Dawn Of Civilization

Aboard Vista with Oceania Cruises

Departure Date

30 October 2024

Duration

12 Nights

Fly Cruise From

£6,469pp

Cruise Reference

ART-5DAOC12

Cruise Overview

The only city in the world that can lay claim to straddling two continents, Istanbul—once known as Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine and then the Ottoman Empire—has for centuries been a bustling metropolis with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia.

Istanbul embraces this enviable position with both a certain chaos and inventiveness, ever evolving as one of the world’s most cosmopolitan crossroads.

It’s often said that Istanbul is the meeting point of East and West, but visitors to this city built over the former capital of two great empires are likely to be just as impressed by the juxtaposition of old and new.

Office towers creep up behind historic palaces, women in chic designer outfits pass others wearing long skirts and head coverings, peddlers’ pushcarts vie with battered old Fiats and shiny BMWs for dominance of the noisy, narrow streets, and the Grand Bazaar competes with modern shopping malls.

At dawn, when the muezzin's call to prayer resounds from ancient minarets, there are inevitably a few hearty revelers still making their way home from nightclubs and bars.

Most visitors to this sprawling city of more than 14 million will first set foot in the relatively compact Old City, where the legacy of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires can be seen in monumental works of architecture like the brilliant Aya Sofya and the beautifully proportioned mosques built by the great architect Sinan.

Though it would be easy to spend days, if not weeks, exploring the wealth of attractions in the historical peninsula, visitors should make sure also to venture elsewhere in order to experience the vibrancy of contemporary Istanbul.

With a lively nightlife propelled by its young population and an exciting arts scene that’s increasingly on the international radar—thanks in part to its stint as the European Capital of Culture in 2010—Istanbul is truly a city that never sleeps.

It’s also a place where visitors will feel welcome: Istanbul may be on the Bosphorus, but at heart it’s a Mediterranean city, whose friendly inhabitants are effusively social and eager to share what they love most about it.
Composed of nine metropolitan districts, Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey and the country’s second largest port after Istanbul.
For better or worse, it can be difficult to reach Patmos—for many travelers, this lack of access is definitely for the better, since the island retains the air of an unspoiled retreat.

Rocky and barren, the small, 34-square-km (21-square-mi) island lies beyond the islands of Kalymnos and Leros, northwest of Kos.

Here on a hillside is the Monastery of the Apocalypse, which enshrines the cave where St.

John received the Revelation in AD 95.

Scattered evidence of Mycenaean presence remains on Patmos, and walls of the classical period indicate the existence of a town near Skala.

Most of the island's approximately 2,800 people live in three villages: Skala, medieval Chora, and the small rural settlement of Kambos.

The island is popular among the faithful making pilgrimages to the monastery as well as with vacationing Athenians and a newly growing community of international trendsetters—designers, artists, poets, and “taste gurus” (to quote Vogue’s July 2011 write-up of the island)—who have bought homes in Chora.

These stylemeisters followed in the footsteps of Alexandrian John Stefanidis and the English artist Teddy Millington-Drake who, in the early ’60s, set about creating what eventually became hailed as one of the most gorgeous island homes in the world.

The word soon spread thanks to their many guests (who included Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis) but, happily, administrators have carefully contained development, and as a result, Patmos retains its charm and natural beauty—even in the busy month of August.

Cruise Itinerary

Aboard Vista

Launch Year: 2023 Length: 241 Width: 32 Currency: USD Capacity: 1200 Crew Count: 800 Deck Count: 11 Cabin Count: 603

Vista offers The Finest Cuisine at Sea®, exceptionally personalized service and a warm and welcoming ambiance with captivating residential furnishings for a new standard in seagoing luxury. Vista also introduces several unique firsts for the brand in the realms of dining and guest experiences, including Ember, our new signature restaurant featuring elevated American cuisine; Aquamar Kitchen, featuring indulgent wellness-inspired dishes at breakfast and lunch; and The Bakery at Baristas, an expansion of our popular coffee bar, serving freshly baked French and Italian pastries. In addition to an elevated mixology program, Vista also reveals all-new Broadway-caliber productions led by “Dancing with the Stars” choreographer Britt Stewart.

Vista Facilities

Vista Includes

Cabin Details

Residential-Style Luxury

Vista sets new standards for comfort and residential-style luxury with all-veranda accommodations. All staterooms and suites feature beautifully appointed bathrooms with oversized rainforest showers, large vanities and copious storage space. Penthouse, Oceania and Vista Suites are ultra-spacious and true seagoing residences with an abundance of living and dining space for entertaining or simply relaxing. In a first for the brand, Vista will feature a new category of Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms dedicated to solo travellers.

Bathed in soothing tones and detailed with multiple layers of luxurious furnishings, accents and artwork, each stateroom and suite is a welcoming home away from home.Bathed in soothing tones and detailed with multiple layers of luxurious furnishings, accents and artwork, each stateroom and suite is a welcoming home away from home.

The Pinnacle of Perfection

The avowed crème de la crème of accommodations, our Owner’s Suites, Vista Suites, Oceania Suites and Penthouse Suites are studies in perfection. Their grandeur and spaciousness are truly astonishing. Guests who desire only the best need not look further than these extravagant suites. Simply ring the Butler for exclusive services that include garment pressing and serving your dinner in-suite and revel in the fact that the Oceania Cruises’ Vista suite experience has no peer.

Upgrade Your Experience

Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms offer an unrivalled combination of luxury, privilege and value. A wealth of benefits, such as room service from The Grand Dining Room and free laundry services, elevates the experience to the sublime. On board Vista, you will also have the services of a dedicated Concierge and private Concierge Lounge access. Located in the most desired of locations, each Concierge Level Veranda Stateroom is much more than simply a stateroom – it’s an experience.

Exquisitely Elegant Staterooms

Space is perhaps the ultimate luxury, and that is something all our accommodations provide in lavish excess. Defined by their elegance, our staterooms feature tasteful furnishings and a serene ambiance. All staterooms also offer an oversized bathroom with a rainforest shower. You will appreciate the refrigerated mini-bar, copious closet and drawer space and our revolutionary Tranquility Bed, a luxury our guests consistently describe as heavenly.

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