
At one time, the Greek islands were the playground of the jet set, made famous by Jackie O and her international coterie. Now a cruise to the Greek islands is more accessible for everyone, with options ranging from large mainstream cruise ships to smaller sailing yachts. By the time you come back from a busy day in port each day and eat dinner, you’ll have little time for onboard activities and events before bedtime. While smaller cruise ships may have fewer activities for kids onboard, they should still offer enough to keep kids busy for the shorter periods you’ll be onboard. The island is famous for its white buildings topped with blue domes, dramatic sunsets, and romantic atmosphere. Popular activities for a day in Santorini include exploring the town of Oia, visiting the Red Beach, and taking a catamaran tour through the island’s underwater volcano.
Small Ship Cruises

With labyrinth-like streets, tavernas within touching distance of the sea, and time unfurling at its own unhurried pace, the Greek Islands are a cruise away. Dip your toes into warm shallows in secluded coves and admire blue-shuttered houses, cloaked in colourful flowers. As most Greek Isles cruises visit other countries in addition to Greece, it’s important to know which currencies to use in each port. Greece uses the Euro, and ATMs are widely available on Greek islands. It’s recommended to bring around 200 euros with you on a Greek Isles cruise, as you may occasionally come across restaurants, bars, and shops that do not take credit or debit cards. Most businesses will take card payments, especially in more touristy areas, so try to pay with card first (assuming your card has no foreign transaction fees).
Best Scotland Castle Tours
Take an unforgettable cruise through the impressive Corinth Canal on a shore excursion in Athens. Stand in awe at the base of Mount Olympus, Greece’s highest mountain and the fabled home of the Greek gods. In Zakynthos, don’t miss a visit to the awe-inspiring Shipwreck Beach, which often tops best-of lists. Ftelia Beach, on the northern side of Mykonos, is the place for watersports and windsurfing, as well as those sunsets everyone dreams about.
Time Management
Our Greek Isle cruises offer a striking balance between popular attractions and seldom-visited ports. Whether you have 7 days, 12 days, or more, you’ll find just the right itinerary in our wide selection. Wander a brilliant-white maze of shops, restaurants, and homes to a breathtaking overlook.
Most evenings our boats are docked in the small ports, giving guests the opportunity to go and enjoy dinner in a wonderful selection of traditional Greek tavernas. This is one of the highlights of our cruises, the opportunity to enjoy evenings dining alfresco and soaking up the local atmosphere. There will be a handful of dinners on board the boat, one of these being Greek night which is great fun and one of the highlights of the cruise.
Explore Greek Isles
Best Greek islands to visit in 2024 - Condé Nast Traveller
Best Greek islands to visit in 2024.
Posted: Tue, 19 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Additionally, Celesytal is unique in that it offers year-round Aegean Sea sailings cruising round-trip from Athens and ranging in length from three to 14 nights. On land, Celeystal guests can choose from a selection of the line’s “Authentic Excursions,” which are specially curated, small-group, expert-led experiences designed to take travelers off the beaten path. Options — including walking food tours and pottery-making demos at a local factory — abound, depending on the particular port of call. For a more in-depth vacation on the Greek islands, you'll want to look for smaller cruise ships that stop at some of the less-trafficked ports.
THE 25 BEST Cruises to Mykonos 2024 (with Prices) - Mykonos Cruise Port Terminal on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST Cruises to Mykonos 2024 (with Prices) - Mykonos Cruise Port Terminal on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:08:26 GMT [source]
While you should carry euros on you, credit cards are widely accepted on all major island destinations like Crete, Rhodes, Santorini and Mykonos. Also, Wind Star is an upscale ship, which means you'll find elevated dining and service on board. When you purchase an all-inclusive fare, Wi-Fi, gratuities and alcohol are rolled into the price. If a Disney cruise to Greece with kids sounds appealing, Disney Dream is the ship that will take you there. Rob Clabbers is a T+L A-List travel advisor and founder of Q Cruise + Travel, a Chicago-based travel agency.
Cruise Ports
Northern Greece is often overlooked as a Greek Isle cruise destination, and many will not even have heard of the Macedonian port of Kavála. But the city, and the region it opens into, are both picturesque and culturally important, with a history that encompasses classical times as well as the more modern era. Discover Elafonisi Beach, a paradise of pink, powdery sand and shallow waters off the island of Crete.

Travel through the volcanic island of Santorini and take pictures of the villages clinging to the sides of the sea cliffs. Explore the oldest city in Europe and take in art, culture, cuisine, and shopping in Athens. Or experience daily life like a local on our new "Go Local" excursions, where authentic experiences await. A week or more in the Greek Islands—that would be pretty close to the perfect vacation, wouldn’t it? Here’s a trio of two-island combos, plus a terrific cruise option for those who want to visit four or more.
So those are some really important historical sites if you’re interested in that side of the Greek islands. My next two suggestions are round two really famous and iconic islands. Let’s start in Athens, a firm favourite on a Greek islands cruise. You’re either going to embark or disembark in Athens and make sure that you go to the Acropolis. Also, nearby the Acropolis is the new Acropolis museum, a massive complex with remarkable artefacts.
While it’s impossible to visit them all in a single journey, some islands stand out as must-visit destinations. And when all else fails, you’re never more than an arm’s length away from a bottle of ouzo and a few new friends to dance the night away with. Visit the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, and other ancient ruins. Follow your tour with an open-air dinner in the Plaka neighborhood.
Passengers experience the thrill of sailing on an elegant four-masted vessel, stopping off at various beautiful destinations along the journey, such as Malaga, Sardinia, Athens, Skiathos and more. With its blue-domed buildings and volcanic sands, Santorini is one of the prettiest and most popular ports on a Greek Island cruise. Drink in the ever-changing vistas as you navigate the perfectly formed streets of its iconic capital, Fira, where whitewashed houses tumble down towards the sea. Outside of cruises to Turkey and the Adriatic, you’ll come across other cruise itineraries that visit Greece.
ABOUT TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS —————————————–Gary Bembridge’s Tips For Travellers aims to help you make more of your precious travel time and money on land and when cruising the oceans or rivers of the world. To help you, in every video I draw on my first-hand tips and advice from travelling every month for over 20 years and average of 10 cruises a year. If you’re heading on an Eastern Mediterranean cruise or a cruise that includes the Greek islands these are the things and places that I strongly recommend you consider when you look at an itinerary. Patmos is a quiet island and you normally tender in, and only the smaller ships come in and then you can head from Skala which is a town on the bottom and head up the hill to Hora. If you’re really energetic you can walk although I recommend it’s much better to get a taxi up there because it’s really steep.
Plan the perfect trip on your travel getaway to visit the best places in Europe. Planning your next epic family vacation starts today onboard Rhapsody of the Seas, a mid-sized cruise ship that is part of the Royal Caribbean Vision Class. The largest of the Greek islands, Crete is both a beach paradise and home to some of the country's premier archaeological finds and attractions.
Santorini only has villages, not towns, and these diverse areas provide a firsthand glimpse into Greek life. Because the whole island is less than 28 square miles, it's not difficult to take in most of the sights from the looming cliffs and still have time for shopping, eating and some down time on the Aegean Sea. Experience a day on a Corfu farm in Alevropari, learn about country life, tour the farm, pick produce, and enjoy a family lunch.... If you enjoy a lively megaship party atmosphere but you don't want an environment that's overrun with kids, Virgin Voyages' Resilient Lady will likely be the best Greece cruise option for you. Kari Dillon is the owner of Marvelous Mouse Travels, an agency specializing in theme park and cruise vacations.
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