Why We Have Chosen Azamara Club Cruises

[maximus217]

After having good feedback on our Celebrity Cruise a few years ago, we decided to take another cruise next year. We searched every possible cruise that does go to the Greek Isles, and nothing compares to the itinerary of Azamara Journey for August 23, 2015 (10 Night Greek Isles To Venice Voyage). The beauty of their itinerary is the longer hours the ship is docked in one port. We can take an excursion during the day and take a stroll in the town after.

 

We took advantage of their current promotion, so we were able to get $1000 onboard credit. What amazes us the most was that we were able to view and prepaid the excursions even though our cruise is more than a year from now.

 

ATHENS (PIRAEUS), GREECE

EPHESUS (KUSADASI), TURKEY: The Ephesian Way

MYKONOS, GREECE: Ancient Delos

SANTORINI, GREECE: Pyrgos Village & Mezes

CHANIA, CRETE, GREECE: Knossos Palace & Heraklion Town

KATAKOLON, GREECE: Ancient Olympia & Archeological Museum

CORFU, GREECE: Paleokstritsa, Lakones, Acharavi & Corfu Town

KOTOR, MONTENEGRO: Montenegro Highlights With Cuisine

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA: Taste Of Dalmatia & City Highlights

VENICE, ITALY: Doge'S Palace, St. Mark'S Cathedral & Glasswork

 

We are planning to stay 3 additional pre-cruise stay at Athens and 1 additional post-cruise at Venice after our overnight stay at the ship.

 

If you have any comments about our excursions or have any other suggestions, we would greatly appreciate them.

[sayaguru]

Great itineray. I've just booked my first Azamara cruise this morning.

 

If you want to save som money on tours Dubrovnik is nice on your own. Just book the walk around the wall. There are lovely little cafes to just sit and enjoy.

 

Kotor is lovely. Epheses is AMAZING! That was our first big ovrses trip. Coming from Australia which was discovered just over 200 years ago we were blown away when the guide said "4,000 years ago the Romans . . .. " LOL:D

 

For Venice if you go to Risk Steve's website you can get guided talks. I think you can download an App now (I copied them to my IPad previously). You just put your headphones on and get a free canal cruise tour (on the public system, you just pause if you get off at any stops), plus St Marks.

Get a 24/48 or 72 hour pass for transport. Then you can get on and off the canalboat whenever you like. Then you can wander aimlessly (which is great) without having to worry. Just jump on the canalboat back.

Plus you can use it to get the boat over to Murano to see the glass blowing and Burano to see the lace. Lovely little islands. Worth the trip.

 

Enjoy!!

[kikki21]

That's a lovely itinerary - Venice is worth a 2 night stay too IMO :) and yes getting lost in Venice is half the fun - there are some amazing shops everywhere you go!

[ellbon]

I agree you need Venice time

I also went tons ton and super fresh mussels as they fall into the plate right from the mussel farm.

 

Book private as much as possible.. Much cheaper and you see more

 

You do not have to book the walls a head of time

You get the ticket right there

I want to join you but on the quest that summer

[midwestchick]

After having good feedback on our Celebrity Cruise a few years ago, we decided to take another cruise next year. We searched every possible cruise that does go to the Greek Isles, and nothing compares to the itinerary of Azamara Journey for August 23, 2015 (10 Night Greek Isles To Venice Voyage). The beauty of their itinerary is the longer hours the ship is docked in one port. We can take an excursion during the day and take a stroll in the town after.

 

We took advantage of their current promotion, so we were able to get $1000 onboard credit. What amazes us the most was that we were able to view and prepaid the excursions even though our cruise is more than a year from now.

 

ATHENS (PIRAEUS), GREECE

EPHESUS (KUSADASI), TURKEY: The Ephesian Way

MYKONOS, GREECE: Ancient Delos

SANTORINI, GREECE: Pyrgos Village & Mezes

CHANIA, CRETE, GREECE: Knossos Palace & Heraklion Town

KATAKOLON, GREECE: Ancient Olympia & Archeological Museum

CORFU, GREECE: Paleokstritsa, Lakones, Acharavi & Corfu Town

KOTOR, MONTENEGRO: Montenegro Highlights With Cuisine

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA: Taste Of Dalmatia & City Highlights

VENICE, ITALY: Doge'S Palace, St. Mark'S Cathedral & Glasswork

 

We are planning to stay 3 additional pre-cruise stay at Athens and 1 additional post-cruise at Venice after our overnight stay at the ship.

 

If you have any comments about our excursions or have any other suggestions, we would greatly appreciate them.

 

I agree with another poster...if you can do private you do see more. Murano Glassworks was just okay...you watch some glass blowing and they try and sell, sell, sell at very expensive prices. If that's your thing, go for it. The glass pieces are beautiful.

Join your roll call and see if you can book private to do Ephesus...hopefully you'll find someone that has booked a tour and looking for people to join. We had about 12 people on our tour and it was wonderful. The ruins and the terrace houses are absolutely wonderful and such a history lesson (which normally I'm not a big buff of).

We did an overnight in Venice and did a full day on our own. If you want to do a gondola ride, walk down as far as the Rialto bridge...the gondoliers are much less expensive than they are by the dock close to St. Mark's Square. If you get to Doge's Palace early you should not have to wait in line...that was our experience. Hint, hint...if you walk around and find something in one of the shops that you really, really want, buy it. I saw a shop with some very reasonably priced Murano glass jewlery and figured I'd get it on the way back to the dock...we must have taken a different way back and never saw the shop again.

We did Mykonos on our own (DIY) and we loved it. We did think about Delos but several people on our roll call thought it was a waste of time....I made the decision based on many reviews and I'm not sorry we spent the day in Mykonos...loved all of it, including Little Italy.

Santorini is another port that we did a private tour with people from our roll call...wonderful. We also went to Oia...we saw so much that day and it was great...the tour was 55.00 per hour and it was split between 12 or 14 people. I think it was a 6 hour tour and then we had time to explore Santorini after and take the cable car down when we were ready.

Enjoy your cruise. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time no matter what excursion you choose. :)

[maryann ns]

Wonderful itinerary!

 

Athens is easy on your own (with Rick Steve's guidebook).

 

Ephesus we took a private tour. You really need a guide and the tours are not too expensive. I arranged one for 12 people and it cut the price down.

 

The Bay of Kotor is very beautiful. Be sure to be up top for the sail in. We just walked around the day we were there, but we were on a land tour and also drove around the Bay.

 

Dubrovnik you can walk the wall on your own and wander the streets in the old city.

 

I agree with the others that you need more time in Venice but you may not have that option. Again you can tour this on your own. Get a vaporetto pass and explore. Rick Steve's guide is excellent here too.