The 618 shopping festival has just ended, and platforms and merchants are resting. Although “Monday Deals” has signed up a few products, none of them particularly stand out. Rather than fill the space with mediocre offers, it’s better to focus on one blockbuster.
Today’s feature is the early bird price for Greece.
Next summer (2025) in Greece is a great early bird deal, and the pricing is quite attractive. Foreigners are keen on booking early; the sooner you book, the cheaper it is, and it truly is a great bargain.
The Greek flag consists of only two colors: blue and white.
God did not hold back in Greece, pouring all shades of blue and white into this place. No other place in the world is quite like the Aegean Sea in Greece where white appears so pure and blue is so intoxicating.
The blue of Greece is not melancholic but rather healing.
This time we have a cruise, the Star Cruises “Celestial Journey,” which offers an 8-day, 7-night itinerary through Greece and Turkey.
On this total 8-day, 7-night journey, you will visit:
Athens, the enchanting city of the gods.
Thessaloniki, today’s most Byzantine city in the world and the birthplace of Alexander the Great.
Ephesus, one of only two World Heritage Sites in Turkey that is both natural and cultural. Yes, this itinerary also leads to Turkey.
Crete, Greece’s largest island, boasting breathtaking coastlines, is also the cradle of Europe’s oldest civilization.
Santorini, the most famous island in Greece with its blue Aegean Sea, blue-domed churches, and white windmills. Santorini is a place many people dream of.
Mykonos, the second most popular Greek vacation island after Santorini.
Milos, a rising star in Greece, considered the best island in Greece for 2024. This is also the discovery site of the Venus de Milo sculpture.
I’m here to post about our product, which today consists of two items (which can actually be considered as one).
Star Cruises “Celestial Journey,” 8-day, 7-night cruise ticket + $85 onboard spending credit per person, starting at 5699 yuan (departing from and returning to Athens, Greece).
Itinerary: Athens – Thessaloniki – Kusadasi (Ephesus) – Crete – Santorini – Mykonos – Milos – Athens. There are no sea days; each day features a new destination.
Departure dates: July 5, July 12, July 19, August 2, 2025. That’s right, it is for 2025.
As for the cruise, basic meals, entertainment, and accommodation on board are all included.
Star Cruises “Celestial Journey,” 8-day, 7-night cruise ticket + $85 onboard spending credit per person, starting at 5699 yuan (departing from and returning to Kusadasi, Turkey).
Itinerary: Kusadasi (Ephesus) – Crete – Santorini – Mykonos – Milos – Athens – Thessaloniki – Kusadasi (Ephesus). There are no sea days; each day features a new destination.
Departure dates: July 7, July 14, July 21, August 4, 2025.
I’ll share a route map; this is one of the most classic Greek and Turkish Aegean routes.
Each port of call has a long stay.
For example, on the Athens round-trip, we will stay in Santorini for 17.5 hours, 18 hours in Mykonos, and over 10 hours in both Crete and Milos.
The longer the stops, the more enjoyable the experience. Feel free to compare with other cruises; Star Cruises is among the few that allows for such long stays.
You can visit different destinations every day without any sea days. The ships sail at night and you enjoy your day exploring.
The schedule for Santorini and Mykonos is really good. These two islands are famous for their sunsets, and you will be able to enjoy these on the islands.
According to the cruise line, it’s not just about the sunsets; you can also experience nightlife in Santorini and Mykonos and then return to the ship.
And this occurs during Greece’s peak season.
The weather in Greece in July and August is the best, with an average of 11 hours of sunshine and minimal rainfall. Think about it – are other products for Greece more expensive in July and August? Absolutely.
Next, I will provide a detailed introduction to Star Cruises “Celestial Journey.”
Let’s start with the specs:
Launch date: Launched in 1993, renovated in 2023
Tonnage: 55,877 tons
Number of rooms: 630 guest rooms
Maximum capacity: 1,260 people
This promotion targets early bird travelers, and we’ve handpicked several summer itineraries.
The benefit is that you’ll find a relatively concentrated number of Chinese guests, and there will be Chinese-speaking welcome staff. If there are enough participants, the cruise will provide corresponding Chinese services. Some shore excursions will also have Chinese support, so you don’t need to worry too much about the language barrier.
Additionally, our assistants will be with the sailings on July 5 and July 7, 2025, to help if there are any needs on board.
Star Cruises operates primarily in Greece, specializing in Aegean routes.
Their positioning is to see Greece through the eyes of the Greeks, focusing on deep experiences at each stop. Here are some examples:
Star Cruises provides longer stops at every destination, especially in Santorini and Mykonos; larger cruise ships often can’t dock long enough on the islands to catch the sunset, but Star Cruises can.
Star Cruises’ routes include Milos, Santorini, and Crete, where larger ships typically only visit two or one from the three.
The shore excursions offered are deeper experiences, after all, it’s a home ground cruise.
Star Cruises is categorized as a medium-sized cruise line.
Medium and small-sized cruise lines tend to pay more attention to immersive destination experiences, bridging a gap between land products and cruise offerings.
Just think about it: going to the Aegean Islands, and then on to Athens, Thessaloniki, and Ephesus might be more complicated, whereas the cruise solves transport, accommodation, and meals.
You’re in for a great experience.
However, I must temper expectations slightly.
As a medium-sized cruise, Star Cruises cannot compete with Royal Caribbean or MSC in terms of entertainment options, nor can it offer water parks and extensive indoor entertainment like the MSC cruise we’ve experienced in the Mediterranean.
Generally, large cruise lines focus on entertainment on board, whereas small and medium cruise lines focus on service, dining, and the destinations themselves.
When comparing Star Cruises with traditional land group travel, it’s worth noting that traditional tours for Athens + Mykonos + Santorini involve ferry transfers, which can take about 6-8 hours to reach Santorini.
You must carry your luggage on board and the ferry accommodations are quite basic (often not suitable for overnight stays), resulting in a time-consuming and less enjoyable experience.
With Star Cruises, you set sail at night to sleep and arrive the next day at the destination for exploration. This way, it’s hassle-free.
Due to its recently renovated facilities, “Celestial Journey” boasts great hardware. The deck features two sun pools.
Onboard, there are 7 restaurants and 8 bars. Most meals on the cruise are included, but not every restaurant is free; there are some that charge additional fees as well as free restaurants.
As for the cuisine, while I can’t comment on the quality, the menu is reportedly carefully crafted by renowned Greek chef Diane Kochilas using seasonal ingredients and fresh produce.
One thing is certain: there are Asian-flavored paid restaurants on the “Celestial Journey,” so you won’t feel too out of your culinary comfort zone.
Our assistant is scheduled to board the same sailing route on July 29 of this year, and they’ll provide a detailed review afterward, including the culinary experience.
Currently, we are in discussions with the cruise line regarding Chinese guided tours based on participant numbers.
There is indeed a theatre on board that features different performances every day.
The specific prices for this trip are as follows:
The cheapest option is the interior cabin, with sea view options being the best value.
Personally, I feel that the value for balcony cabins isn’t particularly high. If you’re looking for a balcony, it might be worth considering the Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas in the Eastern Mediterranean route.
I’ll share room images:
Interior cabin
Basic cabin types do not have bunk beds or sofa beds, but once a third or fourth person is added to the room, either a bunk bed or a sofa bed will be accommodated. Each room layout will differ, with interior cabins measuring 17 square meters.
Sea view cabin
In cabin accommodations, two beds can be combined into a queen-sized bed or separated into twin beds.
Balcony cabin
As you can see, rooms are not the strengths of the “Celestial Journey.” However, they are relatively accommodating for third or fourth guests, as there are sofa beds and bunk beds available.
During the majority of the trip, you probably won’t find yourself in your room but rather enjoying the destinations.
Finally, I’ll outline the itinerary.
Both itineraries are 8 days and 7 nights in a circular route, essentially a similar journey – one starts in Athens, the other in Turkey’s Kusadasi (Ephesus).
Athens has a relatively close port to the city center, but flights to Athens might be slightly more expensive.
Kusadasi (Ephesus) requires flights to Istanbul, which are cheaper, but getting from Istanbul to Ephesus takes over 5 hours (flights are quick), making this convenient for those wishing to briefly visit Istanbul.
Both itineraries will require multiple Schengen visa applications for Greece, along with a simple electronic visa for Turkey.
Now, I’ll detail the Athens round trip.
In this package, each person will receive $85 as an onshore spending credit, which needs to be registered at least 35 days before departure.
I’ve looked at some shore excursions, and the $85 is perfectly sufficient for certain destinations.
I wouldn’t recommend joining shore excursions on Santorini and Mykonos as the port is close to the leisure areas, making it accessible for independent exploration.
For Thessaloniki and Ephesus, which require historical context, I advise booking guided tours. Based on the number of Chinese guests, the cruise will determine if there’s a need for a separate Chinese tour for shore excursions.
For example: a panoramic half-day tour of Thessaloniki in 2024 is priced at $80, which is perfectly covered by the provided spending credit.
Day 1, embarkation at Athens (Piraeus) at 17:00.
Piraeus is the port of Athens, only about 20 minutes by taxi from the city center. I recommend arriving 1-2 days early, as Athens is definitely worth exploring.
Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, with each structure narrating its long and glorious history.
Day 2, Thessaloniki, arriving at 10:00, departing at 19:00.
Thessaloniki belongs to ancient Macedonia and was historically the second largest city of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. It still retains a significant number of public buildings from the Byzantine period (13th century).
I recommend you sign up for a half-day panoramic tour to learn more about the city.
Day 3, Kusadasi (Ephesus), arrival at 13:00, departure at 19:00.
Turkey has two World Heritage Sites recognized for both natural and cultural significance, and Ephesus is one of them. We just visited during our recent scouting trip and found it very enjoyable.
It was once a hub of ancient commerce and faith, significantly populated during its peak with over 250,000 residents covering more than 809 hectares. It is currently the world’s largest Greco-Roman ancient city.
A tour of Turkey gives you insight into the remnants of ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and the Ottoman Empire — distinctly different histories.
I recommend a half-day panoramic tour here as it requires some historical explanation.
Once a site of one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, the Temple of Artemis now only features a lone column.
Day 4, Crete, arrival at 08:00, departure at 19:00.
Crete is Greece’s largest island, with the ancient city of Knossos being the birthplace of the Minoans, marking Europe’s first civilization.
