What to expect on a 12 day cruise

[shipgirl56]

We are sailing next May on a 12-day Greek Odyssey cruise.  It starts in Civitavecchia and ending in Venice.  Everyday is a port day but 1.  There is only one sea day.  How do they do formal nights on such a cruise.  Do people not dress up as much.  Most port departure times are between 4 and 6:30 PM and one 11 PM.

[kazu]

3 hours ago, shipgirl56 said:

We are sailing next May on a 12-day Greek Odyssey cruise.  It starts in Civitavecchia and ending in Venice.  Everyday is a port day but 1.  There is only one sea day.  How do they do formal nights on such a cruise.  Do people not dress up as much.  Most port departure times are between 4 and 6:30 PM and one 11 PM.

 

Gala night will most likely be on your first full day (it is usually a sea day).

 

If that is your sea day then I would guess that Gala nights would be on a day when your departure time is 4 pm since all on board will be 3:30 - leaving time for people to prepare.

 

 

 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree with Kazu.  Many times we have had Gala (formal nights are gone) on days when we left ports around 4 PM.

[victory2020]

I just did 12 day Barcelona to Venice where the first formal night was 7 days into the cruise.

Edited August 22, 2019 by victory2020

[propwash]

We did this trip last October. As mentioned, formal night is more like business casual. Some suits, most women dressed in log dresses. We enjoyed the trip so very much. Be prepared to do a LOT of walking and climbing of steps if you go on any excursions. 

Danny

[shipgirl56]

Thanks everyone.

 

3 hours ago, propwash said:

We did this trip last October. As mentioned, formal night is more like business casual. Some suits, most women dressed in log dresses. We enjoyed the trip so very much. Be prepared to do a LOT of walking and climbing of steps if you go on any excursions. 

Danny

Yes!  I think we will be tired 10 ports in 11 days!  We will have to pace ourselves.  We end up in Venice and are staying in a hotel for 2 nights. 

 

From there we fly to Dubrovnik for another 12 day cruise and land tour on a small ship.  I am looking forward to that.  The ship has just 18 cabins.

 

If we don't pace ourselves, we will not make it to the end!

[Vineyard View]

We are on this same itinerary with you! We will start 12 days prior out of Venice, and it is a very port intensive itinerary on both segments. I agree with you on pacing. Now that the dress code is more relaxed (no more Tux for DH) we think that the Gala nights will be much more relaxing on this port intensive trip. Sounds like the sea day is likely the gala night! 

Have you booked your Venice hotel yet?  I was thinking of doing that as we will go in early by one or two nights, but with the new possible changes in where ships will be docking I am not sure what to do with that piece. 

[shipgirl56]

1 hour ago, Vineyard View said:

We are on this same itinerary with you! We will start 12 days prior out of Venice, and it is a very port intensive itinerary on both segments. I agree with you on pacing. Now that the dress code is more relaxed (no more Tux for DH) we think that the Gala nights will be much more relaxing on this port intensive trip. Sounds like the sea day is likely the gala night! 

Have you booked your Venice hotel yet?  I was thinking of doing that as we will go in early by one or two nights, but with the new possible changes in where ships will be docking I am not sure what to do with that piece. 

 

I haven't done hotels yet.  We are doing 3 nights prior in Rome and 2 nights post in Venice and then flying to Dubrovnik. Then we are doing a small ship cruise of Croatia on a ship that has only 18 cabins!

 

So glad it will not be as "formal".  We are taking carry-on only.  Makes it easier to not have to bring suits and heels etc.

Edited August 23, 2019 by shipgirl56

[Vineyard View]

Sounds like an incredible trip shipgirl56!  We have friends who took a very small ship along Croatia. They said it was amazing. 

I am not sure how long to hold on hotel reservations in Venice, but with proposed docking changes, it may make sense to wait a while. 

[BarbinMich]

 

On 8/22/2019 at 10:12 PM, Vineyard View said:

. . .

Have you booked your Venice hotel yet?  I was thinking of doing that as we will go in early by one or two nights, but with the new possible changes in where ships will be docking I am not sure what to do with that piece. 

Even if future cruises will embark/disembark from the mainland, I would think most folks will want to spend their pre- or post-cruise nights in Venice.  If one stays on the mainland near the new port instead, one would spend a lot of time going to and from Venice with less time to enjoy it.

[Vineyard View]

I totally agree. That is a very good point, so thank you.  For us, it also depends on how far in advance we are flying in. If we arrive the day prior to the cruise it might be easier to stay close to the ship.  If we decide to spend a few nights,  then booking a hotel right in Venice is the way to go. 

I need to get on our plane reservations this week so we can use miles to upgrade!  Availability of that could determine our arrival.