My First European Cruise!

[5thgirl]

It has been a while since I cruised RC! I am back at it having just booked my first European Cruise to Greece and Croatia for Aug 2025, porting out of Ravenna on Explorer. I am sure I will have lots of questions and doing my research now on these boards. All my past cruises were to the Caribbean islands. Are there any MUST KNOW items that are different than Caribbean cruises? Any immediate Favorite excursions that come to mind?

 

One thing I remember from years ago was an email address for the dining room management that I found on these boards. I was able to email them and request a private table for 2 instead of being seated with other passengers. Does that still exist?

 

SO EXCITED to start planning!

[firefly333]

I got a lot of good info from clicking on europe, then Italy where I'm ending up needing a hotel. I'd go to that section of cc which is for Europe and check there too. Though you can get ship specific info like dining here I agree.

Edited Friday at 10:13 PM by firefly333

[RobInMN]

In addition to the ports area of CC as @firefly333 suggested, join your Roll Call, and if you do FB, find it there also. People will generally find and organize private or small group tours that are cheaper and many times better than the ship excursions. Also note though that ship's tours have priority tendering when getting off the ship. Looks like you have 2 tendering ports.

 

European, especially Mediterranean, itineraries are very port intensive, very few sea days (which you likely noticed when you booked). Many things can be 1-1.5, even 2 hours from the port. Can make for a long day.

 

We'd have to see a list of ports to recommend must-see things. Looks like that's:

• Ravenna (Venice), Italy
• Santorini, Greece (Tendered)
• Athens (Piraeus), Greece
• Mykonos, Greece (Tendered)
• Split, Croatia
• Ravenna (Venice), Italy

 

Also, are you into food? ruins? culture? beach? For me, my motto is: "Cathedrals, Castles, Forts, & Ruins", and Greece and Italy are full of ruins. 🙂 

 

You can also look at Trip Advisor for each port as far as finding out top things to do & see. It can also be a good place to find tour operators.

 

We are actually going to hit 3 of those ports at the end of October.

My current takes on the 3 ports we overlap on (ask me in 5 weeks). Since I'm not sure your interests, I'll just tell you what we have planned for each port.

Santorini - I'd say the #1 tourist thing would be Oia village. It's that overly Instagrammed village of white buildings with blue roofs you think of when you think of Greece. We opted for the ship's tour Akrotiri Ruins and Oia Village. It's a tendering port, and honestly didn't find anything better for what we were interested in.

Mykonos  - Only recently booked something. Old Town is something like an hours drive from the port. As it's tendering and we also couldn't find anything better, just doing the ship's Akrotiri & Chania Old Town

Athens - This is my jam! How can you not put the Acropolis as #1. The Plaka neighborhood (below it?) seems to be another "top" thing. And there is a new(?) Acropolis Museum. I booked a 7.5 hour independent tour 'Athens Introduction with Acropolis and Museum tour' that does all 3, As we booked this a while ago, I don't recall other things that we chose not to do.

 

 

 

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, 5thgirl said:

Does that still exist?

Yes, email rcldinig@rccl.com about two weeks out with that request. 

[5thgirl]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Yes, email rcldinig@rccl.com about two weeks out with that request. 

 

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Yes, email rcldinig@rccl.com about two weeks out with that request. 

@Biker19 thanks so much!

[5thgirl]

@RobInMN thanks for the info.  My itinerary is Dubrovnik, Athens, Santorini, Zadar with 2 sail days in between. I'll definitely check the port forums and other resources.  Appreciate your excursion info, very helpful!

[RobInMN]

2 minutes ago, 5thgirl said:

@RobInMN thanks for the info.  My itinerary is Dubrovnik, Athens, Santorini, Zadar with 2 sail days in between. I'll definitely check the port forums and other resources.  Appreciate your excursion info, very helpful!

Oops!

I thought I copied Greece & Croatia Cruise, but I copied Greek Isles Cruise by accident. So just 2 overlaps.

 

 

[George C]

Join your cruise critic roll call to meet others on your cruise, it’s fun doing private tours with other roll call members. Check out Rick Steves videos for your ports you should be able to find them on YouTube, did most of these ports a couple of decades ago , but did Ravenna and Dubrovnik about 8 years ago . Totally loved Athens and Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik is a very interesting walked city , if you were into the show ‘ Games of Thrones “ they had some tours showing where they filmed this with some extras as your guides, I would have loved trying that . 

[firefly333]

If you want a excursion in athens thru thr cruiseline book asap. The minute they come out. I waited a couple of days and all booked up anyone woukd want to do. Just left a walking tour or a drop off in cith centre. Luckily one single cancellation, one spot opened in a mediocre excursion opened and I grabbed it. We stand on a viewing platform to see the acropolis. If a better one opens I can cancel and grab it, but for athens those are in high demand. 

[TeeRick]

14 hours ago, 5thgirl said:

It has been a while since I cruised RC! I am back at it having just booked my first European Cruise to Greece and Croatia for Aug 2025, porting out of Ravenna on Explorer. I am sure I will have lots of questions and doing my research now on these boards. All my past cruises were to the Caribbean islands. Are there any MUST KNOW items that are different than Caribbean cruises? Any immediate Favorite excursions that come to mind?

 

One thing I remember from years ago was an email address for the dining room management that I found on these boards. I was able to email them and request a private table for 2 instead of being seated with other passengers. Does that still exist?

 

SO EXCITED to start planning!

On this cruise, do enjoy the food off the ship.  It is usually wonderful.  And the gelato!