OUR CRUISE SHIP
Many excited members of our HG Travel Club will be jet-setting off to Barcelona, Spain this coming October to enjoy an 11-day, 10-night Mediterranean cruise on the Celebrity Equinox cruise ship. We can’t wait!
We leave Barcelona on Saturday, October 18; however, many will be individually flying into Barcelona a day or three earlier to see the wonderful sights in Barcelona, such as the Sagrada Familia Basilica, the Park Guell, Gothic Quarter, Picasso Museum, etc.
Then we will board the Equinox for our exciting cruise! We will spend the first two days at sea in total relaxation, while sipping a beverage and admiring the stunningly blue Mediterranean Sea. Our first stop will be the Greek island of Mykonos which is known for its whitewashed homes and beautiful sandy beaches. This will be a wonderful first stop and a great introduction to Greece!
That evening, we sail to Ephesus, Turkey and will spend the day exploring this significant city of 250,000 people during the Roman times. Paul the Apostle spent over three years here telling people of his conversion to Christianity, and Mary the mother of Jesus reportedly spent the last years of her life here, and we can tour the house that she lived in during this time.
The next day we arrive in Istanbul, Turkey. This immensely significant city was the key to the link between the Mediterranean and the Black Seas and borders this strait. We can tour the huge Turkish Grand Bazaar, the Grand Mosque, and even relax in a formal Turkish spa bath. Wow!
Then overnight cruise off to Santorini, Greece, an island of whitewashed buildings with blue roofs and cerulean, blue water in the background. And then off overnight to Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the modern-day Olympics. We can even tour the stadium where they held the first Olympics.
After five days of touring immensely historical sights, we are going to need a relaxing day at sea … before we arrive in Rome, Italy to end our cruise.
Some will return home, some will stay in Rome for a few days to see the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Coliseum, etc., a Tuscan Wine Tour, or south to see the ruins of Pompeii, the famous city destroyed by the Mount Vesuvius eruption back in 79 A.D.
And you’re probably asking yourself right now some questions, such as “I’m very interested in joining this cruise; how can I go? Do I have to be a Travel Club member to go? If so, how can I join? Who do I talk with to join?”
I regret to say that our Travel Club allotment for cabins has sold out; however, you can book a cabin through Celebritycruises.com and still join us. The cruise itself is from October 18 to 28, 2025, and is called “Greek Isles and Turkey.” Unfortunately, it will not be at our reduced group rates.
So, if you’d like further information, then please phone or text me (Duane Parkinson, Travel Club leader) at (636) 541-4561 or email me at [email protected]. We meet or do travel things almost every month during the year, even in the summer! We’re a group of people who love to travel or learn about other cultures in our wonderful world. Come join us!
