| Flag: | Date: | Port: | Comment: |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
11th Apr. 2026 |
Piraeus Greece |
Turn around day |
|
12th Apr. 2026 |
Piraeus Greece |
Athens On My Own (OMO) |
|
13th Apr. 2026 |
Rhodes Greece |
Rhodes Culture & Traditions |
|
14th Apr. 2026 |
Heraklion Crete |
Knossos & Heraklion tour |
 |
15th Apr. 2026 |
Kusadasi Turkey |
Wonders of the Ancient World |
|
16th Apr. 2026 |
Canakkale Turkey |
Troy & Museum Visit |
|
17th Apr. 2026 |
Istanbul Turkey |
Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar |
|
18th Apr. 2026 |
Istanbul Turkey |
Ten Miles of Walking |
| Flag: | Date: | Port: | Comment: |
I got up at 6:40 ready for two soft warm rolls with ham and scrambled egg to eat al fresco a la terrazzza at 7:15. I was unable to get a new key card or the shuttle bus times from guest services before ten o'clock. I left the ship just after eight o'clock to walk the one mile to the Piraeus metro station. Here I paid €1.20 (£1) for a single ticket into Athens.
I alighted as usual at Monastiraki station and walked through the quiet flea market to photograph the Ancient Greek market place (Agora). I walked up the Apostle Paul sidewalk, before climbing the Nymphs Hill to photograph the National Observatory. I discovered the ancient roadway leading from Athens to Piraeus, before ascending to the Philopappos Monument on the hilltop. My final summit was the Areopagus Hill. At all these sights, I had marvellous views of the Parthenon, on top of the Acropolis citadel. I skirted around the north side of the latter, before descending to the shuttle bus drop off point by the new Acropolis Museum.
I caught the one o'clock bus back to the ship, where I had a bowl of lentil soup and a mixed grill from the buffet. I then slept for an hour and three quarters. At six o'clock I went to the Musical Odyssey of Greece show time in the Star theatre. There were five male musicians and one lady vocalist. It was a little raucous, so I slipped out after ten minutes to go to the main Restaurant.
Here I was seated with Jane from Bath and her American husband Kurt, Anders from Washington DC and two ladies from Arizona. I had the lentil soup, the lamb chops and the crepes Suzette to eat. I forewent the proffered wine as usual on these cruises.
Back in my cabin, I worked on my laptop as usual. I decided not to go to the local Orthodox resurrection ceremonies, like Catholic midnight masses. I went to bed at ten o'clock, having done sixteen thousand steps, equal to over six miles of walking, during the day.
I awoke to the dawn at 6:30 ready for a pot containing an egg Benedict and one with an egg Royale al fresco a la terrazza. I also had a mini-baguette to eat and a glass of orange juice topped up with sparkling water to drink. Back in my cabin I worked on my laptop.
I caught the nine o'clock shuttle into the city. I turned on tracking and headed to the extensive National Garden(s). Here I saw the famous Greek mountain goats and the terrapins, along with the sub-tropical vegetation. Unfortunately the Botanical Museum was closed.
At 10:30 I got to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the Parliament Building in Syntagma Square. It was very crowded by eleven o'clock, and although I was stood on a parapet, I could see little of the famous changing of the guard. I walked back to the shuttle bus drop off point in order to catch the 11:30 return to the port.
At Cruise Terminal A there was an enormously long line of guests queuing to be processed by just two immigration officials. There were lots of new computer terminals in the arrivals hall, but none in the departure lounge, so people had to have their passports scanned and their fingerprints taken manually. I don't understand why this wasn't done on arrival at Athens airport? However this was only for those guests who had embarked in Piraeus the previous day, so we were able to sail past the queue and return to the ships: Viking Saturn and Viking Vesta.
I had a bowl of corn chowder soup and a mixed grill to eat al fresco a la terrazza, before sleeping for an hour and a quarter. I decided against going back into the city and worked on my laptop instead, backing up my recent photographs.
At 4:30 I went to the Rhodes port talk, where Cruise Director (CD) Robert began with a nine minute introduction. This was followed by Shorex Manageress Karin speaking for thirty two minutes on the tours. CD Robert finished up with a seven minute conclusion.
At six o'clock I joined CD Robert and Assistant Cruise Director (ACD) Troy in the Wintergarden for the solo travellers meet up. I had one and a half glasses of champagne to drink. We were joined by Lori from Texas, John from Tennessee and tall Dave from Wisconsin. At 6:20 I led the latter down to the main Restaurant. There we were joined by Charlotte from San Antonio in Texas, Susan from Pittsburgh, and Gordon & Brenda a Canadian couple who now live in Chattanooga. I had the tomato soup, the Greek salad, the lovely lamb shank and the no sugar added Bavarian dessert to eat. Tall Dave had to slip away for the Trivia session at eight o'clock, so I helped finish his chocolate ice cream.
At nine o'clock I went to Philip Browne's fabulous show time for a second time on the Viking Saturn. Here is his exceptional playlist:
"You're my first" by Barry White "Impossible dream" from "Man of La Mancha" "I just haven't met you yet" by Michael Buble "Circle of life" by Elton John from the "Lion King" "Crazy" not by Patsy Cline "Summertime" by George Gershwin from "Porgy & Bess" "Candle in the wind" by Elton John "Wonderful life" by Louis Armstrong "Purple rain" by Prince "L.O.V.E." by Nat King Cole "Mona Lisa" by Nat King Cole "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole "Amazing grace" by Paul Robeson sung a capella "Ol' man river" by Paul Robeson "What a feeling" by Lionel Ritchie
You can tell by the inclusion of songs by Barry, Louis, Nat, Paul & Lionel, that Philip is a black bass/baritone. He was born in Birmingham, but used to work as a London bus driver in Putney. His big break came when he was cast in the Lion King musical in the West End.
I went to sleep at 10:45, having done nearly ten thousand steps, equal to four miles of walking, during the day.
I awoke at six o'clock to the dawn, after a dream filled night, but didn't get up until 6:40. After abluting, I had a full English breakfast al fresco a la terrazza as we sailed past the Greek island of Tilos in the Aegean Sea. Back in my cabin, I worked on my laptop as usual.
At 9:40 Jangkung my Indonesian steward came to service the cabin, so I went up to the World Cafe for a decaff coffee. At ten o'clock, just before the breakfast buffet closed, I had a Brie & bacon baguette brunch al fresco a la terrazza. At 10:30 I slept for one hour, waking after a dream caused by the cheese I had just eaten.
At 12:45 I moved out to the quayside to escort the Rhodes Culture & Traditions tour. Here I met driver Yanni and guide Lefty, who I have also worked with before. We had just eighteen guests to look after.
Our first stop was at the two room house museum in a local village that I have visited before. The custodian wasn't there, so we had to wait five minutes for her to appear to let us in. Our second stop was at the Bonis pottery, again that I have visited previously. Here we had some free time for the toilets, the views and the ceramic shopping.
Our final stop was at a one room private house that I hadn't been to before in Archangel village. The eighty four year old lady owner had lots of pictures of the former Greek royal family, including the late ex-King Constantine who lived in London after his deposition. She had prepared salami, feta cheese, tomatoes and bread for us to eat, but no olives. We had the choice between Fanta and Pepsi to drink, so I chose the latter. The tour ended with a panoramic drive around Rhodes New Town.
Back at the ship, I updated this blog and filed my report on MS Forms. At six o'clock Francisco set me up and at 6:30 CD Robert introduced me. I then gave my forty five minute talk on Mamma Mia: the Greek Musical. At 7:30 I dined al fresco a la terrazza on the sweet & sour noodle soup, on five king crab legs and on a chicken & lamb Greek gyro. At nine o'clock I went to the excellent Duets production show in the Star theatre. I went to sleep at 10:30 having done less than five thousand steps, equal to just two miles of walking, during the day.
I awoke to my alarms at six o'clock, ready for a continental breakfast of a cheese & ham mini-baguette with orange juice al fresco a la terrazza. Back in my cabin, I worked on my laptop as I needed to update my records on the new Peel Talent Agency website. At 8:30 I ventured out to the coach park, where I met driver Fay and guide Georgia at bus number seven. We had twenty eight guests to look after on the Knossos & Heraklion tour.
At the famous Minoan palace we managed to see most of the sights before it got horribly crowded. Back in the city, we walked to the four lions fountain and St Titus's church / mosque. During the free time, I walked down the long market street and around to the Metropolitan cathedral. The church was surrounded by sheet metal fencing and only the entrance hall was open. I photographed the two little Byzantine churches next door, before returning to the meeting point at the fountain. We all then walked back to the bus and thence to the ship.
Here I had a bowl of French fish soup and a mixed grill with some yuc(c)a chips. The latter are made from cassava and I didn't really like them on my very first tasting. I then slept for an hour and a quarter, before working on my laptop.
At 4:30 I went to the Kusadasi Port Talk, begun by CD Robert with his eight minute introduction. This was followed by Shorex Manageress Karin's twenty minutes on the tours. CD Robert finished with an eight minute conclusion. Back in my cabin, I had to bid for two Oceania Regatta cruises back-to-back: Lisbon to Copenhagen to Southampton.
At six o'clock Francisco set me up as usual and at 6:30 CD Robert introduced me. I then gave my forty five minute lecture on Ephesus. At 7:30 I had a bowl of bean soup, six king crab legs and a mixed grill for dinner al fresco a la terrazza as it got dark.
At 8:30 ACD Troy taught a beginner line dance, followed by the proper eighteen count Electric Slide with slides instead of grapevines. At nine o'clock the Dancing under the Star started and I did jives with both Emilys and a cha-cha with the dark haired one. Towards the end we did Y.M.C.A. and at the end a male guest dragged me on to the disco floor. I went to sleep at 10:50 having done over twelve and a half thousand steps, equal to five miles of walking during the day.
I got up when my alarm went off at six o'clock, ready for my Continental breakfast of a mini-baguette with ham and cheese al fresco a la terrazza. I had one glass of orange juice diluted with one glass of sparkling water to drink. Back in my cabin, I had to refine my Oceania Regatta bid.
At eight o'clock I met guide Fatih, who I have worked with before, at bus number two. When he announced that our Wonders of the Ancient World tour didn't go to Ephesus, four people opted out. The complimentary included tour did, of course, go to Ephesus. This left us with twenty one guests on board the coach.
Our first stop was at the Virgin Mary statue. We then drove the short distance to the modern Ephesus archaeology museum in the centre of Selcuk. Here I took some more pictures of the well-lit marble statues.
We then drove to the Basilica of St John, which I had seen before. This was once the third largest church in Christendom. The ruins were impressive and I was able to take lots of photographs. We didn't get any free time here, unlike my previous visit. Our final stop was at the site of the Temple of Artemis, which has just one column left standing.
Back at Kusadasi, I gave the carpet demonstration a miss and hurried back to the ship for a late lunch. I had a bowl of cream of red pepper soup, followed by THREE slices of pizza, the first time I had had these for the three and a half weeks I had been on the Viking Saturn. I then slept for an hour and a quarter. When I awoke I had a bottle of soda water to drink and decided not to go back into town.
At 4:30 I went to the Canakkale port talk, which began with a twelve minute introduction by CD Robert. Then Shorex Manageress Karin spoke on the tours for fourteen minutes. Robert finished the session with a nine minute conclusion.
At six o'clock I hosted the solo travellers dinner party with ACD Troy. We had tall Dave from Wisconsin, Lori from Texas and Jane from New York. Later Myrna also from New York joined us. I had the mushroom soup, the crab starter, the Chateaubriand beef and the cherries jubilee to eat. Myrna had the surf & turf, lobster and steak, giving me half the former to share with her!
At nine o'clock I went to Phillip Browne's great second show time. He did Josh Turner's "Soft & Slow", Lionel Richie's "Three Times a Lady", Nat King Cole's "Face the Music" and Louis Armstrong's "Wondeful World". However I didn't know the two Barry White songs, nor the Lion King song that he covered. He also sang "Stars" from Les Mis and "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific.
I went to sleep at 10:30 having done seven and a half thousand steps, equal to three miles of walking, during the day.
I awoke to the dawn just after six o'clock and got up just after 6:30. I then had a continental breakfast of a cheese and back bacon mini-baguette, sat in the double height Aquavit bar, as it was too cold and windy outside.
Back in my cabin, I worked on my laptop, expecting a phone call to say we couldn't berth in Canakkale. At nine o'clock Jangkung arrived to service the cabin, so I adjourned to the Explorers observation lounge. Here I had a decaff coffee, as we entered the Dardanelles strait.
At 9:45 I attended the Istanbul port talk. CD Robert began with a fifteen minute introduction, including two Viking videos of the Grand Cistern and the Blue Mosque. Next came thirty minutes on the tours by Shorex Manageress Karin. Finally Robert gave a ten minute conclusion, including one Viking video.
At 11:45 I walked along the pier and through the terminal building to the coach park where I met young guide Volkan and driver Ibrahim. We had twenty guests to look after on the Troy & Museum Visit tour. I had last been here sixteen years ago and it hadn't changed excpet for the brand new museum. It was less than half an hour along the new motorway to get to Troy.
Here Volkan tried to persuade a lady in a wheel chair not to attempt the walk around the site, but she insisted. I had to help her up and down countless wooden steps, as her husband struggled to carry her wheelchair. We managed to catch up with Volkan on every level section of the board walk.
At the end a lady stumbled on a stone step by the toilets, falling and cutting her lip. I ran to get Volkan and he called up some paramedics. Luckily her room mate was with her to go in the ambulance to have her lip stitched up.
We lost half an hour awaiting the ambulance, but made up the time by cutting the late lunch back. We had a series of six small meze starters, followed by two meatballs with a piece of fried chicken. The dessert was a small piece of sweet cake and a ready peeled orange. I had a glass of beer, but most guests had the local red wine, which they said was surprisingly good.
At the new Troy museum, Volkan gave us a short introduction by a video wall, before giving us one hour of free time. I walked up the sloping ramps to the third floor and then worked my way down via the exhibits on the four floors. At the end I took the lift back up to the top and walked down the sloping ramps instead. It was a very impressive building if somewhat in the Brutalist school of architecture.
We got back to the ship at 5:40 and I quickly changed. At six o'clock Francisco set me up as usual and at 6:30 CD Robert introduced me. I then gave my exactly forty minute long destination talk on Istanbul to an appreciative audience. At 7:30 I was too late for a sharing table in the main Restaurant, so I went up to the World Cafe buffet. Here I had a bowl of chicken broth followed by a Caesar salad augmented with prawns and olives. I finished with some Turkish delights and some Turkish baklava like pastries. I was eating out on the rear terrace as we went under the new Dardanelles suspension bridge, one of the longest in the world. (We wouldn't of course be going under the three (not now two) Bosphorus suspension bridges further north towards the out-of-bounds Black Sea)
Back in my cabin, I updated this blog and watched the first part of that evening's talk. At nine o'clock I lined up in the corridor for the crew parade. The new captain came to chat and asked me if I had my wife on board. I said that I was single and so had been hosting the solo travellers, of which he approved. I then watched the Beatles Songbook production show from the very back of one of the cinema annexes. I went to sleep at 10:45 having done ten thousand steps, equal to four miles of walking, during the day.
I got up at six o'clock when my alarm went off. At 6:30 I had my usual mini-baguette with ham and cheese to eat al fresco a la terrazza. Back in my cabin, I worked on my laptop.
At eight o'clock I trudged through the enormous underground Galataport cruise terminal to the parking bays. Here I met guide Volcan and driver Kenan in a minibus. We had just twenty guests to look after on the Hagia Sofia & a Local Bazaar tour.
We drove around the east end of the old city peninsula to get to Ahmet Square. I was disappointed with Hagia Sofia as we can no longer enter the ground floor, now that it has reverted to being a working mosque again. We climbed up to the first floor balcony, which desparately needs renovation, but the views here were poorer. There was an emormous metal scaffold supporting the main dome's restoration blocking our pictures. Only a couple of Christian mosaics were left exposed for us to photograph.
At the toilets outside, Volcan gave us all 10 TL coins to use. We then walked the quarter of a mile to near the Grand Bazaar. Here we went in the wrong Turkish Delight shop for free samples and a small pomegranate drink. From the meeting point outside, I led the party into the complex. We had one hour of free time, so I headed for my favourite old caravanserai courtyard to record my piece to camera.
Back at the meeting point, we walked back towards the city centre and went in the right Turkish Delight shop for more free samples and another small drink. The minibus then picked us up, but had very slow progress through the Friday afternoon traffic. Eventually we crossed the first of the three Bosphorus suspension bridges, designed by Freeman Fox & Partners and built by the Cleveland Bridge company in England. On the Asian side, we had a brief photostop on the waters edge in the cold north wind.
The return journey back into the city was quicker and we got back to the Galataport complex a quarter of an hour early. I rushed up to the World Cafe for a late lunch of cream of artichoke soup and three Swedish meatballs. I then slept for an hour and a half.
At 6:15 I dined with the Viking Resident Historian (VRH) Prof Peter Hahn in the Chef's Table speciality restaurant. We were given a table for two, by the window, with a view of the Topkapi palace. We had the hot & sour soup to begin, followed by the fried prawns. Next we had the coconut granita as a sorbet, followed by the wok-fried beef with rice wrapped in a lotus leaf. The dessert was chilled mango cream. I had two dry white wines, one dry red and one sweet white wine to drink with the meal. We talked about lots of places including Jerusalem and the Confederate States of America (CSA).
Back in my cabin, I updated this blog and watched my Istanbul talk on the telly. I went to sleep at 10:40, having done ten thousand steps, equal to four miles of walking during the day.
I awoke naturally at 7:20 ready for my usual mini-baguette with ham & cheese al fresco a la terrazza. Cabin Steward Jangkung had nearly finished when I got back from my Continental breakfast.
At eight o'clock I left the ship and started walking in a north easterly direction along the promenades. I passed the Dolmabahce palace with its own museum and the Naval museum before turning back.
Back at the ship, I had an early lunch of broccoli soup followed by roast pork with white beans and sweet potato chips. I then slept for an hour and a quarter, before heading out again. I walked from the new city, alongside the tram tracks and across the Galata bridge, to the old city. I explored the lovely Gulhane park for the first time, filled with colourful tulips in the annual festival. I transitted the Gulhane Bazaar pedestrianised street also for the first time, before re-crossing the Galata bridge and walking back to the ship along the promenades.
At six o'clock I went to the main Restaurant, where I asked for a sharing table. I was joined by Rich(ard) & Joanne from Nebraska, Debbie from Connecticut, Julie from Ohio and Prof Peter Hahn. I had the red lentil soup, the sirloin steak & chips, and the no sugar added ricotta cheesecake to eat.
There was no show time on turnaround day, so I worked on my laptop in my cabin. At nine o'clock I popped up to the top deck to photograph Istanbul at night. I went to sleep at ten o'clock having done twenty six thousand steps, equal to over ten miles of walking during the day.
Another excellent cruise including:
* Escorting five tours
* Giving three lectures
* Visiting new places:
New Troy museum
Gulhane Gardens & Bazaar
First Bosphorus suspension bridge
1) "Mamma Mia: the Greek Musical" Take a chance on the wonderful songs of ABBA, set on a Greek island. 2) "Ephesus: Ancient Metropolis" Explore the fabulous ruins of this great city. 3) "Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities" A Tale of Three Cities.
222 Cruises 58 Cruise ships (see below) 16 Cruise lines (see below) 7 Night cruise 5 Tours escorted 5 Restaurants (MDR, CT, WC, PG, Manfredi's) 5 Continental breakfasts 4 Singers (Adam, Olly, Emily1 & Emily2) 4 Band members (Keys, Bass, Guitar & Drums) 3 Lectures given 3 Storey atrium 3 Hot tubs 3 Wi-fi connections (laptop and two phones) 3 Lunches ashore 3 Mixed grill dinners 2 Production shows 2 Nightclub singers 2 Panoramic elevators 2 Cinemas 2 Beef lunches 1 Double state room with picture window 1 Theatre (Star) 1 Nightclub (Torshavn) 1 Viking heritage museum 1 Classical guitarist 1 Classical duo 1 Cocktail pianist
Captain Patrik Critti Cruise Director Robert Brendan Ass. Cruise Director Troy Lathan Shorex Manager Karin Stage Managers Francisco Cabin Steward Jangkung (€15 tip) Historian (VRH) Prof Peter Hahn (back again) Cultural Lecturer Martin P. Lee
* Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines * Saga Shipping Company * Voyages of Discovery * Seabourn (Carnival) * Princess (Carnival) * Cunard (Carnival) * P&O (Carnival) * Celebrity (RCCL) * Silversea (RCCL) * Regent SS (NCL) * Oceania (NCL) * Marella (TUI) * Ambassador * Azamara * Crystal * Viking
Black Prince Black Watch Borealis Boudicca Balmoral Braemar Bolette Silver Whisper Silver Spirit Silver Wind Silver Muse Silver Moon Silver Dawn Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Saturn Viking Neptune Oceania Nautica (R5) Oceania Sirena (R4) Oceania Riviera Oceania Marina Oceania Vista Celebrity Silhouette Celebrity Solstice Celebrity Eclipse Celebrity Edge Celebrity Apex Saga Rose Saga Ruby Saga Sapphire Saga Pearl II Quest for Adventure Spirit of Adventure (Old SofA) Spirit of Adventure (New SofA) Spirit of Discovery Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) Queen Elizabeth (QE) Queen Victoria (QV) Queen Mary 2 (QM2) P&O Arcadia P&O Aurora P&O Oriana P&O Iona Azamara Journey (R6) Azamara Quest (R7) Crystal Symphony Crystal Serenity Seabourn Odyssey Seabourn Sojourn Ambassador Ambience Ambassador Ambition Regent Seven Seas Mariner Regent Seven Seas Splendor Sapphire Princess Caribbean Princess Marella Explorer VoD Discovery