Our 10 night Greek Island Cruise on Constellation

We just returned from our fabulous 10 night Greek Island cruise..

So,here is our review..

Background: we traveled as a family of 6, myself, my 3 DD ,1 husband and 1 boyfriend. We have all cruised before and have also been to land trips in Europe.

This was a very special trip, as it was the 1 year anniversary of my youngest daughters kidney transplant, which she received from her sister. It was also my daughter, the donors 3rd wedding anniversary..

Pre-trip

We all,arrived separately in groups of 2 in Venice , my oldest DD and I left from Miami on Wednesday, my 2 younger DD with DH, and BF left from D.C. on Friday on 2 different flights ( my youngest daughter and her BF were originally scheduled to leave with me on Wednesday, but had some abnormal lab work that the doctor wanted to re-do, she was fine)

We, My oldest DD and I flew Delta, no issues all on time, we arrived in Venice , got our luggage, went to the ATM for some Euro and easily found the taxi I had pre-hired.

Off we were to our hotel Santa Chiara , it is located in Santa Croce, the taxi was able to drive us there. ( 40 Euro)

I choose this location after reading many reviews about the challenges of pulling luggage around Venice.

It worked out well for us, not centrally located but traveling the waterways in Venice was part of the fun, we could walk to the vaporetto.

The hotel was beautiful, it was a former convent, the rooms were big, with views of the canal, great a/c, big modern bathroom, elevator and we booked with full breakfast, the breakfast area, both in doors and outside overlook the canal

.....next up arrival with lost luggage

Sounds great and you do have a lot to celebrate!!! Looking forward to your review.

Norma

Following your adventure! Love family travel stories.

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Looking forward to more reviews.

Hi, we have just returned from the same cruise and have submitted our review. Will post it here when it comes on line.

We had a great time and loved Connie having only sailed on Silhouette in the past.

Just sad to be home

:-(

...Venice

My oldest daughter and I explored Venice while we looked forward to the arrival of my 2 younger daughters and their husband and BF.

I had never been to Venice and was not disappointed, it was beautiful, I have some mobility problems and was not physically prepared for the amount of walking and numerous bridges,

We did use the public water bus, a 24 hour ticket was 20e, for those not familiar, the 24 hours begins when you first scan it. They do sell multiple day tickets and 1 Way tickets for 7.50e.

Because we were all arriving at different times, we were not as efficient with our purchases as we could have been.

Also,as fun and easy as it was to use, it is a local transportation system and took time.

That being said for the 6 of us, we used a combination of walking, public water bus and water taxi's .

...Friday was the arrival day for the rest of the group, so it limited my DD and I to morning activities, as I wanted to be at the hotel when my other DD arrived.

I being somewhat of a helicopter mom followed all flights on my phone app.

We decided that everyone did not need to have international phone service, so my SIL and I each did a $10/ 24 hr Verizon travel deal. You only get charged $10 if you use it. I'm sure there may be other plans ,but this seemed easy.

Both younger DD left from Washington DC different flights, but at the same time 9:05, layover in Paris, but different times from Paris to Venice, which meant 2 taxis from the airport..:eek:

....so DD and her DH arrive at Marco Polo call,me that DH husbands luggage is lost, they fill out the paper work and are on the way....they arrive at the hotel, and decide to shower/rest while we now wait for DD#3 and her BF..

....DD #3 and her BF land, and her luggage is lost:'):').

....they arrive at the hotel...and our now abbreviated ,but much anticipated Venice adventure begins..:)

...next up Venice adventure .and lost luggage

Venice...

We all were now in Venice, minus 1 piece of luggage, after a few phone calls to Air France, we were no closer to finding the luggage...so a little shopping was needed..

My DD was able to purchase a few items in the Rialto shopping center, and then we were off to San Marco...we were there in the early evening and it was just wonderful, few crowds, and much cooler..

We had a light dinner of pizza...and then off to bed as everyone was tired and the next day we were going to Murano and Burano,

..Murano and Burano

..we decided to go to both of these islands on Sunday,:)

..we were hopeful the luggage would arrive during the day:(

Our hotel Santa Chiara provided us with a complimentary water taxi to Murano, we were responsible to get back ourselves.

We left the hotel at about 10:45, in retrospect I would have gone earlier, but the "kids" were still a little jet lagged .

The ride over was beautiful and very relaxing as it was just the 6 of us.

We were taken to the dock of a Murano glass blowing store, they had a nice (complimentary) demonstration and then given a tour of the store. I am pretty sure there was some connection with hotel and shop, but there was no pressure to purchase there.

After about an hour we were on our way to the Vaporetto to Burano, with a lunch recommendation.

My "kids" did purchase a few items, I had a specific item so waited to look in other stores, and there are plenty to choose from.

I have no idea if any are better in pricing, just made sure they had the official Murano stamp.

I found what I wanted in a small store, they wrapped it very well for me, she was a little hesitant to take a CC and said she wanted to give me a better price, I said no I would pay what she quoted me, I was not going to pay extra to,use my card, she did not argue.

I have heard you can buy Murano glass in Venice for the same prices, but I did not have the time to look at to many places, and I thought it was nice to get it there

We found our way to the Vaporetto to Burano...and this was the painful part, it was so crowded and HOT..we had to wait in a long line while 2 boats were filled and we were still in line. The wait was close to 45 minutes before we got on and then it seemed like at least 30 minutes to get there, on a very hot and crowded "bus"

Burano...

Now this was worth the trip over, so magical with all the colors...they are known for lace and it was everywhere.

I teased the "kids" that this would be a nice place to buy either a Christening gown or bridal veil..no luck :eek:

We walked around, took beautiful pictures, which I wish I knew how to post...

We had an amazing lunch at Trattoria Da Primo, it focused on seafood.

They had fresh squid, it was delious, and sea bass..the waiter brought out a fully cooked sea bass and like a show removed the skin, skeleton and served it...so fresh,tender and delicious...a little pricey,but so worth it

..during lunch I asked the waiter if there was a direct Vaporetto back to Venice..he said no we had to go back to Murano..and then back to Venice..at that moment I decided to take a water taxi..the maitre d called and made a reservation for us. It did cost more, but gave us more time to see Venice and enjoy our last evening

We had a relaxing, fast and comfortable trip back to,the hotel...

...with hope I checked at the desk for the luggage :(

No luggage yet...we leave the next day for the ship:eek:

.....next up Constellation

Enjoying your posts.

Thanks,

Ohiodoglover

Looking forward to the rest of your review as we are doing the Greek Isles from Venice on the Constellation in May next year, I am also waiting to find out if the luggage turns up! :)

Thanks for sharing!

We are doing this trip in August 2019. Thanks for the review. Following with interest.

I'll be living vicariously through your review.

My family wanted to sail Celebrity to the Greek islands next year; but with the exception of the Edge, the other ships are heading north for the season. Sadly, Edge is a little pricey for us. We'll still sail, but on RCCL.

I'm anxious to read about your adventures.

Susan

Last night in Venice ...and embarkation :)

I had booked a ghost tour for our last evening in Venice, I used tours by locals, unfortunately the expert guide was not available and a "substitute " was sent.:confused: The tour started at 8 PM and was 2 hours long...

I was tired and opted out, the kids went, they said it was not really a ghost tour, but they did enjoy and she took them to a fabulous pizza place.

EMBARKATION DAY.....

I had booked a taxi to the port for 2:00, as I was told it was a very short trip. I used the same taxi service for all of our transfers and every time they were early, helpful and very professional, with clean roomy vans..

The hotel let us store our luggage while we enjoyed our last morning in Venice...

DD and her BF were off to do a little more shopping as my conversation with Air France left little hope we would see her luggage before leaving...:eek:...they also wanted another Venice pizza.

The rest of us just relaxed and wandered in the area near the hotel..they had returned from the ghost tour and pizza night pretty late..

Just a few words on the hotel..it was beautiful, we had views from all our rooms, there were comfortable indoor and outdoor seating areas. A very good breakfast with beautiful views, and a little bar for a nice after dinner drink. The rooms were big and well air conditioned.

Although, not located in the more "popular " areas it was perfect for us and was great for getting to the ship

I really can recommend it..

Enjoying your review. Great start. You’ve even got a cliffhanger. I hope the luggage turns up.

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Love this review...So helpful!

 

Off we were to our hotel Santa Chiara , it is located in Santa Croce, the taxi was able to drive us there. ( 40 Euro)

 

I choose this location after reading many reviews about the challenges of pulling luggage around Venice.

 

 

EMBARKATION DAY.....

 

I had booked a taxi to the port for 2:00, as I was told it was a very short trip. I used the same taxi service for all of our transfers and every time they were early, helpful and very professional, with clean roomy vans..

 

Just a few words on the hotel..it was beautiful, we had views from all our rooms, there were comfortable indoor and outdoor seating areas. A very good breakfast with beautiful views, and a little bar for a nice after dinner drink. The rooms were big and well air conditioned.

 

Although, not located in the more "popular " areas it was perfect for us and was great for getting to the ship

I really can recommend it..

I am getting confused. We are probably staying in this hotel next spring..after our cruise and before heading to Milan (and the Lake Como area) by train. When you say a taxi took you to the hotel, and then again to the ship, is that all by a land taxi? I thought that the hotel was near the ship (within walking distance) but only accessible by walking or by a water taxi.

Do you know if we can easily walk with luggage from the hotel to the Santa Lucia Train Station, or can we also get a taxi cab from hotel to station?

Could you please share your transport contact?

Love this review...So helpful!

 

 

 

I am getting confused. We are probably staying in this hotel next spring..after our cruise and before heading to Milan (and the Lake Como area) by train. When you say a taxi took you to the hotel, and then again to the ship, is that all by a land taxi? I thought that the hotel was near the ship (within walking distance) but only accessible by walking or by a water taxi.

 

 

Do you know if we can easily walk with luggage from the hotel to the Santa Lucia Train Station, or can we also get a taxi cab from hotel to station?

Could you please share your transport contact?

Yes, all land taxi's, i would not call it walking distance, you can take the people mover.

You can walk to the station, how easily depends on how much luggage you are taking

We used http://www.venicetaxiairport.com/

Embarkation Day...

....so it was now time to head to the port, we had our taxi for 2:00 PM , and he was early and helpful.

..I checked 1 last time with the front desk, who now knew me very well regarding the luggage :eek:..no luck, I gave them my contact information and off we went..

..now you may be wondering, as I have 3 DD , why they could not just share clothes...DD #3 whose luggage was lost is a size 2:) with shoe size 6.. the rest of us are 10-12's with size 8-10 shoes ..they did share hair products and make up and jewelry..

We arrived at the port about 2:20 PM and there was no one in sight, the porters took our luggage and we walked into the empty check in area..

We usually arrive for our Caribbean cruises around 11:30-12 , as we live in Florida and drive, so this was a different experience..

In no time at all we were on the Constellation with champagne in hand.

...now even though the "kids" had a last pizza in Venice they were hungry, as DD #3 is a kidney transplant recipient she needs to be very careful, her doctors have suggested she not eat from buffets, not just on the ship but anywhere, due to,the high incidence of food borne illnesses :(

I had spoken with someone in the special needs department before we left about making special arrangements to eat in the dining room, my room was a concierge, so 2 of us were qualified,but they said it would be the decision of the ship that day...

So we just decided to give Sushi on 5 a try, we arrived and it had just one table occupied..I really liked Bistro on 5 ..but what can you do..

Oh and to complicate the dining choices, 2 DD are vegetarian, and 1 BF is a strict vegan..

they really enjoyed the meal there, I'm not a big sushi lover, but I was able to find something...

..after lunch we found our cabins...and NO, her luggage was not there ..our final hope before sailing away dashed..

The Constellation...I just love this ship, I had been on her before in the Caribbean a few years back, after she was solsticed, but was a little concerned as I had read some negative reviews...no worries, although you can tell she is an older ship, it was clean and I think just the perfect size. The staff were attentive and fun, my "kids" had the beverage package and quickly found the martini bar and Cafe al Bacio

After lunch I quickly headed over to guest relations to discuss the missing luggage and give them a copy of the paperwork..they told me they would be following up daily...they also,gave DD an "emergency " bag with toiletries, shampoo, and lol a weeks worth of panties ( size XL)... we laughed but it was a nice gesture..oh and 2 complimentary coupons for laundry and pressing..

...next up sail away and muster drill...

Yes, all land taxi's, i would not call it walking distance, you can take the people mover.

You can walk to the station, how easily depends on how much luggage you are taking

We used http://www.venicetaxiairport.com/

Thank you! We have decided to go straight from the ship to the train. Your taxi service recommendation is very helpful and will come in handy! :)

Can't wait for your impressions of the sail away. We did Venice to Barcelona on the Connie last fall and it was a great trip all around. We sailed away in some rain and drizzle but it was still an amazing sight to see.

Muster Drill...

Per recommendation from transplant team DD #3 should not be in large crowds for long periods of time. Prior to the cruise I checked with the special needs department and they said we could have a private muster drill.

While at guest services for the luggage I received the details for this.

After the regular muster drill our family met with a crew member and she reviewed the process. It was about 10 minutes...

Sail away..

I was so excited to be sailing out of Venice, we choose this itinerary specifically for that.

On Saturday evening when we were on the Vaporetto, we saw a ship leaving Venice..but it was dark

As, I had a veranda we all got a drink and met in my cabin for sail away..

It was sunny and clear and absolutely breathtaking, it was everything I had hoped for. We have sailed away many times, most times it's fun, but there is only one more memorable, and that was out of NY past the WTC <|3

After sail away, we explored the ship, visited the martini bar and made plans for dinner..

We choose anytime, and decided to go around 8:30, as the "kids " were not hungry after the 2 lunch day :eek:

San Marco Dining..

If I wanted to complain about anything, this would be it, but minor..there were 2 lines for any-time dining, those with reservations and those without.. We did not make a reservation that night, and never did.

The first night was very chaotic, it seemed like everyone wanted to,eat at the same time.

We went at 8:30 and waited 45 minutes to get seated, we did spend our time in the maritini bar with a pager..

It was late to eat, but as it was lunch x 2 day we were OK.

We had a nice but longish dinner, I have no idea how late dinner went but there were still people being seated when we were done.

Happily, the process improved going forward,we settled on getting to dinner at 7:30 most evenings

I have always enjoyed the food on Celebrity, and we enjoyed it very much , my "alternative " eaters always had good vegetarian and vegan options..

...next Dubrovnik..

Dubrovnik..

We were not scheduled to arrive in Dubrovnik until 2:00PM, which gave us the morning to relax and sleep a little late, as the next days were going to be early ones.

..the girls did a little sunbathing, the boys went to the gym and played basketball..

..I checked in guest relations regarding the luggage, they were going to call AF , when we docked..:)

As my "kids" love Game of Thrones, I had arranged for a GOT tour with Tours by Locals..this was the same company I used in Venice..

I scheduled it for 4:00PM , so that it would be cooler, and to avoid having to rush off the ship with the crowd.

We also planned to eat dinner off the ship.

..getting off the ship,was easy, as we had the beverage package we picked up waters and off we went, they have water as you disembarked, the "boys" had already gotten a bottle each, but each got another..we were well hydrated :eek:

We were not docked right in town and Celebrity was selling tickets for a shuttle for $15 / pp round trip..

For us that would have been $90 ..my new friends at guest relations suggested a taxi for 15 Euro , each way.

There were plenty of taxi's outside and we were quickly on our way..

..we arrived right outside the city walls, and waited for our guide, we had exchanged phone numbers so it was easy to find her.

..we started the tour and she was very informative, I do not watch the show, but my "kids" loved all her details.

When it came time to climb to the top of a tower, I knew I could not climb all,those stairs,,,so the guide steered me to an outside pub with a fantastic view..and I enjoyed a local beer.

..my beer got me a "free " trip to the "water closet "

...next up the walled city and dinner

The Walled City of Dubrovnik..

..as we continued out GOT tour we entered the walled city, there were many areas from the show that our guide pointed out, including the stairs from the walk of shame.

As I mentioned I do not watch the show, but my "kids" who love it said the tour was wonderful and worth it.

But as far as the city , it was breathtaking, and so much fun to wander around and see what you could find.

Our guide had given us a restaurant recommendation:)

Buffet Kamenice, it was a lot of seafood choices, we had bottles of wine,mussels, bread, oysters, and black ink risotto, salads,everything was delicious..the boys are big eaters, so they decided to go lighter and fill up back on the ship..

Our bill for 6 of us was 587,00 Kuna without tip:eek:, which was $91.30 ...

..as we still had no luggage DD did some shopping while we were there.

We headed back to the ship about 9 PM..my "kids" had asked our guide for some night life places, they planned to come back out, we took our 15 Euro taxi back to the ship..

..the " kids" went back out to a place called the Buza Bar, they said it was 200 steps up in the side of a cliff with a beautiful view..

.next up .we head to Cavtat for Kayaking

I use a walker or a cane. Is it difficult and long to walk the so called wall? Also, how about the city? I would not do a private tour but we are considering the boat tour. We are women, both 75 and are Leary of taxis.We do not want to miss the beautiful city but do not want to stay on the ship. Any opinions or advice would be much welcomed.

I have visited Dubrovnik many times and the city itself is very accessible. A lot of the pavements are a marble type stone which can become quite slippy when wet. The walls are reached by sets of stone steps which I think you may find difficult, they also get quite crowded in high season.

Edit to add, we found the taxi drivers in Dubrovnik great and where the ships dock is a short walk to the bus station and taxi rank. Also, from the harbour, you can get a ferry across to Cavtat which is a lovely place.