Departs: Indicated Wednesdays, April to October

Day 1: Depart US for Istanbul (Wednesday)
Your overnight flight transport you across the Atlantic to Istanbul, Turkey.

Day 2: Istanbul (Thursday)
Afternoon arrival. Meet and assist. On your way to the hotel, enjoy a brief orientation tour. Spend the rest of the day exploring this majestic city.

Istanbul

Day 3: Istanbul (Friday)
Istanbul’s blend of East and West has resulted in the most magnificent architecture in the world. Your full day tour with lunch takes you to these masterpieces – the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, St. Sophia Church, Topkapi Palace and the Underground Cistern. Last stop is the Grand Bazaar where you can find you won treasures!

Day 4: Istanbul (Saturday)                                                             Morning at leisure. A suggested visit is to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the center of the world’s Orthodox Christians.  See the beautiful St. George Cathedral housing historic icons.  A historic meeting took place in November, 2006 between His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians and Pope Benedict XVI.  See where this historic event occurred!  Afternoon transfer to the pier to board your ship.  Set Sail 8:00 p.m. 

Day 5: Mykonos (Sunday)                                                                  Arrive in Mykonos, Greece at 3:00 P.M. Wander through the narrow streets lined with white washed homes and shops. Mykonos is known as the island that never sleeps! Sail at 9:30 p.m.

Day 6: On Board (Monday)
Enjoy a leisurely day at sea. Relax by the pool, participate in the many activities on board, take in the beauty of the vast ocean, and just sit back and unwind.

Day 7: Ashdod (Tuesday)
Arrive at 7:00 a.m. Ashdod, Israel’s largest port, is located in the southern district of Israel and boarders the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy optional excursions to Jerusalem and Bethlehem or Nazareth Galilee or Tel Aviv and Jaffa or Masada. Sail at 8:00 p.m.

Day 8: Port Said / Alexandria (Wednesday)                                                                                                                Arrive in Port Said, Egypt, the entrance to the Suez Canal, at 5:30 a.m. Optional shore excursion to Cairo to see the Pyramids of Giza and enjoy lunch on a Nile cruise, or visit the Saladin Citadel, Sakkara and the Bazaar. While on your optional shore excursion, the ship ship sails to Alexandria to pick you up. The ship arrives in Alexandria at 6:30 p.m.  Founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, Alexandria was once considered the greatest city in the ancient world.  Today, it is the second largest city in Egypt. Sail at 7:45 p.m. 

Day 9: Agios Nikolaos, Crete(Thursday)                                                                                                                        Arrive at 5:00 p.m.  This charming and small port town is one of the most picturesque towns of Crete.  Nestled in the peaceful Mirabello Bay, the town takes its name from St. Nickolas, the protector of sailors. This area flourished under Venetian rule during the 12^th and 13^th centuries.  Sail at 8:30 p.m.    

Day 10: Piraeus / Athens (Friday)                                                                                                                                    Arrival 9:00 a.m. in Piraeus and disembark. Private transfer to the airport for your flight home.