Deciding between two itineraries

[shark b8]

Opatija is beautiful, but if you're into ancient history, Malta is inexplicably less known, but practically unmatched. 

 

https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/ggantija-temples/

 

 

[Vineyard View]

Yes! Malta is on my bucket list for sure!  Had me hooked since reading The Malta Exchange. Great mix of history in there. 
 

glad to hear Opatija is beautiful. Open to any suggestions   
 

thank you again!

[SDuckers]

On 9/1/2022 at 9:35 PM, Vineyard View said:

Yes! Malta is on my bucket list for sure!  Had me hooked since reading The Malta Exchange. Great mix of history in there. 
 

glad to hear Opatija is beautiful. Open to any suggestions   
 

thank you again!

Another great Malta book (fiction) is the Kappillan of Malta.  https://smile.amazon.com/Kappillan-Malta-Nicholas-Monsarrat/dp/0304358444/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1662489982&sr=1-19

 

[SLSD]

We loved Malta.  On our SB cruise, we stopped both at the main island and at Gogo.  Both were interesting.  There were passengers on our ship who said that Malta was "just a pile of rocks".  I could not disagree more.  

[Vineyard View]

I am so happy we are going into Valletta. That said, I am really concerned that there will be a mega 5k pax ship in at the same time. I am not quite sure how to plan that port best given this. Both we and they arrive at 0800. They leave at 1700. Good news is we have until 1100 before we sail. Our only late night. 

[shark b8]

4 hours ago, SLSD said:

There were passengers on our ship who said that Malta was "just a pile of rocks".  I could not disagree more.  

 

That's really weird, SLSD, we overheard people saying the same thing, virtually word for word.  We thought.....REALLY?  What color is the sky in your world?  Malta was one of those places I figured we'd like going in, but the pre-history stuff just blew us away.  Would love to go back.  

[shark b8]

The sail-in/sailaway from Valletta is also in my Top 10, old stone walls and fortifications all over the harbor, maybe a little reminiscent of Dubrovnik?  As it turned out, we arrived at the same time in the afternoon that they shoot cannons from the seaside ramparts.....I still think they were welcoming us.   😎

 

[shark b8]

 

 

[shark b8]

...and then the coast of Malta!

 

[shark b8]

[ok.....must stop rehashing.....]

[shark b8]

ok, one last one - when we departed (after dark the next day) I noticed that they had decorated one of the giant shipyard cranes like a giraffe.  oh, and the restaurant in a cave.....

 

 

[Vineyard View]

9 hours ago, SDuckers said:

Another great Malta book (fiction) is the Kappillan of Malta.  https://smile.amazon.com/Kappillan-Malta-Nicholas-Monsarrat/dp/0304358444/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1662489982&sr=1-19

 

Thank you. I will look into this! Appreciate your suggestion here!

[Vineyard View]

Love your pictures shark b8!  Thank you for sharing! Restaurants in caves remind me of great meals in Chesky Krumlov. The coast -‘was that a drive around on your own?
Can’t wait.. so, for those who have had this incredible experience in life, and if you knew your small beautiful Seabourn ship was docking alongside a 5k pax mega ship-, as a first timer, how would you schedule your long port day here? Again - we both arrive at 0800 but they depart at 1700 and we are there until 1100. Long day and we may need to pace a little bit! We have no problem settling in to people watch, drink some wine, and enjoy some local food at a couple points during that stretch. But we do want to see what we can. 

Edited September 7, 2022 by Vineyard View

[SLSD]

3 hours ago, shark b8 said:

 

That's really weird, SLSD, we overheard people saying the same thing, virtually word for word.  We thought.....REALLY?  What color is the sky in your world?  Malta was one of those places I figured we'd like going in, but the pre-history stuff just blew us away.  Would love to go back.  

We saw the pre-history site (and museum) as well as so much more.  Malta remains one of our favorite places--and a place we would have never gone except on a ship.  

 

Off topic, but still Seabourn--another favorite SB experience was on the Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia.  We took an excursion there which remains memorable.  It was billed as an "exotic picnic with a herbalist".  An eccentric Russian man (who spoke no English) treated the group to an unusual feast of grilled Coho salmon and other dishes gleaned from the forest.  Vodka was included as well as folk music performances by the same man.  Much of this took place in a yurt.  About half the group could not wait to get back to the ship while the rest of us were mesmerized.  It's our favorite SB excursion ever.  But like Malta, it evidently wasn't for everyone.  

[lincslady]

The last time we were in Valletta the big ships were docked in the bigger port area, and our Seabourn ship was nearer to town - and therefore nearer to the lift up to town.  The passengers from the big ships seemed to get buses into town, which makes getting there easier - but of course the city centre will be pretty full, I suppose.  An evening ashore would be worth thinking about.

 

The sail in is gorgeous, one of the best.  Worth getting up early for.

[Flamin_June]

Assuming most of the other ship's passengers will crowd the city and port I suggest you plan to spend some time visiting Mdina...

[SLSD]

3 hours ago, Flamin_June said:

Assuming most of the other ship's passengers will crowd the city and port I suggest you plan to spend some time visiting Mdina...

We loved Mdina.  We will definitely be going back to that magical place.  

[Vineyard View]

Thank you all. So I think Mdina is the first stop. Any suggestions on best way to travel there?  Taxi directly from the main square in Valletta? ‘
I also appreciate the sail in suggestions. Some ports are just worth getting up at the crack of dawn for. We missed one of those years ago, so will be sure not to miss this one!

Also good to know the larger ships use busses to take the pressure off the lift. Without them imwould imagine it would be incredibly packed. 

[shark b8]

On 9/6/2022 at 6:54 PM, Vineyard View said:

 your small beautiful Seabourn ship was docking alongside a 5k pax mega ship-, as a first timer, how would you schedule your long port day here?

 

I understand this is a real concern, all I can do is relate our related experience.  Over the years, I've gone online the night before we dock somewhere, and seen that we'll be berthed near one of those skyscrapers-on-its-side, and I've fretted about the implications the next day.  But so far, the worry has not been borne out - I have no idea if really good logistical plans have been implemented for crowd control, or whether we've just been *&^%$# lucky, but we've never had a bad experience with this.  We have occasionally looked over at the dock beside one of those behemoths, and tut-tutted about what looked like an endless line to board, but it has never had an impact on our own comings & goings.  ymmv, just saying what our experience has been.   Good luck!

[Vineyard View]

Thank you for more feedback. We’ve sailed on smaller (not SB smaller) ships in the past and been in ports with large ships. Sometimes it can feel crowded depending on location. Usually we will DIY or private tour and that helps when there are location must see places in distances apart. I think I was specifically more concerned with Malta because of the smaller size of Malta - but some of these comments have helped me with this and i really appreciate it.
I am thinking we need to grab a taxi to get to Mdina, then DIY to other locals, or maybe take a private tour for part of our time there in order to see the main sites - then diy the rest of the time. I do know I a, excited to see Malta. 

[Vineyard View]

On 9/6/2022 at 11:47 AM, SDuckers said:

Another great Malta book (fiction) is the Kappillan of Malta.  https://smile.amazon.com/Kappillan-Malta-Nicholas-Monsarrat/dp/0304358444/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1662489982&sr=1-19

 

I just ordered this book. Thank you!

[SDuckers]

On 9/8/2022 at 1:40 PM, Vineyard View said:

Thank you for more feedback. We’ve sailed on smaller (not SB smaller) ships in the past and been in ports with large ships. Sometimes it can feel crowded depending on location. Usually we will DIY or private tour and that helps when there are location must see places in distances apart. I think I was specifically more concerned with Malta because of the smaller size of Malta - but some of these comments have helped me with this and i really appreciate it.
I am thinking we need to grab a taxi to get to Mdina, then DIY to other locals, or maybe take a private tour for part of our time there in order to see the main sites - then diy the rest of the time. I do know I a, excited to see Malta. 

We hired a tour guide through Tours By Locals when we were in Malta and she was absolutely fabulous.  I'll see if I can find her name.  One advantage is she had her car and drove us to the opposite side of town from where all the big tour boat crowds were touring.  I particularly enjoyed touring the catacombs where people spent time during the bombings in WWII.  I had not idea about that before the book I referred you to and the tour.

[toseaornottosea]

2 hours ago, SDuckers said:

We hired a tour guide through Tours By Locals when we were in Malta and she was absolutely fabulous.  I'll see if I can find her name.  One advantage is she had her car and drove us to the opposite side of town from where all the big tour boat crowds were touring.  

We have used Tours by Locals many times and would love to learn the name of the guide you hired in Malta.  We will be there in the summer of 2023.

[marazul]

 

On 9/8/2022 at 2:40 PM, Vineyard View said:

or maybe take a private tour for part of our time there in order to see the main sites - then diy the rest of the time. I do know I a, excited to see Malta. 

I recommend this company:

http://www.guidedtoursmalta.com/

Edited September 11, 2022 by marazul

[Vineyard View]

Thank you very much. I just sent an email to this company.