Virgin Voyages’ Greek Island Glow: A Trip to Remember

As this was our first cruise, we were a bit nervous about it and about flying out of the country, but by the end of it, we were saying “how could cruising get any better than this!” We traveled between Santorini, Rhodes, Bodrum, Mykonos and Athens. We never experienced a dull moment. The Resilient Lady itself was just as unique. A little fun fact about Virgin Voyages is that the CEO of Virgin Voyages, Richard Branson, considers every little thing when deciding who he wants to work with based on what values they hold and how it will help the community. Virgin’s values are to "change sailing for good (for) their Sailors, Ocean, Crew, Partners, and Communities," which is why we decided to sail with them in the first place.

Resilient Lady is a beautiful ship; everything inside is specially curated for all Virgin Voyages ships. Some say Virgin is just a party ship cruise line that is boring during the day, but for us, that was not the case. We did everything from board games and trivia games to a handbag hunt with the onboard diva Miss Titty Caca to bingo and dodgeball and even a cabaret show. Nothing was lacking on the entertainment front.

The parties were great, too, even if you aren’t a huge partier. At the sailaway party, we met the happenings cast and got free champagne; on Scarlet Night, we learned about the myth of a sea goddess who fell for a brave sailor; and we even got to witness a wedding. Not to mention the incredible food options they have on board. If I had to point out any restaurants, it would have to be The Wake and Extra Virgin, probably the two most romantic restaurants on board. The Wake is a delightful two-story steakhouse with many unique options, including a salt-baked dorade, and if you want to pay a little extra, you can even get a wagyu steak. Extra Virgin, on the other hand, is a quaint Italian restaurant that has several pasta options and the most delicious affogato I have ever had. Both were a ten out of ten. The last thing I will say about the ship is that the hot tubs are to die for. There are two pools that are nice, but four hot tubs that you just want to stay in forever. My wife wanted to try to get in as often as she possibly could.

A little treat from The Galley we picked up before heading back to our room

Our first two stops were in Santorini and Rhodes. Let me just say Santorini was gorgeous. We did an excursion with a local guide that took us to the town of Oia, known for its white-washed buildings, blue roofs and marble walkways. On the bus ride over, she explained to us that the reason the town is so difficult to get to is that many years ago, when Santorini was first built, the city did not want to get raided by pirates. While in Oia, we walked around and did some shopping, just taking in the beautiful views. There is a cable car that you take up and down the mountainside that has an incredible view and is a staple of the city of Fira. They have a lot of beautiful historical churches in Fira as well. On our way back to the ship, we found a quaint mountainside restaurant. We had some drinks and tried a dip trio - they were to die for!

Dips from Santorini close to the cable cars were to die for

As for Rhodes, it was spectacular. When you first get off the ship, there are huge walls that throw you off at first. However, when you get to the opening of the town, it is a giant historical maze with shops, restaurants and museums — truly something different around each corner. We went to the Archaeological Museum, and it was a masterpiece of historical artifacts. Getting to see sculptures, pottery, gravestones and even hospital rooms from 600 to 800 years ago was breathtaking. My wife is a history buff, but honestly, standing in the hospital rooms, knowing what the walls had seen hundreds of years ago, was so humbling for me. The museum was, itself, simple, and yet, history was brought to life. It is a must-see if you don’t do anything else in Rhodes.

The next two stops were Bodrum and Mykonos. Though we didn’t know what to expect from Bodrum, we were pleasantly surprised. Just a mile from the port, there is a castle, which at first glance appears to be small, but in reality, it is the largest castle we have visited. More specifically, inside this castle, there is an exhibit on a shipwreck, and that was the highlight of Bodrum for us. In this exhibit, there are artifacts from a shipwreck from hundreds of years ago; they have reconstructed the ship remains and pottery that were onboard. We were able to watch a video on the research team that found the remains. There is also this cute little cafe called Happy Bear about half a mile from the port that has teddy bears all around and is worth stopping by.

This ship from the Bodrum Castle Shipwreck exhibit was very cool

We headed to Mykonos next, which was our favorite destination on the trip, and we got to stay overnight there. Amongst a myriad of shore things, we ended up choosing a mosaic workshop. We cut each piece of glass we used, and our instructor was a local artist who had just opened up an area to teach tourists the art of mosaics. After we finished here, we explored the small town shops and stopped for a bite to eat at Captain’s. We ate local cuisine here, trying dolmades, calamari and their iconic tzatziki dip. Not to mention the sun was setting while we were there eating, and we had the best view! We were seated at the edge of their outside seating and were right by the water — it was beautiful. Seeing the boats in the ocean and the windmills in the distance is something we will never forget. Our dream is to spend a month there just living like the locals.

This food was absolutely amazing, located at Captain's in Mykonos

Our last stop was Athens (where you embark and disembark), and we stayed an extra night after the cruise to explore. We stayed at Tina’s Apartments, a few miles from the airport and train station. Once we settled into our room, we took a free ride to the train station, bought a ticket and headed to the inner city. The rail system was the first I had ever been on and was a bit confusing, but with some much-needed help from some lovely locals, we were able to make it to the inner city. We did everything from visiting the Parthenon to trying a McDonald's and authentic gyros to walking along the street vendors; it was so much fun. When we got back to the room, we stayed in and ordered a tasty pizza from Tina’s. The next morning, we headed to the airport three hours before our flight, and thankfully we did because there were three flights going to the same place, an hour apart, so there were about a thousand people at the airport, and the lines took forever. All in all, Athens was a very unique place to visit.

The rail system in Athens — the only way we got around

The Parthenon was much bigger than I imagined

• Fly in the day before - This is a must. We had a flight delay and almost missed the cruise.

• Visit the city of Athens - There is so much history, and it is worth the experience.

• Get to the airport early for your departing flight - You can check in three hours before your flight, and there is only one major airport in Athens, so it is always packed.

• Bring a portable charger - You will want a fully charged phone for all of your photos, and if you download any maps to get around.

• Hydration packets - With the amount of walking you do and the amount of time you spend off the ship, it is important to stay hydrated.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Athens page.