Blog by Emily Jones, Partnerships Marketing Lead, 1 May 2023.

In April, I was lucky enough to be invited to set sail on a Celestyal Cruise aboard Celestyal Olympia on the three-night Iconic Aegean cruise, visiting some of Greece’s most beautiful destinations including Mykonos and Santorini.

The journey began from London Gatwick where we flew to Athens with Sky Express who provided a seamless check in process along with fantastic and comfortable onboard services.

As soon as we arrived in Athens and the whole group had met each other, we were transferred and taken straight to dinner in the most spectacular location, a restaurant just underneath the Acropolis! We were greeted to a feast of local cuisine that we enjoyed with a glass of wine or two before we headed to the hotel ready for an early start to our cruising adventure the next morning.

Day 1 – Athens – Mykonos

We set sail from Lavrion port, and I couldn’t help but feel the sense of excitement and anticipation of what was to come as this was my first cruising experience! To begin, we were given a tour of the ship along with mandatory lifeboat drills and then enjoyed a drink on the deck while we set sail to Mykonos.

We arrived on the island just after 6pm, hopped on a transfer bus and were left to freely wander around the white-washed buildings and charming narrow streets and discover some of the iconic sights including, Little Venice and Windmills of Mykonos. Once we had enjoyed a couple of drinks whilst watching the stunning sunset, we went back to the ship and enjoyed our first delicious evening meal on the Ship in the Galileo Restaurant that is usually reserved for Suite stateroom passengers. This was where we dined for the duration of our trip.

To end the first day, we made our way to the Muses Lounge for one of the ships onboard shows “The Cirque Fantastic” show – which I can confirm, was fantastic!

Day 2 – Kusadasi – Patmos

After a comfortable night’s sleep in the cabin, we woke up to an early start in Kusadasi, Turkey. We all met for breakfast just after 6am and were ready to go and explore one of the excursions Celestyal Cruises offer, the ancient city of Ephesus! On a guided tour, we wandered through the UNESCO World Heritage Site and gazed in awe at the triumphal Magnesium gate, Library of Celsus, Temple of Artemis and so many more historical marvels!

In the afternoon, we all enjoyed a couple of drinks on the deck in the sun, taking in the beautiful views of the surrounding islands as we sailed towards the volcanic island of Patmos.

We arrived shortly after 4:30pm, jumped onto a tender and strolled around the compact island which is filled with rich history until the group reconvened for a delicious meze of iconic Greek dishes with the most beautiful views of the island and beyond.

Day 3 – Heraklion – Santorini

Our final day arrived, and we had docked in Heraklion (Crete). A few of us left the ship to explore the town with a leisurely morning wander around the streets of Crete and enjoying the calm of the stunning waterfront. We ended up souvenir shopping at local craft shops and indulging on freshly baked pastries in a lovely coffee shop whilst watching the world go by.

The morning flew by, and it was time to hop back on the ship and head to Santorini, this was the destination I had most been looking forward to!

As we sailed along the Aegean, we enjoyed some activities that the ship was holding including dance lessons and tasting sessions, these were great entertainment options which made the sailing fly by.

We arrived at Santorini at around 5pm and were on one of the first tenders out to the island and headed straight to the cable cars to reach the top. We were on the caldera side, Fira and were greeted by the most spectacular panoramic views of the Aegean Sea. From here, we walked around the bustling centre that featured an array of shops, boutiques, and cafes, before we settled down at a local bar and watched the sunset. It was the perfect end to the trip with a great bunch of people!

Experiencing Celestyal Cruises and their 3-night Iconic Aegean itinerary is something I will never forget! The itinerary has been perfectly curated to capture the essence of the Aegean and covered iconic destinations ensuring there is a variety of rich and diverse experience in just a few days, offering a balance of relaxation and exploration.  

If your clients want to discover the magic of Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean, contact Celestyal Holidays to perfectly package their dream itinerary enquiries@holidays.celestyal.com or 0151 350 1159.