Why choose Seabourn for a luxury Greek islands cruise

Greece has thousands of islands (227 inhabited), but a luxury Greek islands cruise is the best way to experience the history, culture, and sights in a reasonable amount of time. Oh, and don’t forget Turkey as a bonus. We are happy to choose Seabourn based on numerous criteria explained here. Hopefully, this will help your decision process as you embark on this Mediterranean journey.

Where to begin and end? Our cruise begins in Athens, Greece and ends in Istanbul, Turkey. This gives us the opportunity for a non-rushed visit to the must-see sites in both cities. We spend three full days in Athens and two more in Istanbul. Some cruises reverse the direction.

How many days to cruise? We choose 9 days and nights, because a week just seems too short to cover the distance and sights of two countries. We also look for a cruise with just one sea day to make the most of the island-hopping adventure.

Which islands to visit? There are many choices, but it would be a shame to miss some of the most popular islands, especially Santorini and Mykonos. Ancient Ephesus, near the port of Kusadasi, Turkey does not disappoint as another must-see. Some other island stops might be interchangeable. All are detailed below.

What are we looking for? Why choose the Greek Islands over the Caribbean or other island cruises? We are searching for a healthy dose of ancient Western history and unique culture, to go along with picturesque villages for memorable photos. It’s not about sunbathing beaches and watersports.

What are the luxury options? Search for luxury cruises on Google, and the choices are many – too many. We eliminate the players who are more near-luxury, like Viking and Regent. In our case, we also pass on ships where guests aren’t largely English speaking, dropping Ponant, MSC, and others. Next comes size, which is really a personal consideration. Someday we may try Windstar’s ocean ships or Seadream (with 112 passengers), but right now they seem too small for all the amenities we desire. At the other end, Azamara and Silversea, holding more the 700 passengers are maybe too large.

What’s the answer? The “Goldilocks” choice for us is Seabourn’s 600-capacity Encore. We have had good luck with Seabourn in the past, as I wrote about in this Silversea comparison. The cruise originates in Athens and ends in Istanbul, covers 9 days and nights, with island stops in Santorini, Mykonos, Milos and several others. And there is a special evening plan for ancient Ephesus. So, let’s get started!

Athens

We spend three nights in a suite at the King George, a Luxury Collection Hotel. Dating back to 1930, with a Michelin star restaurant that overlooks the Acropolis, it boasts the perfect central Athens location. We can watch the famous hourly changing of the guard from our balcony.

We can’t emphasize enough the importance of booking the first Acropolis tour in the morning. We arrive as it opens and spend an uncrowded couple of hours; by the time we leave, it is becoming packed with tourists. Of course, the Parthenon, dating to 448 B.C., is the highlight, but the Porch of the Maidens, Odeon, and other architectural wonders delight.

Fewer crowds are at the Acropolis museum, a fascinating walk through history and surprisingly up-close interactions with some 4,000 objects in the collection. Timed entry helps manage the more than 2 million annual visitors.

A short drive away lies the huge port of Piraeus, the launching point for our cruise.

Gythion, along the southern coast

Our first stop was once known as the ancient port of Sparta, where Paris of Troy and Helen began their legendary journey. Gythion is today more of a laid-back fishing village. We explore the town in a leisurely walk and are back onboard by lunch.

Chania, Crete

We arrive in Crete in the northwest corner town of Chania, where we are greeted by its 16th century lighthouse. In a few hours, we wind through the narrow streets of the 14th century Venetian quarter, stopping at some boutiques, art galleries, and cafes.

Santorini

We look forward to seeing if stunning views really exist on arguably the most touristic Greek isle. Those quintessential vistas are only to be seen from the town of Oia (pronounced “eee-ah”), high atop the cliffs on Santorini’s northern end. Our excursion takes us there, not really allowing enough time for ample photography, given the numerous cruise ship crowds that pack the narrow lanes. Still, whitewashed buildings, blue-domed churches, and quaint shops do not disappoint. Strangely, we disembark at one port and must wait for a cable car to transport us down to another tender pier upon return. Our recommendation would be to hire a car to take you just to Oia for the day.

Milos

Another day, another island. Milos is where the famous Venus de Milo was discovered (now in the Louvre). Our excursion takes us to that historic site and a nearby ancient Roman theatre. We also visit Sarakiniko Beach, with its fascinating lunar landscape and volcanic lava. And in the charming village of Plaka we can wander through a few quiet streets, where I take many photos of old doors. Again, in retrospect, we would opt for a private car versus the whims of a tour bus driver.

Mykonos

Visually, this is the most iconic Greek island of our cruise. We explore Mykonos town on foot, navigating the labyrinth of narrow, winding pathways. We discover upscale boutiques and lovely flower-draped B&Bs. This is the Greece we envisioned, including the island’s trademark windmills. We also get frequently lost in the maze that is the Little Venice interior, later learning the town’s confusing layout was deliberately designed to foil attacking pirates. Argh!

Ephesus, nearby Kusadasi, Turkey

The port today is the coastal city of Kusadasi, Turkey, but the star attraction is the nearby ancient ruins of Ephesus. In the 1st century A.D. a marble road connecting the Great Theatre with the Celsus Library and Hadrian’s Temple. Close by is the House of the Virgin Mary. Ephesus is one of the world’s greatest archeological sites, spanning the times of the Romans to Christians.

Working with this UNESCO World Heritage Site, Seabourn has created a magical evening exclusively for the ship’s guests. We are transported to the upper gate for a sunset cocktail party along the ancient marble road. As night approaches, we enter the 2nd century Odeon Theatre. Seated on the ancient stones, we are treated to the Aegean chamber orchestra’s repertoire of classical music. The concert (see short clip above) caps a truly remarkable evening to remember – the highlight of our luxury cruise. Finally, against a background of lively music, most of the 450 Seabourn crew members greet our return outside the ship prior to a midnight departure.

Cesme, Turkey

It’s a short journey to this small coastal town wrapped around a modern harbor. The main attraction is the 16th century castle. This stone fortress is fun to climb through, with a surprisingly interesting museum tucked inside. All the walking has made us hungry for another lunch at Seabourn’s inviting sushi restaurant (all dining venues are included on the ship). While still docked we are treated to an informative tour of the Encore’s bridge. So much technology!

A sea day

With more than 600km (375 miles) to cover, we need the one sea day of our cruise to reach Istanbul. Fortunately, the onboard conversationalist on this cruise is renowned author, Walter Issacson. We have a chance to meet him a few times, as well as attend some small group lectures, ranging from his time spent with Steve Jobs to Elon Musk. He speaks about America’s founding fathers, as well, although it is unlikely he knew them personally.

Walter Issacson is far from the only entertainment on our cruise. I had the pleasure of meeting England’s top trumpet-playing jazz singer, Georgina Jackson, on a previous Seabourn voyage. To our delight, she is back and performs twice on this cruise. And we have a lovely a re-acquainted private dinner with her.

We are always impressed by some of the lounge entertainment on Seabourn, and this cruise is no exception. The guitarist/vocalist, Robert Goodier, adds his silky-smooth interpretation to many songs (including my unusual request for Hotel California).

Istanbul

If yesterday was a sea day, today is a sad day – the end of our journey. Exploring Istanbul awaits, including a full-day private guided tour of self-chosen highlights. We change our itinerary real-time to include the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, and spice market. Our Tours By Locals guide, Dilek, is both flexible and informative.

We stay at the iconic 19th century Pera Palace Hotel. The atmosphere feels like an opulent museum. Our room is the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis suite, where she lived for a time. No ghosts in here, but that can’t be said of the Agatha Christie room, where she wrote “Murder on the Orient Express.” Topping the list of legendary guests, room 101 was the residence of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of the Republic of Turkey. That suite has been converted into a mini-museum.

In retrospect…

We always look back at a journey to analyze what we might have done differently. We are delighted with Seabourn, but we take this cruise in July, and southern Europe is hot. Too hot. And too crowded. It often cuts short our time exploring islands as we retreat to the comfort of the ship. Take this cruise in the spring or autumn.

Do you have any questions or suggestions to help others? Feel free to comment at the bottom of this post.