Version: 1 Source URL: https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/7322363/greece-cruise-woman-20s/ Cruise DON'T MYTH OUT A trip around Greece on the Celestyal Crystal is the perfect cruise for a woman in her twenties Think cruises are for old people? Think again By Sarah Packer 22 Sep 2018 20:43:04 CRUISING is for old people, right? That was my view ahead of my seven-day Greek voyage on the Celestyal Crystal. How wrong I was. A Greek voyage on the Celestyal Crystal is the perfect cruise for a woman in her twenties[/caption] The luxurious trip was perfect for a woman in her twenties used to lying around in her bikini and now I understand why cruises are becoming so popular with a younger crowd. The first thrill of any summer holiday is being met with blue skies and a warm breeze as you leave the plane. On a cruise, the buzz of arriving at a new destination is relived again and again as you wake up at a beautiful, fresh location almost daily. My itinerary included four Greek islands plus the ancient city Ephesus, with overnight stays in Mykonos and Santorini. Settling into my room on board I immediately felt at home the cabin and bathroom were spacious, well equipped and had an ocean view. Any fears about feeling the ship moving, and getting seasick, were soon dispelled. The voyage was so smooth I would forget I was at sea until I looked out at the endless blue often while dining at one of three restaurants. And with 1,200 passengers and 476 cabins, the ship never felt crowded. Unbeatable weather at every destination provided the ideal backdrop to days out exploring. I have visited Mykonos before browsed the high-end boutiques, enjoyed cocktails at beach clubs and partied into the night at the bars and clubs. But on the Celestyal Cruise I experienced all the fun and liveliness this glam island has to offer, plus delving into the local history. I toured the nearby island of Delos where ruins of the Temple of Apollo, from the 4th Century BC, are still visible today. The Temple of the Twelve Gods and the Avenue of the Lions also made for fantastic photo opportunities and the accompanying tour guide s expertise made the visit all the more enjoyable. Unlike other cruise itineraries that may require you to be back on board early evening ready for your next departure, Celestyal offers two overnight stays, one of which was in Mykonos. So by night, passengers could experience Mykonos town and its world-famous windmills or simply relax on board where the cultural immersion continued with the cuisine, cocktails and live music. With two lounges, five bars, three restaurants, a fully equipped gym, beauty centre and casino, the ship offered plenty to explore. And mealtimes offered something for everyone including fussy eaters like myself.
Our next destination was the breathtaking island of Milos, named one of the world s must-see places by Forbes. We disembarked and boarded a smaller boat for the Nostalgic Milos Cruise. White rocks and clear waters all around, it was a spectacle of colour and form and is the one place in the Aegean I would most like to return to. The rocks get their luminous glow from having been flung out of the sea by volcanoes that blew around two million years ago. Sarakiniko beach had a lunar wonder about it, with its chalky-white rocks and Zen vibe. The next morning, I was eating a breakfast of Greek yoghurt, fresh fruit, cheese and meats on the deck outside as we approached Santorini. Here we discovered hidden villages overlooking the still-smoking volcano. The island s dramatic shape comes from 1650BC when the massive Thira volcano erupted, sinking the centre of Santorini and leaving behind an incredible caldera. At Santorini s most significant archaeological site, the village of Akrotiri, we enjoyed the panorama of the island s famous windmills. Stunning views awaited us at the village of Oia, where we spent the evening admiring the whitewashed buildings, blue-domed churches and narrow cobbled stairways. Then we were taken to a spot where crowds gathered to watch the sun set a special moment bringing strangers together. Next morning we enjoyed a wine-tasting in Santorini s capital, the town of Fira and more spectacular views over the Aegean. That evening, guests dressed up and joined the captain for a cocktail party on board then enjoyed a fabulous cabaret. On our penultimate day, visiting Crete, we toured the ancient city of Knossos and strolled through the apartments of its palace before heading to the city s Archaeological Museum. Our journey finished at the ancient kingdom of Ephesus one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, now in modern-day Turkey. A private guide took us on a magical journey through time, weaving tales of this once-thriving home to elite families and their luxury villas. You can still see inscriptions on the walls and the two-storey design of the buildings. They even had central- heating, and hot and cold water. Like my fellow cruise fans, those ancient people clearly loved luxury. My time in Greece had proved it s no myth or legend cruising really can be fun in your twenties. See planetcruise.com/celestyal-cruises.see today s best travel dealsget email alerts of the best deals straight to your inbox Related Images
markellos.plakitsis@gmail.com On your voyage you ll visit the Greek islands of Mykonos, Delos, Milos, Santorini and Ephesus in Turkey
The voyage is so smooth you ll would forget you re at sea until you look out into the endless blue
By night, passengers could experience Mykonos town and its world-famous windmills
You can lounge and sunbathe on the ship s impressive deck
The breathtaking island of Milos has been named one of the world s must-see places by Forbes
Our journey finished at the ancient kingdom of Ephesus one of the seven wonders of the ancient world Publisher: News UK & Ireland Ltd Published Date: 22 Sep 2018 20:43:04 Article Id: 47572516 Version: 1 Word Count: 842 Character Count: 3988 ABCe Website Unique Browsers (monthly): 31781861 ABCe Website Page Impressions (monthly): 226049463 ABCe Date From: 03 Jul 2013
ABCe Date To: 02 Aug 2013 ABCe Certificate Reproduced by NLA media access with permission from the Publisher. May not be copied or otherwise reproduced without express permission.