Need advise on which itinerary!

[kjames]

Booking today but trying to decide between itinerary. Differece between the two choices is a 11 day 3 sea days and two days in Turkey . Second chocie is 10 day, 2 sea days but pretty much the same ports except not going to Turkey but added Sicily.

Same ship and same price!

 

First time to Europe so not sure what to do. Thanks for your help!

[GSPLover]

Booking today but trying to decide between itinerary. Differece between the two choices is a 11 day 3 sea days and two days in Turkey . Second chocie is 10 day, 2 sea days but pretty much the same ports except not going to Turkey but added Sicily.

Same ship and same price!

 

First time to Europe so not sure what to do. Thanks for your help!

 

What port(s) in Turkey?

[kjames]

Istanbul

[vakamalua]

Do NOT miss Istanbul!

[Roadtripster]

Do NOT miss Istanbul!

 

EXACTLY!

 

Only you can decide what you would be interested in. Me personally, I would give up Sicily for Istanbul anyday. But, my Italian friend, would be Sicily. LOL

 

I think I would be able to visit Sicily before I would be able to get back to Istanbul. I take vacation destinations as that is the only time I will get there. I want to see the world as much as I can, so I try not to go back to the same places. Once I have conquered the world, then I will revisit places. LOL

[eh2zed]

Its not only seeing Istanbul but also going through the Dardenelles. Sicily is on a lot of itineraries both east and west Med.

[GSPLover]

Istanbul

 

Then take the cruise that goes there and give up Sicily!

[Bruin Steve]

Booking today but trying to decide between itinerary. Differece between the two choices is a 11 day 3 sea days and two days in Turkey . Second chocie is 10 day, 2 sea days but pretty much the same ports except not going to Turkey but added Sicily.

Same ship and same price!

 

First time to Europe so not sure what to do. Thanks for your help!

 

General answer, Turkey over Sicily any time...

 

But, could you tell us what the ship and itineraries are? We may have some other advice for you depending on other ports, hours in port, etc.

 

But, yes, Istanbul (and Kusadasi, if it stops there as well) are tremendous ports...Istanbul is fascinating and unique...Sicily, meanwhile,is "okay"...

[chipmaster]

Istanbul

 

Istanbul is not to be missed: http://www.europeportreviews.com/Istanbul.htm

 

It is a port that DIY is possible and with sights and history like Topkapi, St. Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and the Spice Market a very worthy stop!

[mickeysgal]

I'm guessing that this is the Celebrity Equinox?

 

Hands down my choice would be the Istanbul itinerary.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I would have said that going through the Bosporus is a highlight of Istanbul, as a port, not the Dardanelles, since it's larger and there's not as much to see.

[Susan-M]

Same ship and same price!

 

 

If it's the same price for 11 days as 10, and you get to spend 2 days in Istanbul on the 11 day cruise ... take the 11 day one!:)

[kjames]

Boy, when you ask for great advice you sure get it on these boards!! Thank you so much!!

 

Bruin, you asked for the itinerarie:

Celebrity, Solstice on 10/30/09 10 days out of Rome with stopes in Sicily, Athens, Mykonos, Ephesus, Rhodes, Santorini, & Naples (2 sea days)

 

Celebrity, Sostice on 11/9/09 11 day . Rome, Santorini, Mykonos, Istanbul(2 days), Ephesus, Athens, Naples. (3 sea days)

 

 

Thanks again for your helpful advise!

[Susan-M]

Still feel that the 11 day one is a better choice ... but based on our experience of doing Med cruises in Sept. and October, I would want to bump the date up at bit to mid-October ... for the potentially better weather, and longer daylight hours (with the time change at the end of October, sunsets will be quite early in some places by November.)

[Bruin Steve]

Boy, when you ask for great advice you sure get it on these boards!! Thank you so much!!

 

Bruin, you asked for the itinerarie:

Celebrity, Solstice on 10/30/09 10 days out of Rome with stopes in Sicily, Athens, Mykonos, Ephesus, Rhodes, Santorini, & Naples (2 sea days)

 

Celebrity, Sostice on 11/9/09 11 day . Rome, Santorini, Mykonos, Istanbul(2 days), Ephesus, Athens, Naples. (3 sea days)

 

 

Thanks again for your helpful advise!

 

Okay...First, great choice of cruise lines and ships...

 

I have been to all these ports, some multiple times...and it's a great itinerary either way...

But, what you really have here is Sicily and Rhodes versus an overnight in Istanbul...

 

I love Rhodes--a neat little island and very picturesque...Sicily, as I've said, is "okay"--unless, maybe, you are a geologist/volcano afficianado...

 

I would, in an instant, trade both for a two day stop in Istanbul plus an extra at sea day...No question...

 

Istanbul is just one of those unique, fascinating cities with SO MUCH to tour and experience...A stop you will forever remember...First, let me note that the "overnight" may be a great opportunity to spend the evening at the Orient House...the food is okay but the show is fun and excellent...hoping though that it's not taken over that night by passengers from your cruise...typical audience has people from all over the world--and the show is geared to everyone...the emcee greets every country in their native language and thesinger sings at least one song from everyon'es homeland--in addition to belly dancers, folk dancers, whirling dervishes and more...The city itself has incredible bazaars...and great mosques and palaces...and it is culturally different than every other city in Europe--really east meets west...It once served as the capital of the Eastern half of the Roman Empire, then it became the seat of the Ottoman Empire...churches became mosques, the architecture is very middle eastern...The people are very friendly...the atmosphere is very pro-West...these are not the fundamentalist Islamic folks you find in the Arab world...These folks are largely open to Western ideas and culture and very accepting in their ways...

 

Definitely take the 11 nighter...

[kjames]

Thanks! Sounds wonderful! I will book it today!!! You are all so thoughtful to take time out of you day to help!!