The Greek Islands & Turkey
Golf Cruise to the Greek Islands & Turkey
Privileged Golf Yachting Aboard the 34-Guest Yacht Callisto
August 27 - September 6, 2008 and
*September 5 – 15, 2008
*Please note that the September 5 - 15 departure operates in the reverse, flying from the U.S. on September 5, embarking in Antalaya on September 6 and disembarking in Thessaloniki on September 13, with two hotel nights in Thessaloniki before flying back to the U.S. on September 15.
Classical ruins come together with a different sort of classic—the game of golf. Late summer, when the light of the Greek Islands and Turkey is at its most magical, tee it up in the birthplace of competitive sports. Year-round sunshine coupled with natural beauty and many of the world’s most important historical landmarks are quickly putting the Aegean on the global golf map. Our ship allows you to be one of the few to access the pristine courses surrounded by incomparable blue waters, bleached cliffs, shimmering olive groves and whitewashed villages. On the island of Crete, the ancient home of the Minoans, savor your game on expansive fairways hewn through rocks and ravines and flanked by both coast and mountain. In Turkey, test your abilities at the National Golf Club, a masterpiece on the countryside of Antalya, which was chosen by Mark Antony and Cleopatra for a romantic tryst because of its coruscating coastline, fragrant pine forests, lakes and mountains. Throughout the voyage, take advantage of our onboard golf hosts, ready to provide instruction and personal feedback on your game. In between golf, Callisto will make swimming stops in crystalline bays and visit such wonders as the island of Santorini, known for its wild beauty, and the fabled medieval squares of Rhodes Town. Don’t miss this opportunity to quench both your yearning for meaningful travel and your passion for golf.
Hosts: August 27 - September 6, 2008
Our hosts for this cruise are Pat and Sue Rielly from La Canada, California. Pat has a rich history in golf, which started as a player at Penn State and continued with a head professional role at El Camino CC. He went on to work at Annandale Golf Club in California for thirty years. Serving as President of the PGA from 1988 to 1990, Pat made significant contributions during his tenure as President, including the 1990 PGA Championship at Shoal Creek, a watershed moment in golf history that resulted in the PGA leading an industry change to conduct championships at clubs that did not restrict membership based on race or gender. Pat has also chaired past PGA Championships and Ryder Cup matches and continues his involvement in these events. Pat was also named as the 10th honoree of The Legends of the PGA program, acknowledging his contributions to the PGA and to the golf industry. Pat and Sue will be ideal hosts as we explore the Greek Islands and Southern Turkey.
Hosts: September 5 -15, 2008
Our hosts for this cruise are Glenn and Anne MacDonald from Vancouver, Canada. Glenn played on the European Senior Tour for five years and also competed on the South African Senior Tour. During that time, he competed in five Senior British Opens, the U.S. Senior Open and two Canadian Senior Opens. Glenn is currently a teaching professional and is looking forward to returning to Antalya to play National Golf Club where he has competed before. Having traveled throughout the world, Glenn and Anne are ideal hosts as we explore the Greek Islands and southern Turkey.
Deck Plans and Rates:
ITINERARY
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
USA
Fly from the United States to Thessaloniki, Greece.
Thursday, August 28
THESSALONIKI | CHALKIDIKI, Greece
Arrive in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city and the main commercial and cultural center of northern Greece, and transfer to the Danai Beach Resort & Villas in Chalkidiki. This elegant and exclusive resort overlooks a secluded stretch of the blue Aegean Sea. (D)
Friday, August 29
CHALKIDIKI | PORTO CARRAS | CHALKIDIKI
Golfers will enjoy the opening round at Porto Carras Golf Course, a beautifully designed course set in lovely surroundings at the Porto Carras Grand Resort. Those touring will discover the historic city of Thessaloniki, visiting its early Byzantine churches, for which the city is justly famous, and the Archaeological Museum, with its stunning collection of treasures. (B, L)
Saturday, August 30
THESSALONIKI | ATHENS | EMBARK
Transfer to the airport for the short flight to Athens. On arrival, transfer to Zea Marina to board Callisto. Sail late in the afternoon. (B, L, D)
Sunday, August 31
SANTORINI
After a swimming stop at a lovely bay on the island of Ios, arrive in Santorini. In the second millennium B.C., volcanic eruptions shrouded the island of Santorini in a blanket of pumice and ash, and collapsed the island into a fractured caldera. This ultimately produced the wild, otherworldly, multi-hued beauty of the island, while sending the Minoan civilization into irreversible decline. Take a cable-car ride up to the whitewashed homes, shops, cafes and churches of Phira. Then visit the Nomikos Exhibition, where excellent reproductions of Akrotiri’s Minoan frescoes are on display, and continue to the Prehistoric History Museum of Thera. Also visit the classic, traditionally preserved town of Oia. (B, L, D)
Monday, September 1
HERAKLION | KNOSSOS | AGIOS NIKOLAOS, Crete
Often recognized as the premier course in Greece, Crete Golf Club is a marvelous creation on this ancient island. The course boasts a series of memorable holes and offers stunning views over mountainous landscape, hardly changed since the Minoan era. Crete was home to the Minoans, Europe’s earliest civilization. Touring passengers will explore Knossos, whose reconstructed palace reveals the brilliance and refinement of the Minoans. Reboard Callisto in the quaint port town of Agios Nikolaos and sail in the evening. There will be an opportunity to swim in the aquamarine waters of Mirabello Bay before sailing to Rhodes. (B, L, D)
Tuesday, September 2
RHODES | LINDOS | RHODES
Rhodes reached its pinnacle during the Hellenistic period when it was a major center of commerce, learning and the arts. Arrive this morning and ascend Monte Smith, the site of the ancient acropolis of Hellenistic Rhodes. See the restored 2nd-century B.C. stadium, the theater and the remains of temples dedicated to Zeus, Athena and Pythian Apollo. Also explore the Old Town, one of Europe’s best-preserved and most impressive medieval towns. In lovely Lindos, enjoy lunch at Mavrikos, one of Greece’s top restaurants, after which you may take a donkey ride up to the acropolis, and spend time relaxing at Lindos’s fine-sand beach. (B, L, D)
Wednesday, September 3
KEKOVA BAY | MYRA, Turkey
Callisto cruises through the turquoise waters of Kekova Bay, where the narrow island of Kekova—only five miles long—forms a series of beautiful bays and fjord-like waterways. The waters here contain half-submerged ruins from the ancient city of Simena. Later, travel to the Lycian city of Myra. What remains is impressive, including its 2nd-century a.d. Roman theater and rock-hewn tombs. (B, L, D)
Thursday, September 4
ANTALYA | PERGE | ASPENDOS | ANTALYA
The glorious country around Antalya, on Turkey’s southern Turquoise Coast, contains some of the finest golf courses in the Eastern Mediterranean, and during our two-day stay here, we will have the opportunity to play the top two courses in Turkey. On arrival in Antalya, golfers will play the National Golf Club, created by David Feherty. Carved through a woodland of pine and eucalyptus trees against the backdrop of the Taurus Mountains, National is an unforgettable golf experience climbing the rankings of European golf. Those touring will visit two of Turkey’s great ancient sites: Perge, with its great stadium and colonnaded marble streets; and Aspendos, with its grand 20,000-seat theater, commissioned by Marcus Aurelius in the 2nd century a.d. There will be an opportunity for swimming at one of Antalya’s luxury resorts. Overnight aboard ship docked in Antalya. (B, L, D)
Friday, September 5
ANTALYA
In Cornelia Golf Resort, Nick Faldo has designed one of the best new courses in Europe. From the sumptuous clubhouse to the immaculate course conditions, Cornelia is impressively lush and mature and a magnificent final course for our tour. Touring passengers will explore Antalya, built on a cliff top overlooking the azure waters of the Mediterranean. Visit the old town, with its colorful alleyways and bazaars, its ancient remains, including Hadrian’s Gate, and the Antalya Museum, with its impressive exhibits from the ancient sites of the area. Overnight aboard docked in Antalya. (B, L, D)
Saturday, September 6
ANTALYA | DISEMBARK | USA
Disembark in the morning and transfer to the airport for return flights to the United States. (B)
Program Inclusions
• 2 nights at the deluxe Danai Beach Resort & Villas, with breakfast
• 7-night cruise aboard the 34-guest private yacht Callisto
• Welcome and farewell cocktail receptions
• Airfare from Thessaloniki to Athens on designated flight
• All meals aboard Callisto including house wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
• Open bar aboard ship throughout the cruise
• Complete program of tours and excursions as described
• Golf arrangements, including green fees and golf carts
• Accompanying golf hosts
• Professional tour staff
• Complete pre-departure materials
• Baggage handling and transfers abroad on the designatedprogram departure and arrival dates
• Port and embarkation taxes
• Gratuities to porters, guides and drivers
NOT INCLUDED: Airfare other than the designated flight from
Thessaloniki to Athens on Aug. 30; visa and passport fees; luggage, cancellation and accident insurance; meals and beverages other than those specified above; personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, faxes and e-mail service; and gratuities to shipboard personnel
Callisto – Privileged Golf Yachting for Just 34 Guests
Intimate Elegance
The luxurious private yacht Callisto, accommodating just 34 guests, is ideal for our unique approach to cultural cruising. Her small size allows visits to unspoiled ports, pristine beaches and intimate coves inaccessible to larger cruise liners. The limited guest list assures a group large enough to bring together an interesting mix of travelers, but small enough to foster a genuine spirit of camaraderie. All 17 exterior cabins resemble guest rooms in a fine home—beautifully furnished, comfortably arranged and complete with the amenities one would expect from a thoughtful host: large windows (portholes on Daphne Deck); air-conditioning; generous storage space; telephone; satellite TV; DVD/CD player; mini-refrigerator; and marble bathroom with shower.
A Private Yacht Experience
The yacht’s public areas, which include an elegant restaurant surrounded by large picture windows; a spacious lounge and bar; and a library (with Internet access) surrounded by windows, are furnished with rich fabrics, handsome woodwork, gleaming brass, antiques and fine works of art—warm, inviting places where travelers meet for conversation and refreshments, or to spend a pleasant hour with a good book. The yacht also includes a Jacuzzi, two broad decks for sunbathing and a swimming platform. Wireless Internet service is available.
Fine Dining
Callisto’s hotel staff requisitions fresh provisions from many ports of call. You will enjoy fresh bread, fish and the ripest produce from the local markets, resulting in menus of classic regional specialties as well as creative Continental fare prepared by expert European chefs, served at a single unassigned seating in the restaurant, or al fresco on the sun deck. Select fine wines are complimentary with lunch and dinner.
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