Which side of the ship for a Med cruise?

[mjwcruising]

I have a cruise booked and our cabin is on the port side.

 

I was just going through my notes I had cut and pasted and saw "Our cabin was portside, but at pretty much every harbor we stopped in, the view of the city was on the starboard side. Go figure."

My ports of call are Santorini, Athens, Istanbul, and Ephesus, Mykonos, and Naples.

Should I change my cabin to the Starboard side of the ship?

[CruiserBruce]

You anchor and tender in Santorini, and I believe in Mykonos. So, the view depends on how you swing with the tide, the wind conditions and some other variables. The view in both places is 360 degrees, so what side you are on doesn't matter a whole lot.

 

Docking position depends on the port and the Captain. In many ports, the Captain may swing the ship around so it is facing out, for a quick get away. So your portside cabin will be at the dock. Again, all depends on the Captain and the port authorities.

 

On the other hand, perhaps you want to be looking at the water, and the activity in the harbor, so standard starboard docking might be Ok.

 

I would never book a cabin position based upon watching the dock activities. Book it on level you wish and can afford, and if you need to address motion. There is plenty to see from all aspects of the ship and the cruise.

[Hlitner]

There is no consistancy to which side a ship might dock. It depends on many factors such as the docking postion, the winds, the tides, and even time factors. We used to try and guess and were seldom correct. These days we sometimes choose the side of a ship so that we tend to get shade in the morning (so we can sit on our balcony and enjoy coffee) and the sunsets in the evening, but this does not always work depending on the itinerary.

 

Hank

[yarramar]

To maximise the view (or sun) you wish to receive you would have to chart your course and then work it out from there. It does depend on the itinery for example you may be going from Rome to Venice but the next cruise when you disembark may go from Venice to Rome

[Susan-M]

I would stay with port side mainly for Istanbul, especially if you have an overnight there. All of of the ships that were in port with us were docked facing the Galata bridge on the Karakoy side, giving those on port side of the ship a wonderful view of the Sultanahmet & Old Town areas of Istanbul, and a great view of the Bosphorus with all of the boat activity.

 

Have been to the other ports as well, with the exception of Ephesus, and I don't think it matters in those ports which side you are on.

[mjwcruising]

I wish to thank everyone for their promp replies. I think we will stay where we are at.:)

[chipmaster]

IMHO unlike some other cruise stops Europe is so much about what is port, sometimes a drive away versus the views in port and sailing. Line up the right set of port tours and it won't matter suite, port, starboard, or inside above the engine room, you'll have a grand time :D You'll likely be sailing in early and out during dining time mostly so time to really enjoy from your balcony will be slim.

 

Enjoy

 

I have a cruise booked and our cabin is on the port side.

 

I was just going through my notes I had cut and pasted and saw "Our cabin was portside, but at pretty much every harbor we stopped in, the view of the city was on the starboard side. Go figure."

 

My ports of call are Santorini, Athens, Istanbul, and Ephesus, Mykonos, and Naples.

 

 

Should I change my cabin to the Starboard side of the ship?

[moyaroo]

I have a cruise booked and our cabin is on the port side.

 

I was just going through my notes I had cut and pasted and saw "Our cabin was portside, but at pretty much every harbor we stopped in, the view of the city was on the starboard side. Go figure."

 

My ports of call are Santorini, Athens, Istanbul, and Ephesus, Mykonos, and Naples.

 

 

Should I change my cabin to the Starboard side of the ship?

 

Athens you are in Pireaus, just doesn't matter

Ephesus about the same each side

Mykonos if docked it is out of town no biggie

Istanbul you will get a view of something regardless of side of ship

Santorini great views as the ship revolves on the mooring.

Naples, God bless you. (not much to see at any rate)

[mjwcruising]

This is probably a really stupid question; but I'm going to ask it anyway.

I've read on these boards how beautiful the Amalfi coast is.

Which port of call is the correct one for this excursion?

I definitely want to go there if possible.

[moyaroo]

This is probably a really stupid question; but I'm going to ask it anyway.

I've read on these boards how beautiful the Amalfi coast is.

Which port of call is the correct one for this excursion?

I definitely want to go there if possible.

 

Not a stupid question! Sorrento is the "best" Naples is possible, Amalfi (Oceania stops there) is perfect.

[Ship's Wake]

Bring a pair of binoculars. We had a port side cabin on the Noordam and were able to clearly see the Acropolis from our balcony about 15 minutes or so after sailing away from Piraeus. It was an unexpected sight and awesome to view from the ship!

 

Joe

[CathyCruises]

I'm sorry, but who cares which side you are one while you're in port??? You will most likely be off the ship, not sitting in your room anyway. What is important to us is having the coastal view while cruising. For instance, if sailing from Barcelona, I would choose port side. If sailing from Venice to Barcelona, starboard side. Chart your course on a map and see which side will give you the best veiw of the coastline rather than the open ocean.