DAY 3 - 22 Oct 2023
Time at Port: from 8 AM to 10 PM
Just a short distance from Athens, Piraeus is the biggest port in the Mediterranean and sees over 20 million cruisers each year. This port city is a perfect example of life by the sea, boasting an impressive harbour and authentic seafood dining, as well as the rich and fascinating history of ancient Greece. Whether you’re looking to discover archaeological findings or just want to relax in the sun at a friendly café, Piraeus is the place to be.
Things to do in Athens (Piraeus):
Agia Triada Church
Despite being a modern construction, Agia Triada features Byzantine architecture as well as an impressive dome that is visible from every spot within the church. Overlooking the port of Piraeus, Agia Triada is a must visit to discover the history of the town and take in the tranquillity.
Castella
This vibrant and colourful district is nestled on top of a hill with views out over the bay. A walk around this neighbourhood will take you to quaint cafes, neoclassical architecture, Prophet Elias church and the Veakeion outdoor theatre.
Archaeological Museum
Covering the Mycenaean period to the Roman era, the Piraeus Archaeological Museum offers artefacts excavated from Piraeus’ landscape, as well as collections donated from other sites. Visitors will discover monuments, statues, artwork and more.
Hellas Liberty
One of only three surviving Liberty ships, the SS Hellas Liberty is a fascinating vessel to explore. This floating maritime museum was presented to the public in 2010 and covers a range of exhibits people of all ages will enjoy.
Zea Bay
With stunning views of the Saronic Gulf and the beautiful vessels moored in the harbour, the bay of Zea is the perfect place to go for a walk, enjoy a delicious coffee and take in the sunshine. You’ll find many hidden gems here, including ancient walls.
Thira, Santorini
DAY 4 - 23 Oct 2023
Time at Port: from 8 AM to 6 PM
Known for unrivalled views, sparkling blue sea and iconic bleached-white architecture, Santorini is a truly unforgettable destination. A stroll down one of the many cobbled streets and along the volcanic-sand beaches is the perfect way to spend a romantic evening, while kids and families will love taking the plunge from a caldera cruise and exploring the colourful markets. Finally, don’t forget to delve into Santorini’s past at the many museums on offer.
Things to do in Thira, Santorini:
Archaeological Museum
Located in the centre of Fira, the Archaeological Museum of Thera is a must visit for insight into the civilizations that came before present day, featuring artefacts from the Archaic, Roman, Geometric and Hellenistic periods, including Byzantine works of art.
Thira
Thira, as the capital of Santorini, is the gem of the area and boasts fantastic nightlife and restaurants with mouthwatering food. Here you can feel and be part of the action as it all takes place.
Museum of Prehistoric Thera
Home to the artefacts found at multiple archaeological sites such as Akrotiri, some of these excavations were discovered as early as 1867. Visitors will find numerous temporary and permanent exhibitions offering insight into the prehistoric age of Thira.
Santorini Cable Car
Before the cable car, tourists to Santorini would have to climb the winding stairs to the capital or ride by mule. Now, this mode of transport offers stunning sights of the land and sea on the way up, as well as access to the volcano.
Santorini Volcano
If you are looking to get a better look at the local geography, Santorini Volcano is a fantastic place to start with regular boat trips to look at the powerful effects that a volcano can have on the local environment.
Kusadasi, Turkey
DAY 5 - 24 Oct 2023
Time at Port: from 8 AM to 6 PM
At Sea
DAY 6 - 25 Oct 2023
You will be at sea on day 6 while travelling from Kusadasi, Turkey to Haifa.
Haifa
DAY 7 - 26 Oct 2023
Time at Port: from 8 AM to 8 PM
Limassol
DAY 8 - 27 Oct 2023
Time at Port: from 7 AM to 2 PM
From the thrilling waterpark to the immersive zoo that’s perfect for all the family, to ancient castles and an archaeology park, Limassol is a hidden gem in Cyprus. At the heart of the city is Limassol Castle, home to a grizzly history and the Museum of Cyprus which is well worth a visit to uncover more about this city. Don’t forget to make time to visit the buzzing bars, cafes and restaurants for authentic Cypriot cuisine.
Things to do in Limassol:
Fasouri Watermania
Cyprus’ biggest waterpark, Fasouri Watermania boasts a huge range of attractions including paddle boats, a ‘Tarzan Swing’, countless thrilling slides and an exciting wave pool. You can also find several restaurants, bars and snack bars.
Kolossi Castle
This 15th-century castle in Kolossi Village is an excellently preserved structure and well worth a visit for history buffs. It was once fundamental in military strategy, and is now the place of production for Commandaria wine.
Kourion Archaeology Park
Excavations from the ruins of Kourion city have unearthed many significant artefacts visitors can find onsite. Greek settlers arrived to the area in 12th-century BCE, so you’ll be sure to discover the fascinating history of the people of Kourion.
Limassol Castle
After being built, destroyed and rebuilt over time, Limassol Castle has a rich and fascinating history. Archaeological findings suggest it may have been a cathedral, and once held a prison, though it now houses the Museum of Cyprus.
Limassol Zoo
Though this zoo may be small, Limassol Zoo offers a fun and immersive educational wildlife experience. In numerous natural-looking habitats you’ll find monkeys, flamingos, meerkats and more, as well as a cafeteria, snack bar and playground.
Mykonos Town, Mykonos - Overnight onboard
DAY 9-10 - 28 Oct 2023 to 29 Oct 2023
Time at Port: from 4 PM to 2 AM
Whether you’re in the mood for stretching out on an idyllic beach, itching to explore the maze of streets in search of seafood, or even looking to dance the night away at a seaside superclub, Mykonos has something for everyone. History buffs will be fascinated by the archaeological site of Delos, while Mykonos Windmills provide the perfect holiday snap. A romantic dinner along Little Venice is a must for couples- especially at sunset.
Things to do in Mykonos Town, Mykonos - Overnight onboard:
Little Venice
This row of 18th century fishing houses looks out onto the crystal clear sea, providing beautiful views both day and night. Though they aren’t fishing houses anymore, the shops, restaurants and bars that have replaced them still give a very enchanting waterfront experience.
Beaches
Boasting plenty of sun-kissed beaches, including Fokos and Kapari beaches, there's plenty of space and options for a relaxing day on the sand by the blue sea.
Paraportiani Church
Paraportiani Church is one of the most photographed churches in the world, and it’s easy to see why. The whitewashed structure stands out vibrantly against the ocean backdrop, creating fantastic photo opportunities and a romantic place to take a stroll.
Mykonos Windmills
Featured on many postcards you’ll find in Greece, the Mykonos Windmills are an iconic sight of the island. Once vital to the economy, the seven windmills are now a beautiful spot to take photos and explore- particularly at sunset.
Matoyianni Street
Day or night, Matoyianni Street is bustling with shopping, dining and bars. It’s the perfect place to find handmade souvenirs, such as jewellery and even sandals, as well as other designer boutiques. Visitors will also love the live music here!
Delos Archaeological Site
This small island is one of the most prominent archaeological sites in Greece, and is simply teeming with mythological and historical insights. Visitors will marvel at the artefacts exhibited here, including sculptures of Apollo and Artemis.
Athens (Piraeus)
DAY 10 - 29 Oct 2023
Time at Port: from 8 AM to 10 PM
Just a short distance from Athens, Piraeus is the biggest port in the Mediterranean and sees over 20 million cruisers each year. This port city is a perfect example of life by the sea, boasting an impressive harbour and authentic seafood dining, as well as the rich and fascinating history of ancient Greece. Whether you’re looking to discover archaeological findings or just want to relax in the sun at a friendly café, Piraeus is the place to be.
Things to do in Athens (Piraeus):
Agia Triada Church
Despite being a modern construction, Agia Triada features Byzantine architecture as well as an impressive dome that is visible from every spot within the church. Overlooking the port of Piraeus, Agia Triada is a must visit to discover the history of the town and take in the tranquillity.
Castella
This vibrant and colourful district is nestled on top of a hill with views out over the bay. A walk around this neighbourhood will take you to quaint cafes, neoclassical architecture, Prophet Elias church and the Veakeion outdoor theatre.
Archaeological Museum
Covering the Mycenaean period to the Roman era, the Piraeus Archaeological Museum offers artefacts excavated from Piraeus’ landscape, as well as collections donated from other sites. Visitors will discover monuments, statues, artwork and more.
Hellas Liberty
One of only three surviving Liberty ships, the SS Hellas Liberty is a fascinating vessel to explore. This floating maritime museum was presented to the public in 2010 and covers a range of exhibits people of all ages will enjoy.
Zea Bay
With stunning views of the Saronic Gulf and the beautiful vessels moored in the harbour, the bay of Zea is the perfect place to go for a walk, enjoy a delicious coffee and take in the sunshine. You’ll find many hidden gems here, including ancient walls.
Lovely ship, spotlessly clean as cleaning seemed to go on all day which was good. Staff exceptionally nice albeit some were overworked especially at the bar areas which also dealt with soft drinks and ice cream. Food mostly excellent but self service restaurant sometimes was a hit and miss. Customer Help Desk could really be more helpful and you have to press them if you have an important issue. Irritating when you ask a young member of staff onboard a question and you get back an enormous smile instead of an answer since not all can speak English.The theatre was a beautiful and attractive one just as you would expect, and the acts were fabulous. Looked forward every evening to this. All in all a lovely cruise but not sure if it was value for money.
I will never cruise with MSC again first and last time ships crew members above cleaners bar staff and general workers were to be frank quite ignorant although we missed our transfer from the port of Venice and had to pay 40euros for a taxi through no fault of our own we have not received any form of apology from them in my opinionMSC stands for most ship cruise line
CONS -Embarkation - we were waiting for two hours in the port. The port guy was constantly shouting at you and people waiting. People in the queue were very poorly mannered, kicking, pushing you and trying to skip the long queues -MSC gave us incorrect drinks package and then blamed our travel agent saying travel agent provided incorrect info ( not true) -MSC allocated our preferred restaurant incorrectly and blamed our travel agent asking for that specific restaurant as per our request (not true) -Dirty bedlinen in the cabin ( stains) -Dirty bathroom ( dirty door, mirror, rust and dirt in the shower) -The balcony cabin is old and carpet/ furniture needs to be replaced very badly - The balcony is dirty and rusty - Customer service is non existent -at the very best they will ignore your complaints, otherwise they will shout at you , they could not care less about your comfort or satisfaction -Cold water at all tea stations- impossible to make a cup of tea -The pool was impossible to get into- too many poorly mannered people pushing you out of the way and kicking you ( we have got a balcony cabin Fantastica experience, which was supposed to be a luxury experience- what a joke!) -The Italian staff were very rude , inpatient, poorly mannered. They were constantly raising their voice and shouting at you. Anything we were asking for was too much of a trouble for them - Our waiter at dinner was really good but service in the restaurant during lunchtime was awful - the waiting staff was ignoring you, you could sit there for 30 min waiting to get a menu, the waiter at the door shouted at you when asked to take order ( shouting that he is not taking orders as he is a door waiter) -They will charge you for water in the cabin even when water is included with your package - They will add Unicef charge to your bill without asking you - I have got a severe allergic reaction within 10 minutes of drinking their cheap pina colada at the pool -They will mix french and english speaking groups together on excursions to earn more money, pure greed ( and will still charge you 90 euro per person). -Disembarking was terrible, staff were treating you like a cattle, long queues again for 3 hours, staff shouting at you, people kicking and pushing you, arrival was also late -Buffet was a mess, people running around, pushing you out of the way and trying to skip long queues - The wines included in the 30 euro per day package were very cheap and of a very bad quality , MSC cocktails gave me a severe allergic reaction PROS -The food was very tasty -Ports / towns where we stopped were very nice - especially Dubrovnik , Venice, Lecce, Mykonos, Olympia -Some Asian staff were very good, polite and friendly -Excursions were interesting and well organised ( except for the guide called Eva in Athens - Acropolis, Plaka and Museum tour- my advice would be to avoid this one) -Entertainment was really good
We’ve just completed a 24 day repositioning cruise from Venice to Durban in South Africa via Suez Canal. It was the best ever itinerary. There are a lot of day s at sea but we love the total relaxation. What amazing and diverse sights we’ve seen. Sailing away from Venice is an amazing experience alone. The Suez Canal is so interesting. Someone stood alone by a house in the desert and shouted ,I love you, so I shouted back’love you too’. I’m not likely to see him again! There are lakes and roads and bridges and mainly sand but as you sail out of the canal it feels special. We then sailed up into the Gulf of Aqaba visiting Eilat and Aqaba, two very close but very different places. We then sailed south into the Indian Ocean with our next visits to Seychelles, Mauritius and La Reunion. Again all very different but all with the most beautiful beaches. The cruise ended in Durban but the opportunities for further adventure is limitless in SA. Thanks Iglu for everything and thank s to MSC.
Beautiful ship, exceptionally clean. Very pleasant cabins large, comfortable and clean. Excellent embarkation and disembarkation well organised and smooth. Well organised port transfers and shuttlrs. Excellent ship entertainment in bars and lounges but guest entertainers were very average. Entertainment team on ship were poor at organising daily activites especially sea days and big screen a waste of time. Food was diabolical in both buffet and restaurant worse of any cruise ships we have been on, it was cold, lacking in variety, meat tough not fit to eat. Restaurant was very poor food and fine dining was non existent eg large plastic water bottles on table no toothpicks, sauce bottles on table etc.
From the port the ship had the wow factor looking at it . Getting on board the chaos began . There was people all over the place and not a good first impression . I was pleased with the balcony cabin on deck 8 ( Bella experience ) and very tidy and bigger than expected . The first night going to dinner was chaos again it was like a cattle market with people crammed in like sardines . The food was dissapointing and slow service . The late sitting was at 2100 which was very late I thought . The experience did get better with dinner as the cruise went on . The entertainment Team were very good as was the dancers and cruise directed . Carlos , Luigi and Raphael were excellent . Julissa and our cabin steward were great too . The food in the buffet restaurant was bland . The drinks as part of the package were good quality .
I have just come back from a cruise in the Mediterranean on the MSC Musica. The ship itself is beautiful all art deco with beautiful staircases. The lounges are Fantastic but they could make better use of them. The tucano lounge was massive and could have had an amazing disco in there around 9 o clock everybody Loves to dance. Instead they only had discos from 11 at night when you are a bit Tired from the days activities. The singers were rubbish I could have sang better Myself. The food was nice at the buffet but always cold. The restaurant where we ate every Night was lovely the staff were excellent. You only had 4 choices and a lot I wudnt eat but it was a nice place. All in all it was a fantastic cruise with beautiful places to visit. Montenegro and Santorini were breathtaking.
Ship was immaculate clean and very comfortable. Restaurant menu same in both restaurants, limited choice, very small servings. Buffet disappointing due to crowds with elbows pushing and shoving. Generally food was rarely hot enough. One waiter in the restaurant was rude and abrupt wnen I complained about two lightly boiled eggs being raw. Waited 15 minutes for milk for my tea. The cabin was comfortable and cabin steward delightful. The staff in the Golden bar were a dream, helpful accommodating, and fun to talk too. Will not be travelling MSC again
The embarking and disembarking was extremely well organised and the cabins were lovely and spacious although the room was well maintained it would have been nice to have a bed change mid week. The entertainment in the theater was excellent and well performed every night. The entertainment in the bars unfortunately was not, the playlist was basically the same each night, and it was bad enough on the first night. The music played was lifeless and boring. The food in the buffet restaurant on the 13th deck was very basic and drab on a daily basis .. little variety and nothing stood out as far as choice went. The other guests onboard were very ignorant and rude and pushed into grab food from the front of you, although there was plenty for everyone. The staff levels were not as good as other cruise lines, and watching the staff and the amount of shifts that they have to do made it clear that they were tired and worn out, although the staff always tried to be helpful and cheerful. I would rate our experience as a 4 - I dont think we'll be back with that particular cruise line again.
Nice ship....but spoilt by bad mannered clientel....food averege and buffet too busy with a strange set up.....itenary fabulous,rooms are clean and welll kept.Bar service poor and slow with drink quality a real issue.....not for me really....in cabin tv poor and no hot drinks....value for money just makes 2 star,due to the good quality shows..if you expectin uk type cruising book with PO or Thomson....I still prefer TCI or Celebrity.....flight with jet2 good but there not solely for the cruise......ian c
I really enjoyed my recent cruise on MSC Musica 2/9/18 -9/9/18, Italy, Greece and Montenegro The cruise ship was very clean, in fact they were always cleaning and varnishing. The staff were all very welcoming and friendly. The food was excellent. The entertainment was first class, especially the Entertainment Staff and the shows were brilliant. I would recommend MSC Cruises. Thank you
^Summer Flash Sale 50pp reduction valid for new bookings only with a minimum selling price of £1599pp - Sale ends 30th June
All offers and prices are subject to change and availability at time of enquiry. Prices are based on two passengers sharing unless otherwise stated and are subject to the Tour Operator's terms and conditions. Cabin and Flight supplements may apply. Other supplements may apply in addition to the price shown above. Flight details, timings and routing may be subject to alteration. Other tour operator charges may also apply. Any Onboard Spending money or drinks package value shown will be per cabin, again based on two sharing.
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