Nautica port is Heraklion or Agios Nikolaos?

[mobilemac]

We're on the Nautica this Fall, stopping in Crete for a day. Our Oceania literature lists Heraklion as our port but cruise critic and tripadvisor forums keep pointing to Agios Nikolaos as the port. I'd like to plan a DIY tour (Oceania tends to be very expensive) but need to know the port location. Your experience? Thanks.

[tropicalkerry2002]

we docked at Agios Nick. Very pretty little bay/lake in town, looks lovely from the high cliffs surrounding it. Other than that, we didn't do much...a bit of shopping, then went to the beach, which you could walk to from where we docked.

[LHT28]

There looks like 2 port areas

http://www.portheraklion.gr/olh/frontend/index.jsp (you may have to use google to translate) http://www.google.co.in/language_tools?hl=en

 

Not far from each other so I am sure any tour guide you pick will know where you are docking

http://www.aghiosnikolaos.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=28

[jpalbny]

We're on the Nautica this Fall, stopping in Crete for a day. Our Oceania literature lists Heraklion as our port but cruise critic and tripadvisor forums keep pointing to Agios Nikolaos as the port. I'd like to plan a DIY tour (Oceania tends to be very expensive) but need to know the port location. Your experience? Thanks.

 

 

They are 2 totally different cities, both on the north side of the island, but about 40 miles apart. We have been to both on different O cruises, so they do use both. Ag Nik is a cute town as tropicalkerry2002 says (we did Knossos Palace then spent time enjoying the town) but if O's literature says you're going to Heraklion (Iraklio), then belive them, that's where you're going.

 

In Heraklion - we did this independently and had a great day. Rented a car from someone at the cruise ship terminal, and drove to Festos palace, then on to Matala (pretty beach town in the South with caves and a nice hike). After driving around some more, we came back to town to drop off the car and wander about for a couple hours. There's some cute churches, a fountain in the main square, and a pier with a Venetian fort at the end that was picturesque. We don't speak a word of Greek and did just fine on our own.

 

Crete is beautiful, so get out into the countryside and enjoy!

[StanandJim]

We're on the Nautica this Fall, stopping in Crete for a day. Our Oceania literature lists Heraklion as our port but cruise critic and tripadvisor forums keep pointing to Agios Nikolaos as the port. I'd like to plan a DIY tour (Oceania tends to be very expensive) but need to know the port location. Your experience? Thanks.

 

You don't need to know the port for a DIY tour. Especially on an island as small as Crete. The guide will find the ship if he is worth his salt, and the island is small enough that either port works for all the sites.

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When planning, always consider that the guides have done all this hundreds or thousands of times before. They know how to get around the obstacles when they want the money ;)

[laurelhollow]

You don't need to know the port for a DIY tour. Especially on an island as small as Crete. The guide will find the ship if he is worth his salt, and the island is small enough that either port works for all the sites.

.

When planning, always consider that the guides have done all this hundreds or thousands of times before. They know how to get around the obstacles when they want the money ;)

 

 

that is such a kewl answer! :):):)