Advice on ports, Marina Jewels of the Aegean

[rubysue]

Note: I'm relatively new to Cruise Critic and posted the following in the Roll Call section and have had no responses (apparently the wrong place to post this), so I'm trying it here. If anyone has been on the Jewels of the Aegean itinerary on Oceania, I would greatly appreciate some advice.

 

We are excited to travel on Marina next September on this itinerary from Venice to Istanbul. The 2011 itinerary eliminates Split and adds Kotor, Montenegro.

 

On many of the cruises we have done in the past, we have heavily relied on shore excursions booked through the ship. These experiences are usually quite wearying and are not always the best value. On this particular itinerary, can anyone advise us on what ports are best seen on your own. One thing to note: I have some disabilities (walk with a cane, occasional use of a travel wheelchair), so advice with that in mind is also appreciated.

Thanks!

__________________

Rubysue

[marilynfaye]

Dear Rubysue:

 

We are scheduled for this year's Jewels of the Aegean on Nautica. Right now it is our intention to do most of the ports on our own. We have connected through the Roll Call with other passengers and have private tours set up in Koper & Kusadasi. We may do a ship's tour in Itea and will probably just wander on our own in most of the other ports.

 

Our roll call has not been as active as have other Oceania cruises that we have been on. I hope as time goes on you will have better luck. My advise for now is that you start following the posts in the Europe section under Ports of Call. There is a subsection for Greece and one for "other" which covers Slovenia, Croatia, Turkey, etc. There you will see comments from cruisers besides just Oceania cruisers.

 

Marilyn

[JimandStan]

Rubysue-

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

I think that the reason why you have not had any responses as yet, is that you are approaching this much too broadly.

 

You might have more success if you started by reading about the ports that your cruise visits on the "European Ports" board:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19

 

From there, if you decided for example, that you wanted to find another couple to share a Taxi in Kotor, try putting a post on the Roll Call for your cruise, asking for volunteers.

 

I hope that this helped- :D

[Paulchili]

rubysue,

Welcome to CC - and don't be discouraged.

The roll call is the right place to connect with people on your cruise.

It is probably "quiet" as it is still relatively early for that cruise - maybe people will start getting more excited in a couple of months.

In the mean time, you can search the ports of call boards for ideas (as suggested by others).

[ClaudiaF]

also if you post what ports your cruise is going to someone or many can help you..as much as we love the ship I am sure that none of us has memorized every itiny.. ;-)

[rubysue]

Hi

 

Thanks to some of you for the comments. I will check some of the other areas that were recommended.

[stunnedinva]

Dear Rubysue:

 

We are scheduled for this year's Jewels of the Aegean on Nautica. Right now it is our intention to do most of the ports on our own. We have connected through the Roll Call with other passengers and have private tours set up in Koper & Kusadasi. We may do a ship's tour in Itea and will probably just wander on our own in most of the other ports.

 

Our roll call has not been as active as have other Oceania cruises that we have been on. I hope as time goes on you will have better luck. My advise for now is that you start following the posts in the Europe section under Ports of Call. There is a subsection for Greece and one for "other" which covers Slovenia, Croatia, Turkey, etc. There you will see comments from cruisers besides just Oceania cruisers.

 

Marilyn

 

Hi Marilyn--

 

Do you mind sharing the name of the private tour company you're using in Koper? We're interested in seeing Lake Bled and Ljubljana, and our roll call doesn't have much activity either.

 

Thanks!

[marilynfaye]

We are using Graeme Chuter. He has several websites, but start with http://www.4seasonstravelslovenia.com

 

He is very quick to respond and has been so easy to work with.

 

When will you be in Koper?

 

Marilyn

[stunnedinva]

We are using Graeme Chuter. He has several websites, but start with www.4seasonstravelslovenia.com

 

He is very quick to respond and has been so easy to work with.

 

When will you be in Koper?

 

Marilyn

 

Thanks, Marilyn--that's the same guy I want to use if we can get some people to share. We'll be in Koper Nov. 8th.

[cbb]

Welcome Rubysue,

To answer your question specifically about Kotor, it is very easy to do on your own. We docked about 500 yds from the old walls and could easily walk there. I will say that within the city's walls the walking surface can be uneven as you will be walking on old cobblestones. Immediately inside the gate is the town square and there are several places to stop for a drink or snack or just to rest. It is a small town but beautiful and the location is gorgeous. Be sure to be out on an open deck for the sail into and/or out of what is sometimes called a fjord or river canyon; it is one of the most stunning views I've ever seen. You will love Kotor.

Ephesus also has uneven walking surfaces. Most guides take it slowly and stop often so you'll be fine. Where else are you going? Again, Welcome!

[marilynfaye]

Thanks, Marilyn--that's the same guy I want to use if we can get some people to share. We'll be in Koper Nov. 8th.

 

We will be there on Nov 1. Graeme was good enough to give me a heads up that it is a Bank Holiday in Slovenia. I assume because it is All Saints Day. The ATM's will probably still function, but I plan to get enough euros in Venice so as not to take any chances.

 

Hope you find fellow cruisers to join you.

 

Marilyn

[stunnedinva]

We will be there on Nov 1. Graeme was good enough to give me a heads up that it is a Bank Holiday in Slovenia. I assume because it is All Saints Day. The ATM's will probably still function, but I plan to get enough euros in Venice so as not to take any chances.

 

Hope you find fellow cruisers to join you.

 

Marilyn

 

I've received a reply from Graeme and I like the itinerary, but since he wants a deposit I want to make sure I have committed number before I book. Your cruise must be going in the opposite direction from us--we end in Venice after Slovenia.

[rubysue]

Hi, CBB! Thank you so much for your very kind reply and the great information about Kotor and Ephesus.

 

Our other ports include Koper (Slovenia), Dubrovnik, Corfu, Zakynthos, Itea, Athens, Mykonos, Chios, and Istanbul.

 

Sounds like Kotor is a great experience on our own. I would dearly love to see Ephesus and hope I can do a tour at Delphi.

 

Thanks again

[cbb]

Rubysue,

I have only been to a few of the places you are going to but I'll try to give some feedback for you. In Dubrovnik you should have no problem walking around but the "wall walk" may prove to be difficult for you because you would have to climb stairs in order to get up to the wall promenade but the town itself is very doable. Again, uneven cobblestones are everywhere but with care you should be fine. It is an absolutely gorgeous town and you will love it. I bought a small (as in postcard size) print of the town from the artist...beautiful!

We shared a cab with another couple to Corfu's Old Citadel area. We climbed to the top but then we're crazy people; you could definitely walk around that area and when you tire, hail another cab to another area. Corfu is beautiful and the gardens there are lovely.

You, of course, will be able to see the Parthenon in Athens and the walk to the top is doable for most as it is broad ramps but it is quite a distance up and you still must climb steps when you reach the top. We saw no elevators but perhaps others far more knowledgeable of the site can give you specifics. Plaka, the shopping area, around the Parthenon is ground level and easily doable for you. You will find it very interesting as it seems that everything in the world is there...for sale!!

We tendered into Mykonos but the guys are experts at moving people up out of the tender onto the dock so you'll be fine. They are strong and gentle men! Mykonos is very doable for you although once again cobble-stones! (Do you get the theme here?!) Lots of shops to visit and lots of places to stop and have a rest. Do see Little Venice and the windmills and walk the very narrow streets;gorgeous place.

My advice is just to try visiting every place and take your time. Don't try and see everything; it can't be done by even the most agile of us. If you run out of steam, stop, rest, look around you, and marvel that you are there. You are going to have a wonderful time! c

[pier]

On many of the cruises we have done in the past, we have heavily relied on shore excursions booked through the ship. These experiences are usually quite wearying and are not always the best value. On this particular itinerary, can anyone advise us on what ports are best seen on your own. One thing to note: I have some disabilities (walk with a cane, occasional use of a travel wheelchair), so advice with that in mind is also appreciated.

Thanks!

__________________

Rubysue

 

We used guides in both Ephesus and Istanbul, and we were glad that we did. Some people feel that a guide isn't necessary in Istanbul because you can see the major sites on your own. We stayed in Istanbul after the cruise--we had three full days there--and saw more than we could have possibly seen without a guide. We didn't have to stand in lines to see the major attractions (our guide walked us through the entrances past the lines everywhere we went), and we always had a car waiting for us to take us to the next place. The bonus was that he took us to some places that we wouldn't have visited on our own, the most memorable being a neighborhood mosque where we were the only foreigners and non-Muslims. The atmosphere was friendly and the people were welcoming. It was a wonderful experience. Afterward, we ate lunch nearby and explored the neighborhood, which wasn't at all like the tourist sections.

 

The best link I have seen for tour guides in Ephesus and Istanbul is on Cruise Critic. If you read it through to the end, you'll have a number of good options regarding guides. It's very informative.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1221993

 

Enjoy your trip!

[Tamlyth]

Hi Rubysue!

 

Check your Roll Call. My DH and I will be joining you on this cruise, as well as a few friends who will post shortly. :D We almost always go with private tours or self-guided walking tours now. I find I enjoy the trip much more by researching each place and working with a guide to get the most out of our time in each port.

 

I can't wait for Dubrovnik though, as I have friends from Croatia who have a list of things for us to do and see. This will be our first time on Oceania, but I'm learning a lot about this line from this particular board.

 

We'll chat on the Roll Call!

 

Annette