What to Know About Cruising the Greek Isles on Abercrombie & Kent's Luxury Expedition Cruise

What is an expedition cruise, and how is it different from a traditional cruise?
An expedition cruise generally differs from a traditional cruise in terms of destinations, ship size, and focus.

• Destination: Expedition cruises focus on exploring more remote destinations, unlike traditional cruises that primarily only visit popular ports. A&K offers exciting itineraries to Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galapagos, Japan’s coastlines and the Seychelles, just to name a few.

• Ship size: Expedition ships are smaller and more maneuverable compared to giant cruise liners, allowing them to navigate narrower waterways and reach more secluded, less populated areas. Our cruise had just 150 guests on board. Other A&K expedition cruises can accommodate anywhere from 20 guests (to the Galapagos on an Ecoventura yacht with Relais & Chateaux hospitality!) to 199 guests.

• Focus: Expedition cruises specialize in exploration, education and discovery. The itinerary often includes shore excursions with a focus on cultural encounters, historical sites or wildlife viewing. Onboard, you'll find expert talks, lectures and educational programs led by naturalists, historians or other specialists.

Who is this expedition cruise for?

Expedition cruises are best for active, mobile travelers who enjoy deeply learning about the destination, history and culture through guided tours, activities and enriching lectures. Multi-generational families (minimum age of seven), couples, friends and solo travelers were all on our cruise, many of whom had traveled with A&K before. Travelers who enjoy socializing with other travelers will have a good time.

Image 1: Santorini; Image 2: Welcome dinner entertainment

The ship

A&K uses Ponant’s ships and crew members for their expedition cruises. We sailed on the L’Austral ship, along with 150 other guests. A&K differentiates from Ponant cruises in three main ways:

1. A&K maxes guest capacity at 80 percent, offering only cabins with a balcony

2. A&K utilizes their own expedition team, who is highly experienced, personable and hospitable

3. A&K leads the program in English (versus Ponant’s, which is primarily in French)

On embarkation day, A&K meticulously coordinates guests’ arrival at the cruise port, with guests arriving in phases in air-conditioned vehicles, so there is never any waiting in line or confusion in the cruise terminal.

The ship usually sets sail in the early evening and travels to the next port of call overnight, arriving by sunrise at your next destination. I loved this itinerary, which includes a mix of lesser-known and the most popular Greek islands, as well as islands in the Peloponnese, Cyclades and Dodecanese. The benefit of cruising the Greek Isles is that you’re able to see many different islands, all without the hassle of ferries or airports, which are notoriously known to be crowded and have delays.

A&K guests have their choice of various daily shore excursions or can spend the day at leisure, on the ship or exploring the destination on their own. A&K has local, expert guides with every expedition cruise, and groups are usually 10 to 18 people, creating an intimate small group experience.

Ports of call & shore excursions

Image 1: Monemvasia; Image 2: Mykonos

• Monemvasia: The first port of call is a charming, medieval city perched on the cliffside of the Peloponnese peninsula. Guests can choose from a guided tour of the walled city and Monemvasia Castle and an olive oil mill or a day trip to the ruins of Mystras, a former Byzantine capital.

• Santorini: Guests can choose from a wine tour and tasting, hiking the volcanic crater of Nea Kameni or exploring the archaeological wonders of Akrotiri, then have the afternoon at leisure in the town of Oia or Fira. We opted to explore on our own — walking the scenic towns of Fira, Oia and Imerovigli — and had an enjoyable gyro lunch at Pitogyros.

• Rhodes: Guests can choose from a guided walk of the Old Town, an excursion to Lindos, a hands-on cooking experience or a local ceramics workshop. In the afternoon, A&K organizes a beach break with reserved beach chairs and refreshments.

• Mykonos: Guests can choose from a walking tour of Mykonos Town, a panoramic drive through the island or a day trip to the uninhabited island of Delos. Guests may also linger longer and enjoy dinner on shore in Mykonos, as the ship sets sail around midnight for the next destination. We enjoyed a quiet walk through the pathways of Mykonos in the morning, visiting the iconic windmills and then having a delicious lunch at Kiki’s Tavern, about 20 minutes from Mykonos Town.

• Patmos: Guests can choose from a visit to the Monastery of St. John and the quaint village of Chora or hiking to the hermitage of Zaroi.

• Crete: Guests can choose from a guided tour of Heraklion and Rethymnon, the Heraklion Archaeological Museum or a visit to a local farm. When in Rethymnon, I highly recommend lunch at Ovelos.

On-board entertainment & activities

A&K hosts a karaoke night, trivia and various dance performances on different nights that guests can engage in. Additionally, the ship has a gym with cardio equipment and cable weights, a Sothy’s Paris spa and outdoor plunge pool on the ship’s deck, as well as a library and reading nook.

Inclusions

The trip cost includes all meals and most alcoholic beverages on the ship and shore excursions, all shore excursions, gratuities and laundry.

Spa treatments, ultra-premium alcohol and meals off-shore (not part of arranged shore excursions) are not included. Book your expedition cruise with me, and I’ll add a $200 onboard credit per cabin for you to use!

Pre-cruise stay

The Cruising the Greek Isles itinerary kicked off with two nights in Athens at the iconic Hotel Grande Bretagne, centrally located in Syntagma Square. Grande Bretagne is a five-star hotel that's part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection, with a classic, traditional style that has hosted royalty, dignitaries and celebrities for 150 years.

A&K organized excursions to the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, a Plaka food tour and a day trip to the Peloponnese region. They hosted a beautiful welcome dinner at Pyrgos Petreza, a winery just outside of Athens, with a delicious dinner and entertainment.

Post-cruise stay

After the cruise, we stayed at the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens on the Athens Riviera, and we were so happy to unwind from an active itinerary. It is one of the most stunning resorts I’ve ever stayed at. Highly, highly recommend.

Other hotels in Athens that I recommend are: The Dolli for incredible Acropolis views, A77 Suites for an intimate stay in Plaka and Athens Capital M Gallery for great value and an awesome rooftop pool.

A&K offers the Cruising the Greek Isles itinerary in June and October in 2024 and 2025. Since this is A&K’s most popular expedition cruise, I recommend booking well in advance to have your choice of preferred cabin. A&K offers many other expedition cruises to Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galapagos, Japan, Seychelles and Tanzania, Papua New Guinea and various countries in Europe. There are options for pre- and post-tour extensions, as well as some options to do back-to-back cruises.

A&K also offers small group, tailor-made and private jet journeys, as well as safaris, and has been leading luxury travel since 1962. As a member of the invitation-only Abercrombie & Kent 100 Club, we are able to extend special benefits to our clients traveling with A&K and have direct access to the company, so you can be sure you are in great care when booking A&K through Fora.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Greece. In need of further inspiration? Check out my guide, Exclusive Barefoot Luxury in Punta Mita, Mexico.