Cruise the Greek Islands with Celestyal
Round trip excursions departing from Athens pack plenty of stops in a short period of time
Winding your way through the Greek Islands requires a lot of complicated island-hopping — unless you take a cruise.
I spent four days with Celestyal Cruises aboard the pretty Celestyal Olympia on one of the line’s classic Aegean cruises that sail round trip from Piraeus, the port for Athens. With calls on six ports in just four days, including Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes, Heraklion, Santorini and the Turkish city of Kusadasi (gateway to the ancient ruins of Ephesus), these quick cruises pack a lot of value into a single trip.
Now, you might not want to fly all the way to Greece for a four-day cruise through the Greek Islands, but these quick jaunts (Celestyal Olympia operates rotating threeand four-night voyages) are the perfect add-on to a Mediterranean land vacation.
Celestyal is the only cruise line to be based year-round in Greece, and the line takes great pride in showcasing its homeland to guests.
The folks on board Celestyal Olympia come from all over the world, creating a decidedly international vibe.
Kick back between ports and listen to live music that ranges from Greek to Cuban, sample some Greek spirits, or enjoy the warmth of the Mediterranean air out on deck.
For a cruise that runs, in most cases, less than $1,000 per person, Celestyal really rolls out all the inclusions. Most cruises booked with the line include alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, all gratuities, and even a selection of inclusive shore excursions.
Cabins on board are on the small side, and most are either interior or oceanview, with few balconies. None of this really matters: Celestyal Olympia is a fantastic older ship that has been lovingly maintained by the line, with a world-class crew that masterfully schedules each port of call, dinner, and evening production show with ease. Of all the voyages I’ve been on, this may have been the best organized trip.
Celestyal proved to be the consummate host in Greece. It offers a cruise experience packed with charm and loaded with value; a throwback to the way cruising used to be: focused on people and places, and unconcerned with gimmicky features found on newer ships.
If four days isn’t enough, Celestyal also operates longer seven-day voyages aboard the classy Majesty and the petit Celestyal Crystal, with ports of call in Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus and Israel.