Voyages to Antiquity as a company has a deep rooted philosophy which has greatly influenced how the cruise experience is designed and executed. The main target market is the traveler who is keen on understanding more about the history, natural wonders and culture of the ancient world. Towards this end, the company deploys a small ship, appropriately named the Aegean Odyssey. The size of the ship is intentionally kept small so as to enable it to visit harbors other vessels are unable to reach; this allows the company to have itinerary rich in interesting destinations. To further ensure you are conversant with your destination and anything forthcoming, the company provides a lecture programme that is relevant and delivered professionally; a list of their guest speakers attests to this.
Here are some of the interesting voyages worth planning for with Voyages to Antiquity.
Amalfi, Dalmatia and Venice
This cruise is slated to start from June 15 2014 and run for 13 (thirteen) days. It includes 14 tours in 4 different countries. This inspiring cruise voyage starts by taking you to the Roman town of Pompeii in the modern day town of Sorrento in Italy. Voyagers will be shown what remained after this town was engulfed by lava and ash from the erupting Mt Vesuvius in 79AD, before taking you to the marvel that is known as the Monreale Cathedral in Palermo. The cruise then moves all the way to Valletta, a town in Malta that is commonly referred to as the city of palaces. The voyage ends in the beautiful Italian town of Venice; an enchanting and stunning city.
The cruise is packed with very interesting excursions which last anything from full to half day and all involve either moderate or heavy walking. It is worth noting that most of these excursions are included in the cruise pricing while others are optional and are charged from $48 to $68 depending on the excursion of choice. During the 13 day cruise tour, there will be 3 renowned guest speakers namely Ernest Rea – a celebrated radio broadcaster who is a specialist in history of religions and the ways in which faith impacts on the contemporary world. He will be ably assisted by Dr Gillian Shepherd – a PhD holder in Classical Archeology. The third guest speaker will be Jane Da Mosto – an Oxford trained environmentalist and activist based in Venice.
From the Adriatic to the Black Sea
This 25 day cruise is scheduled to begin on August 11th 2014; it includes 24 tours spanning five countries and two nights in a hotel in Istanbul. The course this cruise takes was a familiar route for trading fleets. Ancient wonders await you as you go through this voyage, in Turkey you will feel the undying spirit of the ancient Pergamon and Ephesus, in Croatia you will get time to explore the ever rambling palace of the Romans called Palace of Diocletian and while in Greece you will get the once in a lifetime opportunity to pass through the Lion Gate of Mycenae and walk on the revered sacred isle of Delos. The spectacular views you will get at the Kornati Islands, the picturesque Dalmatian coastline and the astonishing fjord of Kotor Bay will all leave you lost for words.
The excursions are quite unique and informative. Most of them are included in the cruise price even though there are a few such as the trip to the Epidaurus Theater in Nauplia, Greece or The Bosphorus Boat ride and a visit to the underground Cisterns and Archeological Museums in Istanbul which are optional and cost between $45 and $65. Most of the excursions involve some medium to heavy walking.
Speakers for this voyage include Adam Tanner, a fellow at the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University who also doubles up as Writer. He has spent most of his early years as a correspondent covering the unfolding transformation of former communist countries. Another speaker will be Prof Gregory Dowling, an Associate Professor of American Literature at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford.
The Grand Voyage from Nairobi to Singapore
This grand voyage will last 37 days, running from 19th December 2014. It is one of the longest cruises in the cruise calendar and includes 2 nights stay in a hotel in Singapore. After seeing all the wildlife Kenya’s Natural parks such as the Nairobi National Park, The Amboseli and The Tsavo have to offer, you will embark on a journey that will take you from Kenya, to Zanzibar then The Comoros Islands before passing through Mahe and La Digue in Seychelles, to Kuda Bandos and Galle in the Maldives and Sri Lanka respectively. Other countries and Islands the entourage visits include India, Burma, Andaman Islands, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The beauty of some these remote places will astonish you. The cruise trip is one of the most insightful and is a wonderful way of spending Christmas and the New Year.
As is the tradition, accompanying you in this trip is another team of gifted and well trained guest speakers who include, Simone Schofield – a native crafts tutor who has specialized in teaching quilting and patchwork of all ages. Andrew Schofield – an ecologist whose main theme has been conservation of nature, he has lived in Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and South Africa and Prof David Killingray, an Emeritus Professor at Goldsmiths London and a senior research fellow at the school of advanced study, University of London.