Need Suggestions for Athens, Ephesus and Crete off Navigator of the Seas in July

[ICUDoc]

Hi

 

I am on the Navigator of the Seas in July visiting Athens (Piraeus), Epheseus (Kusadasi) and Iraklion (Heraklion), Cret. In each port I would like to book a private tour for 6 people and am looking for recommendations as to who to hire. I know Greece is expensive with a guide, so I am prepared to spend a small fortune - so any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!!

 

Lou

[karle]

Hi, we are also on that ship in july. Heres what we are doing, Messina, we are renting a car and driving on our own to Taormina. In Athens we are walking from the port to the metro and doing the Plaka and Acropolis on our own. There is a web site that tells exactly how to do it, europeportreviews.com/Athens3.htm , In Kusadasi, we hired EKOL tours to do a jeep and safari tour ( WE ARE 2 FAMILIES WITH 19 &17 YR OLDS, SO WE WANT IT TO BE FUN ) ending at a beach near the port, Crete as you know is only a short time in port so we are just doing the beach there, and i think you can just take a taxi. We have been planning this trip for over a year with our friends and this was what we thought worked best for our families. In Rome, we hired ROMECABS, for one of our 2 precruise days, he will take us to the Vatican and Colosseum- forum. On the other day we will explore on our own. Hope this helps, we are 2 weeks away and counting !

[Bellatrixx]

Hi there,

We are doing a week in ROme followed by the Navigator Cruise in August- please let me know your experiences from this trip, especially useful things about ports- trips you loved, must eat restaurants, etc. I really appreciate it! Jennifer

[MercedMike]

Athens: We used Greece Ala Carte http://www.greecealacarte.gr/ and highly recommend them! Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/med.html

 

Ephesus: We wanted something a little different, and Hülya Terzioðlu hulya462002@yahoo.com definitely provided it! She would be great for a more standard tour, too. Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/holyland.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[sassysirwinston2]

Another tour provider to consider (in addition to Merced Mike's suggestion) is Sammy's Travel. Sammy's is operated by a very enthusiastic, very professional young man named Mehmet. The tour we took last year was amazing - we were totally unaware that the ruins in Ephesus were so extensive and so interesting. Make sure to pay the extra $10 to go to the Terrace Houses. Incredible!

 

You can see what else is included in the very comprehensive tour provided by Mehmet at his website:

 

http://*****************/cruiseexcursionsmain.htm

 

You can contact him at: mehmet@*****************

 

Happy Cruising!

[sea-explorer]

It just occurred to me that referral addresses & web sites are only to be posted in roll calls, which is why the **** appear.

 

Lol, no it isn't. It's because they have been guilty of self promotional posts on the boards. I can post the websites of a couple of tour guides which won't be ***** out here.

 

http://www.tourguidesinturkey.com/ (kagan & lale Kosagan)

 

http://leventsolmaz.com/ (Levent Solmaz)

 

Also note the ones posted by MercedMike haven't been ***** out either.

 

Edit: The ones I have given are guides for Ephesus by the way.

[sassysirwinston2]

Well, you (can) learn something new every day. I didn't know about ***** out the self-promoters; guess it makes sense. Even so, we were extremely satisfied by the service and professionalism we received when we used Sammy's and I still stand by my referral to them, in fact I plan to use them again in Ocotber 2009 - if I'm still around.....

 

Again, thanks for the info.

[sea-explorer]

It happens to a few who have been recommended on these boards sirwinston. It looks as if the post I quoted from has also disappeared. ;)

 

ICUDoc, you also asked about Crete & Athens. The only tour guide I have seen recommended for Greece is Gemma Economopoulou

email: (geconom@otenet.gr)

 

 

This company also offers private shore excursions.

http://www.travelinstyle.com/Greece/Cruiseshoreexc.html

 

Otherwise, most CC users tend to book a taxi tour in Athens rather than an official guide. The main 2 which have been recommended on these boards which won't be *** out are:

 

Paul, Athens taxi http://www.athenstaxi.org/index.htm

 

and Jordan, http://www.athens-tours.gr/single-tours.html

[carolmacey]

Hi,

We recently did a terrific all-day tour in Ephesus with Kusadasi Tours. I think the website is http://www.kusadasi.biz

 

I started a group for 12 and we ended up with 3 vans of 12. Each van was on their own so we weren't a big group of 36. Great tour guides and nice prices. Everyone was very pleased compared to ship prices!!!

Carol