After our 3-day visit to the City of Athens, we bid farewell to the Hotel Divani Caravel and headed for the Port of Piraeus. The taxi took about 25 minutes to make the short 9-mile journey but cost us about $30. Piraeus is the largest and busiest port in Greece and one of the biggest in all of Europe. It wasn't too long after entering the port that we came upon our home for the next 7 days - the beautiful Seabourn Odyssey. Built in 2009 by the Italian luxury cruise shipbuilder T. Mariotti S.p.A located in Genoa, this 32,346-ton vessel entered service in 2009. It has a maximum passenger capacity of 450 guests, quartered in 225 suite cabins, 90 per cent of which have verandahs. The Odyssey includes 11 decks with 2 swimming pools, six outdoor whirlpools, a spa and of all things - it’s own marina!(More on that later.)
We booked an Owner’s Suite for this cruise and were not disappointed (with the exception of being so close to the bow that we could hear the noise of the anchor dropping in the early morning hours when we weren’t tied up alongside a dock). Cabin # 601 is on the starboard side of the ship, just behind a small whirlpool deck. It measures 526 square feet with a full-length window and glass doors leading to a large and very private wrap-around verandah of about 150 square feet. The sleeping room had a queen-sized bed, walk-in closet and flat-screen TV. The spacious bathroom featured a large, granite double-sink vanity, whirlpool bath and separate shower. Our sitting room was separated from the bedroom by French doors and had a convertible sofa, a dining table seating 4 persons, another large, flat-screen TV and a half bath located next to the fully stocked wet bar (replenished daily). On our arrival, we received a written invitation to dine with a senior officer that evening and another for a Private Tour of the Bridge later in the cruise. Life at sea was going to be grand!
The Seabourn all-inclusive difference does indeed set it apart from most other lines. There’s a private club-like atmosphere aboard with one of the highest space- per-guest ratios in the industry. A tasteful but casual dress code is in place on most nights. The attire calls for slacks with a collared dress shirt or sweater (jacket optional) for men and skirt or slacks with a blouse, a pantsuit or dress for women. We felt like we were invited to sail on a sophisticated and elegant private yacht. There’s an open-bar policy featuring premium wines, champagnes and spirits and the dining experience was distinguished by its warm and personal service. This was further enhanced through Seabourn’s culinary partnership with noted Chef Thomas Keller. He’s the award-winning, American chef, restauranteur and cookbook author famous for his acclaimed landmark Napa Valley restaurant called The French Laundry.
Our first port of call was the Castle Town of Monemvasia which dates back to Medieval times. This town was literally “carved out” from the side of a huge rock jutting up from the sea and has been continuously inhabited ever since. (The rock isn’t visible from the mainland so the early locals avoided enemy attack.) A walk around this Castle Town is like traveling into the past and the sea view from the Castle top is breathtaking. Today, most of the old mansions from yesterday have been converted into guesthouses and boutique hotels catering to the throngs of visitors who come to enjoy its many fine beaches. We loved walking around this old town and even came upon one of its treasures, the Byzantine Church of Elkomenos Christos (Christ in Chains). This is the most famous church in town with many rare and very old icons, Later, after returning to the Odyssey on one of the last tenders from port, we found 2 additional written invitations; the first to join the Guest Services Manager for Dinner later in the week and the second for an Exclusive Tour of the Galley. Seabourn was certainly making us feel very special, capped off during that evening's formal night when we had the pleasure of being introduced to Ship’s Captain Mark Dexter.
The next day we stopped at Katakolon. It’s a small port and beach town in western Greece facing the Ionian Sea and the second busiest in the nation after Pireaus. Katakolon is most famous as being the gateway for cruisers visiting Olympia, the ancient site where the Olympic Games were born in the 8th Century BC. Every 4 years, Olympia becomes the epicenter of attention when the Greek priestesses invoke the God Apollo to send his divine light into the world as the Olympic Torch then makes its way to the city hosting the modern games. The ruins of the temples and the stunning stadium remains are impressive and ancient Olympia stands as one of the most important archaeological sites on Earth. In the town itself are picturesque streets full of souvenir shops, little cafes and tavernas and the harbor area is lined with restaurants facing the sea. Back on the Odyssey, I discovered a small birthday confection along with several balloons had been delivered to our suite for me. What a nice gesture!
We were fortunate our ship next made a visit to Corfu. It’s one of the most important and beautiful islands in Greece and the undisputed “Queen of the Ionian Islands.” Corfu is the greenest island with dense vegetation, unmatched in its natural beauty and defined by rugged mountains and a resort-studded shoreline stretching more than 130 miles in length. Its cultural heritage reflects years spent under Venetian, French and British rule before it was united with Greece in 1864. Corfu Town is flanked by 2 imposing Venetian fortresses and features winding Medieval streets, a French-style arcade and the Grand Palace of St. Michael and St. George.
When we first discussed this cruise, we noticed our final port of call would be in Dubrovnik, Croatia and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why we’d be stopping there. Boy, did I have a lot to learn. Dubrovnik is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. It turned out to be the highlight of the cruise and one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen! It started out on the tender into old town on a lovely, sunny day. I noticed the water was a deep and gorgeous blue and I couldn’t take my eyes off the water or the town. It juts out into the Adriatic Sea with a backdrop of rugged limestone mountains. The old town is know as one of the world’s finest and most perfectly presented Medieval cities anywhere in the world. For centuries it rivaled Venice as a trading port with its huge, stately stone walls built between the 11th and 17th Centuries affording protection to this former city-state. These same walls still enclose Dubrovnik’s historic center and it’s still possible to walk along them to enjoy the best views of the “Pearl of the Adriatic” and the surrounding lush green islands. We leisurely strolled by Dubrovnik’s Baroque churches, monasteries and palaces as well as many Renaissance fountains and facades. All are intertwined with gleaming wide marble-paved squares, steep cobbled streets and old houses, all of which have remained unchanged for centuries. What a treat!
Our final day at sea found us cruising the Ionian Sea and Seaboard dubbed it "Marina Day." Complimentary watersports were offered right from the back of the ship's very own private marina. Captain Dexter anchored the ship and deployed the marina offering board sailing, water-skiing, kayaking, banana boat rides and pedal boating right from the ship. A steel-mesh enclosure also allowed safe swimming in these beautiful waters. Sadly, our odyssey ended early the next morning on arrival in Venice but not before we watched this beautiful city come into view and “glide” past our verandah before docking and disembarking. Having visited before, we went directly to the airport to catch our Swiss Air flight back to Zurich. From there we connected to another memorable First Class flight to Chicago and a return flight home to Raleigh. It was a wonderful vacation and one we’ll cherish and long remember.
Until next time…stay safe.
Sounds like you had a very Happy Birthday!
As I will never get there, once again you made me feel like I had been!!❤️