Greek Island Hopping with Virgin Vacations

If you want to enjoy yourself on your own, but not worry about getting between islands, an "island hopping" trip is for you. But if you want every minute planned, you'll want to choose another tour.

While Greece has an abundance of great islands to visit, this trip concentrates on the usual - Mykonos and Santorini. It's great for your first trip to Greece, but if you've been here before, you may want something more unusual.

The price is hard to beat, since it includes airfare from the U.S. And the selection of hotels is good, especially in the top two categories. Their website is easy to use for booking online - maybe too easy, as the trip is non-changeable and non-refundable.

The "Tourist" and "Standard" hotel grades aren't well differentiated. If you're going to upgrade at all from "Tourist", I'd jump at least two levels to "Superior". Early spring dates limit your choices to just the "Tourist" and "Standard" grades.

All other cities require an airfare add-on, ranging from about $120 for New York to $360 for a departure from San Diego on the West Coast.

They recommend and push horribly overpriced transfers from the airport into Athens. You have so many other options - taking a taxi for about 40 Euro, taking the Metro for about 8 Euro, even taking the bus for about 3 Euro. No need to spend U.S. $99 per person each way! The company name may be "Virgin" but the clients shouldn't be fleeced like babes in the woods.

This trip cannot be changed or refunded. The ease of online booking may deceive you here - be positive you will go on this trip on that date before clicking that final button after entering your card information.
It's always a good idea, but with these restrictions, you may also want to purchase travel insurance. Chance you might have skip the trip for work? "Have to work" travel insurance is now an option with some companies.

What's Included on this trip to Greece:

Airfare to and from Greece
Breakfast each day
Ferries between the Greek islands
Hotels

Greek Island Hopping Itinerary:

Fly to Athens, spend a night in town. Ferry to Mykonos for a three-night stay, then ferry to Santorini for another three nights. Ferry back to Athens for your final night.

2008 Greek Island Hopping Dates:

Note: The "purchase deadlines" may or may not apply to a given date. But prices may may rise after the deadline based on fluctuations in the Euro, so purchase prices by those dates will be those listed. Prices do not include airport taxes and fees, which add about US $150 - $240 on to the listed prices.

4/1/2008 - 4/17/2008 from $1449 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
4/18/2008 - 4/22/2008 from $1449 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
4/23/2008 - 5/15/2008 from $1449 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
5/16/2008 - 5/31/2008 from $1899 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
6/1/2008 - 6/22/2008 from $1899 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
6/23/2008 - 7/11/2008 from $1989 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
7/12/2008 - 8/18/2008 from $2049 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
8/19/2008 - 9/4/2008 from $2049 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
9/5/2008 - 9/18/2008 from $1589 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
9/19/2008 - 9/30/2008 from $1589 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
10/1/2008 - 10/9/2008 from $1479 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007
10/10/2008 - 10/20/2008
from $1449 per person Purchase deadline: 12/20/2007

Visit the Virgin Vacations Greek Island Hopping website for more details.