0:00
hi I'm Gary Bainbridge and this is
0:02
another of my tips for travelers in this
0:04
episode I'm going to tell you about the
0:06
nine things that you need to know about
0:07
voyage to antiquities Aegean Odyssey
0:10
including what's good and what's not so
0:14
subscribe to the channel and every week
0:16
you'll be alerted to let you know
0:18
there's another video packed full of
0:19
great travel tips advice and inspiration
0:22
first of all generosity is the only
0:24
cruise ship so at the time of recording
0:26
this that's part of the cruise line
0:28
voyage to antiquity which is really
0:29
aimed around exploring the historical
0:31
the archaeological the natural world and
0:34
the history of the various ports that it
0:37
calls on it was originally built as a
0:39
ferry but was converted in 1988 into a
0:42
cruise ship has over the years been
0:45
reworked remodeled and substantially
0:47
improved and it's constantly going
0:48
through dry docks well it's quite a
0:50
small ship there's seven passenger decks
0:53
and all together normally cruises with
0:55
around about 350 guess there's just over
0:58
200 cabins the third important thing is
1:01
that it's a very traditional ship so it
1:04
looks like an old-style passenger ship
1:06
not rather new modern or apartment block
1:08
type cruise ships inside though it has
1:12
been significant updated modernized and
1:14
is constantly being refreshed and
1:15
improved but of course being a smaller
1:17
ship that does mean it has fewer
1:19
facilities and less choice so let's
1:21
explore what it actually has onboard in
1:23
terms of dining there are two main menus
1:26
the first of these is the Terrace Cafe
1:28
this is the more informal dining area
1:31
which is a buffet and also has a really
1:34
nice outdoor deck so particularly for
1:36
selling in nice warm climates it's great
1:39
to sit out on the terrace deck this is
1:41
open for breakfast for lunch for
1:43
afternoon tea and for dinner the more
1:46
formal dining restaurant is the Marco
1:48
Polo and this is open for lunch and for
1:52
dinner depending on the cruises may also
1:54
be open for breakfast it's a way to
1:56
served restaurant this is the rest of
1:58
other people tend to dress up much more
2:00
for so you'll find in the evening
2:01
general moral often wear a jacket or so
2:03
near long-sleeve shirts and ladies will
2:04
dress up a little bit smarter there is
2:06
no formal dress code on the Aegean
2:09
Odyssey so in the day people tend to be
2:11
much more casual but in the evenings
2:12
people do tend to dress
2:14
if they're going to dinner in the Marco
2:15
Polo in the evening there's also
2:17
normally some light bites and they are
2:19
normally in the Charleston bar there are
2:22
four lounges or bars on board the
2:24
largest of all is known as the
2:26
Ambassador lounge this is the main
2:28
meeting point on board it's where all of
2:30
the enrichment lectures are held
2:32
it's where in the evenings there might
2:33
be some shows or cabaret if there are
2:36
things like the captain's welcome party
2:38
is also held in here it's a very large
2:39
room it can hold everybody on board so
2:42
it can seat more than 350 people very
2:44
comfortably at one time just long from
2:47
that as a Charleston by this is the most
2:48
popular bar on board a lot of people
2:51
meet here for evening drinks and also
2:53
before and after dinner often performing
2:55
here you'll have either the classical
2:58
trio will perform in here or there might
3:00
be a duo it's also where in here they
3:03
hold things like the morning daily quiz
3:06
power up the ship is the Observation
3:08
Lounge now occasionally during some
3:10
cruises this is used if there's a very
3:12
big group on board if it's not being
3:14
used by a group it's the venue where
3:16
people go and play things like bridge
3:18
the outside bar is the leader bar again
3:21
very popular when sailing through warmer
3:23
climates and it has a great view over
3:25
the pool deck now in terms of fitness
3:27
and spa you've got the pool deck with a
3:30
pool which is a saltwater pool there is
3:33
the Athena spa on board now in it Athena
3:36
spa you have the small gym area which
3:39
has some machines and free weights and
3:40
then of course you have the spar area
3:42
where you have your normal treatments
3:44
there's also separate to the thinnest
3:47
there are also occasionally some classes
3:49
held and the classes will be held in the
3:52
Ambassador lounge in terms of other
3:54
facilities on board there's a library
3:56
it's quite a large library room which
3:57
has lots of books reference books this
3:59
is also where you'll have the various
4:01
daily quizzes and there's lots of
4:03
magazines and brochures in here as well
4:05
of course as you'd expect there's the
4:07
normal facilities like you've got your
4:09
reception you'll get services and your
4:10
shore excursions desk there's also a
4:13
shop which sells everything from branded
4:16
merchandise clothing jewelry and of
4:19
course essential supplies there is no
4:22
photography center and there's no
4:24
onboard photographer taking pictures all
4:26
the time there is no guess
4:28
laundry armboard so if you do need
4:30
washing or laundry done then you have to
4:33
send that away now in terms of
4:35
accommodation as I mentioned there's
4:36
just over 200 cabins and these range
4:39
from inside cabins right through to
4:41
owners Suites there are not many balcony
4:44
cabins on board so less than a quarter
4:46
of the cabins will have a balcony the
4:49
great thing though there's lots of
4:51
cabins for solo travelers and you'll
4:53
find these at all different levels and
4:55
gray now the upper tier of cabins are
4:58
known as the balcony grade cabins and
5:00
they have a whole lot of different
5:03
features so for example they'll have
5:05
things like a welcome champagne and
5:07
fruit they'll have deli canapes molten
5:10
Brown toiletries dressing-gowns and
5:12
slippers sort of the areas that I think
5:13
are probably less good on board the ship
5:16
one of them is Wi-Fi so the Wi-Fi
5:19
sitting at the time of recording is not
5:21
great it's not shipwide there are
5:23
certain hotspots around and it seems
5:25
that the bandwidth is relatively low so
5:28
there's a lot of people want to go and
5:29
connect and you'll find the Wi-Fi is
5:32
pretty poor so that's one area that
5:34
probably over time hopefully will
5:35
improve the second area is as you
5:38
probably see in the gym in the spa area
5:40
is quite small now because voyages to
5:43
antiquity and the Aegean Odyssey are
5:45
attracting people who want to go out and
5:47
experience things and see things the
5:49
passage mix tends to be slightly older
5:51
but is very active because you have to
5:53
be to go on the excursions and one
5:55
things I found is I would go to the gym
5:57
a couple of times and because it's so
5:58
small it was completely full so if you
6:01
over time the gym facilities will grow
6:03
and expand to really address the needs
6:05
of the more active traveler who's going
6:07
out and wants to be connected much more
6:09
and does want much more fitness
6:11
facilities the Agena Odyssey as you can
6:13
see is a very classic ship it's a
6:16
relatively old ship but it's being
6:18
constantly improved and updated and
6:20
certainly inside it is in really great
6:23
condition because it's constantly
6:25
refreshed but it is a much more
6:27
traditional cruising ship and a much
6:29
more traditional cruising look and feel
6:31
and all of the cruises armboard
6:33
are very much focused on education and
6:36
enrichment and the passenger profile
6:38
does tend to be a little bit older but
6:40
very interested in going on vacations
6:41
where they learn the fares on the Aegean
6:44
Odyssey are pretty all-inclusive so your
6:46
accommodation your food your gratuity
6:48
your excursions and drinks with dinner
6:53
are all included in the fare so extras
6:55
tend to be things like Wi-Fi gratuities
6:58
if you're buying drinks outside of the
7:00
evening meal and obviously discretionary
7:03
spend in the shop or in the spa if you
7:06
found this helpful please watch many
7:08
more of my tips of travellers videos
7:10
because you'll get much more inspiration
7:12
advice and tips to help you make more of
7:15
your precious travel time and money