The Mediterranean is a beautiful place with so many things to see and do. It’s also one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world, with over 1,000 ships sailing through it every year.
The mediterranean cruises 2022 is a cruise that will take you around the Mediterranean. You can experience two ships cruising at once, while also enjoying the sights of the area.
I recently had the pleasure of taking two cruises to Greece, one immediately after the other. The first cruise was the Celebrity Apex, and the second was the Azamara’s Adventure.
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Katie Levent, Vice President of Elite Travel, my 35-year-old daughter, accompanied me on the trip. Croatia, Mykonos, Santorini, and Rhodes were all on our agenda. Despite the fact that the ship was designed to carry more than 3500 people, there were only a little more than 500 individuals aboard, giving us the feeling of being on our own private trip.
Before boarding the ship, all passengers must get vaccinated. It was a straightforward procedure to have our papers ready for Greek officials. We had to first be vaccinated, which was no problem for me. It was a process of communication and negotiation for Katie. We were taken to a place for our COVID test as soon as we arrived for our planned appointment. We received our findings and boarded quickly since the testing was completed quickly.
ADDITIONAL CRUISE LINES AND CRUISE SHIPS
If you’ve previously been vaccinated, you won’t need a COVID test to visit Greece. Before entering, everyone must first complete the Passenger Locator Form, which must be completed no later than the day before arrival. The Form requests comprehensive information on the travellers’ departure location, past visits in other countries, and the place where they would be staying in Greece.
We landed in Athens and spent our pre-night hotel stay having a wonderful time. COVID was absent from the conversation. While mask use is still required in many areas, it seems that people have made coping with the epidemic a way of life. There were several restaurants open, and some bars remained up until 2:00 a.m. Nothing seemed to be different from pre-pandemic conditions. We’ve reached a point where we must just deal with it.
We were blown away when we boarded the cruise. The Celebrity Apex is brand new, big, and stunning! Everything about the food, service, and cleanliness was excellent. However, due to the dearth of passengers aboard, the entertainment area was constantly vacant. Perhaps they might have reduced certain choices to make the ship more crowded? We made an attempt to attend certain events, but there was often no one present.
I appreciated how they designed the hand-washing stations so that visitors had to wash their hands before entering the buffet line. It wasn’t simply a hand sanitizer station; it also enabled visitors to wash their hands completely. As we walked around the buffet line, we saw that there was always someone serving the food rather as people feeding themselves.
The schedule was a little disappointing since we were meant to visit two ports in Israel. It had to alter, of course. We anticipated them to offer us another destination, but instead they reduced the number of port visits from two to one, leaving us with an additional day at sea.
Also, when we got to Mykonos, they wouldn’t let us leave the ship until we bought their tour package, so we were forced to buy it or we wouldn’t be able to go explore the island. The cruise company, not Mykonos, has imposed this restriction. As a result, instead of visiting at least five ports, we only got to visit three. We had a great experience in the ports we visited and had plenty of time to explore. It’s a good thing we prefer to do things our own way since it’s oftentimes the greatest method for tourists to see even more at each location.
Apex pool for celebrities (photo by Tammy Levent)
Celebrity Apex has an app that makes downloading papers simple. We could retrieve our documents from the app whenever we wanted it.
Azamara Quest
Our Azamara cruise schedule was extremely identical to the Celebrity cruise program, including the COVID vaccine requirements. Cyprus, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, and Rhodes were among the stops. The cruise seemed extremely personal since it was designed to seat 694 passengers but only had around 200 people on board. I had the impression that I was on my own private boat at times.
Because of the atmosphere, the intricate detail of the stairway, the woodwork, and other factors, I named it the Little Titanic. This cruise was warm and inviting in every aspect. And the staff was amazing! This was without a doubt the finest service we’ve ever had, whether on land or at sea. At first, I assumed it was because there were only 200 people on board. However, the more we spoke with the crew and saw them at work, the more I realized that great service is what sets this trip apart. We felt like we were the only ones on the trip since we were catered to so well.
I liked sailing on this smaller ship since it’s difficult to get lost. I particularly like the balcony, which provided me with access to fresh air anytime I want. Even in the middle of the night, I spent a lot of time on our balcony. When we went out to dine, there were usually sanitation stations around. Lobster, filet mignon, and lamb were among the delectable dishes offered by the buffet waiters. We appreciated not having to pay more to experience the benefits of dining at a specialized restaurant. I would have loved more entertainment when we were sitting on the pool deck since it was a little quiet while we were out at sea.
Azamara’s Adventure (photo by Tammy Levent)
Cruise Ship Comparisons
During our back-to-back cruise ship excursions, Katie and I had two quite different experiences. Katie preferred Celebrity because she was out every night having a good time, and I like Azamara since I’m constantly on the go. We both agreed that spending time at the ports was enjoyable.
Mykonos — We couldn’t get off the ship unless we bought their tour package, so we couldn’t go exploring. We were allowed off the ship by Azamara and immediately went to the beach. After that, we boarded a local bus to do some shopping. We were never afraid of crime, and especially not of COVID. It turned out to be one of our most memorable days.
Both ships had to tender at Santorini. We had to use a gondola lift on both ships. Each passenger must pay six euros each trip. We took our time when we visited Santorini on our Celebrity cruise and spent the day in Oia. It was just stunning! It was the only location where we thought there were too many people who didn’t care about wearing masks later on during sunset, and it was also the only place where we felt there were too many people who didn’t care about wearing masks. We opted to take our own catamaran tour when we returned on our Azamara cruise, and it was the highlight of our trip. This trip would be their best seller if they offered it. We sailed around the whole island of Santorini, snorkeling and swimming along the way, in a small party of 12 (usually accommodating 24). This beautiful day came to a close with a BBQ and beverages on board.
Crete and Rhodes were also fantastic. We made certain to adhere to the limitations in these two ports. Only once throughout our trip in Rhodes and Crete were we requested to produce our vaccination cards, and that was when we went to visit caves in Crete. We had them with us, of course. Apart from that, we didn’t have to show them anything else throughout our exploration of these two beautiful Greek islands.
We had our COVID test the day before we disembarked on both trips, which was simple and painless. There was just one vaccinated guest who tested positive for COVID on the Celebrity cruise. During our Azamara trip, no guests tested positive for COVID.
As you can see, I am now at ease when traveling and love sharing my adventures with both my customers and other travel agents. During these two cruise trips, I had a fantastic experience traveling with my daughter and did not want to leave. We must set an example for the rest of the world… therefore go out there and travel!
The club med 2 itinerary 2021 is a cruise that will experience two ships cruising around the Mediterranean. This cruise includes all inclusive food and drinks, as well as entertainment such as shows and swimming pools.
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