Mykonos or Delos (limited time)

[chanc]

Hi everyone,

 

We will be on the 11 night Celebrity Solstice Mediterranean Cruise leaving in late May. We have 7am - 3pm in Mykonos. Is there sufficient time to walk around Mykonos and spend some time in Delos ?

 

If there isn't, which would you recommend ? If heading to Delos, we plan to do it ourselves using the ferry.

 

thanks !

 

Chris

[poss]

Chris-- there's lots of info on Delos vs just Mykonos on this board. Do a "search" and I suspect you'll find good input. (We had the same question.)

[TLCOhio]

Hi everyone, We will be on the 11 night Celebrity Solstice Mediterranean Cruise leaving in late May. We have 7am - 3pm in Mykonos. Is there sufficient time to walk around Mykonos and spend some time in Delos? If there isn't, which would you recommend ? If heading to Delos, we plan to do it ourselves using the ferry. thanks ! Chris

 

You could do both. In large part, it depends on what YOU most want to see, do and experience. Tell us more!!! How much are you focused on history and ancient ruins versus more current "culture", shopping, architecture, people watching, etc. Do you want to sample the "beach scene"? There's lots in and around Mykonos. It also depends where else you will have stopped and what you have seen in other parts of Greece and the Med. By the time you get to Mykonos, you might be tired of "old Greek stuff" or you could wanting be more and more of that.

 

What and how do you want to 'ENJOY" and "EXPERIENCE" things in Greece, etc? Rush-rush and gulp it down like soda pop or beer . . . OR . . . sip and savor the moment like fine wine, doing people watching, sensing an enjoyment of life and the humanity, the architecture, history and charm? Lots of it is a personal choice.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[chanc]

Poss - Will definitely do a search of this forum though I actually have read through about 30 pages of past threads to pick up on tips.

 

Terry - You are absolutely right. In terms of balancing history versus culture, prior to the cruise, we will be spending 4 days in Rome and there's definitely a lot of history there. Prior to Mykonos, we will have had about half a day in Santorini as well where we plan to soak in the culture and scenery in Fira and Oia.

 

I have a keen interest in photography and if I have to pick one or the other, I would go for the one which affords the best photographic opportunities. I'm just trying to get a gauge on whether Delos is a must see destination given that it will take several hours in the day.

[TLCOhio]

Poss - Will definitely do a search of this forum though I actually have read through about 30 pages of past threads to pick up on tips. Terry - You are absolutely right. In terms of balancing history versus culture, prior to the cruise, we will be spending 4 days in Rome and there's definitely a lot of history there. Prior to Mykonos, we will have had about half a day in Santorini as well where we plan to soak in the culture and scenery in Fira and Oia. I have a keen interest in photography and if I have to pick one or the other, I would go for the one which affords the best photographic opportunities. I'm just trying to get a gauge on whether Delos is a must see destination given that it will take several hours in the day.

 

THANKS for the nice comments! It seems that you are focused on the right priorities and seeking the proper balance for your personal interests. For your photo interests, you might check this posting and make any comments or ask questions, etc.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=977864

 

Mykonos and other areas have great visual treats to see and experience. What are all of your stops on this cruise? Tell us more. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[cruisemom42]

Poss - Will definitely do a search of this forum though I actually have read through about 30 pages of past threads to pick up on tips.

 

Terry - You are absolutely right. In terms of balancing history versus culture, prior to the cruise, we will be spending 4 days in Rome and there's definitely a lot of history there. Prior to Mykonos, we will have had about half a day in Santorini as well where we plan to soak in the culture and scenery in Fira and Oia.

 

I have a keen interest in photography and if I have to pick one or the other, I would go for the one which affords the best photographic opportunities. I'm just trying to get a gauge on whether Delos is a must see destination given that it will take several hours in the day.

 

I'm no Terry (TLCOhio) when it comes to photos, but I found great photographic opportunities on both Delos and Mykonos. Everyone photographs the windmills on Mykonos, but I really loved the fishing boats and also the decorative details on some of the small chapels. On Delos, I took lots of photos of small details of the ruins, the mosaics, and of course the famous avenue of lions.

 

I don't think you'll be sorry if you go to Delos. But then, I feel one can never see too much ancient history! :)

[TLCOhio]

I'm no Terry (TLCOhio) when it comes to photos, but I found great photographic opportunities on both Delos and Mykonos. Everyone photographs the windmills on Mykonos, but I really loved the fishing boats and also the decorative details on some of the small chapels. On Delos, I took lots of photos of small details of the ruins, the mosaics, and of course the famous avenue of lions. I don't think you'll be sorry if you go to Delos. But then, I feel one can never see too much ancient history! :)

 

Great points by Cynthia on also getting pictures of the various architectural details, etc. Agree 100%!!!

 

I also like pictures that capture the people in context. Below are two of my favorites from Mykonos. The first is after a church service when four ladies from three generations are dressed in their Sunday best and walking home. The second is at the fish market. I love the great history in Greece, but there is also the excitement of life there today.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Ladies departing a church service in main Mykonos on a Sunday:

 

 

 

At the fish docks in Mykonos:

 

[Hlitner]

We noticed that the Solstice is in the Caribbean this May, so we assume you are thinking ahead by more then a year. Se we have to make some assumptions since things can change (including itineraries). Although we do not normally like cruise line excursions, this is one of those rare situations when we think an exursion is the best option. Most cruise ships that call in Mykonos will offer a Delos excursion where the ship will stop at Delos before she gets to Mykonos (its less then a 30 min cruise between the islands) and disembark only those passengers who have booked the ships excursions who are taken ashore (to Delos) on a tender. You then get a tour of the ruins and later in the morning they will ferry you over to Mykonos in a boat. Meanwhile, once you have disembarked on Delos your ship continues on to Mykonos where she either docks or uses tenders (this depends on whether there are other ships in Mykonos). So, if you take the excursion you get to see Delos early in the morning (before it gets too hot) and you still have some time to later explore Mykonos Town.

 

Hank

[joey73]

I just checked our itinerary (October Star Princess). It says we arrive in Mykonos at 1 AM and depart at 6 PM. It does not say tender (like it does for Santorini). I assume that morning in Delos and afternoon in Mykonos is doable?

[numbersix]

I just checked our itinerary (October Star Princess). It says we arrive in Mykonos at 1 AM and depart at 6 PM. It does not say tender (like it does for Santorini). I assume that morning in Delos and afternoon in Mykonos is doable?

 

 

Absolutely!

 

Enjoy Mykonos and Delos!

 

Kevin

[chanc]

Thanks for everyone's responses ! Wow, I never received any email notification, so had no idea there were so many replies.

 

@Hlitner : We're on the Equinox, doing the 24th May 11 night Mediterranean cruise. Typo in my original post. :)

 

@TLCOhio : Thanks for sharing your great photos ! On this cruise, we'll be stopping at Santorini, Mykonos, Istabul, Ephesus, Athens and Naples.

 

@cruisemom42 : Thanks for sharing your insights !

 

Now assuming that I would like to go to Delos as well, does everyone think that a 7am - 3pm window on the ground will allow me to do both Delos and Mykonos ? I've found from other postings the times of the Delos ferry. It looks like my day will look like this :

 

7am - arrive Mykonos

10am - ferry to Delos

12pm - ferry to Mykonos

2pm - return to ship

 

Does this itinerary make sense ? How long does the ferry journey take one way ? I read somewhere that it takes an hour ? Is it that far ?

 

thanks,

 

Chris

[numbersix]

Chris:

 

The ferry to/from Delos takes about 30 minutes--don't forget your hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen--about 100 SPF should do it!:rolleyes:

 

Kevin

[financialgrl]

I see you've probably already been on this trip. My two cents FWIW - I did the 12 day Grand Med on the Ruby Princess. Mykonos was on the second half of the trip so by that time, we'd had some VERY long tours/days in Florence, Rome, Naples and were pretty wiped out. We chose to get off ship and just wander and loved that choice for here. I found the beauty of Mykonos to be such that I'd now seriously consider a Greek Isles cruise - something I'd not have thought about previously. Also, by this time I'd seen more than my share of church interiors and ruins, so just enjoying the beauty of this island was great:D.