Greek coastal cruise: Honest Review of MS Galileo

On our small-ship Greek coastal cruise aboard MS Galileo, Nellie (one of our recent guests) set out for “Jewels of the Cyclades.” Strong winds redirected the voyage around the Peloponnese, where the crew’s professionalism turned a detour into a highlight. This is Nellie’s review, exactly as she lived it.

“The truth is that I initially had reservations about whether a cruise could be the perfect holiday.

But when you look at the ship GALILEO, you can’t help but fall in love with her. An extremely beautiful ship, a real gem, she stood out from all the others in Marina Zea. The crew welcomed us with a smile and kindness.

Plus, it didn’t take more than half an hour for me to truly feel at ease. It was clear that GALILEO would become my “home at sea” for the next few days.

The staff knows their job very well. They were always there to help us with anything we needed or to answer our questions. It is worth noting that they had to manage a very difficult situation.

Given that due to strong winds, the cruise had to follow a different route. We would go to different destinations than the ones planned. However, both Katerina, the cruise operator, and the captain, dealt with the new situation with professionalism, explaining the reasons for the change and informing us about the new places we were going to visit.

Katerina’s sweet presence, combined with her impeccable organisational skills, contributed greatly to making the cruise remarkable. So, we had a week of relaxation, fun, and experiences for all of us.

Furthermore, something that really impressed me was the impeccable cleanliness of the ship. The cabins are cleaned twice a day. Everything on the ship is sparkling, from the deck chairs to the lounge and bars. The ship’s hotel services, staff and the person in charge, Socrates, deserve nothing but congratulations.

Also, what can one say about the excellent and high quality food? I was impressed by the emphasis on Greek products for breakfast (like the goat milk yogurt that, on the first morning, I encouraged Jennifer from California to try, and she loved it ever since).

The dinner/lunch is equally high quality, with excellent ingredients and great variety. If I had to rate the chef, I’d say they were nothing short of exceptional.

When you travel on such a ship, what you enjoy most is that it can and does approach beautiful beaches that are not accessible from land. And it is impressive that everything is done with a great focus on safety.

At the swim stops where we dived from the ship, there was always an inflatable boat for supervision. And when the boat took us to the beaches, there were always life jackets available for everyone.

Even more impressive is that they ensured we had everything we needed, from beach towels, beach umbrellas, to sun cream. It’s these little details that make a difference.

GALILEO is not a floating five-star hotel, as it shouldn’t be. Big ships offer flashy opulence like pools and casinos. GALILEO outclasses them with authentic wooden ship travel that truly connects you with sea and shores.

I’ve visited nearly all the Greek islands and stayed in luxury resorts. But what I experienced on this cruise was something different. It was like holidaying at my “home at sea”…”

To sum up, this Greek coastal cruise aboard MS Galileo turned a weather-driven Peloponnese detour into a week of warm service, spotless cabins, Greek flavours and safe swim stops (proof that small ships make the best stories, even when the wind fancies a change of plan).

If you’re after coves you can only reach by sea and a crew that keeps it calm, you’ll feel right at home here. Ready to experience “Jewels of the Cyclades” for yourself? Click below to get a quote.