Cruising italy and greece

[Loretta Marie]

I was wondering when you cruise italy and greece, will it be different with the foreigners? I am a foreigner and although I am more of an american, I felt that when we traveled to spain not with a ship, but as tourists we were not treated very well. IS this the same way at the dining in the RCL in ports in Italy and Greece?

 

I would love to take a ship to my country Sicily and visit even if its only for 8 hours to my relatives.

 

I would go see things that I have not seen as a teenager.

 

I do miss the food though and the gelato and panelle sandwiches, chick pea flour with ricotta cheese on top very yummy. its all vegetable and deep fried. very good too.

 

I wish that maybe 2011 I can take the wonderful world tour on a ship, where we can travel to 21 countries for 1 full year on a ship. My dream. Leave the kids to GM house.

 

Would love to do this with the girls for a change.

Loretta

[temple1]

Ah, the cruise around the world - I have a friend who is very close to doing that.

 

I think a lot is how the particular country treats land based tourists and different areas within countries are friendlier than others. As you have probably noticed, in the US and even within a state tourists are treated with respect and as guests in some areas and not some much in others.

 

From what I have read Italy and Greece in general treat guests very well. I hope so - my one day trip is to spend at least a month there.

[tomko2]

We spent three months in Europe doing a land trip in the mid-nineties and then went on a 12 night Med. cruise in 2007 on the Legend of the Seas from Rome. Both times we felt comfortable and were treated well. In fact, we found that people were very kind to us and tried to make us feel welcome. In both Rhodes and Athens, the owners of the tavernas (spelling?) gave us free ouzo and treats to taste. Wonderful hospitality.

In Spain we spent three weeks in one community where virtually no English was spoken and people bent over backwards trying to communicate with us.

 

We are looking forward to returning to the Med. this summer for a 12 night cruise from Barcelona on the Brilliance of the Seas.

 

A world cruise would be my dream!

Kathy:)

[Cymro1953]

Hi Loretta Marie,

We've been to them all on both hotel holidays and cruise. We were trated with nothing but friendliness at all times. Especially in Italy. We had a long gap once of 20years between holidays in Italy :-( due to financial circumstances) and we felt on our return like we'd never been away.

And last year in Sicily the weather was so bad when it should have been the start of summer the locals in Taormina were apologising for it.

We're from the Uk and tend to stick out like the typical British Tourist abroad. So they seem to be able to spot us as that A mile off :-)

 

Berwyn

[Onessa]

Many of the port cities rely upon tourists for a sizable portion of the local economy; so, if for no other reason, the merchants and resturant owners treat tourists pretty well.

 

We tend to travel "off season" so there aren't so many tourists. And I find that that REALLY helps!

 

We live in an area with some major tourist events and my husband is from a smallish tourist town "up north" where we have a summer home. I can tell you that I feel a lot more charitible toward the tourists in my town during the "off season" -- I'll slow down for the jay-walkers (rather than gun my engine :D) and agree to snap some group photos now in May or June -- but come training camp, I may be tooting my horn at the hords of tourists crossing against the lights or standing in the middle of the road to get a better shot!

[temple1]

Many of the port cities rely upon tourists for a sizable portion of the local economy; so, if for no other reason, the merchants and resturant owners treat tourists pretty well.

 

We tend to travel "off season" so there aren't so many tourists. And I find that that REALLY helps!

 

We live in an area with some major tourist events and my husband is from a smallish tourist town "up north" where we have a summer home. I can tell you that I feel a lot more charitible toward the tourists in my town during the "off season" -- I'll slow down for the jay-walkers (rather than gun my engine :D) and agree to snap some group photos now in May or June -- but come training camp, I may be tooting my horn at the hords of tourists crossing against the lights or standing in the middle of the road to get a better shot!

 

LOL - You know the old saying, "If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them?" :D

[Onessa]

We're from the Uk and tend to stick out like the typical British Tourist abroad. So they seem to be able to spot us as that A mile off :-)

 

 

Berwyn - I'm American, but people in Europe (including some touristy spots in the UK) address me in German! I've found that since I don't dress American (no jeans, no sports shoes) - the merchants assume I am NOT American. I am primarily of Irish, English, and Scotish descent -- what makes someone from the British Isle's area "look" like they might be British? I can figure out why they KNOW I'm not Italian or Greek (I've a very pale complexion, with red frizzy hair, and lots of freckles)

[mjldvlks]

We have been to Italy, Croatia, Turkey, Greece [Corfu and Santorini], Mexico, Portugal [the Azores and Madeira], England, and France within the last 18 months. With certain exceptions, we have been treated warmly as welcome guest. There have been one or two exceptions, but given the isolated nature of those experiences, I don't even want to comment on where they occurred. Our best experience was in Italy. I got the impression the people there just love people and being around them. They love to talk and share their stories and tell you about their homeland. We were primarily around Venice, so I want to go back and see if the rest of the country is as hospitable, but I have heard that it is. The people in Turkey all seemed like they had something to sell, but they were warm and polite to us. Even in Paris, where I frankly expected the worst, we got along fine. People were helpful and outging.

[Aubiecruiser]

On last years Med cruise on the Brilliance, every place we visited we were made to feel completely welcome. The service personel everywhere went out of their way to be nice and helpful from the hotel staff and waiters at the cafes in Barcelona to all the ports we visited, it was the best vacation we've ever had. I was really surprised at how clean the cities were and the genuine pride their citizens took in their cities.

Aubie

[sea-cruise]

We were welcomed warmly in Italy, Greece, and all other countries we visited, but we were treated especially well in Turkey.

While we sat on a park bench there, my husband was offered a cigar from an old gentleman, and we were both served tea from the owner of a shop where I had made a small purchase. Once you get away from the port area, you will find many polite people.

[gatour]

In March, we took a cruise that visited Greece/Italy and couple of other ports and felt we were treated very well. We spent four days in Barcelona and also felt in general that we were treated no worse than if were eating at restaurants here in the US or touring sites here in the US.

 

At the end of the trip we were ready to go again on the same exact trip, because we felt we had only brushed the surface and had such a good time.