Three Continents Mediterranean Cruise

Note: Flights may not be available on all departures.

You can find more details on the Before You Depart page.

Welcome to Athens, the capital of Greece! Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive program will be met and transferred to our conveniently located hotel. This evening we'll enjoy a welcome dinner together.

Our guided morning tour takes us to the famed Acropolis, a must-see UNESCO World Heritage site described as the “most striking and complete ancient Greek monumental complex still existing in our times.” We'll see the stunning Parthenon, dedicated to Athena, the Erechtheum with its graceful Porch of Caryatids, and the ruins of the Temple of Zeus before descending the Acropolis for a panoramic drive past the Royal Palace, government buildings and elegant homes of modern Athens. We'll enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore Athens independently. Consider exploring Plaka, Athen's lively old town which is located within easy walking distance of our hotel.

Today we can enjoy some time to explore the city independently or take an optional cooking class. Later, we'll board our ship, the Celestyal Journey. This will start our incredible journey through Eastern Mediterranean with a visit to Europe, Asia and Africa to visit some of the world's most celebrated monuments inclduing the pyramids of Giza and ancient Ephesus.

We'll spend the day at sea as we make our way to Egypt. We can enjoy some of the ship's on-board activities and amenities.

Early this morning we'll disembark, for our full-day excursion to Giza and Cairo by motor coach. Our first stop is the Great Pyramids of Giza, which stand as testament to the skill and strength of their builders. We'll continue down the valley to the mighty Sphinx, which famously combines a reclining lion with the head of an Egyptian king. After a delicious lunch buffet, we'll drive to Tahrir Square (Liberty Square) in the heart of downtown Cairo. At the National Archaeological Museum we'll acquaint ourselves with Egypt's ancient history spanning over fifty centuries. This museum is home to the world's largest and richest collection of Egyptian Antiquities, including the priceless collection of King Tutankhamun. At the Papyrus Institute we'll learn how Ancient Egyptians made paper from reeds before we return to our ship in Port Said.

Early this morning, we'll disembark in Ashdod for our full-day excursion to Jerusalem and Bethlehem which includes the Mount of Olives and the Church of Gethsemane. We'll also explore the Old City of Jerusalem, including the colorful market and the Holy Sepulcher before proceeding back to the market and the Via Dolorosa to the Wailing Wall in the Jewish Quarter followed by Mount Zion. We'll continue to Bethlehem, the city of David and Jacob and to the Church of the Nativity before we return to our ship docked in Ashdod.

Today, we'll enjoy free time in Limassol, home to the Cyprus medieval Museum and a short drive from the iconic Aphrodite's Rock and Crusader castle at Kolossi. We can explore Limassol independently or join an optional excursion

This morning, we'll disembark in Rhodes and travel to Lindos. Along the way, we'll come across the captains' mansions built between the 16th and 18th centuries and in the center of the village, the Church of the Virgin Mary (Panagia) of Lindos with its 15th-century frescoes. We'll ascend to the Acropolis of Lindos with its ancient Temple of Athena, of Doric order, built in 300 BCE on the location of an older monument. The ancient city-state of Lindos was for many centuries, the most important on the island with its heyday in the 6th century BCE. At the old city of Rhodes, we'll go through the D'Amboise Gate to walk on the Street of Knights. Along this street we'll find the residences of the Knights, separated according to Order, which bear their corresponding crests. This afternoon is at leisure.

This morning we find ourselves in Kusadasi where we'll disembark for a morning excursion to ancient Ephesus. At the archaeological site we'll have a guided tour among the Agora, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the marble-paved main street of Kouretes, the Baths of Scholastica, Trajan's Fountain, the Public Latrines, the Residences of the Patricians, the Prytaneum, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Great Theatre built in the 4th century BCE which could accommodate 24,000 spectators. During our excursion we'll have an opportunity to shop for souvenirs. This afternoon is at leisure.

This morning, we'll say goodbye to our crew as we disembark in Athens and depart for our final full-day tour. First, we'll visit a Greek family's olive oil grove where we'll tour the inside of their olive mill and enjoy a tasting of award-winning oil accompanied with fresh bread, bruschetta and a small Greek salad. The family's goal is to share with their guests how to identify a high quality extra virgin olive oil. We'll continue to Nafplio, a picturesque town nestled at the foot of a cliff which is crowned by the mighty ramparts of the Palamidi Fortress. We'll enjoy free time for lunch and to explore the Old Town. We'll return to Athens this evening to check in at our hotel and have a farewell dinner.

Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive package will transfer to the airport for our return flight to the U.S.