Louis Cristal Sails 3- and 4-Night Cruises of the Eastern Mediterranean

The Louis Cristal is a 1000-passenger ship that sails mostly 3- and 4-night cruises of Greece and Turkey. The ship is owned and operated by Louis Cruises, a Cypriot cruise line that has been in operation since the 1970's. Although many of the passengers are from the eastern Mediterranean area, the ship is also a good choice for those looking for a short, port-intensive cruise or those on combination land and cruise tours of the region. Louis Cruises works with regional tour operators to provide value-priced cruise tours, many with religious themes.

I sailed on the Louis Cristal on a 4-night cruise from Kusadasi to Istanbul after a pre-cruise land tour extension of western Turkey. The ship was built in 1980, so it doesn't have a lot of balcony cabins. However, since the cruises are short and port-intensive, most travelers will probably not miss a balcony like they might on an itinerary with sea days.

More on the Louis Cristal

• Profile and Cruise Ship Tour
• Dining and Cuisine
• Cabins and Suites
• Travel Log of Cruise from Kusadasi to Istanbul
• Louis Cruises/Karavan Travel - Pre-Cruise Land Tour of Western Turkey

Louis Cristal Anchored in the Caldera at Santorini, Greece