Author’s Note: Apologies for such a long hiatus since my last public post! Kaleb and I traveled so much the past few years that my photo backlog and travel notes outpaced my ability to hit ‘publish’! Recently, Kaleb transferred my Blogger blog to a locally hosted site and incorporated a cleaner layout. This is the first post since the changes so past posts won’t have the new look. I like the way it came out and hope you do too. This travel blog is 3.5 years behind, but I hope I still capture the excitement that we had when we visited these incredible places. Thanks for reading and following along on our adventures!

• Part 1: Planning & Pre-Cruise Athens - September 28-October 1, 2022
• Part 2: Embarking Norwegian Jade, Ephesus & Patmos - October 2-3, 2022
• Part 3: Rhodes & Mykonos - October 4-5, 2022
• Part 4: Argostoli & Corfu (October 6-7)
• Part 5: Santorini & Disembarkation (October 8-9)
• Part 6: Prague: The Augustine & Old Town (Coming Soon)
• Part 7: Charles Bridge & Prague Sightseeing (Coming Soon)
• Part 8: Pre-Cruise Barcelona (Coming Soon)
• Part 9: Virgin Voyages: Embarkation, Ibiza, Malaga (Coming Soon)
• Part 10: Virgin Voyages: Funchal, Crossing the Atlantic, Miami Arrival (Coming Soon)

Massive travel deals were still going on in these post-pandemic times, which I immediately jumped on due to having revenge travel momentum. This time, we’d be in Europe for a month: 2 nights in Athens, a 7-night Greek Isles cruise on Norwegian Jade, 5 nights in Prague, then meeting up with my parents for 2 nights in Barcelona and a 14-night transatlantic cruise on Virgin Voyages to Miami. Whew!

Planning the Month-long Trip

Cruises

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) was having a sale back in spring 2021 which included reduced air for the 1st guest, free airfare for the 2nd guest, free air deviation (meaning we could change the arrival date without fee), and Free-At-Sea (choice of 3 items between free dining/free drinks/free wifi/free gratuities/$50 shore excursion credit per port).

For the initial cost of ~$3000, we got:

• 7 nights in an inside cabin for 2 people
• One-way economy air from SFO-ATH for 2 people arriving two days early via NCL’s air deviation program
• Two specialty dining meals per person
• $50 shore excursion discount per port for the 1st guest
• One 250 minute wi-fi package

This was already a great deal, but it got even better - in early 2022, there was an American Express (AMEX) offer of “Spend $500, get $125 back” on Norwegian Cruise Lines. I found this offer on 7 AMEX credit cards held between the two of us and my parents. To maximize the savings and take full advantage of the offer, I also added the following to our cruise:

• Pre-paid gratuities
• Upgraded the wi-fi package to unlimited minutes
• Purchased four shore excursions (utilizing the $50 discount for 1st guest)
• Purchased $315 on-board credit (spent during the cruise on two more specialty meals, additional tips, drinks and barista coffee)

In the end, we paid about $2700 total for all the above.

Then in Feburary 2022, Virgin Voyages offered a nice deal on a 14-night transatlantic cruise on Valiant Lady from Barcelona to Miami, just $1239 per person for a Sea Terrace balcony cabin after stacking the early booking discount and 10% pay-in-full discount. Since my parents were finishing an escorted tour in Iceland in early October, the timing aligned perfectly for them to meet us in Barcelona for a leisurely voyage back to the States. Too bad there weren’t any AMEX offers for Virgin, but the cruise fare was already a good value as it includes gratuities, basic (non-alcoholic) beverages, wi-fi and all dining is specialty-level.

Flights

Even though we had free air deviation from NCL for our flight to Athens, we could only choose what day we wanted to arrive, not a specific air carrier. A Google Flights search listed a couple of one-stop options, and I hoped it would be on Air Canada, so we could apply for an upgrade to business class on the long-haul leg. Our air got assigned at 59 days before embarkation, and the flights were indeed on Air Canada! Business class upgrades were offered via a bidding process, where you submit however many Aeroplan points you were willing to pay per person. There was a red-yellow-green gauge showing the likelihood of acceptance; we chose 90,165 points to land barely inside the yellow range. It was a lot of points to be spending per person, but we thought that it was worth $100/hour to upgrade to business on a 9-hour red-eye from Montreal to Athens to arrive a bit more refreshed. Valuing Aeroplan points at 1 cent each, our 90k bid was our psychological limit—we added a few extra points just to edge out anyone else bidding exactly 90,000. We transferred little over 180k AMEX Membership Rewards points to Kaleb’s Aeroplan account and hoped for the best. Two days before departure, we got the notice that our upgrade request had been accepted! Cash price would have been close to $3000 per person.

Our Aegean Airlines nonstop business class flight from Athens to Prague was paid for by redeeming ThankYou points on the Citibank Travel Portal at a penny a point. The cost was $268 cash, or 26,800 ThankYou points per person.

The flight from Prague to Barcelona (connecting through London Heathrow) was on British Airways in Club Europe class. The tickets would have cost ~$800 cash per person, but I redeemed 35,000 Avios miles per person instead. Club Europe is considered business class, but the seats are the same as economy, with the middle seat blocked off on a 3-seat row. We would meet up with my parents on the leg from Heathrow to Barcelona as they were flying from Reykjavik.

After the transatlantic cruise, our flight home from Miami was on Southwest Airlines. 28,289 Rapid Rewards points was redeemed for my ticket, and Kaleb’s was free thanks to the Companion Pass.

Hotels

As our flight was leaving SFO very early in the morning, I redeemed a Free Night Certificate (FNC) for an overnight stay at the Courtyard San Francisco Airport. I had to spend an additional 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (“topping off”) as the reward night cost 40,000 points and the FNC had a maximum value of 35,000. Cash rate for the stay was around $300. The FNC is a benefit of the Marriott Premier Plus Business credit card, a good value for the annual fee of $99.

I redeemed 130,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for two nights at the Hotel Grande Bretagne, located next to Syntagma Square in Athens. Cash rate would have been $700/night. I would have Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status by this time, so our stay would include complimentary breakfast.

In Prague, we would stay 5 nights at the Augustine. Instead of using Marriott points, I booked through the AMEX Fine Hotels and Resorts program (FHR), redeeming about 196k AMEX Membership Rewards points (at a penny a point) plus charging $200 to the AMEX Platinum Card in order to trigger the $200 FHR statement credit benefit. This method cost way less in points compared to the Marriott Bonvoy program. FHR benefits include complimentary breakfast, a $100 resort credit, early check-in/late check-out and a room upgrade when available, great perks if you don’t have status with the hotel chain.

For the 2 nights in Barcelona for us and my parents, I redeemed 200,000 Hilton Honors points for two rooms (50k a night) at the Hilton Barcelona. As I had Hilton Diamond status, breakfast would be complimentary. Technically, the second room I reserved wouldn’t be eligible for the breakfast benefit since I wasn’t occupying it, but so far, it’s always been offered.

Transportation

Since we would be gone for a month, it was cost-efficient to rent a car from Hertz one-way to and from the airport versus using long-term parking.

In Athens, Prague and Barcelona, I booked airport/hotel/cruise transfers through Welcome Pickups (save $5 with my referral link). The price was very reasonable.

The Journey Begins

We picked up the rental car the day before our flight, drove a few hours to the Courtyard San Francisco Airport and parked there overnight ($12.50). The hotel had no airport shuttle service, and taking Uber back and forth from the airport would have been more hassle and cost. Our room had been upgraded from a king guest room to a king suite with separate living room and bedroom. It was clean, comfortable and had a balcony overlooking the grounds. There was also a gift of local popcorn in the room.

Since we had a car, we weren’t limited to the few restaurants within walking distance. We drove to La Paloma in San Bruno for some yummy Mexican cuisine.

A Domestic Prelude: SFO to Montreal

Early the next morning, we checked out of the Courtyard, returned the rental car, and hopped on the Airtrain to the terminal. We didn’t have any time to visit an airport lounge for breakfast, so we grabbed some sandwiches and fruit before boarding.

The first leg of our journey was a 5.5-hour flight to Montreal. Although we were seated in economy for this domestic-ish stretch, Air Canada made the experience quite comfortable. As an Aeroplan member, I was able to take advantage of the free in-flight Wi-Fi. Having a power outlet available between the seats was also a major plus for keeping our devices charged during the flight.

Upon arriving in Montreal, we had a 2.5-hour layover—the perfect amount of time to retreat to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge. Because our connecting flight to Athens was in Business Class (thanks to our successful point bid!), we had full access.

The lounge was a welcome respite. In addition to a small buffet of snacks and salads, they offered plated main courses upon request. Despite having all these selections, I kept my plate light as we would be eating again on our next flight.

The Points Payoff: Air Canada Business Class to Athens

The long-haul leg from Montreal to Athens was on an Air Canada 777-300ER, featuring a spacious 1-2-1 business class configuration. Kaleb opted for the window seat to catch the views, while I took the adjacent center aisle seat so we could still be relatively close.

The seats were fully lie-flat and came with some high-tech bells and whistles, including a massage function and programmable lumbar support. While I can’t say I felt much from the “massage” setting, being able to adjust the firmness of the seat made a huge difference in comfort.

The dining experience was another highlight. I enjoyed a three-course dinner starting with an octopus appetizer (very fitting for a trip to Greece!), followed by gnocchi for the main course, and a fruit and cheese plate for dessert.

Dinner wasn’t entirely smooth sailing, though. We hit some notable turbulence right in the middle of the meal service—always an adventure when you have a glass of wine on the table!

After the meal service, I was able to flatten the seat and get a few hours of sleep before the breakfast service began.

First Day in Athens

Luxury at Syntagma Square: Hotel Grande Bretagne

After touching down in Athens and clearing immigration, we headed to the arrivals area where we were met by our driver, Theo. He was easy to spot, holding up a clear Welcome Pickups sign. It was a smooth, pleasant ride through the city directly to the Hotel Grande Bretagne.

Located right on Syntagma Square, this hotel is a landmark in its own right. Our room was wonderfully spacious, featuring a classic marble bathroom equipped with both a separate soaking tub and a walk-in shower—exactly what you want after a 9-hour flight.

Waiting for us on the table was a lovely welcome gift: a bottle of Pilavas Tentura (a traditional Greek cinnamon liqueur) and a box of chocolate-covered cake balls.

Lunch with a View at the Roof Garden

We headed straight up to the hotel’s Roof Garden Restaurant for lunch. The view boasted a direct line of sight to the Acropolis.

We ordered a few pasta dishes which were delicious. To cap off the meal, Kaleb ordered a coffee, which arrived with a delightful assortment of complimentary chocolates and macarons.

Adjusting to the Time Zone: National Garden and Ancient Landmarks

When traveling, we try, no matter how tired we are, to stay awake until at least 9:00 PM local time to force our bodies to adjust to the new time zone. With a few precious daylight hours remaining, we pushed through the jet lag and headed out for some initial sightseeing around the hotel.

We started at Syntagma Square, the heart of modern Athens, right outside the Grande Bretagne. We then wandered into the National Garden, a lush green escape from the city bustle. It was interesting to see a pond full of turtles.

Our walk continued past some of the city’s most iconic ancient sites, including the colossal columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the historic Arch of Hadrian, both of which are within easy distance of Syntagma.

An Authentic End to the Day: Dinner at Meat the Greek

As dusk approached, our focus shifted to finding dinner. We explored Ermou Street, a bustling pedestrian shopping avenue, before stumbling upon a place aptly named Meat the Greek. We ordered what turned out to be the most delicious, vibrant Greek salad, accompanied by fresh, perfectly grilled meats. Such great pricing too! It was exactly the kind of authentic meal we were hoping for, and a perfect way to end our day.

Second Day in Athens

A Pre-Dawn Breakfast and the Trek to the Summit

The next morning, we woke up very early due to jet lag and headed to the Roof Garden Restaurant to enjoy our complimentary Platinum buffet breakfast. The sun had not yet risen, affording us an illuminated view of the Acropolis.

Afterwards, we left for the Acropolis to beat both the heat and the crowds. It was about a 20-minute trek from our hotel, which involved traversing steep, winding streets and climbing plenty of stairs.

Even in the early morning, the crowds were already starting to swell. We were glad we arrived when we did, as the temperature seemed to climb by several degrees every hour.

Walking Among the Caryatids: Exploring the Acropolis

Once inside the archaeological site, the scale of the history is breathtaking. We spent our time exploring the various temples and theaters, including the iconic Parthenon, the Erechtheion with its famous Porch of the Caryatids, and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Seeing these structures up close, even with the ongoing restoration work, makes you truly appreciate the engineering of the ancient Greeks.

The reward for the uphill hike wasn’t just the ruins themselves, but the incredible 360-degree views of Athens.

After descending from the Acropolis, we continued our journey through history at the Roman Forum. Looking back up from the base of the hill, we could see the massive crowds now swarming the summit—we were definitely glad we made that early morning trek!

Logistics and Local Hospitality: COVID Testing and Aspro Alogo

Later in the afternoon, we had to handle a very “2022” travel requirement: the pre-cruise COVID-19 test. Even for vaccinated guests, Norwegian Jade required a negative result within 48 hours of embarkation. We located a testing site called Homed just off Ermou Street. It was entirely touchless with a quick QR scan for registration and payment, followed by results delivered straight to our inbox.

For our final evening, we drifted away from the main drag of Ermou Street into the quieter side alleys, stumbling upon a charming ‘mom and pop’ gem called Aspro Alogo. The food was simple, unpretentious and delicious.

The owner even treated us to a complimentary piece of halva and a glass of peach juice to finish our meal.

Our two nights in Athens flew by, leaving us wanting even more time among the ruins. But the sea is calling! Next up, we’re heading to Piraeus to embark on the Norwegian Jade for a 7-night cruise through the Greek Isles… stay tuned!