i always say there are two kinds of travel experience. those that are centered around people who want to travel and explore, and those who want to vacation. vacationers like to relax, stay in one place, sleep in and truly unwind. the traveler likes to go out and explore, get lost in a city, wake up at sunrise, and see as much as possible.
one is not better than the other. they are simply preferences. most travelers end up needing a vacation from their travels, and most vacationers go back home feeling refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated. your experience all depends on what you are wanting to get out of your trip. i’ve always very much been a traveler with a sprinkle of vacation here and there.
what i quickly realized while on my first ever cruise with seabourn, was that sailing with them was
somehow the best combination of both. i was truly able to unwind and relax while simultaneously hit
the ground running and explore a new island every single day.
i was quite nervous planning for my first every sail. i admittedly do not do well with the motion of the
ocean. i feared i would spend most of my time sick in bed or running to and from the nearest empty
waste basket. however, i’m very happy to report, i did not feel sick,
once. below is everything i brought with me to help prevent sea sickness. 10/10 recommend because i
somehow boarded that glorious ship with sea legs and felt great the entire time.
another fear i had was concerning my love to explore. i try to vacation, i really do. i’m just one of those
people who need an activity, or something new to see and do. me and sitting still have never gotten
along for more than 15-20 minutes at a time.
i cannot stress this enough. at no point did i feel ‘trapped’ or even bored. in fact, for the first time in a
very long time, i craved a nap and truly felt relaxed!
our daily schedule went along the lines of waking up early, which wasn’t hard to do because of the time
change, going to breakfast, which consisted of a delicious buffet with tons of healthy options (and
indulgences) then heading off the boat to explore a new island for the day. around mid-late
afternoon we would head back to the ship for a late lunch and pool time, then shower and change up for
dinner and evening entertainment, which was always entertaining! definitely don’t miss the magic show and any event hosted by ross!
this was our exact cruise itinerary:
day 1: depart from piraeus (athens), greece
day 2: patmos, greece
day 3: agios nikolaos, crete, greece
day 4: kusadasi (ephesus), turkey
day 5: mykonos, greece
day 6: skiathos, greece
day 7: bozcaada, bozcaada (tenedos), turkey
day 8: istanbul, turkey
the rooms
admittedly, one of my biggest fears was feeling claustrophobic, or possibly seasick or even worse, both. i feared a small cabin space would surely be the catalyst. i can’t even describe how excited i was when i walked into our not so little cabin with a bathroom that was larger than my very own bathroom in my apartment in manhattan, a huge and comfortable bed, a sitting space, and a private veranda giving us beautiful natural light and fresh air when needed. oh, and how can i forget, A WALK IN CLOSET! (i definitely don’t have one of those in manhattan!)
i felt at home immediately, had a great nights’ rest, every single night and even opted for room service dinner, twice, because a movie night in our private space sounded too good to pass up.
when sailing with seabourn, you can choose from a variety of different rooms and sizes, but each and every room is fully equipped to make you as comfortable as possible. they all are an excellent use of space, have incredible and luxurious amenities, and each has its’ very own private veranda.
i was truly blown away by just how comfortable everything was.
watch here for a room tour of one of the owner’s suites:
the ship
the ship was one of the highlights of my cruise experience. if you had told me that i was going to say that a month before sailing, i would have laughed and never believed it. i was fully convinced the ship would simply be what got us from point A to point B. instead, the ship was an absolute dream. everything magically felt like an extension of our private room, which essentially meant it felt like an extension of our home away from home. it was small and cozy but also massive and filled with activities at the same time.
during the day, the ship was the perfect place to relax, soak up some sunshine and unwind. and every night had an event, or some form of entertainment that always ended up being a fun time. they were all spectacular and so well planned.
david and i worked out in the gym a few mornings and afternoons and it was fully equipped with everything you would need, on top of amazing ocean views.
i think my most favorite part about the ship, was that it could be whatever you wanted it to be. some afternoons we felt social, so we laid by the main pool, or chose one of the popular whirpool spots where we could feel the energy of others and engage in conversation and make friends. other afternoons we wanted to unwind and read a book to get a little R&R in, and there were places where you could do just that! david and i found a spot at the front of the boat where we spent most of our afternoons, because it was quiet, peaceful and made us feel like we were on our only private yacht. it was the perfect place to recharge our social batteries after exploring a new island and before dinners and evening events.
i said dinners, because some nights we ate more than one dinner. the food on the boat was just SO good. and there were so many options, we wanted to try them all! in fact there were so many options the only way we could fit in everything was to have first dinner and a second dinner on a couple nights.
everything we ate was absolutely delicious. my favorite dinner spots were the grill, by Thomas Keller and sushi! two places that are absolute musts! for lunch, i loved eating at the colonnade. it was buffet style, so i could pick and choose what i wanted, which is just how i like it!
the stops
waking up to an new island every single day will never not amaze me. each stop is so unique and special in its’ own way.
as a self proclaimed explorer, i would recommend getting off at each stop. even if it’s for a quick 30 minutes or an hour to walk to around. getting on and off the boat is incredibly easy. because of the ships smaller size, going to and from the ship is a breeze. we woke up early most mornings and were one of the firsts to get on the new island and explore (i recommend doing this if you want to beat the tourist crowds). we explored for a few hours then headed back to the ship to lay by the pool, have lunch and an afternoon cocktail, because VACAY, then rested up and got ready for evening entertainment and dinner. then went to bed and repeated the next day.
if the idea of exploring a new island sounds overwhelming, the seabourn crew offers tons of guided explorations and activities in every location as well. or you can plan to just have a relaxing day on the boat and get a massage and tan instead. i definitely did this on one of the days after a quick excursion into the city and it was such an amazing day!
my favorite stops included ephesus, where seabourn organized an exclusive after hours orchestra concert among the ruins, and skiathos, one of my new favorite greek islands. mamma mia was actually filmed there along with a neighboring island. i loved both islands for very different reasons, but both were so memorable and special. every other stop had incredible views, beaches and historical sights that were just as incredible. again, i definitely recommend getting off at each stop to see the new city!
what to pack
pack light clothing that will keep you cool. especially if you go during the peak of summer. the days were very warm on most days. the evenings can get cool, so bring light layers that you can throw on for dinner, hangs on the boat or for a night under the stars!
you’ll most likely be doing quite a bit of walking. so, pack comfy shoes that won’t bother you. for days that you’ll be heading to the beach, bring a bag with you. it will make it easier to have a change of clothes, sunscreen, water and anything else you might need while out and about in the towns. your bag will also come in handy if you choose to pick up any souvenirs along the way!
some restaurants do have a dress code, so throw in a nicer outfit for the occasion! i wore a lot of sets and dresses because they tend to keep me the coolest and thpack well.
here is what i packed for the trip!
all in all, i 10/10 recommend this trip. i feel spoiled with my first cruise ever, because it truly was perfect.
to book the exact cruise i was on, click here
xoxo | jasmine