gennadi

All cruises that are longer than 14 days require an antigen test before boarding, as quoted previously above.

I am also booked on this cruise and was told that indeed antigen tests were needed.  I found this online from Costa Cruises parent company,  the Carnival Corporation website:

“As of October 8th, on Costa cruises in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and the United Arab Emirates, fully vaccinated guests will be able to embark without any further tests.

Costa Around-the-World, transatlantic cruises, and generally all cruises longer than 14 nights, require guests to be fully vaccinated and take an antigen test with a negative result within 48 hours of embarkation time.”

If you are looking for a beach within walking distance of the port in Rhodes I recommend Elli beach. If you're willing to take a short taxi ride or city bus, Kallithea Springs is one of the most beautiful beaches not too far from port.

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!

There aren't any flights later in the day to Athens so we have a choice of risking all going well in the morning vs flying out the next day, plus hotel.

Also, is it possible to buy the airport transfers onboard or must we prepurchase?

Thank you both for replying promptly. I guess I should look into leaving later in the day.

JeanieC, Aston, I'd like to know if you had any problems after all.

I have a similar situation. In November, we will be cruising with the Magnifica. It arrives in Barcelona at 9 am and our flight is at 11:45. Will we be OK?

Yes, the Rhodes trolley train will be operating this coming spring/summer. It is not a hop on hop off train.

Yes!

I cruised on the Connie to Abu Dhabi on Nov. 14. We were 2 docked for 2 nights (Sat. & Sun) in Abu Dhabi with disembarkation on Monday morning. We kept our suitcases in our cabin and carried them out ourselves very early Monday morning (5 am). No problems at all.

You will receive a questionnaire in regards to what day and time you are planning to disembark a few days before the cruise ends. Some passengers left Sunday evening. some as early as 2 am!

Happy sailing...this was one of the best cruises I have been on!

Thank you so much for today's entertainment!!

I have a question concerning early disembarkation. If the final port of call is an overnight port are we able to disembark very early in the morning for early flights?

I can confirm that all transactions in Italy and Greece are only in euros, not dollars. There are numerous banks to exchange USD to euros if necessary.

I received the loyalty discount today for the November repositioning cruise on the Constellation.

Payment for onboard expenses are made at the end of the cruise in USD. At the check-in procedure you must open a shipboard account. You have 3 options: credit card, debit card, or cash account.

The benefits of using a credit card have been mentioned by previous posts. You may use a debit card, but be advised that your bank may "freeze" the amount due for about one month after the bill is paid. The third option is to open a cash account at check-in and any amount not spent will be returned to you at the guest services desk the night before disembarkation. You may use euros to open the account, but the exchange rate is not so favorable onboard.

The casino is the only venue that uses cash. It operates like land-based casinos; you play with cash and are paid in cash. Again, USD only. Happy winnings!

You may exchange euros for USD at guest services.

I have cruised with both lines and will be on the Constellation in the fall. They are VERY different.

NCL is more of a glitzy cruise line, with neon signs, etc. The food is good, not great. The entertainment was better than celebrity. My sons (early 20's) prefer NCL for the nightlife.

I prefer the elegant ambience of celebrity. The food is better and now with select dining and casual chic dress code, it is a nicer holiday experience...for me.

Honestly, it basically comes down to what one enjoys doing on their holiday.

Thank you for taking the time to review your experience.

I am also rethinking booking the Constellation departing from Istanbul. I know that my safety cannot be "guaranteed" in any port/airport, but I feel safer visiting airports that are not being targeted by terrorists for geopolitical reasons, and unfortunately beautiful Istanbul cannot be considered safe. Sadly, there have been 7 deadly terrorist attacks in Turkey in the past six months.

I live on the island of Rhodes and can confirm the previous posts. The chances of cold or rain are almost zero, but the winds are unpredictable day to day. Smooth sailing one day, waves the next. Enjoy!

My husband and I have done both on our cruises from Civitavecchia. We enjoyed squeezing in Rome beforehand, but I must admit we had anxiety about transferring in a timely fashion. On our follwing cruise, we decided to stay in Civitavecchua pre-cruise. It was fantastic!

We went to a beautiful town, Tarquina, about 20 km from Civitavecchia. It is a walled town with a pretty town center.

If I had to choose between the two, hands down Tarquina pre-cruise and Rome post-cruise. Enjoy and Happy Honeymoon!

P.S.- My husband and I went on our first cruise on our honeymoon, as well, 22 years ago with the Celebrity Zenith. We've been hooked since!

I agree that late spring and autumn are the best seasons to cruise the Med. The weather is not too hot and there are less crowds at the popular attractions.

I live in Rhodes and I have not encountered any migrants. Migrants that land on Greek islands, such as Kos, Lesvos, etc, are transferred to migrant camps on the mainland.

October is the best time of year to visit Greece. The weather is perfect, not too hot nor cold. October is considered "low season" but you are lucky to be avoiding the heat and the crowds! All businesses are open.

Enjoy!

Residents of the Med. region have a different perspective concerning travel safety. I must agree with Ruth from Israel. How can one be vigilant?

I was planning on cruising from Istanbul in November and for the first time I am having second thoughts. I am sure many people have similar feelings about travelliing at the moment.

-Seva from Greece

We are cruising on the Epic on Wed. 11/11 from Rome!

Thank you so much for the fantastic photos! Boarding in exactly 3 weeks for B2B. Very excited!