Ports to hit or miss and why?!

[eastexascruiser]

We are planning our first Mediterranean cruise for May 2010. There are so many different places to go, it is hard to pick an itinerary! We are definitely wanting to experience Greece along with Italy, Turkey &/or Croatia.

I am wondering what Greek ports are the favorites of fellow CC'ers and why. Also, what ports were your not-so-favorite and why?

I know that each cruiser is different and has different experiences and perspectives. Your feedback would really be helpful to us in deciding which ports we would like to visit. Thanks for your help!

[flirtmd]

If you are stopping in Mykonos I do not recommend the Delos excursion.
The island Closes at 3:00 PM. Our ship had some problems with the tenders and by the time all the excursion were off the ship and onto the ferry it was after 1:00.

Were were pushed thru the tour as fast as possible. It was very very hot and there was no shade. They left a stop for the snack bar or a trip into the museum. (The museum was the only air conditioned place on Delos island). The drinks at the snack bar were not cold unless you ordered an icee.

I know I probably had a bad excursion, but I was so hot that I went back to the ship instead of wandering around the island. DH and DD walked the island and found it beautiful. Others who took the island tour or went to the beach had better excursions.

The beach is rocky - not sandy. The water in Mykonos is a beautiful blue and so clear it takes your breath away.

I recommend staying clear of Delos and seeing the island of Mykonos. You've probably seen a lot of ruins by then - this one you can skip.

[bardstowntraveller]

Our favorite port on our Eastern Med cruise was Ephesus, Turkey. The ruins were spectacular, the people in Turkey were very friendly and Turkey in general exceded our expectations. We also really liked Santorini (make sure you go to Oia) and Rhodes.

Our cruise also included Taormina, Italy -- nice but not a "must see", Athens -- so, so, Mykonos -- pretty but crowded and Naples. We didn't go ashore in Naples because we had spent a week in the Amalfi coast a couple of years before. If we had not, this would have been a highlight port as well because of the diversity of things you can see -- Pompeii, Capri, etc.

[CintiPam]

Favorite Greek ports:

1. Santorini, spectacular, unique, lovely Oia, great Museum of Prehistoric Thira.

2. Delos, one of those special place on earth. (Could not disagree more with flirtmd.)

Turkey: Istanbul and Ephesus.

Enjoy!

[thunder889]

very nice thread, we are going to many of these ports in two weeks, can't wait to go.

[DEL67]

Originally Posted by bardstowntraveller

Our favorite port on our Eastern Med cruise was Ephesus, Turkey. The ruins were spectacular, the people in Turkey were very friendly and Turkey in general exceded our expectations. We also really liked Santorini (make sure you go to Oia) and Rhodes.

Our cruise also included Taormina, Italy -- nice but not a "must see", Athens -- so, so, Mykonos -- pretty but crowded and Naples. We didn't go ashore in Naples because we had spent a week in the Amalfi coast a couple of years before. If we had not, this would have been a highlight port as well because of the diversity of things you can see -- Pompeii, Capri, etc.

I agree. Kusadasi was my favorite port on our recent Eastern Med cruise (Athens was 2nd) and I was not really impressed by Taormina. Its okay, but nothing compared to the Amalfi coast of some of the other hill towns I have been to. And Pompei is on my list to go back to as we only spent a little while there.

[nonrev1]

We have taken several Med. cruises and are going on another in May of 2010.
You need to choose based on your likes/dislikes are and also the amount of time in ports before choosing an itinerary.
My favorite ports have been:
Naples -visiting Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and Capri
Santorini
Mykonos
Athens
Rome
We liked each for different reasons but had plenty of time to explore.
Next year we will be back in Mykonos, Athens and Santorini again ...but also visiting new places: 2 ports in Croatia, Venice, Corfu, Crete and Nauplion.

[TLCOhio]

From our Athens to Istanbul cruise, we saw much to love. This included Mykonos with its picture-perfect "Little Venice" village with its narrow streets and nearby shops, beaches, windmills, etc. Then it was the Greek Isle of Milos with its small villages, unusual rock formations, historic digs, etc. Patmos has the famed Grotto and Monastery of St. John, small villages. Along the Turkish Coast, we loved both stops. This includes Bodrum, the "hot-spot" of Aegean Coast with its Medieval Castle of St. Peter, charming harbor, etc. Kusadasi (Ephesus) was important both as a religious center and with its great Roman relics from when it was the Capital of the Asian Province. Then there is Istanbul!! That's a super great city that merits a couple of days there to see its many spectacular places and wonderful history.

We wish we could have seen Santorini, but that gives a good reason to go back. Below are a few pictures from Mykonos. We were fortunate that there were only two smaller cruise ships there on that Sunday when we visited there. If you hit this island when there are three or four large ships in port, it can get crowded and congested.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[Taina]

Your pictures are breath taking. Thank you for sharing them.

Taina

[Taina]

Originally Posted by TLCOhio

From our Athens to Istanbul cruise, we saw much to love. This included Mykonos with its picture-perfect "Little Venice" village with its narrow streets and nearby shops, beaches, windmills, etc. Then it was the Greek Isle of Milos with its small villages, unusual rock formations, historic digs, etc. Patmos has the famed Grotto and Monastery of St. John, small villages. Along the Turkish Coast, we loved both stops. This includes Bodrum, the "hot-spot" of Aegean Coast with its Medieval Castle of St. Peter, charming harbor, etc. Kusadasi (Ephesus) was important both as a religious center and with its great Roman relics from when it was the Capital of the Asian Province. Then there is Istanbul!! That's a super great city that merits a couple of days there to see its many spectacular places and wonderful history.

We wish we could have seen Santorini, but that gives a good reason to go back. Below are a few pictures from Mykonos. We were fortunate that there were only two smaller cruise ships there on that Sunday when we visited there. If you hit this island when there are three or four large ships in port, it can get crowded and congested.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Your pictures are breath taking, thank you for sharing them. Taina

[CintiPam]

Hi, Terry, after the miserable week of rain we just endured here in southwest Ohio, your wonderful photos provided me with the sun and warmth I needed for my weekend!

Pam

[TLCOhio]

Originally Posted by CintiPam

Hi, Terry, after the miserable week of rain we just endured here in southwest Ohio, your wonderful photos provided me with the sun and warmth I needed for my weekend! Pam

THANKS to our nearby neighbor from Cincinnati! YES, it's been a rainy weekend in Ohio. Glad I was able to help. Also appreciate the kind comments from Taina. Here are three more highlights from the sun, surf and sights in Mykonos to highlight our mind as we head into these more marginal weather times in the midwest. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio


Ladies coming from church service on Sunday:




Windsurfing on other side of island:




Another view of the town buildings and a church:

[Cy'all@C]

Beautiful pics of Mykonos Terry. What month did you travel there? What beach is that and will it be nice enough to swim in early November?
How did you get around the town? Rental car, taxi, bus, feet? TIA for your response.

Trudy

[TLCOhio]

Originally Posted by Cy'all@C

Beautiful pics of Mykonos Terry. What month did you travel there? What beach is that and will it be nice enough to swim in early November? How did you get around the town? Rental car, taxi, bus, feet? TIA for your response. Trudy

THANKS, Trudy, for the nice photo comments! Love New Orleans and Louisiana with their great character, charm and history.

We were in Mykonos in late June 2006. The town of Mykonos is very easy to walk around and enjoy by foot. I rented a car on that Sunday when we were there and saw several different beaches on the opposite side of the island. We didn't do any swimming or direct beach activities. Not sure in November how warm things would be. It should be "nice" or OK for walking around, but to enjoy the best "beach" experience could be a little bit of a gamble requiring some luck. Early November versus late November would make a difference. Right now for early October in Mykonos this coming week, it is a high around 73F and low of 62F. Per ww.wunderground.com, their November 15 averages are a high of 62 °F with a record on that date of 69 °F (2001) and an average low of 56 °F on that date with a record low of 50 °F (2006). Doesn't sound great for warm, wonderful beach activities.

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[sunsetbeachgal]

Wow...great pictures Terri!!

Another stop that we really enjoyed in prior cruises was Rhodes...the wonderful walled town was within a short walk of the ship, which we always love...also not in Greece, but a stop we loved was Dubrovnick, Croatia...

[hezzy]

Loved Delos. I know you will see lots of ruins in other ports, but Delos should not be missed. We were there in April and it was spectacular with poppies and other flowers blooming.

We also love Santorini. Hired a driver with 3 other couples and toured island. Wonderful day. We also loved Taoromina. It was just so beautiful. We climbed up to the Greek Theater and the views were really spectacular. A wonderful picture oportunity of Mt. Etna.

Mykonos is pretty and we had a nice day there. Good food and lovely views.

[kris77]

My parents and I took a mediterranean cruise on the Crown Princess. I enjoyed all the ports. The sailaway from Venice was absolutely amazing - they played Andrea Bocelli over the loudspeakers. Truly magical and unforgettable. One of my favorite ports in Greece was Mykonos - personally, I wouldn't skip Delos. We took an excursion to Delos in the morning and then when we got back to the ship, we ate lunch then took the shuttle into Mykonos and from there, walked to the windmills and Little Venice. Really, picking one port over another is extremely difficult - they were all unique. I was pleasantly surprised with Rhodes - it's nice to just walk around. And Corfu has beautiful flowers. And wine tasting in Santorini, overlooking the ocean, fabulous! I know I'm missing some of the other ports. I liked Dubrovnik but it was incredibly crowded and difficult to walk around. Turkey was another of my favorites.

Good luck in what ever decision you make!

[Nina-le]

Just returned from the Med. cruise with Princess and I loved it. My favorite port was Santorini but I enjoyed all the rest for different reasons. Just a little heads up to my fellow CC members. Check you bill carefully in the restaurants in Greece. I was with three other travellers in a restaurant on Rhoades called Mama Maria's. My friends mentioned to the waiter that they wanted fish. He suggested rather pushingly to get the fish platter for 3. (I am allergic to shrimp so I ordered the Moussaka). The platter arrived looking nice and it was just enough for 3. Had a few shrimp, calamari, fish fillets on it. Their bill came to 180 euros!!!! About 270.00 . In addition we were overcharged by 5 euros for a side a pita bread and I was given the more expensive Moussaka with meat after I specifically pointed to the meatless one on the menu. I was charged the higher price as well. The restaurant's charge machine was mysteriously not working. Luckily my friends were able to scrounge up the money- but in restrospect we should have refused to pay it and negotiated for a better price. Live and learn!

[cruisin'tex]

Very much enjoyed the information from this thread.