Greece Cruise October 2024

[Bree Payne]

I need help - we have never done a Europe/Greece cruise and I need to know what is the best excursions to do in each port...

• Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
• Mykonos
• Santorini
• Piraeus (Athens)
• Katakolon (Olympia)
• Messina, Sicily
• Naples (Amalfi/Pompeii)

I want to sight see as much as possible in each port. Thank you in advance! 

[ColeThornton]

8 minutes ago, Bree Payne said:

I need help - we have never done a Europe/Greece cruise and I need to know what is the best excursions to do in each port...

• Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
• Mykonos
• Santorini
• Piraeus (Athens)
• Katakolon (Olympia)
• Messina, Sicily
• Naples (Amalfi/Pompeii)

I want to sight see as much as possible in each port. Thank you in advance! 

 

 

Welcome to CC.   Recommend you peruse the Ports of Call forums for Greece and Italy.  Lots of great info available.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/463-greece-ports/

 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/464-italy-ports/

 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/149-other-mediterranean-ports/

Edited December 19, 2023 by ColeThornton

[Joanne G.]

I agree with the above post that you should check out the ports of call boards.   It's also hard to suggest a "best" excursion without knowing your interests and travel style. 

 

But from experience, I will say that we enjoyed exploring Mykonos on foot without an excursion.   From Naples, as we couldn't decide between Pompeii and the Amalfi coast, we took a long, full-day excursion that covered both, and it was a memorable day.   In Sicily, we took a pleasant excursion that was transportation only to Taormina, where we were free to wander on our own for several hours.  Santorini can be challenging, due to the tendering and depending on how many ships are in port the same day.   We took an excursion to Oia and a winery, and it ended in Fira, where we had time on our own before taking the cable car down to the tender dock.   Our cruise was on Celebrity, but if Carnival offers anything comparable to these, I recommend any of them.  

 

Sorry, I can't help with the other ports.  Have a great cruise.  

[sanger727]

4 hours ago, Bree Payne said:

I need help - we have never done a Europe/Greece cruise and I need to know what is the best excursions to do in each port...

• Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
• Mykonos
• Santorini
• Piraeus (Athens)
• Katakolon (Olympia)
• Messina, Sicily
• Naples (Amalfi/Pompeii)

I want to sight see as much as possible in each port. Thank you in advance! 

 

We took almost the same itinerary on Celebrity. In Ephesus and Athens we took cruise line tours of the ruins. Mykonos we just explored on foot, it's a very cute town. Santorini, when you get off the ship there are a ton of little boat companies that sell the same transportation. They take you by boat to the old dock, and then by bus to Oia. There are then buses available to take you back to Fira every 30 minutes or so. In Siciliy we went to Mt Etna. I'm not sure if you can still go there now or not. 

 

There's really "best" excursion; everyone has different interests. 

[jimbo5544]

Kusadasi was THE highlight of the same cruise we did fall of 22.  OUTSTANDING.  The ruins tour was  off the charts, by far the largest ruins we have ever seen, and only 15% uncovered.  Highly recommend it.  We missed Mykonos due to windy and sea conditions.  Santorini we did wine testing and time up. In the village.  Echo the comments on Sicily.  In Naples, try an outside excursion fthru Joey Bananas to Sorrento, Positano, and Ravello with a lunch at la Tratoria.  You will not be disapponted.

[ninjacat123]

DH and I just completed a 10 day cruise with that itinerary this October !! The link to the review is in my signature. It was an awesome cruise !!

[Bree Payne]

10 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

DH and I just completed a 10 day cruise with that itinerary this October !! The link to the review is in my signature. It was an awesome cruise !!

Thank you SOOO much! Do you have the links for all the excursions you did? We seem to be interested in the same things, especially sight seeing. 

[Bree Payne]

14 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Kusadasi was THE highlight of the same cruise we did fall of 22.  OUTSTANDING.  The ruins tour was  off the charts, by far the largest ruins we have ever seen, and only 15% uncovered.  Highly recommend it.  We missed Mykonos due to windy and sea conditions.  Santorini we did wine testing and time up. In the village.  Echo the comments on Sicily.  In Naples, try an outside excursion fthru Joey Bananas to Sorrento, Positano, and Ravello with a lunch at la Tratoria.  You will not be disapponted.

How did you book Joey Bananas? Also who did you book your Kusadasi tour through? 

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, Bree Payne said:

Thank you SOOO much! Do you have the links for all the excursions you did? We seem to be interested in the same things, especially sight seeing. 

Here is the link for our cooking class in Rome:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g187791-d19621159-3_in_1_Cooking_Class_Piazza_Navona_Fettuccine_Ravioli_and_Tiramisu-Rome_Lazio.html

 

Here's the link for the Vatican Tour

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g187791-d16748976-Skip_the_Line_Group_Tour_of_the_Vatican_Sistine_Chapel_St_Peter_s_Basilica-Rome_La.html

 

Here's the link for the Venice musical show:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g187870-d11473466-I_Musici_Veneziani_Concert_in_Venice_Italy_Baroque_and_Opera-Venice_Veneto.html

 

Here's the link for Ephesus and Turkish Bath (which is extra)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g297972-d19445981-Ephesus_Tours_and_Turkish_bath_from_CRUISE_Port_Kusadasi_with_lunch-Kusadasi_Turki.html

Edited December 20, 2023 by ninjacat123

[jimbo5544]

35 minutes ago, Bree Payne said:

How did you book Joey Bananas? Also who did you book your Kusadasi tour through? 

You can google Joey bananas, they have tons of excursions, originally found them thru trip advisor (which owns this site).  The Kusadasi was thru Carnival.  You will not be displeased with either.  I have a Pride review of this cruise, it will give you a flavor for both.  If you cannot find it, I can provide a link.

[ninjacat123]

The Godfather/Taormina Tour, please contact

Katia. Her number is 

0039 3318667654

katia@discovermessina.com

 

Our driver in Athens, Glykeria,  is  whatAp number is: +30 698 066 3783

[ninjacat123]

For Santorini, the jury is still out for me on Sandra Cruise Tours.  I hope I hear that their process at pick up becomes more organized and professional.

[Bree Payne]

5 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

You can google Joey bananas, they have tons of excursions, originally found them thru trip advisor (which owns this site).  The Kusadasi was thru Carnival.  You will not be displeased with either.  I have a Pride review of this cruise, it will give you a flavor for both.  If you cannot find it, I can provide a link.

I'd love the link if you don't mind! I am still extremely new to Cruise Critic (2 days) - Lol!

[Bree Payne]

5 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

Here is the link for our cooking class in Rome:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g187791-d19621159-3_in_1_Cooking_Class_Piazza_Navona_Fettuccine_Ravioli_and_Tiramisu-Rome_Lazio.html

 

Here's the link for the Vatican Tour

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g187791-d16748976-Skip_the_Line_Group_Tour_of_the_Vatican_Sistine_Chapel_St_Peter_s_Basilica-Rome_La.html

 

Here's the link for the Venice musical show:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g187870-d11473466-I_Musici_Veneziani_Concert_in_Venice_Italy_Baroque_and_Opera-Venice_Veneto.html

 

Here's the link for Ephesus and Turkish Bath (which is extra)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g297972-d19445981-Ephesus_Tours_and_Turkish_bath_from_CRUISE_Port_Kusadasi_with_lunch-Kusadasi_Turki.html

Thank you SO much! I've been slowly going through your live for all the tips and tricks. I greatly appreciate it.

[ninjacat123]

9 minutes ago, Bree Payne said:

Thank you SO much! I've been slowly going through your live for all the tips and tricks. I greatly appreciate it.

My pleasure! When’s your cruise?

[Bree Payne]

9 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

My pleasure! When’s your cruise?

October 6-16, 2024 

[jimbo5544]

30 minutes ago, Bree Payne said:

I'd love the link if you don't mind! I am still extremely new to Cruise Critic (2 days) - Lol!

Here you go, enjoy and feel free to ask any questions..  Welcome to cruisecritic, you can click on the link below.

 

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by jimbo5544

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, Bree Payne said:

October 6-16, 2024 

Basically the same time as my cruise this year.  Have you booked a hotel for when you fly into Rome?  Are you flying in a day or so before your cruise?

[Over from NZ]

We've used these guys about half a dozen times now - 

https://italytoursharing.com/

In Messina we did the Mt Etna tour with hem in 2018 and this year did the Godfather tour. Both tours also went to Taormina. In Naples we used them for the 50 shades of Lemon tour (best meal ever) and for the Amalfi/Pompeii tour. Pompeii is amazing! We also did a day-trip from Naples to Capri on our own. It was Ok.. but I would do either of the other excursions again if I was going back. 

 

Ephesus is amazing! It's a must-do! We used these guys - https://www.curiotravel.com/categories/kusadasi-ephesus-port?id=6

 

Mykonos we explored the old town/old port on foot. It's very compact and easily walkable. Just wander and get lost among the bougainvillea covered alleyways, stores etc. Little Venice and the Instagram Windmills are in the same location. 

 

Santorini. Last time we winged it.. however first time there we did a 6-hour tour of the island with these guys - https://www.santotoursmarinakis.com/

 

We used Cruise Critic roll-calls and Facebook to arrange the tours (i.e. Just wife and I.. and we look to find 2-6 other passengers to make it a cost-effective private excursion). Cruise Critic doesn't work as well as in the past.. so had to post it on some of the facebook groups to get other passengers to join the tour. Italytoursharing allows you to start an excursion and then people can jump on their web-site to join. 

[jimbo5544]

38 minutes ago, Over from NZ said:

We've used these guys about half a dozen times now - 

https://italytoursharing.com/

In Messina we did the Mt Etna tour with hem in 2018 and this year did the Godfather tour. Both tours also went to Taormina. In Naples we used them for the 50 shades of Lemon tour (best meal ever) and for the Amalfi/Pompeii tour. Pompeii is amazing! We also did a day-trip from Naples to Capri on our own. It was Ok.. but I would do either of the other excursions again if I was going back. 

 

Ephesus is amazing! It's a must-do! We used these guys - https://www.curiotravel.com/categories/kusadasi-ephesus-port?id=6

 

Mykonos we explored the old town/old port on foot. It's very compact and easily walkable. Just wander and get lost among the bougainvillea covered alleyways, stores etc. Little Venice and the Instagram Windmills are in the same location. 

 

Santorini. Last time we winged it.. however first time there we did a 6-hour tour of the island with these guys - https://www.santotoursmarinakis.com/

 

We used Cruise Critic roll-calls and Facebook to arrange the tours (i.e. Just wife and I.. and we look to find 2-6 other passengers to make it a cost-effective private excursion). Cruise Critic doesn't work as well as in the past.. so had to post it on some of the facebook groups to get other passengers to join the tour. Italytoursharing allows you to start an excursion and then people can jump on their web-site to join. 

Works very well.

[Over from NZ]

26 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Works very well.

What does?

[jimbo5544]

47 minutes ago, Over from NZ said:

What does?

The touring company

[Over from NZ]

56 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

The touring company

Yes they're great. We've used them about 6x now. 

[John Bull]

Kusadasi. The only place worthy of a visit is Ephesus. About a 20-minute drive, plenty of van tours offered on the internet, also possible  by bartering a taxi (driver takes you to the entrance at one end of the site & collects you at a pre-determined time at the exit at the other end) but the site has very limited signage so a tour is better. Be sure to include the "terraced houses".

House of the Virgin Mary is a little further, up in the hills and cooler - but there's little to see, and the connection with the Virgin Mary is tenuous.

Much further is the hilltop village of Sirence - great views but little there.

I suggest Ephesus before the heat of the day then back to Kusadasi for "the real Turkey" close to the ship.

 

Mykonos. Either the ship will berth at the cruise pier a couple of miles from the village & you can take the excellent & inexpensive waterbus to the village harbour, or it'll moor off the harbour & you'll be tendered in. No worries or great delays whichever it is.

Pleasant whitewashed village, the harbourfront shops & bars & cafes are backed by a maze of immaculate little alleyways, and beyond them the row of iconic windmills. Say hi to Petra, he's usually patrolling the harbourfront (check him out on Google-images, and read his story)

Alternatively take the ferry to the ancient ruins on the nearby island of Delos, altho you'll have plenty of other ports for ancient sights.

 

Santorini. All ships moor in the caldera under the town of Fira. There's no road down to the pier (aka "old Fira port") - the only way up the cliff is by the grossly over-subscribed cablecar or on the backs of donkeys up the zig-zag path (few venture to walk up that long switchback path).

The cliff is a bottleneck, especially if other large ships are there on the same day (though they do their best to stagger arrival departure times - for instance a ship there 8am to 2pm won't have any impact on one which is there 2pm to 8pm)

Ways to avoid the bottleneck include booking a boat trip  (sailing boat, catamaran, snorkelling cruise,  sunset cruise etc ad infinitum from and back to the tender pier - but the only part of the main island that you'll be visiting is that tender pier.

Or take a ferry from that tender pier north to Oia, where the road goes down to the pier & an included bus takes you up the village. Or taking a ship's tour - this tenders ship's excursionists south to the ferry harbour of Athinios where again there's a road to the pier, and passengers are transferred to their tour bus. But there's no ferry back to the tender pier, and the vast majority of ships' tours finish with free time in Fira and you have to go down to the tender pier. That's another bottle-neck with a long line for the cablecar, but if you're tolerably fit you can walk down the zig-zag path in about 25 minutes.

Check out the Santorini answers at the top of the Europe - Mediterranean - Greece page.

 

Piraeus. Several options for transport from port to Athens, including taxi, metro (longish walk to metro station), cheap direct all-day bus (route X80 ??), ho-ho bus (nb two routes, Piraeus to Athens and City Tour), ship's "Athens on your own" bus. I suggest you make the Acropolis your first stop, hopefully ahead of the worst of the crowds & the heat of the day. On seriously hot afternoons the Acropolis is closed due to the heat.

 

Katakolon The only place to visit is Olympia, about 30 minutes away. There's a "Katakolon Express" bus service. Pre-book or take a chance - but regardless of timetable the bus only goes when it's full. Whatever time it leaves you get a full 2 hours at Olympia. Or rent a car - several reliable agencies near the port gate with good clean late a/c cars, easy navigation, if you share to make it four in the car the fee plus gas is about the same as 4 fares on the KK Express. Best to pre-book, when we did it there was no front-money or card number, you select a pick-up time & if you don't turn up within about 1/2 hour they rent it to a hopeful un-booked client. 

Or bite the bullet and take an over-priced ship's tour.

Ignore the unreliable train service - it fails to run for days at a time.

 

Messina. Sorry, can't help.

 

Naples. Your problem here is which of many many options to choose.

Ferry to the magical Isle of Capri, or bus or train to Pompeii and / or Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast, Versuvius, etc etc.

All except the Amalfi Coast are easy to DIY, no need to choose until the day so your choice can be dictated by the weather or your energy levels on the morning. With a little bit of planning you could combine two or even three places. For instance ferry from near your ship to Sorrento for lunch, the Naples-bound Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento to Pompeii (Pompeii Scavi), same train a few more stops to Herculaneum (Ercolano Scavi), same train back to Naples.

There's not time in a port-of-call day to try the Amalfi coast by public transport, you need a tour.

Ships' bus tours are restricted to the through road high on the cliff - marvellous Amaslfi Coast views but visiting Positano means just a stop on that road and looking down on Positano - large vehicles can't access Positano, and even small vans rarely drive down to it unless they have guaranteed parking. And don't rent a self-drive car unless you can con someone to drive - the driver needs their eyes constantly on the road & their wits about them to avoid parked cars and kamikaze scooter riders, and parking is nigh-on impossible

Put "Naples" into the search box on the Mediterranean Italy page for stax of useful posts

 

JB 🙂

 

[John Bull]

Ooops - his name at Mykonos is PETROS not Petra 🙃

 

JB 🙂

Edited December 24, 2023 by John Bull