| Flag: | Date: | Port: | Comment: |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
19th August 2025 |
Athens Attica Greece |
Turn Around Day |
|
20th August 2025 |
Monemvasia Peloponnese Greece |
Two walks & one talk |
|
21st August 2025 |
Katakolon Peloponnese Greece |
Train ride to Olympia & one talk |
|
22nd August 2025 |
Souda Bay Crete Greece |
a.m. Cemetery p.m. Chania eve. One talk |
|
23rd August 2025 |
Santorini Cyclades Greece |
One walk No talk |
 |
24th August 2025 |
Bodrum Turkey |
Two walks One talk |
|
25th August 2025 |
Patmos Dodecanese Greece |
One walk One talk |
|
26th August 2025 |
Athens Greece |
Home by one a.m. |
| Flag: | Date: | Port: | Comment: |
I awoke just before my seven o'clock alarm, having slept for eight hours, ready for my decaff coffee pod from the brand new machine in my suite. I then had a continental style breakfast of ham and cheese on two seeded rolls in La Terrazza. I finished packing just after eight o'clock and left my old suite at 8:30.
I walked into Piraeus and descended to the new underground Metro station. I caught the train to Syntagma square, where I alighted. I photographed the outside of the numismatic coin museum, but it was closed on Tuesdays.
I shelled out €8 to go in the historical museum, which was housed in the former parliament building. The huge debating chamber was most impressive. The one sided exhibition on the Turkish invasion of Cyprus was interesting, but there was no coverage of the two British sovereign areas.
I walked via several old Byzantine churches to the Metropolitan cathedral, before catching the train back to the old overground Metro station in Piraeus. At the gangway my old ship's card was retained and I had to go to reception to get a new one.
At one o'clock I had another small puttanesca pizza to eat, with lots of glasses of sparkling water to drink. At two o'clock the suites were released and I found I had number 520 with a balcony, a sofa, a double king sized bed, a walk-in closet and a bathroom with both shower and bath. I then slept for half an hour, before enjoying my first decaff coffee pod of this second cruise.
During the afternoon, I had to work on my Oceania paperwork, which took an age. At six o'clock I squeezed in six lengths of the long, cool pool which I had to myself for a change. At 6:15 I moved along my new corridor to La Dolce Vita lounge where I had some potato chips (crisps) and a glass of sparkling water. However no solo travellers turned up at 6:30.
At 6:45 I moved down to the Atlantide Main Dining Room (MDR) to bag a sharing table. After one hour no other sharers materialised, so I had to dine alone. I began with the roasted tomato soup, the Chateaubriand beef and the no sugar added ice creams. I had just one glass of the Greek red wine to drink. The whole meal lasted two hours.
At 9:30 I went to the Welcome Aboard showtime Emotions. Early on in the show, new CD Tim introduced me to the audience as Martin Lewis! The show was the same as a week previously, with the addition of Sergei & Alicia the dance couple. I went to sleep just after eleven o'clock, having done twelve thousand steps, nearly equal to five miles of walking during the day.
I got up just after six o'clock, ready for my decaff coffee pod. Just after seven, I had a continental breakfast of ham, cheese and two seeded rolls al fresco a La Terrazza. I snuck on to the first tender away at 8:10 and walked the one mile to the old town. I had forgotten how enchanting the Greek Gibraltar was, it having been thirteen years since I was last here on the old Quest for a Denture.
I walked the length of the main street from the main gate to the east gate. I continued all the way to the lighthouse on the point. I doubled back along the lower path on top of the walls and walked back to the tender. The eleven o'clock departure left five minutes early which upset another guest and me. Instead I spent twenty minutes going around the new town. The 11:30 tender also left five minutes early, but this time I was on it.
Back at the ship I had a small, puttanesca pizza with green olives to eat and sparkling water to drink. I then slept for three quarters of an hour, before catching the two o'clock tender back ashore. Here I explored the extensive marina in the new town, but it was awfully hot, so I took the three o'clock tender back to the ship. I worked on my Katakolon presentation until 4:30 when I managed six lengths of the long, salt water pool. It was busy with foreign adults and no children, as had been the case the previous week. I dried off almost naked on my balcony with the fabulous view of Monemvasia: the Greek Gibraltar.
At 5:30 I went to the thirty five minute Future Cruise presentation begun by Marcello but given by Lexy. Afterwards Alex set me up and I left my Katakolon & Olympia photos running. At 6:30 I gave my thirty five minute talk on the port and the famous nearby archaeological site.
Afterwards I moved down to the Indochine restaurant for the Greek buffet. I was given a windows seat on a table for two, but dined alone. I began with the Greek salad, before continuing with the Greek buffet. I had various meats including some roast lamb. I finished with several different types of Greek Delight and two pieces of baklava. I had one glass of red wine from Santorini and one glass of sparkling water to drink.
At 9:30 I went to the Captain's Welcome cocktail party followed by the Limelight production show. They sang both "The Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" from the Lion King, along with other great show tunes. I went to sleep at eleven o'clock having done seventeen thousand steps, nearly equal to seven miles of walking during the day.
I awoke just before seven o'clock having slept for nearly eight hours. I had my usual continental breakfast in La Terrazza at 7:30. I had one glass of V8 vegetable juice with one of sparkling water. I left the ship at 8:10 and walked to the railway station. The little two carriage Bombardier diesel electric train left at 8:40 for the fifty five minute run via Pyrgos to Olympia.
I spent the morning walking around and taking photographs. I only went in one museum, the Ancient Technology one which features Arcimedes and his inventions. It didn't charge admission, so I shelled out €15 for their guide book as it had material on Syracuse, Arcimedes home town, which I shall be lecturing on next month. I had a one euro can of beer to drink, before catching the 13:10 train back to Katakolon.
At 14:15 I had another small puttanesca pizza as a late lunch, with just one glass of sparkling water to drink. I then slept for three quarters of an hour. I had my afternoon cup of decaff coffee from the pod machine sat on my balcony, as we had an early sailaway past TUI's Marella Explorer. I then worked on my Souda Bay presentation,
At 5:30 I did six lengths of the long, warm, salty swimming pool with only one other adult swimmer present. He was diving for a lost piece of jewellery, which he eventually found. At 6:20 Marcello finished his cruise spiel and I was able to get set up by Alex. I then gave my forty minute talk on Souda Bay: the Port for Chania.
At 7:30 I moved up to the Pool Grill where I had the snack starter, the Caesar salad and the filet Mignon cooked by me on the hot rock. The latter was accompanied by Bearnaise sauce, a vegetable skewer and a jacket potato with soured cream and bacon bits. I had no room for dessert al fresco a la piscina! I had two glasses of Chilean red wine, the best of this cruise so far, to drink.
At 8:30 I retired to my veranda suite to update this blog. At 9:30 I enjoyed the Kaleidoscope of Klassics production show for a second time. This time it was enchanced by the superb dancing of Sergei and Alicia. The show began with Robbie's "Let me entertain you" and finished with an Elton medley. There were famous songs by Elvis, Freddie & Tina amongst others along the way. I went to sleep at eleven o'clock, having done eleven thousand steps, equal to over four miles of walking during the day.
I awoke at 6:45 ready for my cup of decaff coffee from the pod machine. At 7:30 I had the full English breakfast with an egg muffin to eat al fresco a La Terrazza. The latter had a large pork pattie inside it as well. I had one glass of V8 vegetable drink and one of sparkling water to drink.
Just after eight o'clock I left our ship, which was berthed next to an Indian warship (INS Tamal). Crystal Symphony was berthed in our usual spot, so we were nearby at the ferry/military port. I walked two miles around the head of the bay to the Commonwealth War Graves, where I shed a tear or two.
Back at the ship, at 10:30 I had my second decaff coffee pod of the day, as I updated this blog. At 11:30 I had yet another small puttanesca pizza as an early lunch, I then slept for one hour. I then received details of my Oceania flights next month. They are flying me out to Istanbul one day early and flying me back from Trieste via Milan (LIN) and London City Airport (LCY). I have never flown via the last two places before!
I just managed to catch the two o'clock shuttle bus into Chania, but the new drop off spot was further out than before. I had just entered the Firkas fortress when the custodian started locking up. The same thing happened at the Great Arsenal building, but it was only 2:45 in the afternoon. I guess they wanted their siestas! I circled the Venetian harbour and followed the fortifications on the eastern side back to the Clock Tower new pick up point.
I caught the four o'clock shuttle bus back to the ship, where I had my third decaff coffee pod of the day. At 5:25 I did twelve half lengths of the pool, as an aqua aerobics class, with six ladies present, was taking place in the shallow end. I dried off, nearly naked on my balcony, where the temperature had reached 40 degrees C or 104 degrees F.
Lexy (Alexandra) finished her sales pitch at 6:05 so I was able to set up early with the help of Alex. At 6:30 I gave my forty minute talk on Santorini. I chatted to John the academic from Birmingham University both before and after the lecture.
At 7:30 I moved up to La Terrazza ristorante Italiano where I dined alone. I began with the antipasti plate designed for two people to share. I continued with a small lasagna. My main course was the Milanese veal chop, which I was able to gnaw to my heart's content. Next I had the Gorgonzola cheese plate followed by three chocolate pralines with a decaff cappuccino coffee. I had two glasses of the Valpolicella red wine to drink. At the end of the meal I felt bloated for the first time this cruise.
At 9:45 I adjourned to the pool deck for the party show time. They began with Hot Stuff, so I led off Electric Slide. One of the singers and two of the cruise staff joined in with me. Later on in the evening ACD Eleanor enticed me to join in the conga and at the end, when DJ Alex played YMCA, I joined in as usual. I went to sleep at 11:30 having done twenty one thousand steps, equal to over eight miles of walking during the day.
I got up at six o'clock ready for my first decaff coffee pod of the day. At seven o'clock I had my favourite Continental breakfast al fresco a La Terrazza. When my butler Lawrence came to replenish my supplies, I moved up to Tor's Observation Lounge named after Torstein Hagen the CEO of Viking Cruises. (All the Viking ocean cruise ships have a Manfredi's restaurant, named after Manfredi Lefebvre the former outright owner of Silversea cruises, a company founded by his father. He sold two thirds of his share in Silversea to the Royal Caribbean Group for about one billion dollars and subsequently bought the bankrupt Crystal Line of two cruise ships instead!)
At 9:30 I moved down to deck three, where the final tour was departing. The first independents tender didn't leave until ten o'clock. I shelled out €10 for the cable car up the cliff to the town of Fira. Here I headed north along the cliff top path past the Skaros fortlet to the limits of the town.
After one hour of walking, I had had enough and turned around to walk back slowly to the town centre. I descended the zig-zag donkey path to the quayside, where I caught the 1:30 tender back to the ship. Here I had another small puttanesca pizza, before sleeping for an hour. I was awoken by a call from my Pharmacist back in Westbourne.
I spent the afternoon updating my dated Kusadasi presentation ready for the Oceania Vista in a month's time. At 5:30 I did six lengths of the long, salty pool, over shadowed by the high cliffs of Santorini. I dried off nearly naked on my balcony facing the declining sun.
At 6:15 I went to La Dolce Vita lounge for the solo travellers, but no-one turned up as usual, except for two of the vocalists: Mariana from Portimao in Portugal and Ty (?) from South Africa. GRM Jason Muller said he would be putting me on the nine o'clock coach to the airport. At seven o'clock I moved down to the Indochine speciality restaurant for the Asian buffet. I dined alone with three wraps to begin, followed by a mixed grill of crispy duck, tikka chicken, beef and pork. I finished with three Asian desserts and a sweet milk shake drink. I had two glasses of the fine Chilean red wine to drink. I really shoudn't go to buffets as I always eat too much!
At 9:30 I went to ACD Eleanor's excellent Leading Ladies cabaret for a second time, but I had trouble staying awake. As before she sang songs by Judy, Barbra, Julie, Elaine, Doris, Edith and Celine; no need for surnames here. However she ended with the "Time to Say Goodbye" duet with one of the vocalists, which was different from her previous show. At the end she told me that I would be giving my Athens lecture at 5 pm on the last day, as there would be an early show that evening. I went to bed at 10:50 having done sixteen thousand steps, equal to over six miles of walking during the day.
I awoke at 6:30 ready for my usual decaff coffee pod from the brand new machine in my suite. As I leapt out of bed my right knee was painful, owing to the steep steps down the cliff the previous day. However the twinge immediately passed. Just after seven I had TWO eggs Benedict for breakfast.
I left the ship just after eight o'clock, walking along the prom into town and out the other side. I got to the famous cemetery after three miles of walking, before turning around. I turned up Hamam or Turkish Bath street to get to the site of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassas. It was three euros or 145 Turkish lira to get in, but there isn't much to see, with just a few scattered columns and steps. I turned left out of the Mausoleum and first right by a small mosque up hill to the bypass. Having raced across the dual carriageway, I came to the impressive Roman theatre which had free admission.
I retraced my steps to the prom and found a line of luxury minibuses at the old port entrance. I was the only passenger on the 11:10 departure, so I gave the driver a fifty Turkish lira note as a tip. Back at the ship at 11:30, I had yet another small puttanesca pizza to eat with several glasses of sparkling water to drink. I then slept for forty minutes.
At two o'clock I caught a full luxury minibus back into town. The Tourist Information Office (TIO) was still closed, as was the Maritime Museum for renovations. I explored the Bazaar, but the outdoor market wasn't operating on a Sunday. I found the bus station at the top end of the modern shopping street. I didn't quite make it to the covered market further up. I then walked back to the ship along the pretty promenade in the hot sun.
Back at the ship at four o'clock, I had my third decaff coffee pod of the day, whilst working on my laptop. It was not too hot out on my balcony, as it was now in the shade. At five o'clock I did six lengths of the cool, salty swimming pool in the hot sun. I dried off on my balcony nearly naked as usual.
At six o'clock Alex set me up and then, just before I started, CD Tim whispered that it might be too windy to tender. At 6:30 I gave my forty minute talk on Patmos: the Island of St John the Theologian. At 7:30 I went to La Terrazza ristorante Italiano where I was sat in the Captain's corner. I had the antipasti plate, a small spaghetti carbonara, the saltimbocca veal and the cassata Siciliana to eat. I had two glasses of the Piedmont red wine and one decaff cappuccino coffee to drink.
At nine o'clock the Captain had trouble departing from the pier at Bodrum due to the side wind. He needed a tug to pull us away. At 9:30 the Boogie Fever show commenced on the pool deck, but only lasted twenty five minutes. I watched it from the deck above, but when the disco started I retired. I went to sleep at eleven o'clock, having done over twenty four thousand steps, nearly equal to ten miles of walking during the day.
I awoke at seven o'clock ready for my decaff coffee pod, but didn't bother rushing. I sat out on my balcony until eight o'clock when the anchor went down, watching the slow sail past Patmos. The Captain came on to the blower to say that the wind would be getting up at three o'clock, so the last tender back to the ship would be at 1:30. I then had TWO eggs Royale, which they called eggs Norwegian, for breakfast in La Terrazza sat opposite the Captain. When Jesman and Lawrence were servicing the suite, I sat in Tor's Observation Lounge.
At 9:45 I sat on the embarkation corridor awaiting the last tours and the first independents tender ashore. I popped into the Tourist Information Office (TIO) and the new Post Office (PO), before recording my piece to camera in front of the central church in Plaka the Port of Patmos. I then began hiking up the steep, cobbled track to the Cave of the Apocalypse which took half an hour. I declined to go in, as I have visited it previously. I continued to the hilltop town of (c)Hora, which took another half hour, where I went in the smaller of the two monasteries. I circled the huge, fortified monastery of St John the Theologian, but again didn't go in, as I have done so previously.
At noon I started back down the road, rather than the cobbled track, hitch hiking as I went. I was soon picked up by two young, Italian girls in a hire car who whizzed me down to the port. I caught the 12:15 tender back to the ship, where a seafood buffet had been laid out around the pool. I had two king crab half legs and one lobster half as my starter, followed by my sixth small puttanesca pizza of the cruise. I then dozed for an hour, before having my second decaff coffee pod of the day, thus missing the dance class.
At three o'clock, wearing my Greek outfit, Alex set me up, ready for me to give my thirty five minute lecture on Athens. Back in my cabin, I had my third decaff coffee pod of the day to drink out on my balcony, but feeling the occasional sea spray. I then worked on my laptop.
At 5:15 I went up to the pool deck, but the water was slooshing about too much, so I abandoned the idea of a swim. Instead I finished my packing. At 6:15 I went to the early MoTown show time with the four vocalists, the four musicians and the two dancers. This new configuration was a big improvement on the previous four Voices of Silversea singing to backing tracks with no dancers.
Afterwards I moved up to the pool grill, where I had the taster starters, a Caesar salad and a filet Mignon steak cooked by me on the hot rock. The latter came with a jacket potato loaded with soured cream and bacon bits, with a marinated vegetable skewer and some Bearnaise sauce. I finished with two small scoops of pistachio ice cream to eat. The red wine was Billi Billi from Australia. Back in my suite, I watched my Athens talk on the telly, before updating this blog. I went to sleep just after ten o'clock, having done nearly thirteen thousand steps, equal to over five miles of walking during the morning.
I got up at 6:15 fifteen minutes before my alarms. Just after seven o'clock, I had TWO eggs Benedict al fresco a La Terrazza, as the sun came up over Piraeus harbour. I was sat behind John, who had taught at Birmingham University, with his wife and two daughters. They were spending a few days in Athens, before flying back to Perth in Western Australia. On the way out of the restaurant, a gentleman congratulated me on my lectures. He had not got in to King's College London (KCL), so had read geology at Liverpool University instead.
I left my veranda suite at eight o'clock and departed the ship at 8:45 with pink luggage tags. At the gangway, I said goodbye to International Hostess Reina and on the quayside CD Tim shook hands with me. We then caught the nine o'clock coach to Athens airport.
The run along the coast took just over one hour and I found a stool with a power outlet behind a snack bar. Here I updated this blog and downloaded some screenshots from my Samsung phone, whilst slowly recharging it. At 12:30 my flight appeared on the screens and I was able to print out my boarding pass and bag sticker. I then had to queue for fifteen minutes at the bag drop, which itself was quick. The lady said that next time I could go to the Aegean desks with green lights and deposit my bag myself.
I then popped outside to sit in the cooling sea breeze as I drank a can of regular Coca Cola from my minibar. Security only took ten minutes and I then found a seat with a view of the runway and a power outlet. I was able to work on my Kusadasi presentation ready for my Oceania cruise in October.
At 2:30 I was notified by email from Aegean Airlines of my gate number, so I moved just a few gates down the hallway, where I was able to reconnect to the power supply. The plane was late arriving, but they turned around quickly. We were only twenty minutes late taking off and only ten minutes late landing in Munich.
The window seat next to me was empty, so I moved into it and the little boy sat in the aisle seat moved into my old seat, so that his father could join him. I had apple juice to drink and a cheeese and turkey pastry to eat. We also had a little Greek nougat bar. I spent the flight playing Hearts & Freecell, whilst watching the moving map on one of the mobile phones. I had a good view of the Athenian suburbs and the Alps, which were almost snow free after a hot summer.
I had a ten minute walk at Munich airport, but had some questions to answer for the passport official. I told him that we had twice visited Turkey outside the Schengen area in the last two weeks, but got no stamps in our passports! The airport was deserted, so I had no trouble getting to my next gate and plugging into a power socket.
We took off nearly on time and arrived in LHR after an hour and a half with a full plane. We got given a small bar of Lindt chocolate and a small bottle of water. There were enormous queues of Asians at the passport lines, but the electronic gates were empty, so I breezed through. My case came through quickly and I walked to the coach station.
There were two Poole coaches listed: 21:40 by FlixBus and 21:50 by National Express. I chose the former, but it went via SoToN which the NE one didn't. The M3 was closed at the new A34 junction, so we had a slow diversion. The other coach finally caught us up on the Wessex way into BoMoH. I finally caught a taxi home, just before one o'clock in the morning.
Another fabulous cruise, the highlights being:
*
My second visit to Monemvasia after thirteen years.
*
The train ride to and from Olympia.
*
The walk to the Commonwealth War Graves at Souda Bay.
*
The clifftop walk on Santorini.
*
My first visit to Bodrum in Turkey.
*
The hike to the Cave of the Apocalypse and the Monastery of St John the Theologian on Patmos.
1) "Katakolon: the Port for Olympia" 2) "Souda Bay: the Port for Chania on Crete" 3) "Santorini: the Blue & White Island of Saint Irene" 4) "Patmos: the Island of Saint John the Theologian" 5) "Athens: Capital of Greece"
1) "Monemvasia: the Greek Gibraltar" 2) "Bodrum: Formerly Halicarnassas"
Who Was Who:
Cruise Director (CD): Tim Donovan, ex Princess Cruises, from Sydney. Assistant Cruise Director (ACD): Eleanor Hutchinson from Hull Guest Relations Manager (GRM): Jason Muller Future Cruise Consultants: Marcello & Lexy International Hostess: Reina from Lebanon Steward: Jesman from India (€15 tip) Butler: Lawrence from Zimbabwe
209 Cruises
55 Cruise ships (see below)
16 Cruise lines (see below)
7 Night cruise
7 Restaurants
(MDR, Indochinie, La Terrazza, Pool Grill,
Spaccanapoli, La Dame & Silver Note)
6 Ports of call
6 Puttanesca pizzas
5 Greek ports
5 Destination lectures
(Katakolon, Chania, Santorini, Patmos & Athens)
4 Vocalists
4 Band members (Keys, 2 Guitars & Drums)
3 Continental breakfasts
3 Beef dinners
2 Dancers (Alicia & Sergei)
2 Nightclub singers
2 Pianists
2 Stage Managers (Alex & Dante)
2 Days off
2 Veal dinners
2 Eggs Benedict
2 Indochine buffets
2 Hot Rocks dinners
2 Countries (Greece & Turkey)
2 Peloponnese ports (Monemvasia & Katakolon)
1 Cycladic port (Santorini)
1 Cretan port (Souda Bay)
1 Dodecanese port (Patmos)
1 New Turkish port (Bodrum)
1 Veranda suite (520)
1 Cooked breakfast
1 Eggs Royale
1 Lamb dinner
0 Tours escorted (my choice)
* Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines * Saga Shipping Company * Voyages of Discovery * Seabourn (Carnival) * Princess (Carnival) * Cunard (Carnival) * P&O (Carnival) * Silversea (RCCL) * Celebrity (RCCL) * Regent Seven Seas (NCL) * Oceania (NCL) * Marella (TUI) * Ambassador * Azamara * Crystal * Viking
Black Prince Black Watch Borealis Boudicca Balmoral Braemar Bolette Silver Whisper Silver Spirit Silver Wind Silver Muse Silver Moon Silver Dawn Celebrity Silhouette Celebrity Solstice Celebrity Eclipse Celebrity Edge Celebrity Apex Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Saturn Saga Rose Saga Ruby Saga Sapphire Saga Pearl II Quest for Adventure Spirit of Adventure (Old SofA) Spirit of Adventure (New SofA) Spirit of Discovery Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) Queen Elizabeth (QE) Queen Victoria (QV) Queen Mary 2 (QM2) P&O Arcadia P&O Aurora P&O Oriana P&O Iona Oceania Sirena Oceania Marina Oceania Riviera Azamara Quest Azamara Journey Crystal Symphony Crystal Serenity Seabourn Odyssey Seabourn Sojourn Ambassador Ambience Ambassador Ambition Regent Seven Seas Mariner Regent Seven Seas Splendor Sapphire Princess Caribbean Princess Marella Explorer VoD Discovery