Greece And Turkey Itinerary: Ultimate 11-Day Multi-Country Cruise in Europe
Table of Contents
- Overview of the 11-Day Greece–Turkey Cruise Itinerary
- Pre-Cruise Logistics: Getting to Athens & Embarkation
- Onboard Life: The Celebrity Infinity Experience
- Port-by-Port Guide for Your Greece and Turkey Itinerary
- Conclusion
This Greece and Turkey Itinerary presented the perfect option for my dear friends who were celebrating their 60th, 65th, and 75th birthdays and dreaming of a truly memorable cruise.
They had a childhood glimpse of Europe more than 30 years ago and were eager to relive that excitement. Since overland tours were incredibly expensive, I suggested the Celebrity Cruise instead.
I actually wasn’t planning to join this trip—but at the very last minute, I decided to hop on for the fun and adventure.
Overview of the 11-Day Greece–Turkey Cruise Itinerary
This itinerary covers multiple European countries across the Eastern Mediterranean, combining Greek islands with historic Turkish ports.
- Travel Day- Fly from ATL (Atlanta) to Athens, Greece.
- Day 1- Arrive in Piraeus, Greece and board the Celebrity Cruises ship.
- Day 2- Crete (Greece)— 8.30 AM- 5.30 PM
- Day 3- Santorini, Greece— 7.30 AM – 9.30 PM Excursion: Visit the village of Oia (on your own)
- Day 4- Ephesus, Turkey— 9.30 AM- 8.30 PM . Celebrity Cruise Excursion at 9:30 AM (pants + top required)
- Day 5- Mykonos, Greece — 8:30 AM–6:30 PM. Try Mathios Tavern (5 minutes from port)
- Day 6- Day at sea
- Day 7- Philippi (Kavala), Greece — 7:30 AM–5:30 PM. Excursion at 7:45 AM with Celebrity
- Day 8- Thessaloniki — 7:00 AM–7:30 PM. Private tour
- Day 9- Day at sea
- Day 10- Athens — Arrive 6:00 AM
Pre-Cruise Logistics: Getting to Athens & Embarkation
Flights and Layover
- Flight to Athens, Greece from Atlanta, Georgia
We chose Turkish Airlines because it was the most affordable option for our group of 12 ladies. The average round-trip fare was about $800, with a three-hour layover in Istanbul, Turkey. Delta offered a direct flight to Athens, but the price was nearly double.
- Layover in Istanbul + Turkish Airlines Lounge Access
The Istanbul layover requires quite a bit of walking between gates, and gate numbers are only announced about an hour before boarding—so it’s best to stay near the central area.
My Turkish Airlines credit card gives me access to their amazing lounge, which can get crowded at times, but the showers are a lifesaver after navigating the warm terminal.
Athens Arrival & Pre-Cruise Stay
- Arrival at Athens International Airport
Our flight arrived about 30 minutes late from Istanbul, but everything else went smoothly. Passport control was quick and easy, and we were out of the airport within 30 minutes after collecting our luggage.
- Welcome Pickups
Our hotel recommended Welcome Pickups for transportation from Athens International Airport to Piraeus City Hotel, a 40-minute drive. We chose Piraeus City Hotel because it could comfortably fit four adults in one room and was only 10 minutes from the cruise port.
Piraeus City Hotel
78–80 Notara Str., Piraeus, 18535, Greece
After lots of online research, this hotel turned out to be the perfect choice for us. Breakfast was included, the customer service was excellent, and the bellman was incredibly kind—he even stapled our cruise tags onto our luggage the next morning.
While European hotel rooms tend to be small, I was pleasantly surprised with the size and amenities of the room that sleeps four. The charging stations were convenient, and although the elevator was tiny, I didn’t mind taking the stairs.
Embarkation Day in Athens, Greece
The hotel arranged three taxis for us, and one additional taxi was used for our luggage storage. Our check-in time was 11:00 AM, so we left Piraeus City Hotel at 10:30 AM. The short 10-minute ride to the cruise port cost $15 per taxi (four people per car).
- Check-In at the Port of Piraeus
Celebrity’s check-in area was set up in a tent and ran extremely efficiently. My experience here—and previously in Spain—was much smoother compared to check-in in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Quick Tip: If members of your group have different assigned check-in times, they’re usually allowed to join the earliest one. I met a group of ladies at the hotel with a 1:30 PM check-in, and I wished they had joined me for the 11:00 AM slot.
Onboard Life: The Celebrity Infinity Experience
Accomodations
This was my second time staying in an inside (inland-view) stateroom with Celebrity Cruises, and this time our room was on the third floor—a perfect location for easy disembarkation and quick access to dining.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the room. We slept incredibly well, with no morning light creeping in the way it might in a balcony cabin.
Our room steward was truly exceptional—one of the best I’ve ever encountered on any cruise. When we asked for Celebrity Cruise bags, he happily gave each of us one.
My friends also surprised me for my 45th birthday, and he went above and beyond by decorating our room and gifting us a bottle of champagne. It was such a thoughtful touch.
Our dining experience
When you book your cruise, there is an option for Early Dining, Anytime Dining & Late Dining. Early Dining is popular & always fully booked, so we normally get stuck with Anytime Dining.
During this time, we got to experience Anytime Dining, but with a bit of negotiation. We wanted to sit at the same table nightly, and once we got in the restaurant, we asked for the person in charged, and explained we wanted the table for 12 & they made it happen.
Our first dinner took about two hours as the team navigated the large group, but by the next night the service was smooth, quick, and excellent.
The food was delicious amidst wonderful company. We always enjoy Celebrity Cruises.
- Oceanview Café – 11th Floor
I love this anytime dining buffet & it’s one of my favorite hangout places.
Each night, the dinner menu is posted in the daily newsletter delivered to your room. Here were our themed menus:
- Day 1: International
- Day 2: British
- Day 3: Greek
- Day 4: Turkish
- Day 5: Indonesian
- Day 6: German
- Day 7: Middle Eastern
- Day 8: Italian
Exploring Celebrity Infinity
The first day onboard is always exciting—we love wandering around and rediscovering our favorite spots. I especially enjoy starting each morning with a 6 AM coffee while listening to my audiobook. My top two hangouts are always the sauna and the gym.
Unfortunately I forgot my swimsuit & missed out on the incredible Whirlpool that helps relaxes your muscles. We encountered this pool the first time during our cruise to the Panama Canal with Celebrity Constellation.
Celebrity also offers fun morning activities like keychain and bracelet-making classes.
One of the highlights of our evenings was playing a hilarious get-to-know-you game. We had 15 outrageous questions like “Who would you rob a bank with?” or “Who would you bury a body with?” We laughed for nearly two hours trying to answer them—it brought us even closer as a group.
Port-by-Port Guide for Your Greece and Turkey Itinerary
1. Chania, Crete (Greece)
Crete, the largest island in Greece, was our first stop. We did not have an excursion today. We just walked around & enjoyed some yummy Baklava.
2. Santorini, Greece
Santorini quickly became one of our favorite ports. We booked the Village of Oia and Fira – On Your Own excursion through Celebrity.
Because the entire village sits on a cliff, we tendered (took a small boat) from the ship to the island. The 20-minute ride was incredibly scenic.
The view of Santorini from our ship, waiting for our group to be called.
There are excellent blogs online regarding the difference between Oia & Fira. We are glad we visited Oia first as it was my favorite. The views are breathtaking, and we saw a lot of cats walking around.
We stood in line for 15 minutes for the iconic photo of the blue domes. There was a photo shoot going on which took a bit since we were the fourth in line. Above is the sign right before the photo spot.
3. Ephesus, Turkey
Ephesus is a magnificent ancient city visited by thousands of people from all over the world.
This was our next stop after Santorini, and it was incredibly meaningful—this is where the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians.
Seeing the city come alive amidst the ruins was very rewarding.
Pilgrimage to Saint Mary’s House (Kusadasi, Turkey)
After Ephesus, we visited the Mother Mary’s home , the place where the Apostle John cared for her in her final years. The trip was so impacting that I wrote a whole blog of it here, (Mother Mary’s House in Turkey)
4. Mykonos, Greece
Known as the “billionaire’s paradise,” Mykonos is a windy, picturesque island with a striking landscape. Many wealthy individuals have built summer homes here, and interestingly, many of these homes include a chapel in the backyard for tax-exemption purposes.
We started our tour tendering from our ship into the Island of Mykonos.
We visited a monastery on the island & I was able to purchase some crosses as a reminder of being here.
Sherry & I enjoy the tradition of saying a prayer with the lighting of the candle, a monumental moment in building a memorial amidst our travels.
We also stopped by a restaurant which was included in our tour of Mykonos to experience some local cuisines.
Fun fact: Mykonos has nearly 800 homes with chapels in their backyards for tax exempt purposes..
5. Thessaloniki, Greece
In Thessaloniki, we hired a private guide for a biblical tour—one of the highlights of our entire trip. Our guide, Michael, is a published author of the book Philippi, and his knowledge brought the history of the early church to life.
Chapels & monasteries were built to commemorate where Paul stood to preach. We toured the city in four hours, stopping at several spots that Paul reasoned with the Greeks.
6. Philippi, Greece
Due to weather conditions, our ship swapped the order of Thessaloniki and Philippi—a blessing in disguise since Philippi would have been rained out on its original day.
This historic city was frequently visited by Apostle Paul, Saint Luke, Silas, and Timothy. As a student of Christian history, seeing these places firsthand was unforgettable.
To explore the history in depth, we joined Celebrity’s four-hour “Ancient Philippi” excursion, a key stop on our Greece and Turkey itinerary. One of the most incredible moments was seeing the site of the first early Christian church discovery.
Lydia, the Seller of Purple
Acts 16:14
“One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.”
We visited the Baptistery of Saint Lydia, dedicated to this remarkable businesswoman—essentially the Donna Karan or Juicy Couture of her time. I always love visiting monasteries, lighting a candle, and saying a prayer—not to the saints, but to God—as a way of marking sacred moments during my travels.
The sacred & beautiful baptistery
7. Athens, Greece
For our final day, we booked an airport drop-off combined with an Acropolis Tour through Celebrity. Even though our flight wasn’t until the following day, we arranged with the bus driver to drop us off at the Holiday Inn near the airport instead of taking us directly to the terminal.
The Acropolis has thousands of people & that made our tour very crowded & congested. There was a lot of walking & climbing up. Two of our friends stayed at the bottom to shop around.
We spent two hours at the Acropolis & headed towards the airport. Our bus driver graciously dropped us off the hotel close by & we tipped him big for his kind gesture.
Holiday Inn Athens
40.2km Attica Avenue
19002 Athens, Greece
The room cost €200 for one night for the three of us. Sherry, Suella, and I had a red-eye flight with Turkish Airlines at 3 AM. Thankfully, the long flight from Istanbul to Atlanta was only half full, making the journey much more comfortable.
Holiday Inn is know to respond very fast via email in hotel inquiries. We booked three rooms & were very grateful that there was a delicious restaurant on site. Breakfast was not included but we were just happy to have food around.
There wasn’t much to see in the area as it was 15 mins drive to the airport. We picked this hotel because a free shuttle service was included to the airport. Ensure that you booked it ahead of time when you check in.
Conclusion
This was one of the best cruises I have taken with a rich history included. I was able to get back into shape at the gym & sauna. I have come to the conclusion that cruises are one of my favorite ways of travel.
After this Greece and Turkey itinerary trip, a few of us booked our next adventure with Celebrity Cruise to the British Isles which included Ireland & Scotland.
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