Greek Islands With Lindblad Expeditions

Sailing into the Cradle of Western Civilization on a clipper ship — does it get any more romantic? Lindblad Expeditions’ 2012 offerings in Greece feature exactly what boomer travelers want: unusual itineraries on a unique luxury vessel and extraordinary lectures courtesy of  National Geographic.

The 58-passenger Sea Cloud sails an inaugural 16-day cruise departing from Piraeus, Greece, on April 23. The trip includes an invitation for a complimentary private garden dinner, a Vorres Museum tour and an overnight stay at the Electra Palace from Lindblad Expeditions president and founder, Sven Lindblad, and National Geographic Board of Trustees chairman emeritus, Gil Grosvenor. The next day, guests can visit the Acropolis and have lunch before setting sail to ports including Skyros and Rhodes, Greece, and Bodrum, Antalya and Fethiye, Turkey. In Turkey, passengers also visit Ephesus, Kusadasi and the 2,300-year-old Lycian tombs along Turkey’s Dalyan River. In Greece, guests visit Chios and Amorgos, including the scenic Hozoviotissas monastery. Pricing for the inaugural sailing starts at $13,980 per person.

The 10-day Turkey & Greece cruise departs May 27 and June 4 and features cruising between Istanbul and Piraeus, with visits to some of the great centers of the Greek world, including Turkey’s Ephesus and Didyma, as well as Santorini, Folegandros and Delos, Greece. Pricing is from $7,990 per person.

The 12-day cruise of Greece and the Dalmatian Coast combines famous and unusual ports between Piraeus and Dubrovnik, Croatia. These ports include Katakolon/Olympia and Corfu, Greece; Sarande, Butrint and Tirane, Albania; Kotor, Montenegro; and Korcula and Hvar, Croatia. Pricing starts at $9,990 per person, for departures on Sept. 7 and 17.

The shortest of Lindblad’s offerings is the nine-day cruise of the Greek Isles, departing on May 7 and 14, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4. Sailing roundtrip from Piraeus, the Sea Cloud calls in the picturesque Greek ports of Skyros, Tinos, Delos and Santorini. Pricing is from $6,990 per person.

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