Go island-hopping: From the Greek islands to the South Pacific

By Steve McKenna

One amazing northern summer, I ferry-hopped around the Greek islands, falling in love with its dreamy beaches, sun-baked ruins and whitewashed villages.

I'd arrive at the islands with a "carpe diem" mindset and no pre-booked accommodation, usually renting a room from one of the wizened Greek grandmas who'd wait outside the ports, noisily touting beds for about $40 a night.

On some islands everything was full, and I'd end up in a stuffy tent at a dusty campsite.

I have no such worries for my latest Greek island-hopping adventure. For the next seven nights, I'll be sleeping in the same air-conditioned cabin as we cruise around the Aegean Sea, calling in at magical islands like Crete, Mykonos and Santorini. Talk about hassle-free bliss.

"Yiamas!" (Greek for "good health") is the collective cry from our ship's alfresco terrace bar as we depart Piraeus, the port of Athens.

Mingling over chilled Mythos beers and ouzo cocktails is a mixed crowd: multi-generational families, couples and groups of friends from Greece, Australia, Italy, the USA and others.

While our vessel, Celestyal Crystal, doesn't dazzle with sleek, cutting-edge design - it's a remodelled 1980s-built ferry - it is cosy, clubbable and embraces the Hellenistic culture and zest for life.

The blue and white of the Greek flag infuses the colour palette of the 480 staterooms and suites. Dishes like souvlaki and moussaka, seafood and olive oil-tickled salads and deliciously syrupy baklava are served at the ship's laid-back restaurants (there's ample international cuisine, too).

Guests can enjoy light-hearted Greek language classes, live bouzouki bands and DJs, and evening stage shows like Mamma Mia!, a cheesy ABBA-themed jolly set on the balmy Greek islands.

The real stars of the show, however, are the ports of call. Explore them independently, on organised excursions or a bit of both like we do in spellbinding Santorini, an island where dramatic cliffs steal our gaze as we sail into its submerged caldera, which was created by a devastating volcanic eruption more than 3600 years ago.

While Santorini is famed for its picture-perfect sunsets - crowds typically flock to Oia, a village in the island's north, to capture them - there's so much else to savour.

"Here, try some honey wine," says Argy Kakissis, welcoming us to Symposion, an eclectic cultural centre in a quaint restored winery in Megalochori, a much sleepier bougainvillea-draped village sprinkled with white-cubed houses and a blue-domed church.

"The ancients would add honey or water into wine to make sure they stayed sober for longer," explains Argy's husband (and Symposion co-founder) Yannis Pantazis, who shares tales of Greek music and mythology while playing instruments he has hand-crafted himself.

These include the lyre, a U-shaped harp, and the tsabouna, a bagpipe that has been blown on the Greek islands for millennia. Handing us some instruments, Yannis encourages a jam, and soon a mesmerising fusion of drum beats and strings echo through Symposion's stone-walled chamber. "Kalos, kalos (good, good)," says a smiling Yannis.

Buoyed by this encounter, we hit Fira, Santorini's little capital, where narrow labyrinthine lanes weave past hole-in-the-wall watering holes, galleries and boutiques stocked with potential keep-sakes, from ceramics and jewellery to T-shirts and paintings depicting the island's postcard-perfect scenery.

There's no rush to return to our ship - it's docking in Santorini overnight - so we linger at Ohh Boy, a hip clifftop haunt overlooking the caldera. Pink and orange hues spear the post-sunset sky as we toast zesty white wines produced with the Assyrtiko grapes that flourish in Santorini's volcanic soils.

Mykonos is another memorable stop. Colourful fishing boats bob in the salty-aired harbour and antique hilltop windmills are caressed by the breeze that whips across these islands, providing respite from the scorching summer temperatures.

Pack your bathers as there are buzzy beach clubs and quieter coves, lapped by calm azure waters, on both Mykonos and Milos, another island on the itinerary (it's where the Venus de Milo, an ancient statue now displayed at the Louvre in Paris, was rediscovered in the 19th century).

Crete is ace for history buffs. Celestyal arranges a free outing to Knossos, a Cretan archaeological site dating back to the Minoans, an advanced Bronze Age civilisation.

There's also a complimentary guided trip to Ephesus, a magnificent ruined Greco-Roman city near Kusadasi, one of two mainland ports of call, just across the border with Turkey.

The other port is Thessaloniki, Greece's vibrant second city, where we enjoy strolling its sculpture-studded waterfront promenade and a historic core rich in Byzantine churches.

Sailing back to Athens after our invigorating, but relaxing week at sea, there are more shouts of "yiamas!" on the ship's terrace bar. We've crammed so much in, enjoyed so much. And the lovely thing is, we only had to unpack once. celestyal.com

Steve McKenna was a guest of Celestyal Cruises.

By Michael Turtle

Looking out at the overwater bungalows here in Bora Bora, I feel no jealousy. My room is over the water, too. In fact, even better, it can move! And, right now, it's moving between the islands of French Polynesia, across the sparkling tropical expanse that one local guide describes as "fifty shades of blue".

I'm on board the Norwegian Spirit as it makes its way westward through the South Pacific towards Australia - from Tahiti to Samoa, then Fiji and, eventually, Sydney. Over 14 days, the ship will hop between the islands, the beating sun drawing crowds to the pools during days at sea, and occasional storms and rough waves offering a good excuse to seek refuge in one of the bars.

"The more you booze, the better you cruise," the ship's beverage manager, Jun, cheekily declares on the enchanted evening I board in Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia. While Jun seems keen we take the Spirit's name literally, this is not a party ship. But neither is it a retirement home, nor even much of a kids club. This trip is for a diverse demographic, wanting to see the islands of the South Pacific affordably and conveniently.

On the French Polynesian island of Moorea, I trade the large ship for a small boat, skipping across the turquoise waters to spots where we can swim in the warm currents with (harmless) sharks and (also apparently harmless) stingrays. A local band serenades us with traditional songs on an island beach while we eat lunch and watch the fish try to keep up with the occasional yacht. Island time feels like just the right pace here.

But on Bora Bora, famous for its lagoon, I instead explore the island by bus to see some of the sights. Somehow I end up at a local institution, a tiki bar called Bloody Mary's, founded in 1979 and named after the character from the musical South Pacific. Although I know there's more to see along the 32-kilometre ring road that traces the shore, I still find time to try one of the famous eponymous cocktails. Jun would be proud.

As the Norwegian Spirit makes its way across the world's largest ocean, time slows even further during days spent at sea. It may be the smallest of Norwegian Cruise Line's ships (with capacity for 2032 guests), but a recent US$100-million ($146 million) refurbishment has created new spaces to pass the hours, with trivia in the pub, game shows in the observation lounge and even late-night karaoke in the social club (where I fear my songs are more malady than melody).

One morning, a dance class is interrupted by the captain on the loudspeaker, with information ahead of our arrival in Samoa. All I take in is his promise that "the sea temperature is 29 degrees". Yet, as it turns out, the beaches are on the other side of the island to the port, so I leave my togs in my stateroom and instead dip my toe into some of the country's more notorious stories.

Bloody Mary appears again, this time in the form of the famous Samoan hotelier, Aggie Grey, who the South Pacific character is said to have been based on. The local icon passed away in 1988 but it's possible to visit her homestead in the hills, where her great granddaughter Tanya shows us around.

At the end of a long driveway is another homestead, Villa Vailima. Built by author Robert Louis Stevenson in 1891, his grand mansion has been turned into a museum, protected by the people of this treasure island because, as museum guide Margaret puts it, "He wasn't here to take anything away from the Samoan people and that's why he was popular."

We're only in Samoa for about nine hours. As with most cruises, the pace of the itinerary means these are just tasters of the destinations. Just as, on board, the myriad of dining destinations also allows you to taste your way around the world.

Along with the five complimentary restaurants on the Norwegian Spirit, there are five specialty dining options, including the excellent Italian menu at Onda, hearty steaks at Cagney's, a formal French atmosphere at Le Bistro and (my personal favourite) Teppanyaki, complete with singing chefs.

Working his way through his repertoire as he sizzles the prawns and beef on the hotplate (with much more butter than my doctor would approve of), our Teppanyaki chef Jayson would be a much better contender for karaoke this evening than me. But, when we ask him what we should do after our satisfying dinner, he instead suggests, "You should go up to deck 12... to the buffet!"

Of course, he's joking. I think. This is not a cruise of excess, yet the 50 shades of blue are complemented by just as many shades of food. The tropical islands of the South Pacific may be the highlights, but there's plenty of spirit in between.

The Norwegian Spirit has Australian cruises to the South Pacific in 2023 and 2024. More information here: ncl.com

Michael Turtle was a guest of Norwegian Cruise Line.