Black Sea Explorer / Undiscovered Aegean review.

I am rubbish at writing reviews, but just to let you know we had a fantastic cruise on Spirit doing Black Sea Explorer and Undiscovered Aegean. The flight over to Dalaman went well, and the transfer to Marmaris was not too bad, although the airport assistance there only got Ray as far as the case collection, and he was left, and when we got out cases there was no wheelchair for him and we had to make our own way to the coaches. We loved our cabin. We had an inside L shaped bed arrangement on deck 2 and there was plenty of room. We were well looked after there, and the only fault was towel quality. We had towels with holes in them. One bath towel ripped across 6 inches when I caught my finger in a hole while getting dried, and that is not really good enough.

We were not on a drinks package, and bought what we wanted when we wanted and were happy with that. Food was fine too. Breakfast in Lido sometimes could have been warmer, but lunch there and the evening meals in the Compass Rose were fine. We ended up having a kept table for 2. We said we wouldn’t after our last cruise as we miss out on things going on, but when the waiters asked we found it hard to refuse them. We did have fun with them over the fortnight though.

We didn’t go to all the shows this time, and spent some evenings in Raffles bar. The showteam were ok, but a lot of the shows we had seen before so we took the opportunity to try evenings in a bar instead. There were good entertainers in both Raffles and Horizons bar. Round the pool was often noisy with the entertainment and sunbeds were being kept. Decided to use the chairs at the tables instead as we always managed to get one of them ok, so even if swimming I could sunbathe there and I could be with Ray as he cannot get down on sunbeds anyway. We tended to go off ship in the mornings and get back for a late lunch and spend some time on the Lido deck till time to get ready for the evening. We really had the weather for it, but some days it was good to go and sit inside to find a cool quiet spot. Quizzes and game shows not our thing, but there was a good variety of entertainment on board so everyone would find something to suit them.

This cruise was selected for the back to back ports, and I loved them all. We had made the decision to do our own thing rather than book trips so Ray could rest up if he needed to. Istanbul was very hard for Ray as it must have been nearly a mile to get out of the port gates. We had to walk the length of the Spirit, 2 MSC cruise ships and a P and O and he was cream crackered by the time we got to the port gate, and was dreading the return trip. We did the hoho bus and then walked over the Galata bridge before heading back. Wish these long port berths would have occasional seating though. I nearly asked to borrow a wheelchair from an MSC ship on the way back, but he managed to sit on those big red plastic “fence” things they have near the ships. Nessebar was missed due to high winds but we went to Constanta where we booked the beach transfer, but found the beach closed for end of season the weekend before we arrived, so bars were being boarded up, a lot of shops were closed, and the beach being cleared of beds and plants etc. I did manage a paddle, and we did find a bar open taking euros. It would be really grand in season. We loved Odessa. A taxi to town for 5 euros, then changed some money from the bank and found some beers in a couple of bars, and bought 4 more in a local supermarket to take on board, caught the funicular back down all for 5 euros worth of local currency. Odessa is a lovely place to wander round on your own too. Mykonos was the only port we had been to before, and we had to get a tender there this time. We had a wander round and I went to the beach for a swim before heading back on board. Still love Mykonos and it is our third time there.

Marmaris was changeover day, so we went ashore and shared a taxi into town with another couple for a total of 7 euros. It is a grand place to wander round the shops, but we walked through to the front and had a slow walk back through the marina to the Spirit calling in a bar on the way. Ray does need to rest up and often needs to find somewhere to sit on walls if there are no seats about, so bars suit us fine. It was a blazing hot day – sad for those leaving but great for those arriving. Next was a lazy sea day and we took our complimentary bottle of fizz to the Compass Rose to have with our evening meal. We didn’t use the Sorocco voucher which said as returning customers we could pay for one meal and get the other free. We have always enjoyed our meals in the dining room in the evening and Ray preferred the choices there. Thessaloniki was fun. Pirate ships were moored up where you could go on board free and they took you round the bay for 30 minutes. All you did was buy a drink at the bar, and the prices were reasonable. Enjoyed the trip then called into a couple of bars for the usual drink or two with free wifi before going back on board. Kavala was also a pleasant port of call. We were presented with a map and box of local cookies by the tourist information folks as we got off the ship, and as Ray was walking with sticks they marked the map with the place to go to catch the land train. It was a lovely walk along the front then in to find the little train. It was free too, and ran every hour on the hour. Guess what comes next – yes a bar and wifi. Chios was a tender, and Ray decided not to do the tender. He didn’t like the movements of the tender to the ship’s platform when going to Mykonos, and decided to pass on this one. I went ashore, and had a walk along the front to try and find the beach. I got to a deserted one but it was so stoney I realised I should have packed the water shoes. I did get in for a swim, but it was hard trying to balance on the stones and I kept falling over trying to get out of the sea. When I got dried in the box of a changing room a chap came and started putting sun beds out. They were free if you used the bar, but as I felt I couldn’t get in the water safely, I decided not to stay. I sat on a bench drying the towel for a while then went back along the front and into a couple of bars. Found an excellent dark beer and took some bottles back for Ray. Local Chios brewed beer and the Robust Porter 6.2% was great after all the pilsner beers we had been drinking. Izmir was next and I was suffering from a bad foot thought to be gout, and it was so painful walking. We had a short walk along the front, then found a bar with an amazing beer list, and had a few beers while catching up on wifi. Shame we couldn’t do more there. Patmos was another tender port and Ray decided to stay on board again. He missed a treat as they sent over big tenders to pick us up, and it was great. My foot was still painful so I didn’t go far, or stay long. The port area was lovely with bars and shops, so had a quick Mythos and wifi then headed back to the ship.

We don’t really do a lot, so cannot give a lot of information. Set in our ways of what we want to do on board. We loved the cruise and love Spirit. The layout of the ship suits us fine as once on board Ray finds it easy for him to get about and rest up as and when he needs to. The weather was glorious, only one damp day being the sea day back towards Istanbul from Odessa, but it dried up enough that we were able to watch as we went back under the bridges and left the Black Sea behind. Agree with Linda’s points on her review about all the additional extras that get pushed over the course of the cruise. We did have photos taken, easier to let them than refuse, but didn’t bother trying to find them. All in all, a great cruise.

Gill! I have said this before! Don't put yourself down!

A brilliant review as usual. Glad you had a good time.

Love to you both :)

Gill! I have said this before! Don't put yourself down!

 

A brilliant review as usual. Glad you had a good time.

 

Love to you both :)

Thanks Linda. It doesn't come natural to me being the shy quiet type. Easier to just say " It was brilliant - had a great time - want to go back!!!"

:D:D:D

I hadn't forgotten the laundry, but couldn't remember how much it was! I think it was something like £14.99 a bag. We didn't need it as only on for a week, but if we had, there was a self service laundry about 4 cabins along!

Another thing doing the rounds we passed on was all the casino jackpot lotto things they tried to sell cards for. They seemed to be getting pushed more than usual this trip. There was also a wine tasting event we passed on that was an extra cost. There are so many of these now. Think the only thing we had apart from around £280 on drinks over 2 weeks was one game of bingo, the £25 safe, and the trip that cost £8 each. We can enjoy ourselves ever so cheaply, and save the money for our next cruise.

You are a girl after my own heart Gill :D:D

They were doing the lottery thing on the Celebration too.

Just looking at a week in Mallorca before the winter, with the money we didn't spend on the ship, ha ha

You are a girl after my own heart Gill

And a girl after my own heart too Gill! Thanks for such a great report. We don't pay for extras and are happy with a basic inside cabin as we prefer to put the money saved to future holidays; it was lovely to be upgraded to a deck 9 outside cabin in July but couldn't bring ourselves to pay the difference.

Just looking at a week in Mallorca before the winter, with the money we didn't spend on the ship, ha ha

Go for it Linda - there are some excellent bargains around in Mallorca at the moment. We have booked a couple of nights in Santa Ponsa before our 5 nighter at the end of next month. Got a great deal on a week in the Costa Brava before that too (14th October).

Well for a rubbish review :rolleyes: that was very good Gill.

I would never have been able to remember half of that.:)

Thank you.