Athens & 3 Day Greek Isles Cruise 2026
Ancient Athens, then a 3 day cruise to Mykonos, Kusadasi, Ephesus, Patmos, Santorini & Crete; independent adventure with flights & hotel included. Optional Classical Greece extension.
Overview
Style | Independent PackageThese un-escorted packages have no set schedule or guides, so you have the freedom and flexibility to explore on your own from your centrally-located hotel. More of these packages
Freedom to explore at your own pace; unescorted |
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Departures | April – November 2026 | ||
Themes | Small Ship Cruises | ||
Activity Level | Recreational | ||
What to Expect | This is a moderately-paced, independent package. Excursions with local tour guides include a reasonable amount of walking and requires and average level of physical fitness. Travel safely and confidently with our new health & safety protocols. | ||
Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. |
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Don’t miss your chance to explore Athens and the enchanting Greek Isles, where timeless history, sun-drenched shores, and vibrant culture come together for the ultimate Mediterranean escape. Your journey begins in Athens, the cradle of Western civilization where ancient landmarks like the Acropolis and Parthenon rise above a modern, bustling capital full of charm, cafés, and culture.
Then, set sail across the sparkling Aegean Sea on a three-night Greek Island cruise, with stops in some of the region’s most iconic destinations. Wander the whitewashed lanes of Mykonos, soak in seaside beauty and ancient ruins in Kuşadası, Turkey, and embrace the peaceful spiritual atmosphere of Patmos. Discover the rich Minoan heritage of Crete, and cap off your island-hopping adventure with the caldera views and legendary sunsets of Santorini. End your journey with two additional nights in Athens, giving you time to explore ancient ruins at your own pace and reflect on the unforgettable memories you’ve made throughout your Greek adventure.
Your package includes round-trip international flights, superior hotel accommodations in Athens for three nights plus a half-day city tour, a Greek Island cruise for three nights, daily breakfast, all meals aboard the cruise, and all transfers. Whether you choose to explore at your own pace or join fascinating and affordable optional excursions, this trip offers the perfect balance of relaxation, discovery, and value.
Plus, extend your journey with our exciting and budget-friendly Classic Greece extension—a deeper dive into the rich myths, history, and natural beauty of this unforgettable country.
Package includes
- Flights
- Cruise
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Round trip flights from New York UFK) or Newark (EWR) via scheduled carriers including taxes & fees, with other gateways available on request
- 3 nights in Deluxe hotel accommodations in Athens
- 3 nights IA interior cosmos cabin aboard the Celestyal Discovery
- Port Charges
- Cruise tips for main dining staff and cabin attendants
- 12 Meals: 6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 3 dinners
- Sightseeing in Athens
- All group transfers
- Celestyal One Package with complimentary essential WiFi and soft drinks, juice, filtered coffee, tea, and water stations during main restaurant dining hours. Plus extra snacks from the Greek Deli and Pizza Oven throughout the day.
Optional add-ons
- Flights from other cities are available. Request pricing when making your reservation.
- Cabin Upgrades
- Optional shore excursions in Mykonos, Kusadasi, Ephesus, Patmos, Santorini and Crete
- Optional tour of Cape Sounion
- Celestyal Pay: A pre-purchased specialty food and drink package
- WiFi Data option to send files, share photos or videos to social media, use streaming apps or make video calls
- Optional Classical Greece extension (Value Vacation, groups may be larger)
Why you'll love it
- Enjoy 3 nights aboard the Celestyal Discovery, cruising along the Mediterranean Sea en route to some of Greece's captivating islands.
- Have the opportunity to join several exciting optional shore excursions throughout your journey.
- Spend an evening independently exploring the charming town of Mykonos.
- Explore the vibrant coastal town of Kuşadası, Turkey
- Spend the afternoon at Patmos, famously known as the place where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation.
- Discover the land of myths and legends in Heraklion, Crete.
- Wander Santorini leisurely and admire the iconic landscapes and architecture.
- Tour Athens and marvel at the Acropolis, the Roman Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and more.
Itinerary at a Glance

- 1 Depart USA
- 2 Athens
- 3 Athens & Mykonos
- 4 Kuşadası, Turkey & Patmos, Greece
- 5 Heraklion & Santorini
- 6 Athens
- 7 Athens
- Optional Excursion: Cape Sounion (purchased locally), $55
- 8 Athens/USA
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Dates & Prices
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Depart USA
- Your exciting journey to Greece begins this evening as you check in for your overnight flight
Day 2 Athens
- Arrive in Athens, Greece, meet our representative, and transfer to your hotel
- Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure
Royal Olympic Hotel or similar
Full Day ItineraryArrive today in Athens. Our representative will meet you and then escort you to your hotel, centrally located near Constitution Square and the famous Plaka (Old Town). Athens, the birthplace of Western civilization, once hailed as the Paris of the Mediterranean, is now a bustling modern city, a colorful tapestry of Eastern and Western influences, full of outdoor cafes, pedestrian streets, parks, and gardens, street bazaars, dilapidated mansions, and ancient ruins.
Day 3 Athens & Mykonos
- Board your cruise ship and set sail
- Enjoy the evening at leisure on the island of Mykonos, or join an optional evening excursion
Celestyal Discovery or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryTransfer to the port this morning to board your cruise ship, Celestyal Discovery. In the afternoon, enjoy the sun, sea breezes, pool, and other onboard facilities.
This evening, arrive at the gorgeous island of Mykonos. Enjoy an independent stroll through Mykonos town with its labyrinth of winding alleyways, whitewashed buildings, basket-laden donkeys, cascading geraniums, and upscale shops and cafés. Or, join an optional evening excursion.
Day 4 Kuşadası, Turkey & Patmos, Greece
- Enjoy the morning in Kuşadası at leisure or join an optional shore excursion
- Spend the afternoon independently on the Greek island of Patmos
Celestyal Discovery or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, your journey brings you to the sun-soaked shores of Kuşadası, Turkey — a vibrant coastal town where history meets the Aegean. Spend the morning at your leisure, soaking up seaside charm and browsing bustling bazaars, or join an optional shore excursion exploring ancient ruins, including Ephesus.
After, return to your ship for lunch aboard as you sail toward Patmos, Greece. Disembark at Skala harbor, a lively place with whitewashed houses, flowered courtyards, taverns, and shops. The Island of Patmos is famous in history as where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation, which you can explore on an optional excursion.
Return to the ship for dinner and overnight.
Day 5 Heraklion & Santorini
- Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of the Minoan Palace of Knossos, the first European civilization
- Spend the evening at leisure in Santorini
Celestyal Discovery or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, arrive in Heraklion, the capital city of Crete. Crete is the largest and the most rugged of the Greek islands and home of the great Minoan civilization and the mythological birthplace of Zeus. Enjoy the morning exploring the island at leisure, or join an optional shore excursion exploring ancient cities, archaeological museums, or experiencing the countryside.
Return to the ship to continue sailing to Santorini. This striking island is a volcanic crater immersed in the sea famous for its breathtaking and rugged landscapes, whitewashed houses, open-air cafés, and glittering boutiques that cling to cliffs, accessible by foot, cable car, or mule. Explore this aegean gem at leisure, or join an optional excursion.
Day 6 Athens
- Disembark the ship in Athens
- Enjoy a tour of Athens
Royal Olympic Hotel or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryDisembark from your ship in Athens.
Witness the striking contrast between breathtaking monuments of a glorious past and elegant modern structures during your tour of Athens. Visit the Acropolis, the crowning beauty and glory of Ancient Athens, with its many monuments atop its rocky base, including the awesome Parthenon, the Propylea, the temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion, with its Porch of Maidens. Drive to the Roman Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Panathinaikon Stadium (site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1986), and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament House on Constitution Square. See views of government buildings and elegant structures of the 19th century. Drive along Panepistimiou Avenue and view the Catholic Cathedral, the Academy, the University, and the National Library. In contrast, conclude your tour with a visit to the new Acropolis Museum, a marvel of architecture with an entire exhibition of the glory of Ancient Athens.
Day 7 Athens
- Spend a full day at leisure exploring Athens, or join an optional excursion
- Or, continue on our Classical Greece Extension
Royal Olympic Hotel or similar Breakfast
Optional Excursion: Cape Sounion (purchased locally), $55Drive along the coastal road past countless coves and the beautiful beaches of Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, and Varkiza to Cape Sounion. Dominated by the spectacular Temple of Poseidon, the sanctuary at Sounion is one of Attica's most important archeological sites. Although evidence suggests that the site dates back to the prehistoric period, the sanctuary is first mentioned in Homer's Odyssey, where Menelaos stopped during his return from Troy to bury his helmsman, Phrontes Onetorides. Learn about this area's rich history as you take in stunning views of the Aegean on this optional excursion.
Day 8 Athens/USA
- Bid farewell to Athens as you're escorted to the airport to board your return flight
- Arrive in the USA later today
Breakfast
At the ports of Mykonos, Patmos & Santorini, disembarkation is by tender boats, weather permitting. Kusadasi & Patmos stops might be in inverted order. Passengers taking the optional shore excursions disembark first. The itinerary listed, including ports of call, embarkation/disembarkation times, shore excursions and prices, were correct at time of publication. We and our partner, Celestyal Cruise Lines, will do our utmost to adhere to the itinerary as listed, but due to sea conditions and other factors, minor changes to the itinerary may be necessary, and some shore excursions shown may not be available. As necessary, Celestyal Cruise Lines may also substitute another ship from their fleet of similar size and amenities. We will do our very best to immediately inform travelers of any such changes.
Classical Greece Extension
Why not take advantage of your already-included international airfare and visit the classical cities of Corinth, Mycenae, Olympia, and Delphi? Your extension includes superior hotels, most meals, and guided touring of the most fascinating of the classical cities of Greece, including entrance fees to places visited. This extension is part of our Value Vacation, and groups may be larger than our small group tours.
Day 7 Athens, Mycenae & Olympia
- Drive across the Corinth Canal to Olympia
- Visit the famous theater of Epidaurus
- Spend the evening at leisure in Olympia
Amalia Hotel Olympia or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, board your touring coach and begin a tour of Greece's classical cities. Drive across the Corinth Canal, which connects the Ionian Sea with the Aegean, to the Peloponnesian Peninsula, where 4,000 years of history are more fully and comprehensibly illustrated than elsewhere in Europe.
Here, you'll visit the famous theater of Epidaurus, the best preserved in Greece, which reached the height of its fame in the 5th and 4th centuries B.C. The acoustics are so perfect that every word can be heard, even from the last of the 55 tiers.
Continue to ancient Mycenae, which, according to the poets, was founded by Perseus and built with the aid of the mythological Cyclops. Then, drive to Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, for dinner and overnight.
Day 8 Olympia, Nafpaktos & Delphi
- Enjoy a morning tour of the archaeological site and museum at Olympia
- Embark on an afternoon drive via Patras to Rion, Antirion, and picturesque Nafpaktos
- Spend the evening at leisure in Delphi
Amalia Hotel Delphi or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, tour the archaeological site and museum at Olympia, where the Olympic Games were conceived as a tribute to Hercules, son of Zeus. These games were the most important international event in the Hellenic world from 776 B.C. to 393 A.D. and continue today, with the lighting of the Olympic flame that runners carry across the globe. Visit the Sanctuary of the Olympian Zeus and the Museum.
This afternoon, you'll drive via Patras to Rion, Antirion, and picturesque Nafpaktos, where, according to mythology, Hercules slew the Erymanthine boar and where you'll view the lovely circular Venetian harbor. Continue our drive to Delphi for dinner and overnight.
Day 9 Delphi & Kalambaka
- Enjoy a morning tour of Delphi
- Spend the evening at leisure in Kalambaka
Amalia Hotel Kalambaka or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, explore the ancient site of Delphi, located on the slopes of the breathtaking Mount Parnassus, in a landscape of unparalleled beauty and majesty. Here lie the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios, the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo, and the museum, which contains masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture, including the famous bronze Charioteer. The site had been sacred since at least the Bronze Age. According to legend, the shrine was originally guarded by the she-dragon Pytho. She was killed by Apollo, who then took over the oracle. In antiquity, Delphi was regarded as the center of the world.
Later, you'll depart for the small town of Kalambaka, built at the foot of the majestic gray rocks, where the river Pinios leaves Pindos Mountain.
Day 10 Meteora & Athens
- Enjoy a morning tour of the Meteora monasteries
- This afternoon, drive back to Athens via Thermopylae
- Spend the evening at leisure in Athens
Royal Olympic Hotel or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, visit the spectacular Meteora monasteries, perched upon the summits of some steep and isolated rocky pinnacles, which rise above the almost flat valley of the Pinios River, 5.5 miles beyond Kalambaka. The monastic history of Meteora goes back to the 11th century A.D. when the monks constructed inaccessible eagle's nests in the crannies of these rocks, and today, four are still occupied.
Later this afternoon, drive back to Athens via Thermopylae, a famous battleground from the Persian wars. Arrive in Athens and check into your hotel.
Day 11 Athens/USA
- Bid farewell to Greece as you're escorted to the airport to board your flight home
- Arrive in the USA later today
Breakfast
Hotels & Ship
Hotels
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
Cruise Ship
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Trip Details
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What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
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Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Please review the visa & entry requirements.
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Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Depart from another city? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
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Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
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Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
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What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
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What should I know about Greece? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
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What should I know about Turkey? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.