This was our first ever yacht charter but thanks to our experience on the Samara it certainly won’t be
our last.
Two families of four chartered this luxurious and spacious yacht for one week. We planned to depart
from Athens, travel south to the Cyclades, visit several islands, and disembark in Santorini.
We were given a very warm welcome upon boarding, with a beautifully presented light lunch and cold
champagne. We then set sail out of Athens harbor to our first anchoring point near the island of Spetses
where we enjoyed our first of seven amazing sunsets and even more amazing meals. After our first
evening, the captain informed us that the wind was picking up near the Cyclades. He said it would not
be dangerous and we could still proceed, but it would be a bumpier ride when traveling, and the water
could also be choppier when at anchor. Captain Lev was aware that we wanted to enjoy our time in the
water and use the water toys as much as possible. The Captain was very communicative from the start.
He recommended staying close by for another day to see if the wind would die down and if not, we
could modify our plans and visit islands not on the original itinerary. We put our trust in the extremely
competent Captain Lev and visited some of the most beautiful, unspoiled spots we could ever have
imagined.
Meanwhile, Tria made sure to “wow’ us daily - not only with the presentation but with the amazing
flavors of spectacular dishes prepared from fresh, delicious local produce. We have some early risers
and some late sleepers in our group but whatever time we woke up Tria and Annet were there with a
smile and an amazing variety of breakfast options. Tria also communicated with us daily making
suggestions such as a lighter lunch because of a bigger dinner, or vice versa. Our boys discovered an
octopus while spearfishing and Tria, always eager to please, dove down to show us how to properly
catch and humanely kill what would be a nice addition to our final dinner!
Christos spent lots of time ensuring that our four (20-something-year-old) “boys’ were kept busy. He
was up early every morning preparing the many water toys and cheering on the participants in their
endeavors. He was the steady arm we would lean on when getting in and out of the tender and he
would drive us back and forth to various islands no matter the time of night. Like all on board, he wore
many hats and was eager to show off his bartending abilities and mastery of the grill. Christos even
shared some of his personal food, as one night we had an amazing meal -- Kokoretsi sausage which
came from his village!
Annet kept us endlessly amazed at the beautiful table settings which changed for every meal. She took
great pride and put a lot of effort into not only setting the tables but also making most of the decorative
items on display. She kept our beautiful cabins spotless and our glasses filled. Nothing was too much
trouble.
In short, this crew worked together to ensure that our trip was one that we will remember forever. Each
one of them added a “special-something” to the week. From Captain Lev’s quiet confidence and
professionalism to Tria’s enthusiasm and obvious passion for what he does, Annet’s attention to detail
and sense of humor, and Christos’s love for and knowledge of all things Greek. We’ll never forget the
crew of the Samara or the very special week they gave us!

29/07-07/08

19/07/25-26/07/25

09/07/25-16/07/25

09/07/25-16/07/25

26/07/2024-05/08/2024