3 independent reviews for Greece small ship cruise, ancient sites of the Peloponnese
Reviews for Greece small ship cruise, ancient sites of the Peloponnese
Maria Heindel review 22 Apr 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The excursions were great and our tour guide Eugenia was brilliant, a fountain for Greek historical and current history. We spent a day in Athens at the Acheologic Museum and it paled in comparison to our cruise excursions.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
First check the provided services and read the fine print. Print a copy. We did not receive what we thought we had booked- beer/wine with meals, more served meals and some sailing.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
No. While we did provide tourist income benefitting local businesses, the ship was a motor vessel with sails strictly for show- not functional at all. It was a disappointment. The motors were loud and not properly vented, resulting in fumes in the lower outdoor areas.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
We loved the excursions but were disappointed with the ship. We would not recommend this vessel as it lacked an indoor lounge area required when weather was cold and damp. The lounge area was made unavailable as it seemed reserved for a small group of guests. The propulsion system was noisy for our “stowage” cabins. While the crew were accommodating , the shortcomings of the vessel spoiled our experience. There were also very young children, below the recommended ages which somewhat spoiled our experience.Read the operator's response here:
Hello Maria
Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to hear that the vessel's propulsion system was a disappointment. I have asked the vessels managers about this.
I am a little puzzled by some of your feedback about beer and wine with meals - Our website and information states that coffee, tea and water are included.
No mention of beer and wine. I cannot think where we state anywhere that there is a recommended age for this cruise - Please let me know where you saw this so we can correct.
It is true that the sails are rarely used and conditions are rarely in their favour, especially at this time of year. There is a lot of benefit for local businesses and communities, particularly in the smaller ports that you visit that do not usually have cruise ships call in.
While we endeavour to provide 5 star experiences it seems this cruise fell short of those standards. I am pleased your guide, 'Eugenia', did live up to expectations a good guide can make such a difference. We will speak to the vessel's managers about the issues that you had with the ship.
Thank you for taking the time to provide this feedback, we rely heavily on feedback from our clients to maintain the standards we aspire to.
Powell Ettinger
Anthea Holland review 9 Jun 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The Tours and the guide was great. The Motor Sailer Galileo was not satisfactory. The Corinth Canal had had a planned closure for months, so the vacation was not as advertised and was very disappointing. Screaming Greek babies on board, despite efforts by the staff, was not satisfactory. The mechanical and electrical problems on the boat - vibration so you couldn't sleep, Air Conditioning erratic. The sails were inoperable, just for show the Captain admitted.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Study reviews before booking.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not sure. If the sails worked we would have saved fuel.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Tours Great, Boat unsatifactory.Read the operator's response here:
Hello Mrs Holland. Thank you for your comments and feedback - I hope we have resolved this to your satisfaction now through our email correspondence. I am sorry for the issues that you had on board. We have asked the vessel to check the points that you have made and to let us know what measures they have taken.
Hilary Richards review 29 Oct 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
It was absolutely fantastic to be able to visit so many places from the sea, going into small harbours and tying up among local fishing boats. Most visitors explore the Peloponnese by bus which involves long periods of travel, but we were never moored more than 30 minutes away from anything. The itinerary was well paced with a good mix of site visits, travel along the amazingly scenic coastline, and interesting talks about Greece, its history, customs and anything we wanted to ask about. We felt the programme just got better and better. I haven't even mentioned the excellent food on board, the opportunities to visit local bars and cafes, the outstanding group organizer (Joseph) or the equally excellent guide (Yevgenia). As for the visits - where can you even begin? The theatre at Epidaurus, the caves of Diros, Monemvasia, Olympia, Delphi, or the Corinth Canal?2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
It is a very intimate experience living with such a small group of fellow travelers and you have to be prepared to get along with others, as there is no escape for a week. We had a lovely group but I understand that not every group is the same.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We had one lunch in a local taverna - all the others were on board. The boat was mainly restocked at the start from its base in Piraeus, but as we had a lot of fresh fish and salad, we may have taken on local supplies during the journey, although we were not aware of this. We used local bars and cafes for drinks and coffee, but did not spend much money in the communities. The environmental impact of a small boat was probably no better than the per visitor impact of a large boat. All the visits were to areas already heavily conserved and we respected this.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent vacation BUT our cabin was awful for pollution from the engines. We had asked for a Class A twin cabin. Ours (#9) was located right at the stern of the boat. We were never free from the noise of the diesel generator immediately below us and diesel fumes on the first two calm days with no wind to disperse them were unpleasant. On the times when we traveled at night, the additional roar, clatter and vibration coming through the structure from two 850 hp engines made sleep very difficult. And on the last night, in harbor when I thought we could at last have a peaceful rest, we were moored so close to the generator from the sister ship HarmonyG that the noise resonated against the sides of the two ships with a peak right outside our cabin. I was sorry to leave the vacation but very thankful to leave the cabin. I realize this is an old boat with a lot of character and we needed to be tolerant, but the noise was unpleasant and detracted from the experience. The message is - unless you are stone deaf or do not mind living for the duration with loud machine noises, make sure that your cabin is near the front of the boat.Holiday Reviews
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