Nanabanana3

We are on the same cruise and I would love to know more about this excursions.  It does sound like a good value but like you would love to hear from those with first hand experience.  Hope we get some reviews. 

MNJEWEL,

I would love to hear your thoughts on the cruise when you return home. We are taking this cruise in March 2019.

Carol

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Thank you wheezedr and cocod08 for the wonderful suggestions. Your option do sound a lot easier. I will do some research.

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Moose12345,

Great question! I have been looking into excursions through a company that offers to pick you up at the hotel with luggage and drops off at the ship at the conclusion. I would love the option of dropping the luggage at the ship and sightseeing with fellow cruise members. Please keep us informed on what you find out.

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OK so I somehow talked my partner into doing the Mediterranean Odyssey cruise. We will try to do things that are too much like what we've done before. I like architecture but we'll try to combine that with activities that take us off the beaten path. I've put down a deposit so off we go (in 2019)!!

When do you plan on taking the med odyssey cruise. We are going in March of 2019.

We just returned from our American Cruise line Historic South Golden Isle one week vacation. We have mixed reviews of the trip.

A quick overview of the ship itself. We cruised aboard the Independence. We had a lower level room 114 with large opening window. The room is quite spacious with plenty of room to unpack and get comfortable. The bathroom is large compared to any other cruise we have taken. There is also lots of storage. The shower has great water pressure. We felt the decor is somewhat dated and could use a freshening up. I had read that comment a few times before our departure and now whole heartedly agree. Having been on A few European cruises with Viking and there is no comparison in luxury. Traveling with an American crew can not be compared. They were fun, happy and attentive but lacked the professional European flair.

We flew into Charleston and stayed at the Holiday Inn Riverview. We enjoyed this hotel very much. There was a free shuttle bus into town and the driver was quite knowledgeable. There is a decent restaurant on the top floor with a gorgeous view of the harbor. We took a cab to the cruise ship for 5$ each. While in Charleston we took a carriage tour and were a bit disappointed as the routes are randomly chosen for you and we missed highlights we had hoped to see. We then hired a pedicab to take us about to see a few of them. They charged 5.50 every ten minutes but a delightful way to see the city up close. We had a wonderful lunch at Hymans seafood restaurant. Oh my is was delicious. Be warned the line to get in can be very long but we felt worth it.

Beaufort. We took a bus tour with American cruise lines. This was a wonderful tour. One of our very favorites. The guide was such a delight, she was an amazing storyteller. Every tour we took left at approx. 9 am with a return to the ship in time for 12:30 lunch.

Hilton Head. I loved this beautiful resort location. We rented bikes on our own and rode all around the area exploring. The bike paths are easy to navigate and wide. We went to the beach, a golf resort, Heritage farms, and out to the lighthouse. On our return to town we had a lovely lunch at the Crazy Crab. Very good. There were quite few shops right by the harbor.

Savannah. Our excursion was a trolley tour and we relay enjoyed it. It gave you the ability to hop on and off after our lunch back at the ship. We went back to the market area for a few souvenirs. The ship was docked at a great location for strolling the Riverview with restaurants and shopping

Sapelo island. We felt this was a wasted stop. The ship anchored with nothing in sight except the small dock to tender over to. The only excursion offered was a school bus tour of the area followed by an oyster roast. No one in our group took the tour so I can not give any feedback on it. We took the time to just relax top deck and read.

Jekyll Island. The excursion was a tour of the turtle rescue followed by a tram ride narrative tour of Jekyll Island. We thought the two excursions could have been offered separately and charged a lesser fee. We were not interested in the turtle rescue but found the Jekyll island tour fascinating.

Amelia Island. We had to tender into town and spent the day strolling around sightseeing with a bit of shopping. A quaint pretty yet touristy area.

The food was excellent and some of the best I've had on a cruise. The chef came out and visited every table to ensure satisfaction.

About half way through the the cruise about a dozen or more people got very sick. With vomiting and diarrhea. My husband being one of them. The crew were busy bleaching everything and putting out hand sanitizer. It was evident at dinner with all the empty seats how many passengers it effected. Luckily it only lasted about 24-36 and didn't run the course of the entire trip.

All in all we had a lovely vacation and loved touring the historical south. My honest opinion of the cruise is it is overpriced for experience. I guess we like the European professionalism and flair. It is just a matter of opinion. We will stick to Viking in the future.

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Mike,

Your so kind to answer so quickly. I thank you for the first hand knowledge which I find valuable! Looking forward to trying out your recommendations. Have a great night!

Carol

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Mike,

Thank you so very much! I will definitely check out that seafood restaurant (My favorite food). King street is on the to do list. I'm thinking of just doing a city tour to get an overview and then just walking about to enjoy the city.

The horse drawn carriage sounds great. I'm wondering if it will be to bumpy as we are traveling with our 101 year old aunt.

I had no idea about Sapelo Island, sounds like I need to do some reading before our trip!

Did you do anyting in Hilton head or just stay in the ship?

I am most looking forward to Savannah and haven't decided what to see first there are so many possibilities!

Does anyone here have any knowledge Beaufort? We will be there on Easter Sunday. Will everything be closed?

Thank you again,

Carol

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Ray,

Thank you very much for taking the time to write your review of ACL. I must say I am now more excited after reading it. We leave in 3 weeks on the Historic South and Golden Isles!

MIke, any suggestions on must sees in any of the ports, excursions, restaurants? We arrive in Charleston a day early, still not enough time to see much. Where to start?

Thank you everyone for keeping this tread alive! I of course will return the favor when we return from our cruise.

Brumagin1, I am excited to hear all about your August trip. Where are you going on ACL?

Carol

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NRayH,

Thank you for responding to Mike's questions! I am very much looking forward to your review as we leave in a month to sail with American Cruise lines. I am happy to hear you had a great experience and would love to hear everything! Waiting patiently.......

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Thank you jegk1 for the suggestion. I will certainly look that one up!

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Ray in NH!

I think that is a wonderful idea! I certainly will do just that. While it is not something I would have given much thought to in the past. I now find I like being more informed. We have missed out on many an experience from not planning ahead. With the help of Cruise Critics and sites like Trip advisors, having first hand knowledge helps when making decisions from excursions, dinners, hotels, and yes sometimes cruise locations.

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I thank you both for your replies! I will look into the recommendations you have made.

I will definitely write a review after the cruise. I seems like there is not much information for River cruises in America. Especially in the south.

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I was hoping someone would respond to this question. We are cruising that itinerary on American cruise line in April. I will gladly write information when we return form the trip!

I am new to posting here. Came looking for information on American Cruise lines and came across this thread. We are traveling with American Cruise lines from Charleston to Jacksonville in April. Any recommendations for a good place to eat in Charleston?

I love reading everyone's reviews and plan to write one myself when we return? We have been on 15 Ocean cruises and cruised last year with Viking from Amsterdam to Budapest. Which I highly recommend! I know from reviews this will be different and am l looking forward to experiencing American hospitality.