Greek Island Cruise (Part 5)

(52 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Lola Stoker

Mississauga, ON

Cruise Holidays | Luxury Travel Boutique

I was born in The Netherlands and moved to Canada in my early twenties. I started my career in travel and hospitality in Ottawa and later moved to Toronto where I have lived and worked ever since. My home is in Etobicoke, a quiet neighbourhood i...

My background includes a Degree in Hotel Management from the University of Maastrict, The Netherlands. A veteran of the hospitality industry, I spent my early years working in catering, restaurant management and sales. Later, an opportunity arose in Corporate Travel Sales where I represented some of the larger corporate travel companies in Canada. Although I enjoyed this career, I was always envious of the leisure travel specialists that I met; they seemed to be having so much fun researching and booking dream vacations for their clients.

In 2012, I decided to pursue a career in leisure travel and started a boutique travel agency with my husband, specializing in cruises and custom vacations. I've learned more about myself and the world than I ever imagined. I am truly grateful to have this opportunity to help clients, who have been bitten by the travel bug, plan their trips and cruises.

Many of my clients have spent most of their lives in North America and are eager to see more of the world. Canada is an absolutely gorgeous country, but I believe that it is important for people to travel, experience different destinations and cultures to broaden their horizons and enrich their lives. This could mean an escorted tour in Asia, an expedition trip to Antarctica or a relaxing river cruise in Europe.

My background gives me a unique perspective when booking cruises and other travel experiences for my clients. Born in The Netherlands, I traveled extensively throughout Europe. After moving to Canada as a young adult, I continued to travel extensively to Asia, the Caribbean and Mexico. Eventually, opening my own travel agency will allow me to use my unique expertise to help a variety of valued clients.

I love connecting with my clients, hearing their stories and seeing their pictures of their travel experiences after they return. This was particularly true with a client who booked a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The client had the opportunity to stay in a jungle resort with an amazing view of a volcano, visit the city of Quito, cruise the Galapagos Islands and get close to the extraordinary wildlife there. The pictures I received after this trip were absolutely breathtaking!

While I travel quite a bit with my agency, I make sure I am available for my clients. While my clients are abroad, I make it a point of being reachable so that I can quickly respond to any questions they may have. After my clients have returned, I'm always eager to discuss their trip, not only to learn about their experiences but to find ways to improve my service to them.

My number one mission is to deliver a once in a lifetime, worry free travel experience through superior service, excellent value and relevant expertise - and I will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal!

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As you walk away from the direction of Fira, you end up at a castle and the windmills. It is best to turn around and retrace your steps as going around the back of the town is not as scenic. The bus ride back to Fira is about 25 minutes and the road runs behind the cliffs and gives you a view of the sea side of the island. Once in Fira, meander the streets again for some shopping or photos. You can spend another couple of hours in Fira as well. Late in the afternoon, people gather along the cliffs to watch the sunset. The late afternoon sun creates the most brilliant light and brings out all the photographers.Day 9 – Mykonos – Know as a party island, the port is quite quaint with some small churches and the iconic windmills and waterfront restaurants. The Port of Mykonos is not quite as picturesque as Santorini, but there is a bit more to do on the island as a whole. Elia Beach is a popular destination and it can get quite busy. The best time is early in the morning before the crowds arrive. Transportation is a bit tricky in Mykonos. Taxis are not readily available and the best way to get one is to have someone call. . Negotiate the fare with the non-official taxis as they will start high. The taxi to Elia Beach should be around Euro 25 and the beach is about 20 minutes away from the port. The beach is sandy and there are plenty of loungers and thatched umbrellas for shade. The cost varies depending how close you want to be to the sea. The first two rows are Eur 20 for two loungers and an umbrella. The other rows are less. There are restaurants and boutiques at the beach and water equipment along the beach as well. There is wifi, but the internet is very slow. Tip of the day: If you take one of the loungers in the first row, make sure your belongings are above the sand. There is an occasional wave that will wash up the beach to the second row and anything on the ground will get wet and may get washed away. Another form of transportation is the bus. For 2 Euro, there is a bus that runs back and forth from the Old Port to Elia Beach, but only starts at 11:00. Just be aware that sometimes the bus can be late by as much as 45 minutes, so allow plenty of time when you leave. There may be a long line up and the boarding can be chaotic. If there are filled, people are allowed to stand in the aisles. The bus is white and looks like a tour bus, but has a sign on the front window “Old Port to Elia”. The bus is air conditioned, which is a huge plus.The sunset in Mykonos is a popular attraction. The cafes and restaurants are all facing the sunset. People gather on the hill by the windmills to take pictures and watch the sun go down. Evening is also a good time to wander the streets of the port. The streets are very narrow, originally designed to combat pirates. The narrow streets forced them to move single file which made it easier to trap and defeat the pirates. There are few dead ends and eventually all streets lead back to the waterfront. If you get lost, the locals will direct you. Unlike Santorini, the local residents still live in the port area. In Santorini, all the local homes have been converted to hotels.Back on the waterfront, the open air cafes are a great place to people watch. The crowds are continuous and people stream by. The port also lights up at night creating a beautiful setting for dinner, drinks or just a stroll. Tip of the day: if you want to use the wifi of a local café, make sure you check with someone there that is online.
Day 10 – Hydra (pron. “hee-dra”) – Small island port made famous by Sophia Loren and since then, a mecca for the rich and famous. Greece’s Monte Carlo, but smaller. No vehicles on the island. Mules are the only transportation. We saw some new guests arriving by ferry and being taken up to their hotel by mule train. One mule for the bags and two more for the guests. The man was dressed in a seersucker suit and was perched atop a mule. The port is as picturesque as Skiathos or Santorini. Outdoor restaurants by the waterfront have put up make shift canvas tarps to shade the guests. As you walk to the far side of the port, the cafés and restaurants are built on the rocks with umbrellas for shade.There are pathways to swimming areas on the rocks near the water and these paths meander through the restaurants right between the tables. You can take a table in the restaurant and walk down the path for a quick dip. Or you can walk down to the edge of the rocks and jump in. There are ladders that you can use to climb out of the water all along the shore. The water is deep, clear and blue. At the point at the end of the port waterfront, there is an arch in the rocks carved by the water and the local kids spend most of the day climbing up and jumping 15 feet off the arch into the water below. Hydra is a real hidden gem and rivals Skiathos and Santorini in photogenics and relaxation.