7/14/2014 - 12-Night Mediterranean Cruise (with Greece) Venice to Barcelona

[jd99]

Thanks for the recommendation on The Great Courses lectures. I downloaded the videos and have already watched the Acropolis. I can see this will be a great series of lectures.

We also did a private tour. Hit the Temple of Zeus, the Acropolis, the Agora, lunch in the Plaka and the Acropolis museum. It will be tough to decide what to do next year. The Acropolis is amazing, but we may try to do something a bit different next time, such as Poseiden's temple. One tip for everyone going to the Acropolis... Make sure you bring sun glasses. It's so windy, the dust and can blow in your eyes. My 3 yo had his own sun glasses and I gave my pair to my eight yr old.

We spent three weeks in Greece last summer - mostly on my wife's family's home island but we did spend four nights in Athens and one of the cousins took us to the Temple of Poseidon in Sounion. It was one of our favorite days of the whole trip. Amazing site.
And I agree re the wind at the Acropolis. I had sunglasses on but wound up with dust in my eyes multiple times.

 

[jd99]

Anyone have any ideas on Venice hotels yet? I know it's a little early but I thought I'd start doing some research. Any thoughts?

 

[SailingSeas]

Venice - i've been recommended by all tourists to stay IN Venice, and pretty much everyone we know IN Venice to stay on the mainland, or walk on the ship with everything in my luggage smelling slightly 'odorific' as we are coming in the heat of the summer. I can't get it out of my doggedly stubborn brain that when IN Venice, stay IN Venice... hence I will be debating this issue for weeks to come.

Sorry you asked?

 

[jd99]

Venice - i've been recommended by all tourists to stay IN Venice, and pretty much everyone we know IN Venice to stay on the mainland, or walk on the ship with everything in my luggage smelling slightly 'odorific' as we are coming in the heat of the summer. I can't get it out of my doggedly stubborn brain that when IN Venice, stay IN Venice... hence I will be debating this issue for weeks to come.

Sorry you asked?

Maybe! Not sorry I asked but now you HAVE given me more to consider.

 

[jd99]

Our biggest challenge on this trip is that we want to spend time with family in Greece either before or after the cruise. Really wanted to do it before but the dates are tough - and after means a flight from Barcelona to Athens then a ferry ride to get to the island. A flight from Athens to Venice is a lot easier and the flight home from Barcelona a lot shorter than the one from Athens. If only we could spend a full 30 days on this trip, it'd be a lot easier.

 

[SailingSeas]

lol JD, that's hilarious. i want to hop over and visit (meet) family too, I didn't even think of flying into Athens for the cruise, then pop up to Venice. I can see we are going to be very bad influences.

 

[jd99]

lol JD, that's hilarious. i want to hop over and visit (meet) family too, I didn't even think of flying into Athens for the cruise, then pop up to Venice. I can see we are going to be very bad influences.

Looks that way!!!

 

[denise]

what time is late seating for dinner? just thinking if we should change from early to late.....

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

what time is late seating for dinner? just thinking if we should change from early to late.....

It was 6:00 and 8:30 this year.

 

[Tennis Bro]

Does anyone know how often they change the entertainment? We sailed on the Magic in Feb of 2012. Will the shows be the same?

 

[MPS516]

what time is late seating for dinner? just thinking if we should change from early to late.....

We always do late when in Europe because we spend every possible minute ashore. That way when we get back we have time to relax a little, maybe get in a pool, shower and clean up without being rushed to supper.

 

[jd99]

We always do late when in Europe because we spend every possible minute ashore. That way when we get back we have time to relax a little, maybe get in a pool, shower and clean up without being rushed to supper.

Us too. Actually we do late for all sailings now. Tried early a few times when kids were younger but we found that it didn't matter whether it was early or late - the younger one got tired no matter what. So at least with late we have the option of seeing the show without her sleeping on our shoulder. Even though she's 9 now, we have gotten used to late and it fits us better.

 

[smithzer1]

Hello all fellow Disney Cruisers!

My name is Towana and my DH is Richard. We will be voyaging with you all on this cruise and would love to join the FE.

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

Does anyone know how often they change the entertainment? We sailed on the Magic in Feb of 2012. Will the shows be the same?

I would imagine that if they do change shows it will be after the fall refurbishment but no way to tell for sure.

 

[denise]

for those who did a Med/Greek cruise this year...

What did you think about the dining times? early or late...

As a family we have always liked early seating. We have done late once, because early was gone due to us booking the cruise only 3 weeks before it sailed. We didn't care for it and found it just so late to eat. We never made it to any shows before dinner either. (not such a big deal because none were new at that time)

Looking at the onboard times...most are at 6:45pm...we would be at dinner when we sail away...perhaps we shouldn't miss this? In the Baltic leaving each island was a really cool part of the cruise but our on board time was very early around 4-5 ish.

Most times when we cruise we do port things on our own, we get up not too early but early enough....the ashore times are all early on this cruise!! Eating late and getting up early... but it's GREECE!!! Who wants to miss this???
Last cruise we did in Greece we got up but 11 am because we were up until almost 2 each night...the ship, well really a boat...would dock around 11am at each island and stay there until 6 am the next day...the islands were close together!
Eating at 9 or even 10 pm was the Greek way!!

So I am just wondering and would love your input....

 

[slg]

We had late dining for the first time in 9 cruises and I'm so glad. Sometimes we would be coming back to the ship...even on a disney excursion at 6:00 or 6:15. We'd rush to the show (if we wanted to), then have a shower and get ready for dinner.

Also, Greeks eat lunch late and dinner late, so if you are out and about eating a big Greek lunch (oh yum) you are not hungry for dinner at 6:00.

We just booked this cruise on our July 13 DCL cruise and could only get early dinner Am on the wait list for late because I really don't want early.

Late dinner is sold out on European cruises as it is so popular. Not a quiet dinner at all though..!

 

[denise]

We had late dining for the first time in 9 cruises and I'm so glad. Sometimes we would be coming back to the ship...even on a disney excursion at 6:00 or 6:15. We'd rush to the show (if we wanted to), then have a shower and get ready for dinner.

Also, Greeks eat lunch late and dinner late, so if you are out and about eating a big Greek lunch (oh yum) you are not hungry for dinner at 6:00.

We just booked this cruise on our July 13 DCL cruise and could only get early dinner Am on the wait list for late because I really don't want early.

Late dinner is sold out on European cruises as it is so popular. Not a quiet dinner at all though..!

thanks...
a wait list for late dinner!!
So if I want to change and link my reservation with someone with late, will I get late?

 

[slg]

I don't know...ask your TA about that. I'm hoping that I will get into my late dinner soon. I hate waiting!

 

[jd99]

for those who did a Med/Greek cruise this year...

What did you think about the dining times? early or late...

As a family we have always liked early seating. We have done late once, because early was gone due to us booking the cruise only 3 weeks before it sailed. We didn't care for it and found it just so late to eat. We never made it to any shows before dinner either. (not such a big deal because none were new at that time)

Looking at the onboard times...most are at 6:45pm...we would be at dinner when we sail away...perhaps we shouldn't miss this? In the Baltic leaving each island was a really cool part of the cruise but our on board time was very early around 4-5 ish.

Most times when we cruise we do port things on our own, we get up not too early but early enough....the ashore times are all early on this cruise!! Eating late and getting up early... but it's GREECE!!! Who wants to miss this???
Last cruise we did in Greece we got up but 11 am because we were up until almost 2 each night...the ship, well really a boat...would dock around 11am at each island and stay there until 6 am the next day...the islands were close together!
Eating at 9 or even 10 pm was the Greek way!!

So I am just wondering and would love your input....

We love late all the time but particularly on the European sailings. I remember our day in Rome. Nearly 12 hours of touring and then back to the ship around 7 pm. People with early dining went right from the gangway to dinner - all sweaty and casual. I was so glad we had late to be able to catch our breath, clean up and have a lovely dinner after a long day.

What cruise did you do in Greece previously with the itinerary you describe above? I was thinking of just doing a Greek-based island cruise of some kind before we booked this but couldn't find anything I thought we'd like enough. Would love a resource to find something for the future....

 

[denise]

What cruise did you do in Greece previously with the itinerary you describe above? I was thinking of just doing a Greek-based island cruise of some kind before we booked this but couldn't find anything I thought we'd like enough. Would love a resource to find something for the future....

Unfortunately the cruise line doesn't exist anymore. or we would do it again.....It was Easy Cruise, part of the Easy Jet people that have planes that fly in Europe.
It was a small boat that held 200 people. Left Pireaus and went on a 7 night cruise..we visited a different island each day. We picked the cruise by the islands it went to. We went to: Ios, Milos, Amorgos, Naxos, Folegandros, Serifos.
We picked this tour because we wanted to go to Amorgos! It can be difficult to get there otherwise. My husbands grandfather was from there. In fact when we got off the boat the first thing we saw was a grocery store with our last name on it!! TOO COOL....
Each person got one bath towel for the week. There were 3 of us so we had to purchase a room for 4. We had two bunkbeds. There were only about 3 hangers but we had "borrowed" some from the Marriott's in Athens. (yes we took them back) We just placed our clothes out on the extra bed.

The ship leaned to one side so when we took a shower the water ran out onto our floor and to the hallway every time. We had to put our towel on the floor to keep from slipping. So we got extra towels every day...

Food was not included. There was a restaurant on the boat. We would have breakfast only. Then get off the boat for the entire day. We did everything on our own. Sometimes renting a car, sometimes you didn't need to. You had to be back on board by 5 am! Then they would leave and sail to the next island getting there around 11 am or so.
Lots of British on our cruise. Lots of partying and dancing too!

It was lots of fun and we got to see lots of different places. Our best friends who are British joined us.
We spent a week in Athens, then the Easy Cruise, back in Athens for one night (taking the hangers back!) Then drove around Peloponnese Greece for one week, one night in Athens again and then flew to Barcelona to get on the Magic!!!

I wonder if there are any ships/boats that have taken the place?

Best of all when I booked it they had just started the cruise line. I booked the first day. For the 3 of us, all adults, and getting a 4 person room it cost us only....$360.00 !!! YES only $360.00....our friends who joined us got a two person room (you could hardly turn around in it) and paid more than us... a lot more! We got a deal! When I called to book and they gave me the price I asked if this was each person and they said no it's for the 4 person room. I then said is it per night? No for the week..... I booked right then!!

I first heard about it from the blog I posted a few posts back.
http://specials.about.com/service/newsletters/gogreece/1375365600.htm

Good luck, I hope you find something like this.

We still don't know what we want to do before or after the cruise...so many options!!!