We had a fabulous time on the ship and at each port. This is a great cruise to both relax and explore. I would recommend that if you love history or are looking for an exciting vacation, do this cruise while you're young. As young adults, we came back from each port exhausted. There is so much to see and most of the old towns you visit require a lot of walking - and walking on uneven steps and cobblestone streets. I also believe we got lucky with the time of year. We went during the first two weeks of November which resulted in fewer crowds and lower prices at flea markets. If each port was filled with another 6,000 people, I believe my review would probably be a bit different. I would highly recommend this cruise to others!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
A blend of unique islands and ancient history. We had a great time in each port, were able to relax, and explored incredible historic achievements.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The main dining rooms and restaurants were great. The buffet had a nice breakfast, but lacked quality snacks and lunches.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We were thoroughly entertained by each of the evening's shows. Good variety and great performers.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff was always helpful and energetic.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Overall the cabin was fantastic, just cramped. Instead of an over-sized chair, more space or additional table space would have been preferred. It was always clean thanks to our great cabin steward.
Ship tip
Go to the shows every night, have dinner at The Garden (the boat seems to be more stable and you don't feel the engine like you do at Windows), and go to the Deck on 13 for sunsets.
Stay around the historic areas and flea markets. Beyond these areas lies an enormous, bustling city. The hop on - hop off bus got us to the acropolis and agora. I would recommend this as an inexpensive way to explore.
One of our favorite ports. The city of Oia is spectacular. We took an excursion that included an hour bus ride to Oia, stayed in Oia for two hours, and then we were dropped off in Thira. We enjoyed it but would have preferred more time in Oia instead of the Thira markets.
We had a very short stay in Chania. Crete has so much to offer and we were only able to make it to the harbor. That being said, the harbor is a nice pleasant area that we easily spent a couple hours wandering around. You could easily spend a full day on an excursion to some of the historical areas around Crete.
Another hop on - hop off excursion. We enjoyed exploring Mdina, a historic walled city in the center of Malta. Remember to know how far away you are from port and how long it takes to get back with the bus system. We were lucky to catch the final bus back to port.
We attended The Godfather excursion provided by the cruise ship. Although not avid fans of the movie, we enjoyed the locations and history explained on the tour. We were also lucky to be in Forza D'Agro at noon, where the church plays Ave Maria for the entire town to hear. It was a lovely experience.
We did a private excursion of Naples, Pompeii, Positano, and Sorrento. There is so much is to be said about Pompeii, but you have to see it in person. The drive along the Amalfi coast is stunningly gorgeous. If you have time to make it to a town along the coastline, i highly recommend it.
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