Galaxy/E. Med 7/2/07 cruise and port reviews

[plane2port]

Can't sleep. Its 4 am and I'm still jetlagged. I thought this would be a good time to start my review. I have received so much information and support from you all, and I would like to give something back to these boards. Hope this info will be helpful to those planning an Eastern Med cruise. Let me just say at the beginning that you have a fabulous cruise ahead of you.

 

I started planning about 6 months ago for this cruise. We had found what we thought was a pretty good deal on cruise plus airfare from one of the agencies that advertises heavily on the CC website. I was a little apprehensive about using cruise air, after all the negative posts that I had read on these boards, but as you will see, it all turned out well.

 

I started my research on the "Celebrity" and "Eastern and Western Mediterrean" threads on these boards. I made a document for each of the ports of call and cut and pasted info from the boards and from other Internet sites onto these documents. I then had a small packet for each of the ports. I went to a university library and photocopied info from the green Michelin guides for historical info, and copied maps from these and other guide books. So I started out with 7 little packets of info that I put in a drawer in our stateroom and I just pulled out the appropriate one to review each evening before our next stop. This system worked really well.

 

As it turned out, we had a nonstop on Delta from Atlanta to Rome that left in the evening and that put us in Rome about 11 am. Fairly pleasant flight-- the usual rubber chicken meal--but got some sleep thanks to the earplugs and eyemask they provided. We retrieved our bags and were met by a Celebrity rep who lead us to the bus. We only had to wait 15 minutes for the bus to depart, and then were whisked away to Civitavecchia, which is 35 miles (but at least an hour) away from Rome.

We were on board by 1 pm. We put our suitcases in our stateroom, visited the buffet, and then returned to our room for a nap, where we slept until it was almost time for dinner.

 

We went up to the dining room to try and change our dining time from early to late seating. It was practically a mob scene there of about 20 other people trying to do the same thing. Voices were raised by both passengers and the maitre d' as he tried to explain that late seating was completely booked and basically there was no way in hell (my paraphrasing) that anyone was going to get changed to late seating. We left immediately to change for dinner. The food in the dining room was fabulous every night that we were there. Blessedly there were no singing/dancing waiters. We sat at a table for 4 with another couple who we really liked and will keep in touch with.

 

Next episode--first sea day and my comparison of Celebrity with RC and Carnival.

[tom_uk]

...as he tried to explain that late seating was completely booked....

 

On the previous cruise we learned that there were 800 diners for early sitting, and 1200 diners for late sitting, so it's not a rigidly-applied equal split. We felt that service (and sometimes food quality) suffered occasionally in late sitting as a result. Certainly the restaurant was very full for late sitting, and the waiters were very, very busy.

[plane2port]

Tom, Are you the one that posted the extensive review a couple of weeks ago? I read it before I left and it was very helpful.

 

We slept fitfully until about 5 in the morning and then slept like rocks until about 9. Got up and had our coffee aft outside the Oasis area. This area turned out to be our meeting and hang-out area. I guess that it is a cruising tradition to make the coffee almost undrinkable. At least that has been my experience. If your doctor is asking you to give up coffee for health reasons I suggest you go on a cruise. If this won't do it nothing will. Insult to injury--no half and half, just non-dairy coffee creamer, although you can go get milk from the buffet.

 

When the captain's noon announcement came on I realized that it was the first one I had heard that day. They only come on to annouce something really important. I really appreciate that.

 

We heard two great lectures that day. The first was from an oceanographer on ocean waves (well attended). The second was from on operatic tenor on great moments in opera (only about 10 people showed up--I was really shocked). I was pleased that these types of venues were offered--don't recall anything like it on RC or Carnival. We had a relaxing day touring the ship, relaxing on deck, and snacking. Another great dinner in the dining room, and then to the theatre for the first production show. It was a pretty typical show featuring songs from musical theatre, but was competently and enthusiastically performed.

 

We then went up on deck to see what was going on, which was nothing. They cover the hot tubs and pools about 10 pm, so there are only a few people strolling around like us, heading forward or aft for viewing, or going from the buffet area to the Stratosphere lounge. About a fourth of the windows in this lounge are fogged, and the bad windows seem to be concentrated along the front, which is the worst possible place for them to be. The view from this lounge is the best protected area of the ship for viewing, and would be a great place to be arriving/leaving port on windy days, but the view is too obstructed.

 

We had our coffee/tea aft, and went to bed early. We don't go to the nightclubs, so can't report on that. We discovered that our room was directly under the piano bar, so didn't get to sleep until after midnite. We had an inside room, and I had brought a nitelite, which didn't work for some reason. The room already had a subtle green night light, and this combined with the light that leaks under the door keeps the room sufficiently lit.

 

This was our first Celebrity cruise, and I had been looking forward to seeing how it was different from our previous cruises. Really the main difference was in the passengers. There were quite a few Europeans and South Americans on this cruise. There were more readers and more smokers that on my previous cruises. In general, people were (how can I say this tactfully) "slimmer" that on previous cruises. There were about 700 children on board, but they were well behaved. No running in the halls, taking over the hot tubs, or leaving food trays in the halls. What a blessing!

 

People dressed up a little more--quite a few men wore tuxedos and suits on formal nights. Very few women wore formal ball gowns. Many wore very skimpy but fashionable, what I would call cocktail dresses. Our dinner partners did not dress up on formal nights. He wore a black polo shirt, but it did not bother me or look too out of place. You can get away with alot if you do it in black! Absolutely no shorts or T-shirts, though, like you see on Carnival or RC.

 

The staff is extemely polite. They are always there to serve you, but have a certain aloofness that I liked. Stewart, the cruise director, was at our Connections get together, and always said hello if I saw him during the cruise. The staff was there to serve you, not entertain you. On the last formal night, the wait staff sang a brief song, and we obliged with the obligatory napkin twirling, but this was acceptable as it was only once in the cruise. A stringed quartet plays unobtrusively in the background during dinner--very pleasant.

 

There were the usual art auctions and bingo. We didn't go to the auctions, but bingo was well attended. We know because bingo followed the opera lectures. I can't blame Celebrity for offering people what they seem to want and are willing to pay for. There was only one "Newlywed and not so Newlywed" game. It was like they were giving it a trial run. Perhaps Celebrity is trying to see which way it will go in the future. My impression is that they are going from a somewhat upscale line into a more conventional mass market line.

 

I forgot to mention something about our arrival in Rome. There are, of course, exchange windows at the airport where you can change your dollars. I know that everyone says to use your ATM card to get the best rates, but we don't use one here, and the one we ordered didn't arrive before our departure. We changed out 60 dollars into euros. As you probably already know, the dollar is practically toilet paper compared to the euro. One euro is 1.40 dollars. We should have changed ten dollars or so into Turkish lira--more about this later. You can euros on the ship, but no lira.

 

Next installment--Mykonos and Delos

[Cruisenouvelle]

Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts. Husband and I are leaning towards this cruise in 2009, so I'm interested in your review. Keep up the good work, thanks again.

[plane2port]

We arrived at Mykonos at about 2 pm. Our main objective here was to see the ruins on the nearby island of Delos, which is a World Heritage site. The site closes at 3 pm, but Celebrity has some kind of concession with the park that allows them to bring in their excursions after hours. We don't usually do the ships' excursions, but here you really have to if you want to see the island.

 

Immediately after disembarking in Mykonos, we were put on a ferry to Delos, which is about a 20 minute ride away. We docked at the entrance to the ruins and met up with our guide Amaryllis, who was very knowledgable and had a dry sense of humor. It was about 95 degrees and brilliantly sunny. I was the only one there with a big black umbrella. Celebrity provides umbrellas in the staterooms, and many people remarked that they wish they had brought theirs. There was one elderly lady from our group that could not complete the tour due to the heat. About one half hour into the tour I heard someone yell, "is there a doctor available?" as someone from another group had swooned from the heat. As we left that area we saw her sitting in the shade of a wall, and she assured everyone that she was OK.

 

The tour was fascinating, and we concluded it with a visit to the House of the Phalli. If you don't know what this is look it up in Wikipidia. They are huge, but the top half of each has been knocked off ("half-cocked?")

 

The ferry did not take us back to the ship but dropped us off right in the main town of Mykonos. You can walk a short distance around the harbor to the shuttle bus to return to the ship any time you want. We decided to investigate the town before we returned to the ship. The town is a labyrinth of cobblestone streets with many shops. The buildings are small and fit together like puzzle pieces with cute passageways and steep stairs. Potted plants and cats adorn tiny balconies and patios. As the sun got lower in the sky, the residents brought chairs outside and enjoyed the evening. Bruce bought an Australian bush hat for 10 euro (bargained down from 15), we wandered up and down, and then about 8 pn returned to the ship.

 

I took the shuttle and Bruce insisted on walking back along the narrow road. He had to climb up on the seawall to avoid traffic. He said that it was very impressive as the drop to the ocean was about 40 feet in places.

 

We had missed our early dinner seating, but that was OK because they had a Greek buffet set up by the pool, and Greek musicians and dancers were performing. Guests were having a ball joining in with the dancers. There was a barbeque set up cooking several types of meat, including a whole lamb on a spit. Selections included calamari (squid) salad, stuffed grape leaves, gyros, and baklava. It was delicious. As the sun went down, so did the temperature, and the night was beautiful. We were out on deck as the ship pulled away from Mykonos,at about 11 pm, thinking that the Delos tour should be from 6 to 8 pm.

 

Next-- the gods laugh at us in Rhodes.

[plane2port]

We had arranged a rental car in Rhodes. Rhodes is a very large island, and there were many sites that we wanted to see, so we decided to rent a car. We searched on the internet and picked a small car for 39 euro/day from Eurocosmos (big mistake as you will see).

 

Via email communications, Eurocosmos said that they would have someone meet us at the port with a sign with my name on it. When we arrived at 9 am, there was no one there. We hung around for about a half hour waiting for someone to show up, and no one did. We then walked toward Rhodes town and stopped at a Eurocars office. They tried to telephone the Eurocosmos office several times but the line was busy. We went back to the port and looked again for someone. Back to the Eurocar office. The man there finally had succeeded in contacting Eurocosmos. They had left the car at the port with the rental agreement and keys under the mat at the port. They said look for a blue car with Eurocosmos written on the side. OK. I guess we were supposed to use ESP to find the car. I don't know what we would would have done if this other company hadn't helped up out. They had nothing to gain except some good PR.

 

We walked back to the port and by this time all the excursion buses had left and we could easily see the car. It had been parked BEHIND the excursion buses. There was no way we could have found it when we stepped off the ship. So, please be prepared for a big disappointment if you rent a car from EUROCOSMOS.

 

This whole episode took about an hour, and we did the best we could to head south out of town. Traffic was horrendous and by this time our nerves were shot and we were snapping at each other. Fortunately signage was pretty good and we succeeded in making our way to the east side of the island towards Kalithea. This is the site of an old hot springs that was used in antiquity. There was supposed to be some interesting snorkeling and scuba diving here at the sea caves, and we had brought our mask and fins. We entered the park but couldn't find the caves. Oh, well, we snorkeled in the Kalithea bay. Not much of interest but at least we were swimming in the Aegean. Interesting to us is that the Aegean is much cooler that the Caribbean. Almost bracing.

 

Next on our agenda was the Valley of the Butterflies. Thousands of butterflies gather in this valley and cover the trees and rocks. We drove across the island, passed over a mountain range (with a wonderful view) and visited the butterfly valley (Petaloudes in Greek). It is a very pleasant walk up a narrow valley alongside a pretty creek. Yes, there are thousands of butterflies. Michelin gives it one star, which is probably fair. Anyway, it was a nice interlude in a frustrating day.

 

By this time it was about 3 pm. We dropped the car back off at the port (key under the mat) and headed back on foot to see the fortified city of Rhodes town. We spent about an hour there oohing and ahhing at the city walls, observing where the Colossus of Rhodes once stood, and then headed back to the ship.

 

In retrospect, since this was our first visit to Rhodes, we should have dispensed with the car and just walked around Rhodes town. It is interesting, compact, and seems like there is enough to keep you occupied all day. Rhodes island itself is too large to tour in one day. Perhaps a car rental would be a good idea for a second visit if you were already familiar with the sites in town.

 

Next: Santorini by public bus

[MartiniWabbit]

i discovered your posts today and am enjoying them. We will be on RCCL Greek Isle, then Princess Med/Transatlantic end of Sept. Some of your ports are on our cruises. Waiting for Santorini, that's one and I don't do cable cars so was wondering what I would do if I ended up at Fira. There is a group of 10-14 of us going. Have sent your link to all so they can read up. Will keep checking back for installments.

[plane2port]

We arrived in Santorini about 8 am. Try to be out on deck as you arrive because the views are jaw-dropping gorgeous. You actually are at anchor in the middle of a volcanic caldera. The explosion that formed this crater is believed to be the cause of the demise of the Minoan civilization. As you are at anchor you are looking a cliff with the town of Fira at the top. Our plan for the day: Find the bus station, take the bus to Oia, then return to Fira in the early afternoon and look around.

 

We had to wait about 15 minutes in the theatre for our tender, and then had to wait another 15 minutes on the tender before it left. Annoying.

 

I had decided to take the cable car up, and Bruce as usual insisted on walking up. There was no line going up that time of day, and I was up at the top at less than a minute. I waited about 15 minutes for Bruce and then we leisuring began looking for the bus station.

 

If you stay on topmost street ( the one with the highest altitude) and walk south, or right as you get off the cable car (or donkey trail) and look to your left as you are walking, you will see a very busy street with a lot of traffic. Head toward this street and start asking for the bus station. Its not more than a 10 minute walk from your starting point. Check each bus to see if it goes to Oia (pronounced eeyah). I just stuck my head inside the door and said "Oia?' and they would say no and point to the right one. We got on the bus, and a few minutes after we pulled away a guy came around and collected fares. I think it was about $1.20 euro.

 

A pleasant ride takes you out to the north end of the island to Oia, which is famous for its traditionally- built houses and blue roofs. You've seen the pictures. By the time we had been there 10 minutes the ship excursions arrived, and we all crowded the streets. It was plenty warm and sunny but there was a nice breeze blowing. We walked to the edge of town where there is something called the "castle" where there are great 360 degree views. You just wander around town looking at the cute houses and shops. We stopped in a little grocery and bought some unusual items that we don't usually see at home, like shrink-wrapped olives, eggplant pate, and the local wine.

 

About 1:30 we went back the bus area and (barely) caught the bus back to Fira. The bus was crammed (think Tokyo subway at rush hour). The driver was frustrated and yelled something out. I don't know Greek but I'm sure he said something like, "why don't these tourists take a taxi?"

It was definitely claustrophobic, but hey, the price was right.

 

When we got back to Fira is was even warmer, and we really wanted to take a swim. Bruce convinced me to walk down the donkey track. I was hesitant because I had heard that the donkeys try to push you off the track as they barrel by, and that the smell of donkey poo was unbearable. But I decided to chance it just for a new adventure. As we started our descent, we passed a donkey train waiting at the top. I went down slowly, because some of the stones are slippery, and it was too hot to move too fast. There wasn't that much poo, and most of it was dry, kind of spread out like hay. I had to stop halfway to rest in the shade for a few minutes. We beat the donkey train coming down, and passed one going up. They were not a problem. The donkeys don't look happy, but they appear healthy and well-cared for.

 

At the bottom we noticed an area where they were doing construction on the pier and decided that this would be our swimming place. We changed behind some rocks and took a refreshing swim. Another family noticed us and decided to swim also. It was wonderful after the heat of the day.

 

There are a couple of cafes on the water near the tender station. We stopped and had a snack of boiled greens, sun-dried tomatoes, greek salad, and beer.

 

A mob scene at the tender to return to the ship. There was a long line, but when the tender pulled up, they just let anyone get on. It was almost to the point of pushing. They really need to be more organized here. At dinner, our tablemates (who had gone on the ship excursion to Oia) that they had to wait in line in the sun for over an hour to get the cable car down. I heartily recommend the walk down if you are physically able.

 

We went down to the promenade deck to gaze at the cliff as we sailed away. The site of Fira perched on the cliff is a dramatic site.

 

Next: Through the Dardanelles to Istanbul

[tom_uk]

A mob scene at the tender to return to the ship. There was a long line, but when the tender pulled up, they just let anyone get on. It was almost to the point of pushing. They really need to be more organized here. At dinner, our tablemates (who had gone on the ship excursion to Oia) that they had to wait in line in the sun for over an hour to get the cable car down. I heartily recommend the walk down if you are physically able.

 

Interesting. On the cruise before (10 day) things were well controlled at the quay; not only was there a well-organised queue, but there were Celebrity officers supervising tender boarding.

 

As regards getting onto the cable car down, on our day Galaxy was the only ship there, so the queue was very short - 5 minutes, at just before 3 o'clock.

[plane2port]

Tom,

 

The tendering is a service that they contract out, and I guess they don't have complete control over it at all times. As regards the cable cars and lines, I wonder if there is a big difference in returning at 3 vs. 4 pm, or if the crowds just naturally vary and are unpredictable.

 

Btw, I enjoyed reading yours reviews before we left. Thanks. I hope you had the trip of a lifetime. We sure did.

[plane2port]

For some reason we left Santorini about an hour late. We had wanted to be out on deck as we passed through the entrance of the Dardanelles, but we passed through about 3 am. When we got out on deck we were already in the Sea of Marmara. You can, however, see both sides of the coast as you sail up towards Istanbul.

 

The sail into Instanbul is impressive. You see the Sultanahmet on your left and the bridges spanning the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. The exotic skyline of the Sultanahmet makes you realize that you are really entering a foreign country. The ship docks across the bridge from the Sultanahmet, which is where all the cool stuff is. We had plans to see Istanbul completely on our own using public transportation.

 

The only problem with this plan is that we didn't have any Turkish lira. People will tell you that everyone takes dollars. Perhaps the taxi drivers do. Most of the sites we visited had prices in Turkish lira, and a few had signs posted that said "payment in Turkish lira only." Perhaps it is really possible to pay in dollars--we didn't ask. Maybe some of you have some input here. In any case, you need to pay for public transport in the local currency.

 

We turned left after walking out of the docking area and saw the tram stop in the middle of the street several hundred yards turning left. We didn't have the fare, so we continued walking toward the bridge. The bridge has two levels--the top for cars, buses, tram and pedestrians, and a lower level with shops and restaurants that is just for pedestrians. We walked the lower level and it was really interesting.

 

When we got to the other side we started looking for a place to change money. We were directed uphill through the Egyptian Spice Market. The aromas were wonderful. We walked through crowded streets with shops and found an exchange office. Bruce had bought a Australian bush hat in Mykonos which attracted alot of attention from the locals. At least 20 guys pointed at him and said "cowboy, bang, bang!" I was amused as people were constantly looking at him and doing double takes. Bruce is dark-haired and dark eyed, and usually can pass for a local in many countries that we visit. I, on the other hand, am extremely fair and blue-eyed--very conspicuously a tourist. But they completely ignored me and were fascinated by him. I loved it!

 

We continually walked up the hill and passed by the Grand Bazaar (Kapali Sarnici). Since we had already walked by many shops we decided to just look in and pass by. You will find that you are being constantly approached to buy things. Everyone assumes you want to buy carpets. Our usual approach when we travel is to ignore the hawkers. But here this seems to insult them. It seems to work better to speak to them and decline politely. By using this approach you can pick up some good tips. We found out about another cistern by talking to a guy who was trying to sell us some pashminas. You will find the Istanbulis to be very friendly and helpful. They seem to enjoy talking to Americans.

 

We first visited the Blue Mosque. Bruce was wearing shorts and had to wear a large scarf around his waist. It was OK-- pretty but not as impressive as the Hagia Sophia--the most impressive thing to me is that the floor is completely covered by individual carpets. You take off your shoes and carry them around in a plastic bag that they provide. We then visited the Cistern. (Yerebatan sarnici) You must see this. Vaulted ceilings held up by fluted columns, capped by Corinthians capitals.

 

Bruce wanted to see the old walls sorrounding the city so we headed south and started walking back toward the bridge. Many men were fishing and cooking fish on the rocks and having picnics. We also saw several people floating down the Bosphorus with the current. I wondered where the women were. We walked back across the bridge to the ship. By the time we got back I had blisters--we probably walked 10 miles that day--all of it enjoyable except for that final walk across the bridge.

 

They had another buffet for us that night on the pool deck--Turkish food of course. There had been entertainment, but since we got back so late we missed it--don't know what they offered.

 

The next day we got up early and walked to the tram stop. You buy tickets from the kiosk--very cheap, about 40 cents US, but paid in lira.

The tram takes you across the bridge and right into the heart of the Sultanahmet. Our first stop was the Hagia Sophia, built in the 6th century. The massive dome, stonework, and Byzantine mosaics kept us in awe for over an hour.

 

We then went over to the Topkaki Palace. We found it to be more like a museum than a palace. We didn't visit the Harem, however, due to time. I sprained my ankle while descending some slippery steps. I could still walk but was ready to leave the Topkaki. We walked (slowly) back toward the tram stop and visited the second cistern. The name which I forgot) means 1001 columns, but it only has about 300. It is also interesting but the columns are plainer that the more famous cistern. You get a free coffee or tea with admission.

 

We caught the tram (direction Kabata), which takes you right back close to the ship. We sailed away in the early afternoon, but didn't pass through the entrance to the Dardanelles until about 10:30 pm, and it was dark, but the memorial to the Australian soldiers at Gallipoli was lit up.

 

Next--Ephesus with a great private guide.

[newretiree]

capnlei - thanks so much for the port reviews - much really good info.

 

Can someone tell me where most folks get Turkish lira before getting to either Istanbul or Kusadasi? I understand that we will also need this currency to enter the Terrace Houses at Ephesus. What is the approach to ensuring we have the lira?

 

Thanks. And again, thanks to capnlei!

[plane2port]

We did research on these boards and settled on Ekol travel for our private tour of Ephesus. We chose their tour number 4, which included the ruins, the terrace houses, St. John's basilica, The House of the Virgin Mary, and the Temple of Artemis. The cost was $75 each for a guide, private van and driver. You can pay in any euros, dollar, lira, cash, travelers checks, or credit card. You can pay ahead of time or upon arrival. We chose to pay upon arrival with dollars.

 

Our guide Kadir was waiting for us with a sign when we stepped off the ship. Our itinerary was built around avoiding crowds. We visited the House of the Virgin Mary first, purportedly her last resting place. It is a very modest stone building. The spring just downhill of the site is a great place to fill your water bottle. Many people used it as holy water as they crossed themselves.

 

We then drove to the Ephesus ruins. Kadir asked us how long we wanted to stay at the ruins. We told him that we thought two hours would be good, as we wanted to see everything, but the weather was really hot. Fortunately I brought my umbrella again that day. The forecast was for 102 degrees. We asked so many questions that we ended up staying more than 3 hours. The terrace houses are amazing, but then again the whole site is amazing.

 

We then visited the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the world. All that is left is a column, but we felt we had to at least visit the site. After some philosophical discussions in the van, Kadir said that since we weren't very religious (this comment amused me) that we might find the archeological museum more interesting that St. John's Basilica.

 

We were prepared to keep touring, but Kadir and our driver were hungry so we stopped at a restaurant. It had a very touristy look and we weren't hungry, so Bruce and I had a beer while they ate. I'm pretty sure that this was a tourist place, because our beers were about $4 each. At least we weren't at a rug factory.

 

The museum in the town of Selcuk (which Kadir calls Ephesus #4) was excellent. You know that they take the best stuff out of the ruins and put them in museums. Lots of huge impressive statues, but our favorite part was the gladiator exhibit. Their skeletons were displayed with explanations of how they died. The exhibit explains how the whole system worked, displayed some of their weapons and armor, and is fascinating.

 

By this time is was late afternoon, and we returned to the ship. I can highly recommend Kadir. He is knowledgable, pleasant, and will customize your trip. He was working as an independent contractor for Ekol. They have a good website and will respond promptly to your requests.

 

One of our tablemates had done the ship's tour of Ephesus, and he said it was good. His wife decided not to go because of the heat and also she was still tired from all the other ports.

 

Next--Acropolis, Plaka, and Ancient Agora on our own.

[High C's]

Fabulous review! I am enjoying reading along, and anticipate your next installment!

[CAT GIRL]

I am thoroughly enjoying your review and am anxiously awaiting

the rest. We are using Ekol in Sept. so I am glad you were happy.

 

Okay, about the umbrella. What color umbrella do you use--light or

dark? Do many people do this? My boyfriend thinks I'll look like a

dork but maybe if he sees other people doing this he'll think it's okay.

I don't really care how I look.

 

Keep up the good work.

[ILoveScotland]

capnlei, DH and I will be on the Galaxy in October on the "exotic" 14 day cruise that goes to all the places you went but also through the Bosporus into the Black Sea to Yalta and Odessa.

 

I am thoroughly enjoying your review and learning a lot about what to do on our own. We're on private tours in Istanbul and Ephesus with others on our Roll Call but on our own otherwise. DH isn't going to attempt Santorini as he would have to be in a wheelchair, and we're advised it's just not feasible. Thankfully he's been.

 

Maybe you said, and I didn't notice. But what category cabin were you in? We have an OV on Deck 8.

 

Anyway, I'm looking forward to more of your review.

[kimmeesook]

I am thoroughly enjoying your review and am anxiously awaiting

the rest. We are using Ekol in Sept. so I am glad you were happy.

 

Okay, about the umbrella. What color umbrella do you use--light or

dark? Do many people do this? My boyfriend thinks I'll look like a

dork but maybe if he sees other people doing this he'll think it's okay.

I don't really care how I look.

 

Keep up the good work.

Funny, CAT GIRL I was wondering the same thing and will probably take one too. :D

 

Thanks so much for the write-up Capnlei. Tho I am going on a different cruise and different route, some of the ports and excursions (Mykonos, Santorini, and your trip to Ephesus) are the same and it's been great to read your review on these ports.

[plane2port]

This is the first time I've used the quote feature so bear with me if it doesn't work. How do ya'll get the blue background behind your quotes?

 

quote=newretiree;10863641]

Can someone tell me where most folks get Turkish lira before getting to either Istanbul or Kusadasi? I understand that we will also need this currency to enter the Terrace Houses at Ephesus. What is the approach to ensuring we have the lira?

 

Don't know the best place to get lira, but you can buy them in the Rome airport upon arrival.

 

 

Okay, about the umbrella. What color umbrella do you use--light or

dark? Do many people do this? My boyfriend thinks I'll look like a

dork but maybe if he sees other people doing this he'll think it's okay.

I don't really care how I look.

 

Bruce thinks the umbrella is dorky too, but it really is a lifesaver. I use a black umbrella. The Celebrity umbrella is blue. The perfect one would be light on top and dark underneath. The only problem is that you really can't use it at crowded sites.

 

.

 

Maybe you said, and I didn't notice. But what category cabin were you in? We have an OV on Deck 8.

 

We had a category 11 cabin, inside on deck 4. It was right under the piano bar--no sleep until after midnight.

[plane2port]

We were up at 6 am so that we could be out on deck when we arrived in Pireus. We wanted to get an early start to outrun the heat. The forecast was for 95 degrees. It was already warm as the sun was coming up.

 

When we were cleared we headed out of the port area and turned left at the main street. We then walked around the big crescent of the harbor until we came to a pedestrian footbridge that crossed over the main street. We took this bridge and it brought us right to the main entrance to the train station. We bought 2 round-trip tickets to Athens and boarded the train.

 

We got off at the Monastiraki station, which lets you off right in the Plaka. We headed uphill toward the Acropolis. You can't miss it--just head uphill and follow the other tourists. When you buy your ticket, which is about 12 Euro, you will notice that it has alot of tear-off pieces. This is a combo ticket that will let you into many of the other surrounding sites. So keep track of it.

 

This was our most crowded site of the cruise. The majesty of the Parthenon was somewhat dimmed by the huge amount of scaffolding covering one half of it. The major disappointment was that the museum was closed because they are moving it. Still, the Acropolis is impressive and you won't be disappointed. You have outstanding views of Athens and can see the Ancient Agora, Hadrians Gate, the Olympic stadium, and the port of Pireus from here.

 

We walked back down through the Ancient Agora (you'll need your ticket again here) and visited the restored stora (covered patio) in which there is an interesting museum (another ticket tear-off). The Temple of Hephaestus is a must-see. It's like a little Parthenon, but the roof is mostly intact. It was getting quite toasty in the Agora by this time (about 1 pm) I hadn't brought my trusty umbrella because I knew that the Acropolis would be too crowded.

 

We walked back through the Plaka and decided to stop for a break and one of the many outdoor cafes. We ordered two large draft beers, and then just began ordering stuff off the menu. We ended up with an eggplant salad that tasted like tuna salad, yogurt with garlic and cucumbers (just like the kind that goes on gyros), and a cheese pastry. They also brought us a complimentary dessert--more yogurt drizzled with honey. Sounds like alot of yogurt, but Greek yogurt must be the best in the world. It is like sour cream. Bruce hates yogurt, but he liked it.

 

It was blazing hot so we decided to head back to the ship. No problems until we got off the train. I got really overheated walking back to the ship from the train station. It was only a 20-30 minute walk, but I really think I was on the verge of heatstroke. Could the beer have been a factor? I remember hearing that the French Foreign Legion gave their troops beer in Africa to help them deal with the heat. It seemed to have the opposite effect on me.

 

We went to our usual meeting place aft behind the Oasis cafe. As we prepared to leave Pireus, I remembered that you could see the port from the Acropolis, so we should be able to see the Acropolis from port. I searched the city, and yes, there it was, on a high point, just to the right of the ugly black office building that blocks your view! As impressive from a distance as from up close. I tried to imagine the view from antiquity, and how awe-inspiring it would be to those arriving by boat in the Golden Age, without the urban sprawl and office buildings.

 

Our dinner partners took the ship's excursion and visited the Acropolis and Plaka, but didn't go to the Agora. I was glad we did it on our own, but then again they didn't get heatstroke.

 

Next--a much-needed sea day

[tom_uk]

Okay, about the umbrella. What color umbrella do you use--light or

dark? Do many people do this?

 

Follow the link to see a picture of a happy cruiser (my wife) using a Celebrity umbrella on an excursion!

 

http://www.*****/travelpage/aspgallery/view_ad.asp?Ad_ID=2892

 

There weren't many other people doing so, but there were a lot envious looks.

[MartiniWabbit]

I, too am really enjoying the reviews even if we are only going to be at a couple of those places.... Dubrovnik, Santorini and Ephasus. We will be there early Oct. I am copying and sending to the rest of our group, there will be 10 of us. We have a private tour lined up for Ephasus with lunch, so hope that goes well.

 

Do you think we would need umbrellas at that time, I am hoping the temps will have cooled off a little, maybe be in 70's. We will be on RCCL Spendor of the Seas.

 

Will watch for next installment......Lynne

[anniecat]

great reviews....you really seem to catch the important stuff!

after your istanbul review...we are thinking of doing an 'on your own' as well, but will be sure to have some Turkish Lira on hand!

and hopefully it will be cool for us...I wilt at 80 (where I live 75 is a warm day, 80 is hot, everyone whines at 85)...taking the X umbrella...great idea...dorky yes maybe...but I'd take one;)

[plane2port]

Tom, where's the picture of YOU with YOUR umbrella?:D

 

Leigh

[rollie]

Wow, what a great review. Make's me want to go out and book a cruise.

 

Rollie

[plane2port]

After 6 ports in 7 days, we were all ready for a relaxing day at sea. For once I had time to enjoy some of the ship's amenities. We slept in until about 8 or 9 and then went up to our usual place (aft behind the Oasis Cafe). Here is the dichotomy: you are sitting on the deck of an upscale cruise ship, sailing past Greek islands. The breeze is blowing gently, the sky is blue, and you are with someone you love, and...you are drinking a cup of the world's worst coffee.

 

To prepare for our day in Naples, we went to the half-hour Italian lesson given by one of the crew. We received a sheet front and back with basic Italian phrases and practiced saying them. For my next trip, I am going to make (copy) something similar for each language that we may need. Its fun to fracture another language, and it's a good laugh for the locals. I asked the instructor if you spoke Spanish to the Italians could they understand you. Everyone guffawed and before you tell me that I am an idiot, did you know that the Portuguese speakers can understand you when you speak Spanish, but you can't understand them? She said no, but occasionally we relapsed into Spanish in Naples and were actually able to communicate.

 

After lunch we attended a lecture by Bob Arno, who is a master pickpocket. He had given a show the night before and stripped a bunch of guys of their watches, credit cards, and neckties. This day he gave a lecture on how to avoid pickpockets at port stops and talked a little about avoiding identity theft.

 

We then went to another lecture by the oceanographer on sea-faring lore. This was alot of fun. Here you learn the origin of sayings like "between the devil and the deep-blue sea."

 

Our last lecture was by the opera expert on great voices in Opera. The speaker was so emotional and enthusiastic about the subject that you couldn't help but be moved. He sang a little, played some recordings, showed some film clips, and told some anecdotes.

 

We appreciated having these lectures. I don't remember anything like this on Royal or Carnival.

 

Back to the Oasis cafe for some tea. This is a great place to hang out. If it's nice you can go out on deck. If it's too windy or sunny you can move inside by the pool and still have the views.

 

We also visited the library. I wanted to have another look at some reference books that are there, specifically a Naples map. They have alot of novels to check out, two large atlases (INDISPENSIBLE on a cruise), and a good selection of guidebooks for the ports that Galaxy visits. These are for reference, not to check out.

 

We made sure that we were out on deck as we passed by Stromboli. This is the mountain where the party (remember Pat Boone?) in Journey to the Center of the Earth came back to the surface. One thing you will notice is that in the Aegean you are never completely out of sight of land. Stromboli sort of marks the end of where you are constantly seeing islands.

 

We went down to dinner just as the ship was approaching the Straits of Messina. We rudely jumped up from our table every 20 minutes so that we could see the ship pass through the narrowest part. We had just finished dinner when we passed through.

 

Now enough about views and ports. Let's discuss something really important like.....FOOD. We always ate breakfast and lunch at the buffet. The food is always the same for breakfast. Sometimes they have a themed lunch, like Greek or Italian. There is an omelette station at the buffet. The cafe at the Oasis cafe makes pancakes and Belgian waffles to order during breakfast. During lunch and dinner they make pizzas, pasta dishes, and salads. From about 5 to about 8:30 (I really can't remember when they shut down--it may be as late as 10), there is a sushi bar. Hamburgers and hot dogs are served out by the main pool during the day. The hamburgers and french fries are really good. I only had this once since there are so many other choices. One night we tried the informal dining at the buffet area. To do they ask that you reserve by 5:30 for that night, but if they have room you can eat there. It has a menu that rotates every 3 days. The food was good but service was slow. We arrived at 7:30 and in order to make the show that night at 9 we had to skip dessert and coffee. We were told that this is a training area for waitstaff, and the cooks have to make all meals to order so it takes longer. We don't like to spend hours at dinner (unless we're drinking alot of wine) so we decided to stay with the main dining room. We thought the food was good in the dining room. Better than Carnival and definitely alot better than Royal Caribbean. We were thankful that the wait staff did not put on a performance every night. They did do a Baked Alaska parade this last formal night but we missed it because we were looking at the Messina Straits.

 

The show that night was a great performance by the Celebrity Singers and Dancers.

 

Next--Naples, Pompeii, and Herculaneum by train on our own.