Question(s) about VOC Italy, the Adriatic & Greece

[SailorPaulH]

Would appreciate feedback on this cruise, specifically Rome -> Athens direction.

1. If taking a pre-extension, e.g., Ultimate Italy - Tuscany, this would seem to eliminate Rome as a port of actual visit (due to the distance of Civitavecchia from Rome). If so, and the goal is to spend some time Rome, then either a Rome pre-extension with VOC or probably better yet a self-directed stay in Rome is the way to go?? Is getting from central Rome to the cruise port on embarkation day easy enough if DIY?

2. Any feedback on the value of the post-extensions? "Athens" and "Classic Greece"?

Thanks!

[OneSixtyToOne]

1 hour ago, SailorPaulH said:

2. Any feedback on the value of the post-extensions? "Athens" and "Classic Greece"?

Thanks!

I am currently on the classic Greece pre-cruise extension and am enjoying it immensely. You can read my live posting of the trip here. The difference on the post-cruise extension is you do the Acropolis excursion after you leave the ship and before you check into the hotel. We will be checking out of the hotel, doing the excursion, then going to the ship.

Edited January 16, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne

[longterm]

1 hour ago, SailorPaulH said:

Would appreciate feedback on this cruise, specifically Rome -> Athens direction.

1. If taking a pre-extension, e.g., Ultimate Italy - Tuscany, this would seem to eliminate Rome as a port of actual visit (due to the distance of Civitavecchia from Rome). If so, and the goal is to spend some time Rome, then either a Rome pre-extension with VOC or probably better yet a self-directed stay in Rome is the way to go?? Is getting from central Rome to the cruise port on embarkation day easy enough if DIY?

2. Any feedback on the value of the post-extensions? "Athens" and "Classic Greece"?

Thanks!

We went on the Rome, Adriatic and Greece cruise this past March, and loved it.

 

We arrived in Rome 5 days early and booked a guide for walking tours on 2 days, then a guide for a food tour the first night, as well as a 3rd guide for the Vatican Museum on the last day. The hotel arranged a driver to get us to the ship at the port in Civitavecchia, and it was excellent having a private driver to get us there. We *could have* booked the train for much cheaper but would have had to shlep our bags from the train into the port, which is quite substantial.

 

We also did the post extension in Athens and and really enjoyed it, felt like the tours were good and it was worth the money.

 

If I were to do it again I don't think I'd change a thing; I found a great hotel called Argentina Residenza in the Argentina district, which put us about a 5 minute walk from the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon; I highly recommend it--there are lots of excellent restaurants just 1 or 2 minutes away, and literally across the street from us was the square where Julius Caesar was assassinated. 

 

We used www.thetourguy.com to book the Vatican tour guide and the nighttime food tour (both were very good); we used www.toursbylocals.com for the 2 walking tour days. Our guide Marisa has a degree in archaeology, had worked in the Roman Forum, and was excellent. She walked us all over--probably 6-7 miles each day.

 

 

[Selion]

22 hours ago, SailorPaulH said:

2. Any feedback on the value of the post-extensions? "Athens" and "Classic Greece"?

@OneSixtyToOne just did a write up of their Athen pre-extension.  It's the same itinerary as the post- one.

 

 

IMO, Viking's 4-day extension is a good option if you wanted to see parts of Greece outside of Athens.  We did Athens entirely on our own in 2 days, but didn't venture outside  of the immediate downtown areas of Athens.

[SailorPaulH]

21 hours ago, longterm said:

We went on the Rome, Adriatic and Greece cruise this past March, and loved it.

 

We arrived in Rome 5 days early and booked a guide for walking tours on 2 days, then a guide for a food tour the first night, as well as a 3rd guide for the Vatican Museum on the last day. The hotel arranged a driver to get us to the ship at the port in Civitavecchia, and it was excellent having a private driver to get us there. We *could have* booked the train for much cheaper but would have had to shlep our bags from the train into the port, which is quite substantial.

 

We also did the post extension in Athens and and really enjoyed it, felt like the tours were good and it was worth the money.

 

If I were to do it again I don't think I'd change a thing; I found a great hotel called Argentina Residenza in the Argentina district, which put us about a 5 minute walk from the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon; I highly recommend it--there are lots of excellent restaurants just 1 or 2 minutes away, and literally across the street from us was the square where Julius Caesar was assassinated. 

 

We used www.thetourguy.com to book the Vatican tour guide and the nighttime food tour (both were very good); we used www.toursbylocals.com for the 2 walking tour days. Our guide Marisa has a degree in archaeology, had worked in the Roman Forum, and was excellent. She walked us all over--probably 6-7 miles each day.

 

 

Thank you so much, and I finally re-found your great trip report also!

 

[SailorPaulH]

On 1/16/2023 at 3:13 PM, longterm said:

We went on the Rome, Adriatic and Greece cruise this past March, and loved it.

 

We arrived in Rome 5 days early and booked a guide for walking tours on 2 days, then a guide for a food tour the first night, as well as a 3rd guide for the Vatican Museum on the last day. The hotel arranged a driver to get us to the ship at the port in Civitavecchia, and it was excellent having a private driver to get us there. We *could have* booked the train for much cheaper but would have had to shlep our bags from the train into the port, which is quite substantial.

 

We also did the post extension in Athens and and really enjoyed it, felt like the tours were good and it was worth the money.

 

If I were to do it again I don't think I'd change a thing; I found a great hotel called Argentina Residenza in the Argentina district, which put us about a 5 minute walk from the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon; I highly recommend it--there are lots of excellent restaurants just 1 or 2 minutes away, and literally across the street from us was the square where Julius Caesar was assassinated. 

 

We used www.thetourguy.com to book the Vatican tour guide and the nighttime food tour (both were very good); we used www.toursbylocals.com for the 2 walking tour days. Our guide Marisa has a degree in archaeology, had worked in the Roman Forum, and was excellent. She walked us all over--probably 6-7 miles each day.

 

 

Well, we pulled the trigger and we booked ourselves the Italy, The Adriatic & Greece cruise from Rome to Athens in July 2025 along with the Classic Greece post-extension. We plan to arrive (and stay) in Rome early for a DIY pre-extension: your report gave us some great ideas to adapt for us - thank you!

[longterm]

30 minutes ago, SailorPaulH said:

Well, we pulled the trigger and we booked ourselves the Italy, The Adriatic & Greece cruise from Rome to Athens in July 2025 along with the Classic Greece post-extension. We plan to arrive (and stay) in Rome early for a DIY pre-extension: your report gave us some great ideas to adapt for us - thank you!

Congratulations! Such a great trip, you'll have a blast.

 

If you like walking, you might contact Marisa at toursbylocals.com; not only was she extremely nice, but she's an expert on Rome--she pointed out areas in the Roman Forum where she'd been part of a dig as an archaeology student. She likes to walk though!

There were a few things we didn't get to; I wish we'd seen the Appian Way, the aqueduct there, the Spanish Steps (although I understand it's usually crowded); we walked around Trastavere, but by the time we got there I was totally exhausted, so we probably missed a lot.

 

If you don't mind walking or heights, be sure to go on the wall walk in Dubrovnik; I'm really scared of heights but did it anyway somehow, and it's one of my favorite memories.

 

Also, be sure to find time for lunch in Dubrovnik and Split; in Dubovnik, after walking the wall, we were wandering down the main street inside the walled city, and looked down an alley to the right, and saw a cafe called Proto, where I had the best fish I've ever had. As we were leaving, having asked about a place to buy local olive oil, the waiter handed me a new jar of their own bottled olive oil, which we still have.

 

In Split, there are cafes along the promenade facing the water; we wandered into one for lunch and had an excellent meal there.

 

If you stay at the Intercontinental in Athens, ask about the little Greek restaurant about a block away; unfortunately, the restaurant in the hotel is overly expensive and not so hot; we only had dinner there once and were disappointed.

 

I think it was in Bari Italy that we wandered into a shop called Silk and Silky, ended up buying a really exquisite silk rug--they're good salesmen, that's for sure. Saw us coming a mile away. But the rugs are beautiful, and we don't regret our purchase. 

 

We didn't see the waterfalls near Split, but were told they were magnificent; our time in the town was really nice though.

 

Trying to think of other highlights... there were so many. You'll have an incredible trip!

[SailorPaulH]

On 1/19/2023 at 2:53 PM, longterm said:

Congratulations! Such a great trip, you'll have a blast.

 

If you like walking, you might contact Marisa at toursbylocals.com; not only was she extremely nice, but she's an expert on Rome--she pointed out areas in the Roman Forum where she'd been part of a dig as an archaeology student. She likes to walk though!

There were a few things we didn't get to; I wish we'd seen the Appian Way, the aqueduct there, the Spanish Steps (although I understand it's usually crowded); we walked around Trastavere, but by the time we got there I was totally exhausted, so we probably missed a lot.

 

If you don't mind walking or heights, be sure to go on the wall walk in Dubrovnik; I'm really scared of heights but did it anyway somehow, and it's one of my favorite memories.

 

Also, be sure to find time for lunch in Dubrovnik and Split; in Dubovnik, after walking the wall, we were wandering down the main street inside the walled city, and looked down an alley to the right, and saw a cafe called Proto, where I had the best fish I've ever had. As we were leaving, having asked about a place to buy local olive oil, the waiter handed me a new jar of their own bottled olive oil, which we still have.

 

In Split, there are cafes along the promenade facing the water; we wandered into one for lunch and had an excellent meal there.

 

If you stay at the Intercontinental in Athens, ask about the little Greek restaurant about a block away; unfortunately, the restaurant in the hotel is overly expensive and not so hot; we only had dinner there once and were disappointed.

 

I think it was in Bari Italy that we wandered into a shop called Silk and Silky, ended up buying a really exquisite silk rug--they're good salesmen, that's for sure. Saw us coming a mile away. But the rugs are beautiful, and we don't regret our purchase. 

 

We didn't see the waterfalls near Split, but were told they were magnificent; our time in the town was really nice though.

 

Trying to think of other highlights... there were so many. You'll have an incredible trip!

Thanks for all the great input and tips. One question for you: on your DIY pre-extension, what was your preferred mode of transport from the airport to your hotel in the Argentina district?

[longterm]

11 hours ago, SailorPaulH said:

Thanks for all the great input and tips. One question for you: on your DIY pre-extension, what was your preferred mode of transport from the airport to your hotel in the Argentina district?

We took an Uber, if I recall; to get from the hotel to the ship, we used a driver that was recommended by the hotel, and who was excellent.