‘I thought I’d done the Med. This trip made me think again’
Seasoned travellers need a few surprises in the familiar lands of Europe, and this cruise delivers the goods.
Somewhere amid the islands of the Ionian Sea, the cruise director announces a ship-wide “block party”. At 6pm, a bell will ring, signalling everyone to emerge from their suites simultaneously. Tonight, instead of pre-dinner drinks at a cocktail bar, we shall mingle in the corridors.
Ding, ding, ding! With wine glass in hand, I step out to meet my neighbours on Regent Seven Seas Grandeur. A cluster of Canadians, Americans and Australians forms, as waiters appear with canapes and champagne. A particularly glamorous woman sashays towards us, her silk kaftan billowing with the breeziness of a billionaire. When I compliment her outfit, she fabulously replies: “Thank you, darling. You can have it tomorrow.”
This is our one relaxing day at sea on a 10-night cruise from Venice to Athens via Santorini and Istanbul. Although the itinerary sounds like the ultimate Mediterranean salad, it’s the ports in between that add the dressing. An appetiser at ancient Ancona, a crumble of ruins at Ephesus, a nibble of Turkish delight in Izmir. Add two more drops of Greece: Lesbos and the mystery ingredient, Igoumenista.
Seasoned travellers need a few surprises in the familiar lands of Europe. Regent Seven Seas Cruises delivers the goods, offering more than 100 shore excursions at no extra charge. My aim is to avoid large groups and bus rides, so I steer clear of old towns, new attractions and overdone landmarks. In the Greek islands, I blacklist whitewashed buildings. In Turkey, I seek the bizarre beyond the bazaar.
My first excursion is attending a classical performance in an 18th-century church by the sea, 15 minutes by boat from Kotor, Montenegro. Gliding across the magnificent, mountain-ringed bay, we leave the crowds of tourists in our wake. Our Lady’s Temple of Prcanj, built in Venetian Baroque style, houses statues and paintings by notable artists from the former Yugoslavia. Three flautists enthral us with pieces from Mozart to Bach while thunder grumbles outside. As we depart, local brandy and cider are served on the steps, before we reboard the ship to reach a seaside restaurant for a feast of seafood and wine.
The next day, Seven Seas Grandeur docks in Igoumenitsa, a ferry hub on the mainland of Greece. Regent’s brochure compares the town to a street musician’s accordion, expanding and contracting, from its prominence in the 4th century BC in the Kingdom of Thresprotia, to its devastation during World War II. Most of Regent’s tours focus on this history, but there are beaches near the port for a splash of fun. Take a 10-minute taxi to Drepano and kick back at Barbarossa beach bar.
The most breathtaking scene of the voyage is the ship’s slow approach to Santorini. Shining in the dawn light, the towering coastline is encrusted with white houses against a backdrop of a golden sky. Peacefully witnessing this sight while having breakfast on my balcony makes it easier to ditch the town for the day.
Enticingly named Volcano, Hot Springs and Winery, my excursion flees in the opposite direction, on a boat bound for Nea Kameni, an uninhabited island comprised entirely from black lava rock. We hike up the mild incline of the crater, occasionally passing puffs of eggy vapour, a reminder of its last eruption in 1950. At the summit, the panoramic vista is awe-inspiring as you can clearly see the submerged caldera that forms the circular archipelago of Santorini.
The adventure continues to nearby Palea Kameni, where we jump off the boat into sulphur-rich waters. Touted as therapeutic hot springs, it feels more like swimming through a warm patch. If the minerals don’t cure your aches and pains, the next stop at Santo Wines may hold the cure. Overlooking the ocean, the afternoon pleasantly unwinds with tastings of the region’s acclaimed dry white, assyrtiko, and its sweet dessert version, vinsanto.
At our next port, Izmir, most people head an hour away to Ephesus. As I have previously visited this UNESCO World Heritage site, I join some fellow passengers for lunch. The seafront promenade is lined with bars and restaurants, where we sample specialties such as soutzoukakia (spicy meatballs), stuffed mussels and raki, a potent, aniseed-flavoured liquor. Technically the Asian side of Turkey, Izmir has more Greek Orthodox than Muslim residents, and modern apartments have replaced most of the neoclassical mansions on the waterfront.
A more recognisable skyline, dotted with minarets, awaits in Istanbul. Our overnight stay allows two full days to explore, so I get my bearings on the Bosphorus. A leisurely cruise along this strait, separating Europe and Asia, provides an unobstructed view of the city’s shoreside mosques, palaces and fortresses.
On the second day I choose a walking tour of the Beyoglu and Eminonu neighbourhoods, which includes a ride on the world’s second oldest subway. Our young guide, Mutlu, brings us to lesser-known locations such as the inns where merchants stayed during the Ottoman period, a spice market where the locals go shopping, and the Rustem Pasha Mosque, “because the Blue Mosque is very touristy and the tilework is not that amazing”, he says.
We pop into Sirkeci train station, where the first Orient Express passengers disembarked in 1883, before a tea break at the exquisite Pera Palace Hotel, built to cater to these high-class travellers. The tour concludes with a walk across Galata Bridge, which spans the Golden Horn waterway, symbolically linking these modern districts and the old city of Istanbul.
Arriving in Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos, is the ideal finale. A short walk from the wharf are beaches, a pedestrianised shopping street, a strip of harbourside tavernas, or an uphill hike to a castle. Choose your favourite activity for a last, lingering taste of the Med.
Back on board, I arrange to meet friends for drinks. Probably the most beautiful ship I’ve sailed on, Seven Seas Grandeur has no shortage of elegant venues. The Observation Lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows to reveal the beauty of every scenic departure. A pianist in a ballgown plays under a gardenia-shaped chandelier that glitters across half the ceiling. As the nights progress, we move on to the Meridian Lounge for live jazz or blues, and end up on the Grandeur Lounge’s dance floor.
The restaurants are the real showstoppers, from the lighting to the tableware. Compass Rose is a large space filled with illuminated, crystal-covered columns that branch overhead like a magical forest. A hand-cast glass sculpture of a bonsai cherry tree stands at the entrance of Pacific Rim, where everyone raves about the duck and watermelon salad. Prime 7 evokes a vintage New York steakhouse, while Chartreuse serves French fare in Parisian Art Deco surroundings. For al fresco dining, don’t miss Sette Mare on the aft deck, just before sunset.
The best way to explore the rest of the ship is via the self-guided art tour on the Regent phone app. Valued at $US6m, the artwork collection spreads from the reception area on deck 5 to dining venues on deck 10. Among the 1600 pieces are Journey in Jewels, the first Faberge egg to permanently reside at sea, and several paintings by Picasso and Miro.
A gold-lit tunnel dramatically leads to the two-deck spa and gym. The infrared sauna, steam room, chill room and three outdoor whirlpools are free for all guests to use. Another top spot to relax is Coffee Connection, staffed by an excellent Italian barista. Nab a table by the window, bring a book, and try the carrot-cake muffin.
The ship’s greatest luxury is its spaciousness, especially in the accommodation. An entry-level Veranda Suite is 20sq m with a balcony twice the size of those found on many larger ships. I am in a Superior Suite, more than 30sq m, with a marble bathroom where I enjoy a nightly hot bath and cold beverage. Perhaps the perkiest perk is the valet laundry service, which sees my clothes collected every morning and returned perfectly folded or hung in my walk-in wardrobe.
At the highest level is the two-bedroom Regent Suite, a penthouse-style 400sq m. The main extravagances are its heated mini-pool, sauna, steam room and treatment area, where its occupants are entitled to unlimited spa services. Fit for entertaining, the lounge and dining area can seat eight people, with a grand piano and a wraparound balcony providing views over the bow. Guests booked in the Regent Suite also receive personal butler and concierge services, a private car and guide in every port, and dinner with a senior officer of the ship.
I wonder if my kaftan queen is staying in one of these palatial hideaways. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen her since the block party, so I can’t pretend to make a joke about that dress she promised to give me. But I have the next best thing to take home: my own clothing, freshly washed, ironed, wrapped in tissue paper and packaged in a box, like a gift from the laundry gods.
In the know
Next year, Seven Seas Grandeur offers a similar itinerary in the reverse direction, from Athens (Piraeus) to Venice (Fusina), departing October 5. This 10-night cruise visits Santorini, Crete, Kotor, Tirana, Dubrovnik, Zadar and Koper. From $13,440 a person, twin-share; includes all dining, drinks, unlimited shore excursions, valet laundry, wi-fi and gratuities. For guests in Concierge suites and above, a pre-cruise hotel package is also included. The 746-passenger ship also sails in Northern Europe, the Caribbean, Canada and New England.
Louise Goldsbury was a guest of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
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