Please help me find a cruise line

[sugarcat]

We are hoping to do a greek islands cruise next summer. 2 adult couples. We are looking for a cruise line with good food and good service but reasonably priced. We have cruised twice before. Once with Suncruises (which is no longer) which suited us well. It was an older boat and not super fancy but the food was amazing and the service wonderful. We did a repositioning cruise so got a fantastic deal. Our second cruise was with Ocean Village. The boat looked nice but the food was all buffet and a bit boring.

 

So, any ideas? We have never cruised with a company based in North America so welcome any and all suggestions that fit this criteria. I hear that alot of the north american ships are too big to visit many of the islands but I am having trouble finding European cruise companies (other than easy cruise which is too cheap looking).

 

Thanks!

[Fafos]

We are hoping to do a greek islands cruise next summer. 2 adult couples. We are looking for a cruise line with good food and good service but reasonably priced. We have cruised twice before. Once with Suncruises (which is no longer) which suited us well. It was an older boat and not super fancy but the food was amazing and the service wonderful. We did a repositioning cruise so got a fantastic deal. Our second cruise was with Ocean Village. The boat looked nice but the food was all buffet and a bit boring.

 

So, any ideas? We have never cruised with a company based in North America so welcome any and all suggestions that fit this criteria. I hear that alot of the north american ships are too big to visit many of the islands but I am having trouble finding European cruise companies (other than easy cruise which is too cheap looking).

 

Thanks!

 

Easy cruise ship is not the best.. I don't know about food because until last year the food was optional and you pay the lunch or dinner in ship so I eat in port's restaurants...

 

I like the Cristal ship by Louis cruises (Greek company)... nice ship, good food and nice ports:

 

7 days:

Piraeus(Athens)

Istanbul (full day)

Mykonos

Patmos

Kusadasi

Rhodes

Ag. Nikolaos(Crete)

Santorini

Piraeus(Athens)

 

read some reviews: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=517

[Dicrepe2]

Hello from USA, Florida. My husband and I have cruised tremendously both USA and International. The cruise ships that are being built in the USA are so big now that you lose yourself. We do not like to cruise them anymore. If you are gun ho on cruising I would try the River Boat cruises. We have done one and we loved it. They are very small about 200 people. They cruise the river's throughout Europe and the Med. Everything is included like all your tours and excursion and wine at dinner. If you would like a different alternative my husband and I were booked on a cruise in 2 weeks to Turkey and the Greek Island. We decided to canceled the cruise and we are doing a 3 week tour on our own with a car/driver-tour guide. We are spending two weeks in Turkey and 4 days in Rhodes and 2 days in Athens. We thought this way we would see a hell of alot more and we would be able to spend more time at places we really wanted to see. The cost without airfare is the same as a 2 week cruise (without airfare) except without food and nightly entertainment. If you have two couples the cost would be less because you split everything in half. We felt that if we are going to spend all this money I would like to see more and spend more time in places that we would not see on a cruise. Plus we are not herded around like a pack of cattle on excursion, etc If you are interested in chatting with me here is my email address and I would be more then happy to answer any of your questions. I am not a travel agent just someone who loves to travel and loves to plan our trips. Dicrepe2@aol.com

[mydreamvacation]

We just got off the Noordam a few weeks ago and did that route, we loved the ship so much we booked again for next summer this time to do Malta and Tunsia. Beautiful ship not huge like the megaliners, friendly staff good food- can't go wrong with her!

[ILoveScotland]

I have been on Louis Cruise Lines' Cristal as well. While it is an older and smaller ship I found it quite comfortable and enjoyed the food. There was a small shop, several bars, a small spa and hair salon, and I believe a small gym. I was on a charter (entire ship was chartered), and we didn't have the regular entertainment, and the casino was closed, so I don't know how that would be.

 

But for Greek Islands only the Cristal would be a good choice.

[MercedMike]

This board is not the best place for broad general questions such as this. Absolutely the best advice I can give you for a question such as this is to find a good local Travel Agent who is a CLIA Accredited Cruise Counselor (look for the agent's diploma on the wall, not just an agency sticker). Ask your friends and co-workers for a recommendation. The service is entirely free to you. ACC's are trained to find the very best cruise for you, after learning your personal situation and preferences, and work hard to get you the very best rate.

 

This board is wonderful for sharing personal experiences, but that is just what it is ... one person's experience on one cruise. A trained CLIA Agent has a huge variety of experience and information on many cruise lines and is trained to find out what YOU want and then make several recommendations based on YOUR personal expectations and needs.

 

Once you have the professional advice you can then perhaps narrow your choices by asking specific questions on this board. This is a very good place to get direct answers to narrow questions.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[Morgans]

I believe Costa do a selection of Greek Island cruises. Might be worth a Google!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I disagree that this is an inappropriate place to discuss this. The OP is soliciting suggestions on Greek island cruises, what better place to ask?

 

I don't have an answer for you, wish I did. I've read that there are some great local Greek lines plying the islands, but haven't looked into them myself--all my suggestions would be luxury cruises, which is not what you want.