Just started to plan my Mediterranean cruise and need your help

Hi! I just started to plan my Mediterranean cruise. Majority of the ships have only one day in Piraeus. Not sure it will be enough for us. Any way what can you suggest for Athens – shall I stay with the ship tours or shall I look for a private company? Will it be possible to do it on our own? Thanks!

Jess :)

With some good research Athens is very easy to do on your own.

You could look at a cruise that begins or ends in Athens so that you could spend attittional time there either before or after the cruise ends.

Keith

Hi! I just started to plan my Mediterranean cruise. Majority of the ships have only one day in Piraeus. Not sure it will be enough for us. Any way what can you suggest for Athens – shall I stay with the ship tours or shall I look for a private company? Will it be possible to do it on our own? Thanks!

Jess :)

Hi Jess

we have booked our first cruise, Mediterranean Dream with HAL for June next year, Venice to Rome, it has 2 full days in Piraeus, well from 8am one day till 5.30 the next.

We are in the process of working out what to do there, we are planning on doing it on our own. Firstly taking the X80 bus fro the port to Acropolis and then Syntagma Square..thats as far as I've got so far! :-)

Deb

Hi Jess,

If you have a deep interest in ancient history, a week probably isn't long enough. ;)

But if you don't spend hours in a museum the average visitor can get their fill of the sights in a single day.

If this is a turnaround port for your cruise, it's worth at least one overnite in an Athens hotel. But if it's a port-of-call you'll manage in a day.

Very easy to DIY. The port is about a 20-minute drive from the city, but the city itself is tolerably compact.

Options Piraeus to Athens include:

The X80 express bus service (see recent thread in this forum). About 4 euros all-day.

The metro - cheap (also about 4 euros), quick, frequent. But a 20 minute walk in Piraeus to the metro station.

Hop-on buses. Two competing operators. Both offer two routes - from the cruise port to the city, and a city tour route. About 20 euros covers both routes. The city route is pretty uninspiring & not particularly useful, but if you treat the 20 euros as for your transportation between port & city then the city route is a freebie add-on.

Taxi. Last I heard the one-way fare was around 40 euros.

Ship's on-your-own transfer. Costs about the same as the ho-ho (or mebbe more). Does mean a specific pick-up time & location for the return, compared to the flexibility of the other options.

You don't quote your time-of-year but whatever your transportation, make for the Acropolis first to avoid the worst of the heat & the crowds. On particularly hot days the Acropolis is often closed in the afternoon due to safety concerns.

The main archaeological museum is near the Acropolis - this could take up too much of your time.

A healthy walk from there to the district of Plaka & nearby sights, and shops/bars/cafes.

A shorter walk from there, the other side of Parliament, are sights such as Hadrian's Arch & the (ancient) Olympics stadium.

JB :)

With only 1 day, recommend the HOHO buses. They are just a short walk from the cruise terminal: walk out the door through the parking area with the cabs to the street, then go left for about 1/2 a block and both are there. They give a decent overview of Athens. You have 2 to choose from (red and yellow buses) and their routes are slightly different but both hit the highlights. We loved the HOHO we did the 1st time we were there.

A private taxi tour will enable you to see more than either ship tours or public transportation or HoHo Bus. Simple reason no waiting around. Your taxi is waiting for you as you disembark and whisks you directly to the Acropolis, you are there at opening. Then as soon as you finish one site you are driven to the next. We used PK Travel Greece because there are many satisfied CC customers but there are other reliable companies also. Search the PK Travel thread for more input

We have done Athens all 3 ways……

Ship tour was called "athens on your own" and was basically a ride into town and back. We only used this option for one visit as we were there right after the bad demonstrations in Syntagma square. We were worried there would be strikes on the public transportation (as there are from time to time) so we used this option. It worked out fine for us……

We did DIY once. Walked to the metro ( before the express bus) and took it into town. It was not hard but a long walk. We did a lot of walking that day. We ended up taking a taxi back as I was feeling yucky with a bad head cold and it just wasnt worth it to hassle with metro…….. but it is a good option for those who don't mind a lot of walking once in town…..

that said we have done private tours TWICE and it was really really nice. Our driver picked us up early early !!!! and we were the first ones on the Acropolis. YES the first ones !!!! Very different experience than with thousand of other tourists …….. it was quiet and peaceful. No people in our pictures and the raising of the flag was not to be missed. We actually had to wait for the ticket office to open on our last visit……. early May of this year. ADD as we were leaving the hundreds of huge buses were pulling up……what a mad house !

Our driver took us to each site driving right up as close as possible - changing of the guards, the marble Olympic stadium etc….. and then he took us to a wonderful restaurant for lunch. We asked him to take us somewhere for real Greek food and not a tourist place. He came through !!! They kept bringing out food and bringing out food and it was all so good…… for 5 of us (we asked him to join us) it was a little over 50 euros including drinks !!!!!!! Amazing. He took us to the top of Libiticus (sp?) hill for some amazing views…..

with a private tour you can really cover a lot more ground and easier…… you can customize your day to see what you want, when you want and how you want……

So it can be done all different ways…… but I think you know which one I chose from now on :D

We did DIY once. Walked to the metro ( before the express bus) and took it into town. It was not hard but a long walk. We did a lot of walking that day. We ended up taking a taxi back as I was feeling yucky with a bad head cold and it just wasnt worth it to hassle with metro…….. but it is a good option for those who don't mind a lot of walking once in town…..

 

that said we have done private tours TWICE and it was really really nice. Our driver picked us up early early !!!! and we were the first ones on the Acropolis. YES the first ones !!!! Very different experience than with thousand of other tourists …….. it was quiet and peaceful. No people in our pictures and the raising of the flag was not to be missed. We actually had to wait for the ticket office to open on our last visit……. early May of this year. ADD as we were leaving the hundreds of huge buses were pulling up……what a mad house !

 

I know you think I'm stalking you on this issue, :D but I just want to make it clear that it is much easier to DIY into Athens now than it was when you did it via metro. The new express bus into Athens from the port is very convenient and eliminates all the walking in Piraeus to the metro station.

Also, it isn't clear from your post, but it's perfectly possible to get to the Acropolis before the crowds even if you don't take a private tour. I have, and I didn't. ;)

Central historic Athens is really compact (much more so than Rome) and is pretty easy to get around once you reach it.

Hi! I just started to plan my Mediterranean cruise. Majority of the ships have only one day in Piraeus. Not sure it will be enough for us. Any way what can you suggest for Athens – shall I stay with the ship tours or shall I look for a private company? Will it be possible to do it on our own? Thanks!

Jess :)

Assuming this ends up just being a one-day stop, I would suggest tackling this one on your own. We used the Cruise Port Guide by Rick Steves and it laid things out very well for us. Time to take the bus to the metro station, and then it's a lovely (steep but lovely) walk to the entrance of the Acropolis. The Acropolis is great, but it doesn't take an incredibly long time. (It's all ruins, it's not like you go into any of the buildings.) Then you have time, if you like, to go to the museum OR do some shopping/eating in the Plaka area. Plenty of time to get back to the ship.

We ended up taking a cab back to the ship because they metro station that we had planned on taking shut down for repairs!! My wife and I and another couple we bumped into trying to do the same thing just agreed to share a cab. It wasn't very expensive, maybe 20 euros tops. Biggest issue was making the driver understand where we wanted to go. He understood not one word of English. Other than that, our DIY was fun. No, you won't see every conceivable site, but the Acropolis is the must-see and you can EASILY do that. If you go in the summer, bring lots of water...it's darn hot up there and we visited in late November!

I know you think I'm stalking you on this issue, :D but I just want to make it clear that it is much easier to DIY into Athens now than it was when you did it via metro. The new express bus into Athens from the port is very convenient and eliminates all the walking in Piraeus to the metro station.

 

Also, it isn't clear from your post, but it's perfectly possible to get to the Acropolis before the crowds even if you don't take a private tour. I have, and I didn't. ;)

 

Central historic Athens is really compact (much more so than Rome) and is pretty easy to get around once you reach it.

No problem. I realize they have improved the options for getting into town….. I just wanted to impart our experiences…… walking to the metro is not hard its just long ! Also just wanted to let others know our experiences with a private driver……. our last trip we really wanted to lunch somewhere "off the beaten path" and he really came through…… As for walking, I find I just can't hold out as long as I used to (recent issues with autoimmune joint pain) so I like to ride when I can……

Thank you all for this info!!! It’s really very useful for me. Thank you so much.

I actually plan the cruise in the next April …. may be March:confused:. Will it be good time for Greece? I want to avoid hot days and crowd. I just hate long lines and crowded museums. Thank you!

Jess :)

Thank you all for this info!!! It’s really very useful for me. Thank you so much.

I actually plan the cruise in the next April …. may be March:confused:. Will it be good time for Greece? I want to avoid hot days and crowd. I just hate long lines and crowded museums. Thank you!

Jess :)

March is a little early.

April into May should be ideal weather for sight-seeing, the "season" will be up-and-running but you'll be ahead of the crowds

Just MHO as always

JB :)

Thank you John Bull, thank you all! After a couple of evenings I spent to check info on this forum I’m sure one day won’t be enough for me. I need at least a couple of days. At the moment I’m looking for a cruise that begins or ends in Athens. Any ideas:confused::confused::confused:? What will be the best rut to get a general impression of the country:confused:? It will be my first visit to Greece and first visit to Mediterranean at all.

Thank you all!

Jess:)

I did a cruise with a stop there in March. You still need to plan to get to the Acropolis early as there will be crowds. We didn't have to wait in a line to get in and we were there within an hour or so of them opening. If you take the metro and can handle stairs there is an entrance near the metro. (Wheel chair/ stroller access requires walking around the front). The line for tickets is shorter by the metro too.

As far as weather it is on the cooler side, but wear sun screen since we were there on a particularly beautiful sunny day. We were taking off our coats and indulging in an iced cappuccino, which we saw lots of tourist and locals indulging in as well. ( so good and only 1.50 Euro ).

The Piraeus bus will not be running until April so you will need to walk or take a bus. There are two I believe that pass in front of the cruise ship terminal that will take you to to metro, if you don't want to walk. Get the 4 Euro pass. I walked it there and bussed it back. After a day of walking just take the bus, you will need it. We were playing tag with another family and they took the bus while we walked, we got there at the same time.

For me financial concerns made the metro/ bus a no brainer. We did the Rick Steve's app which gave free walking tours of the city and sites ( download at home before you go, used it in other ports on our trip) so we could stop at our leisure. While a private taxi is the most flexible it is also the most expensive so I found this way the most flexible for my budget. You can read my family review by searching Norwegian Jade family review from last March.

I was traveling with toddler twins so most will not apply to you but you can get a sense of timing and weather etc...

Happy planning!

Thank you John Bull, thank you all! After a couple of evenings I spent to check info on this forum I’m sure one day won’t be enough for me. I need at least a couple of days. At the moment I’m looking for a cruise that begins or ends in Athens. Any ideas:confused::confused::confused:? What will be the best rut to get a general impression of the country:confused:? It will be my first visit to Greece and first visit to Mediterranean at all.

Thank you all!

Jess:)

Our cruise leaves August 25th from Athens on Celebrity Enquinox. The first night also overnights in Athens.

We have done Athens all 3 ways……

 

Ship tour was called "athens on your own" and was basically a ride into town and back. We only used this option for one visit as we were there right after the bad demonstrations in Syntagma square. We were worried there would be strikes on the public transportation (as there are from time to time) so we used this option. It worked out fine for us……

 

We did DIY once. Walked to the metro ( before the express bus) and took it into town. It was not hard but a long walk. We did a lot of walking that day. We ended up taking a taxi back as I was feeling yucky with a bad head cold and it just wasnt worth it to hassle with metro…….. but it is a good option for those who don't mind a lot of walking once in town…..

 

that said we have done private tours TWICE and it was really really nice. Our driver picked us up early early !!!! and we were the first ones on the Acropolis. YES the first ones !!!! Very different experience than with thousand of other tourists …….. it was quiet and peaceful. No people in our pictures and the raising of the flag was not to be missed. We actually had to wait for the ticket office to open on our last visit……. early May of this year. ADD as we were leaving the hundreds of huge buses were pulling up……what a mad house !

 

Our driver took us to each site driving right up as close as possible - changing of the guards, the marble Olympic stadium etc….. and then he took us to a wonderful restaurant for lunch. We asked him to take us somewhere for real Greek food and not a tourist place. He came through !!! They kept bringing out food and bringing out food and it was all so good…… for 5 of us (we asked him to join us) it was a little over 50 euros including drinks !!!!!!! Amazing. He took us to the top of Libiticus (sp?) hill for some amazing views…..

 

with a private tour you can really cover a lot more ground and easier…… you can customize your day to see what you want, when you want and how you want……

 

So it can be done all different ways…… but I think you know which one I chose from now on :D

Do you remember how you booked the private tour? We are going on the inaugural cruise of the Vista and I think this would be the perfect day in Anthens with a private tour like you described.

Do you remember how you booked the private tour? We are going on the inaugural cruise of the Vista and I think this would be the perfect day in Anthens with a private tour like you described.

Many on CC have used PKTravel Greece. Search for the long thread. Google PK Travel Greece for the website to contact them. It's easy peasy.

We used PK TRAVEL in 2011 and have them reserved for our Vista cruise next June.You can choose between a private tour or a semi private tour for a very reasonable price.I have also reserved a private transfer to the airport for our group of 7 at the end of our cruise.

Do you remember how you booked the private tour? We are going on the inaugural cruise of the Vista and I think this would be the perfect day in Anthens with a private tour like you described.

We will be in Athens on the Constellation in April 2016. We have booked "greeceathenstours" for a 6 hour tour of Athens starting early in the morning and are awaiting costing for a second short "Illumination" tour in the evening. The second tour is an add on after Istanbul overnight was replaced by an Athens overnight.

Med cruises have some expensive ports and there are only a few ports where private tours are feasible. We did lots of tour shares with fellow cruise critic members, but even splitting those by 6 or 8 people they were still a pretty price tag. We were able to do private excursions in Athens & Kusadasi and it was so nice to not have to keep up with others and move at our own pace.

Yes you can do Athens on the cheap but you will sacrifice time on additional walking and public transport schedules along with trying to find the entrance and ticket stations, etc.

We will be in Athens on the Constellation in April 2016. We have booked "greeceathenstours" for a 6 hour tour of Athens starting early in the morning and are awaiting costing for a second short "Illumination" tour in the evening. The second tour is an add on after Istanbul overnight was replaced by an Athens overnight.

Our night trip is costing 18 euros per head for around 3 hours with an additional optional cost of 25 euros a head for a meal at a Greek Taverna. The meal consists of meat, bread, salad beer wine softdrinks. Pretty good deal methinks

We ported in Piraeus and toured Athens on our own last October. We had no problems at all navigating public transport (X80 tourist bus and Metro) and were able to beat the crowds to the Acropolis.

I just posted our day in Athens on my cruise blog with all sorts of info that you could use if you decide to do it on your own.

We saw the Acropolis, Mars Hill, Anafiotika, had lunch in the Monastiraki neighborhood, explored Ermou Street and saw the Parliament/Syntagma Square and the changing of the Evzone guards. All for the low, low price of around 24 euro per person, including lunch and gelato :)

@icequeen,

many thanks for your detailed report of Athens in your blog.

we're heading there in about 5 weeks and your blog is very helpful.

We ported in Piraeus and toured Athens on our own last October. We had no problems at all navigating public transport (X80 tourist bus and Metro) and were able to beat the crowds to the Acropolis.

 

I just posted our day in Athens on my cruise blog with all sorts of info that you could use if you decide to do it on your own.

 

We saw the Acropolis, Mars Hill, Anafiotika, had lunch in the Monastiraki neighborhood, explored Ermou Street and saw the Parliament/Syntagma Square and the changing of the Evzone guards. All for the low, low price of around 24 euro per person, including lunch and gelato :)

What a great detailed report, thank you..I think we'll be following this when we are there in June :-)

@whimsy7 and @tassietravellers

So glad it was a help to you! I have slowly been making my blogging way through our ten Mediterranean stops. Only two more left to go. Enjoy your travels :)