BOUTIQUE CRUISING
MEDITERRANEAN STANDOUTS
KUSADASI: We hired our own licensed tour guide and shopping consultant, Muge Akat (akatmuge@
yahoo.com). For a full day in Ephesus and shopping, her fee is $250 (half-day is $200). Her tours are terrific and inside-track shopping knowledge is unparalleled. Standout Shops: Bella for outstanding pashminas at 14 Cephane St; Turkmen for gorgeous, authentic rugs at 4 Guvercinada Yolu across from the pier; Albatros, at 1 Cephane St, for fantastic leather goods. NAUPLION: For exquisite views of the Bay of Argolis, and an up-close and personal view of the ancient fortress of Akronafplia, head to the Nafplia Palace for lunch and a spa treatment, which is the only hotel in Europe set inside an ancient archaeological site. Incidentally, this is only a 90-minute scenic drive from Athens. SANTORINI: Unusual and well-priced jewellery at Nicolis Yaiannis on Odos Ipapantis (“Gold Street”), across the corner from the cable car station; Kastro, open-air terrace at the end of Odos Ipapantis, overlooking the Caldera, serves an amazing Greek salad. BODRUM: Spend time at Marmara Bodrum if you want to enjoy lunch at one of Bodrum’s highest points, overlooking the Aegean. MYKONOS: Madoupa, a harbour- front restaurant for super moussaka and stuffed grape leaves; Tellino for unusual, high-quality handbags and clothing at 19 Drakopoulou.
good pastas and made-to-order stir-fry dishes. I think other cruise lines are more successful at morphing their daytime buffet venues into true dining experiences, not just with menu choices but with décor as well. That being said, a conversation with both the hotel director and food and beverage manager revealed a soon-to-come change in this area. Aqualina, one of the ship’s two alterna-
tive restaurants, is all wrapped up in undu- lating ocean views and was one of the best dining experiences I’ve had, even rivalling those on land. My favourite starter was the wildly flavourful lobster bisque infused with a lemon-flavored cream. So much so, I ordered it on three different nights. Ditto for the salad of arugula, bacon, red onion marmalade and buttery Gorgonzola. The plump pan-seared Chilean sea bass was impossibly delicious, as were any one of the always-tender lobster choices.
The clubby Prime C is the other alterna-
tive, and that’s where I sank comfortably into the soft leather chairs to enjoy starters such as chicken lollipops with feather-light waffle potatoes and dry-aged steaks (oh, the soft-as-butter filet mignon!). Omnipresent side dishes like creamed spinach, garlic mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus are offered, but I loved that macaroni and cheese and truffle steak fries were also on the menu. There is a $15 surcharge for these restaurants, though it is waived for those who have booked suite accommodations. I was also keen on the Mosaic Café patisserie, particularly because it was the same area where trivia games were held and the affable Jim Badger tickled the ivories and sang Cole Porter classics. If hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries are your thing, head to the Pool Grill, which is where to find the long line of passengers
74 WORLD OF CRUISING I Autumn 2010
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