Need help deciding: Greek Island

[Cruiscs]

Planning Greek Island cruise in september and cant decide between these itineraries/ships:

 

info: We have been to Rome before but never to Athens. The price on both cruises are very similar.

 

Option 1: Equinox 10 night 14 september:

Rome- Katakalon- Mykonos- Athens- Kusasasi- Santorini (only ship in port)- Malta- Barcelona.  3 sea days. 

Option 2: Silhouette : 20 september 11 nights

Athens- Mykonos (only ship in port)-Santorini- Crete- Rhodes- Kusadasi- overnight in Istanbul- Athens. 3 sea days.

 

Understand that  Silhouette is more updated but also that Equinox will have a dry dock soon. Help me decide:)

Edited January 25 by Cruiscs

[Stu UK]

I would do Silouhette as overnight in Istanbul and on refitted ship. 

[cruisestitch]

I like Lawn Club so Sillhoette 

[Cruiscs]

3 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

I like Lawn Club so Sillhoette 

The only reason? What about the itinerary?🤣

[Klinkschakel]

If you never been to Athens, option 2. You can spend time in Athens pre/post cruise. Overnight in Instanbul is great, you dock in the city and can walk the old parts of town or take the tram. September will be not as busy but how many ships will be there in Santorini?

Have you been to Katakolon (Olympia) before?

[Cruiscs]

Just now, Klinkschakel said:

If you never been to Athens, option 2. You can spend time in Athens pre/post cruise. Overnight in Instanbul is great, you dock in the city and can walk the old parts of town or take the tram. September will be not as busy but how many ships will be there in Santorini?

Have you been to Katakolon (Olympia) before?

There will be 2 small ships joining us in Santorini. Never been to Katakolon before

[Cruiscs]

Edit: We have been to Crete and Rhodes before but never to Katakolon or Malta

Edited January 25 by Cruiscs

[Klinkschakel]

1 minute ago, Cruiscs said:

There will be 2 small ships joining us in Santorini. Never been to Katakolon before

Two smaller ships next to a mid size will be fine in Santorini.

Katakolon itself is nothing (small harbour) but if you are interested in the history of the olympics.....

[Cruiscs]

5 minutes ago, Klinkschakel said:

Two smaller ships next to a mid size will be fine in Santorini.

Katakolon itself is nothing (small harbour) but if you are interested in the history of the olympics.....

Celestyal Discovery And Silver Ray 

[Cruiscs]

10 minutes ago, Klinkschakel said:

If you never been to Athens, option 2. You can spend time in Athens pre/post cruise. Overnight in Instanbul is great, you dock in the city and can walk the old parts of town or take the tram. September will be not as busy but how many ships will be there in Santorini?

Have you been to Katakolon (Olympia) before?

Do you recommend Istanbul? 

[mahdnc]

Option 2 because of the overnight in Istanbul and the opportunity to see Athens by adding nights there before or after the cruise.

I think Silhouette is the best ship of its class. She has more specialty restaurants to choose from than Equinox. 
 

As a bonus, Option 2 is longer by one night. 

[Klinkschakel]

10 minutes ago, Cruiscs said:

Do you recommend Istanbul? 

Yes, for sure. We went last year first time also with an overnight stay on the ship (Azamara Onward). My first impression was a modern, clean and friendly city. Lots of things going on, very easy going. The dock/cruise port is very modern and there is lots to see in the area. For the main sights (grand bazar, mosques) you can walk (45 min it great) or take a tram (avoid taxi's and Uber is unpredictable). If you been to Rome and Barcelona, I would choose option 2 🙂

Edited January 25 by Klinkschakel

[Cruiscs]

11 minutes ago, Klinkschakel said:

Yes, for sure. We went last year first time also with an overnight stay on the ship (Azamara Onward). My first impression was a modern, clean and friendly city. Lots of things going on, very easy going. The dock/cruise port is very modern and there is lots to see in the area. For the main sights (grand bazar, mosques) you can walk (45 min it great) or take a tram (avoid taxi's and Uber is unpredictable). If you been to Rome and Barcelona, I would choose option 2 🙂

Thank you so much. Yes have been to both Rome and Barcelona before. How is the crowded in Istanbul?

[Klinkschakel]

14 minutes ago, Cruiscs said:

Thank you so much. Yes have been to both Rome and Barcelona before. How is the crowded in Istanbul?

Its a major city so can be crowded. We have been during summer holidays (august) and it was very doable re crowds. However you can choose yourself, to avoid crowds, just go early or late to the main sights. 

[ElmaLee]

Go to Istanbul.  A massive city, teeming with people.  From the ship you can watch all the ferries swarming to their various destinations along the Bosphorus.  

Cruise ships berth near the Golden Horn area with all the major sites - Aga Sophia, Blue Mosque, cisterns, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar.

It is easy to walk or get a tram over Galata Bridge and do exploring on foot.

 

Kusadasi lets you take a tour to Ephasus, which is very intesting.

 

If you arrive a day or two early in Athens you can explore the acropolis and Parthanon and the other ancient sites.

 

Option 2 for me!

[villauk]

Agree with all the above comments: option 2. Silhouette is a lovely ship and Istanbul is great to explore. Do a Med cruise another time and visit more of Italy, Malta and Spain on that itinerary.

[hcat]

Option 2 is the better ship and itin overall  although we are not interested in Istanbul. ( Our neighbors are from there and say not a good time to go right now without elaboration.)

 

we enjoyed Athens. (.take an excursion,)  Rhodes and Kusadasi.(Ephesis tour and port  bazaar.. avoid carpet sales stop). Mykonos and Santorini with few ships would  also be great!

 

either way..enjoy

Edited January 25 by hcat

[Ex-Airbalancer]

4 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

I like Lawn Club so Sillhoette 

My wife likes the Glass blowing on Equinox ,  also the Equinox has a bar in the outside area of OVC 

Lawn Club 👎

But would pick the Silhouette since we haven’t been to Istanbul 

Also check on the number of ships in Malta, the time we were there was about 5 ships in port 

[Cruiscs]

8 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

My wife likes the Glass blowing on Equinox ,  also the Equinox has a bar in the outside area of OVC 

Lawn Club 👎

But would pick the Silhouette since we haven’t been to Istanbul 

Also check on the number of ships in Malta, the time we were there was about 5 ships in port 

Only two ships that day. Equinox 7 am to 4pm. NCL Epic will join her at 1pm

Edited January 25 by Cruiscs

[Cruiscs]

Is it possible that the Turkish port could be cancelled because of the current situation? What would happen in that case? Other ports or just sea day?

[cruisestitch]

Either option is possible, depending on the specific reason for the cancellation (location of unrest, state department warnings, etc)

[Esprit]

I'd avoid the overnight in Istanbul. Been there twice now and seen enough in one day.

If it was just a day in port then I'd happily go there again. In fact I am, on Sun Princess this August.

 

The "current situation" would have no bearing on my decision. Istanbul is just as safe as Miami!😂

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

If you choose Silhouette, the ON in Istanbul is Sat/Sun.  Grand Bazaar is closed Sunday so if you want to see it ( you should) pick a tour that goes Saturday.  EM

[Cruiscs]

1 hour ago, Esprit said:

I'd avoid the overnight in Istanbul. 

I will call Celebrity and ask them to make it one day….

Would you pick the first itinerary?

[dani negreanu]

6 hours ago, Cruiscs said:

Is it possible that the Turkish port could be cancelled because of the current situation? What would happen in that case? Other ports or just sea day?

 

I wouldn't base my decision on the overnight in Istanbul. It can be cancelled without warning, as it already happened before (The Grand Bazaar being closed on Sundays is another "deterrent" 😕).

 

Santorini - Equinox being the only "big" ship in port would be a huge draw for me.

 

Malta - We found it to be a very interesting stop. We took a taxi (fixed price at the port) for 2 hours to visit M'dina and back to Valetta (55 Euro).

 

Katakolon -- we used a bus for 10 Euros pp at the port which took us to Olympia for 2-3 hours. It was enough. There is also a very interesting Technology museum 10 mins walk from the port entrance.