Reflection Greek Isles Excursions

[JDPCruisers]

On Reflection Greek Isles and TA in October. Recognizing everyone's interests are different but for us Greek Isle cruise newbies any particular excursions there that stand out?

 

Any have done twice or would do twice?

 

Appreciate any thoughts. 

[swigso]

If your sailing is the 9 Oct sailing 

 

Rhodes and Mykonos are ports that you can do on your own.

The ship docks right outside Rhodes town and it is an easy walk into the walled city. 
Mykonos is lovely to walk around there is a bus from the tender stop to the town. We walked along the sea front had a walk around the town had some lunch on the sea front and took the bus back to the ship. There is a tour to Delphi that I may do next time but only if the ship does it due to timing.

There are a few excursions in Santorini but there is one that leaves the ship first and takes you by boat to another

part of the Island and you are bussed back to the ship. 
We took the hop on hop off bus tour in Malta and really enjoyed it.

When we stopped in Athens we hired a driver for the half day tour  which was really  enjoyable. We used PK Tours 

https://www.pktravelgreece.com/private-shore-tours

I notice they also do a tour in Katakolon.

hope this helps

👍😎

 

Edited December 11, 2022 by swigso

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I've not been to Rhodes, but I have been to Mykonos and Santorini on RCCL - I'd guess they might have some of the same excursions.

 

In both Mykonos and Santorini I was able to do both a ship tour AND some on my own exploring.

 

Santorini I did a ship tour that - yes, went from the tender boat to another boat - went out to the volcano in the middle of the caldera and hiked up and around it, then we went around to another area where we could swim in hot springs, then back to the base of Santorini. We were provided with funicular tickets (or whatever they call the tram up to the top and back down) so I used that and then explored on my own. The line for the funicular back down was ABSURD when I was ready to go as other ships in the area had earlier departure times than we did, so I walked down the path. It was fun - but it does get slippy in places so I wouldn't do it in the rain or if I were in a rush.

 

Mykonos I did a tour to a monastery that also included snacks and ouzo, then after getting back to the ship I dropped some things, grabbed some others, and headed back out. I opted for the water taxi to the village rather than the bus and spend a couple of hours walking about before heading back to the ship to rest because I was beat by that point.

 

Athens my friend and I opted for the "Athens On Your Own" option which just provided a bus into Athens from Piraeus and we had the day to ourselves. We got in line for Acropolis tickets and spend what we both declared was the best 10 euro each of the trip when a tour guide (they have licenses so you can see) offered access tickets - which he had and gave to whoever took him up on it immediately and said "meet me over there" - and a guided tour for the cost of access tickets plus 10 euro. We - like others - happily took the tickets and then loosely headed "over there" before going straight to the gates and taking ourselves up to the top.

 

Katakolon  we did "Olympia on Your Own" which, like in Athens, provided a bus to Olympia and then we were on our own for tickets to the ruins and exploring them. That one did stop at a souvenir place on the way back, but I found a really cool sculpture for my friends who were getting married, so I didn't mind and there was no pressure to buy anything.

[JDPCruisers]

Thanks for the helpful tips!