Visit five Greek destinations for just £79 a night – and that includes your beer and wine
TAKING a dip while sailing round the Med took on a whole new meaning onboard the Celestyal Olympia – thanks to a signature Greek dish.
I was swimming alright, in the scrumptious olive-based paste served in a pool of silky golden olive oil.
Our waiter immediately caught on that my friends and I couldn’t get enough of it, so just kept topping us up along with far too much warm, moreish bread for my calorie count.
Celestyal Cruises knows just how to make every guest feel special — and incredibly, this level of VIP treatment comes at a ridiculously cheap price.
The Greek cruise line has been helping travellers discover the very best of its islands and history for decades.
And now you can book a three-night cruise this summer taking in FIVE destinations from just £237 — including all your food, beer, wine and cocktails plus two excursions and all tips.
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Their ships may be older than the new all-singing gin palaces in the Med right now but the smaller size of Celestyal’s two liners, and warmth of the crew, make them ideal when the destination is more important.
I boarded the Celestyal Olympia in Athens last month to experience its Iconic Aegean cruise — a four-night sailing that took in the bucket-list islands of Mykonos and Santorini as well as pretty Patmos, Rhodes, Crete and Kusadasi in Turkey.
Sailing from Athens, we had just a few hours to explore the ship and unpack before arriving at our first port of call, Mykonos.
Thankfully, with a smaller ship — it takes no more than 1,600 passengers — it was easy to get your bearings.
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A former Royal Caribbean ship, it has just one main dining room as well as a buffet restaurant and pool deck grill serving up kebabs, burgers and fries.
There are four bars to enjoy the free beer, wine and cocktails and you can upgrade to enjoy fine wines and premium spirits.
My favourite bar was Argo with its gleaming brass and teak wood harking back to the sailing ships of old.
The ship has two lounges with fabulously retro decor. By night, there’s even more chance to soak up the Greek flavours with shows and live music.
Up on deck, we watched Athens disappear from view with a glass of wine at the al-fresco Helios bar, looking down on the main pool deck as fellow travellers took a dip while Greek music got us in the mood.
Just a few hours later and we were disembarking at Mykonos — a free shuttle bus to the old town meant we were soon exploring its maze of alleyways teeming with shops, restaurants and yet more bars.
But for that perfect Mykonos sunset, we grabbed a cab and headed for the 180 Bar — high above the town — for drinks and chilled tunes as the sky turned a glowing red.
Back onboard, the food in the main restaurant didn’t disappoint — served by our friendly waiters and with a great selection of top-notch dishes.
My tip — go for the authentic Greek suggestions from octopus keftedes (balls of deep fried octopus) to the oven-baked pasticcio, a Greek-style lasagne.
When it comes to bedding down for the night, cabins range from clean, compact interior ones to those with porthole or picture windows.
I boarded the Celestyal Olympia in Athens last month to experience its Iconic Aegean cruise — a four-night sailing that took in the bucket-list islands of Mykonos and Santorini as well as pretty Patmos, Rhodes, Crete and Kusadasi in Turkey.
GREEK HOSPITALITY
There are just nine balcony cabins on the ship but if you can splash out on these you’ll be rewarded with generous outside space and impeccable service.
Next morning, guests were up early as we docked in Kusadasi, Turkey, for the excursion to the ruins of Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Guides brought the port city to life.
Lunch onboard gave us time to rest weary legs as we sailed on to our second port of the day, Patmos, one of the smallest of the Dodecanese islands.
We again headed to the hills to admire the views, ending the day at the tiny Katoi cafe with a plate of their crisp, warm cheese pies to reward us for all that exertion!
A full day on the island of Rhodes came next with plenty of time to wander the streets of the Old Town, climb the fortress at Lindos or relax on the beach.
Santorini was the highlight of our final day — tenders ferry you to shore before you board the cable car for a hair-raising journey up the craggy cliffs to Fira with its jumble of whitewashed houses tumbling down the rocks.
There’s plenty of time for a stroll to discover the narrow alleyways of the town but find your seat early for the sunset over the caldera.
Arriving early in the season meant we weren’t battling crowds and strolled into the cliffside Enigma bar without a reservation.
Later in the season, you’ll need to book ahead but it was the perfect spot to watch the sun go down as we toasted our whistle-stop tour of the Greek islands.
What Celestyal may lack in glamour it more than makes up for in authentic Greek hospitality.
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It’s a great way to island hop with a cosy, comforting ship and crew to return to after days exploring fantastic destinations.
Jump onboard — and my tip is to ask for some of that fabulous olive dip at every opportunity!
GO: GREEK CRUISING
GETTING THERE: Fly into Athens to board Celestyal’s ships. British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 and Aegean all have regular services with prices from £39 return.
SAILING THERE: A three-night Iconic Aegean cruise this summer is from £237pp including full board, classic drinks package, two excursions and tips.
A four-night cruise is from £319ppp, based on two sharing an inside cabin.
Book by June 20 in Celestyal’s Big Summer Sale at celestyal.com or call 0800 411 8038.