What is a reasonable time to check in/board the first day?

[lstewart123]

We are taking a Mediterranean cruise from Athens in September, and this is our first time cruising. The itinerary says the boat leaves the first day at 5:00 p.m., and the travel agent said that check in/initial boarding time begins around noon-ish. We are flying into Athens the day before (a Sunday), so we only have Sunday afternoon and the first part of Monday (our disembarkation day) to see the city. What is a reasonable time to plan to check in on the boat? Can we safely spend some time sightseeing in Athens on Monday? We want to maximize our (little) time in Athens but not miss something we're supposed to be doing on the boat the day we sail! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but we're newbies.

[wripro]

If you board at 2PM you will be absolutely fine. The suites will be ready by then and you can spend the morning sightseeing. The only thing you'll miss is an hour or two in the lounge waiting to get into your suite.

[Martita B.]

Surely am missing those 'good 'ole days when most guests would board around noon ~everybody would meet and greet in the dining room for lunch. Plenty of time to unpack before muster and sail-away party ~ now I believe embarkation is 2 pm.

Martita B.

[LEESRE]

No Dining room open for lunch these days, well not last week on Sojourn.

The deck grill is open and you also get sandwiches in the Seabourn Square.

 

Yes 2pm is fine we boarded around then and went straight to our suite.

You can drop off your luggage and then go out again, but remember that the port in Athens is quite away from the city and airport.

[Calvados]

First cruise, departing Copenhagen. We have much planned in Copenhagen. Boarding is 1:00 - 4:00, sailing at 5:00. If we arrive at 3:45, I assume we are ok????

Many thanks,

jane

[wripro]

I think the cutoff point is one hour prior to departure.

[markham]

I know that this is about Copenhagen but I want to warn Seabourn passengers about Athens in case readers will join a ship there.

 

 

About taxis in Athens...

 

I still get angry thinking about taxis in Athens so I would like to warn you about them.

 

In 2009 we negotiated a fare from the Acropolis parking lot to the ship (more than what we paid from the ship to the Acropolis- so we thought we were safe) when about half way there the driver quadrupled the fare and also dumped us near a tram line. He said there was too much traffic. Of course, we did not pay and he drove away with his trunk/boot lid popped up so I could not get his registration and report him. (We took a local bus we found to Piraeus so that part was ok.)

 

The moral of the story is to do your best to get a taxi from your hotel's door man and take down the reg before you join it! Maybe that will help.

 

If Athens claims to be a world class tourist destination (which it is not/never will be for me), then it has to display license details prominently and regulate these drivers!

 

Anyway, have a great cruise and a safe travel experience!

[OrpingtonT]

The moral of the story is to do your best to get a taxi from your hotel's door man and take down the reg before you join it! Maybe that will help.

 

 

Good advice. Thanks for the tip.

[marazul]

I know that this is about Copenhagen but I want to warn Seabourn passengers about Athens in case readers will join a ship there.

 

 

About taxis in Athens...

 

 

Anyway, have a great cruise and a safe travel experience!

 

About taxis in Athens. Have your doorman call a "radio taxi" for the time you want to leave. They are reliable and they can be tracked down. I would even hesitate about the taxis that the doorman flags down at the hotel door.

 

we visit athens often and always rely on radio taxis or public transport. Why? the first time we were there many years ago, the taxi also dropped us off about 10 blocks from our destination.

[lstewart123]

Jeez, I didn't even realize this taxi thing was an issue! The hotel offered to arrange transporation to the ship, maybe we should just do that instead? Also, one tour guide mentioned that she could also take us to the ship for departure.

[wripro]

One thing I learned about taxis in "iffy" cities is that if you have your camera or cell phone with you take a photo of the license number and driver's license before entering and immediately after entering. If he knows you have those photos he'll be less likely to try and cheat you.

[Chairsin]

My story IS about taxis in Copenhagen. Six of us traveling together were staying at a very nice hotel and made arrangements for two taxis to take us to the port for our Pride Baltic cruise. One taxi showed up at the appointed hour. So while the others had the concierge call the taxi co to find out where the second taxi was I got into the first taxi with one couple. We showed him the port name in our Seabourn docs and 10 minutes later he tried to drop us off at the large cruise ship terminal. After a few very frustrating minutes we finally got one of the port officials to direct him the the port Seabourn uses. Needless to say our cabfare was double but we were just grateful to be delivered to our home away from home.This year when we again depart from Copenhagen on our Norwegian Fjords trip in August I will make sure the cab driver reapeats back the name of the port and that the fare is the same as what the conceirge tells me it should be. Don't know if the guy made an honest mistake or was trying to rip us off.Either way getting a taxi from your hotel does not guarantee no problems.Good Luck!