DESCRIPTION |
LEGENDS OF THE GODS |
Athens, Greece
Pre-Cruise Shore Excursion
"Walking in Plato's Footsteps"
($ Extra Charge)
Tues. Sept. 30, 2025
8-hour tour
Time TBD
Activity Level: Easy
Early-bird special rate expires anytime
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Tour Description
Taste the vital flavors of Athens while enjoying guided tours of the Acropolis and the National Archeological Museum. The Acropolis, a World Heritage Site, is the most striking and complete ancient Greek complex dating back to the 5th century BCE. The monument was built celebrating the cultural and political achievements of Athens and is the most famous site in all of Athens.
The National Archeological Museum is home to the world's most exquisite collection of Greek antiquities found in any single location. Here you will witness the art of Greeks emphasizing rational thinking centered around the individual human; the foundation of democracy.
If the Acropolis and National Archeological Museum weren't enough, proceed to the district of Plaka, the oldest neighborhood in Athens. Here an authentic Greek meal will be prepared and served for your enjoyment. After your lunch, enjoy time at your leisure in Plaka, the historic heart of town. As you walk the narrow paved streets, you'll discover Neoclassical mansions, quaint cafes, and the retail hub of Monastiraki Flea Market. A tour of this magnitude provides a rich sense of ancient Athenian culture and deliciousness.
Included
Round trip transportation from your hotel to the Acropolis, National Archeological Museum, and Plaka along with entrance fees to the historic sites, and lunch.
Not Included
Expenses including snacks, shopping, and other leisurely activities at Plaka are not included in the price of the tour.
Food and Beverage
Lunch consists of fried eggplant or zucchini, tzatziki, Greek salad, spinach pie, Greek souvlaki with potatoes and rice and seasonal Fruits. Beverages are water and table wine.
Recommended Dress
Comfortable clothing, sensible, flat-soled walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat or umbrella are suggested.
Restrictions
The minimum age to consume alcohol is 21. Guests must be able to walk over cobblestones and uneven surfaces, inclines and steps. This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
Meeting Instructions
Details will be provided on your ticket.
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Legend of the Acropolis
Our adventure begins and ends in Athens. Walk the path of ancient mystics, as we visit the Acropolis, the “birthplace of democracy,” where Socrates and Plato debated on white marble steps. Charged with effervescent ideas that shaped our civilization… The energy is still there to tap into.
At the very heart of the Acropolis stands a testament to the rivalry between Athena and Poseidon. According to legend, both deities coveted the city, offering gifts to claim it. Poseidon struck the rock with his trident, bringing forth a spring, while Athena offered the olive tree, symbolizing peace and prosperity. The city’s inhabitants chose Athena’s gift, thus naming the city Athens. The marks of Poseidon’s trident and the sacred olive tree are said to be found on the Acropolis, reminding visitors of this divine contest.
The Acropolis is not only home to the gods but also to the tales of fierce creatures like the centaurs. The mythical half-man, half-horse beings were known for their battle with the Lapiths, which is depicted in the metopes of the Parthenon. This myth serves as a reminder of the eternal struggle between civilization and barbarism. It is a theme that resonates throughout Greek mythology.
The Erechtheion, with its porch of Caryatids, tells the poignant story of these maiden statues. Legend has it that they represent the women of Caryae, punished by being forced to bear the weight of the temple’s roof for betraying Athens. The Caryatid Women, adorned in elegant dresses and exhibiting poised stature, symbolize two contrasting concepts. They represent both the burden of treachery and the dignity of eternal service. Their presence offers visitors an evocative narrative to contemplate.
The Acropolis is also the backdrop for the heroic sagas of Theseus. Theseus is the legendary king of Athens who defeated the Minotaur. Legends say that Theseus walked these very grounds, and the festivals held in his honor connected mortals with the divine. His tales of bravery and adventure echo through the marbled pathways and continue to inspire those who climb the Acropolis Hill.
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Alexandria, Egypt
"Legends of the Pharoahs"
($ Extra Charge)
Fri. Oct. 3, 2025
8-hour tour
Time TBD
Activity Level: Easy
Early-bird special rate expires anytime
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Tour Description
During your day in Egypt, you will drive across the desert to Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza. The Cheops Pyramid is the sole survivor among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Shore Excursion Includes:
• Transportation from Alexandria port to Giza & Sakkara and drive back to Alexandria port.
• Entry ticket to Sakkara area.
• Visit the area of the Step pyramid.
• Visit the Serapeum.
• Visit one of the tombs
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Drive to Giza.
• Entry ticket to Giza pyramids area.
• Visit the valley temple.
• Visit the Sphinx (public area).
• Drive to Alexandria port.
Meeting Instructions
Details will be provided on your ticket.
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Legend of the Pyramids
Edgar Cayce taught that the secrets of Atlantis and knowledge of the future are buried under the right front paw of the Sphinx at the foot of Giza Plateau.
Built thousands of years ago, the pyramids remain enigmas to scientists as well as to seekers of the unknown.
The first person to enter the Great Pyramid of Cheops in post-Pharaonic times was the caliph of Baghdad, Abdullah al-Ma’mun, in AD 820. He forced his way in by heating rocks, then breaking them by pouring on vinegar.
As generations of scientists and tourists, eccentrics and treasure hunters followed him, pyramid mystique grew over the ages.
Perhaps the most famous personality to enter in search of the occult was Napoleon Bonaparte, who spent the night of Aug. 12, 1799, inside Cheops’ pyramid and emerged ashen and shaken.
He went to his grave in 1821 without telling what he experienced.
“No! What’s the use,” Napoleon was said to have told a friend. “You wouldn’t believe me anyway.”
Cheops is made of 2.3 million blocks, each one weighing 2 1/2 tons to 15 tons, each side at an angle of 51 degrees, 50 minutes and 35 seconds. Many people think the pyramids were built by extra-terrestrials, or survivors from the lost continent of Atlantis.
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Limassol, Cyprus
"The Cult of Aphrodite"
($ Extra Charge)
Sat. Oct. 4, 2025
5-hour tour
Time TBD
Activity Level: Easy
Early-bird special rate expires anytime
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Tour Description
On our way to Paphos we will stop at Petra tou Romiou. Petra tou Romiou or Aphrodite’s Rock as it is known is the legendary birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite-Cypria. A spectacular beach with awe-inspiring views, this beautiful stretch of pebble coast is where the Greek goddess of love rose from wave and foam. Guests can have a short break to admire the magnificent view and take some memorable photos.
Our trail starts from the Church of Panayia Chrysopolitissa, built in the 13th century over the ruins of the largest Early Byzantine basilica on the island. Within the compound one can see St. Paul's Pillar, where according to tradition; the saint was flogged before the Roman Governor Sergius Paulus converted to Christianity.
The city is home to Mosaics of the Roman period, dating from around the 3rd century AD. These are situated in four main houses: the House of Aion, House of Dionysos, House of Orpheus and House of Theseus,
They include many attention-grabbing geometrical decorations and draw inspiration from Greek mythological scenes.
Food and Beverage
Passengers can enjoy their meal at a local restaurant at their own expense.
Recommended Dress
Comfortable clothing, sensible, flat-soled walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat or umbrella are suggested.
Meeting Instructions
Details will be provided on your ticket.
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Legend of Aphrodite
Legend has it that Paphos was home of Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and love. Still under the spell of the goddess, the area retains her magic and has remained intact by time. It seduces its visitor with its majestic landscape, lovely coastline and historical treasures. Paphos itself is a leading cultural centre of the Mediterranean and the whole town is on the World Heritage list.
Wherever one treads in Paphos one comes across a glorious history which dates back thousands of years, when the cult of goddess Aphrodite flourished in this beautiful part of the world attracting many visitors from inland and abroad.
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Ashdod (Jerusalem), Israel
"TBD"
($ Extra Charge)
Sun. Oct. 5, 2025
TBD tour
Time TBD
Activity Level: Easy
Early-bird special rate expires anytime
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Tour Description
TBD
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Legends of the Holy Land
TBD
Food and Beverage
TBD
Recommended Dress
TBD
Restrictions
TBD
Meeting Instructions
Details will be provided on your ticket.
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Haifa (Tel Aviv), Israel
"TBD"
($ Extra Charge)
Mon. Oct. 6, 2025
TBD tour
Time TBD
Activity Level: Easy
Early-bird special rate expires anytime
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Tour Description
TBD
Food and Beverage
TBD
Recommended Dress
TBD
Restrictions
TBD
Meeting Instructions
Details will be provided on your ticket.
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Legends of the Holy Land
TBD
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Rhodes, Greece
(Overnight Stay)
"TBD"
($ Extra Charge)
Wed. Oct. 8, 2025
TBD tour
Time TBD
Activity Level: Easy
Early-bird special rate expires anytime
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Tour Description
TBD
Food and Beverage
TBD
Recommended Dress
TBD
Restrictions
TBD
Meeting Instructions
Details will be provided on your ticket.
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Legendary Rhodes
TBD
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Rhodes, Greece
"TBD"
($ Extra Charge)
Thu. Oct. 9, 2025
TBD tour
Time TBD
Activity Level: Easy
Early-bird special rate expires anytime
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Tour Description
TBD
Food and Beverage
TBD
Recommended Dress
TBD
Restrictions
TBD
Meeting Instructions
Details will be provided on your ticket.
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Legends of Rhodes
TBD
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Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
"Wonders of the Ancient World"
($ Extra Charge)
Fri. Oct. 10, 2025
5-hour tour
Time TBD
Activity Level: Easy
Early-bird special rate expires anytime
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Tour Description
Meet your professionally trained tour guide and set out for a fascinating Private Ephesus, Turkey Tour. The ancient city is an approximate 25-minute drive from Kusadasi. Famous in antiquity for its Temple of Artemus during the years of the Roman Empire, the Greek port of Ephesus became the greatest city in Asia Minor.
You will start at the upper (Magnesia) Gate, and work your way down through the city, ending near the ancient Harbor. Along the way, you will see the Forum, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the Thermal Baths of Scolastika, and the Great Theater, built in the Greek era and reconstructed in the Roman period. It has played host to programs as varied as Paul and his sermons to the Ephesians, to concerts by Sting, in part due to its remarkable acoustics.
You will walk along the Arcadian Way, where once Mark Anthony and Cleopatra rode in procession. You will hear stories of Alexander the Great, the Virgin Mary, and many other famous visitors who walked the same marble streets that you are walking.
As you depart the Ephesus site, you will be able to view the hilltop ruins of the Basilica of St. John in the distance, which was erected over his grave in the 6th century A.D. by Emperor Justinian. The group will also visit the Temple of Artemis, whose former glory as one of the 7 Wonders of the World has been reduced to rubble after devastating pillage and plunder.
Food and Beverage
Not Included
Recommended Dress
Comfortable clothing and closed-toe, sensible walking shoes are recommended. Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat or umbrella are suggested.
Restrictions
Walking at Ephesus is over actual streets / sidewalks from ancient times which are uneven and worn. There are steps without handrails and packed dirt that must be navigated in some areas. The walk through Ephesus is not wheelchair accessible.
Meeting Instructions
Details will be provided on your ticket.
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Legends of Ephesus
Artemis is the daughter of Leto and Zeus, and Apollo's twin. She is the goddess of the wilderness, the hunt, wild animals, and fertility. She is the midwives' helper and goddess of birth.
In one legend, Artemis was born one day before her brother Apollo. Right after her birth on the island of Ortygia, she helped her mother Leto to cross the straits to Delos, where Leto then delivered Apollo. Thus began Artemis' role as guardian of young children and patron of women in childbirth.
As a goddess of contradictions, Artemis protected women in labor, but her arrows brought them sudden death during childbirth. Like her twin brother Apollo, Artemis was a god of healing, but also brought and spread diseases.
The immortal Artemis and Apollo killed the children of the mortal Niobe, who had boasted to Leto (mother of the divine twins), that because she had more children than Leto, she was superior to her. When Apollo was outraged by this insult, the twin gods hunted and shot them with their bows and arrows. Apollo killed the male children and Artemis the females.
Artemis was worshiped in most Greek cities but only as a secondary deity. However, to Greeks in Asia Minor, she was a prominent deity. In Ephesus, a great temple was built in her honor—one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World." There she was worshipped as a fertility goddess, and was identified with Cybele, the mother goddess of Eastern lands.
The cult statues of the Ephesian Artemis differ greatly from those of mainland Greece, where she is a huntress with bow and arrows. Those at Ephesus show her in the Eastern style, standing erect with numerous nodes on her chest.
Some say they are breasts, others say they are bulls testes sacrificed to her. Though the true interpretation remains uncertain, we can conclude that they represent fertility.
Artemis at an early age asked her father Zeus to grant her eternal chastity. Also all her companions were virgins. Artemis was very protective of her purity, and gravely punished any man who attempted to dishonor her. Actaeon, while hunting, accidentally came upon Artemis and her nymphs, bathing naked in a secluded pool. The stunned Actaeon stopped and gazed at them, but when Artemis saw him ogling them, she transformed him into a stag. Then she set his own hounds upon him.
They chased and killed what they thought was a stag, but it was really their master.
Legend is that Orion, a giant and a great hunter, tried to rape the virgin goddess, so she killed him with her bow and arrows. Another legend says she conjured up a scorpion which killed Orion and his dog. Orion became a constellation in the night sky, and his dog became Sirius, the dog star. Yet another version says the scorpion stung him and was transformed into the constellation Scorpio.
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Delphi, Greece
Post-Cruise Excursion
"Oracle of Delphi - Navel of the Earth"
($ Extra Charge)
Sun. Oct. 12, 2025
10 1/2 hour tour
Time TBD
Activity Level: Easy
Early-bird special rate expires anytime
Pickup at Cruise Terminal in Piraeus and dropoff at hotel.
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Tour Description
Along the way to our journey to Delphi, you will see the plain of Beotia, an agricultural center surrounded by cotton plantations and you will also pass through the city of Theva (Thebes), the birthplace of King Oedipus. You will continue towards Mt. Parnassos, making a brief rest stop outside the town of Levadia.
You will then drive on to Delphi, which dates to the ninth century B.C. and whose allure includes an amazing hillside setting and ruins that will intrigue even the most skeptical.
Delphi was the home of the Oracle of Delphi (the Greek world's most important oracle), and the priestess Pythia, famed throughout the ancient world for divining the future and for consulting in all major undertakings.
The area was a religious sanctuary dedicated to the Greek god Apollo after he slew the Python, a deity who protected the navel of the Earth (center of the world) in this location. The sanctuary was home of the Pythian Games, the second most important games in Greece after the Olympics.
You will see the Roman Agora, walk along the Sacred Way, and view the monument of the Argive Kings. the treasury of the Athenians, the Athenian Stoa, the Polygonal Wall, the monument of Platea, and the Temple of Apollo where the oracle resided.
Above the Temple, you can visit the well preserved 3rd-century Theater. On the lower slope of the mountain is the Tholos, a building whose exact purpose is unknown but architecturally speaking is considered one of the masterpieces of the ancient world. You will also see the Palestra where the athletes trained in preparation for the Pythian Games.
After you visit the archeological site, you will visit the adjacent Delphi Archaeological museum which houses the ancient artifacts that were found at the site. As its centerpiece, are the antiquities found in the complex of Oracle which dates from the 18th century B.C. when the oracle was founded to its decline around 300 A.D. Exhibits include the frieze of the Treasury of the Sifnians, the Naxian Sphinx, the metopes of the Athenian treasury, the famous Charioteer, created to commemorate a victory during the 476 B.C. Pythian Games, and many other artifacts.
When visitors approached Delphi, the first structure they saw was the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia — meaning, "Athena who is before the temple (of Apollo)." This sanctuary contained the most characteristic monument at Delphi: the Tholos, a circular building with a conical roof supported by a ring of outer columns.
Visitors would then walk along the Sacred Way, a path to the sanctuary of Apollo that was lined with treasuries and votive monuments.
The central and most important part of Delphi is the temple of Apollo, where the Pythia delivered her prophetic words in the adyton, a separate, restricted room at the rear. The temple of Apollo sat atop a large terrace supported by a polygonal wall.
As you tour the site with your professional guide, they will bring to life the history and central characters of the site. You will see the Roman Agora, walk along the Sacred Way, and view the monument of the Argive Kings, the treasury of the Athenians, the Athenian Stoa, the Polygonal Wall, the monument of Platea, and the Temple of Apollo where the oracle resided.
Above the Temple, you can visit the well preserved 3rd-century Theater. On the lower slope of the mountain is the Tholos, a building whose purpose is unknown but architecturally speaking is considered one of the masterpieces of the ancient world. You will also see the Palestra where the athletes trained in preparation for the Pythian Games.
After you tour the site, you will visit the adjacent Delphi Archaeological museum, housing ancient artifacts found at the site. Its centerpiece are antiquities from the Oracle complex, which dates from the 18th century B.C. until its decline around 300 A.D. Exhibits include the frieze of the Treasury of the Sifnians, the Naxian Sphinx, the metopes of the Athenian treasury, and the Charioteer, created to commemorate a victory during the 476 B.C. Pythian Games.
After you visit the museum, rejoin your transportation and begin the drive back to Athens. Along the way, a stop will be made for a traditional Greek lunch with wine. After lunch, you will start your drive back to the port of Piraeus.
Please Note
The drive to and from Delphi is approximately 3 hours each way. Stops will be made along the way. The site of Delphi is perched on the side of a steep hill and is visited by uphill walking. Those who make the climb are rewarded with a beautiful view over the site and the valley beyond.
Food and Beverage
A traditional Greek lunch with wine is included.
Recommended Dress
Comfortable clothing, sensible, flat-soled walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat or umbrella are suggested.
Restrictions
The hillside site of Delphi requires almost continuous uphill walking over dirt and some paved surfaces to visit. Guests must be in good health and sensible walking shoes are a must. At the museum, there are steps to enter the building.
Meeting Instructions
Details will be provided on your ticket.
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Legend of the Oracle
According to Ancient Greek myths, the god Zeus launched two eagles from the two ends of the world, one to the east and the other to the west, in order to find the center of the earth. The eagles, starting simultaneously and flying at equal speed, crossed paths above Delphi. Zeus marked the spot with a sacred stone called the omphalos (meaning "navel"), which was later held at the sanctuary of Apollo. Since then, Delphi has been considered to be the center of the world, the omphalos—"Navel of the Earth."
The omphalos is an ancient marble artifact, found at the archaeological site. The original stone is held in the museum of Delphi. A simplified copy sits outdoors at the site where it was found.
In the 2nd century A.D., Pausanias traveled to Delphi and provided rare evidence through his work.
The oval-shaped stone of the omphalos seems to have been decorated in high relief. In ancient times it may have been covered by a mesh of wool cloth, and was kept in the adyton (inner sanctum), beside the tripod and the daphne (bay leaves)—the other sacred symbols of the god. Pausanias described the wool cloth that covered the stone held precious stones designed in the shape of a mermaid, while two gilded eagles were fixed on top of it.
Recent studies by French archaeologists have shown that the omphalos and columns were connected and interlocked. The stone navel was mounted on the bronze tripods supported by the three dancers at the top of the column. This is where the omphalos is thought to have been placed, as a cover of the column, in order to reinforce the meaning and importance of the Athenian votive offering symbolically. The Athenians, wanting to placate and honor the god of light, offered Apollo this copy of the original stone, which combined both Delphic symbols as a gift from the hands of the three priestess figures.
Greeks believed the site was sacred and belonged to Gaia, or Mother Earth, and was guarded by Gaia’s serpent child, Python. Apollo killed Python and founded his oracle there.
According to legend, natives of the island of Crete, accompanied by Apollo in the guise of a dolphin, arrived at the port of Delphi (Kirrha) and built the god’s sanctuary.
The prestige of the Oracle of Delphi was at its height between the 6th and 4th centuries B.C.
Delphi became a powerful entity, with both rulers and common folk seeking counseling with the Pythia, who only operated a limited number of days over 9 months of the year. These pilgrims brought lavish gifts and offerings. Due to high demand for the oracle's services, affluent people paid great sums to skip to the front of the line. The Oracle was consulted on both private matters and affairs of state. City-state rulers sought advice before launching wars or founding new Greek colonies.
For these consultations, the Pythia would enter the adyton and then sit on a tripod chair, possibly behind a curtain. After Apollo’s priests relayed questions posted by petitioners, the Pythia would inhale light hydrocarbon gasses that escaped from a chasm in the ground, falling into a trance.
The Pythia would then mutter incomprehensible words, which the Apollo priests would translate sometimes conflicting messages for petitioners.
Greeks believed the Oracle of Delphi existed since the dawn of time and accurately predicted historical events such as the Argonaut’s expedition and Trojan War.
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