Mediterranean Cruise - Greece Port Adventure Advice Need

[DonnaRN]

Hi! We are going on our first DCL in June. We are doing the 9-night Mediterranean Cruise. Since this is our first cruise, there were a few port excursions that were fully booked that we wanted to do. We wanted to do the ones where they had a tour in the morning and beach in the afternoon, but were booked up. My girls are only 5 and 3. They won't be able to do a whole day tour. We wanted to check out the beaches. What are my other options? Will there be tours available at the ports that is not with Disney? Are taxis readily available? It is recommended?

We wanted to do the following:

Lindos Acropolis And Beach Time @ Rhodes, Greece
Acropolis Sightseeing and Yabanaki Beach Club @ Athens, Greece

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[bliscum]

I was in Greece for the ABD and went ahead a day and I booked George's taxi. This is a private sedan type with driver and did 2 half days. The first was just around Athens and he took me everywhere. I highly recommend this company. Go to their website and see what interests you. The driver is not an official guide but was very knowledgeable about Athens. Not sure about the beaches.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Hi! We are going on our first DCL in June. We are doing the 9-night Mediterranean Cruise. Since this is our first cruise, there were a few port excursions that were fully booked that we wanted to do. We wanted to do the ones where they had a tour in the morning and beach in the afternoon, but were booked up. My girls are only 5 and 3. They won't be able to do a whole day tour. We wanted to check out the beaches. What are my other options? Will there be tours available at the ports that is not with Disney? Are taxis readily available? It is recommended?

We wanted to do the following:

Lindos Acropolis And Beach Time @ Rhodes, Greece
Acropolis Sightseeing and Yabanaki Beach Club @ Athens, Greece

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Lindos can be done by taxi, ( and bus though not recommended) it's about 45 mins to Lindos, it's a beautiful place the town clings onto the hill of the acropolis and the beach in the bay is an easy walk down three routes a road, and two paths, on one donkeys can assist you, I read of a Lindos free time one, well on that tour you can walk to the beautiful beach.

Athens you could contact a local operator for a trip such as, http://www.pktravelgreece.com/
But word of warning the beaches near Athens IMHO are very poor and are under the flight path for Gyfada Airport and subject to plane noise all day.

Lindos is the good option for a great beach and swim, Athens is not.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

This is Lindos for you.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

 

[sistersville]

These are the companies we are using: Athens- hellenicprivatetours.com

Rhodes- rhodesprivatetours.com

Both will customize to what you want. We have small kids too so we chose activities that would appeal to them. For Crete, we are doing a quick tour of Rhodes, then down to Lindos to explore a bit, then to a restaurant on the beach where we can spend the afternoon.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

These are the companies we are using: Athens- hellenicprivatetours.com

Crete- rhodesprivatetours.com

Both will customize to what you want. We have small kids too so we chose activities that would appeal to them. For Crete, we are doing a quick tour of Rhodes, then down to Lindos to explore a bit, then to a restaurant on the beach where we can spend the afternoon.

Note Rhodes /Lindos are on the island of Rhodes and not on the island of Crete.

Sounds good but personally I would go and do it the other way around, get to Lindos first thing and climb the Acropolis first thing it opens at 8am, and go there before the crowds and before the heat of the day, then tour the town before it gets busy and then go to the beach there and have a meal on the beach at Lindos,

Then go to Rhodes town, the market there doesn't get busy until 10 or 11am now if you do not want to do shopping in Rhodes and just sight see fair enough before the market and shops open then you will see more, but it doesn't get going till mid morning.

Lindos has a perfect beach a semi circled bay with small inlet and a sandy feel under water that shelves gently, plenty of sunbeds shades and a few beach side restaurants.

Kolymbia Beach is a nice beach only one or two resturants but sits under a monestry, the beach is open to the sea so slightly rough and has rocks in places.

Afandou bay is nice.

Faliraki is a big commercial seaside resort for Greece popular with young people long stretch of beach quite open so you need the shades good water most sand some rocks and lots of different types of places to eat, can be a bit rowdy.

Only go to East coast beaches the west coast is rough and stony and under the flight path of a big airport.

 

[DonnaRN]

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[DonnaRN]

These are the companies we are using: Athens- hellenicprivatetours.com

Crete- rhodesprivatetours.com

Both will customize to what you want. We have small kids too so we chose activities that would appeal to them. For Crete, we are doing a quick tour of Rhodes, then down to Lindos to explore a bit, then to a restaurant on the beach where we can spend the afternoon.

So, your doing the DCL, but chose to do private tours instead? Have you done this before?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

So, your doing the DCL, but chose to do private tours instead? Have you done this before?

Whilst not addressed to me.

In all ports I tend to organize my own tours.

In this summer on our 12 night I have Six private tours in seven ports and only one DCL tour, (Alaska last year six private tours in three ports).

As long as you book with a reputable local organizer you can do more of what you wish, and maybe save money, you can dictate the times you want to be and where and move on when you want.

The road from Rhodes town to Lindos is modern and new and a good road ( the best on the Island) until the approach to Lindos when it winds a lot, no private transfer or Taxi will have any problem.

Tour buses in fact stop at the top of Lindos in a car/coach park and you have to walk down a steep winding road to the town square, cars. and vans can drive to the town square, No traffic is allowed in the town at all past the square bar Mopeds and donkeys, No traffic goes up to the acropolis. Cars and vans can get to the beach down one road, tour buses cant.

 

[DonnaRN]

Whilst not addressed to me.

In all ports I tend to organize my own tours.

In this summer on our 12 night I have Six private tours in seven ports and only one DCL tour, (Alaska last year six private tours in three ports).

As long as you book with a reputable local organizer you can do more of what you wish, and maybe save money, you can dictate the times you want to be and where and move on when you want.

The road from Rhodes town to Lindos is modern and new and a good road ( the best on the Island) until the approach to Lindos when it winds a lot, no private transfer or Taxi will have any problem.

Tour buses in fact stop at the top of Lindos in a car/coach park and you have to walk down a steep winding road to the town square, cars. and vans can drive to the town square, No traffic is allowed in the town at all past the square bar Mopeds and donkeys, No traffic goes up to the acropolis. Cars and vans can get to the beach down one road, tour buses cant.

Thanks for all the info. This is very helpful.

 

[sistersville]

So, your doing the DCL, but chose to do private tours instead? Have you done this before?

Sorry- I meant Rhodes instead of Crete. Was typing on my phone. Yes- we have cruised DCL before. When we did the Med cruise on the Magic in 2011, we did all private, except for one DCL excursion. The DCL excursion was the worst one that we did and more expensive for the value of what we received.

I usually look on the disboards for recommendations and also look for reviews on tripadvisor. With small kids, it is much easier to customize itineraries and if for some reason, a particular part of the tour is not working out, you can adapt and change. You can stay longer at a particular site, or skip it or stay shorter if you want. If you need a bathroom break or snack,etc. you can do it without having to do it with an entire bus full of people. We have never had an issue making it back to the ship on time. I always let the driver know exactly when we need to return and make sure we are back at least 30 minutes before departure- usually earlier.

As for Rhodes, I know that my kids attention span is best in the morning, so we are doing a quick view of the historical sites there, then down to Lindos to explore a bit, then lunch at a seaside restaurant where they have sunbeds and a beach that is good for children- spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach. We are going to be doing extensive historical tours in Athens and Ephesus- think they are going to be over the history stuff by then.

 

[DonnaRN]

Sorry- I meant Rhodes instead of Crete. Was typing on my phone. Yes- we have cruised DCL before. When we did the Med cruise on the Magic in 2011, we did all private, except for one DCL excursion. The DCL excursion was the worst one that we did and more expensive for the value of what we received.

I usually look on the disboards for recommendations and also look for reviews on tripadvisor. With small kids, it is much easier to customize itineraries and if for some reason, a particular part of the tour is not working out, you can adapt and change. You can stay longer at a particular site, or skip it or stay shorter if you want. If you need a bathroom break or snack,etc. you can do it without having to do it with an entire bus full of people. We have never had an issue making it back to the ship on time. I always let the driver know exactly when we need to return and make sure we are back at least 30 minutes before departure- usually earlier.

As for Rhodes, I know that my kids attention span is best in the morning, so we are doing a quick view of the historical sites there, then down to Lindos to explore a bit, then lunch at a seaside restaurant where they have sunbeds and a beach that is good for children- spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach. We are going to be doing extensive historical tours in Athens and Ephesus- think they are going to be over the history stuff by then.

Thanks so much. I will look into the sites you suggested. I just like to hear from other people about their experience.

 

[DonnaRN]

I was in Greece for the ABD and went ahead a day and I booked George's taxi. This is a private sedan type with driver and did 2 half days. The first was just around Athens and he took me everywhere. I highly recommend this company. Go to their website and see what interests you. The driver is not an official guide but was very knowledgeable about Athens. Not sure about the beaches.

I just looked up George's Taxi! They have really good reviews on trip advisor. They are on my list! Thanks!

 

[Cousin Orville]

We're doing private tours for Athens, Kusadasi, santorini, and Crete. For Rhodes, Mykonos and Malta we're on our own. For Rhodes I think we're going to break from ruins and just walk the old town. It will be a unique opportunity to see Rhodes and Malta (12 day) on the same cruise. Both have a strong medieval history with the Knights... We'll probably focus on that aspect of the islands.

For Mykonos, I'm debating taking a solo trip to Delos in the morning. I don't think my DW or kids would enjoy it. Anyone been over there?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We're doing private tours for Athens, Kusadasi, santorini, and Crete. For Rhodes, Mykonos and Malta we're on our own. For Rhodes I think we're going to break from ruins and just walk the old town. It will be a unique opportunity to see Rhodes and Malta (12 day) on the same cruise. Both have a strong medieval history with the Knights... We'll probably focus on that aspect of the islands.

For Mykonos, I'm debating taking a solo trip to Delos in the morning. I don't think my DW or kids would enjoy it. Anyone been over there?

Let me say can I strongly advise you to go to Lindos it is a fantastic place, I have stated there about six times, often for two weeks, its what I call real Greece you can see from the photos posted its a beautiful place. If you want to go DIY you can get a taxi from the port.

Rhodes town is nice the old part within the walls is nice but you can do it all in about 45 mins, there are small cobbled roads up and down, shops and restaurants,New Rhodes outside to the North has a nice harbor side area and nice restaurants.

I think in about 90 mins you will feel you have done it all.

Lindos, the drive is nice, a good highway modern for most the way but you will see Falaraiki and Afandou and the monastery on the hill, and beautiful villages on the way down. In Lindos you have the town, white washed little Greek Villa protected by law as a heritage site, a big acropolis in the hill, and a semi circled slightly shelving bay into the sea, rooftop restaurants and bars.

Traffic is band bar the town square and the mode of transport is donkey and the odd moped.

Walk Rhodes town when you get back it will be alive then.

Its a jewel in a Greek crown, if you ever thing of what Greek islands are like this is it.

For Mykonos the Delos tour is actually better with DCL, (and you know I book DIY most times, in my 12 night Med cruise this is the only port I will not have a Private tour)-The Delos boat docks next to the cruise ship and you get on in the port there, it drops you off in town, that's a free shuttle away, go early before it gets hot hot hot, DIY you pick the Delso boat up in town and share with local tourists.

 

[Scraptographer]

We did Disney's Med cruise with Greece last year and really enjoyed it. Delos was the one site that my husband did not enjoy - he said his imagination was just not working that day - and for Delos you need a lot of imagination to enjoy it to its fullest. DH described Delos as the most systematically laid out pile of rocks that he had ever seen. On the other hand, the kids and I enjoyed Delos once we got away from the follow the leader mentality that the confines of the narrow streets seem to require as you follow your tour guide.

I included a write up of the Disney excursion in my trip report in my siggie.

 

[DonnaRN]

We're doing private tours for Athens, Kusadasi, santorini, and Crete. For Rhodes, Mykonos and Malta we're on our own. For Rhodes I think we're going to break from ruins and just walk the old town. It will be a unique opportunity to see Rhodes and Malta (12 day) on the same cruise. Both have a strong medieval history with the Knights... We'll probably focus on that aspect of the islands.

For Mykonos, I'm debating taking a solo trip to Delos in the morning. I don't think my DW or kids would enjoy it. Anyone been over there?

Who did you book your tours with?

I am definitely doing private tour for Athens and Rhodes.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Who did you book your tours with?

I am definitely doing private tour for Athens and Rhodes.

Donna

Sorry to jump in again.

We are on the 7/22 cruise and for Athens I have booked through;-

http://www.pktravelgreece.com/

Ephesus

http://www.ephesustours.biz/

 

[DonnaRN]

Donna

Sorry to jump in again.

We are on the 7/22 cruise and for Athens I have booked through;-

http://www.pktravelgreece.com/

Ephesus

http://www.ephesustours.biz/

I have checked out those websites. Thanks!