Hubby and I sailed on a 7 day cruise in late May 2016 on the Celestyal Crystal. It was a big anniversary for us and we knew we wanted to see the Greek Islands. After lots of research, we went with Celestyal because we would be able to see the most places in the least amount of time. We went in with very low expectations due to some of the very bad reviews we'd read, and ended up being exceedingly happy with what we experienced. I'm going to try to write a detailed review because I felt there wasn't a whole lot of information out there on this particular cruise, and I'd like to help others with their decision as to whether this is the cruise for them or not.

First off, this is a cruise that's about the ports, not the ship. If you are looking for a new, dazzling ship with amazing food and entertainment and activities, look elsewhere. If you want to see a lot of ports in a short amount of time and are okay with satisfactory (but not great) food and accommodations, this might be for you.

So, first, pre cruise you will fly into Athens. The airport is a good 30 minutes by cab into the city. Cab fare is regulated (38 Euro for us to the Hilton). The Hilton was nice, but I wouldn't stay there if we hadn't been redeeming hotel points. It's quite expensive. There is a nearby subway stop (5 min walk) but we didn't want to deal with it after so much time flying to get there. I'd recommend two nights in Athens. You'll have at least one full day to explore the Acropolis and the Plaka and then be on your way to the ship. Read more