Eastern Mediterranean Cruise

Santorini

Debra and I had talked about going to Europe for many years, and in early 2016 we finally turned talk into action - we made plans for a 15-day European holiday. We flew to Rome in May, and spent three days seeing the major sights, eating great Italian food, and soaking up the local culture. Then, we boarded the Celebrity Equinox for a 12-day cruise of the eastern Mediterranean. We sailed from Civitavechhia (the port city for Rome) to Barcelona, with seven port stops in Italy, Greece, and Turkey. It was a memorable cruise!

The Celebrity Equinox was the grandest ship that Debra and I had cruised on. Launched in 2009, the Equinox was the second of five "Solstice-class" ships in the Celebrity cruise line. It featured larger cabins, a grass lawn on deck 15, a two-story library, a living tree in the atrium, spa services by Canyon Ranch, a truly grand buffet, and more!

The itinerary was awesome: the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, and Sicily in Italy; Athens and the islands of Crete, Mykonos, and Santorini in Greece; and Kusadasi in Turkey. When I planned our cruise, I arranged private tours for four ports of call - luxury cars, itineraries tailored to what we wanted to see and do, and knowledgeable local guides. In two other ports we went on self-guided tours, which is to say that we got off the ship and wandered the walkable port towns on our own. And in one port, we went on an excursion through Celebrity. Every port, no matter how we explored it, had a rich history and beautiful scenery! Here are a handful of photos to whet your appetite - one from each port we visited.

This cruise - our first trip to Europe - was everything we had hoped for and more! And it set the stage for future trips to Europe: five from 2017 - 2019 and one planned for 2020.

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My Stories, One Port at a Time
I will post stories from each port of call, with a new story every month or so. ​

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Mykonos, The Island of the Winds

Debra and I were in Chora, the capital of Myknonos, a picturesque island in the Aegean Sea. We loved this quaint town with its cobble streets and whitewashed buildings. It was a magical day!

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Ancient City of Aptera

​Debra and I were on the Greek island of Crete, a one-day stop on our Mediterranean cruise. Early afternoon, we explored a diverse archaeological site, the ancient city of Aptera. It was awesome!

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Gateway to Ephesus

Debra and I never imagined we'd be in Turkey. And yet there we were, in Kusadasi. The House of the Virgin Mary, ancient city of Ephesus, Temple of Artemis, and more. It was a magical day!

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The Heart of the Mediterranean

Debra and I spent a day on the island of Sicily, the Heart of the Mediterranean. The Godfather. A medieval city. An active volcano. Mama Mia - it was an extraordinary day!

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