First Time Cruiser Needs Advice on Mediterranean Shore Excursions

[CiaoItalia]

We will be cruising for our first time ever next month on HAL Rotterdam. The itinerary is as follows:

 

Wed 10/5 - Dubrovnik, Croatia: 10 am-11 pm

Fri 10/7 - Santorini: 7 am-6 pm

Sat 10/8 - Kusadasi, Turkey: 7 am-6 pm

Sun 10/9 - Rhodes: 7 am-4:30 pm

Mon 10/10 - Piraeus: 7 am-6 pm

Tue 10/11 - Katakolon: 7 am-2 pm

Wed 10/12 - Valletta, Malta: 7 am-5 pm

 

We just got the booklet with all the shore excursions and some seem rather costly! We've already spent an arm and a leg on this cruise...can someone please give us some advice as to which tours are really worthwhile and which places we can just go and do something on our own?

 

Looking for advice on things like: Are cabs readily available? What are the usual costs to get from the ports into some of these towns? What kind of currency do they take and language do they speak? Is it too risky to not do an excursion sponsored by the ship, to protect ourselves from being left behind?

 

Sadly we have both been travelling on business and have not even had a second to consider these things...and we're less than a month away from departure! Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

[BuckGuy]

What do you want to do at these places? Are you more into history and culture? Going to the beach? Shopping? Or just be satisfied saying you've been there, and people watch while having a cappacino?

[CiaoItalia]

Since we have never been to any of those places, mostly we want to see the historical sites...especially the ruins in Athens, Katakolon, and Kusadasi. In Santorini, we'd probably be ok just strolling around and taking in the sights, perhaps even hitting a beach. As for the rest, I'm not even sure what's there!

[Susan-M]

Ciao - We are doing three of these ports on our upcoming cruise - Dubrovnik, Santorini and Athens. We will be doing them on our own, and you will probably be OK in Dubrovnik (walking) and Santorini (walking and local bus) without advance preparation.

You can get to Athens by Metro (subway) but need to walk (20-30 min.) or take a cab to the station. Or you can take a cab directly from the port to the historical centre of Athens. Language may be an issue in Athens and the taxi drivers are notorious for not turning meters on and thus overcharging. I would consider a ship's tour here.

 

In Greece, the currency is the Euro; in Dubrovnik it's the Kuna (which you can get at an ATM in town).

 

I think that if you do a combination of ship's tours and "on your own" touring you will keep the cost down and won't miss the highlights of some of these ports. We didn't have a lot of time for advance prep on our first cruise (Baltics) but with good guide books and a some reading each night before arriving at the port....we managed to fit in a lot of the "must sees". I have been reading for months to prepare for this trip, and feel quite comfortable doing the ports on our own.

 

Have fun on your cruise!

[CiaoItalia]

Susan, this is quite helpful, thanks!

[fmax]

Check your roll-calls for your trip, and even previoius Rotterdam cruises, and you may find some info on what other people are doing/have done. Some people also post their reviews in the roll-call section on their return.

 

 

Frances

[fmax]

Came across this in my notes. It might be worth checking out the threads as some of the reviews might touch on the ports you are visiting.

 

enice to Rome

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=221440&highlight=review

 

Brilliance of Seas - August 4th

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=221381&highlight=review

 

Millie - Venice to Barcelona - July 05

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=201109&highlight=review

 

 

Millie - Venice to Barcelona - June 05

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=218798&highlight=review

 

 

 

Millie Barcelona to Venice - July 2nd

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=207063&highlight=review

 

 

Private driver reviews

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=199944&highlight=review

 

 

Galaxy Review - August 05

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=219576&highlight=review

 

 

Millie - Venice to Barcelona

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=219576&highlight=review

 

 

 

Grand Princess - May 26

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=208030&highlight=review

 

 

Grand Princess - Med/Greek Cruise - June 7th

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=198064&highlight=review

[Bruin Steve]

I've been to three of those--Dubrovnik, Santorini and Piraeus (Athens)...and here's my advice:

 

Some folks will tell you you can do ANY port "on your own"...and you can...

But it depends a lot on how well you know or have researched the port, how intrepid an adventurer you are, whether you are comfortable with the languages involved, etc.

 

I, personally, don't like dealing with larger ports on my own unless I know the city well...You only have limited time and don't want to waste much of it figuring out the public transportation system and where you are or need to go...

 

Therefore, I recommend taking an excursion in Athens...It is a fairly difficult city to find your way around as a first time tourist...I know...I've been there twice--the first time, we got unbelievably lost--even a cab driver dropped us off 34 blocks from our desired location--something we found out only after he sped away...The second time, we took an Actropolis and Cape Sounion tour and thought it well worth it...We saw a lot...Meanwhile a couple of our table mates did it on their own--took Public Transportation to the Acropolis and back--and that's all they fit into their day...and were very frustrated with the crowds and difficulties of the subway system...

 

In Dubrovnik, we took a tour, since, to us, it was cheap enough--but found the tour ("Cavtat and Dubrovnik"), fairly unsatisfying...Our cruise had a free shuttle to the gate of the old city, and were we to go again (actually, we're going again next July!), we'd have done it on our own...The Old City is rather compact...You can pay a small fee per person to walk on the walls...and you can wander the streets on your own...Get some sort of guidebook or copy info off the internet to take along so you know what you're seeing--but this is one port where you can definitely save a few $$...

 

Santorini CAN be seen on one's own...Again, since it was fairly cheap, we took a half day tour (Akrotiri Museum and Winery) and the good thing is that it gave us a nice overview of the island and gave us our transportation up and down the cliff (Bus up, cable car ticket to use on our own schedule back)...In the afternoon, we wandered Fira and hopped a public bus to Oia and back--very easy to do on one's own...You can also just buy your own admission into the Akrotiri Museum...And, if adventurousm, I understand you can rent a jeep for the day for about $30 to $40 and explore the island on your own...Just make sure you hjave some good maps and know where you want to go...But, it's fairly easy to find your way around...

 

Your other ports, I haven't been to...YET...

 

Have fun...

[KlassyKathy]

Wed 10/5 - Dubrovnik, Croatia: 10 am-11 pm

Fri 10/7 - Santorini: 7 am-6 pm

Sat 10/8 - Kusadasi, Turkey: 7 am-6 pm

Sun 10/9 - Rhodes: 7 am-4:30 pm

Mon 10/10 - Piraeus: 7 am-6 pm

Tue 10/11 - Katakolon: 7 am-2 pm

Wed 10/12 - Valletta, Malta: 7 am-5 pm

 

Hi CiaoItalia --

 

So mad -- I had completed a comprehensive note and the system hung up.... Here goes again!! I've done most of these ports so here is my opinion:

 

Dubrovik - On your own:

Haven't been but we are scheduled to be there in late October... I've done a bit of research, here are my notes:

Currency: Kuna ~ 7 kunas to the dollars/euros.

At Gruz Harbor, some have free shuttles to the old city -- 15 minutes. Bus outside gates: 1a, 1b & 8. Fare = 10 kuna, Cab = 50 kuna

Historic Stuff: Begin at the entrance to the walled city - the Pile Gate. Among the highlights include the circa-14th century Franciscan Monastery (Placa 2). Check out the adjoining pharmacy - opened in 1391, 3d oldest. The Dominican Monastery(Sveti Dvorom 4) dates back to the same century. The Rector's Palace (Pred Dvorom 3) was the government seat in the 15th century; now you'll find a museum with Baroque paintings and historic artifacts. The Synagogue (Zudioska 5) is Europe's second-oldest Sephardic synagogue. Other highlights include the city's cathedral (Poljana M. Orzica) and the Fort of St. John Maritime Museum and Aquarium (Ul Od Margarite & the waterfront).

Walking the Wall: The stone walls that completely encircle the city - as much as 81 ft. high and 1.5 miles around - have stairs at two points. The easiest to navigate is just inside the Pile Gate (can get an audio-guide here), on the left. Views are breathtaking; admire the expanse of the mighty Adriatic, the over-the-terracotta rooftop town, and even peek into the backyards of some of the private homes and apartments that line the edges of the walled city. Note: Steep climbing and numerous stair steps is involved. It's a great workout.You really do not need a guide for Dubrovnik. Spend your day in the old walled city which is small, closed to traffic, and very easy to see on your own with a guide book. There is one main (marble) street(Placa) that runs from the Ploce Gate to the Pile Gate and much of what you'll want to see is there or very close. Things I'd suggest to see: Franciscan Monastery and cloister, Sponza Palace, Rectors Palace, St. Blaize's church, Cathedral of the Assumption. You really can just start at one gate and walk down the Placa stopping at these (or turning off a street or two to catch what you want to see) Also, a must is a walk around the top of the wall-wonderful views of the sea and of the old tile roofs of the town. (Entrance near the Pile Gate.) On the side streets off the Placa are lots of good sidewalk cafes for lunch. This is a little jewel of a city and you can see a lot of it in one day by yourself. Don't expect to shop here. And do get a book to read about what you are looking at-the history fascinating!

http://web.tzdubrovnik.hr/

 

Santori: On your own unless you love archeology

I took a tour here which took us to Akortiri (sp) and then dropped us off in the town. The tour was pretty good but the site was very small (nothing like Olympia or Ephasus). If the tour is a bit costly, this is where you might want to "save" and do on your own. The town is wonderful -- you can get there via cable funicular, donkey or walk. Take the cable car unless you are adventurous/crazy (donkey -- never ride down on the donkeys!!) or very active (walk -- but watch out for the donkey dropping)... Take the cable!! Great place to get lost, shop, have a romantic drink, take pictures, etc....

 

Kusadasi - Take the tour or pre-arrange for a guide:

Ephasus is wonderful -- the ruins are very intact!! You could do on your own (via taxi) but you really wouldn't get as much out of it... It is VERY interesting and a guide is well worth it. If you have a chance, shop in Kusadasi -- walking distance from the port -- great leather (better than Florence) and nice, inexpensive silk scrarves to give to all the ladies on you Christmas list!

 

Rhodes - Do on your own:

The port is a 5-10 minute easy walk. Very interesting town -- visit the Knights of Templar Castle... Good "local crafts" shopping, have a nice lunch, etc...

 

Piraeus (Athens) - Ships Tour or Pre-Arranged Guide:

Agree with Steve -- Athens is very spread out, the metro system is not city wide. We were there pre-cruise and had some problems finding a taxi for about 2 HOURS!! (Do you want to be stranded?)... I think a guide with a bus or car to take you everywhere is the most efficient use of your time!!

 

Katakolon (Olympia): Do on your own (taxi)

I was on a tour which was fine but this would have been easy to grab a taxi and tour around on your own.

 

These are, of course, my recommendations!! Hope this helps!!

 

Kathy

[kare8ear]

Kusadasi: Definitely a tour!!! There are some great recs on these boards. We spent more money doing it ourselves than we would have if we had booked a tour.

 

In Turkey, the currency is Lira; some places will let you get away with using Dollars or Euros, but others require Lira. It was not difficult getting Liras (some places will give it to you in change if you pay with other currency, but perhaps the rate will not as good).

[andydee]

Hi,

Dubrovnik can definitely be done on your own. We used a guide, Joan, in Malta and she was outstanding. A search on this board will turn up her contacts and other prople's views.

Have fun,

Andy

[turkishtourguide]

In Kusadasi Definitely take a tour or a local tour guide !!!

 

emre

turkishtourguide

http://www.exploreistanbul.com

[CiaoItalia]

All-

 

This is so helpful, thank you, thank you!

 

Andydee -- would you mind sending me Joan's contact info for Malta or posting to this thread? I would appreciate it!

 

Emre -- are you a tour guide? do you give tours of Kusadasi? If so, please let me know how I can find out your rates and availability.

 

Thanks again to everyone...I will go through all the info and links you sent and post any other followup questions I have.

[Queenk2]

Actually, I disagree about taking a taxi to Olympia. We were there this summer. The taxis are expensive...about 80 E.. We took the ship tour simply because it was an unexpected stop-we were due to go to Kusadasi, but there was a change. The excavation is not easy to understand unless you have a guide. The half day tour was relatively inexpensive and very worthwhile. The museum at Olympia has many of the removed artifacts from the site. It will be difficult to know what you are looking at. Leave time for lunch at the port...great Greek food!

Santorini do on your own..use public transportation..we rented a car and had toruble with parking....very crowded!

Karen

[andydee]

Hi,

You can get Joan Sheridan's info at http://www.touringmalta.com. She is a classy lady who loves her country and is extremely knoledgeable and professional. If you wish, she will tailor the tour to your wishes as she did for us.

Cheers,

Andy

[Guide46]

Hi,

 

Ephesus is the largest ancient site of the world, don't try to visit this site without a guide, and at least save 2 hours for this visit. If you go there with a taxi, drivers always say that an hour is enough to visit Ephesus, but it's not true. I recomend you to go to Ephesus either by cruise tours or you can arrange a private tour.

 

N.TEK

[petlover]

I posted this on a previous Kusadasi thread but I'll copy it here as well. Ephesus is a must see and our guide, Levent was outstanding and so reasonably priced. A private guide is so much better than the ship's excursion.

*************************

 

We used Levent and he was fantastic! Very very knowledgable, perfect English etc. There were 6 of us in his new AC van. We visited both the House of the Virgin Mary and Ephesus (they're very close together) and the cost for the day was only $30 USD per person. He also planned to take us to the museum for this price but we called it quits about 3:00 so we'd have time to shop. Also, he did not require any kind of deposit up front, he trusted us to show up at the dock and he was there waiting.

This is his website:

http://www.leventsolmaz.com/

 

Another thing that impressed me was that Levent always carries a bottle of water with him around Ephesus and as he's walking around he pours water for the stray cats that live there. My kind of guy!

[Seatravelers]

Splurge and take a private tour in Athens which is a must if you want to see all you can see in one day. Our guide was excellent and we had a perfect day!

[CiaoItalia]

Petlover, I did see your threads on Levent and tried to book him, but he is all booked up for the date we will be there.

 

Do you know anything about any of the other touring companies? Ephesus Tours, perhaps?

[Guide46]

Hi,

 

You can try Nejat Incedogan who is highly recomended by many cruise guests.

His e-mail is *****@yahoo.com

 

good luck

N.TEK

[petlover]

Sorry CiaoItalia, I'm not familiar with any of the other companies.

[Suite 16]

Just want to add another recommendation for Joan Sheridan in Malta - she is the best guide we ever had! She is so knowledgeable about every aspect of her country - architecture, history, and especially the art. She introduced us to the Carravagio, Beheading of St. John the Baptist, which she described as the Crown Jewel of Malta - we agree. We recommended her to others on the Cruise Critic site, and got glowing reports.

[Emmie]

Ciao:

 

My DH and I are also first time cruisers, and we will be on the Rotterdam on the cruise after yours. I was going to let you know that I had found you can do Dubrovnik on your own, but you have already gotten that advice, and far more eloquently than I ever could have put it!

 

I found the Roll Call board to be very helpful. I believe there is a thread going for your cruise already. If you like, jump in and let people know you are interested in joining them to share a taxi or a tour. It will cut down on costs and give you the opportunity to make friends with your shipmates.

 

I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise. When you return, I would love to hear what you think of the ship!

 

Take care,

Emmie

[ZUNI MASSAI]

Dear Emmie

Welcome to our part of the world.

I agree with the info. In Pireaus you can take a taxi from outside the main entrance of the Port and make sure that the meter is on. Be aware that the taxi drivers in Greece and in ports often try to replace the professional guide. They are not allowed by law to guide. They may say to you that they can show you around but for this they may charge you more than the actual fare. In the taxi there is a little card that shows you the extra charge if you take the taxi for the port. So what you pay should be the fare plus the extra charge. You may round up the bill by a few eurocents.

Ask him to take you to the Ilektriko / Metro of Pireaus. Take the only line that there is to Athens and pay a ticket around a euro. Get off at Monastiraki (Monastirion) and change to line red direction to Agions Antonios. Get off at Acropolis station which is the closest to the Acropolis of Athens. Getting to the surface, walk on the pedestrian zone (Makrygianni exit) and after 15 min walking you are at the fisrt steps of the Acropolis, get a ticket and enjoy. Steps are slippery (marble) so walk carefully. Guides are found outside the site, who may guide you around but believe me.... you already have had the best tour so far....(Taxi/metro etc). Go like any ancient visitor to the Acropolis and enjoy the site... you will forget everything your guides tells you. walk around, use the time wisely and when you return home get any book on the Parthenon (Temple in Acropolis and have a historical and cultural feast). The time of year you will be travelling is a bit strange, It may rain it may not. so go along with the weather and your physical condition. There is a museum on the acropolis and it is worth visiting. Remember that when travelling you wish to feel as if you were getting outside your home to explore and discover like a kid.... everything else is history.

Kusadasi, you need a guide. Go with the group. It is an hour ride and the guide among other things will explain the historical details of Ephesos. It is an hour of walking on open area, marble there as well and then return to the port area. Shopping area next to the port. Go for glass and carpets, cotton items and leather.

Santorini. By tender boat to the pier. sturdy shoes and a wind breaker. It is one of the windiest island of Greece. But the view from the top is excellent. You will feel as i you own a part of the sky.... Beautiful sunsets... It is called the "honeymoon island". Excellent wine produced on volcanic soil. If a tour at Akrotiri, go for it... Ancient city of the 16th century bc. 90 feet in height by i do not know how many in width have been excavated to reveal the city. Everything on the island is imported, from water to jewellery. On the island of Rhodes you pay 13% VAT because it is borders. Everyone else 19%.On the island of Rhodes , this time of the year go to Lindos or Rhodes town or Philerimos. All sites are interesting. the tours finish around 1.00 pm and the medieval city is withing walking distance. Beaches are close but the water is cold.

If you have any more questions pleased to answer them.

Have a wonderful time