Displaying items by tag: explora journeys

October is a beautiful month to visit the Greek Isles. The temperature ranges in the 60s to low 70s and there’s little chance of rain. Our cruise on Explora Journeys visited Volos, Marmaris Turkey, Santorini, Paros, Kos and Milos.

Each port provided a different experience and we either explored on our own or participated in an Explora Journeys shore excursion. Our favorite excursion was led by Lambros on a walking tour of Lefkes on Paros. We traveled on a rocky path through the hills and marveled as Lambros took off his shoes midway and continued barefoot.

Santorini, even in October, was super crowded and caused us to spend less time in Oia.

Rather than take the finicular to Fira, we decided to walk down which took us about 30 minutes or so. We had to be careful because of the many donkeys carrying people up and down the walkway.

Kos was more historical than the other ports and provided a glimpse of past, Ancient Greece.

We had plenty of time in each port to enjoy the local cuisine and absorb the flavor of each destination.

Greece should be on everyone’s travel radar!

Explora Journeys began operating in the summer of 2023 and now has two ships with more in the planning stages. We sailed on Explora I to the Greek Isles. The ship is stunningly beautiful and has a friendly, attentive crew on board.

There are many specialty restaurants onboard and our favorites were Sakura and Med Yacht Club. Anthology at $150 per person seemed rather pricey even for an upscale Italian restaurant.

The staterooms were well appointed with plenty of storage space and even Dyson hair dryers! And everyone receives welcome champagne plus a bottle of wine of their choosing.

One can’t say enough about the crew, their friendliness and desire to ensure you’re having a great time.

The shore excursions were very good, but since the tour guides only used mikes on the minibus, it was somewhat difficult to hear and understand someone whose native tongue was not English.

Overall, Explora Journeys is a great value and hopefully, this new cruise line is making the necessary minor adjustments based on passenger feedback.