General Mediterranea Port Advice

[RoonilWazlib]

I hope this question is on the right board!

 

I'm starting to put together a spreadsheet of our itinerary for our first-ever cruise, and the first thing I want to determine is which ports we should just wander around in, and which we should plan tours for (and ship vs. private, but that's another matter). So I'm wondering the following for each port: How easy will it be to get to the center of town from the port (can we walk there)? Is there so much to see that doing it ourselves would be tough? How is the public transportation? Etc.

 

Itinerary:

Naples, Italy

Valletta, Malta

Piraeus, Greece (for Athens)

Mykonos, Greece

Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus)

Rhodes, Greece

Santorini, Greece

Souda, Crete (for Chania)

Venice, Italy

 

Thanks in advance!

 

P.S. My fiance and I are actually getting married in Valletta, Malta, so we will not be doing an excursion there, but will still need to figure out transport in.

[Hlitner]

Wow! Where to start? First, Congratulations on your upcoming big event. As to the ports, you have quite a few options in each port depending on your budget, endurance, spirit of adventure, etc. You should start by looking at the various ports boards here on CC where you will find lots of info on most of those ports (you can even use the search function). In most ports you can manage on your own by a combination of walking and low cost public transit. However, in other ports such as Kusadasi you would be well advised to take a tour (in Kusadasi we strongly recommend private tours). As to how much there is to see and do....we have been traveling in that part of the world for about thirty years and still have yet to see everything :)

 

Hank

[suzski]

 

First off, congrats on your upcoming wedding!

 

As Hank said, you really need to figure out what you want to do...do you just want to go to the beach or grab a beer at a local pub, or are you interested in seeing some of the history?...makes a big difference. Without knowing your interests here's my suggestions, such as they are:

 

Naples, Italy - You shold definitely consider taking a tour to Pompeii...Join up with others on your Roll Call as I'm sure they have a Private Excursion already planned. Naples is not really a great place to walk around.

Valletta, Malta - Your ship should dock very close to the city center (although you'll have to walk uphill to get there. If you have time, I'd suggest taking a bus to Mdina...lovely city.

Piraeus, Greece (for Athens) - You will definitely need to get transportation into Athens. There is a train but be aware that, with the economics woes, there may be a transportation strike going on. Athens is another place you might want to consider taking a tour.

Mykonos, Greece - Your ship will probably have a shuttle (at a cost) that runs you into the city center, but it is very walkable (I've done it). There is also a great resort that offers day passes for cruisers that you can find out more about on the Greece board.

Santorini, Greece - ahhh, Santorini. You've got 3 choices...donkey, tram, or by foot. We took the donkey up and the tram down.

Venice, Italy - Your ship will provide tender tickets that take you directly to St Marks Square (for a fee, but unlimited) during your stay. You can also utilize the vaporettos - water taxi's - but if this is your first trip to Venice you will most likely find enough to keep you occupied on the main island and should not need to venture out to outlying islands like Murano/Burano.

 

Hope this helps! Enjoy your trip.

 

Suzan

[Bet & Peg]

RoonilWazlib ~ first, I also offer my congrats on your wedding - what fun cruise + wedding!!

 

Second, in my opinion you're on the right tract - spreadsheet for the ports and CC for advice! And you're gotten some from the best - Hank is tops for port advice! just ask him specific questions when you get to them!!

 

And suzski's comments are perfect - in any port or vacation - choose what you and partner really like to do! and, while its always nice to try something different - a museum or restaurant or "adventure" - don't let anyone make you feel wrong because you didn't choose what they thought was best! (In Naples DH & I took train and only went to Pompeii and spent most of the day there - but we both just loved it!!!)

 

I would also suggest joining your cruise's Roll Call - get to know some of your fellow passengers and see if you can join in or even arrange some private tours - you'll love them much better than the ship's large bus excursions.

 

My quick suggestions:

Naples, Italy - see above - but there's also the Amalfi coast or Capri tours

 

Valletta, Malta - enjoy your wedding!

 

Piraeus, Greece (for Athens) - ugh!! 1n 2008 we (and 6 others) took subway into the Acropolis, hired a guide and had a fabulous tour. But 2011 with the possibility of strikes we took the ship's tour to the Corinth Canal had had an unbelievable day!

 

Mykonos, Greece never been

Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus) never been

Rhodes, Greece never been

 

Santorini, Greece - fabulous island!! tender ship bring you very close to the tram/donley/stairs and town of Fira is right at the top. But the most picturesque area is Oia. We took city bus from Fira to Oia, walked the 200 steps down to Amoundi and had a lunch at Sunset Taverna that we still talk about!

 

Souda, Crete (for Chania) never been

 

Venice, Italy - my favorite city!!! suzski is right on about the ship's tender to St. Mark's Square where you can stroll around and have the most expensive coffee/wine anywhere but you'll be in Venice! Then stop at Harry's for an outrageously priced drink, but you'll be in Venice! And if you have time head over - walk or vaporetti - to Rialto Bridge area and and shop on the "cheap" side in some of the stalls!! And you'll be in Venice and, I hope, still in love!!!!

 

Have the most fabulous time ever and fall in love with cruising!!!

[RoonilWazlib]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions! We like visiting historical ruins, but not so much museums. We also like to try local food, and my absolute favorite thing to do on vacation is just to wander around taking photos! So I just want to see some beautiful scenery and buildings!! We'll save our relaxing for the evenings on the ship.

 

I found my cruise's roll call, and we are trying to join a private tour for Pompeii, Positano, and Sorrento, so that should be very fun.

 

Another question: for all the public transportation that is supposed to be cheapest way to get around, should we worry about language barriers with that? I'm paranoid of missing the ship's departure, so I am worried about taking the bus to the wrong place and getting lost, or missing the last ferry or something like that. Does that stuff ever happen due to not knowing the language? Or are they pretty used to English-speaking tourists by now?

 

Thanks again!

[TLCOhio]

I hope this question is on the right board! I'm starting to put together a spreadsheet of our itinerary for our first-ever cruise, and the first thing I want to determine is which ports we should just wander around in, and which we should plan tours for (and ship vs. private, but that's another matter). So I'm wondering the following for each port: How easy will it be to get to the center of town from the port (can we walk there)? Is there so much to see that doing it ourselves would be tough? How is the public transportation? Etc.

Itinerary:

Naples, Italy

Valletta, Malta

Piraeus, Greece (for Athens)

Mykonos, Greece

Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus)

Rhodes, Greece

Santorini, Greece

Souda, Crete (for Chania)

Venice, Italy

Thanks in advance! P.S. My fiance and I are actually getting married in Valletta, Malta, so we will not be doing an excursion there, but will still need to figure out transport in.

 

Welcome to these Boards and congratulation on your coming wedding. YES, you're at the right place to learn more. From my personal experiences, I can offer suggestions and ideas for five of these ports/places. Lots of great ideas and people are here on these boards and they are happy to help. Don't be shy!! The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. Keep researching and planning. It is very helpful. In many of these great ports, you have many, many options.

 

Much depends on your travel style, budget, personal interests, etc. Tell us more!! How much are you interested in history? Countrysides vs. cities? Museums, food, wine, art, music, shopping, architecture, culture, etc.? How much of it in a leisurely style versus fast-paced? Then, with more detailed and specific information from you, we can make better, more specific suggestions on what best fits your needs and interests.

 

Here are a couple of other suggestions to help you and other future travelers. FIRST, scroll back through all of the earlier postings. You will see many different items on ports you would visit and/or at the board for each separate cruise line in planning for your upcoming cruise. SECOND, do a search on these boards by each city and you will see lots of postings on various subjects connected with each port stop.

 

Above you have received some excellent, details, ideas, specifics, etc., from Suzan, Peg and Hank. Below are a few of my highlight visuals to help during your planning process.

 

As you can see on my live/blog connected below, we did lots of great things in both the Amalfi Coast area and Venice that details from our Med cruise last summer.

 

Since Venice is one of your key stops, you might look at this earlier posting that I did on the Italy board that shows many options and visual potentials for this city that is so great for "walking around", personally sampling the great history and architecture. This posting has now had over 15,000 views and I appreciate those who have dropped by and tuned in. Don’t be shy in sharing any questions or comments.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

 

You can check out my earlier post on “Athens Tips, Suggestions, Examples to Enjoy!” for many details, ideas and interesting visuals on this great city. Lots of ideas here from me and others experienced with Athens. This posting has had over 5,615 views. Appreciate those who have dropped by, made comments, etc.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 105,322 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Don’t miss the sail-in and/or sail-out for Venice. This was our view from the top of the ship as we approached the historic center of Venice. On a beautiful day, as we enjoyed, this is so spectacular!!!:

 

 

 

Overlooking Positano along the Amalfi Coast, this is the view as we dined, family-style for lunch, at La Tagliata during our private tour for our small group through RomeInLimo. The views here were super and the sun came out in strong force as we enjoyed our three-course lunch with local wine and drinks. Their website is http://www.latagliata.com.:

 

 

 

Here’s a sampling of the narrow, flowered street in Mykonos in the Greek Isles with its many shops. The streets were made so narrow in order to fend off pirate attackers. It is an island with lots of history and legend dating back thousands of years, including connections to ancient Greek mythology. Ionians settled on Mykonos in the early part of the 11th century BC. As Delos developed as a sacred center, Mykonos was under the influences of the different people, including Phoenicians, Macedonians and Athenians. With the rise of Alexander the Great, the fate of Mykonos became a commercial center for agriculture and maritime trade. Mykonos flourished with enormous wealth during Roman occupation during the reign of Augustus Caesar. During the Middle Ages, Mykonos fell under the Venetians and later were victimized by the Saracens and latter the Turks. Starting in the 1950’s, its unique architecture, seclusion and hospitality have made it a haven for the rich and famous.:

 

 

 

This harbor view in Mykonos shows one of the charming windmills. From as early as the 16th century, these are one of the most recognized landmarks of Mykonos. The island is 33 square miles in size and has a population of 9,300, mostly in its main village.:

 

 

 

Looking downhill towards the library and other ruins from when Ephesus, along the Turkish Coast, was Rome's capital of Asia Minor. The history here is real and totally amazing! This Library of Celsus was built in honor of a Roman Senator and completed in 135 AD by his son, a Roman Consul and powerful official. The library was built to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as a tomb for his father. The interior of the library and all its books were destroyed by fire in an earthquake in 262 AD. Only the facade survived, but was later destroyed by another earthquake. In a restoration during the 1960's and 1970's, the front was restored and serves as a key example of Roman public architecture.:

 

 

 

At Ephesus along the Turkish Coast, here is the famed outdoor theater that hosted Saint Paul preaching, plus rock stars, etc. At this site in the 1st century AD, the Apostle Paul spent over three years in Ephesus preaching the Gospel. This included a sermon condemning pagan worship in this theater:

 

[John Bull]

I hope this question is on the right board!

 

I'm starting to put together a spreadsheet of our itinerary for our first-ever cruise, and the first thing I want to determine is which ports we should just wander around in, and which we should plan tours for (and ship vs. private, but that's another matter). So I'm wondering the following for each port: How easy will it be to get to the center of town from the port (can we walk there)? Is there so much to see that doing it ourselves would be tough? How is the public transportation? Etc.

 

Itinerary:

Naples, Italy No fun walking to the centre, & IMHO no fun when you get there. And too many other options :) Sorrento or Capri by ferry, or Herculaneum or Pompeii or Sorrento by train - or make it a round-trip using the ferry out & the train back. Or the stunning Amalfi coast, but not really possible by public transport in your time-scale - best bet is sharing a private tour with others on your RollCall.

Valletta, Malta Mebbe a horse-drawn carriage, available at the port) would suit your circumstances?

Piraeus, Greece (for Athens) To Athens very cheaply by metro (but a fair walk to the metro station), or by taxi, or by ho-ho bus (not too useful in Athens itself, but includes frequent shuttle from the port, and at under €20 its cheaper & more flexible than ship's over-priced transfer bus). Easy enough to walk in the city.

Mykonos, Greece If your ship berths, a ship's transfer bus (probably a fee) 2 miles to town. If your ship moors off-shore, tenders (free) take you direct to the town. Super little town, no need for a tour.

Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus) Kusadasi isn't too special, the major draw is Ephesus - local buses not really suitable, take a tour (this is another one for your RollCall) or taxi.

Rhodes, Greece

Santorini, Greece A tender port. You need to get from pier up to the town of Fira at the top of the cliff - by cablecar (can be long lines) or donkey (actually they're mules) or walking (rather you than me :eek:). Or a boat from the pier to the next village of Oia. Hire a quadbike in Fira? - take your drivers license ashore if that might appeal.

Souda, Crete (for Chania)

Venice, Italy Either a walk to the people-mover, then vaporetto (public water bus). Or ship's transfer shuttle boats - at around $19 (use as often as you like) they're over-priced but not too bad if you're in port for the afternoon/evening and next morning.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

P.S. My fiance and I are actually getting married in Valletta, Malta, so we will not be doing an excursion there, but will still need to figure out transport in.

 

Super itinerary, a varied mix of ports.

 

JB :)

[TLCOhio]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions! We like visiting historical ruins, but not so much museums. We also like to try local food, and my absolute favorite thing to do on vacation is just to wander around taking photos! So I just want to see some beautiful scenery and buildings!! We'll save our relaxing for the evenings on the ship. I found my cruise's roll call, and we are trying to join a private tour for Pompeii, Positano, and Sorrento, so that should be very fun. Another question: for all the public transportation that is supposed to be cheapest way to get around, should we worry about language barriers with that? I'm paranoid of missing the ship's departure, so I am worried about taking the bus to the wrong place and getting lost, or missing the last ferry or something like that. Does that stuff ever happen due to not knowing the language? Or are they pretty used to English-speaking tourists by now? Thanks again!

 

Appreciate your posting of the added info and background. Wonderful that you, like me, love walking around and taking lots and lots of great pictures. These areas have many wonderful potentials to do both so well. Most of these places are so super that it can make you be a great photographer!! People will be impressed with what you share from your trip. Lots of picture ideas on the links that I provided.

 

On your idea and plan to use lots of public transportation, here's a caution, however. Sorry to be so blunt. In some places and cities, that might work well. BUT, in some of these places in the Med the public transit options are limited, slow and/or not available. Your time is very, very limited and valuable in some of these great ports. We all like to save money, but in order to maximize what all you can see and do, in some cases a private tour and/or cruise ship option can make things simpler, quicker, more worry free and be so much more time efficient. As an example and detailed on my live/blog, we had one of the best times for doing the Amalfi Coast and Roman ruins with a tour made custom to our personal needs through RomeInLimo in the sprawling Naples area. Think about those many great options and make your logistics work best for you. Getting back to the ship on time is important, but making the most for your time is also very vital.

 

Keep the good questions and comments rolling along.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 105,374 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[RoonilWazlib]

On your idea and plan to use lots of public transportation, here's a caution, however. Sorry to be so blunt. In some places and cities, that might work well. BUT, in some of these places in the Med the public transit options are limited, slow and/or not available. Your time is very, very limited and valuable in some of these great ports. We all like to save money, but in order to maximize what all you can see and do, in some cases a private tour and/or cruise ship option can make things simpler, quicker, more worry free and be so much more time efficient.

 

YES! This is exactly why I asked this question. I have NO CLUE which ports have good transit or are compact enough to see by foot, and which would be better to do a tour. I don't want to miss anything fun because I didn't do a tour, but at the same time, I don't want to be ripped off by the cruise selling me an excursion that I could have done by myself.

 

Thanks to everyone!!! I am getting SO EXCITED for this trip!!!

[texancruzer]

 

Itinerary:

Naples, Italy

Valletta, Malta

Piraeus, Greece (for Athens)

Mykonos, Greece

Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus)

Rhodes, Greece

Santorini, Greece

Souda, Crete (for Chania)

Venice, Italy

 

Naples - APTours. Have used them twice - awesome tours ! Pompeii in the morning, then Ravello, Amalfi, Positano and then to Sorrento where we took the ferry back to Naples. 3rd visit we stayed in Naples and visited the museum, had some pizza and a short driving tour.

 

Piraeus - took the metro in first trip. Easy, cheap and safe (watch your bags). Very walkable once in city. Second trip - we also took the ship tour (basically just a ride into town) since we were there shortly after the demonstrations and strikes were common. Turned out the metro was running that day - wish we had of taken it instead.

 

Mykonos - we did use the ship shuttle ($8.00 pp) Why walk more than you have to when you are walking miles and miles every day is my motto ! We just walked, shopped and ate our way thru town :D

 

Kusadasi - both times we have used Ekol tours. Reasonable prices and great tour company. Ephesus is amazing and we enjoyed other sites as well, Sirince and rug factory our first trip and no rug factory the second time which left some time for us to shop in bazaar near port.

 

Santorini - took the donkeys up - taxi to Oia and then back to Fira for dinner and sunset. Nice day. Akrotiri is now open so if we get back we will def visit that! It was closed when we were there.

 

Crete: we did a private tour here with Lefty ! One of our favorite tours of all time. We loved Crete ! Beautiful island, great food and super people.

 

Didn't comment on other ports (Valetta, Rhodes and Venice) - we have not been to those yet.

 

Congrats on your wedding and wonderful honeymoon !!!

[UKBayern]

Nobody mentions Rhodos. Most cruiseships dock right next to the historical centre. Lovely quaint old centre, where you can keep yourselves entertained for a few hours. Visit the grandmasters castle. On the tip of the bay there is a good beach. No need to take any public transportation. You are going to Athens anyway, so I would not advise you to go all the way to the acropolis of Lindos, you will see a better specimen in Athens.

 

I do not agree with everybody's ideas on Naples, we always love it. OK, it is very rough around the edges, and not for the faint-hearted and I understand it is not everybody's cup of tea. If it is your first time however I would definiting head to Pompeii. It is very easy to go on the train. Or for something romantic: take the boat the Capri.

[wantocruisemore]

Itinerary:

Naples, Italy: The big draw is Pompeii and also Herculaneum. You can catch the train to both and just hire a guide at the entrance. Or, you can arrange in advance with one of the reputable companies such as Rom in Limo (who we used last year and LOVED!)

 

Valletta, Malta: Congratulations on your WEDDING! What a great way to start a marriage.

 

Piraeus, Greece (for Athens): The Acropolis is the big draw but if you enjoy ancient ruins there is also the very well preserved Agora with the incredible Temple of Hephaestus, the Temple of the Olympia Zeus at Hadrian's Arch, the wonderful Acropolis Museum and the National Achaeological Museum. You cannot see all in a day but if you want to see as much as possible, hire a private guide. We used Private Greece Tours last summer and Nikos is fantastic. He got us Anna for the sites. If you are only interested in the Acropolis and shopping, try using the metro.

 

Mykonos, Greece: It's been over 30 yrs. since I was there so my guess is other people can give better advice.

 

Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus): We used Kosagan Tours and had the great Yelda to give us a tour to Ephesus (including the Terrace Houses which are not to be missed), we wanted to skip Mary's house, saw the wonderful little museum in Kusadasi, had a great lunch, shopped and saw the Temple of Artemis. Recommend going with a private tour, many are recommended on the boards.

 

Rhodes, Greece: If my memory is correct, the docks are right at the old medieval city. Very quaint to wander or take a taxi to the acropolis and beach.

 

Santorini, Greece: Check these boards, it's been too long. I was there before the chairlift/skyway and actually rode a donkey up.

 

Souda, Crete (for Chania): You can catch the public bus for 3 euros round trip into town. Sort of touristy but the waterfront is beautiful, food great, and a nice day to just walk around. We also went to the beach but wish we had saved our time and skipped it, nothing special. My daughter fell in love with one of the dress shops there and got a couple of outfits, inique designer and extremely reasonably priced.

 

Venice, Italy: We are headed there this spring so check the boards for advice.

 

This is an awesome itinerary!!! Do you mind telling me the which line and where you are sailing out of?

[Bet & Peg]

Terry was absolutely correct - some ports transportaiton will be easy - others be careful! Reason why many of us took ship excursions in Athens (Piraeus)! With the ship excursions you're guarenteed that the ship will not sail without you! Although it'd be very rare that anyone would have a lateness problen with a private tour unless there's a strike and demonstration that closed off the port! On your own - you just have to be very mindful of the time!

 

Language - one of the advantages of a cruise is that most ports we've found to be very "English friendly". Doesn't mean that public transportation will be a snap but with careful planning it can be done!

 

As you begin to narrow your own itinerary you can begin to ask specific questions about which bus to take or where to get the train, etc. When we decided to take the train to Pompeii I left for the cruise armed with printed directions from Rick Steves books plus Hank'sCC suggestions! When we got to the RR station (via taxi) and began looking around a gentleman asked is we needed help and directed us to the exact place to get tickets and then pointed out the track for the train. Similar experience in Nice where we met an Arizona woman on her way to work in Monaco!! Or the Colorado woman (marrieds to a Greek) in an Oia shop!!! Small world!!

 

Just keep those questions coming - on CC someone is bound to have been there and done that!!!!

[ducklite]

Not all ships offer transportation to St. Mark's Square in Venice. It depends on your line. Easy enough to get there on your own though.

[RoonilWazlib]

Itinerary: This is an awesome itinerary!!! Do you mind telling me the which line and where you are sailing out of?

 

We are sailing on the Celebrity Silhouette out of Rome (which we will also need to figure out, since we will only be there a day and a half before we go to Civitavecchia to board the cruise!)

 

Great suggestions so far! Keep 'em coming! :)

[wantocruisemore]

We are sailing on the Celebrity Silhouette out of Rome (which we will also need to figure out, since we will only be there a day and a half before we go to Civitavecchia to board the cruise!)

 

Great suggestions so far! Keep 'em coming! :)

 

Thanks, something to keep in mind for the future!

Seems like I looked at that one but for some reason, I think it may be because we wanted Istanbul, we went with the one we're now booked on.

 

And just want to add something in response to the remark about using ship's tours so you will not get left. The ship's want you to think that. Yes, if you do not get back in time they will leave you. But, if you use a reputable company who is highly recommended on this site and tripadvisor, then you will be back on time. Their livelihood depends on it and all it would take is one negative experience to ruin their business. You can have a much better experience with a private operator, see more, cost less, not be on a cattle call always waiting for stragglers, and be in control of what you see. If you want to do a tour rather than DIY, definitely go with a reputable private!

[Cornishpastyman1]

We are sailing on the Celebrity Silhouette out of Rome (which we will also need to figure out, since we will only be there a day and a half before we go to Civitavecchia to board the cruise!)

 

Great suggestions so far! Keep 'em coming! :)

In case it's of any help or interest, from 3 Med cruises since 2009 I have made short videos from Rome, Pompeii/Herculaneum, Athens, Santorini, Ephesus and Venice, which can be found somewhere in this http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com....php?t=1633637

 

All the best, and good luck with the wedding planning too :)

[Bet & Peg]

wantocruisemore ~ I absolutely agree with you about the independent tours - we choose them 99% of the time and have never been disappointed! But last spring/summer's situation in Greece really cased us to think - DH wanted to just stay on board the ship , I talked him into the ship's excursion and we were both very happy with it! But that was an unusual situation!

 

And Istanbul we just loved last year!!! Spent 4 days there post-cruise and loved every minute of it!! Fabulous city!

 

RoonilWazlib ~ we were in Venice on a Celebrity cruise and they did offer a tender - maybe about $10pp for ticket - went right to St. Mark's. There's also a "people mover" that goes to the Piazzale (which is sort of between the cruise docking and the city) (I have no experience with it since it was finished after we cruised) But from where the people mover ends its just steps to the vaporetti (water bus) stop. Only "problem" is that the whole trip from the ship to St. Mark's could take up to 45-60 minutes depending on crowds getting on/off vaporetti. If you're in any port for just a day your minutes become precious and you have to weigh time vs money.

 

Rome ~ be warned - the port, Civitavecchia, is about an hour from Rome. We only stopped at Rome once during a cruise and had a fabulous private tour. But 2 of out tablemates took the train into town without incident going but returning the train had a problem and was delayed - the made our sailing with minutes to spare and were completely shaken! I'm sure its rare but, if you take public transportation, give yourself plenty of time!

 

Cornishpastryman1 ~ thanks for the links to the videos - I know I will re-live trips and enjoy them later! I think I "ran into" you often planning our 2010 Baltic Cruises!

[Janice621]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. As we have been to all the ports you mentioned, I hope this will give you some good ideas.

 

Naples - The first time we were there we hired Sorrento Limo who took us on the Amalfi Drive to Amalfi and Ravello and in the afternoon drove to Pompei where he arranged a private guide. This year we hired them again and spent more time in Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, etc. as we had already been to Pompei.

Piraeus - Seven years ago we hired a private guide who took us to the Parthenon and a general tour of Athens. This year as the situation in Greece is precarious I recommended to my relatives to use the ship's tour to the Parthenon and a general tour of Athens. My husband and I used the ship's transfer (even though much more expensive than a private taxi) and walked around downtown Athens.

Mykonos - We used the ship's transfer (you can walk but there are no sidewalks) and roamed through the streets, up to the windmills and had a great Greek lunch by the waterfront.

Kusadasi - We hired Ephesus Deluxe who gave us a great tour to Ephesus, the Terrace Houses, the Shrine of the Virgin Mary, the museum and lunch with a very short carpet demonstration.

Rhodes- The ship docked just a short distance away from the town. There are lovely shops and restaurants and a very old synagogue that has been recently restored.

Santorini- Both times have used the cable car. My husband walked down the last time but it was quite smelly. There are also lovely shops and restaurants and fabulous views.

Souda (Crete)- We hired Diktynna Travel who gave us a 6 hour tour of this part of the island including lunch. There is a bus that costs about 3 euros that goes into town where you can go to the marketplace and walk around town. As our family is Greek we wanted to get a little more from a guide so we went that route.

Venice- For a fee the ship provides an unlimited tender service back and forth to St. Mark's Square. You can also use the people mover to the train station and take a vaporetto.

I note you are getting married in Malta. We loved Valletta - beautiful views, lovely shops and just a great atmostphere.

Hope this helps you out.

 

Janice

[maryyl]

Rome:

Train from Rome to Civitavecchia takes about an hour. When you exit from CV train station, turn right and walk about 1km along the seafront road to the cruise port entrance where free shuttle bus will take you to ship.

 

Venice:

People mover costs €1 per ride and only takes you to Piazzale Roma.

Vaporetto rides are wonderful if you want to see all the Palazzos along both banks of the Grand Canal but cost €7 per person. :eek:

Not recommended to drag lots of luggage around as there are tons of bridges to cross over all the canals! (Think: up and down loads of steps every few metres). Personally, I love Venice, but it's not for people with mobility problems.

Also, allow time for getting lost in the maze of tiny streets.

 

Hope this is helpful.

[Hlitner]

We would add to Maryyl's previous post that they also sell timed Vaporetto tickets for 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 .....hours. These are often very good deals if you plan on using the vaporettos a few times. And keep in mind that besides getting you around Venice the vaporettos can take you to Murano, Burano, Lido, etc.....all on the same timed ticket.

 

Hank