WHAT TO DO WITH FAMILY - GREECE PORTS

[brianbklein]

Gang

I am taking a NCL cruise this June and we are visiting Mykonos, Santorini and Olympia. 

Travelers are my wife and three teen boys (12, 15, 17).

Has anyone out there assembled any sort of cheat sheet itinerary on what to do, where to go, how to maximize your time in port to get the best experience and live the destination?  I realize i can google this, but wanted to reach out to the experts for any thoughts.

We have 7 hours in Mykonos, 9 hours in Santorini and  8 hours in Olympia. 

Thank You

Brian 

[CruiserBruce]

Start by reading the many threads on the various ports, which will help you identify sites you might want to see, and guide you on how to see them.

[PurpleTraveller]

Similar to my reply to you on the Italy thread, you will need to do some research to work out what you might like to do. There are many options at each port and you want to do what is important to you and your family. Olympia is not at the actual port, probably Katakolon, and would require an excursion of some sort or a taxi or the train if it is running, to get there. Mykonos and Santorini are both easy to do on your own but you may want to do an excursion, for example to Delos while at Mykonos. The time of year, day of the week and how many other ships are in port can all affect how easy it can be to do what you want to do. Look at the ship's shore excursions and the threads on these boards to see if anything appeals. When you have narrowed down what you might like to do then you can ask more specific questions here.

 

[mapleleaves]

Borrow some travel books from the library and read up on each destination.  There are even books specific to Med cruises, ie Rick Steves, " Med Cruise Ports'.   And definitely involve the kids in the research. If they're invested, they're more likely to enjoy themselves.

[Scottishclover]

I’ve seen your post on the Italy board too and I think the key to this is a bit of variety and something to please everybody. If your boys aren’t into ruins, why drag them round all the different sites because you feel you “should”? That would be a bit miserable. We have 17 and 19 year old girls and I always give them the chance to research themselves and suggest places to visit. Usually they will come up with the same ideas as me but occasionally they want to visit an obscure museum or trendy area in a city and we accommodate that. If they can’t be bothered doing the research, then I tell them they can’t complain about what I’ve planned ( and most of the time they don’t!)
 

We are heading on a cruise to the same area as you this summer and I’m trying to make sure there’s a mix of exploring ruins, some active days and some relaxing days just soaking up atmosphere with an aperol spritz. In some ports we are hiking/biking and in others we will be soaking up some history. I am lucky both my girls enjoy museums/galleries. As we’re doing Rome and Olympia,  I have decided Pompeii is a step too far for us. We’re thinking we might catch the ferry to Procida and wander. We are fortunate though that we could return to Naples quite easily and visit Pompeii another time. I have read that in Olympia there is a company from which you can rent VR, which perhaps your boys might enjoy. If your boys enjoy the beach, then do a half day on the beach. People on this board will say there’s more to do in Italy/Greece than going to the beach but you might find your boys need a change of scene for a few hours.
 

You know your family best and while it’s great to get some advice from other travellers, always consider your interests and situation might be vastly different. Family time is so important, enjoy your cruise whatever you do.

[edinburgher]

have you tried internet searching something along the lines of "(name of town) for teens?" worth a try for each and you may find some good suggestions.

[cruisemom42]

16 hours ago, brianbklein said:

Gang

I am taking a NCL cruise this June and we are visiting Mykonos, Santorini and Olympia. 

Travelers are my wife and three teen boys (12, 15, 17).

Has anyone out there assembled any sort of cheat sheet itinerary on what to do, where to go, how to maximize your time in port to get the best experience and live the destination?  I realize i can google this, but wanted to reach out to the experts for any thoughts.

We have 7 hours in Mykonos, 9 hours in Santorini and  8 hours in Olympia. 

Thank You

Brian 

 

As you can see from previous answers, there's no real "cheat sheet" for these Med ports. Unlike some other cruises, these ports tend to have a variety of options (all of which are interesting), so it's difficult to just randomly give advice to others without knowing their interests.

 

Another way to get ideas is to read cruise reviews here on CC from others who have done a similar itinerary, maybe looking specifically at those with kids versus without kids.

 

If you want a beach day at some point, Myknonos probably lends itself best to that (of the ports you've listed here and on the Italy board). It's easy to take a bus or get a taxi to one of the many beaches on the island. There are entire websites devoted to which beaches are best on this island!  Be aware that some are more family friendly than others (at some you may find some topless sunbathing, for example, as it is not a big deal in Europe....).  If not the beach, it is also easy to simply walk around Mykonos town on your own. So -- no big shore excursion needed for Mykonos.

 

The main reason for a stop in Katakolon is to visit the site of ancient Olympia. If you don't spring for a ship tour, there are buses that will transport you the short distance (maybe 20-25 minutes from memory) to the site. However, I'm not sure they include a guide -- and a guide adds a lot to the experience unless you do some research first and bring your own notes.  I don't know about you, but my own son at the age of your children often wouldn't listen to me but would pay good attention to a guide -- go figure!

 

There is much talk about Santorini on this board and I would suggest reading through those posts. The main issue is that Santorini is a small island that tends to get very overcrowded if 3-4 large ships are in port. There are pain points where you'll likely encounter lines and various strategies for avoiding those pain points....  However, Santorini is also that "picture perfect" island with the white buildings and blue roofs. If you want to see that, you'll need to get yourselves to Oia, which is a ways from where the ship tenders deposit you (at the foot of the cliff up to Fira).

 

 

[Hlitner]

When I see this kind of question (from the OP) my first thought is, "ask the "kids" what they want to do?"   I know this seems obvious, but we have chatted with many younger cruisers who express some dismay with what "Mom and Dad decide" when it comes to travel.   In a place like Mykonos you might have parents who simply want to browse shops in Mykonos Town while the younger folks would rather be at a decent beach (where there are lots of others their own age).   

 

The one port where there should be little debate is Katakolon (Olympia).  For a first-time visitor, you should go to Olympia whether it is on a cruise line excursion, private tour, or on your own.  There are not a lot of worthwhile alternate options in that region of Greece (we have driven around that entire area) although there are a few beach areas that can be OK for folks who have already been to Olympia and just want to have lunch and "veg out."  For the beach areas, one would do best with a rental car.  There is also a winery in the area, which would disappoint most of have been to a few decent wineries.

 

Hank

[GreenFamily]

I visited ancient Olympia as a teen and I remember it to this day. Don’t miss it. The VR idea is a good one. 

Edited February 27, 2023 by GreenFamily

[JillEBean10]

I'm going in June on NCL with my hubby and 2 teen boys, 14 and 18. From my research and from asking them, so far here's where I'm leaning.

 

Mykonos: My 14 yr old is obsessed with cats and has heard that especially Mykonos is a great place to see some. So, in that vain, I'm either looking to just walk around ourselves or get a local guide for a short walking tour, so we can stop and find the cats along the way.

 

Santorini: I think I'm the one who wants to do a 4,5 or 6 hour tour to see all the beautiful sites. There are lots of private tour groups and I'm still deciding between them. We are going to request to NOT do the winery stuff since none of us drink and instead ask for a food stop.

 

Olympia: My kids will both have enough with the ruins thing with Athens. So, I think we may try to get a private guide to visit the Archimedes Museum since they both love math instead of Ancient Olympia and then do the Olive Oil and honey tasting

 

I've found that with my crew, anytime food can be involved, they are in a better mood overall. 

 

If you want more specifics on my research, feel free to ask. And we can discuss further.

[pdmlynek]

On 2/25/2023 at 6:44 PM, brianbklein said:

Gang

I am taking a NCL cruise this June and we are visiting Mykonos, Santorini and Olympia. 

Travelers are my wife and three teen boys (12, 15, 17).

Has anyone out there assembled any sort of cheat sheet itinerary on what to do, where to go, how to maximize your time in port to get the best experience and live the destination?  I realize i can google this, but wanted to reach out to the experts for any thoughts.

We have 7 hours in Mykonos, 9 hours in Santorini and  8 hours in Olympia. 

Thank You

Brian 

Yes, I did put together an extensive effort into assembling information on Mykonos.  If you are intersted, send me your e-mail and I'll forward it to you.  But, to be honest, you can find much of the information on line yourself as well.

[fishiecrackers]

I'm visiting Santorini and Mykonos with my 3 teens this summer. In Santorini we're taking a ship excursion to get into Oia nice and early, and just explore, walk around, etc. Then probably take a bus back. Possibly walk some of the trail between Fira and Oia depending on temps, but guessing it'll be too hot and my family too grumpy.

 

In Mykonos we are doing a beach day for some down time. If we weren't, we'd probably do a 4-wheeler or jeep tour of the island.

 

We'll have done lots of ruins and museums in other cities, so we are not doing them on these two stops.

 

I agree with using Google to search "__________ with teens" and reading people's blogs and board postings for ideas. I've also enjoyed looking at AirBnb Experiences to see what sorts of things are offered in each port.

[miranda0228]

On 3/6/2023 at 6:13 PM, pdmlynek said:

Yes, I did put together an extensive effort into assembling information on Mykonos.  If you are intersted, send me your e-mail and I'll forward it to you.  But, to be honest, you can find much of the information on line yourself as well.

 

Would you mind please sending your information on Mykonos to me?  We are going in August and I'm torn about what to do based on my research.  My email is 6600windridge@gmail.com.  

[ninjacat123]

I have done research using TripAdvisor and it has helped me learn what is available outside of ship excursions as well as what the port is all about.  Good luck on your research and I hope you have a great trip!

[ninjacat123]

On 3/9/2023 at 5:06 PM, fishiecrackers said:

I'm visiting Santorini and Mykonos with my 3 teens this summer. In Santorini we're taking a ship excursion to get into Oia nice and early, and just explore, walk around, etc. Then probably take a bus back. Possibly walk some of the trail between Fira and Oia depending on temps, but guessing it'll be too hot and my family too grumpy.

 

In Mykonos we are doing a beach day for some down time. If we weren't, we'd probably do a 4-wheeler or jeep tour of the island.

 

We'll have done lots of ruins and museums in other cities, so we are not doing them on these two stops.

 

I agree with using Google to search "__________ with teens" and reading people's blogs and board postings for ideas. I've also enjoyed looking at AirBnb Experiences to see what sorts of things are offered in each port.

Do you know what beach you are going to in Mykonos?  Are you taking the bus?  TIA!

[fishiecrackers]

On 3/26/2023 at 10:36 AM, ninjacat123 said:

Do you know what beach you are going to in Mykonos?  Are you taking the bus?  TIA!

It depends on where our ship comes in. I'm thinking either Agios Stephanos or Platis Gialos.