LIVE from Celebrity Infinity: Best of Greece August 17, 2024

[love2crews.]

49 minutes ago, Judyrem said:

You are so lucky.  Greece weather in March is very changeable, meaning we need to pack more clothes.😜

On the bright side, you won't have anywhere near the heat or crowds!

[love2crews.]

Speaking of heat, it has been so bad lately, that there have been lots of fires and people being evacuated.  Some of which are close to Athens.  From what I have researched and heard, ATH airport is not affected and the smoke and fires closest to the city center are now under control (thanks to the wind for slowing down and giving the firefighters a better chance).  I have inquired with several locals WITHIN Greece for this info as the news articles I am seeing tend to be a bit delayed and over-exaggerated.

 

While fires are a common occurrence in Greece, it does not diminish the fact a fire is a fire and this is a very real situation.  I hope all the locals and their homes and businesses are staying safe.

 

And for those of you traveling to Greece this summer, this is a great resource with the daily fire hazards.

 

https://civilprotection.gov.gr/arxeio-imerision-xartwn

[Barwick Cruiser]

Following! Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday together. We’ve been to a few of the ports but the others are new so I’m looking forward to seeing what you all get up to! Cheers!🥂 

Cathy

[Judyrem]

1 hour ago, love2crews. said:

On the bright side, you won't have anywhere near the heat or crowds!

I try to avoid Europe in the summer, last year I went to Milan in August with some the hottest days ever with my niece, it was a family thing and so much fun.

🙂

[Jim_Iain]

I'll also be following along.   Have a wonderful cruise.

 

[MsSWhite]

I'll be following too! We are on the October 26 sailing. Looks like the same itinerary with the addition of Nafplio, like another poster mentioned. Have a great trip!!

[esjas12]

Looking forward to your blog.   We leave on 9th September.   Have a great holiday (vacation)

[love2crews.]

We’re getting closer!  Currently sitting at the airport waiting for our flight to LHR.  Unfortunately, there aren’t any nonstop flights from us to Athens (we’re in California), so we have a quick layover.

 

If anyone wants to know our flight/connection experience, please let me know.  We are connecting in Heathrow (LHR) and I’m understanding we will have to go through security even though we are already airside.  It’s going to be a learning experience for us.  We shall see how it goes. 🙃

There will be lots of content and updates coming from us starting now!  The trip has officially begun! ☺️

 

Thank you all for coming along with us!  Buckle up, we’re cleared for departure! ✈️

 

[cinnamon]

Folllwing along too. 😀

[Lena11033]

14 hours ago, love2crews. said:

We’re getting closer!  Currently sitting at the airport waiting for our flight to LHR.  Unfortunately, there aren’t any nonstop flights from us to Athens (we’re in California), so we have a quick layover.

 

If anyone wants to know our flight/connection experience, please let me know.  We are connecting in Heathrow (LHR) and I’m understanding we will have to go through security even though we are already airside.  It’s going to be a learning experience for us.  We shall see how it goes. 🙃

There will be lots of content and updates coming from us starting now!  The trip has officially begun! ☺️

 

Thank you all for coming along with us!  Buckle up, we’re cleared for departure! ✈️

 

 

Safe travels

 

I haven't connected in Heathrow in a long time but I find it generally to be a good airport.

 

How much time do you have to connect?

[Judyrem]

7 hours ago, Lena11033 said:

 

Safe travels

 

I haven't connected in Heathrow in a long time but I find it generally to be a good airport.

 

How much time do you have to connect?

I connected to Vienna at LHR, was not a big deal IMO.

 

I just connected through Amsterdam last week and that was not a good experience, yes we did have to show our passports in Schiphol.

[peanut head]

On 8/10/2024 at 10:35 AM, love2crews. said:

 

We’re back!  And we’re headed to the Med!🛳️

 

We embark on the Celebrity Infinity in a week’s time and it’s gonna be a scorcher!  This time, we are celebrating our mom’s 65th birthday.  I’ve got a few things planned-not for every port though.  We hope to have a few relaxing days, but most importantly, we are here to try ALL the foods!  This is probably the most excited I’ve been for food on a trip.  So brace yourself for food pics, snack pics, dessert pics, and more food pics. 😉

 

This thread will act as a journal for our trip so we can look back and remember all the good times had. 🤩

 

I plan to provide lots of helpful tips and tricks along the way, too.  And if you have any tips and tricks for any of our ports, do tell!  We have not been to any of the ports on this itinerary. 

 

I hope you will join us on this adventure.  Sit back, relax, and get ready to explore all Greece has to offer! (Hopefully you will be following along from somewhere a bit cooler than what we are about to experience!) ☀️

 

 

 

Have a wonderful time and thanks for taking us along.

 

A few years ago we did a similar itinerary with Celebrity (Equinox) and had a great time. 

 

Based on crew recommendations we ate at a Greek seafood restaurant at the base of the tram (to the left when looking at the tram) and close to the dock with the tenders.  The name escapes me but there were tables along the edge of the water.  They actually cooked the fish (we got the "everything" broiled platter 🙂 ) straight from the water--it was one of the best meals we had in Greece.

[Lena11033]

22 minutes ago, Judyrem said:

I connected to Vienna at LHR, was not a big deal IMO.

 

I just connected through Amsterdam last week and that was not a good experience, yes we did have to show our passports in Schiphol.

 

Ah Amsterdam sounds like Toronto. Normally I leave quite a few hours to connect, going to London I had 8 hours at Toronto airport (choice was that or 3) and coming back 4.5 hours. But coming back I was delayed by 3 hours.

[love2crews.]

We made it to Greece! 🇬🇷

 

As expected, we’re all exhausted and are off to sleep now.  Tomorrow I will have time to play catch up and fill you all in on our travel day. 💤

[love2crews.]

On 8/15/2024 at 2:10 PM, Lena11033 said:

 

Safe travels

 

I haven't connected in Heathrow in a long time but I find it generally to be a good airport.

 

How much time do you have to connect?

 

We had about 3 hours. 🙂 

[love2crews.]

18 hours ago, peanut head said:

 

 

Have a wonderful time and thanks for taking us along.

 

A few years ago we did a similar itinerary with Celebrity (Equinox) and had a great time. 

 

Based on crew recommendations we ate at a Greek seafood restaurant at the base of the tram (to the left when looking at the tram) and close to the dock with the tenders.  The name escapes me but there were tables along the edge of the water.  They actually cooked the fish (we got the "everything" broiled platter 🙂 ) straight from the water--it was one of the best meals we had in Greece.

What city/port was this “everything” broiled platter you enojoyed?

[love2crews.]

15 August 2024: Travel Day

 

We landed in LHR around 10:00 in the morning. We had about 3 hours to make it to our connecting flight to ATH.  We knew we were going to have to go through security AGAIN at LHR even though we remained airside.  

 

Something to note, the only way off the plane at LHR was via stairs, so we had to carry our carry-ons down the stairs and then they loaded all of us in buses to take us to the main Terminal.  We were not prepared, nor expecting, this.  There was no help available to bring the baggage down the stairs and the bus was overflowing with people and their luggage.  This was British Airways. (Their app was pretty bad too, didn’t show boarding time either).

 

Anyways, after a short 1 hour delay and last minute gate change, we made it on our flight seamlessly.  For those who aren’t aware, Heathrow does not announce gates until 1 hour before boarding time.  We experienced the 1 hour mad dash at Stansted earlier this year, but hadn’t realized Heathrow did it too.

 

If you have any additional questions about our airport experience, please let me know.

[Judyrem]

12 minutes ago, love2crews. said:

15 August 2024: Travel Day

 

We landed in LHR around 10:00 in the morning. We had about 3 hours to make it to our connecting flight to ATH.  We knew we were going to have to go through security AGAIN at LHR even though we remained airside.  

 

Something to note, the only way off the plane at LHR was via stairs, so we had to carry our carry-ons down the stairs and then they loaded all of us in buses to take us to the main Terminal.  We were not prepared, nor expecting, this.  There was no help available to bring the baggage down the stairs and the bus was overflowing with people and their luggage.  This was British Airways. (Their app was pretty bad too, didn’t show boarding time either).

 

Anyways, after a short 1 hour delay and last minute gate change, we made it on our flight seamlessly.  For those who aren’t aware, Heathrow does not announce gates until 1 hour before boarding time.  We experienced the 1 hour mad dash at Stansted earlier this year, but hadn’t realized Heathrow did it too.

 

If you have any additional questions about our airport experience, please let me know.

Oh no, that's the worst carrying luggage down steps.😝  I use to fly BA but have not been since Covid.  I am not young and that is game changer for me.

[love2crews.]

August 15, 2024 (cont)

 

We landed at ATH around 7:30pm.  No signs of the fire anywhere.

 

Immigration was super duper quick and easy, and they even stamped our passports.  Bonus!  Customs was closed.

 

We did not check any luggage, so I cannot speak to that.

 

I had arranged a pick-up with Magini Transfers and George was right at the exit waiting for us.

 

The car was clean and cool (both temperature and aesthetic wise).  He also had some bottled water for us, as well as a case of water I had asked him to pick up.  This was to bring back to the hotel-much easier than finding a store and lugging the case back to the hotel.

 

We asked George to stop at a takeaway gyro place on the way to the hotel.  He managed to find one that was open (it was a holiday) and we went with George’s recommendation: pork souvlaki with everything.  What we call gyros, the locals call souvlaki.   The place was called Hammam.  We took everything back to the hotel to enjoy.  Very yummy.

 

 

 

I will share hotel info once we are checked out.  I will say, however, that we are staying in Piraeus.

 

Hotel check in was quick and easy.  After a looooong day of traveling, we ate our 1st gyros in Greece, showered, and hit the hay.

 

 

Airport Transfer: Magini Transfers (George)

https://magini.gr

*Great communication-would highly recommend.

Edited August 16 by love2crews.

[love2crews.]

26 minutes ago, Judyrem said:

Oh no, that's the worst carrying luggage down steps.😝  I use to fly BA but have not been since Covid.  I am not young and that is game changer for me.

 

I understand.  There were lots of folks who would have really appreciated the assistance.  And the bus they crammed us in did not have enough seats either.  Many people standing (some without a grab bar to hold) also had to prevent their carry-ons from rolling while trying to brace from falling.  

 

To say I was surprised is an understatement.

Edited August 16 by love2crews.

[peanut head]

9 hours ago, love2crews. said:

What city/port was this “everything” broiled platter you enojoyed?

 

 

Oh my goodness.  So sorry...it was in Santorini.  We would definitely go again--it tasted like it was just pulled out of the ocean--so flavorful and delicious.  One of the best meals we ever had.  Oh, btw, the 1 platter could easily serve 4.

[love2crews.]

4 hours ago, peanut head said:

 

 

Oh my goodness.  So sorry...it was in Santorini.  We would definitely go again--it tasted like it was just pulled out of the ocean--so flavorful and delicious.  One of the best meals we ever had.  Oh, btw, the 1 platter could easily serve 4.

Sounds delicious!  Thank you for sharing!! 🙂

[love2crews.]

 

August 16, 2024 (Part 1)

 

Remember how I said this trip was meant to be relaxing?  Well, today was supposed to be one of those relaxing days…until I heard about pistachio island (Aegina Island).  My mom is a huge pistachio lover, so off to researching I went!

 

I realized we had 2 options: ferry or private boat.  There’s a “normal” ferry (the kind that also transports cars) and a new ferry that looks like an airplane-much nicer (and faster) than the normal one.  

 

During my research, I also contacted several boat rental and yachting companies and came across Labis with Ocean Ribs.  I ultimately booked with him.

 

He was super great with communication, very accommodating and flexible. 

 

We took a taxi from our hotel to the marina.  I ordered it through the FreeNow app which is basically Uber.  It took a little longer to arrive than what the app said, but I’ve heard that Greece runs on Greece time. 😉 

 

 

There was a bakery right where we had the driver drop us off and it was choc full of everything you’d want a Greek bakery to have!  I got a turkey and cream cheese koulouri, my sister had a chocolate croissant, and our mom had a smoked salmon sandwich.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Side note: no one accepts American Express here…. We haven’t had any issues with Visa though. 

 

We enjoyed the pastries in the 90° morning sun, beneath the shade of a grapevine covering.  It’s the little things (like grapes just growing off to the side of the sidewalk) that really get us excited!

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17 by love2crews.

[love2crews.]

August 16, 2024 (Part 2)

 

I had coordinated for Labis to meet us at 10:00 at the marina closest to our hotel, and he happily obliged.  Important to note if you have mobility restrictions: getting in and out of the boat is quite difficult and can be frightening for some (such as my sister).  

 

After safely getting on the boat, we were off to Aegina!

 

Let me just say, we had GREAT weather.  So good, that Labis said it is one of the best weather days he’s ever seen.  No wind, calm waters, and salty air.  We did take Dramamine about 30 mins before getting on the boat “just in case.”  None of us got even a hint of seasickness.

 

After about 45 mins, we arrived to the main town in Aegina. 

 

I had also arranged for a private pistachio farm and factory tour with Aegina Transfers and Tours.  Pandelis was our guide and driver and was already waiting for us at the port…with the AC on!  Woo hoo!

 

 

I should probably mention that we are NOT outdoor people.  We melt in the sun/heat, so this trip is going to be a rough one in that aspect. 🤪

 

Anyways,  Pandelis showed us a few sites on the way to the farm-like the Temple of Apollo and Zorba the Greek’s home.  

 

 

 

 

We soon arrived at the farm, which felt like we were in the middle of a Greek village.  We were surrounded by pistachio trees as well as some other fruit trees-like pomegranate and prickly pear.  And the serene sound of cicadas chirping in the background. 😂

 

 

 

Pandelis told us all about the trees, harvest, etc and let us try fresh pistachios right from the tree!  These are the experiences I live for! 🤩

 

 

Then Pandelis introduced us to George, the owner of the pistachio farm and factory.  I don’t know the name in English, so here is a photo of the label.

 

 

George showed us all the machinery, told us the sorting and roasting process, and most importantly, let us sample a few products-for quality control, of course. 😉  Everything was A-MAZ-ING!  He gave us so many pistachio snacks and desserts to try, we weren’t even hungry for lunch. 😳

 

 

 

After finishing our factory visit, Pandelis took us back to the main town where George’s storefront is.  It is literally front and center of the main town.  Again, we had to do a little quality control testing and bought a few snacks.  The kataifi is waaaaay too good.  My sister and I have already had a few pieces each! 🤫

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17 by love2crews.

[love2crews.]

August 16, 2024 (Part 3)

 

From there, we had Labis pick us up and make a quick stop to see Moni.  We didn’t end up getting off the boat here, but it is a very beautiful (uninhabited) island full of greenery and wildlife and crystal clear water.

 

 

 

Then we made the 45 min boat ride back to Piraeus.  About 5 mins before arriving at the marina, the wind really picked up and it got HOT.  Well, hotter-it was already HOT!  It was like we went through an imaginary door to a furnace, lol.  UV index was at 9. 😳

 

 

After we said goodbye to Labis, we made a quick stop to the grocery store and picked up some oregano flavored potato chips.  We heard these are a must try.  We perused the rest of the store a bit too.  

 

 

By this time, we were starting to get hungry.  My sister found a place called Kali Pita that was just a 5 min walk, so that’s where we headed.  We all got pork gyros with everything and took it back to the hotel.  I had ordered a taxi through the FreeNow app while we were waiting for our food, so by the time the food was ready, the taxi was just pulling up.  I preferred this pork gyro over last night’s, the pork seemed more flavorful and a bit less fatty.

 

 

 

 

And that’s the end of our first full day in Greece!  What a wonderful way to start the trip!

 

In just a few hours, we board the ship and the cruise content will begin!

 

Ocean Ribs (Labis)

https://oceanribs.gr

 

Aegina Transfers and Tours (Pandelis)

https://aeginatransfersandtours.com