Ideas in Port on Celebrity Solstice

[funsearcher]

Hi All,

 

We are traveling on the Celebrity Solstice in September and looking for ideas during our ports of call. Last Sept we were several days in Rome so feel like we saw a lot of ruins than. Any recommendations?

 

Cruise Ports:Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, Santorini, Greece, Mykonos, Greece, Istanbul, Turkey, Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey, Athens (Piraeus), Greece, Naples/Capri, Italy, Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Thanks!

[mari10]

Hi Funsearcher,

When in September will you be on the Solstice?

We're on the 07th sailing.

You'll find a lot of information about tours on the roll call board.

We have a very large on going list of tours, activities and transfers.

Just look for the date of your sailing.

Mari

[Susan-M]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.:)

 

The forums for Italy and Greece will have lots of suggestions for you, and for the ports in Turkey, have a look at the Med forum page: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=234

 

You'll find helpful info in the Ports info section (accessed via the orange bar at the top of the page)

On this page, scroll down to Europe and choose the links for Eastern and Western Med, and then for the ports that you'll be visiting. http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/

 

Another website that is very popular for port info is EuropePortReviews...here's the link for Istanbul: http://www.europeportreviews.com/istanbul.htm

(I think you'll find a Europe Port Review for all of the ports that you are visiting).

 

If you are looking for good guidebooks for touring on your own, Rick Steves books are excellent and very popular amongst many here. We used his books for Istanbul, Rome and his general Italy one on our last trip. He also has one on Athens. You might be able to find some of his books at your local library.

[texancruzer]

Altho you said you have spent time in Rome.....you didnt tell us if you have been to any of the other ports before....

 

we did this exact same itinerary on May 4th on Solstice (her inaugural Med sailing) and loved it !

 

Santorini: we took a taxi to Oia and shopped and strolled, then back to Fira for dinner and back to the ship. 2-10 pm is not the ideal port stay for this island imo...... we did not get up early and get tender tickets and therefore were not off the ship until 4 pm !!! Get your tickets early !

 

Mykonos: we just took the shuttle bus into town and walked around, shopped and ate lunch. In retrospect we wish we had taken the ferry to Delos. You can do both.

 

Istanbul - ooooo loved it ! We used the tram exclusively to get back and forth from the ship to the old town area. We did Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern first day. We missed getting into the Topkapi Palace by 15 minutes - altho we were told it was open until 6 pm they were not letting anyone in after 4:30 :eek: We had designated the next morning for the Grand Bazaar so will have to go back to see the Palace :)

 

Kusadasi - did a private 4X4 jeep tour with Ekol. Awesome day ! Details if you like.

 

Athens - took the metro into town. Acropolis and Plaka with lunch and back to the ship.

 

Naples - had done Pompeii and coast last trip so this one we took a taxi to the National Archeological museum. Spent 3 hours there. Then for a wonderful pizza lunch and back to the ship.

 

Let us know which ports you have been to and what your main interests are.... history, art, beach time etc.....

[funsearcher]

Thanks so much for the ideas regarding the ports of call on the Solstice!

Mari10 - We are also going on the Sept 7 sailing!!

texancruzer - I appreciate your detailed feedback on the ports. We would like to see the beach in Greece. We really enjoy seeing the cities and the local folks. A few museums are fine but would rather not spend all day running from museum to museum. And we love to EAT the local foods!

How was the Market in Istanbul?

[mari10]

Thanks so much for the ideas regarding the ports of call on the Solstice!

Mari10 - We are also going on the Sept 7 sailing!!

texancruzer - I appreciate your detailed feedback on the ports. We would like to see the beach in Greece. We really enjoy seeing the cities and the local folks. A few museums are fine but would rather not spend all day running from museum to museum. And we love to EAT the local foods!

How was the Market in Istanbul?

 

HI Funsearcher,

 

Please come over to our roll call and say hello.

This link takes you to page one, but we're now on page 45!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=860736

Hope you'll sign up for the cruise critics party.

https://secure.celebritycruises.com/cruisecritic/home.do?ProspectID=DBFA17F9C3674D4D9E6BEFB4776C65F3&SRC=PGI284242

 

Mari

[texancruzer]

texancruzer - I appreciate your detailed feedback on the ports. We would like to see the beach in Greece. We really enjoy seeing the cities and the local folks. A few museums are fine but would rather not spend all day running from museum to museum. And we love to EAT the local foods!

 

How was the Market in Istanbul?

 

Fun: You and I think alike !!!! While a museum or two is great I am not that "into" them. Usually need a reason to visit one - like the Natl Archeological Museum in Naples. We only went there because that is where all the stuff they took out of Pompeii is and we had gone to Pompeii our previous trip. It was interesting to see how much there is !!!! We too like to get out and experience a place - countryside, people, food, cultures etc.... We loved Turkey for this. Our tour with Ekol in Kusadasi was amazing in this respect. Out of a ship of 3000+ people we had 6 jeeps (14 people) who got to experience the 4X4 trip into the mountains. It ranks up there with cave tubing in Belize or snowmobiling to the top of the Continental Divide. Then to a small village to look around, then lunch and carpet demo, then finally to Ephesus for private tour. Long wonderful day ! We went back to ship and showered and off again.....had dinner at Kings Place right on the main street along the harbor with a view of the ship, sunset and small island offshore. Very nice !

 

We loved Istanbul (perhaps my favorite port) I enjoyed the experience of the Grand Bazaar as it is truly like no place else.....but I felt most prices were high. We did buy some beautiful pashminas as gifts (they had all price ranges) and saw a few other items we would have liked to purchase but just didnt want to hassle with getting them home. Would have had to ship them.

 

There is a wonderful restaurant in Istanbul right near all the sights that we had lunch at. We sat outside and had a view of the park (by the Cistern) and people watched (my favorite pastime) The name is the Bodrum Restaurant and I had the Bodrum special. OMG - it was soooo good. Like a lamb stew in a crock that when brought to the table was still bubbling. It is served with a flat bread that was good too. Dh had local fish and it was good too ! We also had a group of 44 from our ship that went to Sultanas for dinner since we were there overnight. Bellydancers, folk dancers, dinner and drinks for 54 euros. They even sent two small buses to the ship to pick us all up !!! What fun and memories ! They also took us back and made a quick stop at the Blue Mosque (at midnight !) since it was all lit up as we had asked them to do this.

 

I would do a beach day on Mykonos. Unless you want to go to Delos - the town is just for shopping and not much else. We did have a yummy gyro there tho..... sliced right off the spindle ! Beautiful jewelry ;)

[funsearcher]

Texancruzer,

 

Thanks so much for the information. Getting very exicted about the cruise!! I appreciate your insights! The Bodrum Restaurant sounds wonderful! And we would love to see Blue Mosque at night. The more I read about Istanbul the more we just can't wait to see it!!

 

Happy Sailing!