Türkiye & Greece · July 2027
Philippi, Pergamum, Ephesus and Patmos aboard SEA CLOUD II, with St. Andrew Methodist Church
SEA CLOUD CRUISES
We have chartered the whole of SEA CLOUD II for St. Andrew Methodist Church. From Istanbul she sails the Sea of Marmara into the Aegean, to the harbor where Paul first set foot in Europe, to three of the seven churches of Revelation, and on to Athens.
Rev. Arthur Jones teaches as the ship sails, so each place is read in its own light: Lydia's riverbank at Philippi, the theater at Ephesus, the cave on Patmos. Our prayer is that this journey along Paul's missionary travels will cause you to rejoice in the Scripture as one who discovers a great treasure (Psalm 119:162).
SEA CLOUD II takes about ninety guests, and FCV trips typically sell out. Call early for the widest choice of cabins.
Route drawn port to port for orientation; the ship's course varies with wind and weather.
Mon, Jul 19
Overnight flights to Istanbul (IST).
02
Tue, Jul 20 · Istanbul, stop 1 on the chart
Arrive and take a taxi to the Çırağan Palace Kempinski on the European shore of the Bosphorus. Free time for Taksim Square or the hotel's spa and pool, then the welcome reception at 6 pm to meet your hosts and fellow travelers.
03
Wed, Jul 21 · Istanbul, stop 1 on the chart
With the prelude travelers: the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, a Turkish lunch in the Old City, and Hagia Sophia, commissioned by Justinian in the sixth century and for nearly a thousand years the great church of Christendom. Then the Grand Bazaar, and in the afternoon SEA CLOUD II. Within the hour, lines are loosed.
04
Thu, Jul 22
No port today. Brunch on the Lido Deck, a book from the ship's library, and the first teaching session with Rev. Jones as the ship sails. The officers on the open bridge will explain a sail maneuver to anyone who asks.
05
Fri, Jul 23 · Kavala, stop 2 on the chart
Kavala was Neapolis, where Paul landed after the vision of the man of Macedonia. Inland to Philippi on the Via Egnatia, the road Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke walked. By tradition on FCV voyages we share communion in the shade by Lydia's stream. In the evening, a seafood barbecue on deck.
06
Sat, Jul 24 · Pergamum, stop 3 on the chart
The northernmost of the seven churches. Its library once held some 200,000 volumes; its theater, seating 10,000, was the steepest of the ancient world. Here the letter speaks of "where Satan's throne is" and asks the church to hold fast.
07
Sun, Jul 25 · Ephesus, stop 4 on the chart
The 24,000-seat theater where the silversmiths rioted against Paul, and the city where he spent two years and wrote to Corinth. Through FCV's long association with the director of the Ephesus Museum, we visit the excavated terrace houses of the wealthy, closed to most visitors. Lunch in a shaded garden and a visit to a carpet weavers' workshop.
08
Mon, Jul 26 · Patmos, stop 5 on the chart
A morning under sail, and a swim off the gangway if the weather allows. In the afternoon, by tender to Patmos: the Cave of the Apocalypse, and the Monastery of St. John, fortified since 1088, whose library keeps a sixth-century copy of the Gospel of Mark. Greek dancing on the Lido Deck after dinner.
09
Tue, Jul 27 · Naxos, stop 6 on the chart
A day at Agia Anna: beaches, clear water and watersports, with the crew running the Zodiacs to and from the shore. In the afternoon, a last chance to set the sails; guests are welcome at the lines. The Captain's farewell reception and gala dinner.
10
Wed, Jul 28 · Athens, stop 7 on the chart
Farewells at the gangway. A coach to Athens airport for flights after 11:30 am, or stay for the Athens & Corinth extension: the Acropolis and Mars Hill, where Paul told the Athenians that God "does not live in temples built by hands."
The ship · SEA CLOUD CRUISES
FCV's ship for the Travels of Paul: about ninety guests, 47 cabins and 32,150 square feet of canvas set by hand.
Decks, cabins and sail planPer person, sharing a cabin, for the core itinerary.
| Category | Cabins | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| Category F · Standard Stateroom | Cabins 204–206. 129–140 sq ft, two portholes, upper and lower single beds. | $8,990 |
| Category E · Superior Stateroom | Cabins 207–212, 214–217, 224–231. 172 sq ft, two portholes, queen bed. | $10,670 |
| Category D · Midship Deluxe Stateroom | Cabins 218–223. 204 sq ft, three portholes, queen bed. | $11,470 |
| Category C · Deluxe Stateroom | Cabins 301–302. 204 sq ft, two windows, queen bed. | $13,890 |
| Category B · Junior Suite | Cabins 303–312, 314–319. 247 sq ft, panorama windows, decorative fireplace, tub. | $14,950 |
| Category A · Owner's Suite | Cabins 401–402. 290 sq ft, king canopy bed, fireplace, tub and separate shower. | $16,770 |
Arthur Jones is Senior Pastor of St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas: a fifth-generation Methodist preacher who grew up in churches across North Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas and Duke Divinity School and co-author of Ask: Faith Questions in a Skeptical Age.
Arthur is married to Becky; they have two children, Ella Reece and Sam.
Churches of Revelation and Istanbul. Smyrna, Sardis, Philadelphia, Hierapolis and Pamukkale, Colossae and Laodicea, then a day in Istanbul: the Chora Church, the Spice Bazaar, the Basilica Cistern and a cruise on the Bosphorus. Two nights at the Swissôtel Grand Efes, Izmir; one at the Doğa Thermal spa hotel, Pamukkale; one at the Çırağan Palace. From $2,990 per person (Categories D & E), $3,350 (B & C), $3,775 (Owner's Suite); single supplement $525.
the Acropolis and Mars Hill, where Paul spoke to the Athenians (Acts 17), and Ancient Corinth with the bema where he stood before Gallio (Acts 18). Two nights at the Hotel Grande Bretagne. $1,990 per person sharing; single supplement $640.
$2,000 per person to reserve. Final payment 185 days before departure.
Full terms and conditions (PDF)| Notice of cancellation | Charge |
|---|---|
| 185 days or more before departure | Deposit refunded, less a $600 per person administrative fee |
| 184 to 155 days | 35% of the tour cost |
| 154 to 90 days | 50% of the tour cost |
| 89 to 40 days | 75% of the tour cost |
| 39 days or fewer | The full cost of the tour |
Reserve your cabin