Shore excursions Cyclades 7-day cruise: How to choose which ones?

I'm going on an Azamara 7-day cruise of the Cyclades next month. I am wondering about the port shore excursions. Is there any way to decide which ones to go on other than reading the description posted by Azamara? Will there be time to select them after one boards the ship or will they sell out before then? If they do, can one arrange for a non-Azamara-sponsored tour or even walk around the port (Mykonos,Santorini, Chania, Patmos, Rhodes, Kusadasi, Athens) on one's own?

I'm going on an Azamara 7-day cruise of the Cyclades next month. I am wondering about the port shore excursions. Is there any way to decide which ones to go on other than reading the description posted by Azamara? Will there be time to select them after one boards the ship or will they sell out before then? If they do, can one arrange for a non-Azamara-sponsored tour or even walk around the port (Mykonos,Santorini, Chania, Patmos, Rhodes, Kusadasi, Athens) on one's own?

I believe that's a "Yes" to all of your questions.

You can learn about the ports via talks held by on-board excursion staff; you can stroll around each (but would you want to stroll around Pireaus?); online resources are legion, check out Tom's Port Guides for each of these ports; join your cruise's Roll Call to see what others have planned.

We've visited and loved each of these charming places via Azamara - enjoy your cruise!

Thanks -- I didn't want to be locked in to a bunch of shore excursions of which I knew only from the Azamara description. Besides which, I didn't understand how 700 passengers all could go on a particular excursion, as the numbers seemed to be limited to a few dozen. My worry would be that I would miss getting back onto the ship. This is the first cruise I'll ever have been on. I don't even know what "a roll call" is.

You may be on one of my sailings - which date are you leaving and what ship? Go to roll calls on this forum and look up your date and ship to find other cruisers who can help you out!

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Thanks -- I didn't want to be locked in to a bunch of shore excursions of which I knew only from the Azamara description. Besides which, I didn't understand how 700 passengers all could go on a particular excursion, as the numbers seemed to be limited to a few dozen. My worry would be that I would miss getting back onto the ship. This is the first cruise I'll ever have been on. I don't even know what "a roll call" is.

Like you, we were worried about doing private tours, but have found that tour organisers are well aware of the time you have to be back at the ship. We took some great private tours in Vietnam, organised by someone on the Roll-Call for the cruise. In the Caribbean we just get taxis, either just to give us a tour of the island or take us somewhere specific. It's worth doing a bit of internet research before you go to see what's worth seeing at each port. Trip Advisor is a good place to start.

To find the Roll-call for your cruise, use this link https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/rollcalls/ then click to Azamara, your ship's name and the month your cruise starts.

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Denny, here's a direct link to the roll call. Come and say hi. It's not a very active one I'm afraid. I'm on this cruise and plan to DIY at the ports which is easily done. The Azamazing Evening in Chania I've been to a few times and it's fun. Going to Kusadasi you should really see Ephesus, either on your own tour or with the ship. Sadly Turkey has suffered with their tourism so even at this late stage you might find a guide to take you. Google is your friend. See you on the ship!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2472534

Phil

I'm going on the October 10-17 Azamara Journey cruise...It sounds like there will be flexibility in terms of excursions so that one doesn't feel pressured to go on the Azamara-sponsored ones.

I'm going on the October 10-17 Azamara Journey cruise...It sounds like there will be flexibility in terms of excursions so that one doesn't feel pressured to go on the Azamara-sponsored ones.

That's the Roll-call link that Phil has provided - follow the link and join the Roll-call to see what others are doing.

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Yes, I found it and will be following it in the three weeks to come. Also, I'm reading about the six ports. I'm wondering which ones would be O.K. for a solo excursion: just walking/wandering about town and admiring the views, cats, buildings. Sometimes I do look to strike out on my own. But at the same time I don't want to get lost! My smartphone is an older Samsung and the GPS did not work well in Paris last September. I understand the Azamara Journey doesn't always stop in the port itself but further out and that a smaller boat has to be taken to actually get on shore.

Yes, if you look closely at the itinerary you will see that for each port it says either docked or tender. Tender means that the ship will anchor out and passengers will be taken to shore by boat ( they use the lifeboats to do this).

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Yes, I found it and will be following it in the three weeks to come. Also, I'm reading about the six ports. I'm wondering which ones would be O.K. for a solo excursion: just walking/wandering about town and admiring the views, cats, buildings. Sometimes I do look to strike out on my own. But at the same time I don't want to get lost! My smartphone is an older Samsung and the GPS did not work well in Paris last September. I understand the Azamara Journey doesn't always stop in the port itself but further out and that a smaller boat has to be taken to actually get on shore.

Tender into Chania is close and the ship anchors in the Venetian Harbour. Mykonos I actually prefer tendering because the drop off point is right in the centre of town rather than the dock which is at the far end and requires a shuttle. Walking into Rhodes from the dock you won't get lost. There is a taxi rank not far from where the ship docks in Patmos for taking you to a local beach for example.

There will be a local guide for each of the ports who will set up a desk near Guest Relations on deck 4 and they will have maps and information so go and see them if you plan to go out on your own. As I said it's easily done in all of the ports except Kusadasi. You really need to take a tour there. The Turkish people are great, but very pushy to sell you something.

Phil

Tender into Chania is close and the ship anchors in the Venetian Harbour. Mykonos I actually prefer tendering because the drop off point is right in the centre of town rather than the dock which is at the far end and requires a shuttle. Walking into Rhodes from the dock you won't get lost. There is a taxi rank not far from where the ship docks in Patmos for taking you to a local beach for example.

 

There will be a local guide for each of the ports who will set up a desk near Guest Relations on deck 4 and they will have maps and information so go and see them if you plan to go out on your own. As I said it's easily done in all of the ports except Kusadasi. You really need to take a tour there. The Turkish people are great, but very pushy to sell you something.

 

Phil

And they love serving apple tea when you walk into their shop. Turks are very hospitable.

One shop owner invited DH & me to a family BBQ up on their roof deck. That was an experience we will not forget.

>> There will be a local guide for each of the ports who will set up a desk near Guest Relations on deck 4 and they will have maps and information so go and see them if you plan to go out on your own. As I said it's easily done in all of the ports except Kusadasi. You really need to take a tour there. The Turkish people are great, but very pushy to sell you something.

That's really helpful to know. I will probably strike out on my own in Mykonos, as being a tourist amid a lot of other tourists--I'm assuming Mykonos will be the most tourist-y and flashy--is not my cup of tea, especially as the tender drops you right in the center of town rather than at the dock. And Kusadasi I will join a group tour for the reason(s) you described.

Like you, we were worried about doing private tours, but have found that tour organisers are well aware of the time you have to be back at the ship. We took some great private tours in Vietnam, organised by someone on the Roll-Call for the cruise. In the Caribbean we just get taxis, either just to give us a tour of the island or take us somewhere specific. It's worth doing a bit of internet research before you go to see what's worth seeing at each port. Trip Advisor is a good place to start.

To find the Roll-call for your cruise, use this link https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/rollcalls/ then click to Azamara, your ship's name and the month your cruise starts.

 

 

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Hi, could you tell me which tour company you used for Vietnam tour? I am planning to visit Vietnam next year..

We used Vietland Discovery, with Mrs Ha http://www.vietland-discovery.com/about.html.

We did 4 Tours as a group of about 12. We did a half day tour of Ho Chi Minh City, a day tour to Hoi An, a day on the Mekong Delta and a day in a boat in Halong Bay. Everything worked really well, we were picked up from and taken back to the dockside, always well before sailing time. The guides we had were great.

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