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Souda Port at Chania, Crete???


wantocruisemore
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hey wildbird, we are on the equinox nov 18 also...looks like we will be doing our own thing also...sounds easy...hope the buses are still so reg in nov since we may be the only ship in port...

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SRQMary- we are also taking the Celebrity cruise in September. And it appears we are from the same hometown. So if you want to get together onboard, or to figure out something to do in Chania (we had wanted to go to Knossos but this doesn't look practical), let us know.

 

 

Hello: Swifs and SRQ Mary

 

Two more from Sarasota, will be on the Constellation on September 19th. Is that the ship you will be traveling with?

 

Linda

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DH and I will be visiting Chania in October (Navigator of the Seas). Would love some advise from those that have been there. Were planning a DIY excursion there, hoping to see the Venecian Harbor, Maritime Museum, and Chania town for lunch. Does this sound feasable for a day trip (Ship will be at port for about 8 hours?

Thanks in advance,

Randi

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DH and I will be visiting Chania in October (Navigator of the Seas). Would love some advise from those that have been there. Were planning a DIY excursion there, hoping to see the Venecian Harbor, Maritime Museum, and Chania town for lunch. Does this sound feasable for a day trip (Ship will be at port for about 8 hours?

Thanks in advance,

Randi

 

 

Easy to do that in the port stop. Just take the bus from the port to town and then walk a few blocks to the waterfront old section. If you look back in this thread you will find several reviews.

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Hello: Swifs and SRQ Mary

 

Two more from Sarasota, will be on the Constellation on September 19th. Is that the ship you will be traveling with?

 

Linda

Linda,

We are on the Connie on Sept.19.We are traveling with two more Sarasotans-Barbara and Bob.

Hope to see you at the Connections party.

 

Mary

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  • 3 weeks later...
Anyone actually use the "funtrain" in Chania? We have a LONG day there (11 hours) and I am considering doing one of their trip.
Ditto -- looks like a cute tour to try! Hopefully someone will do it and 'report back' :)
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Ditto -- looks like a cute tour to try! Hopefully someone will do it and 'report back' :)

 

These 2-3 hr. "train" rides all started at the fishing villages west of Chania. Not too feasible for the cruise passengers, right?

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  • 2 weeks later...
I have never been on a _cruise_ to Crete, but I have traveled to Chania 5-6 times for vacations, and I have driven past Souda Bay on several occasions. It is NOT a walking distance to anything but one of the allied cemetery from world world 2 (wich is in self really worth a visit, it is beautifully kept and there is a memorial for all the fallen there).

 

The old town of Chania is really worth a visit, as it is beautifully kept. I have a few favourite places we always visit when we are there. One of them is a cooperative for Cretan artist, where they have thousands of paintings at more than resonable prices (the price is usually €100, or can be "negotiated" to that price). It is situated in a small basement of a stone house in a back alley in the old town. There are also a couple of really nice restaurants, in buldings dating back to the 17th century with a ton of history. One of them (Tamarind) is in a old Turkish Bath house, and really worth a visit.

 

I have marked of a few spots on a map here: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=213660214702894389433.00049f839cf3eb27d624c&ll=35.498133,24.039288&spn=0.077425,0.158443&t=k&z=13

 

Thanks for the information and the map!

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Read the thread and loved the idea of Taormina and Castlemola. However in checking the prices they were very high for our budget. Does anyone know of a way to do it on a budget. It sounded great and I checked with the Astone brothers and a guide on the frommers's tour. both were very high.

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Read the thread and loved the idea of Taormina and Castlemola. However in checking the prices they were very high for our budget. Does anyone know of a way to do it on a budget. It sounded great and I checked with the Astone brothers and a guide on the frommers's tour. both were very high.

 

Mary - Just an FYI Taormina is in Sicily not Greece. Maybe you posted to the wrong thread??

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

The town itself is really beautiful, especially the harbour, and the Cretans are very welcoming. Don't waste your time on a beach, do that at Mykonos or some other island without Crete's charm.

 

Knossos is awe-inspiring if you have time, but do take a hat/umbrella if it's sunny as there's very little shade.

 

We have had several holidays on Crete - wonderful memories.

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A seasonal reminder that the Souda Bay War Cemetery is just a short distance from the cruise terminal. We took a taxi there last month from Constellation and had it wait for us while we looked around, then went on to the centre of Chania. I think the total taxi fare was 12 euros. The Souda Bay cemetery is maintained on behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Like all the others we've been to in Europe, the grounds are beautifully kept and the stones a poignant reminder of lost youth. The setting at the head of Souda Bay is particularly fine.

 

We'd wanted to see the war museum in Chania but it remains temporarily closed (as announced by a brass plaque on the gatepost).

Edited by porsena
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We visited both Souda and Iraklion on my recent cruise (November). I have to admit I was sort of disappointed in Chania after all I'd read here. Perhaps because it was November and we were a small ship, there was no welcome or special bus service laid on for us. However, the close-by bus stop was easy to locate and there were a few taxis available as well. The bus drops you in front of the enclosed market and from there it is an easy walk to the Venetian Harbor. I found it very touristy and not that scenic, although the weather was nice (sunny but windy and a bit cool).

 

We also went to Rethimnon, where the old town was a bit nicer but still nothing to rave about, and the fort there (similar to other forts I've visited and not much to see there).

 

Iraklion I enjoyed much more. We visited Knossos in the morning and walked (about a 10-15 minute walk along the water) to the Old Town in the afternoon. Much nicer IMO than Souda/Chania. If you are weighing itinerary options, my vote would be for Iraklion over Souda/Chania by a mile.

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Iraklion I enjoyed much more. We visited Knossos in the morning and walked (about a 10-15 minute walk along the water) to the Old Town in the afternoon. Much nicer IMO than Souda/Chania. If you are weighing itinerary options, my vote would be for Iraklion over Souda/Chania by a mile.
Thanks for the feedback. How far is Iraklion and how did you get there? Thanks!
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We looked at getting to Iraklion from Chania because I wanted to visit Knossos. It didn't seem a good idea (too far, too much time in transit, wicked road). I think the options are more in the line of picking a cruise that stops in Iraklion as opposed to Chania.

 

I'm not going to disagree with cruismom42 but I wasn't disappointed in Chania, though it was perfect early October weather when we went. The medieval harbour and city walls were memorable but would lose much of their attraction in the rainy season, which typically starts in late October.

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Porsena is right, I was talking about the option of docking in Souda vs. docking in Iraklion. I have no idea of the distance involved in getting to Iraklion overland from Souda port.

 

Also, I realize that I should probably qualify my views by saying that my main interest is in ancient ruins, which isn't what one finds in Chania. I'm not so big on scenery. However, even having said that, I found the scenery in places like Mykonos, Rhodes, Iraklion, Malta, etc to be more interesting than in Chania.

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  • 1 month later...
The town itself is really beautiful, especially the harbour, and the Cretans are very welcoming. Don't waste your time on a beach, do that at Mykonos or some other island without Crete's charm.

 

Knossos is awe-inspiring if you have time, but do take a hat/umbrella if it's sunny as there's very little shade.

 

We have had several holidays on Crete - wonderful memories.

 

I kind of agree with Dalek here but we did in fact opt for a snorkelling cruise which we had prearranged from Chania old town harbour. We were a group of twelve and used the bus service from Souda Bay. A very cheap and easy way to travel especially for a large group. We had a fantastic day on the water and also spent time in the Venetian harbour area walking around and having coffee before our snorkelling trip which started at 1 pm. We found the snorkelling trip through Trip Advisor on a boat called Aphrodite and have to say I would highly recommend it. It was a brilliant relaxing day and we just loved Chania - we are talking of returning there for a holiday.

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We visited Chania, Crete last November while on Azamara Quest. As it was our first time in Crete we wanted to see as much as possible so we hired Lefteris (came highly recommended) and his taxi for 5 hours - to visit this Venetian town and villages around it. It's not cheap; he charged us 40 Euro per hour but it was well worth it ( if you want to add another couple it may ease the pain :))

 

Here are some photos from that lovely, lovely day

 

 

Miriam

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We visited Chania, Crete last November while on Azamara Quest. As it was our first time in Crete we wanted to see as much as possible so we hired Lefteris (came highly recommended) and his taxi for 5 hours - to visit this Venetian town and villages around it. It's not cheap; he charged us 40 Euro per hour but it was well worth it ( if you want to add another couple it may ease the pain :))

 

Here are some photos from that lovely, lovely day

 

 

Miriam

 

Hi Miriam,

 

Thanks for the photos! We will be stopping in Chania in May, and your pics made me even more excited!!

 

Joanna

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  • 4 weeks later...
We looked at getting to Iraklion from Chania because I wanted to visit Knossos. It didn't seem a good idea (too far, too much time in transit, wicked road). I think the options are more in the line of picking a cruise that stops in Iraklion as opposed to Chania.

 

I'm not going to disagree with cruismom42 but I wasn't disappointed in Chania, though it was perfect early October weather when we went. The medieval harbour and city walls were memorable but would lose much of their attraction in the rainy season, which typically starts in late October.

 

I also really want to visit Knossos as I'm an Ancient History major but there are no tours offered by RCI and I did contact Leftus who was previously mentioned but I guess it's too far from Chania, as he stopped answering my enquiries. I am disappointed but it sounds like there is plenty to do in Chania.

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I also really want to visit Knossos as I'm an Ancient History major but there are no tours offered by RCI and I did contact Leftus who was previously mentioned but I guess it's too far from Chania, as he stopped answering my enquiries. I am disappointed but it sounds like there is plenty to do in Chania.

 

Contact Lefty again and ask him to take you to Aptera. We did a tour with him last November and he was truly amazing. He took us to Chania from Souda port, followed by a quick stop at a park with a wonderful view of the coast, then to some villages in the mountains, to Aptera (an ancient Minoan amphitheater) as well as some Roman ruins including some baths and a cistern near Aptera. Then up to the old fort. He also took us to an olive press where we had a private tour and then to a winery where again, we had a private tour. All along the way he had little snacks for us that were out of this world and we also made two stops for quick snacks too..... yum !

 

So even though Knossos is out of the question, I guarantee that Lefty can provide plenty of good stuff for you ........ worth every penny.

 

PS: We were there Nov. 9th and our weather was gloriously nice !!!! No rain.

Edited by texancruzer
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