Egypt & Adriatic:Rhodes Overnight, Olympia & Crete Cruise

Day 1 - Athens

Arrive: Wed 01 October 2025 / Depart: Wed 01 October 2025 at 15:00

No modern metropolis is more steeped in myth than Athens, Greece. From the gritty port of Piraeus—gateway to Greece’s fabled isles—to the Parthenon—eternal symbol of Western civilization—Athens has attracted adventurers and classicists for centuries. This heritage is still very much alive for modern visitors sightseeing in Athens: ancient stadiums and temples dwell alongside apartment blocks, modern performances are staged in the marble amphitheaters where Greek drama was born and millennia-old monuments are scattered in the archaeological park that circles the Acropolis. One of the world’s oldest maritime powers, Athens is blessed with a balmy climate and stunning coastline. The seaside suburbs of Athens are scalloped with sandy beaches, fancy yacht clubs and glamorous beach bars. While the Athenian lifestyle is known for late-night dinners and dancing until dawn, the city shines brightly by day in the bustling markets, lively cafés and fascinating museums that illuminate Greece's past and present. Contemplate the magnitude of all that culture and ancient tourist attractions while marveling at the sun setting into the Aegean or rising over the Acropolis.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Alexandria

Arrive: Fri 03 October 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 03 October 2025 at 19:00

Haggle for handcrafted jewelry in Khan el-Khalili, Cairo’s giant souk. Hear the call to prayer. Venture out to Giza, where the iconic pyramids and sphynx testify to the glory that was ancient Egypt.

Day 4 - Limassol

Arrive: Sat 04 October 2025 at 13:00 / Depart: Sat 04 October 2025 at 19:00

On the island's south coast, Limassol is very much in the Greek sector of Cyprus. Nearby crusaders' castles, Greco-Roman ruins, olive groves and vineyards all speak to a lifestyle that is intrinsically Hellenic, and wizened lacemakers weave the traditions of their ancestors into their detailed work.

Day 5 - Ashdod, Israel

Arrive: Sun 05 October 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 05 October 2025 at 23:00

Jerusalem is one of the world’s most fabled cities, with an extraordinary history. Travelers today can’t help but be struck by the overwhelming sense of antiquity and the powerful feeling of being in the midst of more than 26 centuries of civilization. At countless sites, the city’s layers are peeled away and exposed. The spiritual heart of Judaism, the Western Wall is the last remnant of the Temple of Jerusalem. For Christian travelers—or those interested in the early days of Christianity—visiting the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Garden of Gethsemane are unforgettable experiences. For the third great monotheistic religion, Islam, Jerusalem is also a holy city. The Al Aqsa Mosque, the third most important holy site of that faith, is located on the Temple Mount, the holiest site of Judaism. Much of the magic of Jerusalem, however, is that it’s also a living vibrant city. As you make your way to its landmarks, you’ll pass through neighborhoods bustling with Israelis, Palestinians and travelers and pilgrims from every corner of the globe. William Faulkner’s famous phrase, “The past isn’t dead. It isn’t even past,” describes the experience of Jerusalem perfectly as it continues its role as a unique cultural crossroads to this day.

Day 6 - Haifa

Arrive: Mon 06 October 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 06 October 2025 at 23:00

From this port on the slopes of Mt. Carmel travel to Nazareth, home of the young Jesus. And visit the land of miracles--Galilee, the Jordan River, the Mount of the Beautitudes and Tabgha.

Day 7 - At Sea

Day 8 - Rhodes

Arrive: Wed 08 October 2025 at 08:00

Rhodes, set behind impregnable 14th-century walls, invites you to navigate through crooked streets to shop for sea sponges and visit the gorgeous Palace of the Grand Masters from where the Knights of St John set out on the Crusades. Tour to the village of Lindos and climb to the Acropolis. Look down and you'll see where St Paul landed, as well as the rocky peninsulas where many believe the Colossus of Rhodes once stood. This 110-foot-tall statue of Helios was destroyed by an earthquake, and its remains were melted down by the Arabs for scrap metal.

Day 9 - Rhodes

Depart: Thu 09 October 2025 at 16:00

Rhodes, set behind impregnable 14th-century walls, invites you to navigate through crooked streets to shop for sea sponges and visit the gorgeous Palace of the Grand Masters from where the Knights of St John set out on the Crusades. Tour to the village of Lindos and climb to the Acropolis. Look down and you'll see where St Paul landed, as well as the rocky peninsulas where many believe the Colossus of Rhodes once stood. This 110-foot-tall statue of Helios was destroyed by an earthquake, and its remains were melted down by the Arabs for scrap metal.

Day 10 - Kusadasi

Arrive: Fri 10 October 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 10 October 2025 at 23:00

Kusadasi in Turkey is the gateway to one of the most legendary cities of the ancient world: Ephesus. St. Paul preached in its Great Theater, while the facade of the Celsus Library survives as a testament to the city’s role as a center of learning and culture. Not far from Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis (also known as the Temple of Diana), one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, once stood, drawing pilgrims from around the Mediterranean. While it no longer stands, it is possible to walk amongst its foundations and the remains of its towering columns. Other historic sites can also be found nearby: The House of Mary is believed to be the home of Jesus’s mother at the end of her life, and the Basilica of St. John, constructed in the 6th century, marks the location of his tomb. (Like Mary, he spent his final years in Ephesus.) Nearby, the Selcuk fortress reflects the period of Byzantine and Ottoman control of the region. From ancient wonders to holy sites, there are few ports in the Mediterranean as magical as Kusadasi, and a day here is a day spent in the company of some of antiquity's greatest figures.

Day 11 - At Sea

Day 12 - Athens

Arrive: Sun 12 October 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 12 October 2025 at 16:00

No modern metropolis is more steeped in myth than Athens, Greece. From the gritty port of Piraeus—gateway to Greece’s fabled isles—to the Parthenon—eternal symbol of Western civilization—Athens has attracted adventurers and classicists for centuries. This heritage is still very much alive for modern visitors sightseeing in Athens: ancient stadiums and temples dwell alongside apartment blocks, modern performances are staged in the marble amphitheaters where Greek drama was born and millennia-old monuments are scattered in the archaeological park that circles the Acropolis. One of the world’s oldest maritime powers, Athens is blessed with a balmy climate and stunning coastline. The seaside suburbs of Athens are scalloped with sandy beaches, fancy yacht clubs and glamorous beach bars. While the Athenian lifestyle is known for late-night dinners and dancing until dawn, the city shines brightly by day in the bustling markets, lively cafés and fascinating museums that illuminate Greece's past and present. Contemplate the magnitude of all that culture and ancient tourist attractions while marveling at the sun setting into the Aegean or rising over the Acropolis.

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - Corfu

Arrive: Tue 14 October 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 14 October 2025 at 17:00

Fortresses flank your entrance to this most beautiful of the Ionians. Lose yourself in the Venetian old town or head north for dramatic seascapes. Sample shore excursion: Achillion Palace & Private Villa.

Day 15 - Dubrovnik

Arrive: Wed 15 October 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 15 October 2025 at 17:00

On the southern end of Croatia's Adriatic coast, Dubrovnik staked its claim to glory during the 450 years it existed as the independent Ragusan Republic, shoulder to shoulder with mighty forces like Venice and the Ottoman Empire. Once a renowned seafaring, shipbuilding and trading center, today it's an enchanting tourist destination. Dubrovnik seduces sightseeing visitors with its polished (and very clean!) limestone streets, theatrical architecture, charming café, welcoming restaurants and distinctive shops along scenic side streets. The natural backdrop, much of which is protected, consists of pine and cypress forests and the shimmering Adriatic, dotted with uninhabited islands. Visitors quickly discover that the wider Dubrovnik area is just as striking as its main attraction—the Old Town. A wander around the historic heart of Dubrovnik can hit the main sights, but take it a step further (or a staircase further, really), and you'll see that people do still live in the historic quarter, even though its polished streets make it look like a museum. You may catch the sound of a piano from the High School of Music and Arts, or hear the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra rehearsing in the Revelin Fortress, or encounter school kids on a break. Life unrolls as you stroll past.

Day 16 - Split

Arrive: Thu 16 October 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 16 October 2025 at 15:00

In Croatia, the Old Town of Split wraps around the luxurious palace where the Roman emperor Diocletian lived out his last days after abdicating in AD 305. Today, this remarkable white limestone palace, a UNESCO Site, awaits your discovery. Part luxurious villa, part military camp, the palace is enclosed by imposing walls and connected by roads linking the eastern Silver Gate with the Iron Gate to the west. Within: an octagonal domed mausoleum, temples and a monumental court accessing the imperial apartments.

Day 17 - Venice (Trieste)

Arrive: Fri 17 October 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 17 October 2025 at 20:00

Trieste is the capital city of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in northeast Italy. A port city, it occupies a thin strip of land between the Adriatic coast and Slovenia’s border on the limestone-dominated Karst Plateau. Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Slovenian influences are all evident in its layout, which encompasses a medieval old city and a neoclassical Austrian quarter.

Day 18 - At Sea

Day 19 - Sarande

Arrive: Sun 19 October 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 19 October 2025 at 16:00

While travelers have been visiting the Albanian Riviera since antiquity, the region is, with reason, often described as up-and-coming. Long overlooked because of Albania's political isolation from the rest of Europe, this 80-kilometer (50-mile) stretch of the northern Ionian Sea has seaside towns and stunning blue waters that visitors are now rediscovering. Strange concrete pillboxes are still visible, but other vestiges of the Communist era are thankfully fading away. The southern anchor of this coast is Sarandë, whose ancient inhabitants were said to be the descendants of the ancient Greek hero Achilles. Today, the city has become a proverbial boomtown, with the population tripling in summer. Less than 10 miles from the popular Greek tourist island of Corfu, Sarandë now sees plenty of day-trippers coming over on the short ferry ride. With a smooth horseshoe curve to its waterfront, and with fine palm-lined promenades upon which young honeymooners stroll, one wonders: What took so long? Like a mini San Francisco, the city is built around a series of stairs that lead from the top of the hill, dominated by a castle, down to the seafront. Its easy access to the sea helps explain the city’s reputation for serving excellent, fresh seafood. Sarandë is also a convenient base from which to visit a plethora of ancient ruins and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Day 20 - Katakolon

Arrive: Mon 20 October 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 20 October 2025 at 16:00

In the quiet of the original Olympic stadium, where the torch was first lit and the winners were crowned with a laurel wreath, let your imagination run. Step into the ruined archives of Greek mythology at the Temple of Zeus—one of the few remaining Wonders of the Ancient World.

Day 21 - Chania, Crete

Arrive: Tue 21 October 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 21 October 2025 at 16:00

The port of Souda on the Aegean Sea is home to a Greek and NATO naval base and is located six kilometers (three miles) from Chania—the second-largest city on Crete, which itself is the largest of the Greek Islands. Once you’re in Chania, set your compass for the historic waterfront with its famous Venetian Harbor dating to the 14th century. Walk along the breakwater to the restored 500-year-old lighthouse for views that are particularly photogenic from late afternoon until sunset. The atmospheric tangle of streets that is Old Town is easily explored on foot, and you can stop at one of the many outdoor cafés for a bouyatsa (custard pastry) or a glass of Cretan red wine.Soúda can also be a jumping-off point for a visit to Rethymnon, located about 54 kilometers (33 miles) to the east. Shaped by centuries of invasion, namely by the Venetians and Turks, its Fortezza was built by the Venetians in the late 16th century and captured by the Ottomans in 1646. The Old Town has the same kind of architectural character as Chania, but on a smaller scale.

Day 22 - Athens

Arrive: Wed 22 October 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 22 October 2025

No modern metropolis is more steeped in myth than Athens, Greece. From the gritty port of Piraeus—gateway to Greece’s fabled isles—to the Parthenon—eternal symbol of Western civilization—Athens has attracted adventurers and classicists for centuries. This heritage is still very much alive for modern visitors sightseeing in Athens: ancient stadiums and temples dwell alongside apartment blocks, modern performances are staged in the marble amphitheaters where Greek drama was born and millennia-old monuments are scattered in the archaeological park that circles the Acropolis. One of the world’s oldest maritime powers, Athens is blessed with a balmy climate and stunning coastline. The seaside suburbs of Athens are scalloped with sandy beaches, fancy yacht clubs and glamorous beach bars. While the Athenian lifestyle is known for late-night dinners and dancing until dawn, the city shines brightly by day in the bustling markets, lively cafés and fascinating museums that illuminate Greece's past and present. Contemplate the magnitude of all that culture and ancient tourist attractions while marveling at the sun setting into the Aegean or rising over the Acropolis.