Zeikah Posted June 16 #1 Share Posted June 16 Hi All, First of all I realize that no one can decide for me, just after your thoughts. This will be my first trip to Europe. I would like to cruise on the Sun Princess. Looking to do 14 nights but there are 3 x 7 nights segments. Just after some advice which 2 segments you would recommend for a first time trip to the region. Thanks in advance. The segments are, Barcelona depart 5.00pm Sea day Gibraltar 7.00am-4.00pm Sea day Marseille 8.00am-6.00pm Genoa 8.00am-8.00pm La Spezia 7.00am-7.00pm Rome arrive 6.00am Rome depart 6.00pm Naples 7.00am-7.00pm Sea day Crete 8.00am-6.00pm Sea day Ephesus 7.00am-6.00pm Mykonos 7.00am-9.00pm Athens arrive 6.00am Athens depart 7.00pm Santorini 7.00am-7.00pm Sea day Kotor 7.00am-5.00pm Corfu 7.00am-4.00pm Messina 7.00am-4.00pm Sea day Barcelona arrive 6.00am Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinsince75 Posted June 16 #2 Share Posted June 16 46 minutes ago, Zeikah said: Hi All, First of all I realize that no one can decide for me, just after your thoughts. This will be my first trip to Europe. I would like to cruise on the Sun Princess. Looking to do 14 nights but there are 3 x 7 nights segments. Just after some advice which 2 segments you would recommend for a first time trip to the region. Thanks in advance. The segments are, Barcelona depart 5.00pm Sea day Gibraltar 7.00am-4.00pm Sea day Marseille 8.00am-6.00pm Genoa 8.00am-8.00pm La Spezia 7.00am-7.00pm Rome arrive 6.00am Rome depart 6.00pm Naples 7.00am-7.00pm Sea day Crete 8.00am-6.00pm Sea day Ephesus 7.00am-6.00pm Mykonos 7.00am-9.00pm Athens arrive 6.00am Athens depart 7.00pm Santorini 7.00am-7.00pm Sea day Kotor 7.00am-5.00pm Corfu 7.00am-4.00pm Messina 7.00am-4.00pm Sea day Barcelona arrive 6.00am First and second. If the cruise was actually stopping in Kotor, which it won't, I would have a different take. The cruise will stop in Bari instead and not nearly as exciting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare insidecabin Posted June 16 #3 Share Posted June 16 I would pick the end ports where I wanted to spend extra days Also consider the flight,hotel, transfer cost and transfer times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sailingkiwi Posted June 16 #4 Share Posted June 16 Having never done a Med Cruise, but having travelled extensively in Europe I would do first and second. I’d do at least 3 days in Barcelona first. Good variety of countries and opportunities to see different types of sites depending on what you are interested in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beg3yrs Posted June 16 #5 Share Posted June 16 1 hour ago, cruisinsince75 said: First and second. If the cruise was actually stopping in Kotor, which it won't, I would have a different take. The cruise will stop in Bari instead and not nearly as exciting. I too agree if you're only doing two segments (we're on the third segment as I type this), the first two are the best. We're on the way to Bar in Montenegro, not Bari which is an Italian port across the Adriatic. Took a ferry from there once and it wouldn't be on my top list of ports to visit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted June 16 #6 Share Posted June 16 (edited) I personally wouldn’t bother with the first week for cruising. However Barcelona is a fantastic city to start a cruise with a pre stay. Gibraltar and Marseille are not great and Genoa is not pretty to visit either. Edited June 16 by Esprit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Justpackingmybags Posted June 16 #7 Share Posted June 16 2 and 3 for me. Although I enjoyed Marseille, Genoa and La Spezia very much, I find Gibraltar underwhelming, plus all the sea days are at the beginning of the week. Weeks 2 & 3 have an interesting mix of ports and you get a sea day towards the end of week 3 which definitely helps when it comes to packing! Plus you could then stay on a few days in Barcelona. whichever you decide is right for you, I hope you enjoy visiting Europe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISABELLA Posted June 17 #8 Share Posted June 17 On 6/16/2024 at 12:27 AM, Zeikah said: Hi All, First of all I realize that no one can decide for me, just after your thoughts. This will be my first trip to Europe. I would like to cruise on the Sun Princess. Looking to do 14 nights but there are 3 x 7 nights segments. Just after some advice which 2 segments you would recommend for a first time trip to the region. Thanks in advance. The segments are, Barcelona depart 5.00pm Sea day Gibraltar 7.00am-4.00pm Sea day Marseille 8.00am-6.00pm Genoa 8.00am-8.00pm La Spezia 7.00am-7.00pm Rome arrive 6.00am Rome depart 6.00pm Naples 7.00am-7.00pm Sea day Crete 8.00am-6.00pm Sea day Ephesus 7.00am-6.00pm Mykonos 7.00am-9.00pm Athens arrive 6.00am Athens depart 7.00pm Santorini 7.00am-7.00pm Sea day Kotor 7.00am-5.00pm Corfu 7.00am-4.00pm Messina 7.00am-4.00pm Sea day Barcelona arrive 6.00am Have been to all of these ports. Rome - Barcelona will take my vote. Stay in Rome before the cruise and few days in Barcelona after. We just finished almost the same itinerary on the Sun few weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDVM96 Posted June 17 #9 Share Posted June 17 On 6/16/2024 at 9:02 AM, beg3yrs said: Bari which is an Italian port across the Adriatic. Took a ferry from there once and it wouldn't be on my top list of ports to visit. The top highlight is near Bari. It's Matera, which is only a 1 hour drive away. Many movies were filmed here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MyriamS Posted June 17 #10 Share Posted June 17 I would do first and second. Kotor, Corfu and Messina are nice but not must sees for a first European trip in my opinion. Santorini is, but it will probably be too crowded to enjoy even if the off season. (Mykonos was too, to be fair.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishing on a star Posted June 17 #11 Share Posted June 17 The last two, for me. I would have a greater interest in Italy and Greece, and the Italian ports in the last two seem better. Rome or Barcelona to spend more time along with your cruise, is a personal preference. As just mentioned, Rome and Barcelona would be preferable to Athens. Too many preferences, like you said, only you can pick!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISABELLA Posted June 17 #12 Share Posted June 17 Some of Greek islands are over rated. More like a turist trap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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