Nine-Night Mediterranean Cruise of Greece, with Optional Trip to Turkey

Included in all options:

• Two nights in a standard room at the 5-star Royal Olympic Hotel in Athens
• Seven nights of accommodations on the MS Ryndam—inside, outside, or verandah cabin
• Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks during the cruise<p>

During this seven-night cruise, you’ll board a recently enhanced Dutch-inspired ship and sail the Mediterranean, visiting resort towns in Greece and Turkey, and sun-soaked Greek islands. Both trips begin with a two-night stay in Athens, but the cruise itineraries differ. This deal includes meals and accommodations.

Click here to see a detailed itinerary for options 1–9, which visits the Greek islands and Turkey (departing 9/4/13, 9/18/13, and 10/2/13).

Click here to see a detailed itinerary for options 10–18, which visits the Greek islands (departing 9/11/13, 9/25/13, and 10/9/13).<p>

Days 1–3: Athens

After an overnight flight, you’ll arrive in Athens on day 2 and transfer to the 5-star Royal Olympic Hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore the city, or check out the hotel’s atrium pool, gardens, and rooftop restaurant.

Day 3 kicks off with a guided city tour that stops at the Presidential Palace and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. At the Acropolis, you’ll see sacred temples and Doric limestone buildings dating back to the 5th century B.C.

Day 4: Board the Ship

Guests will be transferred to the port to board the MS Ryndam, a luxury ship decorated with 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century art. There’s plenty to do on board—lounge by one of the outdoor pools or get a hot-stone massage at Greenhouse Spa & Salon. At the Pinnacle Grill, you can enjoy a fresh seafood medley. The boat’s new entertainment venue “Mix” features three different themed bars.

The itineraries for Options 1–9 and 10–18 differ from this point

Itinerary for Options 1–9, Greek Islands & Turkey Cruise

Days 5–8: Istanbul, Lesbos, and Ephesus

The ship sails across the Dardanelles en route to Istanbul. You’ll have two full days to explore this enchanting Turkish city, considered the gateway between Europe and Asia. It served as the capital for four distinct empires—the Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman—and has been formerly called Constantinople and Byzantium. Today it’s home to several architectural masterpieces, including the Hagia Sophia, a cathedral-turned-mosque-turned-museum renowned for its enormous dome and richly decorated mosaics.

A stop in the Greek Island of Lesbos on Day 7 gives you time to explore the beautiful landscape that inspired Aristotle and Sappho. The following morning, you’ll arrive in Kusadasi, a resort town located on Turkey’s Aegean Coast near the ancient city of Ephesus. An archaeological site here contains the eastern Mediterranean’s largest collection of Roman ruins.

Days 9–11: Mykonos and Crete

The rest of your trip will be split between Mykonos and Crete, two of Greece’s most popular islands. An international party destination since the early 1970s, Mykonos caters to a lively crowd with 24-hour beach parties and clifftop nightclubs. In Crete, the seat of ancient Minoan culture, you can visit Knossos Palace, a labyrinthine network of shrines, altars, and royal chambers. After breakfast the following morning, guests make their way to the airport for their flight home.

Itinerary for Options 10–18, Greek Islands Cruise

Days 6–8: Corfu, Katakolon, and Santorini

The boat arrives in Corfu, the second-largest of the seven Ionian Islands, in the morning of Day 6. The beaches here stretch up to groves with millions of olive trees, a verdant landscape that gives Corfu its nickname “Emerald Island.”

After a day in the coastal town of Katakolon, you’ll sail for the Greek Island of Santorini, which was named the world’s sixth-best island by Travel + Leisure in 2012. A major volcanic eruption took place here nearly 4,000 years ago, resulting in the island’s famous black-sand beaches, striated red cliffs, and a crescent-shaped caldera that now serves as the island’s harbor.

Days 9–11: Ephesus & Rhodes

The rest of your trip will be split between Kusadasi, a resort town on Turkey’s Aegean Coast near the ancient city of Ephesus, and Rhodes, the largest island of the Dodecanese archipelago. Both spots offer beautiful beaches and historical religious sites. After breakfast the following morning, guests will make their way to the airport for their flight home.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.