1st time cruiser - Greek island - family of 5

[skippy26]

We are a family of 5 including 2 senior citizens (about 75yrs) and 3 year old Toddler.

We are doing a 7 day Greek isles cruise 15th September this year. As part of the Cruise, we will have day stops in Athens, Kotor, Corfu, Mykonos, Kefalonia.

 

We want to get off in Athens (docked 11am to 8pm) and wondering if which of the following transport options is the best/easiest for all of us? We want to see the main sites and walk around at our own leisure.

1. Can we do hop off hop off tour as it would take us to the main sites and get off as we want. Is the start point to get hop on bus far from the port and if so can we walk? Is the red route or blue route best to do? Can you take a pram onboard?

2. i believe there is a bus called "X80 “Piraeus – Acropolis – Syntagma EXPRESS” bus line". Would this be more suitable but only thing it would it stop only certain places therefore resulting in alot of walking given the age group of the family and again is the start far from cruise port? Can you take a pram onboard?

3. Can you get an uber from cruise to center of athens for 6 people with car seat?

Regarding the other island destinations, we would try to get off on one other port where we could walk without transportation just to the main area. Does anyone have recommendations of those ports we could that?

 

Many thanks for advice

Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[VMax1700]

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

First off, your post may be moved to the Ports of Call board for Europe/Greece.

 

You do not dock in Athens but dock in the port city of Piraeus.  The Athens Ho-Ho bus does not operate in Piraeus.  There is a Piraeus Ho-Ho, but not worth the effort as there are no real sights to be seen around Piraeus.

You could take the X80 bus and get off at the stop for Acropolis (which is one stop before Syntagma Square.  After the Acropolis you could pick up a Ho-Ho Bus to visit the rest of the city before returning to port on the X80.  In 2022 the Daily Ticket for the X80 was €4.10.  Even for 5 that is pretty good value.  The X80 bus can get quite crowded as locals use it to commute.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by VMax1700

[Essiesmom]

I’ll address more of your ports…Unless you are on a small ship, Kotor will be a tender port.  But the tender will let you off right outside the walled city, which is lovely, interesting, filled with churches, shops, restaurants with outdoor seating when you need a rest.  There will be cobblestones but you can use a pram.

   Mykonos will also probably be a tender port, but here again the tender will leave you off right at the edge of the charming town, very walkable but very different from Kotor.  
   When we visited Corfu, the cruise line provided a shuttle (not free) into town, but then it was quite walkable.  
 We docked at Kefalonia, but another ship was tendering.  Town was also quite walkable.

EM

[skippy26]

7 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

First off, your post may be moved to the Ports of Call board for Europe/Greece.

 

You do not dock in Athens but dock in the port city of Piraeus.  The Athens Ho-Ho bus does not operate in Piraeus.  There is a Piraeus Ho-Ho, but not worth the effort as there are no real sights to be seen around Piraeus.

You could take the X80 bus and get off at the stop for Acropolis (which is one stop before Syntagma Square.  After the Acropolis you could pick up a Ho-Ho Bus to visit the rest of the city before returning to port on the X80.  In 2022 the Daily Ticket for the X80 was €4.10.  Even for 5 that is pretty good value.  The X80 bus can get quite crowded as locals use it to commute.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you very much

[edinburgher]

On 7/11/2023 at 12:21 PM, skippy26 said:

Kotor, Corfu, Mykonos, Kefalonia.

The sail in to Kotor is beautiful, IMHO one of the prettiest anywhere,  so do be up on deck at least an hour (or slightly more) before scheduled arrival to enjoy it to the max.

 

Although you will retrace the same route when departing, the light is very different later in the day from the early morning light and  lacks the serene and peaceful feel of the morning.

 

And once doicked or tendered, you only need cross the road to enter the very charming historic town.

 

Edited July 12, 2023 by edinburgher

[Szt]

Be aware- the tender into Kotor is beautiful, but king. Be sure to allow time both directions. 
We were 4 on our trip (Oct 2022). There were independent drivers waiting outside the port. You tell them how many people, what you like to see and when the last tender back is. Make sure you agree on a price up front in Euros or dollars and be sure you have cash. If you like learning about life in new place, this is a great way to go. Our driver told us all about how Montenegro became a country, the religious tensions and economics. All while being privately driven to the best spots. We told our driver we liked photography. He took us to some fantastic outlooks. He also took quite a few picts of the whole family we will treasure forever. He took us to little walled town that had almost no tourists. He got us back safe and sound and in plenty of time. Very safe there. 

[skippy26]

@VMax1700 Royal Carribean have advised that the terminal A, Miaoulis is the main terminal with most ships docking here. Does that mean X80 “Piraeus – Acropolis – Syntagma EXPRESS would be my cheaper option to get to the main city and then from there get the hop on hop off bus? Do we have to walk far to get that bus if we docked at Terminal A?

[VMax1700]

@skippy26 if you look at the image in post #2 you will see that the X80 stops at Terminal A.  Without doubt it would be the cheapest option (less than €20 for 4 adults return trip. I don't know the child cost, but reckon a toddler would be free).  The comfort for the seniors may be another question, but it is a short journey.  There are seats but you need to be quick to get a seat.

It is a few years since I docked at Terminal A, but it was a short walk to the bus stop.  Remember to purchase your ticket before boarding the bus.

[skippy26]

@VMax1700Thank you, sounds like X80 bus might be the way to go and we then get on the hop on hop off bus from the Acropolis. We could even get a single fare which is 1.20e pp or 4.10e for a daily.