On arrival in Europe, we were met and transferred to the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel in Athens. An amazing haven on the glamorous Athens Riviera, just thirty minutes’ drive out of Athens. This is a laid-back seaside resort hotel accessible to the amazing historical sites of Athens, like the ancient civilisation at the Acropolis. It’s an ideal place to start the Regent Seven Seas luxury experience, unwind, relax, and recover from the long journey from Australia. This is included for Concierge Suites and above.
The transfer to the ship the next day was seamless. Our bags were in the van after breakfast, not to be touched again until you are in your suite. After a scenic drive along the coast to the port of Piraeus.
The feeling of elegant luxury made me feel very comfortable, and the welcome bottle of sparkling wine and a full mini bar set the mood. Unpacked and changed into the cruising sail away clothes, it was time to get up on deck and enjoy the first moments of cruising on the Mediterranean. These are pinch yourself moments!
The itinerary was designed to give you a taste of the Mediterranean. We visited seven countries travelling from East to West. Our first port of call was Kusadasi, Turkey. The ancient city of Ephesus is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean, the sacred centre for the God, Artemis. Some of the best-preserved Greek and Roman ruins can be seen here and of course the Christian influence that came later. Many included tours were offered to Ephesus. As I had already visited this must-see site, I chose one of the other free shore excursions and visited three smaller ancient sites of Priene, Miletus and Didyma. They were impressive. This was a great port to get us in the mood for the adventure ahead.
The next day was a day at sea cruising the Mediterranean. We only had two of these relaxing days as the cruise was destination intensive. I love these days where you can roam around the ship and take part in all the activities or not! You could compete on the sports deck, play Trivia or even Bingo (not well attended), attend a dance class, rest and rejuvenate in the spa or just curl up on your balcony or spacious suite with a good book. You could engage in a Culinary Arts Kitchen Experience or listen to the Regent Speaker Series deliver a presentation designed to immerse yourself into the culture, history, and people of the destinations we were travelling to. The evening was always concluded with an entertaining musical production or drinks in the elegant lounges listening to musicians play.
Besides the included excursions, there were optional tours called Regents Choice Excursions. These range from Epicurean Explorations, Go Local Tours, Eco-Connect Tours, Behind-The-Design Tours, Bespoke Travel arrangements, and private executive collections. I would love to talk about each port of call and all the incredible excursions offered but for the sake of word count, I can’t! But they were all thoroughly enjoyable, varied and enriching.
Dining on board is whenever, wherever and with whomever you choose. Compass Rose is the main restaurant. La Veranda offers breathtaking views and open-air dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There were a number of exceptional specialty restaurants plus the pool grill and in-room dining.
Every luxury is included - unlimited shore excursions, unlimited beverages, prepaid gratuities, specialty restaurants, valet laundry service, unlimited Wi-Fi, entertainment and enrichment. You can disembark at your destination with nothing on your ship account.
Regent Seven Seas delivers a truly all-inclusive elegant experience with personalised service that attends to every detail. This allows you to immerse yourself totally in the places you visit. There were so many people on board who had cruised with Regent before. It’s not surprising that I can’t wait to get back on board their ships.
