Telegraph: Praise for Greece in Eastern Mediterranean cruise guide

British newspaper Telegraph includes bas a prominent destination in its recently published eastern Mediterranean cruise guide with tips on itineraries, ports including Athens, Israel, Crete and Istanbul and excursions.

According to the guide, Eastern Mediterranean has been a cradle of civilisation and trade for centuries, which extends from the southern reaches of the Adriatic through the Ionian Sea to the Aegean, the Turkish coast and, farther south, the shores of Israel and Lebanon – represents the greatest concentration of historical interest in the cruising world.

Mediterranean cruises

Take a voyage through this fascinating region and it’s possible to check off Jerusalem, Athens, Istanbul, Olympia and Ephesus in one trip. More intricate journeys may take in the Corinth Canal, the Palace of Knossos on Crete, the castle of the Knights of St John on Rhodes, the vast monastery of St John on Patmos and the temples of Delos.

But this is also a region of great natural beauty and a cruise offers an easy way to appreciate the contrasts between the sheer, jet-black cliffs of volcanic Santorini and the softer hills and cypress groves of Ionian shores, or the brilliant aquamarine waters along Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. Although most cruisers visit with culture in mind, it is easy to mix beach days with sightseeing – well advised in the heat of the summer.

Main departure ports

Athens and Istanbul serve as two of the main departure ports for cruises operating in this region.However, amid safety concerns following January’s explosion in Istanbul, a number of cruise lines (Crystal, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises) have suspended port calls to Izmir, Kusadasi and Istanbul, replacing them with ports in Greece (see gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for safety advice and check with your cruise line before booking).

Many ships also sail south-east from Rome or Venice, or from even further afield on longer voyages.

A rule of thumb is that the smaller the ship, the more diverse the itinerary. The biggest vessels circulate between the major ports – Istanbul, Kusadasi, Athens, Rhodes, Santorini and Venice – checking off the “bucket list” sights. Smaller ships mix the major attractions with some of the lesser-known Greek islands or smaller ports on the Turkish coast, often allowing longer in port or unobtrusive moorings in the prettier harbours.

The far eastern reaches of the Mediterranean – Alexandria (for Cairo), Haifa and Ashdod (for Jerusalem and Galilee) – are high on many cruisers’ priority lists, but are also subject to political volatility. Cruise lines including Royal Caribbean International, Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises and Holland America Line are featuring Israel in 2016. Others, including Cunard and Silversea, call there on their worldwide itineraries. Azamara features the Israeli coast on a 17-night Petra and Eilat voyage, departing in May. Starting in Mumbai, the cruise also visits Oman.

When to travel

Peak season for the eastern Mediterranean is June to September, but July and August, the busiest months, are not necessarily the best as temperatures are punishing in Greece and Turkey, and tourist crowds can be overwhelming. However, May and June are particularly pleasant, as is mid-September onwards, right up until November. Cruises are operated year-round by MSC and Costa; both use big, modern ships with plenty of activities available on board in the event of cooler weather. If you like the idea of visiting the Acropolis of Athens in winter sunshine and practically having the place to yourself, these cruises could be the answer.

How to book

There are lots of Mediterranean cruises, so discounts will be offered as departure dates loom. But bear in mind that berths on ships popular with American travellers – for example, those operated by lines such as Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises – are snapped up quickly because Americans tend to book early. Many cruises are sold without flights, so be aware of busy or expensive times if you are arranging your own – and book as far ahead as possible.

Which ship?

All the large cruise lines operate in the eastern Mediterranean, from Royal Caribbean International to Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises to Cunard. Year-round operators Costa and MSC often have good deals in winter. An 11-night round trip from Genoa with MSC (020 3426 3010; msccruises.co.uk), departing February 21 2016, calls at Katakolon, Piraeus (for Athens), Rhodes, Haifa, Heraklion and Civitavecchia (for Rome); from £599 per person, including flights.

Norwegian Cruise Line (0845 201 8900; ncl.co.uk) will return to Israel for the first time since 2013 with an eight-day Eastern Mediterranean and Holy Lands sailing round-trip from Istanbul aboard Norwegian Star, departing on October 23 2016. Two 11-night sailings on Norwegian Spirit will depart in November 2016 and April 2017, respectively, visiting ports including Venice, Zadar (in Croatia), Istanbul and Heraklion (in Crete).

The intimate yachts operated by SeaDream (0800 783 1373; seadream.com) are small enough to transit the Corinth Canal, and Silversea (0844 251 0837; silversea.com) has two ships, Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, which will also visit the Corinth this summer. Luxury lines sail the region in summer, too, among them Silversea, Azamara (0844 493 4016; azamaraclubcruises.co.uk) and Seabourn (0843 373 2000; seabourn.com), which offers a 14-day Grecian Splendours and Adriatic itinerary from Istanbul to Venice, departing June 4 2016, from £5,299 per person excluding flights. It combines the contrasts of Limnos, a Greek island close to the Turkish coast; Spetses and Santorini; and Dubrovnik in Croatia.

The eastern Mediterranean is rich in opportunities for in-depth cultural cruises from lines such as Swan Hellenic, Voyages to Antiquity, Voyages of Discovery and Noble Caledonia. Claire Bloom, the British actress who starred in The King’s Speech, will be on board Voyages to Antiquity’s (01865 302550; voyagestoantiquity.com) Greek islands and Turkey cruise departing September 13 2016. She will do readings and recitations of some classical pieces relevant to the itinerary and share career highlights (from £2,545 per person). Swan Hellenic (01858 898680; swanhellenic.com) offers the chance to see the monasteries of Meteora, and there is an overnight in Kusadasi to make the most of a visit to ancient Ephesus, with its library, theatre and Roman houses.

New for 2016, Celestyal Cruises (0030 210 4583400; celestyalcruises.com), which places an emphasis on local food, has a week-long round trip from Izmir (with several departures in May). Its new ship, Nefeli, will call at Mytilini, Athens (Lavrion), Nafplion, Syros, Chania, Cesme, Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes. From Nafplion, passengers can visit the Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus and Mycenae, one of the greatest settlements of the Mycenaean civilisation.

Shore excursions

The eastern Mediterranean packs in the big attractions and some, such as Ephesus and Olympia, are best visited on an organised excursion, purely because they involve a coach journey from the port and benefit from a good guide. Other places of interest are easy to explore independently. Santorini, for example, has a good bus network for trips to the whitewashed village of Oia, which offers the best views of the island’s dramatic caldera. Rhodes Town, with its medieval architecture, is a stone’s throw from the cruise-ship dock and easy to wander around.

In midsummer, it’s best to mix and match; book a couple of tours and plan some beach days in between or the heat will prove exhausting. Excursion companies such as Viator (viatour.com) and the recently launched Tripashore (tripashore.com) often undercut cruise-line prices (and collect you at the dock at most Mediterranean ports), but be aware that if you don’t get back on time the ship won’t wait. Don’t forget the evenings, when some ports and attractions come into their own. On Azamara’s cruise, for example, there will be an evening of Bedouin music and dance at Wadi Rum, in Jordan.

Safety and health advice

The situation in the region is fluid: check Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice (gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice). Sunburn and dehydration can pose a health risk in the Mediterranean, so take plenty of bottled water on tours. Avoid sightseeing between noon and 3pm, use sunscreen and wear a hat. If a taxi doesn’t have a meter, agree the price before you set off and make sure you have a way of getting back to port.

Getting there

Some cruise lines offer flight-inclusive cruises, using scheduled flights or chartered aircraft to reach departure ports such as Venice. Thomson Cruises (0871 230 2800; thomson.co.uk/cruise) is good for regional departures, with charters from about 20 UK airports. If you’re going it alone, the main gateway ports for the eastern Mediterranean are Athens, Istanbul and Venice, served by a range of airlines, from British Airways (0844 493 0787; ba.com) to easyJet (easyjet.com).

Before you go

The Middle Sea: A History of the Mediterranean by John Julius Norwich (Vintage Books) presents a comprehensive history of the region. Or try The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean by David Abulafia (Oxford University Press).

Top tips

Keep an eye on the situation in Athens, where the taxi drivers are prone to regular strikes and often blockade the port. This may be one embarkation point where it’s advisable to book a transfer through the cruise line, as it is then responsible for getting you to the ship.

In the Aegean, try to take time out to have lunch in a local taverna. Even the most expensive cruise ships can’t replicate the freshness of a Greek tomato salad or the succulence of fish landed that very morning.

Look for cruises with overnights in port or late departures. Sunset and later is when eastern Mediterranean ports come to life, as the heat of the day fades and locals take an evening stroll and an aperitif.

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