Celebration 06th sept/20sept 2010

[manutdreds]

Anyone going on this cruise...if so have you booked excursions or will you be making your own arrangements?
How easy is it to get around and is it cheaper diy than booking Thomson tours?

[davecttr]

Your first week will be my second week and at the moment I am only planning 2 two excursions that week, Athens and probably Knossos from AgNik. I might do the Ephesus excursion from Izmir rather than Kusadasi the week before as Izmir is apparently a dump? Mykonos and Nauplion I just intend to go ashore for a nose around. With the two tours only costing about £80 I am not going to bother with a private excursion just to save a few pounds.

It seems that Celebration is doing this itinery the other way round this week as it is en route from AgNik to Nauplion.

[kruzseeka]

Anyone going on this cruise...if so have you booked excursions or will you be making your own arrangements?
How easy is it to get around and is it cheaper diy than booking Thomson tours?

Generally speaking, it is a lot cheaper to adopt a DiY approach and of course you can spend as much time as you want looking around at various things rather than having to stick to a tour schedule - but you really need to do some research and decide what you want to see at each destination.

A Google search of tourist information, info from Thomson's site on the ports of call (which also give you an idea of the excursions from each port and places of interest to visit in the vicinity) and a search on this Forum or the Eastern Med Forum on this site will give you information too. Once you have an idea of what you want to see, then you can decide on the best way to go.

You can't book excursions before you get on board though - there will be a destinations guide in your cabin on arrival. The Destinations Services team usually do a Port Showcase on the first day which is often a sea day but on this itinerary there are no sea days so I'm not sure how they will get round that. They give a run-down of the ports and excursions which can help you decide what you favour doing at each place. You can also go to the desk and ask for advice - they are generally very good at helping independent travellers as well as information on their own excursions. (Ask for a Metro map for Athens from them - very useful if you go on your own via the Metro).

As a rule, we adopt a Diy approach - especially if the destination looks attractive and is worthy of exploration. Sometimes we use public transport to go a little further afield (again, information and timetables can be picked up on-line) but for some ports we find going on the Thomson trips is the best way to go. This is especially true when you are going to places where the 'main attraction' is some distance away and there's not much at the port (it's basically a stopping off point to get to somewhere else e.g. on the Red Sea itinerary berthing in Aqaba for Petra).

I've been researching the ports for your first week and believe that Mykonos, Nauplion, Bodrum are all easy to just walk off the ship (or tender off) and explore with enough of interest without doing an excursion. Izmir is very big, but again, depending on what appeals to you, it seems there would be plenty to see. Marmaris we think is lovely - plenty of cafes, restaurants, shops (and bazaar) and good promenade to walk miles if you wish. Again it's a walk off the ship, round the very attractive/expensive Marina and into town. Icmeler is close by (walkable if you're happy to walk several miles or catch a local bus). Ag Nik is a pretty little place again with a good cafe culture, but it's not big so you may wish to explore further. The island of Spinalonga is fascinating. Thomson's do a trip but there are also local boat firms running half-day excursions from the harbour adjacent to the ship's berth (just be sure they get back in good time for the ship's departure time!). Athens, it's easy to get the Metro into the city (20 minute walk around the port - left as you exit and carry on to the pedestrian bridge which takes you across the road - the Metro station is right there). It costs 1E to get to the base of the Acropolis. Easy to visit the Acropolis/Agora or just wander round the old district (the Plaka) and Monastiraki where you can get off the Metro and there are markets there - local, tourist and flea markets. Plenty of tavernas too to sample local food/drink.

Your second week I can't help you with except that I think the main attractions from Cairo and Ashdod are the Pyramids and Jerusalem respectively. Unless you get a private tour operator here I think you will probably have to take the Thomson excursions if you want to see these sights. Antalya I believe is very pretty and can be done as a DiY.

In essence, I think you could easily do your own thing for the first week of your cruise but the second week could be more of a mix depending on what you want to see.

Hope this helps - and enjoy your trip. :)

[kruzseeka]

Your first week will be my second week and at the moment I am only planning 2 two excursions that week, Athens and probably Knossos from AgNik. I might do the Ephesus excursion from Izmir rather than Kusadasi the week before as Izmir is apparently a dump? Mykonos and Nauplion I just intend to go ashore for a nose around. With the two tours only costing about £80 I am not going to bother with a private excursion just to save a few pounds.

It seems that Celebration is doing this itinery the other way round this week as it is en route from AgNik to Nauplion.

Really? Wonder why - I know the question's been asked before - but do we have any idea? There were a lot of ships due in Mykonos (8,000+ pax) on the day due there so perhaps the reverse initerary improves on that situation?

[davecttr]

Really? Wonder why - I know the question's been asked before - but do we have any idea? There were a lot of ships due in Mykonos (8,000+ pax) on the day due there so perhaps the reverse initerary improves on that situation?
The cruise port site shows a 9671 passenger load for Mykonos on the original itinery and 6910 on the changed one without Clebrations 1200 odd. so it will be about 1500 less which might be worth it.

Another reason could be strike dodging.

ps. is athens really doable via the Metro for 1 euro? How reliable is the metro?

[kruzseeka]

The cruise port site shows a 9671 passenger load for Mykonos on the original itinery and 6910 on the changed one without Clebrations 1200 odd. so it will be about 1500 less which might be worth it.

Another reason could be strike dodging.

ps. is athens really doable via the Metro for 1 euro? How reliable is the metro?

We've done Athens via the Metro twice. First time we had a fairly early departure from Piraeus (4pm?) so we were a bit cautious about doing too much. We knew we had a trip booked for the following year which did Athens too and that didn't leave until 6pm so the first time we did a recce with the idea of getting our bearings and doing the Acropolis and Forum on the second trip.

The first time we got off at Monastiraki walked all round the base of the Acropolis (clockwise) explored the Plaka (lovely tavernas for coffee and baklava! :D ) looked round the markets in Monastiraki, peered over the fence into the Agora, viewed the Partheneon from below and felt we'd had a good day. We were back in Piraeus by 13.30.

We left the ship early and were at the Metro by 08.45 and in Athens just after 9 0/c. It was 1E last year each way (0.5E for my DH who could claim a concession!). The trains run every 5 minutes and I believe the only service on this line is from Piraeus into the city. We found it very reliable and the return from Monastiraki is straight-forward - just go onto the Piraeus platform and all the trains are headed for there. You only wait a few minutes. If I remember correctly, you have to validate your ticket before you get on the train - and as with many cities take great care with pick pockets. They ARE active at Piraeus - we very nearly got done last year.

You can get off the station before Monastiraki (Thissio?) and skirt round the Acropolis in an anti-clockwise direction along a cobbled boulevard (still has the ubitiquitous motor cyclists though!) I think this is the better stop for the Acropolis. The ticket office for the Acropolis and Forum (combined ticket) is on the right of the boulevard and the entrance is up some steps on the left of the walkway.

By getting there early you beat the crowds (it was getting busy with tours by the time we left) and it's not quite as hot. Don't forget water, sunhat and shoes with a good grip here - the marble steps are treacherous.

We found we had loads of time on the second visit - didn't feel at all rushed, did the Acropolis and forum, wandered around the shops, had a drinks break and were back by mid-afternoon.

If there are no strikes in the offing, we'll definitely 'do' Athens on our own - they say using the Metro is a quicker transfer than buses/taxis cos the roads are a nightmare. You just have to be prepared for a decent walk (flat though) out of the port and to the Metro station 20 -30 mins. Taxis are available at the port though so you could get a taxi up the road to the Metro - don't know how much they'd charge though - probably quite a bit!

Enjoy your visit to Athens - we love it although we've never ventured further than the area at the base of the Acropolis which is pedestrianised (hmmm - more or less!) and doesn't feel manic or the centre of a very busy city - a bit of an oasis I think although loads of tourists of course!

Have a great trip! :)

[noseyparker]

when did you sail?

i just got from the ottoman treasures i sailed on the 16th august.


it was a bloody diaster.

generator broke down:mad:
air conditioning didnt work
toilets didnt flush
toilets bubbled up lovely black stuff.
pool on adult deck dirty.
towels omg think they where white in 1983.
the whole ship smells of chip fat and mould and sewage:mad:
2 days at sea:mad::mad::mad:
over night in instabul:mad:
didnt see santaori due to high winds... lol checked the weather forecast no such storm!
didnt see troy as captian pratt isnt allowed in as he hit a tug boat and thomson knew that since beginning of july.


i still waiting for my letter from thomson

[kruzseeka]

The cruise port site shows a 9671 passenger load for Mykonos on the original itinery and 6910 on the changed one without Clebrations 1200 odd. so it will be about 1500 less which might be worth it.



Which site do you use, dave for the passenger info? I've been looking at TT cruise - but the numbers seem quite a bit down on those you've picked up. It's going to be busy in some of the ports!!!!!

[manutdreds]

Thank you very much for your excellent reply....very informative.
I am taking my 10 yr old daughter and she wants to do some beach stuff...do you have any idea which will be the best and easiest to get to out of the ports on our travels.Is there a beach near or in b or Ag NIk for example.
I have vo objection to paying good money to travel on excursions to Pyramids and Jerusalem....but some of Thomsons prices for travel to beaches are very expensive..especially with a family.

Thanks againm for taking time to answer.

[kruzseeka]

Thank you very much for your excellent reply....very informative.
I am taking my 10 yr old daughter and she wants to do some beach stuff...do you have any idea which will be the best and easiest to get to out of the ports on our travels.Is there a beach near or in b or Ag NIk for example.
I have vo objection to paying good money to travel on excursions to Pyramids and Jerusalem....but some of Thomsons prices for travel to beaches are very expensive..especially with a family.

Thanks againm for taking time to answer.

Hi again,

There is a little beach just round the corner from the berth in Ag Nik. Turn left out to the promontary where there is a sculpture and turn right round the corner and there is a bay where we saw some locals on the beach. It's not sandy though (I'm afraid we're spoilt here with lovely sandy beaches so I'm a bit critical of so-called sandy beaches which end up being finely broken shells, pebbles or gritty!) and I'm not sure if the bathing is safe - it's certainly not a Caribbean style beach - or with any facilites really.

Marmaris has a stretch of narrow beach - easy walking from the ship. There are sun umbrellas and sun loungers - presumably for hire. The beach here is a bit gritty (fine though) and compacted - but popular. I believe the beach at Icmeler is better - an bit more sandy although I haven't been there - yet.

Nauplion (from what I read - only research for these ports) has a beach at the other side of the peninsular form the town.

Sorry I can't give you any more details but hope you have a great time and that your daughter finds some beaches to enjoy. :)


P.S. I've just had a look on Google Earth at the beach at Ag Nik. Find the berth at Ag nik, come south and pick up the pictures of the Mariner's Monument on the point there. You can see the little bay if you follow the road round from there. I've looked at some pictures - there are some sun umbrellas and people going in for a swim. It looks better than I remember with a shower etc (we were there very early season so perhaps they weren't as geared up then). True, the beach isn't sandy but it may be worth considering :)

[manutdreds]

Thanks , once again ,for informative reply.

[davecttr]

Which site do you use, dave for the passenger info? I've been looking at TT cruise - but the numbers seem quite a bit down on those you've picked up. It's going to be busy in some of the ports!!!!!
cruisett dot com slash ports

[kruzseeka]

Thanks.

It looks like they are going in reverse order again this week - but if so, shouldn't they be in Athens today? She's in Mykonos - to go to Athens tomorrow will mean travelling further away from Izmir which would be the one after. Wierd! It may not matter much (unless you have arrangements in port on a particular day) but it could impact on time in port too.