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Our Amazing Mediterranean Honeymoon Cruise on the Wind Surf

By : Jennifer Barile
Trip Begins September 28, 2011
Trip Ends October 10, 2011

Our honeymoon cruise started in Istanbul, where we spent a few days before boarding our ship, the Wind Surf. From Istanbul, we cruised the gorgeous Mediterranean, stopping at Turkish towns and Greek islands along the way. We had blue skies and warm temperatures all the way to our final destination of Athens!
See my photos : Our Amazing Honeymoon Cruise - Istanbul to Athens

Want to go? Wind Surf: Athens to Istanbul

I went to: Mediterranean, Greece, Turkey
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September 28, 2011
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We Arrive!

Istanbul

After the 11-hour flight from New York to Istanbul, we were excited to begin our honeymoon adventure! First things first....After claiming our bags (which arrived along with us!) we stood in a short line in order to pay the $20 per person Turkish visa fee. Very easy to do. After paying for the visas, we then stood in the customs line, awaiting our turn. Our flight was the only one in line, so the process took under 20 minutes.

We arranged for a transfer from the Ataturk airport to our hotel in Sultanhamet (the old part of Istanbul). Everything went smoothly and we were on our way! Our driver spoke minimal English but was able to point out some sights along the way. We drove alongside the Sea of Marmara and took in the view. Istanbul is a large city that is an interesting blend of cultures. A small part of Turkey (including Istanbul) lies on the continent of Europe, while most of the country lies in Asia.

We booked our hotel (Seraglio Hotel) on Trip Advisor due to the great reviews it received and we were not disappointed. I had mentioned it was our honeymoon trip and they tied a big red bow on the door of our room. Nice touch! The front desk staff were fabulous and very knowledgeable of all of the sights, where to eat, etc.

Although exhausted from our flights, we decided to hit the town! We were in walking distance to most of the major sights. We went to the Hagia (Aya) Sofia, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar. The architecture was positively amazing and the call to prayer heard over loud speakers was quite something to experience.

When going into any mosque, you must remove your shoes. Women also must cover their heads and some of the mosques loaned out scarves for this purpose. (But bring a scarf or wrap just in case.) The entry fee to the Hagia Sofia was about 20 Turkish Lira per person, but the Blue Mosque was free.

Although our hotel was in Sultanhamet, you really could stay almost anywhere in the city, as getting around on the tram is quite easy. (And inexpensive. A one-way trip cost 2 Turkish Lira, no matter how may stops you make.) But it was nice to be so close to the major sights.

After sightseeing, we went for a traditional Turkish dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus. We had mezza (small tapas-style plates) and kebabs. Everything was delicious!

September 29, 2011
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Street Food and Spices

Istanbul

Today we hit the spice bazaar in the area of Eminonu. What an amazing place full of wonderful smells and colorful displays. We sampled olives, cheeses and Turkish Delight, which is basically all types of sweets. You can purchase coffee, tea and all sorts of spices to bring back home as gifts. The New Mosque is also here, another beautiful example of architecture.
We visited a lot of the food vendors during our stay: Corn on the cob, roasted chestnuts, fried food, breads, ice cream....This was one of the nice perks of exploring the city on foot.

This evening we visited the area of Istanbul called Beyoglu. This is the modern part of the city, similar to other European cities I've been to. We walked along the main drag, eating ice cream and people-watching at Taksim Square.

September 30, 2011
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The Turkish Bath Experience

Istanbul

Today we explored the areas of Karakoy, on the opposite side of the Galata Bridge from Eminonu. The Bridge separates old Istanbul from modern Istanbul. The bridge was lined with fisherman, and underneath the bridge were restaurants serving fresh-caught fish. We walked over the bridge to find a fabulous fish market selling today's catch.

In the evening, we decided to check out the infamous hammams, or Turkish baths. We chose the Cemberlitas Hammam, as it's one of the oldest in the city. The experience is something hard to describe, and definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

Dinner consisted of Turkish pide; the Turkish version of pizza, which was actually very good. Dessert consisted of an assortment of Baklava and tea.

October 1, 2011
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All Aboard!

Istanbul

Since we didn't have to be on the ship until 4pm, we strolled over to visit the Topkopi Palace, now a museum. It is said to be one of the best examples of palaces from the Ottoman period. You could easily spend an entire afternoon here.

We walked back to our hotel and caught a taxi to the ship. The taxi dropped us off right at the Windstar area at the pier. Once there, it was very easy to find where we needed to go. There were a number of Windstar staff who directed us to the ship, and eventually to our cabin. We were starting our honeymoon cruise!

We were in one of the standard cabins on Deck 2. Since this was our first cruise I can't compare it to others, but our cabin was great. Flat-screen TV, large double bed, and tons of storage for our clothes and belongings. I brought along a rolling duffel and was able to slide it under the bed for storage. For this purpose, a soft-sided suitcase might be the best option. We each had our own closet for hanging clothes, and there were plenty of hangers. There was a safe in the cabin (which we never used), an i-pod docking station and mini-fridge. You could either bring your own i-pod or borrow one from reception.

There was a library on board with books to read and movies to rent. You could even order popcorn via room service to go with your movie!

Now, time to explore the ship! Two hot tubs, a plunge pool, lounge chairs, four restaurants, a casino, lounge area, bicycles to rent and a water sports marina! This was going to be a great week!

As the ship pulled out of port, we watched the sun set behind the cityscape of Istanbul. It was great to watch those five sails unfurl, and to have them as part of the backdrop.

October 2, 2011
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Relaxing and Sailing on the Wind Surf

Aegean Sea

Today we were at sea for the whole day, passing through the Dardanelles, a strait that connects the Sea of Marmara with the Aegean Sea. We explored the ship, relaxed, read and ate great food. The food on the Wind Surf was amazing, as was the customer service. The crew was there to assist you with anything you needed, and some we came to know on a first name basis.

The first day or two I did notice a touch of seasickness, especially when we were still docked in Istanbul. I took some non-drowsy Dramamine a couple of times and was fine.

October 3, 2011
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The Ruins of Ephesus

Kusadasi

Today we arranged a shore excursion with Windstar to Ephesus, an ancient Greek city (and later, Roman city). We toured the terrace houses at one time owned by the city's elite. After Ephesus, we drove to the village of Sirince, a beautiful town located on a hilltop. The drive to Sirince boasted an array of olive, fig, pomegranate and mulberry trees. As part of the shore excursion, we had a fabulous lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, we returned to Kusadasi for a carpet demonstration at a local rug store. They showed us how they spin silk from silkworm cocoons and demonstrated the Turkish weaving techniques, using double knots for extra strength. Joe volunteered to try the loom and got to tie a knot or two! During the demonstration, we were served Raki, the licorice-flavored national drink. It is commonly mixed with water to create a milky white color.

October 4, 2011
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Opa!

Rhodes

Rhodes is full of magnificent medieval architecture and beautiful stone buildings. We walked from Old Town to New Town, strolling along the water. We had a relaxing day of exploring and lying on the beach. We also treated ourselves to some yogurt and honey ice cream!

In the evening, the Wind Surf put on a Greek dance performance and Joe and I participated in the dancing. Opa!

October 5, 2011
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Swimming and Soaking

Bodrum

Another beautiful day! The highlight of Bodrum is its Castle, which also houses the Museum of underwater Archeology. The views from the Bodrum Castle are fantastic and peacocks roam the grounds. The marina is full of gorgeous wooden gulets (boats) that are locally built.

This evening, we took advantage of the Wind Surf's marina, swimming off of the ship, jumping off of the trampoline into the blue Mediterranean water. The Wind Surf will open up the marina when the ship is not docked, but anchored away from shore. The marina offers snorkel gear, water skiing, paddle boarding, wind surfing and kayaking, among other water activities.

After swimming, we soaked in one of the hot tubs on deck before getting cleaned up for dinner. The food on the ship is fabulous and definitely on of the highlights of our trip! After dinner, we watched an awesome belly dancing performance in the lounge.

October 6, 2011
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Alternative Transportation (aka Donkeys and Scooters)

Santorini

Beautiful Santorini. Some say the white buildings on the top of the island look like snow from a distance. This was one of our favorite spots during the entire cruise. There are three ways up to the top of the cliff where the town of Thira (Fira) awaits: Walk, take the cable car or ride a donkey. We chose the latter, of course! If you haven't heard, riding a donkey to the top of the cliff in Santorini is quite an experience. It's fun and hectic and just a little bit scary. But mostly it was a blast!

We spent some time exploring Thira before renting a scooter to take us to Oia. Oia is less hectic than Thira, and it's where all of the infamous photos of Santorini seem to be taken from. It was gorgeous! The scooter ride took about 20 minutes and it was a real treat to be in control of where we were to go next. We had lunch overlooking the water and then headed down the cliff to the shore where we swam and took in some sun.

Tonight on the ship there was a huge barbecue feast with every type of food you can imagine.

October 7, 2011
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Snorkeling

Mykonos

Mykonos was another relaxing day for us. We explored the streets and shops a little, but mostly headed straight for the beach. We had borrowed a snorkel and mask from the ship (for free), so we swam and snorkeled and lied in the sand. The water was a beautiful blue-green color, and we saw sea urchins and small, colorful fish.

Back on the ship, we were just in time for tea time, where the ship serves snacks, tea and coffee in the late afternoon. It seemed they were always making sure we were well fed!

October 8, 2011
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Athens Sightseeing

Athens

Up early for breakfast, we disembarked the ship around 8am. We had such a relaxing time on the cruise and now had to say goodbye to being pampered. The staff on the ship were phenomenal and the customer service was top-notch. The staff, along with the food, were definite highlights of our Wind Surf cruise.

The Wind Surf shore excursion manager helped direct us to the taxi stand where we could take a cab to our hotel for the next two nights, the Centrotel. This was another highly rated Trip Advisor hotel that was very nice, but a bit out of the way. If I had to do it again, I would have booked something a bit closer to the Acropolis neighborhood. That said, it gave us an excuse to ride the Metro, and we were also in walking distance to the National Archeological Museum.

Today was a big day! We tried to hit as many sights as possible because we only had two full days in Athens. We visited the Acropolis first (of course), the Ancient Agora (market), Hadrian's Library, Hadrian's Arch, Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Acropolis Museum. Most of the major sights are all in walking distance of each other, so it really is pretty easy to fit a lot in in one day.

We ate some fig and honey ice cream in the Plaka neighborhood in the afternoon and for dinner, went to the Psysis neighborhood for a traditional taverna dinner of moussaka and lamb. Delicious!

October 9, 2011
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Greek Food

Athens

After a yummy breakfast of Greek pastries that involved cheese and chocolate, we set out for the National Archeological Museum. This museum houses some of the most important artifacts in all of Greece and was a great way to spend our morning. For lunch we had souvlaki, and for dinner, sardines, lamb and a Greek salad. I really could get used to eating a diet of Mediterranean food!

October 10, 2011
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Heading Home

Athens

We had to wake up at 3:15am in order to take a taxi to the airport. The down side to taking a taxi this early in the morning is that the taxi drivers charge almost double the price for rides between 12am and 5am. It was either the 55 Euro taxi ride or a taxi to Syntagma Square followed by a bus to the airport. We were too tired to think about changing modes of transport, so shelled out the cash for the taxi.

What a great honeymoon trip this was! We were sad to leave the warm weather, the Mediterranean Sea and the food, but were excited to get back home!

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