Crystal Cruise Rome to Athens

I was lucky enough to be awarded my first 6* cruise with Crystal Cruises. We embarked on the ship Crystal Serenity in Rome and she looked truly impressive on approach to the port of Civitivavecchia. Luckily there were another 6 Travel Counsellors and their partners as well as our hosts so we made a lovely group and all got to know each other during the cruise (cruising is great for groups of family or friends as you can meet up or not as you wish).

Our stateroom was very luxurious with a balcony and every thoughtful detail was to hand. Our cabin lady also introduced herself and said we could order 'anything' at anytime from her.

Our first stop the next morning was Sorrento and anchoring in the harbour made a picturesque scene to wake up to. We landed by tender (small boats to ferry you to shore) and Crystal laid on fresh coffee or tea at the harbour-side which made us feel very spoilt). With a personal Crystal minibus to take us up the very steep hill into town. After a browse through the shops we watched a local wedding couple arriving into the town square for their marriage ceremony which was a very special sight to see.

The next day we were at sea sailing towards Turkey and luckily the weather enabled us to spend a day by the pool. At Kusadasi port we watched the captain guide us in expertly and many disembarked to see the ancient site of Ephesus. Our next stop was Mykonos (small greek island) and with the deep blue sky the little port with it's white washed buildings was a sight to behold. The shops and restaurants here were super and the people most welcoming.

On the last evening we met for a farewell dinner and all the group really enjoyed their stay on Crystal Serenity. With its award winning speciality restaurant Nobu and the Italian Prego we really were spoilt for choice for dining options. We enjoyed the shows in the evening and had a flutter at the casino with a little dancing and sing along in the bars. It really was a great cruise.

I had booked an extra two nights in Athens, so although leaving our TC friends on the way to the airport we headed into the city. I did spend some time in Athens over 30 years ago so I was keen to see how things have changed. The Acropolis was still magnificent and the people welcoming. We climbed Lycabettus Hill on our last day and drank in the sight of the whole of Athens, a mad bustling city interspersed with monuments from ancient times- and I still loved it.