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AzAmazing Azamara Cruise from Rome to Athens

Image Title: Amalfi from the deck of Azamara Journey. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]
Amalfi from the deck of Azamara Journey. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]

Image Title:
"That Group from Washington" at the White Night party on Azamara Journey. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]

Image Title: The iconic view from the Greek Island of Santorini with the ship in the Harbor. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]
The iconic view from the Greek Island of Santorini with the ship in the Harbor. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]

Image Title: Walking through the market in Syracuse, Sicily. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]
Walking through the market in Syracuse, Sicily. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]

Image Title: Dancing Queens at the infamous Azamara White Night Party. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]
Dancing Queens at the infamous Azamara White Night Party. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]

Image Title: The last sunset, sailing out of Santorini. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]
The last sunset, sailing out of Santorini. [Photo: Open Door Travelers]

Image Title: The Azamara Journey, 700 passenger Cruise Ship. [Photo: Internet]
The Azamara Journey, 700 passenger Cruise Ship. [Photo: Internet]

So what do you do if 26 of your friends are going on an Azamara Club Cruise that Travel Leaders is putting together from Rome to Athens?  You Go! 

Azamara is a luxury cruise line with two 700 passenger sister ships (the Azamara Journey and the Azamara Quest) that operate year-round in ports of call all over the world. They are adding a third sister ship, the Azamara Pursuit, for cruises beginning summer 2018. Our stateroom on the 7th deck was spacious by cruise standards and even by European hotel standards with a king size bed, a desk, and a sofa with a balcony. The ship itself offers four restaurants, two lounges, a swimming deck, and a spa.  As with most cruises, the food is outstanding and there is impossibly too much of it.  With a smaller ship, the Azamara cruises are able to get into smaller ports and to actually tie directly to many piers instead of tendering into a port and busing into a city. Our eight-day itinerary included these ports of call with one day at sea:

 

There were many cruise sponsored tours, excursions, and events in addition to the unlimited number of activities that you can plan yourself in these fabulous ports.

Our experience was made truly special by cruising with so many good friends. Quickly known as “That Group from Washington” many bars and bistro’s were conquered along the way.  Some of our highlights included an amazing seafood dinner at Ristorante Bagni Delfino in Sorrento that followed an impromptu limoncello stop at a street-side gelato shop; renting Vespa’s to tour Malta; evening cigars on the Lido deck with good friends; hiring a Private Sailing Catamaran to go Swimming for the afternoon in Santorini; and the cruise sponsored White Night Party. 

The Mediterranean, Ionian, and Aegan seas are magical for cruising as are their delightful coastal ports with friendly people and charming traditions. This was a nice itinerary to get a glimpse of some of the ports to return to for extended stays.

 

Phil & Diane

 

[Disclosure: We received some nominal cruise reception invitations from Azamara as a professional courtesy to travel bloggers.]