Eastern Mediterranean/Adriatic Sea Cruise (April 29-May 16, 2026)

We decided to cruise through the eastern Mediterranean/Adriatic Sea (Holland America - Oosterdam). This map shows our scheduled cruise itinerary, with some time added for sightseeing in Athens at the start of the trip and in Trieste at the end.

All of these locations are new destinations for both of us!

Days 1-2: Leave home and fly to Athens, Greece 
Days 3-4: Visit Athens 
Day 5: Go to Piraeus and begin cruise 
Day 6: Kusadasi, Turkiye 
Day 7: At Sea - Cruising the Dardanelles 
Days 8-9: Istanbul, Turkiye 
Day 10: Mykonos, Greece 
Day 11: Souda (Crete), Greece 
Day 12: Katakolo (Olympia), Greece 
Day 13: Sarande, Albania 
Day 14: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Day 15: At Sea
Days16-17: Disembark in Trieste, Italy and spend 2 nights
Day 18: Fly home from Trieste, Italy

Days 1-2 (April 29-30): Travel to Athens

We had a few setbacks with our flight today. The plane for our first leg to Chicago was delayed by longer than our layover, so we needed to reschedule all connecting flights. We were switched from a United flight to Munich to a later Lufthansa flight.

The agent assisting us confirmed that we had premium economy seats (which is what we had booked on United) but was unable to print boarding passes for that flight.

When we arrived in Chicago, we discovered that Lufthansa didn't recognize United's code for premium economy, and we were assigned standard economy seats not next to each other. Mine was in the last row of a section, directly in front of the bathrooms, and had limited recline. So uncomfortable.

For our final leg, we were both assigned middle seats, not the aisle and window we paid to select, since we needed a later flight. To top it off, we had to sit on the plane an additional 45 minutes before takeoff.

We landed in Athens a little after 7 pm (instead of 3 pm), then headed to our hotel (Acro Urban Suites) to shower and change before having dinner and going to bed the evening.

This is the great view of the Parthenon from our hotel's roof top patio.

Days 3-5: Athens

Day 3 (May 1):  

Since today is a national holiday (Labor Day) there are public transportation strikes and key attractions, like the Parthenon, are closed. So we used this cold and somewhat rainy day to just wander around and get over jet lag.

After having a late breakfast at a nearby bakery, we walked around the neighborhood.

We then headed to see some attractions from the outside, including the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

We wanted to visit the Phallatorium, but it was closed, so we walked to the Arch of Hadrion

and then to the temple of Olympia Zeus.

We then walked to Zappeion Hall, and looked at the courtyard

and the decorated dome.

From there, we walked through the National Gardens to Syntagma Square to watch changing of the guard.

On the way back to the hotel, we walked through the Plaka neighborhood. We planned to have a late lunch there, but it was really busy and getting colder, windy, and starting to rain.

Church of Panagia Kapnikarea

One of the few calm streets in Plaka.

We were really tired, so we had an earlyish (7:30 pm) dinner at a nearby bistro.

Day 4 (May 2):  

After breakfast today, we took a break from the crowds and walked on trails on Philopappos Hill.

Near the base of the hill, we viewed the "prison of Socrates"

and then walked to the Church of Agios Dimitrios Loumbardiaris.

We were a bit sore from travel and all the walking, so we got massages then had a late lunch near the south entrance to the Acropolis. After lunch, we got in line for our 6 pm ticket time.

Propylaea (on the Acropolis)

Parthenon 

Erechtheion (on the Acropolis)

Greek flag at top of Acropolis 

Odeon of Herodes Atticus (view from the Acropolis). The green hill in the right side of the background is Philopappos Hill.

Greek salad at dinner

Feta in crispy phyllo dough, with honey

Giaourtlou kebab (with part eaten)

Day 5 (May 3):  

Today we slept in and had a relaxing morning at our hotel before taking a taxi to Piraeus, where we boarded our cruise.

Days 6-7: Kusadasi Turkiye and Dardanelles

Day 6 (May 4): Kusadasi, Turkiye 

Today we arrived in Kusadasi.

We booked a private tour to Ephesus that also included Turkish food tasting.

After being picked up at the port, we stopped at Selçuk, where we bought local olives, cheese, honey, and simit (Turkish bagels); one was filled with tahini. We then enjoyed our breakfast and Turkish tea outside near the aquaducts.

it was cool to see stork nests on top of the aquaducts.

After breakfast, we visited Ephesus.

After leaving Ephesus, we stopped to taste a variety of lokum (Turkish delight) then headed back to Selçuk to see a few historic sites, including the outside of St. John Basilica and a small mosque 

And then visiting the larger Isabey Mosque.

For lunch we had döner kebabs, kokoreç (grilled lamb offal), 

and çiğ köfte (the bulgar version).

We then sampled several types of baklava for dessert and made the obligatory stop to shop for a Turkish rug and enjoyed Turkish coffee and hot apple tea.

After the tour, we wandered around around Kusadasi before returning to the ship.

Once back on the ship, I went to the thermal spa to soak out the aches and Steve wandered about. I returned to my room to find a wet spot on the floor in front of the bathroom, which I incorrectly assumed Steve made when stepping out of the shower.

We went to dinner and the food was very disappointing. To top it off, my glass of wine had bottom of bottle sludge!!

When we returned to the room,  the floor was still wet, so we placed a towel over it before going to bed.

Day 7 (May 5):  At Sea - Cruising the Dardanelles 

Today is a much needed sea day but it has been anything but relaxing. The wet spot was wetter, so we called maintenance. It turns out that our cabin and the cabin next to us (and maybe others?) are experiencing a leak. Maintenance claims to have fixed it, and placed a large fan in our room to dry it out by blowing the water around our whole room. Steve has been "trapped" in the cabin so the door can remain open.

It didn't dry out and started to stink, so we needed to pack everything up and change rooms....and then solve all the cleaning and maintenance issues with the new room. 

Then, guest services kept calling the room to check on everything but would only let the phone ring 2-3 times, so by the time I answered the phone, they were hanging up. And as soon as I got comfortable, they would repeat the process. I finally answered in time and asked them to stop calling so I could nap. As soon as I laid down, a different guest services person called. Then I tried to nap again and my room steward knocked!!!!

At this point, I'm less than impressed with Holland America.

Our room steward did leave us this during turn down service, in an attempt to make up for all the inconveniences