April 25th 2015 marks the 100 year anniversary of the treacherous day our Australian and New Zealand soldiers arrived in Gallipoli, Turkey to fight for our nations. Along with my father, his partner and my brother, we will embark on a 36 day cruise to commemorate the event. Leaving Perth, Australia, it follows the path our ANZACs took 100 years before us. Although we will be doing it in a much more luxurious fashion.
Passing through four continents on our journey, we leave Australia to pass through the Cocos Islands then to Sri Lanka, Egypt, Turkey, Greece and finishing in Italy, this is sure to be an incredible journey.
Here’s a map of the cruise route:
My father has always had a passion for history and especially war history, so when he visited the battlefields of Gallipoli in 1997, he vouched he would do all he could to return for the 100th anniversary. And that he is, and luckily he decided to take us along with him!
Why a cruise?
You might be wondering why we couldn’t just go to Gallipoli on the day of? Well.. Thousands of people flock to Anzac Cove every year to commemorate the day and with the 100 year anniversary sure to bring more than ever, they needed a way to control the huge crowds. A lottery/ballot system had to be put in place for a chance to attend the service. So putting our slim chances of that aside, Dad decided to try and get as close as possible. Our ship will dock out in Anzac Cove on the 25th of April and we will have the same viewpoint the soldiers had coming into the shore at dawn exactly 100 years before us. We will also have the dawn service broadcasted on a big screen on-board and will see the lights of the dawn service from the ship. How magical!
What is ANZAC Day?
For us Australians and New Zealanders, ANZAC Day and the memory of our ANZAC soldiers is highly respected. For people from other countries who may not know, ANZAC stands for Australian New Zealand Army Corps. The ANZAC soldiers were involved in the first major military action by our newly formed independant countries during the First World War. They were a part of the allied expedition that fought at the Battle of Gallipoli, a battle that lasted eight months. Their first day of battle was the 25th of April 1915 and due to an error in judgement, the ANZACs arrived at the wrong beach. They were met with strong Turkish forces waiting for them on the ridge line and as a result there were many casualties. Almost 10,000 ANZAC soldiers were lost in Gallipoli.
That fateful day of the 25th of April quickly became a day to commemorate the sacrifice of those who died. After the Second World War, ANZAC Day also became a day to remember the Australian lives lost in those battles as well as pay our respects to all other soldiers fallen during military operations.
The Cruise
As you can see above, we stop at many exciting places along the way. Our home for 36 days will be the MSC Orchestra cruise ship which I’m sure won’t disappoint.
Fremantle, Australia (26 March)
We board the ship at Perth’s maritime center. With great markets, dining and a convict built History Museum, our first day before departure will be a relaxed one.
Albany, Australia (28 March)
Next stop is just a little down the western coast with a day tour to explore some important Australian ANZAC historic sites. Albany was the last Australian port our soldiers left from as the harbour here is one of the largest natural harbours in the world and all of the war ships were kept here. We get set for a week at sea before our next port of call.
Colombo, Sri Lanka (5 April)
After a cruise past the Cocos Islands – where a German light cruiser SMS Emden ran aground in 1914 – our next port is the capital of Sri Lanka. A colourful and cultural city, it will be a remarkable first stop and a chance to stop our sea legs for a day before another week straight at sea. Our ANZAC soldiers stopped here to refuel and get more supplies in 1914.
Luxor, Egypt (13 April)
Next, we cruise into the African continent and the country with some of the most ancient and exciting history. Luxor is the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes with monuments such as the Karnak Temple Complex, the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and the Luxor Temple.
Cairo, Egypt (14 April)
Onto the Egyptian capital, which is where ANZAC soldiers arrived in late 1914 and trained. There are some pretty incredible photos of soldiers at the foot of the pyramids from this time. Exciting sights to include will be the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, Mosque of Muhammad Ali and much more.
Cannakale (Gallipoli), Turkey (17-18 April)
We arrive to Gallipoli a week before ANZAC day to explore the historical WWI sites including Anzac Cove, North Beach, Lone Pine, Quinn’s Post, The Neck and many other locations. We also have the option of making our way into the city of Cannakale and visit the ancient city of Troy.
Istanbul, Turkey (19 April)
A vibrant city and the only one in the world that straddles two continents; Europe and Asia. An exciting blend of cultures, we have the opportunity to see beautiful mosques, churches, columns, structures and ancient city walls.
Kusadasi, Turkey (21 April)
Then onto the next Turkish city of Kusadasi. This city is known for its beauty and history with sites such as Ephesus, Temple of Artemis, Goddess Artemis, House of Virgin Mary, Seven Sleepers and many more.
Santorini, Greece (22 April)
Whilst we wait for ANZAC Day we have some time spent around the Greek Islands. Santorini is one of the most popular destinations across all of Europe for holiday-goers. A beautiful island covered in white-buildings atop steep, staggering cliffs that face out to a submerged volcano. This will be a day to relax and explore the streets for some stunning ‘Kodak moments’.
Mykonos, Greece (23 April)
Another beautiful Greek Island is next on the itinerary, known for its beautiful beaches, the maze of white buildings in the center, great nightlife and beautiful Chora windmills. I think the view in this photo says enough.
Anzac Cove (24-25 April)
We head back to the place where our soldiers would have started their official war journey 100 years ago. On ANZAC Day we will sit out in the bay whilst the dawn service can be seen on the shores from the boat and it will be played live on our big screen.
Athens, Greece (26 April)
After experiencing a monumental time for all Australians and New Zealanders, we head to Athens for some incredible Greek history. Sites such as the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Acropolis and many others will keep us busy.
Palermo, Italy (28 April)
Onto our sixth country for the trip, we sail to the capital of Sicily, often seen as the ‘ball’ that the boot of Italy is kicking on a map. It is known for its exotic mixes of cultures from its dominance of many difference empires over the centuries.
Naples, Italy (29 April)
Next port of call lands in the large city full of Greek and Roman history. With Mt Vesuvius close by, ruins such as the famous Pompeii and Herculaneum will be on our list to visit, which were destroyed by Vesuvius when it erupted almost 2,000 years ago.
Rome, Italy (30 April)
We end our tour in the capital of Italy and one of the most visited ancient cities in the world, Rome. With the religious world center of The Vatican City, the famous Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and more, it’s a great spot to end our tour and spend as much time as needed.
Now that I’ve completed the cruise, check out my review!
Following the cruise:
Along with my family, we will hire a camper-van (RV) to get the most out of our extra two weeks in Europe. Our plans so far are to head to Venice via Florence from Rome, then onto Salzburg & Innsbruck, Austria, Zurich & Lucerne, Switzerland, Colmar & Paris, France then get the ferry to London, England. We may then drive to Edinburgh, Scotland, through the Scottish Highlands and back down to London via towns such as York and the Stonehenge.
It will be a busy two weeks, but no doubt we will have a great time! Being cooped up in an RV after 5 weeks sharing a small room on a cruise ship should be no problem.
My plans following my families departure
Whilst my family head back to Australia and into the routine of everyday life, I will continue on to experience Europe in all its glory during Summer. I was last there traveling on a Contiki tour during January of 2013. Whilst the areas covered in snow were beautiful as it was winter, I am very much a sun worshiper and look forward to seeing countries in a much more favoured heat.
I hope to visit:
– Ireland
– Portugal
– Spain
– Morocco
– Croatia
– Bosnia & Hergovsia
– Montenegro
– Slovenia
– Slovakia
– Hungary
– Czech Republic
– The Netherlands
& Belgium
In just two and a half months, I will be a very busy girl!
Would love to hear any recommendations for these places or any hot tips or experiences with long cruises or traveling via camper-van around Europe.
As always, Happy Travels!
