Aegean Voyage: Athens to Istanbul

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into Greece and Turkey. Although Turkey usually requires foreign visitors to obtain a visa in order to enter the country, Tauck guests traveling aboard a ship are part of a validated escorted shore excursion and are thus not required to obtain an individual Turkish visa (regardless of their citizenship). You do not need a visa for Greece.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact a consulate or embassy of Greece to determine what travel documentation is required.

International maritime security guidelines require that your passport information be provided to us prior to your embarkation. You need to provide this information to us as soon as you book your cruise or boarding may be denied. Once you board the cruise ship, your passport will be held by the purser until you disembark.

You will be issued a boarding card, which you must present before embarking the ship in each port. This security measure also ensures that only Tauck guests are permitted onboard.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

Deposit Information:

The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking. Your deposit is £750.

Terms and Conditions:

For additional information pertaining to our Tauck Journeys, including Cancellation Information and Booking Conditions, click here to learn more.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready:

• Tour Name and Departure Date Desired
• Traveler Name(s):  Please have first and last names as they appear on the passport or driver's license.
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)
• Emergency Contact Information: This would be a relative or friend whom we could contact during the tour in the event of an emergency. Please provide their name and phone number(s).
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection product (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares.

Regarding your final payment:

Final Payment is due to Tauck 90 days before departure for lands trips, and 120 days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Customer Protection: Our UK-based agents comply with the bonding requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority and provide full financial protection for the package holidays that we sell in the UK. For flight-based holidays, this is through the Air Travel Organiser's Licence (details of which are available from the UK-based agent with whom you book). When you buy a package holiday that doesn't include a flight, protection of your monies paid to our UK-based agent will be provided by way of a bond.

AIRFARE: Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.

TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for any pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.

AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE: Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.

Special Luggage Restrictions for this Tour

Due to space constraints aboard the Windstar vessel and on motor coaches in Greece and Turkey, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to one small carry-on, no larger than an average size knapsack, which will easily fit under your seat, as overhead racks are not wide enough to accommodate large bags.

Checked Luggage – General

Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).

Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.

Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.

Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.

Carry-on Luggage - General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

A doctor and limited medical facilities are available onboard. However, if you take special medications, please bring an adequate supply with you; they may not be available onboard. Medical services and all medicines (except acetaminophen, aspirin and anti-nausea pills) dispensed to you by the ship's doctor will be charged to your shipboard account. If you become ill during the voyage and the physician is unable to care for your needs onboard, you will be transferred to medical facilities onshore.

The Windstar cruise ships are registered in the Bahamas. Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Some of the countries visited on this itinerary may require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against certain diseases in order to enter the country.  These requirements are subject to frequent change as outbreaks occur and subside in different areas, and it is therefore crucial that you obtain the very latest information on entry requirements as you prepare for your journey.

For the most current information, please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by clicking here and the World Health Organization (WHO) by clicking here. You may also wish to visit the web sites for the embassies of the countries you will be visiting.  Besides providing details on vaccination requirements, these sites can also provide information on vaccinations that may be recommended (but aren't required) and other potential health issues for which no vaccines are available.

Any decisions relating to your health, of course, should not be based solely on information provided by a web site.  It is critically important that you consult with your personal physician prior to your journey to obtain any required vaccinations and to review any optional recommendations offered by the CDC or other sources.

Please be sure to discuss your journey with your physician at least four to six weeks in advance of your departure, as certain vaccinations take time to become fully effective.  Also, be certain to ask your physician for proof of any vaccinations you receive, and to pack this proof along with your other travel documents in your carry-on luggage (not in your checked luggage).

Researching and complying with vaccination entry requirements for the countries visited on this itinerary is the responsibility of the traveler and not Tauck. Tauck is therefore not responsible for any expenses incurred or disruptions to travel caused by improper or incomplete vaccinations, or by the failure to provide proof of required vaccinations.

If you do not obtain the necessary vaccinations and proper documentation, you may be denied entry into one or more countries, or temporarily quarantined until the necessary vaccinations are administered, or until proper documentation is provided.

MOBILITY

To enjoy this cruise, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot.  Many of the sites visited were built in antiquity and have many steps and uneven surfaces. It is important that you wear sturdy, comfortable walking shoes that have already been broken-in. The amount of walking that you choose to do, however, is at your discretion. Additionally, you should be steady on your feet to circumnavigate the decks of the ship while cruising on the Aegean Sea. Some ship-to-shore transportation is by local tender.  Occasionally you may get wet with spray.

PLEASE NOTE:  We regret that this Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters.  Likewise, we regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs.  The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest.  Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it. 

Your Windstar vessel does not have elevators. 

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.

SMOKING

Smoking is not permitted on the motor coaches or inside the ship, including inside staterooms. Smoking is only permitted on the outer decks in the designated smoking areas. These regulations pertain to e-cigarettes as well.

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with Necessary Gear who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site.

Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering.  Most days are spent outside or in transit. Therefore, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Breezy days at sea and cool evenings will require warmer, layered clothing. A jacket and tie are not required for gentlemen aboard ship, but may be preferred or required at some local restaurants.

The "casual elegance" of a small cruise ship is also reflected in the way their guests' dress. We recommend that you wear relaxed and comfortable clothing, as you would at an elegant land resort. For women's daytime wear, we suggest walking shorts, skirts, sarongs, lightweight tops and cover-ups; for evening wear - sun dresses, pants, or informal cocktail attire. For men's daytime wear, we suggest Bermuda shorts, polo shirts, and khaki pants; in the evening - lightweight trousers and short-sleeved dress or polo shirts. No suits or ties are required. Shorts, jeans, and t-shirts are not permitted in the restaurant during the evening.

Valet laundry service is available at the hotel listed on this itinerary. On board the ship, next-day laundry and pressing service is available; dry cleaning services, irons and ironing boards are not available.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for cruising on the Aegean Sea:

• Rainwear, such as a raincoat and rain hat, plus a collapsible umbrella

• Short and long-sleeved shirts/tee shirts (for the warmer, summer months extra tee shirts are always a good idea)

• Shorts (for summer) and pants for casual daytime wear

• Sport coat for men (suggested but not required) and slacks/dress for women for evening wear

• Sweater; lightweight for summer, and medium weight for spring/fall

• Camera, lenses, chargers, batteries and extra memory cards

• Swimwear

• Sunglasses

• Sunscreen and hat

• Small flashlight

• Insect repellent

• Washcloth - not all European hotels provide washcloths, so you may want to bring one along.  A package of pre-moistened towlettes is an excellent alternative.

• Travel alarm clock (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms)

• Reusable zipper lock bags or other waterproof bags

• Prescription medicines (an adequate supply to last your entire journey), and written copies of your prescriptions from your doctor.  While it may be possible to refill prescriptions during your journey, the availability of refills cannot be guaranteed.  What's more, refilling prescriptions in foreign countries can be difficult and time-consuming.    

The Mediterranean and Aegean coasts of Greece and Turkey enjoy long hot dry summers and mild winters. Summer temperatures in Greece and Turkey are tempered by the Etesian northerly wind which blows across the Aegean Sea, and breezes called "meltemia", however, mainland temperatures are often very high. Winters are mild and wet, although rainfall is generally low in most areas.

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, noaa.gov, by clicking here.