Which Greek Itinerary Would You Choose and Why?

MSC MAGNIFICA

Sat Sep 3 Venice, Italy 5:00pm

Sun Sep 4 Split, Croatia 8:00am 5:00pm

Mon Sep 5 At Sea

Tue Sep 6 Santorini, Greece 9:00am 3:00pm

Tue Sep 6 Mykonos, Greece 8:00pm

Wed Sep 7 Mykonos, Greece 2:00am

Thu Sep 8 Dubrovnik, Croatia 1:00pm 7:00pm

Fri Sep 9 Ancona, Italy 1:00pm 7:00pm

Sat Sep 10 Venice, Italy 8:00am

MSC ORCHESTRA

Sun Sep 4 Venice, Italy 5:00pm

Mon Sep 5 Bari, Italy 1:00pm 6:00pm

Tue Sep 6 Olympia, Greece 1:00pm 7:00pm

Wed Sep 7 Santorini, Greece 9:00am 5:00pm

Thu Sep 8 Athens, Greece 7:30am 4:30pm

Fri Sep 9 Corfu, Greece 12:30pm 6:30pm

Sat Sep 10 Kotor, Montenegro 7:00am 1:00pm

Sun Sep 11 Venice, Italy 9:00am

For me it would come down to Dubrovnik vs Athens. While I love Dubrovnik, I'd have to opt for Athens. Athens, with it's place in history, being able to see the Acropolis/Parthenon, Plaka..., is just too good to miss, IMHO.

Dang it!!! I made a mistake!!!! I posted the wrong itinerary for Magnifica. Here is the proper one... Both Orchestra and Magnifica stop at Athens. Only difference is: Dubrovnik+day at sea OR Kotor+corfu

Sat Sep 3 Venice, Italy 4:30pm

Sun Sep 4 Bari, Italy 10:00am 3:00pm

Mon Sep 5 Olympia, Greece 9:00am 3:00pm

Tue Sep 6 Mykonos, Greece 8:00am 8:00pm

Wed Sep 7 Athens, Greece 7:30am 7:30pm

Thu Sep 8 At Sea

Fri Sep 9 Dubrovnik, Croatia 9:00am 3:00pm

Sat Sep 10 Venice, Italy 9:00am

Dang it!!! I made a mistake!!!! I posted the wrong itinerary for Magnifica. Here is the proper one... Both Orchestra and Magnifica stop at Athens. Only difference is: Dubrovnik+day at sea OR Kotor+corfu

 

 

Sat Sep 3 Venice, Italy 4:30pm

Sun Sep 4 Bari, Italy 10:00am 3:00pm

Mon Sep 5 Olympia, Greece 9:00am 3:00pm

Tue Sep 6 Mykonos, Greece 8:00am 8:00pm

Wed Sep 7 Athens, Greece 7:30am 7:30pm

Thu Sep 8 At Sea

Fri Sep 9 Dubrovnik, Croatia 9:00am 3:00pm

Sat Sep 10 Venice, Italy 9:00am

Lots of different opinions on this! It's basically sea days vs port days. Some are all about wanting sea days on port intensive cruises and others (like me) want as many port days as possible. I live near the beach. I can see the water any time I want. I can go to the beach any time I want. I can relax at home. I cannot, however, see Dubrovnik, Corfu or Kotor any old day of the week. I haven't been to Corfu or Kotor, so can't say anything about those ports, and truly did love our day in Dubrovnik....even so, though, I'd opt for the two ports over one port and a sea day.... just me. :)

I'd go for Kotor + Corfu because only been to Vorfu town once and really liked it and have not yet done Kotor, whereas I'vee been to Dubrovnik 3 times.

If I'd never been to any of them, then I'd go to Dubrovnik, it really is a lovely old walled city. Med cruises are pretty port intensive so a day to enjoy the ship would be good too.

Ships are same class although Magnifica is newer and has aretractable glass dome over one of its pools but not really a factor to consider in September as it will no doubt be hot and sunny

I think the big differences are

1) CORFU / DUBROVNIK

2) SANTORINI / MYKONOS

3) KOTOR / SEA DAY

In the first pair DUBROVNIK wins by a mile

Second pair SANTORINI wins Hands down

Third Pair I'd opt for KOTOR as it's the only port I haven't been to, and on a short Aegean cruise a sea day is a bit of a waste (IMHO).

So I'd go on ORCHESTRA

I've been to these ports on the number of occasions indicated

Venice 5

Bari 5

Dubrovnik 5

Olympia 3

Athens 3

Corfu 2

Mykonos 2

Santorini 1

Kotor 0

Pete

I am biased on this one having had 18 land holidays on Corfu and been there on 3 cruises, there is far more to see than just Corfu town but the time limits of MSC do not allow for it, been to Dubrovnik twice and never been to Kotor so for it would be Corfu/ Kotor.

I think the big differences are

1) CORFU / DUBROVNIK

2) SANTORINI / MYKONOS

3) KOTOR / SEA DAY

 

 

In the first pair DUBROVNIK wins by a mile

 

Second pair SANTORINI wins Hands down

 

Third Pair I'd opt for KOTOR as it's the only port I haven't been to, and on a short Aegean cruise a sea day is a bit of a waste (IMHO).

 

So I'd go on ORCHESTRA

 

 

I've been to these ports on the number of occasions indicated

 

Venice 5

Bari 5

Dubrovnik 5

Olympia 3

Athens 3

Corfu 2

Mykonos 2

Santorini 1

Kotor 0

 

 

 

 

Pete

I am not sure I would agree that Dubrovnik and Santorini are winners handsdown.

Mykonos is a beautiful port. One must remember that Santorini is a tender port and depending on the time in port may prove very unsatisfactory as you jostle to get off the ship to go shore, the hassle with queuing with the cable car etc etc. Dubrovnik is also very crowded port which may make getting about very troublesome. Certainly if you are an Enochlophobe then Corfu or Mykonos may be better.

I am not a lover of sea days and I have not been to Kotor so I would like to go there.

I would toss a coin!

I am not sure I would agree that Dubrovnik and Santorini are winners handsdown.

 

Mykonos is a beautiful port. One must remember that Santorini is a tender port and depending on the time in port may prove very unsatisfactory as you jostle to get off the ship to go shore, the hassle with queuing with the cable car etc etc. Dubrovnik is also very crowded port which may make getting about very troublesome. Certainly if you are an Enochlophobe then Corfu or Mykonos may be better.

 

I am not a lover of sea days and I have not been to Kotor so I would like to go there.

 

I would toss a coin!

Mykonos is also a tender port which is why I paired it with Santorini, so every thing about queueing for tenders is equally applicable. if you go on an excursion at Santorini then you get off at an earlier tendering point than the cable-car, and only excursions get off there.

Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage site so in my book is streets ahead of Corfu.

And we agree on Kotor v. Seaday .

Pete

Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage site so in my book is streets ahead of Corfu.

But once you have been around Dubrovnik that is it, whereas with a full day you can see much more of Corfu and not just Corfu town as many do and think that is it mainly due to lack of information from the cruise lines.

Corfu Town is within walking distance of the port (for those who like to walk) if you turn Left out of the Port Gate go along the main road going past the New Fort and along the Harbour, cross the road and you are in town, the same cannot be said for Dubrovnik.

On the other side of town across from the area where they play Cricket is the Old fort and of course the Liston where in times gone by if your name was not on the "List" you could not eat or drink at the bars and cafes there.

While I like Dubrovnik and the Castle at the side of the main City (Both used in Game of Thrones) that is basically it there is not much more to see,maybe the cable car up the mountain although according to a friend who has been there recently there is not much to see once you get up there! the Ice Cream though is recommended.

I remember our ship mooring at Mykanos but no idea what MSC do there.

Mykonos is also a tender port which is why I paired it with Santorini, so every thing about queueing for tenders is equally applicable. if you go on an excursion at Santorini then you get off at an earlier tendering point than the cable-car, and only excursions get off there.

Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage site so in my book is streets ahead of Corfu.

 

And we agree on Kotor v. Seaday .

 

Pete

I cannot agree!

Myokonos : Ships dock in Tourlos so everything is not equally applicable. Our cruise docked in Tourlos.

Yes DBV is a World Heritage City but so too is Corfu with the Old Town inscribed in the UNESCO WHS list since 2007. Then there are the beaches, the Palaces and Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island!

I cannot agree!

 

Myokonos : Ships dock in Tourlos so everything is not equally applicable. Our cruise docked in Tourlos.

 

Yes DBV is a World Heritage City but so too is Corfu with the Old Town inscribed in the UNESCO WHS list since 2007. Then there are the beaches, the Palaces and Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island!

Here is a picture of our ship, Splendour OTS (with Norwegian jade in the background) anchored off Mykonos . I wasn't imagining it.

Dubrovnik became one of the first UNESCO sites, on the second list in 1979 ,which puts it in the top 50 places in the world. The first list in 1978 had 10 locations and the second list had 40 locations. The second list also had on it:- the Pyramids at Giza; the Palace of Versailles; Mont St. Michel ; The Temple of Rameses II at Abu Simbel; The Caves At Lascaux, to name but a few, so it was thought of as one of the best sites in the world and not just a later addition as was Corfu, 28 lists later in 2007, which puts Corfu between 711 and 731st place on the UNESCO lists.

Pete

Here is a picture of our ship, Splendour OTS (with Norwegian jade in the background) anchored off Mykonos . I wasn't imagining it.

 

 

 

 

 

Dubrovnik became one of the first UNESCO sites, on the second list in 1979 ,which puts it in the top 50 places in the world. The first list in 1978 had 10 locations and the second list had 40 locations. The second list also had on it:- the Pyramids at Giza; the Palace of Versailles; Mont St. Michel ; The Temple of Rameses II at Abu Simbel; The Caves At Lascaux, to name but a few, so it was thought of as one of the best sites in the world and not just a later addition as was Corfu, 28 lists later in 2007, which puts Corfu between 711 and 731st place on the UNESCO lists.

 

 

 

Pete

The fact remains Pete is that you gave wrong information stating DBV was a WHS and Corfu was not.

You are also incorrect in stating that the first list in 1978 had 10 sites when in fact it has 12 site and includes the Island of Goree in Senegal - not exactly a well known site.

You also have to acknowledge that these lists have more to do with political interventions than with true cultural or natural value.

I didn't realise it was a competition or that the sight placed first on the list had a greater significance than the sight placed last - just that sight No 1 may have had better PR and lobbying in comparison to sight no 2 and got on the list sooner. That is how supranational politics works! Would you say that Aachen Cathedral is the best Cathedral in the world being the first one on the original list of 12? Ahead of St Peters, Cologne Dom, Santiago de Compostela etc. I don't think so. Looks like it was a sop to the Germans at the time. Things get put on the list for many reasons (and removed) and very often are put on if they are in danger, not because they are 'more beautiful' than another!

So I still cannot see why DBV would laud it over CFU. As already said there's more to do in CFU.

Wow, such a detailed rebuttal when Dubrovnik isn't even a Greek Island (What the thread is about)

But I'm more interested in the fact that you (Tomvet) was online and posting on Cruise Critic on 31 January 2016.

I just love someone who is a stickler for detail.

But back to Greek Islands and itineraries. These two may be tender ports but who would't risk a tender ride to get a glimpse of Patmos...

Especially when sailing on Europa 2...

Or, even more unusual, Hydra...

from the same ship...

Wow, such a detailed rebuttal when Dubrovnik isn't even a Greek Island (What the thread is about)

 

But I'm more interested in the fact that you (Tomvet) was online and posting on Cruise Critic on 31 January 2016.

 

I just love someone who is a stickler for detail.

 

But back to Greek Islands and itineraries. These two may be tender ports but who would't risk a tender ride to get a glimpse of Patmos...

 

 

Especially when sailing on Europa 2...

 

 

Or, even more unusual, Hydra...

 

 

 

from the same ship...

 

Richard,

To be a strict stickler for detail the original question was:-

Which Greek Itinerary Would You Choose and Why?

there is no use of the word "island", so in answering the question of which "Itinerary" would you would you choose; a detailed reasoning of the desirability, or not, of a call at Dubrovnik is a perfectly reasonable inclusion.

BTW

Great images, as usual from you Richard.

I'm booked on the Orchestra this June mainly because it included the port of Santorini...which is a dream for me.