CELEBRATING ON GREEK ISLE CRUISE!

 Sunday, August 7

After getting through lines and check in we made it to our room, 10086 about 2:30!  We are on the 10th floor and easily accessible to the pool, restaurants, bars, etc.  Our suitcases had already arrived to our room.  We headed to the pool to relax, read and sun (maybe even a nap).  

We had dinner at 7:00 at Alizar, one of the main dining rooms.  We went to the Stardust Theater to hear Michael Sterline from Phantom of the Opera.  We then caught some Beetles tunes later at Bliss.  

Let the cruise begin!!

Beautiful sunset view from our balcony.

Monday, August 8

We watched from our balcony as we cruised into Kusadasi, Turkey early Monday morning.  We had an excursion today:  Magnificient Ephesus.  Ephesus is an ancient city in Turkey's Central Aegean region.  Its excavated remains reflect centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire - when it was the Mediterranean's main commercial center - to the spread of Christianity.  

The city was famous in its day for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC) which has been designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  Its many monumental buildings include the Library of Celsus and a theatre holding about 24,000 people in which Paul preached.  

Cruising into Kusadasi, Turkey

The ruins of Ephesus

The Library of Celsus

The massive theater where Paul preached.

Back to the ship for lunch and an afternoon of relaxing, reading, napping, sunning!

Lunch time

Dinner at the Grand Pacific Dining Room, one of the two main sit down dining rooms.

Entertainment for the evening:  Illusionist, Lord Nil

Later entertainment:  Music in the bars

Tuesday, August 9

Day 3 of the cruise

Excursion. - Exclusive Classical Istanbul

As we cruised into Istanbul, Turkey we were having breakfast.  8:30 was our meeting time for our excursion.

Istanbul is a very big, busy city of about 20 million.  Aboard a bus we went to tour Beylerbeyi Sararyi, a summer palace for a Sultan in the 1860s.

Cruising into Istanbul

The summer palace grounds

We drove over a long bridge to get to the Asian side of Istanbul, the only city that belongs in two continents.  Next we toured the famous Blue Mosque.  It was under renovation so we really couldn't see much of the interior.  A short distance away was the Hajia Sophia Grand Mosque and we waited in a long line to see it.  It was built in about 500 BC as a Christian church then it became a mosque, then a museum, and just lately back to a mosque.  

The Blue Mosque

Waiting in line we tried the roasted nuts.

Hajia Sophia Grand Mosque

We are at a local restaurant with four courses of a traditional Turkish meal.

Back to the European side of Istanbul via the tour bus on a ferry.  We then went to the Grand Bazaar to shop for jewelry, spices, treats, and about anything in 100s of stalls.  

Grand Bazaar

Dinner - O'Sheenans with fish and chips after our long excursion day.

Entertainment:  Musical in the theater and more music at the bars.  

Wednesday, August 10

Day 4 of the cruise

Excursion. - None

We cruised into Volos, Greece about noon.  We decided to stay on the ship today.  We enjoyed relaxing, sunning and reading at the pool.

Dinner at the Brazilian Steak House.

Entertainment for the evening:  

    Sweet Duo, a cirque de soleil type production

    Music of Adele later

Thursday, August 11

Day 5 of the cruise. Mykonos, Greece

Excursion. - Take a selfie - Mykonos

We cruised into Mykonos and anchored.  We had to tender to the shore for our excursion.

We walked through Mykonos City to view the narrow road, white-washed buildings with blue painted trim.  We walked up to view the windmills that used to grind the wheat.

The tender that took us to shore

We boarded a bus to drive through some of the island and reached a beautiful beach.  We had some time to walk around there and get a snack.

From there we went to a "farm" for wine tasting.  

We arrived back at the ship about 3:00

Dinner at Jasmine Garden

Entertainment:  

    Latin dancing by a couple

    music in the bars

Friday, August 12

Day 6 of the cruise. Rhodes, Greece

Excursion. - Lindos and the Acropolis

We pulled into Rhodes and were greeted by the old town complete with walls and towers.  We are glad that we decided to get a room with a balcony because it is so fun to see our arrivals and departures from our room,

A tour bus picked us up.  The first stop was a pottery show room.  WE saw a demo of a base being made and then the designs etched and painted.

The next stop was Lindos where we walked and climbed up to the Acropolis (the highest hill(.  On the top stood the ruins from the Temple to Athena.  It had a beautiful view of the Aegean Sea.

Dinner - Teppanyaki, a Japanese restaurant on the ship

It was fun to watch our chef cook everything right in front of us.  Enjoyable meal

Saturday, August 13

Day 7 of the cruise. Santorini, Greece

Excursion. - Ultimate Santorini

We booked a small group tour of Santorini.  We had to tender into Santorini and were met by a tour van. 

Stop 1 - Prehistoric town of Akrotiri where we saw the ruins under cover and ongoing .  This was at the south end of Santorini.

Then the bus drove along the Aegean Sea to the north tip to Oia.  We had about an hour to walk and explore.  This was the traditional Santorini that we often see - blue domed church and resorts on the cliff side.

Then to Thira (Fira) , the capital.  Lunch with a view.  We walked up from there to catch the cable car down to the tender.  

Dinner - Garden Pacific (one of the main dining rooms)

Evening of music with Michael Sterlin

Sunday, August 14

The cruise ended!  We left the ship about 9:00 and had a transfer set up to take us back to the Academia Hotel in Athens!