CruiseDad-NYC

I was on the Adventure of the Seas from 9/1 - 9/10 (i.e., a 9 night voyage from Cape Liberty to New England and Canada).  My wife and I had an interior gty fare that was $252 per person, the lowest I had ever paid for a cruise and which we had purchased in early July.  My Royal Up email had a range of $170 as the minimum to a high of $900 for a balcony.  I originally bid $200 but then got my interior cabin assignment around 8/1, and it was an interior corridor cabin at the very, very back of the ship.  It looked to me that the ship might be full, since there didn't seem to be many balconies available.

 

This was a 25th wedding anniversary trip, so I increased my bid to $400 per person.  I found out 8 days before my cruise that it was accepted, and we got a terrific balcony cabin midship on deck 7.  So our total base fare for the balcony cabin ended up being $652, which I thought was excellent for a 9 night cruise where balconies were going for about $2K per person when I booked.  I would have been perfectly happy with an interior cabin (we were just happy to go away on another cruise), but we really did love the balcony and made good use of it.

I noticed on a wave tracker that the Aurora has been passing through bands of Hurricane Fiona and the seas have been over 10M and currently 9M+.  Curious if anyone on board can describe here what it is like and how the ship is handling the storm.  I know ships are built to handle it, but that is pretty rough! 

 

Thanks and all the best.

The Song of America was my first of 18 (soon to be 19) cruises with Royal/Celebrity.  I went with my grandmother in the fall of 1991 (and, yes, I got Crown & Anchor credit for it).  I remember thinking that the ship didn't seem that fancy, but still had a really great time.  My grandmother and I got along really great, and it was a perfect vacation for the 2 of us to take.  We ate at a big table, and there was a very nice young couple my age who was there on their honeymoon, and I hung out with them a bunch and we kept in touch for a couple of years afterwards.

 

I earned my Ship Shape T-shirt and had it for many years.  I remember having to work for it harder than I expected and thinking how cool it was doing early morning yoga on the large, aft teak deck.

 

I remember there was a lavish Midnight Buffet that felt really exotic.  Actually, everything felt really exotic, because I had never been to the Caribbean before.  I thought the Crown Lounge was really cool and special (even though it pales in comparison to anything you would see on a ship today).

 

I remember choosing this voyage over the newer Monarch because this one had a stop at Labadee, which I was really curious about.  Unfortunately, there was political unrest in Haiti, and that stop was replaced with an additional sea.

 

The cabin was small - the twin beds were in an L (one length wise and the other horizontal under the porthole).  The bathroom didn't have a separate shower stall or tub - a nozzle and a drain and the water went all over the bathroom if you weren't careful.

 

All in all, a great time.  I get wistful and excited whenever I see it under its new name.  I saw it with my wife and kids as the Thomson Destiny in Barbados and under the Celeystyal brand in Rhodes.  Happy memories that still have me cruising on RCCL 31 years later!

1 hour ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

Good luck 

+1

 

My teenage son (vaxxed and boosted) got Covid on the Adventure of the Seas and was sick for 10 days. He started up with a fever the day after we got back last month from a 9 day trip sailing to the Caribbean. My wife and other teenage son (vaxxed and boosted) did not get it. I started showing symptoms 6 days after we got back and presume my son exposed me to it because I hadn't left my home. I felt sick for 4 days (fever for 24 hours; achey, sore threat, headache) but never tested positive over a week of daily testing, so I assume I had an immune response and may or may not have had it (e.g., it could have been some other random cruise ship bug).

 

Just be careful and try to have your kids avoid crowded indoor spaces without masks if you can, because Covid is on board all of the ships. Have a great trip and enjoy the ship and the wonderful itinerary - you are going to great ports!

Hi, Bencruisin - I am sorry this happened to you and can understand how frustrating it must be. It hasn't happened to me, but is something that I have worried about. I had read on these boards a long time ago that a parent and a grand parent had been denied boarding because they were traveling with a minor child and weren't able to establish that the parent of that child had proper permission to take the child out of the country without the other parent.

 

My wife and I have different last names (and my children have mine). I had been concerned that if challenged, we would not be able to demonstrate that my wife was my wife and the mother of my kids.  So, we always travel with their birth certificates (in addition to their passports) and our marriage license just in case we are asked to show by paper that my wife is their mother and that I am not taking them out of the country without permission. 18 cruises and 15 years later, we have never been questioned, but it was something that concerned me particularly when they were much younger.

 

Good luck and all the best.

Hi, luckybecky - I really want to thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed, well-written review.  I think it might be one of the best I have ever read on Cruisecritic!  The helpful information and photographs were all really great.

 

I took a similar cruise with my family back in the summer of 2019 (a 10 night cruise on the Celebrity Constellation from Venice to Dubrovnik, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Athens, and Katakolon).  I would like to go back!  I am sorry you got hurt - I remembered from our cruise that I had never seen more people injured on a trip (e.g., tripping on bumpy cobblestones to a woman who broke her ankle after a man stepped on it in the crowds of Santorini). People were also passing out because of the extreme heat in Rome and Greece when we were there and one of our memories is how we spent more on water than we did on wine on that trip.

 

When you and your husband hire a driver to take you around for the day (like you did in Kefalonia), how much does that cost roughly? My wife and I have thought about doing something similar but haven't yet and are curious.

 

Thanks again.  My wife and I are thinking of doing a similar cruise again during the summer of 2024 and I will come back to this very terrific review again.

 

 

20 hours ago, johnjen said:

Dining - Overall, a C. And I am being generous. Like a 9th grade teacher grading on a bell curve.

Hi, johnjen - Thank you for your review. I was on the same itinerary just before you went on your cruise (i.e., I was on from June 23 - July 2). I really liked the itinerary, especially leaving from New York on Royal, but I totally agree with your assessment of the food. It was just not good. I don't go on cruises  for the food and I am very sympathetic that we we are still in a pandemic so things aren't going to be like they were for awhile. But, I thought the quality of the food went way down hill and was not acceptable for Royal. 

 

The menu items sounded appetizing, but the "charcuterie board" you showed was a perfect example of what Royal is trying to pass off as OK (e.g., order the pastries on the room service breakfast menu and they will include dinner rolls from the night before; fish that is mushy from being frozen; vegetables that obviously had been frozen; and more).  There were a few meals that were good, but most were not good. My fear is that people will just accept this and it will become the new normal.

 

This was my 18th cruise on Royal/Celebrity and the only time I have been truly disappointed with the food (and it was actually my most expensive cruise).

 

 

 

Hi, everyone – I had been thinking about taking one of the Viking Orion cruises in Bermuda later this month or next month.  The price is great, and my wife and I love Bermuda. The recent news about the Delta variant is giving us some pause, however, and I have some questions.

 

- Are the Bermuda cruises still at 50% capacity through at least the end of August/early September?

 

- I understand that Viking is requiring passengers to be masked unless they are sitting down to eat or drink.  Is Viking enforcing this or are some passengers flouting this?

 

- What kind of included excursions does Viking offer in Bermuda? We would like to go to the beach/snorkel/swim and was wondering if those types of excursions are included or are the included tours more like walking tours around Hamilton?

 

- Are the passengers on the buses on the Viking excursions wearing masks? Or are some passengers flouting it?  Are the buses at 100% capacity or reduced?

 

- Do any of the dining venues have outdoor dining for dinner? Or is it all indoor dining unless you eat on your cabin balcony?

 

- With flights through Viking air, can you choose your flights/airport in NY since it is so close to departure? Or does Viking not give a choice. Newark is much farther for me, and I would prefer to fly on Delta from JFK.

 

- Have people generally felt safe on board?

 

- How do the daily COVID tests work?

 

- Have there been many cases on board the various Viking ocean ships? I read about 1 in Bermuda on these boards, but was wondering if there have been more.

 

Basically, if people are obeying mask rules and Viking is enforcing them on board the ship and excursions and if we don’t have to have dinner inside, that would probably give me the comfort we need.  If not everyone on board (or the excursions) is wearing a mask and Viking is not enforcing the rules, I would not want to go (e.g., I would not want to be on a bus with any unmasked passengers but would fine if everyone were masked). I have seen pictures of passengers on Celebrity ships and no one looked to be wearing masks at all, which would not be acceptable for me at this time.

 

I’d be curious to hear any thoughts on the non-Bermuda elements of the above for people who have been on any of the Iceland and Mediterranean cruises lately as well, since I am new to Viking. 

 

Thank you!

My family and I were on the Constellation last August on the 10 night cruise from Venice to Dubrovnik and the Greek Islands. FWIW, the ship was in beautiful shape.  No one should think for a second that it is shabby or in desperate need of an upgrade. While the Solstice class line of Celebrity ships is my favorite, I would definitely go on the Constellation again even without refurbishment.  The crew on that journey was especially good and really friendly. I hope they are OK.

 

Sigh - last August seems so long ago in more ways than one!

Unfortunately, since that ship has been at sea for more than 2 weeks and the original voyage started on March 1, this means that it was circulating on board while everyone innocently thought they were safe.  She cannot be the only one who has it.  And now people are scattering through airports and across the country and to other countries who are unknowingly infected and may be spreading it on their journey and when they get home.

 

These are unsettling times.  Makes me sad, because some of the best times my family has had together as a family have been on cruises, Celebrity in particular.

 

My best to everyone who was on board and is still on.

I agree with the others that it is unlikely cruises, including a May cruise on the Oasis will return any time soon.  But, I will say that as a veteran of about 12 Celebrity cruises and 7 RCCL cruises, I didn't think the Oasis would be for me at all.  My impression was that it would be way too big, mall-like, crowded, and bloated  (we were in front of it as our ship was leaving Ft. Lauderdale, and it just looked like this bloated, lumbering ship behind us as we sailed out to say).  Plus, I just overall prefer the Celebrity vibe and experience.  But, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised when we took a last minute cruise about 3 years ago in August.  We had a great time on the Oasis.  It was not as crowded as we had thought.  Didn't seem as big as onboard as it did looking at it from land or another ship. 

 

A Solstice class ship would be my first choice, but if the price were right and the itinerary were interesting, I would definitely and happily go on the Oasis again.

I called my sister last night and told her she should cancel her Apex cruise leaving from Rome in May before final payment is due in a few days. She has some health concerns that could make her more vulnerable to the virus. If it turns out all is ok in May after all, I told her the prices will be far lower than the price she reserved and she can always rebook. But, every indication in the last week is that the situation will get worse rather better in the near to mid term in the cruise world, particularly with the expansion of the virus in Italy.

 

When she called Celebrity to cancel, she said the agent sounded very stressed and was dealing with a lot of cancellations and was getting hourly updates about the virus.

 

I am very relieved she cancelled. I was thinking of taking my family in April over school break because the prices are good, but am not going to now. This is a very serious virus for which there is no vaccine and no immunity. There should be no bravado. If you feel unsafe, you should cancel. You can always cruise later once where we see where things go in this new and rapidly developing situation.

Great blog and review, thank you!  How much did you use your balcony? I've never done a trans-ocean cruise and am curious whether and how much people use their balconies and how the weather and sea conditions might impact that (e.g., for any meals, a glass of wine, reading, relaxing, etc.).

I was just on the Constellation in August for a 10 day cruise from Vencie to Croatia and Greece.  I had wondered about the ship, because it is older. But, I was very happy to find it was incredibly well-maintained and in excellent shape.  I would not hesitate to go on it again, even if it were not retrofitted.  In fact, I had my eye on those very 2 cruises you've been thinking about and would go on them in a heartbeat, except my kids have school then. 

 

The Suez Canal repositioning cruise for November is also extremely well-priced now. Plus, Celebrity is pulling out of the Mid-east and India voyages after the spring, so this is your last chance.

 

Go for it!

23 hours ago, PelicanLvr said:

Sailed on Connie out of Venice a few years ago. 

 

1. Boarding times are pretty much the same as in the US.  You can certainly board earlier than noon.

 

2.  Regular (car) taxis service the ship pier.  You don not need a water (boat) taxi to get to the ship.  Exit the airport and take a taxi to the ship.  Why take the overpriced X transfer and have to wait for the bus to fill etc....be on your own schedule!  Get a cab on your own at the airport.

 

3.  We arrived on a very early flight and were at the pier by 9am.  Porters took our bags and carry ons.  We kept only our valuables and took the vaperatto (water bus) into St. Marks Square.  That was a great option.  You are in Venice....don't sit on the boat all day.  Go take a walk in town and have lunch at a cafe.  Venice is magical!  

 

4.  Important - You must see the Grand Canal.  The X shuttle into St. Marks goes on the sea route (the ship will take that out) and not the famous Grand Canal.  Take the vaporetto from P Roma (right by the pier) directly down the grand canal to St. Marks.  That route is along the postcard sites of Venice.

 

5.  Sailaway from Venice - The Venice views are on the port (left) side of the ship.  

 

Enjoy Venice and your cruise!

 

 

 

Hi, Shink113 - I agree with all of the above.  I was on the Constellation last month.  I drove to Venice (from Tuscany in a rental car), but when we left to return home at the end of the cruise, we took a taxi.  It was a fixed rate of 45 euros (about $50) and took less than 20 minutes.  The Venice airport is small (by US standards, in my opinion) and would be easy and not intimidating to get a taxi.  The fare should be the same.  Just confirm before you get in the cab what the rate is.  You'll save money over the Celebrity transfers and get to the ship faster.  The convenience and speed might be worth the difference in price between the bus/people mover and the taxi.

 

We arrived at the ship on embarkation day a little after 11 am and were on board by about 11:30 am.

 

Watching the sailaway down the canal is definitely not to be missed!

 

Have a great time - we really loved it!

 

 

Hi, Monica - great review and thank you for writing it! I was on the Constellation last month for the Greek Isles cruise and am having withdrawal, lol. We really loved it (This is my review in case you're curious: 

I thought the Martini Bar was very crowded and noisy as well.  Even when it wasn't, I thought the service was rather indifferent for some reason, so we only went there once or twice.  

 

We really liked Vlada who we spoke with many times, including during the Elite happy hour in the Reflections lounge, which we really enjoyed a lot.

 

I am very curious about Cavtat and am going to check it out.

 

What were your thoughts on Malta?  I am very curious about it.

 

Thanks again!

 

 

I will chime and say definitely come in a few days early (or more) if you are able to before your cruise.  It is an incredible city with a lot to see, and you are going at a great time. We spent 5 days/4 nights in Rome last month before a cruise that left from Venice.  It was incredibly hot (which we could live with) and incredibly crowded to the point that the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and Colleseum were very unpleasant because they were so packed with people.  

 

Have a great time!

Interesting how perspectives are different. I love Labadee and it is one of my favorite stops (for the beach, swimming, and overall experience) when I cruise and I actually look for trips that have it.  I've never been a big fan of Key West and would be thrilled to have that switch! 

 

In any case, enjoy your cruise (the Equinox is one my favorite ships) and good luck with the weather!

Thank for writing this great blog.  A long transpacific or TA is on my bucket list, and this voyage has caught my eye before. I would love to have long, lazy days at sea where I could really enjoy the ship.  What is the general age range of the passengers? And how rough are the seas?  Thanks!

I didn't think it was necessary at first, but am a believer and get it every time now.  We have had to file 3 claims, each of which were paid:

 

- our flight from NY to FLL were cancelled because of a bad snowstorm.  Was able to find tickets leaving from a different NY airport that cost $1200 more so we didn't miss our cruise.  The insurance covered the tickets.

 

- our flight from San Juan back to New York was cancelled because of a blizzard in New York and we had to spend 2 nights/3 days in San Juan post-cruise before we could get a flight home (we didn't mind this at all!).  The insurance covered our hotel and other expenses in San Juan (about $1200). 

 

- we thought my son had a ruptured ear drum (caused by 2 weeks of swimming on a B2B).  The trip insurance covered the visit to the ship's doctor, medicine, and a visit to the doctor upon our return.  About $250.

On 9/9/2013 at 8:04 AM, helpthejuggler said:

 

 

SHIP: Constellation

CABIN #: 7004

DECK #: 7

CLASS:

AREA: Very Front

BED NEAR: Window

QUIET?: Yes, except for early morning noise (see below)

BALCONY VIEW: n/a

BALCONY SIZE: n/a

WIND A PROBLEM?: n/a

SOOT A PROBLEM?: n/a

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: 

This cabin had 2 upper Pullman bunks, which I believe is unusual (most only have 1), and my 2 teenagers slept in them just fine and were very comfortable.  Having 2 Pullmans (instead of having one of the beds come out of the chair/couch) opens up more space in cabin that feels a bit tight with 4 adult-sized people.  So, that's a big plus.

 

The location was very convenient and the seas were smooth, so it worked out from that perspective.  But, we were awoken several mornings at about 5:30 am by sounds of the ship we hadn’t heard in our other cabin locations.  One morning, it sounded like an anchor was being lowered (even though I don’t think that’s what it was) and a few other mornings I think it was an outside door just below the bridge that was also accompanied by a warning bell.  It wasn’t super major, but getting awoken early like that was annoying enough that I would avoid this cabin and the immediate location in the future even though the 2 Pullmans was a plus.

August 2019.

 

On 8/31/2019 at 5:19 PM, wendyam76 said:

Thank you for your review. Constellation is one of our favourite ships and I’m so glad you found our favourite day pass resort of Saint John’s in Mykonos. We’ve been three times and fully intend to book again for our Constellation sailing next July.

your tips about mobility are really helpful - I travel with my 85 year old mum so look out for all these things. However we love Rhodes as she is easily able to walk off the ship and into the Old Town - mind you she doesn’t tend to walk up the hills but loves the main streets! 

Wendy

Yes, the Saint John's in Mykonos was a really great day pass.  I learned about it here on CruiseCritic, so I am always happy and grateful to come back and share info that worked out.  I would definitely go there again and would want to stay there if we ever stayed overnight on Mykonos.  We recommended it to friends going there next week on a different cruise line.

 

Regarding Rhodes, it was the Old Town where the woman from my voyage fell.  She looked to be in 75 and good shape, so I think everyone 70 and up should take extra caution when walking in similar types of places, in my opinion.  I think footwear is very important, and I should have mentioned it. People with sandals and flip flops on Santorini had the most difficulty, particularly if you end up having to walk down the hill if you can't get the cable car.  I think everyone on Santorini should wear sneakers, regardless of age, in case they end up doing that.

 

The Constellation has a voyage next July that hits a similar itinerary to the one I took, except that it goes to Kusadasi in Turkey and Corfu, which are really interesting additions.  Have a good time!

On 8/31/2019 at 4:49 PM, wishuponasea said:

Thanks for the great review! We have been to a few of the places you went to and Loved them too. In Santorini we took a boat from the cruise ship area to Oia, then a bus to Fira; and was able to have a not very long wait for the cable car going back down the hill. Worked out great. We will be on the Connie (will be our first time on this ship) for the first cruise after the revitalization (in May). I have been reading all the reviews I can about the ship. Glad to hear that the food was good. We noticed how overworked the staff was on our last cruise (this past winter in the Caribbean). Thanks again!

A boat ride to Oia and a bus back to Fira sounds good if there aren't many ships in port. On our voyage, because there were so many ships in port, when the buses dropped people back in Fira, they dropped them into a long line situation.

 

You will really enjoy the Connie. Let us know what it is like after the revitalization! I think it is great already, so I am sure it is going to be even better 🙂

On 8/31/2019 at 3:06 PM, Provence55always said:

Wonderful wonderful review thank you for sharing. We are on the Constellation January 2020 sailing from Singapore to Dubai. Love that ship and crew, have always found them so attentive and welcoming.

Lucky you! That is a really great itinerary, and it had caught my eye. Unfortunately, the Constellation is moving to Tampa, so the upcoming voyages, like the one you are going to be on, are going to be the last unless they decide to move it back to that part of the world in a couple of years.  I hope you post a review of your trip!

Long Review of the Constellation – 10 Night Greek Isles Cruise – a Great Trip!

 

I traveled on the August 15 – 25, 2019 roundtrip voyage of the Constellation from Venice with stops in Dubrovnik, Crete, Mykonos, Athens, Rhodes, Santorini, and Katakolon.  I was with my wife and 2 teenage sons (14 and 16) in an Oceanview cabin (i.e., 7004).  This was the 17^th cruise for my wife and me, all of them with Celebrity or Royal Caribbean.  All of our other trips have been in the Caribbean or to Bermuda, but this very excellent port intensive Greek Islands cruise caught my eye because it went to so many locations in Greece.  It was a really great trip overall, and we loved it.

 

We spent almost 3 weeks prior to the cruise traveling around Italy (to Rome, Capri, Pompeii, Tivoli, Tuscany, and Venice) by train and by car.  As fun and amazing as that was, we were looking forward to getting on board the ship.

 

THE CABIN

 

We’ve always had balconies before (except for an inside cabin on a last minute trip to Bermuda), but a balcony was going to add $2500 to the total price, and this was already our most expensive cruise and vacation, so we decided to try an Oceanview.  While we obviously would have preferred a balcony, I could not justify the price and this worked out fine.  This cabin had 2 upper Pullman bunks and was at the very front of the ship. 

 

The location was very convenient and the seas were smooth, so it worked out from that perspective.  But, we were awoken several mornings at about 5:30 am by sounds of the ship we hadn’t heard in our other cabin locations.  One morning, it sounded like an anchor was being lowered (even though I don’t think that’s what it was) and a few other mornings I think it was an outside door just below the bridge that was also accompanied by a warning bell.  It wasn’t super major, but getting awoken early like that was annoying enough that I would avoid this cabin and the immediate location in the future.

 

Our cabin attendant kept the cabin fresh and spotless and was helpful when we asked for ice and a corkscrew.

 

THE SHIP

 

The Constellation is a beautiful ship in great shape.  I had read a few reviews that suggested there were areas of wear and tear, but the reviewers must have been on a different ship than us.  Celebrity does a first rate job keeping their ships in top shape.  While the Solstice class is our favorite class, we are happy with the M-class and would definitely sail on the Connie again, particularly if the itinerary were as great as this one.  The overall vibe feels classy to us, from the décor, the other passengers, amenities, and the friendliness of the crew.  I understand the ship is slated for an upgrade in the spring, although I think it is beautiful as-is.

 

THE X-CLUB

 

The X-Club for teenagers in the Fun Factory was a huge plus for us.  Our sons spent a lot of time there and were busy with a variety of offered activities along with a friendly and engaging staff.  They also made friends with a nice group of teenage boys from Spain, France, Ireland, and New Jersey who also participated in the X-Club activities.  We liked how they were able to meet and become friends with kids from other countries. Their positive experience with the X-Club was a huge boon for my wife and me, because it allowed us to spend time together alone while they were having fun.  If you have teens the same age, I would encourage them to go to the meet-and-greet the first night when everyone is new. 

 

Even though RCCL is known for being more youth-friendly, my sons have always said that they prefer the X-Club experience to RCCL (which is usually more crowded and more of a factory in their opinion).  In fact, they said that if a ship has a Flowrider, they would prefer the ship (i.e., RCCL) hands down on that basis alone.  But if there is no Flowrider, they prefer Celebrity hands down.  My oldest son turns 17 next year, which is a shame, because he will age out of the X-Club, and we will probably go back to the ships with Flowriders and other similar activities.  I really wish there were a way for the X-Club to have activities for the 18 – 21 age set.

 

THE CREW

 

The Crew was universally great and friendly.  They all work so hard, many of them are young, and most of them are far from home.  I tipped our cabin attendant extra and gave envelopes to some of the staff in the nightly Captain’s Club cocktail party in the Reflections lounge and in the X-Club.  We really appreciated the great service all around.

 

THE MAIN DINING ROOM

 

The MDR experience on all of our cruises, whether with Celebrity or RCCL, have gone down in recent years.  I’ve read of other people on the boards commenting on the same thing, but the staffing cuts that Celebrity and RCCL have made to MDR staff feel painfully obvious to us.  The staff are clearly required to service more passengers than in prior years, which causes dinner to drag out way too long (even though the number of courses have been cut as have showy desserts the waiters would set aflame table-side, like Cherries Jubilee, Baked Alaska and Crepes with Bananas Flambé). 

 

On a human level, it also makes me uncomfortable to see human beings pressed to work as hard as they do in the MDR.  I don’t fault the MDR staff at all – this is a management issue at the bean counter level.  Please increase the MDR staff, Celebrity and RCCL.  It used to be a positive experience for us, but has turned into a negative. We chose to eat up in the Oceanview Café for more than half of our dinners (we ate in the MDR only 4 times on the 10 night cruise and it used to be something we looked forward to).

 

THE FOOD

 

Overworked MDR staff notwithstanding, this was some of the best food we have had on any cruise in a number of years.  The menus were interesting, the food was fresh, and all of the increased choices up at the Oceanview Café for dinner (they serve Beef Wellington up there the same night it was served in the MDR) really made the food a big plus for us, and I don’t usually get excited about cruise ship food.  Loved the omelets in the morning and Indian food choices.

 

We also enjoyed the lunch at the spa café near the Thalassotherapy pool.  They had small plates with dishes like salmon salad, tuna salad, cold soba noodles, lentil salad, small spinach salads, etc.

 

I wondered if Celebrity increased the per-passenger food budget because this cruise was so much more expensive than our Caribbean cruises and the passengers seemed to be a bit posher and not overwhelmingly American.  Or maybe it was because the ship’s head chef, Singh Deoraj, was so great.  Whatever it was, the food was terrific over all.

 

THE PORTS

 

Venice

 

This was my third time to Venice.  It was magical when I came in the 80s and then again in the 90s (in the spring). But, I felt it was very, very crowded this time everywhere we walked, on the vaporettos, etc.  We spent 3 nights here before the cruise and while it definitely was special for me, the crowds and the heat rubbed the magic off. 

 

We ended up going over to Murano, Burano, and Torcello, which I highly recommend if you have the time.  They are reachable by vaporetto rides (I think Burano and Torcello were about 45 minutes away by boat).  Torcello in particular was small, quaint, charming and had some restaurants that looked very nice albeit a bit pricey. 

 

We had the vaporetto pass that was 30 euros per person for 2 days of unlimited use and thought it was a pretty good value if you took more than 2 round trips per day, even if it was rather expensive overall in my opinion.

 

Our hotel was a few blocks to the East of the train station, so it was a pretty easy 15 minute walk to the people mover.  I should say it was easy for us – we had to drag our suitcases over rough stones and over a bridge, which would be difficult for some people.  If you are staying in Venice either before or after your cruise, you will have to make plans to get your luggage to your hotel, so think about it in advance.

 

The People Mover (i.e., a mono-rail from the edge of Venice to the Cruise Port) was 1.5 euros per person and was pretty easy and convenient to use, though I ended up having to pay twice for one of my tickets and so did a woman who was there at the same time.  We had purchased our tickets at the machine, but then the scanner said they were invalid even though her husband’s ticket worked and so did the 3 tickets for the rest of my family.  There was no attendant, we just had to buy new ones.  It’s possible my ticket was too close to the scanner when I scanned one of the tickets of my family members.  A minor annoyance, so just be careful.

 

The sail-away from Venice is a stunning trip down the canal from the cruise port, past Piazza San Marco, the Lido, and out to the Adriatic.  Make sure you don’t miss it.  It was really spectacular.

 

Dubrovnik

 

We took a taxi from the cruise port to the gates of the walled city.  The taxi was 14 euros and was a posted and fixed rate.  We arrived in the afternoon and had been concerned the crowds would make the walking of the wall too crowded, but it was really OK.  We did that, although I must say you must be very mobile and steady on your feet or else it will be dangerous for you (more on that below). 

 

We were interested in going swimming afterwards and wore our swimsuits under our shorts.  It turns out there is a rocky outcropping on the outside of the walled gates (just exit near the aquarium and walk around the bend).  It wasn’t fancy, but was super convenient and there were showers.  I would have lingered and kept jumping in and maybe get a cold beer from a vendor, but, alas, the family had had enough and wanted to go back to the ship.  It was a really nice day.

 

Crete

 

We took a taxi from the ship to the center of the old town (I think it was a fixed rate of 10 euros) and walked around the town and the port, which was very pretty and charming.  We continued walking about 20 minutes and ended up at a local beach, Nea Chora Beach, which is in a residential neighborhood. 

 

At first I didn’t think it was anything special, but we ended up having a really nice time here.  It was a friendly, local, low key vibe.  2 chairs and an umbrella (along with use of the bathroom at the restaurant that managed the chairs) was only 6 euros total, for both.  The water was warm and the beach sandy.  We ordered food from the restaurant, and I was really impressed with how fresh, good, and inexpensive it was.  Fresh octopus, fresh sardines (which are normally not appealing to me), calamari, grape leaves, etc. and a cold beer and a carafe of wine all came to 27 euros.  As I said, it wasn’t the prettiest beach in my opinion, because it was in a residential neighborhood.  But, that said, we had a lot of fun, I liked the food, convenience, price, and the vibe and would go back again.  We walked about 20 minutes back to the town and grabbed a cab (which was actually a bit hard to find).  Next time, I would ask the restaurant to help call a cab, which I assume would be about 15 euros back to the ship from this distance.

 

Mykonos

 

I wasn’t fully sure what to do here and had been worried about crowds and whether the beaches might be *too* interesting to my teenage sons.  We ended up getting a day pass to the St. John Beach Resort (just search for them online and “info@” email address on their website).  It was stunning and one of the highlights of the cruise.  I highly recommend it, and this might have been our favorite day of the cruise.

 

I had hesitated because it was 100 euros per person, but that included transportation from the ship, a spectacular breakfast buffet (take my word for it – don’t eat breakfast on the ship – eat it here, it was that great), a thick towel, a big lunch (I had grilled calamari that was incredible), and use of the chaise longues by the pool or down by the beach (which was narrow, but had a fun dock you could jump off of).  The hotel was so deluxe, I had thought they might treat us differently because we were day passers from a cruise ship, but they could not have been friendlier and we felt very welcome.  Even though it was more money than I might have wanted to spend, I thought the value was terrific.  The kids stayed on board, and it was a really special day for my wife and me.  I would definitely do this again.  They only sell 12 day passes.  We met 6 other nice people from our ship who were doing the same thing, and I know everyone loved it.

 

Incidentally, this was listed as a tender port, but we docked instead.

 

Athens

 

The last time I was in Athens was in the winter when I was in college with my parents.  Going in the summer, with heat in the high 90s, and a lot more tourists, was different, but still great.  We hopped in a cab from the port and had him take us to the Acropolis. It was a fixed fare of 25 euros and took about 20 or 25 minutes.  It was spectacular, and I loved it, the heat notwithstanding (although the heat was overwhelming to some – more below).  After a few hours there, we walked down through the plaka and got some food at an outdoor café, which was a little pricey given it was a touristy neighborhood, but it was pretty and we enjoyed it nonetheless. 
 

I wanted to go to the Agora, but everyone else was melting after all of the hours of walking, and we took a taxi back to the ship from the Plaka.

 

Rhodes

 

The ship docked at a pier right next to the walled old town, so it was an easy walk if you are reasonably mobile and steady on your feet.  We walked through the old town and went to the castle, which is a Mussolini-era reconstruction that was pretty good. But, after seeing so much history over the previous month in Italy, I wasn’t super impressed walking through a reconstruction.  After that, we walked about 30 minutes to Elli Beach, which was a local beach that had chair rentals, some of the clearest water I have seen anywhere, and a large, broad, nice pebbly beach.  Yes, it was crowded and there were hotels behind it, but the beach was nice if you got on a decent part of it. 

 

We didn’t rent chairs, but if I had to do it all over again, I would have gone to Elli Beach straight away (an easy 15 minute cab ride) and got some decent chairs and an umbrella at one of the establishments that was nicer than the one we plopped our towels in front of.  I would spend the morning at the beach before it got too crowded and then walk around the old town and get something to eat there.

 

Santorini

 

We loved, loved Santorini – but with a few important caveats.  This was a tender port that was scheduled to have approximately 5 ships in port that day (and none the next day!).  The cruise staff implored everyone to get up early and get on the earliest tender you can.  We listened to them, and you should, too.

 

We were lucky enough to get on the first tender and in the first cable car up the mountain.  Tickets for the cable car were 6 euros each and we were lucky again that there was no line yet and we were up to the top at about 7:30 am (a hard feat for us to corral the whole family to do this!).  We had decided to go to Oia on our own and grabbed the first taxi we found, which was easy because none of the swarms had arrived yet.  It was 35 euros for an approximately 30 minute cab ride to Oia (which I think we may have been overcharged – I think the official rate, if there is one, is 30 euros, which is what it cost on the way back.  I didn’t care – I was just happy to get one.)

 

Incidentally, you can take a donkey ride up for 6 euros per person, but the crew staff advised people not to, both for safety reasons (the donkeys sometimes slip) and for animal cruelty reasons.  I, for one, could never do it.

 

Oia was empty when we got there at 8 am and stunningly beautiful.  We had it to ourselves for 20 minutes and then the first buses started to arrive and it steadily became more and more crowded.  We walked around for 4 hours or so and stopped for some incredible Greek pastries, Greek coffee, and an incredible view at a bakery/café called Skiza that was on the main pedestrian drag.  It was a little pricey, partly because Santorini has a 25% city tax, but the view and food was amazing.  It was a nice way to get away from the crowds, which had now descended upon Oia, rest our tired feet, and enjoy the view. 

 

By now, it was very hot and crowded and the narrow streets were packed. I actually ended up getting separated for a tense 30 minutes from my family after getting stuck behind people taking photographs that I didn’t want to interrupt (but politely would next time).   

 

The square was packed, too.  There was a woman from the ship who had fallen (a man had stepped on her ankle, I had heard) sitting, injured, on a bench and later was in wheelchair on the ship (more on injuries, below). 

 

We walked a few blocks away and tried to get a cab, which was now impossible, so we walked for about 15 minutes to the other side of the town and were able to get a taxi for 30 euros back to Fira.  We walked around and took some stunning photographs there, but by now had been off the ship for about 7 hours.  We wanted to take the cable car down, but no dice – the line was at least 2 hours long so we opted to walk down.  We are fit, so it was doable, but people were slipping (including us) all over the place, because some of the stones are shiny obsidian and there is a lot of donkey dung.  It took us 30 minutes and while not difficult for us, I know it was difficult for others and it would be impossible and dangerous if you had any mobility issues.

 

I think some of the ship’s tours that go by bus to Oia go to a different tender stop and then get a bus ride that picks them up right at the water without having to navigate the cable car mess.  If you are going to Oia and don’t think you can get off very early like we did and go by cab, I would probably consider that.  I know some people who took the public bus were furious that they were so jammed with passengers they felt it was dangerous, so make sure you allow plenty of time for whatever you do.

 

As I said, Oia and Fira and our overall visit to Santorini was a highlight for us, but only because we were up very early and were able to avoid some of the mobs and we were able to walk down the mountain, albeit reluctantly, instead of taking the cable car down.  Some people had no choice but to wait in the sun for a couple of hours. One woman on our return tender had waited for 1.5 hours in line and finally gave up and walked down, and was very hot and unhappy. We also so people arguing about others cutting in line. When there are this many cruise ships in port at once, I really think a better system would be ideal for everyone, both from safety and efficiency perspectives.  While this was a really great day for us overall, I can see how this stop could easily be a bad one for some people, so please plan ahead.

 

Katakolon (Olympia)

 

This was our last stop, and we were feeling a little sad by now.  There is a small train that runs from Katakolon to Olympia every 2 hours or so for 10 euros per person roundtrip.  I knew my kids would think the train was fun, which was one of the reasons we chose it.  It was also a pretty 45 minute ride through the countryside.  We were off the ship at 9:00 and the train left at 10, so there was a little bit of a wait. You can search for information online about it – it is easy to find.  After you arrive in Olympia, it is an easy 10 minute walk from the train station are the remains of ancient Olympia, which we really enjoyed walking around even though it was nearly 100 degrees.  In fact, it was so hot that the Hellenic Red Cross very generously was handing out free bottles of water.

 

I would have liked to have stayed a little longer, but we needed to get on the 1:10 train back because the next one was not until 3:30, which was cutting it too close.  There are a number of waterfront cafes on the way back to the pier. I would have liked to have stopped for a bit for a cold beer or glass of wine and Greek seafood like we had in Crete, but we ended up getting back on board to have lunch.

 

Incidentally, it was a VERY long walk from the ship to where the buses, taxi, and town were.  If walking is an issue for you, please check into it in advance.

 

If I had to do this stop all over, I might have gone by bus or taxi to Olympia, which probably would have given us an hour head start over the train even though the train was a nice way to travel and the kids liked it.  If we had done that, it think it would have given us enough time to swim at a local beach for an hour or 2, which I would have liked to have done and it would have given some more time in Olympia (I could have used another hour there at least).  I had my eye on Agios Andreas, a nearby beach as a possibility that I believe was accessible by a little trolley bus, but it wasn’t meant to be.

 

Sea Day

 

The last day of the trip was a sea day, and we spent most of it on lounge chairs by the Thalassotherapy pool.  We had had trouble getting seats there on other parts of the trip, so we were happy finally to spend some time there.

 

DISEMBARKATION

 

Our flight back to New York left at 11:05, which had me a little nervous.  We did the baggage walk-off, which was scheduled for 7:40 am.  They actually started letting people off at 7:20 a.m.  We were out of the customs building by about 7:30 and grabbed a taxi right away.  It was 45 euros and we were at the airport in less than 20 minutes.  We checked in and were through check-in and customs by 8:20, which gave us plenty of time.

 

You would think we would have eaten enough by now after a vacation in Italy and a cruise, but there was a café near the gate that sold really nice sandwiches for about 5 or 6 euros each and cappuccinos.  I couldn’t pass up the cappuccino, but wished I had bought sandwiches for us.  The flight was 9 hours and they didn’t serve lunch until 1:00 or so and then there was only a greasy warm sandwich served an hour before landing.  I would have preferred the nice sandwich from the airport J

 

SOME GENERAL TIPS

 

It can be hard to find free bathrooms, so make sure you have a handful of euro coins in case you need to go.  I googled “bathrooms near me” on my phone, which was very helpful in terms of guiding us to the nearest one on several occasions.

 

If you have a child under 18, many (but not all) venues are free, so make sure you ask, because it is not always posted.  Importantly, many of the places require photo ID, so we had our passports with us when we got off.  If you are between 18 and 25, there are usually heavily discounted rates, but you need to have proof of age and your school ID.

 

Italy and Greece use the Euro, which was convenient for us.  We used credit cards mostly, but had some cash for taxis, bathrooms, and bottles of water.  In Dubrovnik, we used Euros for the taxi, but I don’t believe the Euro is taken everywhere in Croatia.

 

*SAFETY*

 

*Please* be careful on this itinerary in the summer if you have any mobility issues at all (or even if you don’t).  I’m not trying to be melodramatic, but I have never seen more people injured on a vacation ever.  At the Colosseum in Rome before the trip, a woman collapsed in the heat and fell to the floor while in the ticket line.  Another woman fell down some stairs and cut her knee pretty bad.  A lot of roads and walkways in the old towns are paved with small rocks that are uneven and slippery.  We saw a woman from the ship who tripped and fell in Rhodes and her face was black and blue days later (and her glasses broken).  An older woman passed out and was getting medical attention by paramedics at the Acropolis.  There was the woman who had her ankle stepped on in Santorini and ended up in a wheelchair.  We saw a woman on our flight home from the cruise who was in a wheelchair and her leg in a fresh cast, so we assumed she had fallen somewhere. We saw at least 5 or 6 people fall on the steps down the hill in Santorini when they couldn’t get a cable car and had to walk down.  I’m not saying don’t go – but please be VERY careful! 

 

Also, make sure you drink a lot of water!

 

If you’re still with me, I’m happy to answer any questions.  This was a trip of a lifetime for us, and we really loved it.