than a rushed day to see that city. A Greek travel agency could also help you put together a string of ferry rides between islands and mainland. Happy upcoming anniversary!
Posted by
OP
Chicago
11 posts
Thanks to all who replied. It seems that the combo cruise & land won the most votes here. Has anyone heard about Celestyal cruises or perhaps another Greek cruisline that I could look into for 3-4 day cruise? I have to start looking/researching in Rick Steve’s Greece book to get started. Thanks!
Michelle