Cruise with most ports in Greece?

Does anyone have a cruise they recommend for hitting the most interesting Greek Islands?

We are on a seven day with NCL... We do 4 Greek Ports...:cool:

I'll be cruising on the Jade to Corfu, Katakalon, Santorini and Mykonos in October. Can't wait.

We are on a seven day with NCL... We do 4 Greek Ports...

Travel To Be Free: Cruise with most ports in Greece? Does anyone have a cruise they recommend for hitting the most interesting Greek Islands?

In my view and having done 22 countries in Europe' date=' it is [b']not just the number of ports in the Greek Isles[/b]. It is how you plan and "package" the overall trip, including before and after the cruise.

Our first cruise in 2006 was three days in Athens, allowing time in this interesting city and to adjust from our long flights. Plus, doing a full day private tour circling the amazing Peloponnesian Peninsula. Then, we depart Athens' nearby port and made interesting island stops at Patmos, Milos and Mykonos. We then completed our seven-day cruise with great stops along Turkey's coast at Bodrum and the port near Ephesus, the historic site that was Rome's capital of Asia Minor. Finishing point? Sailing up the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. Got off of our ship in Istanbul and spent two amazing days there.

There are lots of different ships, cruise lines and options to see and sample this excellent part of the world. Below are a few of my "eye candy" samples to get you excited about visiting in this area.

For Athens, Greece, check out this posting with many ideas, tips and exciting visuals. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

There have been over 9,768 views on this posting.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 178,419 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Inside the church part of the Holy Monastery of St. John in the Eastern Orthodox tradition on the island of Patmos. It is part of a complex with a nice museum and art collection. It is above where you enter to see the famed cave of St. John. The author of the Book of Revelation is sometimes referred to as John of Patmos.:

Milos is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete. It is the southwestern-most island of the Cyclades. Rich in natural resources, the island is unique for its lunar landscape creating unbelievable and imposing rocky formations colored in deep red, brown or spectacular, glimmering whites. The island is also famous for the statue of Aphrodite (the "Venus de Milo", now in the Louvre) and other historic art work (that are located elsewhere). Its 2001 census population was only 4,771. There is much history on this island, including going back to the Peloponnesian War. From east to west, Milos measures about 14 miles and from north to south, eight miles. Not large! Most of the island is rugged and hilly with very rocky and scenic coasts. Bentonite, perlite, pozzolana and small quantities of kaolin are actively mined in Milos and sold all over the world. There are about 70 beaches on the island with those north, south and bay beaches being more tourist-focused. The east and west beaches are fairly quiet. Below are some of those rocky, coastal scenes we experienced during our tour, including a pirate hiding place in the fourth pictures.:

Here’s a sampling of the narrow, flowered street in Mykonos in the Greek Isles with its many shops. The streets were made so narrow in order to fend off pirate attackers. It is an island with lots of history and legend dating back thousands of years, including connections to ancient Greek mythology. Ionians settled on Mykonos in the early part of the 11th century BC. As Delos developed as a sacred center, Mykonos was under the influences of the different people, including Phoenicians, Macedonians and Athenians. With the rise of Alexander the Great, the fate of Mykonos became a commercial center for agriculture and maritime trade. Mykonos flourished with enormous wealth during Roman occupation during the reign of Augustus Caesar. During the Middle Ages, Mykonos fell under the Venetians and later were victimized by the Saracens and latter the Turks. Starting in the 1950’s, its unique architecture, seclusion and hospitality have made it a haven for the rich and famous.:

This harbor view in Mykonos shows one of the charming windmills. From as early as the 16th century, these are one of the most recognized landmarks of Mykonos. The island is 33 square miles in size and has a population of 9,300, mostly in its main village.:

Epidaurus is the famed outdoor theater with super great acoustics on the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Their local prosperity enabled Epidaurus to construct civic monuments including this huge theater that had dramatic performances, ceremonial programs, etc. It was designed in the 4th century BC. The original 34 rows were extended in Roman times by another 21 rows. As with many Greek theaters (and as opposed to Roman ones), the view on a lush landscape behind the performing areas was an integral part of the design. It seats up to 15,000 people. The acoustics permit almost perfect intelligibility of un-amplified spoken word from the proscenium. A 2007 study by Georgia Tech scholars indicates that the amazing acoustic properties are either the result of an accident or the product of advanced design . . . rows of limestone seats filtering out low-frequency sounds and amplify/reflect high-frequency sounds from the stage.:

We cruised on the Royal Caribbean Splendour of the Seas in May, out of Venice, Italy. We hit 4 Greek ports: Corfu, Piraeus (Athens), Mykonos, & Argostoli. Mykonos & Athens are my favorite.

Like you, I wanted to hit as many Greek ports/cities as possible. Back when I was searching the cruise lines, it looked like the ships that hit Turkey included less Greek ports, so avoid ships that include Turkey in their itinerary. Also, to include the most Greek ports in your itinerary, you need to sail out of Venice, Italy.

We went on a Princess 'Greek Isles' cruise (twice!) that had five ports in Greece. Their 'Grand Med' cruises that start or end in Barcelona have only two. Their 14-day 'Greek, Turkey, Italy' cruise has five.

On some cruises people say a balcony is a must for the scenery.

Is the Greek Isle one of them?

On some cruises people say a balcony is a must for the scenery.

 

Is the Greek Isle one of them?

Short answer, yes! The scenery is there to enjoy.

Long answer, maybe! You can also enjoy it from the deck.

I digress... People will have very definite ideas on what 'must haves' are. As it should be, everyone has their deal-breaker!

It's lovely, for any cruise, if you can afford the difference in price for a balcony. Some cruise lines charge lots extra for a balcony - others, charge a little extra. Check it out and it may be worth it to you. Some people pick less expensive cabins to help them cruise more often. Other people wouldn't cruise without a balcony, even if it meant cruising less often.

IMHO, a Greek Isle cruise would be a great cruise to have balcony, if there ever was one, travelling in warm weather, if there are enough sea or partial sea days to enjoy it and you prefer your own company much of the time. IMHO, Alaska and the Baltic, not so much, even when travelling in warmer months as we did. I don't want to bundle up on a balcony on a cruise.

In 18 cruises, including both Greek Isles' cruises, we've had only one balcony and it wasn't for this itinerary. It was my husband's 'retirement' cruise to the Black Sea. I snagged a balcony when the price dropped, plus kept the difference. It was an awesome experience but didn't 'hook' me because I won't pay up to an extra $2000 for a balcony, that was the case for our Grand Med cruise on the new Regal Princess coming up in Sept. I never (that's a loooong time) 'must-have' a balcony. On the other hand, I 'must' cruise!:)

If I felt I could justify (yup, I'm that a kind of person - it's a curse!:eek:) the extra $ on a balcony every warm weather cruise, I sure would book one! Only you can decide.