Explore the beautiful Cyclades as the ancients did, sailing from isle to isle under the power of the wind. The legendary tall ship Sea Cloud, and her modern counterpart Sea Cloud II, offer the chance to stand on deck and watch the orchestrated frenzy of crew members climbing aloft in the rigging to handset 30 sails. Our expedition visits iconic landmarks as well as hidden gems that are largely unknown to all but locals and discerning travelers. Visit small harbors and go on guided walks to learn firsthand about the history and contemporary life along these sun-drenched shores.
- Experience the Cyclades while under full sail aboard a romantic tall ship
- On UNESCO World Heritage-listed Delos, the mythological birthplace of twin gods Artemis and Apollo, visit the Temple of Apollo, an important archaeological site
- At Tinos, see the active pilgrimage site of Panagia Evangelistria and terraced hillsides
- Explore the cliffside Panagia Hozoviótissa monastery in Amorgós and ride a cable car down from a clifftop in beautiful Santorini
- Explore Athens on a two-day pre-voyage extension or Crete on a three-day post-voyage extension
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Arrive in Athens and transfer to Piraeus, where you will embark the ship in the late afternoon. Settle into your cabin and take in our first Greek sunset at sea.
Arrival Time: Arrive before 4:00 p.m. local time.
Arrival City: Athens, Greece
Meals Included: Dinner
Our first morning on board is spent at sea, bound for the Cyclades and reveling in the blue magic of the Aegean horizon from our classic tall ship. Relax on deck with a book or journal. Watch the crew dance across the rigging to trim four masts’ worth of sails by hand. Attend interactive discussions led by our team of experts as they introduce the region’s history and ecology.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drop anchor at the island of Tinos, a sculptor’s haven dotted with villages full of terraced hillsides, Venetian-era dovecotes, and quarries renowned for their superb green marble. Explore the picturesque village of Pyrgos, generously adorned with carved marble facades. And visit the Church of Panagia Evangelistria. Built around a miraculous icon, it’s Greece’s holiest shrine–and thousands of pilgrims make their way here every year to pray.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The easternmost island of the Cyclades, Amorgós is a bit less frequented than many, but no less impressive. After dropping anchor, take in the beautiful domed churches and windmills of the main city, a scenic enclave perched in the mountains. Explore the Panagia Hozoviótissa monastery, clinging tenaciously to a cliff face above the sea. Like so many others in this region, it was built a millennium ago to protect a precious religious relic.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Venture into remarkable Santoríni—an island archipelago formed from a single volcanic cone that erupted 2,600 years ago to bury the resident Minoan culture in ash. Sail directly into the caldera and then drive through windswept vineyards to reach spectacular high views from the town of Oía. Tour the Archaeology Museum and excavations at Akrotiri, an important Minoan town preserved under volcanic ash like Pompeii, with well-built houses, streets, waterworks, pottery, and art.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Designated a UNESCO site in its entirety, uninhabited Delos is an outstanding archaeological gem. In myth, it’s the birthplace of the twin Greek immortals Artemis (goddess of animals and the hunt) and Apollo (god of healing, music, and light). Spend a morning surveying the Terrace of the Lions and exquisite Temple of Apollo, among the many incredible ruins preserved here. This afternoon, the adventure continues aboard the ship.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning, set foot on a rugged island known for its flavors, its beaches, its 227 churches, and its poets. A quaint harbor and scenic upper chora (village) invite exploration, and tempting local comestibles can be found at a waterfront taverna. This is also a fine place for a brisk walk or a lazy stroll along the beach. As afternoon arrives, we prepare to hoist our sails once more and depart for Piraeus.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy a farewell breakfast on board before disembarking and transferring to the airport for your flight home—unless you’ve opted for our three-day post-voyage extension in Crete. A two-day pre-voyage extension in Athens is also available, should you want that upfront intro to the region.
Departure Time: Depart after 12:00 p.m. local time.
Departure City: Athens, Greece
Meals Included: Breakfast
Itineraries are subject to change.
Sea Cloud
| Launched | 1931 |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 64 passengers |
| Length | 109 metres |
Sea Cloud is a ship with a soul, imbued by the original owners, Marjorie Merriweather Post and her husband E.F. Hutton in the 1930’s. The ship has played host to royalty, known service in wartime, and sailed the world over. She is a vessel of incomparable grace that harks back to the golden age of ship travel. Once you’ve been on Sea Cloud under full sail, you’ll begin your own love affair.
Welcome aboard a legend Sea Cloud accommodates 58 guests in 28 outside cabins including two original owner’s suites that still feature original marble baths and fireplaces. At 360 feet she is an expansive ship with extensive public spaces on the top deck, where we luxuriate in deck chairs and watch the crew of 18 go aloft in the web of riggings to hand-set her 30 sails. Her dining room is hung with marine oil paintings of the period and accommodates all guests at once for a single seating. We’ll gather in the lounge each evening for Recap. Life aboard is a uniquely pleasing mix of elegance and informality—a return to the golden age of sailing in shorts and deck shoes. You’ll find all shipboard services impeccable.
Discover the romance of tall ship sailingExperience something many people don’t know exists in the 21st century—the romance of life under square sails. Discover the thrill of standing on deck as Sea Cloud gently glides through the water, her crew aloft in the riggings, running out and reefing sails. Settle in to your favorite areas on the top deck and bask in the incomparable experience of traveling aboard the finest tall ship to ever sail the seas. Lose yourself in an adventure that, in this day and age, is almost unimaginable.
Sea Cloud II
Vessel Type: Tall Ship (Sailing)
Length: 105 metres
Passenger Capacity: 96
Built: 2001
Launched in 2001, Sea Cloud II is a stunning vessel, built along traditional lines, but offering deluxe accommodation. She combines timeless elegance of sailing ships of the past with the highest safety standards and the luxurious comfort of modern cruise ships. Just like her legendary sister ship Sea Cloud, the 29,600 square feet of sails is set by hand which is a truly magical sight. Built to accommodate 96 passengers in five star luxury, she offers a range of beautifully appointed suites and cabins which are furnished with great style. All accommodations have outside views and the bathrooms, in light marble, are unusually spacious and extremely comfortable. The finest, carefully chosen fabrics, combined with leather, rattan and other materials, brass and gold, precious woods and marble together create an impressive ensemble.
No expense has been spared to create a sympathetic ambience in both the accommodations and public areas and this is reflected throughout the vessel. Public areas include an elegant lounge, library, fitness centre, boutique, lido bar and hospital. The single sitting dining room is airy and modern and the quality of the cuisine and service will be to the highest of standards, as one would expect on a Sea Cloud cruise. Relax on the Lido deck and experience the natural grandeur of travelling under sail, rekindling memories of a bygone age.
