Carnival Pride 10-day cruise to (Pompeii), (Mt. Etna), Mykonos, Santorini, Athens, Olympia, Turkey, plus train around Italy

[IntrepidFromDC]

I think I read on St. Greg's thread 2 cruises ago that the laundry bags shrunk. I agree.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Today: Olympia ruins and museum.  We are already 15 minutes late for calling the first number. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

We docked at the small Katakalon port and drove through the main street before hitting the countryside for a 30-minute drive to Olympia. It's a small town,  population 500. The tourguide said they get a lot of tourists in the summer,  mostly from the cruise ships and from Greeks who want a cheaper beach holiday than the Greek Isles.

[IntrepidFromDC]

The countryside has a lot of burned out areas from the fires Greece endured last year. The region grows a kind of olives that are used to press for extra virgin olive oil,  starts with a k but not Kalamata which are from a region nearby.  They also grow cotton, tourguide said this is the only place in all of Europe where cotton is grown.

[IntrepidFromDC]

The tourguide talked more about the cultural and religious importance of the Olympic games than about sport.  Much of the signage around the ruins also stresses the importance of the ancient Olympics as being dedicated to Zeus and most of the ruins are thermal spans, feasting buildings,  public baths and Olympic council buildings. I didn't see a placard about sporting events at all and I read every one I saw. I found this a  surprising but interesting perspective. The games were held every 4 years from 776bc to about 400.

[IntrepidFromDC]

[IntrepidFromDC]

[IntrepidFromDC]

[IntrepidFromDC]

Archaeologists found ancient homes that pre-date ancient Olympia. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

The artifacts in the museum were in much better shape than the ruins.

[IntrepidFromDC]

[IntrepidFromDC]

This is the ticket booth,  it's $12 and  the ticket gets you entry to the ruins and museums. 

[NCTribeFan]

I'm thinking of doing this tour.  I just hate the idea of going all this way and not seeing the ancient sites.  But I'm also not a fan of the big-bus tours.

 

Is the entry to the ruins and museum not included in the excursion cost?

 

Did you have any time to spend in the town?

[kwokpot]

3 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

. I didn't see a placard about sporting events at all and I read every one I saw. I found this a  surprising but interesting perspective. The games were held every 4 years from 776bc to about 400.

I think you're viewing it from the perspective of the MODERN Olympics. The ancient Olympics were a totally different event and TBH had nothing to do with sports as we know it. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

7 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

I think you're viewing it from the perspective of the MODERN Olympics. The ancient Olympics were a totally different event and TBH had nothing to do with sports as we know it. 

Yes, that's exactly what I learned today.  I was just surprised and thought others may be too.

[IntrepidFromDC]

1 hour ago, NCTribeFan said:

I'm thinking of doing this tour.  I just hate the idea of going all this way and not seeing the ancient sites.  But I'm also not a fan of the big-bus tours.

 

Is the entry to the ruins and museum not included in the excursion cost?

 

Did you have any time to spend in the town?

The $12 cost was included in my $59 Carnival excursion on a big bus. But I ran into two women from my dinner table who said they paid $50 for a rt taxi who waited for them for 2 hours and that non-Carnival excursion didn't include the $12 ticket. 

 

I would have had time in town if I rushed through the ruins and/or town, but I wanted to absorb as much history as possible.  That said,  the bus was parked alot closer to the town than the ruins and museum. 

[kwokpot]

4 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Yes, that's exactly what I learned today.  I was just surprised and thought others may be too.

 

3 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

The artifacts in the museum were in much better shape than the ruins.

I did the tour several years ago and honestly I enjoyed the museum more than the actual sites themselves. While it is mind boggling to be standing in the place where the Olympics were born there's not much at the ruins sites as you stated. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

Doesn't know the words to Margaritaville or Amarillo By Morning

[IntrepidFromDC]

1 minute ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Doesn't know the words to Margaritaville or Amarillo By Morning

...and introduced Eric Clapton's song as "Wonderful Night"

[IntrepidFromDC]

Ciao, Greece!

[kwokpot]

I'm enjoying your trip reports and thank you for spending the time posting. It's fun to see a different itinerary from the three Pride cruises I was on earlier this summer.  

 

Would you care to share your thoughts on the CD, who I assume is still Felipe? On our three cruises he wasn't the most effective CD and I've experienced better on Carnival. 

[kwokpot]

2 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I'm thinking of doing this tour.  I just hate the idea of going all this way and not seeing the ancient sites.  But I'm also not a fan of the big-bus tours.

 

Is the entry to the ruins and museum not included in the excursion cost?

 

Did you have any time to spend in the town?

This is the private tour company I used 10 years ago.

https://www.katakolon-express.com/katakolon/

[IntrepidFromDC]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

....

...Would you care to share your thoughts on the CD, who I assume is still Felipe? On our three cruises he wasn't the most effective CD and I've experienced better on Carnival. 

He seems average to me, as long as they're not annoying they're ok. He did host Love and Marriage and asked everyone there to open their doors at 7am ,go in the hallway and make a loud sound which fits Carnival's wacky fun, I think but I imagine it just confused and/or angered the people who weren't in on his little prank.

[backbiter]

17 hours ago, kwokpot said:

I'm enjoying your trip reports and thank you for spending the time posting. It's fun to see a different itinerary from the three Pride cruises I was on earlier this summer.  

 

Would you care to share your thoughts on the CD, who I assume is still Felipe? On our three cruises he wasn't the most effective CD and I've experienced better on Carnival. 

I agree with you on Felipe. He's OK but not in the same league as the best Carnival CDs. Keeps a pretty low profile.

Having a great cruise so far. Currently on the train from Messina to Taormina (under 5 euros each way, but we'll need a bus or taxi from the station on arrival). All the ports have been great - it really is a fantastic itinerary. The weather has been superb, although it got pretty windy and wavy overnight).

Quite a few shortages on board: softserve ice-cream, most beers (no draft beer at all, many canned varieties all sold out), no more diet Pepsi, no wine packages available as they don't have supplies of many of the bottles on their lists). The bar man in the Red Frog pub said there was a problem with a much-needed delivery that was meant to be taken on in Rome, and assured me all would be sorted for the next cruise! Not much comfort to those of us flying home in two days!

[IntrepidFromDC]

Today I took the 9 hour excursion to Taormina and up Mt. Etna as far as we're presently allowed to go, with lunch in another town I didn't understand the tour guide's pronunciation of. It was the best Carnival excursion I've ever been on. The bus driver,  Massimo displayed Andretti-like Italian driving skills navigating hairpin turns with efficient expertise and passing BMW's on the open highway left and right.  But our tourguide Nadia stole the show, she transferred sooo much knowledge in such lively detail and never ran low on energy with outgoing Sicilian pride. Perfetto, Nadia and Massimo! This trip was my first time to Greece and I estimate 12th or so to Italy.  Over the years some people would say "oh if you like Italy you'll LOVE Greece."  Docking in Messina after four Greek and one Turkish port felt like a thrilling homecoming to me. So I would say "If you like Greece you'll LOVE Italy!"