Live from the Whisper: Venice to Athens

The ship has some signs of age, but it is scheduled for dry dock soon. Nothing took away from the experience.

Have a safe trip home after your visit in Athens wraps up!

Will you be visiting the fairly new Acropolis Museum? Tell us about your favorite place to dine in the Plaka. Such a lovely, charming area. Is it still safe, fun, lively and active?

The Acropolis Museum is amazing. Definitely worth spending an entire day here.

One of the best fine dining meals I've ever had was at Spondi (http://www.spondi.gr/spondi/). The langoustine and lamb were amazing.

For a classic Greek meal, not far from the center of the Plaka, head to Ermion Restaurant. TASTY, Tasty, tasty!

Terry,

We are mixed on our enjoyment of Athens. We enjoy being in the Plaka, not so much anywhere else. Yesterday we walked to Constitution Square and watched the noon changing of the guards. It was so hot and so crowded. There were police everywhere, but we did not feel safe. My husband is retired law enforcement with over 50 years in the field. He was very on edge. We kept waiting for someone to drive a car into a crowd or something else awful to happen. We left before it was finished. We don’t speak Greek, but both of us are trained in reading body language. (I’m a psychologist, with a forensics specialty.) The police here are on edge, and it is not a good sign. They walk and drive in 3’s, and military are also always around and heavily armed. There is anti-state, anti-police grafiti everywhere. There are people sending their children begging everywhere. Most likely refugees. They send their small children into bars and restaurants, even in the heart of the Plaka. It is sad, but also unnerving. I would call Athens anything but safe and comfortable right now. We will both be glad to get home in 2 days.

This morning we walked to the New Acropolis Museum. It is beautiful and definitely worth spending a few hours. It houses the originals from the Acropolis, as much of what you see at the top is replicas. We were amazed at how close you can get to everything.

After that, we took a taxi to the Archaeological museum. Again, amazed at the experience. This place is huge. I’m afraid my feet wore out before my eyes did. After, we tried to get a taxi back, and several drivers turned us down! Finally we found someone to take us. Traffic is awful! We have found people outside of the Plaka area to be very rude, pushy, and dismissive. We try not to be “tourist“ despite what we are, we even greet people in Greek and ask if they speak English....

Anyway, after we got back, we rested our feet and then wondered around to find the place to get tickets and enter the Acropolis tomorrow. We had dinner at Estia Taverna. It was lovely, right across the street from the rooftop theater. After, we bought water and beer, “supplies”, as the hubby says, just seconds from the apartment. We enjoyed olives and wine on our balcony. We discussed how different this part of Athens is from 3 streets over. We are both glad we have come and have seen these wonderful artifacts of important world history, but we both agreed that we won’t come back to Athens again.

This is such a shame. We were in Athens at the beginning of a Silversea cruise 13 years ago. We stayed in a hotel with a view of the Acropolis and our hotel room was the most beautiful hotel room I've EVER stayed in. The hotel next door had a roof top bar with a view of the Acropolis and we had a memorable evening there with our friends. The next day we had a guide who took us to Delphi and I've been haunted by Delphi since that time. There were was wonderful book about Delphi that came out about that time. We wandered around old town Athens prior to embarkation and happened upon a wonderful shop (owned by a family) and we purchased a necklace for me that is still among my favorites. We also (like you) enjoyed the Archaeological Museum, dined at great restaurants and had a fabulous time. I am so sad that Athens does not seem safe now. What a loss. Thank you for this report.

I am so sad that Athens does not seem safe now. What a loss.

With all due respect to CruiseCat99 and their feelings about Athens, me and my family were there this June during the height of the Macedonia issue and the Greek parliament's debate of a no-confidence motion in the current government. We stayed right next to Syntagma Square which is directly across the street from the parliament building. Never once did we feel unsafe, whether in the crowd of the demonstrators or walking by foot all over Athens. So, while I don't discount CruiseCat99's feelings, we felt just the opposite during what I would describe as the height of a constitutional crisis this year.

That is good to know Stumblefoot. Perhaps the difference was in where you were staying.

Overall impressions:

 

 

 

The ship has some signs of age, but it is scheduled for dry dock soon. Nothing took away from the experience. We had a vista suite, the first time I have ever cruised without a veranda. Honestly, I didn’t miss it. I wondered if I would, but with the port intensive cruise and not utilizing it at all on my last cruise, our suite was just fine. The money we didn’t spend on the veranda was well spent on the excursions and the experiences we had instead.

 

Some nice touches to note in the suite: The alarm clock had a wireless charging pad on the top that was compatible with my iPhone 8, and that freed up a plug. Plenty of hangers in the closet. The on demand movies were nice, but there was a distinct lack of television programming unless you wanted news channels. We prefer to unwind with a tv show or comedy at night, so we did miss that a bit.

 

The Complementary WiFi was sufficient for my needs. Mostly I was posting here, or checking maps and weather.

 

The entertainment on board was not good. After the first few nights, we stopped staying up for the shows. Even the resident pianists were lacking in talent. Again, I am biased because of my musical training, but there was just no enthusiasm or passion in any of the music on board. Also a lack of depth and phrasing from all the performers. Phrasing is something that makes music tell a story, and it wasn’t present. Anyway, again, not a reason we cruise, so didn’t detract from our enjoyment.

 

The food was very good. Surprisingly, one of the best meals was in the Restaurant. The 34 day dry aged beef was wonderful when it was offered. My only wish was that the menus changed more frequently in La Terraza.

 

We never ventured out of the suite for breakfast, having coffee and a light breakfast is preferred for us, especially since we almost always had an early morning tour.

 

The Spa: I had a massage that was three times as expensive as at home, and not really as well done. You pay for the experience and location. I always am a sucker for this, and always feel let down after. I guess I need to learn this lesson a few times! The hard sell is annoying, even when I made it clear I wasn’t interested.

 

After the initial bumps and adjustment, service onboard improved dramatically. The CD was Adam, and he was always around and doing a fine job making sure everyone was having a good time.

 

 

 

Will we book Silversea again? Most likely. We are not sure when or where, but there are several new itineraries that appeal to us.

 

 

 

Any questions, and I will be happy to try to answer.

Hello

Thank you very much for your detailed report. I will board Silver Whisper in 3 months (first time aboard Silversea) just after her extensive drydock. In the frame of the invictus project, have you already noticed some enhancements in terms of service? For example do they resume serving caviar and champagne for free? Thanks in advance.

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Terry, here's my 2-cents... The Acropolis Museum is amazing. Definitely worth spending an entire day here. One of the best fine dining meals I've ever had was at Spondi (http://www.spondi.gr/spondi/). The langoustine and lamb were amazing. For a classic Greek meal, not far from the center of the Plaka, head to Ermion Restaurant. TASTY, Tasty, tasty!

Terry, We are mixed on our enjoyment of Athens. We enjoy being in the Plaka, not so much anywhere else. Yesterday we walked to Constitution Square and watched the noon changing of the guards. There were police everywhere, but we did not feel safe. My husband is retired law enforcement with over 50 years in the field. He was very on edge. We kept waiting for someone to drive a car into a crowd or something else awful to happen. We left before it was finished. The police here are on edge, and it is not a good sign. They walk and drive in 3’s, and military are also always around and heavily armed. There is anti-state, anti-police grafiti everywhere. There are people sending their children begging everywhere. Most likely refugees. I would call Athens anything but safe and comfortable right now. This morning we walked to the New Acropolis Museum. It is beautiful and definitely worth spending a few hours. It houses the originals from the Acropolis, as much of what you see at the top is replicas. We were amazed at how close you can get to everything. Traffic is awful! We have found people outside of the Plaka area to be very rude, pushy, and dismissive. We had dinner at Estia Taverna. It was lovely, right across the street from the rooftop theater.

. With all due respect to CruiseCat99 and their feelings about Athens, me and my family were there this June during the height of the Macedonia issue and the Greek parliament's debate of a no-confidence motion in the current government. We stayed right next to Syntagma Square which is directly across the street from the parliament building. Never once did we feel unsafe, whether in the crowd of the demonstrators or walking by foot all over Athens. So, while I don't discount CruiseCat99's feelings, we felt just the opposite during what I would describe as the height of a constitutional crisis this year.

Appreciate these varied and various comments, tips, experiences and follow-ups. Will seek to try one of the suggested dining options. Am copying and saving to my trip file on my laptop. Clearly, there are some different views as to the safety and "feel" for Athens. Back in 2006, as we traveled from the airport to our hotel in the Plaka area, much of Athens at that time was a little and/or somewhat "third-world'ish". In mid-November, we will check carefully and see what descriptions work and fit for the safety and "feel" of Athens these days. As always in most large cities, you need to be careful and watchful.

Will share these insights on our roll call for those on our mid-November cruise from Athens to Dubai.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.! Just completed a Jan. 21-Feb. 20, 2018, first adventure through Southeast Asia with stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before traveling all over Vietnam and Cambodia. This includes seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Lots of fun, interesting pictures!! Now at 35,001 views. See more at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

Hello

Thank you very much for your detailed report. I will board Silver Whisper in 3 months (first time aboard Silversea) just after her extensive drydock. In the frame of the invictus project, have you already noticed some enhancements in terms of service? For example do they resume serving caviar and champagne for free? Thanks in advance.

 

 

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We looked for this and did not see it offered, however we did not ask specifically.

That is good to know Stumblefoot. Perhaps the difference was in where you were staying.

We are staying in the heart of the Plaka, and this is where we feel the most comfortable. It is actually up by the square and heavy vehicle traffic areas that we are not enjoying at all.

Last day/night in Athens before we head home tomorrow. We had “skip the line” tickets for the Acropolis and we were there by 8:11am this morning. Perfect timing as much of the tours hadn’t begun. The light was perfect for photographs and the temperature light with a nice breeze. It was breathtaking. We had contemplated not going up, but that would have been a huge mistake. The walk is not at all difficult. From the South entrance, the walk is pleasant. One area was paved but a little steep. It was maybe 30 yards long. There are benches and shade everywhere and plenty to look at on the way up. The views and sites to behold are truly amazing.

After a few hours we walked down and found a cafe for a coffee and crepe. We found a shoe store and replaced the horrid shoes that I had bought that had been giving me problems all trip.

I didn’t mention it, but my feet have been killing me because BOTH pair of shoes I bought for this trip (and yes, they were supposed to be sensible walking shoes) did not have thick enough soles for the types of walking we did on this trip. My feet felt 100% better with better shoes.

We explored more of the Plaka and found a cafe for a light lunch. I don’t remember the name, but it was just to the North of the place we ate last night. We had mussels in wine and garlic sauce.

We explored some more and then went back to the room for a rest before dinner.

Dinner was at Athens Gate Hotel Reataurant. I knew the food reviews were terrible, but we did not go here for the food, we went for the view. We had a reservation right at sunset. We stayed until it was fully dark and the Acropolis was gleaming. I took some pretty good photos with my DSLR camera. The food was truly terrible, but the wine was good and the views were worth the €70 dinner we didn’t eat!!

As much as we felt mixed about Athens, we had some amazing moments and saw things that my husband and I have learned about, dreamed about, and studied since we were both children. We don’t regret this trip at all!

It is a shame that Athens is having the troubles it is having. Without the graffiti everywhere, it would be even more of a beautiful place. Without the rudeness people might stay longer or be willing to come back.

We will probably come back to Greece, but not this area. We have fulfilled our bucket list in this area and feel we have seen what we came to see, ate what we wanted to eat, and experienced what we wanted to experience. We may include Kalamata or Nafplion in future travels, maybe different islands. If a cruise includes Greece, then all the better.

Once we are home and settled, I may post some pictures if I can figure out how to work it.

Good night!!!

Thank you for your report CruiseCat99. I'm glad you found shoes that worked for you. Shoe are always a hard thing. I wore Naot's on our last cruise for walking and they mostly worked fine--but my husband made fun of them. I need to find something else that will work for me and not look totally old lady and clunky!

Like you, I have NO IDEA how to post photo on Cruise Critic even though I have no difficulty posting photos elsewhere. Would someone clue us in?

Posting pics is a real pain. You don't really upload them directly to CC, but you post links to the pics which are stored elsewhere.

You can upload them to a third party site (I use SmugMug now) and link to them.

Or if you use the Forums app, you can post pics directly from your phone. Sometimes that's easier - it's what I've been doing for my current TR.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

Thank you. I'll consider getting the Forums app. But I have a question. Is it an app just for THIS forum?

Sounds like you had a great trip:)…..I remember when I went to Ephesus. It was back in 2012 and I was blown away...…...it really is an amazing place. I might have missed it but did you go to the Terrace Houses?

Sorry about your cat as well.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.:)

Thank you for your report CruiseCat99. I'm glad you found shoes that worked for you. Shoe are always a hard thing. I wore Naot's on our last cruise for walking and they mostly worked fine--but my husband made fun of them. I need to find something else that will work for me and not look totally old lady and clunky!

 

Like you, I have NO IDEA how to post photo on Cruise Critic even though I have no difficulty posting photos elsewhere. Would someone clue us in?

I LOVE Naot's:D….they make some new styles and they are not "old lady looking" (in my opinion anyway).

I agree Lois R. Naots are not old lady looking. But they didn't always fill the bill when walking on cobblestones---and my husband thought the "mary jane" aspect was silly. I agree that the style didn't exactly enhance my look. Still looking for the best walking shoe. I recently purchased a new style from Cole Haan and another shoe from Clark's for an upcoming trip to California, but I'm still looking for the Holy Grail of women's walking shoes. I think a new thread is in order.

Hello

Thank you very much for your detailed report. I will board Silver Whisper in 3 months (first time aboard Silversea) just after her extensive drydock. In the frame of the invictus project, have you already noticed some enhancements in terms of service? For example do they resume serving caviar and champagne for free? Thanks in advance.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

It’s only the caviar that became chargeable, there are two house champagnes and you can drink as much as you like.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I agree Lois R. Naots are not old lady looking. But they didn't always fill the bill when walking on cobblestones---and my husband thought the "mary jane" aspect was silly. I agree that the style didn't exactly enhance my look. Still looking for the best walking shoe. I recently purchased a new style from Cole Haan and another shoe from Clark's for an upcoming trip to California, but I'm still looking for the Holy Grail of women's walking shoes. I think a new thread is in order.

Just to let you know, there is a Fashion Forum on here too. You can get some great suggestions from a lot of gals about different shoes/brands/styles, etc.:)

Sounds like you had a great trip:)…..I remember when I went to Ephesus. It was back in 2012 and I was blown away...…...it really is an amazing place. I might have missed it but did you go to the Terrace Houses?

 

Sorry about your cat as well.

 

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.:)

Yes, we did the Terrace Houses

Dinner was at Athens Gate Hotel Reataurant. I knew the food reviews were terrible, but we did not go here for the food, we went for the view. We had a reservation right at sunset. We stayed until it was fully dark and the Acropolis was gleaming. I took some pretty good photos with my DSLR camera. The food was truly terrible, but the wine was good and the views were worth the €70 dinner we didn’t eat!! As much as we felt mixed about Athens, we had some amazing moments and saw things that my husband and I have learned about, dreamed about, and studied since we were both children. We don’t regret this trip at all! It is a shame that Athens is having the troubles it is having. Without the graffiti everywhere, it would be even more of a beautiful place. Without the rudeness people might stay longer or be willing to come back. We may include Kalamata or Nafplion in future travels, maybe different islands. If a cruise includes Greece, then all the better. Once we are home and settled, I may post some pictures if I can figure out how to work it. Good night!!!

Appreciate these great added details and follow-ups from your experiences in Athens. Keep up the wonderful and interesting sharing.

Yes, as J.P. noted, you need to upload your pictures to a web hosting site. Then, you paste in that "IMG" code into the body of your Cruise Critic message. I use PhotoBucket and feature dozen of travel and food pictures during our sailings. These options are always changing and it is hard say which one is best for your purposes and needs. Hopefully when you get home, you will be able to share some of your fun visuals. Below is one example from when we last visited Athens in June 2006. Yes, a picture can be . . . "WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS"!! And, fun, too.

I will stay away from any discussion on women's shoes. I know nothing and want to avoid embarrassing myself.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For Athens and nearby, look at this earlier posting for many options and visual samples from this city that is so great for seeing its great history, style and architecture. This posting is now at 25,816 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

Enjoying a bright, sunny day in front of the famed Parthenon in Athens. Dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, considered by the people of Athens as their virgin patron, its construction began in 447 BC. That is when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC. Called the most important surviving building of classical Greece, the Parthenon was the culmination of Doric order development. Its decorative sculptures are rated as some of the high points of Greek art.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see this picture larger/better!)

But I have a question. Is it an app just for THIS forum?

Oh, I knew it was not just for the SB forum, but wondered if it was a general forum app, not just for Cruise Critic. I obviously don't know much about Apps!! LOL

Oh, I knew it was not just for the SB forum, but wondered if it was a general forum app, not just for Cruise Critic. I obviously don't know much about Apps!! LOL

The app is called Tapatalk and it is not exclusive to Cruise Critic as you can add a wide variety of different forums to it.

Oh, I knew it was not just for the SB forum, but wondered if it was a general forum app, not just for Cruise Critic. I obviously don't know much about Apps!! LOL

There is also an app called "Forums" which seems to use the Tapatalk platform but it seems to be preconfigured to work (only) for Cruise Critic, AFAIK. That's the one I use.

Link to it: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tapatalk.boardscruisecriticcom

Naots regular shoes look awful, very old lady, but some of the sandals are ok. I would just wear regular walking shoes rather than the Naots.