Experience Athens and surroundings. Depart from Athens on a cruise exploration of the jewels of the Aegean. Make landfall in the Greek Cyclades, stopping at the romantic island of Santorini, and brush up against the bustling nightlife of Mykonos. See Patmos with its UNESCO World Heritage Site town centre, and Rhodes, ancient site of the Colossus. You'll stop at Crete, former centre of the Minoan culture, and also voyage to the Turkish coast for a stop at Kusadasi, gateway to ancient Ephesus. Uncover the jewels of the Aegean on this cruise.

Available Cruise Departure Dates (2012):
Mar 19, 26, Apr 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21, 28, Jun 4, 11, 18, 25, Jul 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Aug 6, 13, 20, 27, Sep 3, 10, 17, 24, Oct 1, 8, 15, 22, 29.

Athens, the capital of Greece is named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom, who, according to legend, won the city after defeating Poseidon in a duel. The goddess' victory was celebrated by the construction of a temple on the Acropolis, the site of the city's earliest settlement in Attica. As a city state, the coastal capital of Athens reached its heyday in the fifth century BC as a centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, home of Plato’s Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum. Athens is also the birthplace of Socrates, Pericles, Sophocles and its many other prominent philosophers, writers and politicians of the ancient world. Nowadays, the city retains a vast variety of Roman and Byzantine monuments, as well as a smaller number of remaining Ottoman monuments projecting the city's long history across the centuries.

Enjoy your private airport transfer today.

Athens Gate Hotel (4*) is located in the historic district of Athens, opposite the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Gate which was constructed by the Athenians to welcome the Roman emperor Adrianos (Hadrian). Very easy to access, it is located 500 meters from the Acropolis and 100 meters from the New Acropolis Museum. Constitution (Syntagma) Square, and the commercial center of Athens are only 500 meters away. The entrance to the Plaka is just a couple of blocks away. The view of the city from the hotel's Roof Garden is possibly the best in all of Athens. It was fully renovated in 2007. The style is modern and simple, as befits the area. The hotel has 7 floors, a roof garden bar and a la carte restaurant, a lobby bar-cafeteria and a cozy area with fireplace in the lobby.

Overnight at Athens Gate (4*).

This tour gives you an opportunity to observe the striking contrasts that make Athens such a fascinating city. Our expert guides take you to see the center of the city, Constitution Square(Syntagma), the House of Parliament, the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier and the NationalLibrary .Driving down Herod Atticus street, you will see the Evzones in their picturesque uniform and the Presidential Palace .On your way to the Acropolis you will see the Hadrian's Arch , visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus and you will make a short stop at the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in 1896. On the Acropolis visit the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens: the Propylaea , the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and finally ' the harmony between material and spirit ', the monument that 'puts order in mind', the Parthenon.

Overnight at Athens Gate (4*).

Leave by the coastal road along the Saronic Gulf to the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea, (short stop). Drive to Mycenae, the Homeric city of Atreides, the city “rich in gold” of the ancient poets. Visit the Lion’s Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, and the Royal Tombs e.t.c.  Depart for Nauplion through the fertile plain of Argolis, the picturesque town nestling at the foot of a cliff crowned by the mighty ramparts of the Palamidi Fortress (short photo stop), leave for Epidauros, to visit the Theatre (4^th century B.C.) famous for its astonishing acoustics. Return to Athens by the National road connecting Epidauros with Corinth. Lunch in Mycenae.

Overnight at Athens Gate (4*).

In ancient times, the Aegean Sea was the birthplace of two ancient civilizations – the Minoans of Crete and the Mycenean civilization of the Peloponnese. Later arose the city-states of Athens and Sparta among many others that constituted the Athenian Empire and Hellenic civilization, followed by Persian and Roman invasions leading to inhabitations by the Byzantine Empire, the Seljuq Turks, and the Ottoman Empire. Enjoy a relaxing cruise through the waters that the earliest civilizations of the Eastern Mediterranean sailed, and make landfall to explore historic port cities along the way.

Enjoy a private port transfer in Athens with private vehicle and driver.

Welcome aboard!
Take some time to get settled in to your cabin and explore the facilities aboard your ship. You'll have the opportunity to meet some of your new cruisemates throughout the day today.

Port charges for your multi-day cruise are included.

Mykonos is a Greek island renowned for its sandy beaches, cosmopolitan atmosphere and its intense nightlife. The island is part of the Cyclades, lying between Tinos, Siros, Paros and Naxos. Many Greek and a few international celebrities have summer residences in Mykonos and can often be spotted having dinner at a small street-side table of an expensive restaurant or in a cozy taverna. The island has a legendary nightlife featured by a vast number of bars and nightclubs, but peace and tranquility can easily be found away from these areas.

The majestic Louis Majesty, a truly regal jewel in the bejwelled Louis fleet, reveals the legends and treasures of the Aegean during Greek island cruises.. Sail aboard Louis Majesty to the breathtaking sunsets, white-washed beauties and culturally enlightening experiences offered by this ancient sea, named after Ageus, the 9th king of Athens. Whether the guests need a short break away from everyday routine, or a full-blown holiday, the Greek coastline is always an excellent choice of a Greek cruise.

Overnight at Louis Majesty (4N).

The Port of Kusadasi is situated right in the downtown area of Kusadasi, a resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast. The town caters to tourists, arriving by land, and as the port for cruise ship passengers heading to Ephesus. Old houses near the seafront, some of them converted to bars and cafes, are the remnants of old Kusadasi, which has become a modern-European looking town.

Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea, one of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex. Patmos' main communities are Chora (the capital city), and Skala, the only commercial port. Other settlements are Grikou and Kampos. The churches and communities on Patmos are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. In 1999, the island's historic center Chora, along with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Enjoy your first night onboard and have your dinner on deck as you take in your calming surroundings.

Overnight at Louis Majesty (4N).

Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. In ancient times, the city was home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World — the Colossus. This giant bronze statue was documented as once standing at the harbour. It was completed in 280 BC but was destroyed in an earthquake in 224 BC. No trace of the statue remains today. Historical sites on the island of Rhodes include the Acropolis of Lindos, the Acropolis of Rhodes, the Temple of Apollo, ancient Ialysos, ancient Kamiros, the Governor's Palace, Rhodes Old Town (walled medieval city), the Palace of the Grand Masters, Kahal Shalom Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter, the Archeological Museum, the ruins of the castle of Monolithos, the castle of Kritinia, St. Catherine Hospice and Rhodes Footbridge. The medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.

Enjoy your first night onboard and have your dinner on deck as you take in your calming surroundings.

Overnight at Louis Majesty (4N).

Heraklion is the largest city and capital of Crete, and the fourth largest city in Greece. The ruins of Knossos are nearby. Crete has a warm Mediterranean climate. Although Heraklion is further south than Athens, it has milder temperatures. It is the second busiest airport of Greece, mostly due to the fact that Crete is a major destination for tourists during summer. There are regular domestic flights to and from Athens, as well as the surrounding islands.

Santorini is a Greek island located in the southern Aegean Sea. Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic explosion that destroyed the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island, and created the current geological caldera. Sunsets at Oia, a municipality on the island, are said to be the best in the world, where the characteristically Greek white-washed buildings create an enchanting atmosphere. 

Enjoy your first night onboard and have your dinner on deck as you take in your calming surroundings.

Overnight at Louis Majesty (4N).

Back in Piraeus, you'll disembark from your cruise ship this morning. Bid farewell to your fellow cruisemates as you make landfall, concluding your voyage.

Enjoy a private port transfer in Athens with private vehicle and driver.

 End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart .