Have you ever wanted to ride a camel at the pyramids in Cairo, walk the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem and see the manger in Bethlehem?
Learn how to make Halloumi while exploring the streets of Cyprus, walk through ancient Ephesus and grab bargains at the leather markets in Turkey. Hike up the acropolis to the temple atop Lindos on Rhodes or watch the changing of the guard in Athens. This itinerary take you through ancient lands turned modern and unbelieveable, accessible World Heritage listed sites.
Celestyal Cruises can help you tick all those wishes off your bucket list, in one amazing week!
I have recently returned from a 7-night, 3-continent, 5-country, and 1-state cruise with Celestyal Cruises on board their ship Celestyal Crystal. Although it sounds like a head-spinning way to see so much in such a short time, it truly wasn’t rushed. We would go to bed in one country and wake in the next. There was no packing and unpacking our bags, no bustling airports or traffic jams to contend with, no issues with finding decent meals along the way, and no lack of time-out to relax. We were so well taken care of on board!
The back lanes of CyprusFrom Athens to Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Cyprus, Rhodes, Kusadasi, and back to Athens, it is an absolutely unique itinerary. I'm still fascinated that we were able to fit so much in! We visited three of the original seven wonders of the world: The Great Pyramid at Giza, the site of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and the site of the Colossus of Rhodes. Seeing Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Limassol was just an incredible bonus.
I have recently undergone major surgery and was recuperating from that and the follow-up treatments, so if the cruise was exhausting, I would be the first person to admit it. Instead, I was very well fed with delicious local foods (and our table was spoilt by our waiter, who made sure we had bowls of fries at every dinner sitting). We were well “watered” with delicious cocktails and a selection of international wines, entertained nightly with their onboard cabaret productions and escorted door-to-door from Celestyal Crystal to the major sites in each port. Each shore excursion was extremely well organised and we got to see and do so much in such a short period of time that I am still in awe that I am not in need of a holiday after it.
Having previously lived in Cairo I was looking forward to getting back there for the first time since the pandemic.
Though it was low season, it was extremely busy. The Pyramids area was packed with camel herders hawking their rides at every turn and tourists standing with gaping mouths, gob-smacked at the sheer size of the pyramids. No matter how often I have visited and led tour groups to Egypt, this reaction never ceases to amuse me! People are never prepared for their size when they finally see the pyramids in person.
 Reunited with the Pyramids |  Library of Celsus, Ephesus |  The Holy Sepulchre Church |  Temple of Athina, Lindos |
I was surprised at how busy Jerusalem and Bethlehem were, again for low season. However, it was 10 days before Easter which could explain the crowds during this Holy period, wanting to visit the Manger.
Visiting Cyprus we loved strolling through the beautiful village streets of Limassol, before going to the village of Lefkara, famous for its traditional lace-making/tapestry. We also stumbled across a local lady who makes a living from baking cookies that she hand-decorates with cross-stitch-looking icing - a little treasure! A lesson in making Halloumi cheese was also an unexpected highlight.
We woke up in Rhodes and spent the day on a tour to Lindos and wandering the old town. We hiked up the Acropolis to the site of the temple of Athina, before descending to the gorgeous village below, where we discovered the Captains House café & bar (Established 1642!). Make sure you seek it out if you ever visit Lindos!
Handmade Turkish Delight in Kusadasi (don't ever buy the boxes ... you need the fresh handmade version!)
Our last day of sightseeing was at Ephesus, about a 40-minute drive from Kusadasi port. An awe-inspiring historical site that you simply must visit! We followed this up with a visit to an eye-popping leather goods outlet for some shopping time, and ate our fill of fresh, handmade Turkish Delight!
The staff onboard the Celestyal Crystal were the best that I have ever experienced on any cruise.
This is a 4-star cruise, but the service standard was 6-star! By far the best staff I’ve ever had on any cruise line. I’m a CLIA Master (the highest Certification that can be achieved with the Cruise Lines International Association), so I've done many cruises! We were so well cared for, and nothing was too much trouble. The drinks packages were very reasonably priced, the shore excursions were real value-for-money, and the entertainment was wonderful and lively. While the cabins are looking a bit tired, Celestyal are already on top of this and are replacing the Crystal later this year.
Our travelling group with our dedicated table waiter, Harly.
All-in-all, I cannot recommend this cruise enough, and Celestyal is the one to do it for you! You’ll visit Greece, Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Cyprus, and Turkey and have a relaxed and fun time doing it all!
If you like the sound of this fabulous itinerary and want to experience it yourself, don't hesitate to learn more about my travel expertise, or get in touch for assistance.
