ATHENS TO LONDON CRUISE
HENRY NOWICKI
10 JUNE 2001
HENRY NOWICKI
10 JUNE 2001
The mts Arcadia is a Greek-owned and operated vessel under charter to Great Lakes Cruises to cruise all five of the Great Lakes for the entire summer seasons of 2001-2002. The trim little 367' ship has 119 cabins with a passenger limit of 224 which seemed perfect for Great Lakes cruising. The ship had received good reviews (Ref 1) and the sailing season on the Great Lakes appeared to be most promising (Ref 2). But first the ship had to reposition from Piraeus, Greece to its new homeport of Windsor, Canada. The initial cruise from Piraeus to London was scheduled as an eleven-day voyage (Ref 3) to be followed by a seventeen-day cruise from London to Toronto (Ref 4). Both were great itineraries.
Departure of the Arcadia (Photo, Ref 5) from Piraeus was scheduled for 14 May 2001 so I arranged to fly to Athens a week early to rent a car and revisit a number of Greek sites throughout the country. An account of that journey may be found by clicking here (Ref 6).
May 14. 2000 departure from Piraeus, Greece was quiet and interesting. The port city, a suburb of Athens, is lively with an inviting marina area.
May 15. A day at sea was welcome as one has to get acquainted with the ship and its personnel. It does not take long on a small ship.
May 16 Malta 0900-1500. The port of Valletta has to be among the top ten world ports as to its entrance and massive fortifications. The old city is most colorful and an exploration of the southeastern part of the island is most rewarding.
May 17 Tunis, Tunisia 0800-1400. This North African city is very westernized and reflects much of what the Mediterranean has to offer. Carthage, near the La Goulette port area, is certainly a must-see attraction.
May 18 is another day at sea to enjoy the calm Mediterranean and sunny weather on deck.
May 19 Cartagena, Spain 0800-1200. This is an old, secure port harbor that currently serves as a naval base and fishing port. To me, it represents most of what I would consider coastal Spain and that is reason enough to enjoy it.
May 20 Gibraltar 0600-1200. The steep side of the famous rock faces north towards Spain instead of south towards the sea, but the scenic attraction of the area seems to make little difference. The cable car ride is mandatory and it delivers a unique view of the peninsula and its adjoining Spanish coast.
May 21 Lisbon, Portugal 1000-1700. The entrance into Lisbon via the Tagus River is delightful with so many landmarks to observe. The city is world-class and a short visit is merely a small sample of its many points of interest.
May 22 Vigo, Spain 1000-1900. The old port city has much substance and, as Lisbon, requires an additional visit to investigate its many facets.
May 23 is a day at sea to rest from the many port visits..
May 24 The St. Malo, France visit is canceled as a bit of bad weather has put the ship behind schedule and the old vessel doesn't have the speed to catch up. It is a vast disappointment as both St. Malo and its eastern neighbor, Mont St. Michel, are architectural jewels set in northwestern France and not the easiest of places to visit. C'est la vie.
May 25 London, England 1300 arrival. The route up the Thames is most enjoyable and the mooring, ramped up along the HMS Belfast, in the London "Pool" between London Bridge and Tower Bridge was exqusite.
The eleven-day cruise was most enjoyable. Good weather, for the most part, was an important ingredient and the many, merry shipmates enhanced the voyage.
CLICK HERE for more travel accounts by the author.
Copyright 2001, All Right Reserved.
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