Workshop Schedule with Sacha Stone

NEW EARTH HORIZONS
CRUISE ACTIVITIES

Visualize connecting with like-minded souls on picturesque islands with sandy beaches, as we enjoy the warm waters of the Adriatic Sea, traditional delicious cuisine, and experience the vibrant culture on this cruise to unlock the antiquities of Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey as well as the mysterious pyramids of Egypt. Our days will be filled with mind-blowing revelations, visits to World Heritage sites, gourmet food, a beautifully appointed ship, gorgeous accommodations, comeradarie, joy, laughter, making new lifelong friends, and memories that last a lifetime (or longer) !

Athens, Greece:

No modern metropolis is more steeped in myth than Athens, Greece. From the gritty port of Piraeus —gateway to Greece’s fabled isles—to the Parthenon —eternal symbol of Western civilization—Athens has attracted adventurers and classicists for centuries.

This heritage is still very much alive for modern visitors sightseeing in Athens: ancient stadiums and temples dwell alongside apartment blocks, modern performances are staged in the marble amphitheaters where Greek drama was born and millennia-old monuments are scattered in the archaeological park that circles the Acropolis.

One of the world’s oldest maritime powers, Athens is blessed with a balmy climate and stunning coastline. The seaside suburbs of Athens are scalloped with sandy beaches, fancy yacht clubs and glamorous beach bars. The city shines brightly by day in the bustling markets, lively cafés and fascinating museums that illuminate Greece's past and present. Contemplate all that culture and ancient tourist attractions while marveling at the sun setting into the Aegean or rising over the Acropolis.

- Time TBA: Pre-Tour Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge)
"Walking in Plato's Footsteps"

Piraeus, Greece:
Cruise Embarkation Day

- At time assigned on your boarding pass, arrive at the Cruise Terminal in Piraeus and check in for your cruise.

- Anytime between 3:00-4:00 pm at Hudson Room: Deck 3 Midship: Mandatory Check-In for New Earth Horizons Seminar-at-Sea

- 4:30 to 5:30 pm: Mandatory Welcome and Orientation

- 5:00 pm: Group Photo

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Fri. Oct. 11, 2024

Day At Sea

Sacha Stone and archeo-cosmologist Dave Emery will lead us on journey through time during our seminar-at-sea. They will map out 954 billion years: the entire trajectory of cosmogenetic time, going way beyond the 14.5 billion years commonly accepted by achedemia.

- 9:30 am to 12:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

- 1:30 to 4:30 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft (Probably "Dressy Night")

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Alexandria, Egypt

Known as Egypt’s largest seaport and second largest city, Alexandria, Egypt is filled with interesting and exciting things to explore. Known also to be the “Pearl of the Mediterranean,” Alexandria was established in 331BC by Alexander the Great.

Till the Muslim conquest of Egypt in 641AD, Alexandria was Egypt’s capital. Nowadays Alexandria is divided into six districts and offers a huge array of sights and experiences for visitors. Though very little remains of the ancient city, you will want to visit the famous Catacombs of Kom el-Shouqafa and the underwater ruins of Montazah and Maamoura, both of which offer a glimpse into the area’s past.

The area’s cuisine is also something that everyone must try while cruising to Alexandria, where everything from Egyptian food to different types of Middle Eastern food can be found. Here are a few of our favorite things to do while cruising to the port city of Alexandria, Egypt:

Spend a relaxing day in one of the city’s quaint cafes, or grab your camera and take advantage of the fantastic photo opportunities found almost anywhere.

Visit the Alexandria National Museum Exhibits that includes Alexandria's history from ancient times through the modern era.

See the Roman Theater Built in the 2nd century AD or the Temple of Serapeum Site, of the once magnificent structure that was destroyed in 391 AD.

Embark to nearby Cairo, where you can see the Great Sphinx or the Pyramid of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the World that are still in existence to make your cruise to Alexandria, Egypt, an unforgettable experience.

- Time TBA: Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge)
"Legends of the Pharoahs"

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Limassol, Cyprus

The sunny port of Limassol can be either a destination or a gateway—the choice is yours. Antiquity lovers will find plenty to explore in this city of over 100,000 (the southernmost city in Europe). Despite the modern waterfront high-rises and palm-lined promenade, Limassol has an ancient core: its Old Town, where you’ll find Limassol Castle. Best known as the place where Richard the Lionheart (Britain’s King Richard I) wed Berengaria of Navarre after his conquest of the island in 1191, it now houses the Medieval Museum of Cyprus.

Another option for history buffs is the small Archaeological Museum showcasing artifacts from the Neolithic to Roman periods. Visitors need not venture far beyond the city limits to enjoy more medieval history or local Cypriot life.

Kolossi Castle, about 14 kilometers (8.5 miles) away, is a military-style fortress that was a command post during the Crusades, first to the 13th-century Knights Templar and later to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. The ancient city of Kourion is a top archaeological site, and the small village of Omodos features wineries, a market square and a well-known monastery.

- Time TBA: Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge)
"The Cult of Aphrodite"

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Antalya, Turkey

A cruise to Antalya, Turkey, delivers guests to a breathtaking city flanked by the Taurus mountains. It’s a 10-minute taxi ride from the cruise port to the Old City (Kaleiçi), where you can meander a maze of streets lined with Ottoman-era houses, ornate mosques and lush parks. Historical sites top the list of things to see in Antalya.

Antalya Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world and is near amusement parks and the Antalya Archeology Museum, which contains many of the beautiful sculptures archaeologists uncovered at Perge.

When the afternoon sun is blazing, cool down in the spray of the Düden Waterfalls, a group of falls that tumble into the deep-blue Mediterranean. A cave sits behind the main chute, inviting a dip.

There are abundant options for shopping, whether you have a preference for a traditional bazaar, one of Antalya's many modern shopping malls, or shops selling souvenirs and traditional handicrafts that line the cobblestone streets inside Kaleiçi.

- Time TBA: Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge)
"Echoes of Ancient Anatolia"

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Kos, Greece

Cruises to Kos, Greece, bring guests to an island in the Dodecanese chain, where the heart of ancient Greece still beats. In a single day, you can tour sun-washed ruins, reminisce about your college days at Hippocrates’ tree, layout on a beach, and taste your way through a maze of tavernas.

Soaring right in front of the port, the Castle of Knights (Neratzia Castle) is a good choice for your first tour. Built from local stone and finished in 1514, it’s an impressive structure with drawbridges, columns, and friezes. The Tree of Hippocrates stands in front of the castle. This gnarled plane tree marks where Hippocrates purportedly taught his students the art of medicine.

Kos also has an array of Roman ruins and archeological sites, including the Odeon of Kos, an intimate, carefully restored theater once used for brutal gladiator fights. Nearby, Casa Romana gives an idea about how the wealthy lived in ancient times.

When it’s time to eat, meander to Old Town, where you’ll find pedestrian streets buzzing with cafes, restaurants and shops. Indulge in seafood, salads and souvlaki made with the freshest ingredients possible, the essence of Mediterranean fare.

- Time TBA: Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge)
"Relaxation in Heavenly Waters"

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Wed. Oct. 16, 2024

Izmir (Ephesus), Turkey

Izmir in Turkey is the gateway to one of the most legendary cities of the ancient world: Ephesus. St. Paul preached in its Great Theater, while the facade of the Celsus Library survives as a testament to the city’s role as a center of learning and culture.

Not far from Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis (also known as the Temple of Diana), one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, once stood, drawing pilgrims from around the Mediterranean. While it no longer stands, it is possible to walk amongst its foundations and the remains of its towering columns.

Other historic sites can also be found nearby: The House of Mary is believed to be the home of Jesus’s mother at the end of her life, and the Basilica of St. John, constructed in the 6th century, marks the location of his tomb. (Like Mary, he spent his final years in Ephesus.)

Nearby, the Selcuk fortress reflects the period of Byzantine and Ottoman control of the region. From ancient wonders to holy sites, there are few ports in the Mediterranean as magical as Izmir, and a day here is a day spent in the company of some of antiquity's greatest figures.

- Time TBA: Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge)
"Wonders of the Ancient World"

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Cruising The Dardanelles

On the far northwest coast of Turkey, the 60-kilometer-long (37-mile-long) Dardanelles divides the continents of Europe and Asia, and is the sole waterway between the Aegean and Marmara seas and beyond to the Black Sea. For this reason, the Dardanelles has, for millennia, been a strategic gateway for both the shipping trade and military campaigns to Istanbul and the Black Sea region. The Greeks, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, British, Russians and the Turks—all have fought to gain power and control over this narrow strait.

- 9:30 am to 12:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

- 1:30 to 4:30 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Istanbul, Turkey (overnight)

Arriving in Istanbul, Turkey on board a ship is an unforgettable experience. The Bosphorus, dividing Europe and Asia, welcomes passengers with ocean breezes, soaring seagulls and—if you’re lucky—playful dolphins that frolic en route to the port. On deck is where the views of Istanbul’s best attractions await. The shores of Asia to the east, the first Bosphorus Bridge to the north, and the “old Istanbul” peninsula in the south—home to Topkapı Palace and Hagia Sophia—give a glimpse of what’s to come on your visit.

- Time TBA: Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge for transportation + dinner)
"Tastes of Istanbul Cuisine"

Transportation to scenic and delicious Roof Mezze 360 Restaurant for optional Group Dinner

Istanbul, Turkey

Once you step ashore in Istanbul, you’ll find the most interesting parts of the city—neighborhoods with personalities of their own. Explore the sights of bohemian Beyoğlu: a contemporary district brimming with galleries and street art, back street bars, cafés and fashion outlets that line the busy shopping avenue—Istiklal Caddesi.

Meanwhile, across the Golden Horn, Zeyrek’s ancient timber houses made it a designated World Heritage Site where people live a traditional way of life. Sultanahmet is where travelers of the world sightsee and explore palaces, temples and mosques that once defined the power of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. But, as these empire builders learned, it’s difficult to conquer Istanbul in one trip. You’ll want come back for more.

- Time TBA: Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge)
"Jewels of the Bosphorus"

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Cruising the Dardanelles

The Dardanelles used to be called Hellespont, after Greek mythology’s mortal princess, Helle, who drowned in these treacherous waters after falling off the back of the flying golden ram. In another Greek myth, Leander swam across the strait, which was famously emulated in 1810 by the Romantic poet Lord Byron.

Australians, New Zealanders and history buffs will take the most interest in the Gallipoli Peninsula on the northern shore at the mouth of the Dardanelles. For it was on this peninsula during the brutal Gallipoli Campaign, fought for eight months in 1915, that the legend of the Anzac spirit of courage, loyalty and friendship was born.

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Sat. Oct. 19, 2024

Mykonos (Delos), Greece

A Mykonos cruise brings passengers to one of the most-visited islands of the Greece’s Cyclades. Once a playground for wealthy starlets, an aura of glamour lingers on Mykonos. Today, Mykonos caters to all types of travelers and there’s lots to see, do, and taste that’s accessible to us mere mortals. Mykonos cruise passengers are tendered straight into Old Town or water taxi in from the nearby Mykonos cruise port.

Stunning views welcome you to the town with cliffside whitewashed houses and bright trim (blue for sailors, green for farmers, red for other) and trellises of bougainvillea. Wander the maze of impossibly narrow streets, passing some of Mykonos’ signature windmills and churches.

When it’s time for lunch, pick a taverna. Try mostra, a bruschetta-like dish and flavorful example of Mediterranean simplicity. Take time to explore Little Venice in Mykonos, a charming quarter where the restaurants and houses seem to float on the sea.

If you prefer to spend a day in ancient Greece, shuttle to Delos, the mythical birthplace of Apollo. Delos is uninhabited by humans now, but full of vestiges of Greece in the 3rd millennium BC. You can see many remarkable ruins, including the area of the Sacred Lake. Wear comfortable shoes and bring sunscreen, as there’s little shade on Delos.

- Time TBA: Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge)
"Birthplace of the Gods"

- 5:30 pm: Group Dining: The Dining Room, Deck 3 Aft

- 8:30 to 10:00 pm: Sacha Stone Seminar-at-Sea, Hudson Room, Deck 3 Midship

Delphi, Greece:

Delphi in legend previously called Pytho, was an ancient sacred precinct and the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The ancient Greeks considered the center of the world to be in Delphi, marked by the stone monument known as the Omphalos of Delphi (navel).

Delphi took its name from the Delphyne, the she-serpent (drakaina) who lived there and was killed by the god Apollo (in other accounts the serpent was the male serpent (drakon) Python. The sacred precinct occupies a delineated region on the south-western slope of Mount Parnassus. It is now an extensive archaeological site, and since 1938 a part of Parnassos National Park.

The precinct is recognized as a World Heritage Site in having had a great influence in the ancient world, as evidenced by the various monuments built there by most of the important ancient Greek city-states, demonstrating their fundamental Hellenic unity.

- 7:00 am: Arrival in Piraeus and Debarkation

- Time TBA: Post-Tour Shore Excursion ($ Extra Charge)
"Oracle of Delphi - Navel of the Earth"
Pickup at Cruise Terminal in Piraeus and dropoff at hotel.

Renewed and refreshed, we say good-bye with experiences and friends to last a lifetime.