Time to say goodbye to Piraeus please!

[dopeyngrumpy]

Open note to Celebrity Cruises -

 

 

 

Please stop spending days and nights in the smelliest, least friendly of the Eastern Med ports - Piraeus.

 

 

 

If anyone's not been to Athens then read this sentence and stop - It's a lovely place, some really interesting sights but it's lost a lot of greek character away from the Acropolis, Temple of Zeus etc.

 

 

 

Still here - good. We had the misfortune to cancel Istanbul overnight - no complaints, I get it - safety first and if I were responsible for all of those souls I'd probably have done the same. However someone decided overnight in Piraeus would be a good idea.

 

 

 

There is nothing in Athens worth a second day and no evening atmosphere to speak of, especially when there are so many gorgeous islands - pick any! - which would offer many more options for guests. I can only presume it's cheap to go there otherwise why do Celebrity insist on doing this.

 

 

 

We arrived in the port, planning a day out to another island- Greece was in a transport strike - no guarantees on ferries so no trip for us.

 

 

 

We opened the balcony door and closed it - if I wanted a holiday (vacation) in a chemical plant or oil refinery I'd book one and it went downhill from there. The chemical smog did not disperse for the whole 2 days. Did I complain on board - no - the ship crew could do nothing about it after all. The second day was the same - except the ship was packed, I lost count of how many times I heard people saying there was nothing to go and do - of course it was a port day so no entertainment to speak of until late afternoon.

 

 

 

My wife has asthma- by the end of our time there she was as ill with it as I've ever seen it - 36 hours of refinery smog will do that to you but at least we got to sail away - some folks have to live in it!

 

 

 

If I can I will post a photo of our sailaway - the yellow smog clearly visible in the evening haze. This was not an isolated incident - every time we go to Piraeus it's the same depressing mess and smog.

 

 

 

 

So come one Celebrity - lets start a campaign - no more heavily polluted ports and definitely no more Piraeus

 

 

 

(I know but a man can dream).

 

 

 

David

Edited June 9, 2016 by dopeyngrumpy

[4774Papa]

I understand your frustration. Piraeus is only a place to leave for something else.

I strongly disagree with your statement that there is nothing to do after seeing the Acropolis , Temple of Zeus. I have been to Athens three times and always found lots to see in the city.

 

The New Acropolis Museum is wonderful and one could easily spend 3-4 hours there.

Also, the Archaeological Museum is fantastic. There is more to see in Athens, just check things to do in Athens on TripAdvisor.

 

If you run out of things to do in Athens, there is the Temple of Poseidon south of Piraeus as well as the Corinth Canal.

[Bruin Steve]

We'd been to Athens a couple of times prior, so, on our last visit, we hired a taxi tour to take us to the Peloponnese... To Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplion, Corinth, etc. A lot of fascinating sites...

Nothing says you have to stay IN Athens...

[pumpkin 11]

There is a lot to do. As someone said the new (and gorgeous museum) ... I could spend a few hours there alone. Corinth and just exploring the city as well are great options. And I hate to break it to you, but just about every cruise line stops there. So, if you don't want to stop there don't go on a cruise or just don't pick an itinerary that goes there. I'm not too happy that Istanbul has been canceled- but nothing we can do. There are plenty of terrible ports with oil refinery like conditions, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Ft. Lauderdale, st. Petersburg, most places in South America- and CHINA. Ending the law of gravity would be easier than stopping in Piraeus.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited June 9, 2016 by pumpkin 11

[chemmo]

For many cruisers the chance to visit Athens is part of a 'trip of a lifetime' they would not want it replacing with another island.

 

Overnighting in Athens gives the opportunity to see so many other places just that bit further away...as others have already mentioned.

 

Overnighting in Athens gives you the chance to dine in Plaka, Athens by night still has the same magic for me it had over thirty years ago!

 

Choose a different itinerary that doesn't go to Athens, there are plenty of Eastern Med to choose from.

 

Choose a smaller ship that can stop at alternative ports...There are specific Greek island hopping cruises.

 

I do sympathise re the Asthma.....not a nice condition. However if we choose to cruise in large cruise ships we will end up in some container ports. Quite simply they are the nearest appropriate place to moor to the key destinations.

 

I do get your main point...all of us would love to moor up in idyllic locations. One of the down sides of an Asian cruise we have booked is we do have a couple of not pretty overnight stops. But, like Piraeus, they are a means to an end...a quick way to get to and enjoy major sites.

[dopeyngrumpy]

There is a lot to do. As someone said the new (and gorgeous museum) ... I could spend a few hours there alone. Corinth and just exploring the city as well are great options. And I hate to break it to you, but just about every cruise line stops there. So, if you don't want to stop there don't go on a cruise or just don't pick an itinerary that goes there. I'm not too happy that Istanbul has been canceled- but nothing we can do. There are plenty of terrible ports with oil refinery like conditions, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Ft. Lauderdale, st. Petersburg, most places in South America- and CHINA. Ending the law of gravity would be easier than stopping in Piraeus.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks - I know there are things to do for a day - but it's nowhere to spend an overnight. As to the other ports you list - thanks for the warning, last visit to St P. they'd improved it dramatically.

 

David

[k9x8]

I'd love an overnight in Piraeus!

We did a day trip to Delphi, although we were told it couldn't be done. With an overnight, we could have stayed longer, and our driver could have driven to a few nearby historical places.

 

Delphi is an amazing site- the belly button of the earth!

 

ETA: our three stops in Athens have always been in Oct/Nov. the time of year might be why we experienced no smog. We did have poor atmospheric conditions in Rome last year in early November.

Edited June 9, 2016 by k9x8

[jollyjoyce]

Open note to Celebrity Cruises -

 

 

 

Please stop spending days and nights in the smelliest, least friendly of the Eastern Med ports - Piraeus.

 

 

 

If anyone's not been to Athens then read this sentence and stop - It's a lovely place, some really interesting sights but it's lost a lot of greek character away from the Acropolis, Temple of Zeus etc.

 

 

 

Still here - good. We had the misfortune to cancel Istanbul overnight - no complaints, I get it - safety first and if I were responsible for all of those souls I'd probably have done the same. However someone decided overnight in Piraeus would be a good idea.

 

 

 

There is nothing in Athens worth a second day and no evening atmosphere to speak of, especially when there are so many gorgeous islands - pick any! - which would offer many more options for guests. I can only presume it's cheap to go there otherwise why do Celebrity insist on doing this.

 

 

 

We arrived in the port, planning a day out to another island- Greece was in a transport strike - no guarantees on ferries so no trip for us.

 

 

 

We opened the balcony door and closed it - if I wanted a holiday (vacation) in a chemical plant or oil refinery I'd book one and it went downhill from there. The chemical smog did not disperse for the whole 2 days. Did I complain on board - no - the ship crew could do nothing about it after all. The second day was the same - except the ship was packed, I lost count of how many times I heard people saying there was nothing to go and do - of course it was a port day so no entertainment to speak of until late afternoon.

 

 

 

My wife has asthma- by the end of our time there she was as ill with it as I've ever seen it - 36 hours of refinery smog will do that to you but at least we got to sail away - some folks have to live in it!

 

 

 

If I can I will post a photo of our sailaway - the yellow smog clearly visible in the evening haze. This was not an isolated incident - every time we go to Piraeus it's the same depressing mess and smog.

 

 

 

[ATTACH]387642[/ATTACH]

 

So come one Celebrity - lets start a campaign - no more heavily polluted ports and definitely no more Piraeus

 

 

 

(I know but a man can dream).

 

 

 

David

 

I totally agree with you. We did HOHO bus last year...having been before...and never got off the bus!

Dirty, graffiti, beggars........ok The Acropolis is stunning but was covered in scaffolding...

 

 

We disembarked in Athens the following day.......stood outside waiting for our transport for 2 hours in the sunshine after Celebrity booted us out to get ready for next cruise...which I Totally understand but animals are treated better in UK.

Not somewhere I ever wish to visit again.

[villauk]

We're hoping to do another island this year, same arrangements as last year on Equinox, so I do hope we don't experience any ferry strikes otherwise we'll be in the same boat (not an overnight for us though) ;).

Edited June 9, 2016 by villauk

[Redtravel]

Athens has a lot of very interesting places. It is full of great ruins, museums, boutiques, and shops. The tourist bus X80 makes it very easy to get from the dock to the heart of Athens. On my last visit in October( not my first visit) I enjoyed the new Acropolis museum, wandering along the Plaka, and eating Greek food. I would have enjoyed a second day in Athens. If this is your first visit, climb the Acropolis. It is a must.

 

When you stop for a day on a cruise, you only get a small taste of the place. There are so many places that are good for multiple visits. Get a guide book or search for places to visit on the internet. There is something that must interest you. Get out there and enjoy Athens.

[24butterfly]

I understand your frustration. Piraeus is only a place to leave for something else.

I strongly disagree with your statement that there is nothing to do after seeing the Acropolis , Temple of Zeus. I have been to Athens three times and always found lots to see in the city.

 

The New Acropolis Museum is wonderful and one could easily spend 3-4 hours there.

Also, the Archaeological Museum is fantastic. There is more to see in Athens, just check things to do in Athens on TripAdvisor.

 

If you run out of things to do in Athens, there is the Temple of Poseidon south of Piraeus as well as the Corinth Canal.

 

And the Archaeoligical museum.

Or get lost in the Plaka area.

We did take a hydrofoil to one of the surrounding islands....yes, there was a transport strike, but the hydrofoils were running. Would have loved to go to Hydra, but on;y had a day in Piraeus.

[Hydrokitty]

I agree....Athens can be dirty, loud, crowded and pretty much like NYC at times.....but the Plaka is fantastic for eating and shopping and the Archaeological Museum was fantastic. The Acropolis Museum was under construction when we were there, in hopes of returning the Elgin marbles to their rightful home, so we didn't get to see it. I think if I were on a cruise over-nighting in Piraeus I would try to arrange to stay over-night in a hotel in Athens. There are some wonderful ones near the Acropolis.

[Mississippian]

I'm not a fan of Athens and would rather spend the night in almost any other port.

[Pushka]

We spent a few days in Athens last year and loved it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Hlitner]

My goodness, not sure Athens can bear all the slings and arrows. But the reality is that there is a lot to do and see in Athens and the surrounding region. And there is quite a lot of nice restaurants (and related night life) within a 40 min walk of the port (or a 15 minute local bus ride. For example, if you walk or take the local bus the opposite direction from the Pireaus train station you will eventually come to the Marina Zea area where you get into a section with lots of very good waterfront restaurants (great sea food) and terrific atmosphere. Or, perhaps we might choose to head into Athens and have a long romantic dinner at Daphne's (our favorite Athens restaurant) and later enjoy some of the local nightlife.

 

The problem is that many cruisers are wedded to cruise line excursions and have no desire to explore an area on their own.

 

As to 2 days, this opens up many possibilities. Since you do not have to worry about missing the ship the first day, you could rent a car and perhaps drive down to Sounion. Or take a long day tour all the way to Delphi. Or, just walk out of the port, around the harbor, and hop on a high speed jet boat to the island of Aegina. And this is just quick stuff out of my memory...without doing any real research.

 

Reading the OP's post has me remembering other posts about nothing to do in Rome, Florence, Paris, etc. Or....I have already been to Florence on a tour...why would I ever want to go back? ARGH!

 

Hank

[Spursgirl]

An overnight in Athens offers many great options. I would recommend visiting the nearby islands of Hydra or Aegina. Both are lovely

[villauk]

An overnight in Athens offers many great options. I would recommend visiting the nearby islands of Hydra or Aegina. Both are lovely

 

I think that's what the OP intended on doing but couldn't because of the ferry strike ;).

[hcat]

We enjoyed seeing many of the antiquities that are reachable from this port and could have spent another day with tours or at museums...we liked the modern part of Athens too even with the demonstrations that seem to pop up everywhere...

 

but we consider the older part Athens itself one of the ugliest and dirty places we've been to...so many wires overhead..trolley, electric etc...all the wonderful sites are surrounded by a mish mash of architecture and wires everywhere..it was disappointing...

 

Generally, it was very crowded, traffic jams..glad we had a nice a/c tour bus with a great guide,. A short visit here on a cruise requires good advance planning,....

Edited June 10, 2016 by hcat

[morechances]

Dinner in Plaka is one of the things that I loved most about both times that I overnighted in Athens. Although I was disappointed about not having a day in Istanbul, getting lost in the moment in Plaka made up for it. The views at night are incredible.

[Marisawrite]

I agree with others that there's plenty to see and do in Athens apart from the Acropolis even though I've been there three times already.

 

Being in port overnight opens up so many other possibilities - just take a look at some of the tours offered by companies like Viator to see what can be done when you don't have to get back to the ship early that night.

 

If I found myself stuck in Piraeus overnight and was worried about the pollution, then I'd be stuffing a change of clothes into a backpack and looking for somewhere else to spend the night.

[Despegue]

As a regular visitor to Athens, it is one of Europe's absolute Hellholes.

Dirty, overpriced and nothing that can not be experienced in any other Greek city or Island, including the Plaka tourist trap.

Overnighting there would be reason for me NOT to go on that cruise.

 

Good Mediterannean Overnights are Barcelona, Istanbul, Venice, where you dock within the City so,it is easy to,get,off the ship after your dinner onboard and explore nightlife, these are clean(er) cities with lots more to see and do.

 

Late evening departures are great for Santorini, Mykonos, Dubrovnik, Monaco, Cadiz, Malaga, where the nightlife is great and sailaway/sunset is astounding.

[mrsgoggins]

Well OP your post certainly made me smile :)

 

However, I have good reason to celebrate the Equinox overnighting in Piraeus tomorrow night, Saturday. We will flying out tomorrow to join the ship as we didn't feel the need for a 'safety net' of getting there the day before and staying in a hotel, as Celebrity's online journey planner required.

 

I visited last year also and enjoyed seeing the major sights. Clearly, many could spend days enthralled, but I am not one of them. DH was not with me and so he will go alone into Athens on Sunday morning. In all honesty, he will be far more interested in the Metro system than the Acropolis. It takes all sorts :D

[4774Papa]

As a regular visitor to Athens, it is one of Europe's absolute Hellholes.

Dirty, overpriced and nothing that can not be experienced in any other Greek city or Island, including the Plaka tourist trap.

Overnighting there would be reason for me NOT to go on that cruise.

 

Good Mediterannean Overnights are Barcelona, Istanbul, Venice, where you dock within the City so,it is easy to,get,off the ship after your dinner onboard and explore nightlife, these are clean(er) cities with lots more to see and do.

 

Late evening departures are great for Santorini, Mykonos, Dubrovnik, Monaco, Cadiz, Malaga, where the nightlife is great and sailaway/sunset is astounding.

 

Athens has suffered greatly in recent years due to Greece's economic problems. I first visited Greece in 1985 and loved Athens. The city was not on the same level as Munich or even Rome, but it was far more clean and prosperous looking than it is today.

 

Still, Athens has some incomparable sites to visit, I would not call it a hell hole. On the other hand, since I have visited all the interesting sites, I have no plans to visit Athens in the future.

[Jerzy Traveler]

I think one of the shortcomings of a cruise is that there are very few overnights or late sailings. Maybe Athens is not the best stop to overnight, but it gives you a real chance to immerse yourself in the culture. If you think going to the Acropolis and Parthenon is seeing Greece you are missing out. We took a trip out to Cape Sounion. Had a meal overlooking the Temple of Poseidon.

This post reminds me of something I overheard when we were in Venice...."it's so old". Ah yeah. That's why you are here.

[Hydrokitty]

I think one of the shortcomings of a cruise is that there are very few overnights or late sailings. Maybe Athens is not the best stop to overnight, but it gives you a real chance to immerse yourself in the culture. If you think going to the Acropolis and Parthenon is seeing Greece you are missing out. We took a trip out to Cape Sounion. Had a meal overlooking the Temple of Poseidon.

This post reminds me of something I overheard when we were in Venice...."it's so old". Ah yeah. That's why you are here.

 

I wonder if we ate in the same restaurant? The views and sunset were spectacular and the food was amazing....but then being a plant eater, I loved the food in Greece.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Hydrokitty