A Wonderful European Land-Cruise Experience

Hi guys! Here's the deal. The dw (Curly Montana) and I just finished a wonderful anniversary trip to Europe, and we'd love to share some inside tips on what made it so special. I've written a full review, and hopefully it'll surface on the Cruise Critic review section real soon. I have many beautiful photos, and if I have figured this our properly then you'll see them right here.

This was our first Windstar cruise, and we chose the Star Breeze as our introduction to informal luxury. We decided to make it a two-part vacation -- a five day & night "land" component in Slovenia, and the a nine-night "cruise" component in the Mediterranean. The first part started out as an afterthought: we figured it would be wise to have at least a couple days to relax before the cruise to get over jet lag. Venice is horribly expensive, and we're just adventuresome enough to create our own land excursion package. No pre-packaged land tour for us. But before long I figured out that Slovenia is an absolute treasure. If you love the alpine beauty of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, then you'll adore Slovenia's Julian Alps. And a five-day stay was surprisingly affordable. Really, you must put this on your future travel list.

So here's TIP 1. By all means, if you have to fly overseas for the cruise, DO book at least a couple days beforehand in some special place to rest up. And if you want my advice about a stunningly beautiful place to go before sailing out of Venice, check out Lake Bled, Slovenia. Rent a car and drive through the Julian Alps. Go in early to mid-October when the crowds are gone and the leaves are beginning to turn. Want to know where to stay, what to see, and how to get around? Check out travel guides by Lonely Planet, Fodor, and or Rick Steves. They'll tell you.

Okay, here's some more juicy tidbits. Renting a car in Slovenia is awesome and fairly cheap, even with insurance and gas factored in, but don't plan on crossing any borders. It'll be too expensive, because the surcharge for dropping off in another country is really steep. So how do you get from Lake Bled to Venice? Travelling by train from anywhere in Slovenia to Venice is much harder to do than you can imagine (multiple connections to switch trains, long timeframes, and even a taxi connection thrown in at the border). What about flying? Fuhgetabouit. That's really expensive. So here's the deal. TIP No. 2. There happens to be a great private shuttle service that can get you from point A to point B just about anywhere in Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia for a really good price. Everything is arranged online, you pay in advance, and 24 hours before pick-up they will e-mail you saying exactly where the van will be to get onboard. They have a superb reliability rating. If you want the convenience of a truly private, custom trip (no other passengers sharing the ride), you can do that too, for a additional fee. My wife and I took the intermediate option, which is to say we paid to be picked up at an exact time instead of waiting. Cost? A little over 100 euros for the two of us, and we made it to the port in less than 4 hours. Contact me at curlydano2005@aol.com if you want specifics.

Okay guys. We all know that Windstar is awesome, right? At least that's true for all you veteran Windstar devotees, and now I can put myself on that list. We did the “Venetian Passageways” cruise from Venice to Athens, 9 nights on board the Star Breeze, starting on September 30th. This was a second choice for us, because we originally were bound and determined to do that sailing thing on board the Wind Surf. And I think all of us would agree, she is an extraordinarily beautiful ship. But then came the proverbial moment when "they made me an offer I cannot refuse" -- an extra night on an all-suite motorized yacht, with all the bells and whistles -- and all that for several hundred dollars less. Go figure. But we will sail on Wind Surf the next time around.

Our only headaches were at the beginning and end of the cruise, and in both cases Windstar was blameless. Have any of you gone through the nut roll of getting from the Venice port entrance to San Basilo Passenger Terminal? When we arrived at the gate, the guard refused to let our shuttle driver continue to the terminal. We had no idea how to get a taxi (water or land version), and so with the weather being perfect we hoofed it. That's one LONG epic walk. So here's TIP No. 3. If you don't already have a pre-paid transfer set up with Windstar, find out how to get to Piazza Roma to hire a taxi, or figure out how to find the vaporetto line and go by water. That'll save you from getting drenched on a rainy day, or sweating buckets on a real scorcher.

And what was the problem at the end of the cruise, you might ask? Athens, that's what. Athens is, in my opinion, a dump. In my experience it’s run-down, grimy, and burdened with lots of economic turbulence these days. I think it has very little redeeming value to start with. One day before we were supposed to disembark, we heard the stunning news that Greek air traffic controllers were going on strike. We almost became stranded in country for several days. Windstar's staff busted their collective fannies to try to help us make alternative plans. KUDOS, Windstar!!!!! And then about three hours before the deadline, negotiators made a deal and the strike was called off. By then, the damage had been done. It was enough uncertainty for Air Canada to blink, and because they pre-emptively cancelled our flight it caused us a one-day delay in getting home. But things could have been much worse. So what's the moral of the story? TIP No. 4. If you have a choice, avoid Athens, at least until economic conditions improve. The Western Mediterranean is much more stable from what I've seen. Book that cruise on board Wind Surf, and enjoy a stress-free trip from Venice to Rome.

We really had some special moments on our Windstar cruise, and we'll definitely be back. Here are some closing thoughts that might help:

TIP No. 5. Try to link up with your fellow Cruise Critic contributors. At dinner on the first night, as we're reading the Amphora menu, FlyGirl12 (who was seated to my left) politely asked, "are you on Cruise Critic?" What a pleasant surprise. I think she recognized me because my avatar has my photo. We shared lots of tips and observations, and Carla and I loved getting to know Alex and her husband Rich.

TIP No. 6. Venice is an absolute delight at dawn (or after dinnertime, for that matter). That's when the crowds vanish. If it gets foggy, it becomes downright mystical. If you brave the crowds at St. Mark's Square or the Rialto Bridge, it's insanely busy in mid-afternoon. I visited both places at dawn, and at St. Mark's Square there were maybe 20 people. When we sailed away from port at 4:00, there were 10,000 -- no exaggeration.

TIP No. 7. For heaven's sake, you MUST see Dubrovnik and Kotor. These are absolute, must-see, five-star, glorious destinations everyone should put on their bucket list. At Dubrovnik, walk the ramparted walls surrounding the old town, but do it EARLY before it gets too hot and crowded with tourists. And at Kotor, try to climb to the fortress above the old town for stunning views of the entire Bay of Kotor. The best photograph can be taken on the cobblestone and stepped trail just past the chapel, mid-way up the slope.

TIP No. 8. In my opinion, you'll hit the sweet spot on timing if you take this cruise in early to mid-October. The weather should be glorious. And the crowds should be much less hectic because it'll be off-season. If you go in the summertime....oh boy.

Okay guys. We all know that Windstar is awesome, right? At least that's true for all you veteran Windstar devotees, and now I can put myself on that list. We did the “Venetian Passageways” cruise from Venice to Athens, 9 nights on board the Star Breeze, starting on September 30th. This was a second choice for us, because we originally were bound and determined to do that sailing thing on board the Wind Surf. And I think all of us would agree, she is an extraordinarily beautiful ship. But then came the proverbial moment when "they made me an offer I cannot refuse" -- an extra night on an all-suite motorized yacht, with all the bells and whistles -- and all that for several hundred dollars less. Go figure. But we will sail on Wind Surf the next time around.

 

Our only headaches were at the beginning and end of the cruise, and in both cases Windstar was blameless. Have any of you gone through the nut roll of getting from the Venice port entrance to San Basilo Passenger Terminal? When we arrived at the gate, the guard refused to let our shuttle driver continue to the terminal. We had no idea how to get a taxi (water or land version), and so with the weather being perfect we hoofed it. That's one LONG epic walk. So here's TIP No. 3. If you don't already have a pre-paid transfer set up with Windstar, find out how to get to Piazza Roma to hire a taxi, or figure out how to find the vaporetto line and go by water. That'll save you from getting drenched on a rainy day, or sweating buckets on a real scorcher.

 

And what was the problem at the end of the cruise, you might ask? Athens, that's what. Athens is, in my opinion, a dump. In my experience it’s run-down, grimy, and burdened with lots of economic turbulence these days. I think it has very little redeeming value to start with. One day before we were supposed to disembark, we heard the stunning news that Greek air traffic controllers were going on strike. We almost became stranded in country for several days. Windstar's staff busted their collective fannies to try to help us make alternative plans. KUDOS, Windstar!!!!! And then about three hours before the deadline, negotiators made a deal and the strike was called off. By then, the damage had been done. It was enough uncertainty for Air Canada to blink, and because they pre-emptively cancelled our flight it caused us a one-day delay in getting home. But things could have been much worse. So what's the moral of the story? TIP No. 4. If you have a choice, avoid Athens, at least until economic conditions improve. The Western Mediterranean is much more stable from what I've seen. Book that cruise on board Wind Surf, and enjoy a stress-free trip from Venice to Rome.

Thank you for your comprehensive blog! 'Lots of great ideas and tips!

We did the Venetian Passageways on Star Pride at the end of August . . . . a hot and busy time but, limited by work . . . . . and it was a delight!

Re transfers to the San Basilio dock in Venice: I did much research on TripAdvisor and got all the answers there plus, a site called Europeforvisitors and click on 'Venice'.

There are forums and plenty of tips and advice if you take time to look through the posts.

We stayed for three nights, pre-cruise, on the island of Murano. We loved the fact that it was a quiet escape from the crowds.

We also had three days in Athens, post-cruise, as we had never been there before and took the opportunity to explore.

J. :)

Beautiful photos!

Thanks Dan. Great reporting. We are going on the Surf next May Venice/Rome. I adore Venice beem there many times but my bucket list is going out by water. Very excited. I agree I always am out by dawn in Venice, the fog is mystical, the evenings glorous. I never go near St. Marks, I am at the Rialto market by 6:30 am. I love art so I carry a list if churches and the art in them, so when I am out walking, see a church I look on my list voila my art list. The city truly is a living museum. I do not want to wish my life away but we can not wait. Thanks for the advice about where the Surf is docked. Taking a water taxi in Venice is almost a 2nd morgage and hauling suitcases on a vaparetto is challenging and we travel with carry ons only and it is still challenging. So glad you had a great trip, now you have me even more excited. Thanks and haopy sailing again.

Thanks Cooee, Strenz, and Zeno. You've all made nice remarks, and I love the feedback as much as I do re-living the experience through my reporting.

Cooee, I don't envy the way you did your Venician Passageways in August. Oh my Gosh. I would have absolutely melted, especially when I did the walk on the ramparts above Dubrovnik and when I took an hour and a half to climb to the fortress way above Kotor Bay. But we can both attest to how awesome the Star Pride is on that itinerary. Bet you appreciated Marius' humor as much as we did. What a Cruise Director!

Love Murano. Only did a very brief hit and run as a college student way back when, but it was nice anyways.

Yes, there are ways to study up on the ins-and-outs of getting around Venice. We discovered some of it after the fact, but mostly by trial and error.

Glad you liked Athens. Maybe if we hadn't been forced to stay an extra day (because of the almost-strike) we could have done so in a more leisurely way and appreciated its charm.

Strenz, have fun next May. I bet the weather will be really nice. I envy the tail end of your Venice-Rome itinerary, which is probably superior to what we experienced. (Although transiting the Corinth Canal was way fun, and the back alleys of Nafplio were nice.)

Again thanks. We specifically chose this route to go out of Venice, it will be light out, I plan to plunk myself down and just take it all in. My passion for the city gets out of control when I just think of that are going back. I figured I could see more going out of. Unfortunately when we get to Rome we come right home. Prior to the cruise we have 6 nights in Apulia, three in Venice, got to come home sometime! I lucked out in Rome, everyone including the points guy told me I could not get business class with points out of Rome, I tried anyway, 5 minutes done deal, Business Rome/Boston no stops. I feel very fortunate of course I did this 331 days out that is how long I have been dreaming of this trip. Thanks for your advice on Croatia I am looking forward to that as well. If I have questions I will write on CC of course my dear friend sb44 on CC she is giving me her information she just got off and loved it as well. Happy Sailing it a great way to see the world.

Thanks for a great report! It is so fun to read your posts. We too are going on the Venice/Rome cruise next May.

Strenz, I think we are on the same cruise. (Windsurf).

Dan, we are planning on a pre-cruise trip to Verona and Lake Garda. I will email you concerning the shuttle service. I think after a long flight, I won't want to deal with a train to Verona.

Hi texasstar. Enjoy your cruise next May. All of the northern-most areas of Italy are gorgeous, especially the alpine lakes like Lake Garda and Lake Como. I'll be glad to pass on the name of that shuttle service. When you log on, you'll just need to be specific about where you want to be picked up and dropped off, dates, and any flexibility you have. The lowest package is for people who don't mind riding with others in a van and have a several hour window for pickup or drop-off. The mid-price option also allows people to ride with others in a van, but you can be specific about when you must be picked up and/or dropped off. The most exclusive option is for private service with a dedicated driver and no fellow strangers on board. We chose the middle option, and it was really good.

This service has great reviews and a solid reputation. Our hotel host in Slovenia said he had used it himself many times. And Rick Steves is a fan.

Thanks again I am keeping that name in my travel log. We are going way south and will take a train back from Bari. We found a lovely old convent now a hotel in Venice around the corner from the Santa Lucia train station no vaparetto necessary and only two short bridges. Very close to the #1 vaparetto which takes you anywhere. This hotel has a central garden. Nothing is cheap in Venice and in my opinion for good reason, everything is hard. We are on the May 17 th Venice to Rome on the Surf. Should be fun and if anyone has questions about Venice I would to help answer them. I suppose I should start another thread on the ship specific page. Dan can not wait to read your review. My friend Susan loved her trip. What is not to love! This will be our 20th time with WS, we have loved each trip. Happy Sailing.

Dan, we are planning on a pre-cruise trip to Verona and Lake Garda. I will email you concerning the shuttle service. I think after a long flight, I won't want to deal with a train to Verona.

Hello again texasstar. I'll definitely pass on the name of the shuttle service if that works best for you. But here's another option, depending on how comfortable you are with the notion of driving on narrow roads in a foreign country -- how do you like the idea of renting a car? Depending upon your circumstances and how many places you want to go off the beaten path, it might be easier and less expensive.

For example, let's say you fly into Venice. With the shuttle service I like, you could pay anywhere from 55 euros to 110 euros apiece to take a shuttle one-way to Verona. From there, you could take a local train to the lake, or pay a taxi. And then at the end of your stay you'll repeat that, with a combination of local transportation and the shuttle to the port. So it could add up quickly.

Compare that to getting a rental car. You could probably find it to be much less expensive, even when you throw in insurance and gas. For just two people, I'd get a compact diesel, buy lots of insurance (not too bad, actually, and I like the peace of mind), DEFINITELY pay for the GPS feature for easy navigating, and drive wherever your heart desires.

We ran the numbers in Slovenia, and it turned out the best way for us was to get the rental car at the Ljubljana airport, drive it for five days and then return it to the same spot, and then take a one-way shuttle from the airport to Venice. I compared that to the cost of the rental car plus flying from Ljubljana to Venice ($$$) and getting two shuttle trips alone (airport to Lake Bled, and Lake Bled to Venice) plus local taxis. All things considered, we loved the independence of having a car for the "scenic" part and then taking a shuttle to get from one country to another. And we saved a load of money.

By the way, you know how much we paid to top off the tank after five days of driving? 18 euros. Granted, we didn't use it much for four days, and only one day involved full-time driving through the Slovenian Alps, but still. Several hundred kilometers for $20. What a deal.

Your situation will vary, so consider this with a grain of salt. Check out Rick Steves' wonderful series of articles online about renting a car in Europe. In some countries it can be the best way to go. In others, it can be a nightmare. And if you're scared about driving really fast on the autostrada (Italy's equivalent of our interstate and Germany's Autobahn) with crazy drivers all around you, then stick to the local roads and enjoy the scenery.

By the way, a funny tidbit: I had the hardest time learning how to spell the name of Slovenia's capital, and had to look up how to pronounce it (Lee-YUBE-lee-ana). So to this day, I mentally resort to calling it Lube Job.

Dan, I am considering renting a car, but I didn't know how safe a driver I would be after flying for 14 hours. We are coming from the west coast. I had decided I would be OK, until I read a post from someone that said, it was like driving the NJ turnpike during rush hour! We did rent a car in France last year, and I did fine once I got out of Nice. If we do take a train to Verona, I will rent a car there. Thanks for all of your advice.

Whew-ee. Had no idea you would be coming in from West coast. Safety first. The drivers can be extremely aggressive, especially in the bigger cities. I like your plan, Texasstar. Get away from metro madness (and maybe catch some zzzzs while someone else drives), and then get the rental car? That's a concept that works!:)

Dan and Texasstar, I get not driving in Italian cities after our life threatening eperience in Palermo. We fly into Venice on May 7 before the Surf on the 16 th and are taking a train the next morning to Bari, we then take a cab to the airport to rent a car so we will not have to drive in the city. Italy is like Boston no signage! We do the same on the return to Venice by train. Country roads are usually pretty good even the highways in the country side. We plan to get a driver in Sicily to take us to Syracuse for the day. We try to have no stress holidays! Happy Sailing.

We really had some special moments on our Windstar cruise, and we'll definitely be back. Here are some closing thoughts that might help:

 

TIP No. 5. Try to link up with your fellow Cruise Critic contributors. At dinner on the first night, as we're reading the Amphora menu, FlyGirl12 (who was seated to my left) politely asked, "are you on Cruise Critic?" What a pleasant surprise. I think she recognized me because my avatar has my photo. We shared lots of tips and observations, and Carla and I loved getting to know Alex and her husband Rich.

 

TIP No. 6. Venice is an absolute delight at dawn (or after dinnertime, for that matter). That's when the crowds vanish. If it gets foggy, it becomes downright mystical. If you brave the crowds at St. Mark's Square or the Rialto Bridge, it's insanely busy in mid-afternoon. I visited both places at dawn, and at St. Mark's Square there were maybe 20 people. When we sailed away from port at 4:00, there were 10,000 -- no exaggeration.

 

TIP No. 7. For heaven's sake, you MUST see Dubrovnik and Kotor. These are absolute, must-see, five-star, glorious destinations everyone should put on their bucket list. At Dubrovnik, walk the ramparted walls surrounding the old town, but do it EARLY before it gets too hot and crowded with tourists. And at Kotor, try to climb to the fortress above the old town for stunning views of the entire Bay of Kotor. The best photograph can be taken on the cobblestone and stepped trail just past the chapel, mid-way up the slope.

 

TIP No. 8. In my opinion, you'll hit the sweet spot on timing if you take this cruise in early to mid-October. The weather should be glorious. And the crowds should be much less hectic because it'll be off-season. If you go in the summertime....oh boy.

Barrycat:

I wrote a message on your thread a little while ago, and gave you some tips about Kotor and Dubrovnik. If you want to see some of my previous photos and trip notes, read the attached thread and see the pictures from our October 1 cruise from Venice to Athens. My little postage-stamp snapshots may not do it justice, but trust me when I say Kotor is a gem. You're apparently doing the "Classic Italy & the Dalmatian Coast" itinerary, but the "Venetian Passageways" trip we took was similar (but unfortunately missed Rovinj and Split). Have a great time, and make sure you post some of your own pictures when you get back.

Will do with the pics. I already read your post in reply to my request and passed it on to the rest of our group. The hike in Kotor sounds great, reminds us our long hike up to the monestary in Hydra