How do you NOT overdo it on a 3 week Med cruise?!?

[schooly2]

We are taking two voyages back to back, which comes out to 25 days at sea, and 21 ports of call. After 3 days in Istanbul, we have one day at sea and then Mykonos, Athens/Piraeus, Navplion. Day at sea. Taormina (Mt Etna!!), Sorrento for two days, Rome.

Everyone tells us not to miss Mycenae and Palamidi Fortress in Navplion, but will we really want to make that trip after a full day at Acropolis?

When we first read the itinerary it seemed exciting to be somewhere new and fantastic everyday, but now we are looking at the pace, and the reality of making the most of each port without burning out our kids (3 elementary aged, enthusiastic travelers).

 

How do you pace yourself while planning? I feel like I'm loading too much into each day and might regret it! :confused:

[John Bull]

We are taking two voyages back to back, which comes out to 25 days at sea, and 21 ports of call. After 3 days in Istanbul, we have one day at sea and then Mykonos, Athens/Piraeus, Navplion. Day at sea. Taormina (Mt Etna!!), Sorrento for two days, Rome.

Everyone tells us not to miss Mycenae and Palamidi Fortress in Navplion, but will we really want to make that trip after a full day at Acropolis?

When we first read the itinerary it seemed exciting to be somewhere new and fantastic everyday, but now we are looking at the pace, and the reality of making the most of each port without burning out our kids (3 elementary aged, enthusiastic travelers).

 

How do you pace yourself while planning? I feel like I'm loading too much into each day and might regret it! :confused:

 

Do you mean 21 ports out of 25 days in total?

Or 21 days in port & 25 days at sea?

If it's the latter it is very unlikely to be a problem.

If its the former then life will get very confusing as well as hectic.

 

Iconic bucket-list places (like the Acropolis) have to be visited. But you don't need to stick to quick-fire see-all itineraries.

So, for instance, from Piraeus take a simple ship's transfer or train or taxi into Athens, up the Acropolis in your own time, then an hour or more people-watching from a comfortable pavement cafe, then wander the historic area of the forum/market. And another few beers or coffees while you're there.

 

3 days in Istanbul ? Most folk have to pack it all into one, perhaps two. So spread their itinerary over your generous time, rather than adding more sights. Take some time out to cruise the ferries, mebbe one to the Princes Islands - not on anyone's must-do list, but very pleasant & relaxing. Or sip beers under the Galata bridge.

 

There's no need to tick every box on the sight-seeing list, you'll not remember most of them and there's a lot more to other countries than the tourist trail.

 

Just MHO

 

One suggestion. Each day, take a photo of the front page of ship's newspaper - later this will help you to figure what you saw where.

And where appropriate, take photos of information boards to go with the sights

 

Stress and pressure are for the workplace, no need to take them on vacation.;)

 

JB :)

[calliopecruiser]

There's no need to tick every box on the sight-seeing list, you'll not remember most of them and there's a lot more to other countries than the tourist trail.

 

Stress and pressure are for the workplace, no need to take them on vacation.;)

 

Nicely said - don't be afraid to get off the "tourist trail" and just hang out some times.

[texancruzer]

Well, we cruise for the ports so we tend to go-go-go when we are in a port.

 

But we have cruised enough now that we know to take it easy onboard. We usually do not try to make every show at night, or partake in bingo games etc. There may be one or two onboard things we try to make (choose wisely) but usually when we are on the ship we are in relax mode. We do stay on a schedule tho. We usually go to dinner each night and then head to the casino for a bit (usually doesn't take long when the $$ is gone ) and then we are in bed pretty early (usually by 10 or 11 pm at the latest). Sea days = relax. Sleep in (we even miss breakfast completely sometimes) and just generally re-charge.

 

As for your itinerary - you have one day at sea after Istanbul and then Mykonos. We used Mykonos to be a chill out day. We took the ship shuttle into town and walked around, shopped, ate a wonderful gyro and then headed back to the ship - not a full day at all. Then you have 2 days of go-go and then a day at sea. Taormina was not a totally full day either so you can make it a slower day. Sorrento will be full as will be Rome. Then you can rest !:D

[maryann ns]

We did a 14 day cruise with three sea days in 2009 and some of our friends with us found it too much doing something almost every day. Pick and choose carefully.

 

As mentioned, you do not need a full day to see the Acropolis. There is a touristy little train that goes around the Plaka area. It may make a good break for you and your kids would like it.

 

I did not go to the Palamide fortress in Nafplion (there are many ways to spell this!).

 

Mycenae and Epidaurus are interesting, but perhaps could be missed. Nafplion is a lovely area to stroll about. On the other hand, young children will have lots of energy so if they find things interesing they will be keen. They will have a swim, eat supper and crash early (as may you)!

 

To keep your kids involved they should be assigned to do photo journals, blogs, diaries or similar.

[schooly2]

Thank you for the good advice, I hope I can be disciplined about the excursions. It's hard not want to fill in all the boxes on my spreadsheet (I'm not the only one with a spreadsheet, right?). When we travel on land, we are never so worried about tours and staying busy.

Love the suggestion to take pics of the ships paper every day, JB.

We will definitely have the kids working on journals, it will help mommy remember later :D

[sing]

Thank you for the good advice, I hope I can be disciplined about the excursions. It's hard not want to fill in all the boxes on my spreadsheet (I'm not the only one with a spreadsheet, right?). When we travel on land, we are never so worried about tours and staying busy.

Love the suggestion to take pics of the ships paper every day, JB.

We will definitely have the kids working on journals, it will help mommy remember later :D

 

Rest assured you're not the only one with a spreadsheet!

We're taking our two children (11 and 7) on a 24-night Med cruise too visiting many of the ports you've listed. In fact we're leaving in four days! We're trying not to do everything, but in such interesting ports it is hard to not pack it in. We have booked some private tours (or transport only) in some ports to focus our energy on the sites themselves. And from experience a cruise is more relaxing than a land tour - no checking-in checking-out every few days, no packing and repacking. And it is very reassuring to know exactly where you are having dinner most nights! Have fun!

[KirkNC]

That is one of the challenges with the Med, short distances between ports and very few sea days. Just plan well, pick your moments to chill and start walking a lot at home to get in shape :p. That is what we do.

[cruisemom42]

I think the key with kids (I have traveled a lot with my son, starting from age 5 and he's now nearly 20!) is to plan short days where you can. It's not the day-after-day that wears on them so much as not having a bit of "down time" every day to chill out.

 

So, for example, don't overschedule your Istanbul days. Mykonos could be a beach day if your kids are into that, or just walk around Mykonos town. You can see the Acropolis in a half day. Skip Mycenae unless you're ancient history buffs (I know I wouldn't be able to miss it if I hadn't seen it.....) and just do the Palamidi fortress and walk around Nafplion, a pleasant little town.

 

Sounds like you have Taormina planned. What are you doing in Sorrento? If you have two days, then do Pompeii for a long half day, and just walk around Sorrento on the second day. Skip the long Amalfi coast drive (again, unless it's a "must" for you...!)

 

Rome is where you'll need a long day though -- there's no way around it. Too much to see and do in a single day.

 

It doesn't seem like you've listed 25 days' worth of ports. Are there more?

[World Gallery]

Rest assured you're not the only one with a spreadsheet!

We're taking our two children (11 and 7) on a 24-night Med cruise too visiting many of the ports you've listed. In fact we're leaving in four days! We're trying not to do everything, but in such interesting ports it is hard to not pack it in. We have booked some private tours (or transport only) in some ports to focus our energy on the sites themselves. And from experience a cruise is more relaxing than a land tour - no checking-in checking-out every few days, no packing and repacking. And it is very reassuring to know exactly where you are having dinner most nights! Have fun!

 

Have fun! We have kids too and leave May 31. Can I ask, who are you using for Istanbul?

[chipmaster]

You will need to take a cruise to rest up from the cruise :D

[sing]

Have fun! We have kids too and leave May 31. Can I ask, who are you using for Istanbul?

 

We're doing Istanbul on our own, thanks to very detailed advice from contributors to this board. I think the children will enjoy the tram ride and we're looking forward to the adventure.

[World Gallery]

We're doing Istanbul on our own, thanks to very detailed advice from contributors to this board. I think the children will enjoy the tram ride and we're looking forward to the adventure.

 

Have fun! We are leaning toward doing it on our own now too. Is the tram ride what you take to get from the ship into the old town?

[sing]

Have fun! We are leaning toward doing it on our own now too. Is the tram ride what you take to get from the ship into the old town?

I had lots of fun doing research on this board. Check out this thread for a step-by-step guide to using the tram, complete with photos!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1516385&highlight=istanbul+photos

[farbster]

In Mykonos I would recommend the Saint John Hotel. For a reasonable fee, they picked you up at the port (short walk from ship) and took you to their hotel. You can then use their pool, beach, chairs, bathrooms, etc. for the day. When done, they'll take you back. Very beautiful and relaxing. My wife was nervous that we would both fall asleep by the pool and see the ship sailing away! That's a very relaxing day.

[KirkNC]

The Med will tend to wear you out. First I would start walking every day so you are in reasonably good shape. Second, pick and choose your ports that you are going hard. It will wear on you but we found after the first week we got more endurance.

[marazul]

In Mykonos I would recommend the Saint John Hotel. For a reasonable fee, they picked you up at the port (short walk from ship) and took you to their hotel. You can then use their pool, beach, chairs, bathrooms, etc. for the day. When done, they'll take you back. Very beautiful and relaxing. My wife was nervous that we would both fall asleep by the pool and see the ship sailing away! That's a very relaxing day.

 

farbster,

the hotel is beautiful. Does it have a real nice beach or just the pool?

[TLCOhio]

We are taking two voyages back to back, which comes out to 25 days at sea, and 21 ports of call. After 3 days in Istanbul, we have one day at sea and then Mykonos, Athens/Piraeus, Navplion. Day at sea. Taormina (Mt Etna!!), Sorrento for two days, Rome. Everyone tells us not to miss Mycenae and Palamidi Fortress in Navplion, but will we really want to make that trip after a full day at Acropolis? When we first read the itinerary it seemed exciting to be somewhere new and fantastic everyday, but now we are looking at the pace, and the reality of making the most of each port without burning out our kids (3 elementary aged, enthusiastic travelers). How do you pace yourself while planning? I feel like I'm loading too much into each day and might regret it!

 

You have already received an excellent range of suggestions from some of the best posters on these boards.

 

Part of your big plus/advantage is that you are on the Crystal Serenity. We've sailed on her sister ship, the Symphony, and Crystal always does lots of nice "extras" to make things smoother and easier with your logistics, having shuttle buses, tours where the buses are not packed, etc. You are also not on a mega or semi-mega ship of 2000-4000 passengers. That will help you and your family to enjoy the many ports and pace yourself accordingly.

 

It looks like your exact schedule is actually better than it might appear from your outline. You've got July 1-2, overnight in Istanbul, cruising the historic Dardanelles/sea day, Mykonos, Athens/Piraeus, Navplion, cruising the Mediterranean/sea day, two days/overnight in Sicily/Taormina, two days/overnight in Sorrento, Rome/Civitavecchia, three days & two overnights in Monte Carlo, Marseilles, two days/overnight in Barcelona, Valencia, cruising the Mediterranean/sea day, Málaga, Gibraltar, Cádiz/Seville, sea day cruising the Atlantic, arrive Lisbon and overnight there until departing the ship the next morning.

 

With the number of different overnight port stops, that adds lots and lots of flexibility for your schedule. I think you should be able to pace things well. You will need to determine your priorities in advance and what's really of interest for your young kids. I would involve them in the planning process. Get from the library some copies of the Eyewitness books that have nice pictures, maps and visual info. If your kids have more "buy-in" that will help things go more smoothly.

 

Below are a couple of my visuals from Mycenae and Palamidi Fortress, plus for a couple of the other stops. I found Mycenae very interesting, but I am big fan of history. Not all, including most normal kids, share such a love for that kind of "old stuff", over and over.

 

For those who have not yet visited Greece, the good news is that the wonderful Plaka is right handy and next door to the famed Acropolis area. That makes things so much easier. On going up the hill, be careful as the stone steps can be slick in areas. And you will be looking up and forgetting to watch where and how you are stepping. It's well worth the effort getting there to the top. It is amazing history and architecture!! Also, we had a private guide to help us on this spectacular site. It's not cheap, but it was well worth it to know more on what you are seeing and why it is so important.

 

You can check out my earlier post on “Athens Tips, Suggestions, Examples to Enjoy!” for many details, ideas and interesting visuals on this great city. Lots of ideas here from me and others experienced with Athens.

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

 

Don't be shy!! Keep researching and asking those good questions. The only "dumb question" is the one you don't ask.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 73,501 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

These Mycene ruins go back 2700 years from a spectacular empire:

 

 

 

The “triangle” is the symbol for the Mycene empire. This carved stone is placed above where you enter its historic capital:

 

 

 

Looking down upon Nafplion from the historic Palamidi military fortress that overlooks the town and its harbor. This fortress is on the crest of a 216-metre high hill. It was built by the Venetians during their second occupation of the area (1686-1715).:

 

 

 

Nearby to Nafplion is Epidaurus and the famed outdoor theater with super great acoustics:

 

 

 

On Acropolis hill with our very knowledgeable private guide we lined up at the site, she helped us appreciate all of the history and architectural details there at this famed site going back 700 years before Christ.:

 

 

 

Here’s a sampling of the narrow, flowered street in Mykonos in the Greek Isles with its many shops. The streets were made so narrow in order to fend off pirate attackers. It is an island with lots of history and legend dating back thousands of years, including connections to ancient Greek mythology. Ionians settled on Mykonos in the early part of the 11th century BC. As Delos developed as a sacred center, Mykonos was under the influences of the different people, including Phoenicians, Macedonians and Athenians. With the rise of Alexander the Great, the fate of Mykonos became a commercial center for agriculture and maritime trade. Mykonos flourished with enormous wealth during Roman occupation during the reign of Augustus Caesar. During the Middle Ages, Mykonos fell under the Venetians and later were victimized by the Saracens and latter the Turks. Starting in the 1950’s, its unique architecture, seclusion and hospitality have made it a haven for the rich and famous.:

 

[John Bull]

Have fun! We are leaning toward doing it on our own now too. Is the tram ride what you take to get from the ship into the old town?

 

Absolutely. It's quick & cheap. You board at one of three stops, depending on how far along the quay your ship is berthed - ask when you disembark which direction to the nearest. The route runs one block behind the port.

You will need to buy a jeton (token) from a machine at the tram stop, you'll need 2TL per person. The machine accepts most TL denominations, incl bills, & gives change. Instructions are in english.

You put the jeton into the turnstile to access the platform. You want any tram running from right to left, there's only one route. Note the name of the tramstop for your return journey.

 

The tram crosses the Galata bridge over the Golden Horn & uphill to Sultanahmet. Check the tramstop names as you travel - Sultanahmet is the one after Gulhane.

The Blue Mosque is just a couple of hundred yards from the tramstop, most folk walk downhill from there via their choice of sights - The Roman Cistern, Agia Sophia (various spellings) Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, etc to end up near the Galata Bridge, then either cross the bridge & back to the ship on foot or hop a tram back.

 

JB :)

[texancruzer]

Yep, the tram is the way to go in Istanbul. We used it both visits there and find it easy, cheap and fast.....

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Istanbul_tram_RB1.jpg

 

Here is a link to the metro map......

 

http://goeurasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/istanbul-metro-tram.jpg

 

You will most likely be docked at Tophane or Finkliki stops.......

 

Have fun in Istanbul....one of our favorite cities !!!!

[farbster]

I think the beach at the Saint John was ok, I don't remember it being anything amazing. There were some people there though. We really loved the pool.

 

It seemed like the main thing to do in Mykonos is go to the beach and this eliminated the hassle of finding a chair, bringing towels, etc. The restaurant was nice.

 

You walked maybe 10 minutes from the ship to an area that the hotel could send their bus. I had the impression that they couldn't drive directly to the ship. It was an easy walk.

 

The picture shows what we did there. Also, there were other people from our ship (Silversea Spirit) that did what we did.

[marazul]

Thanks, we have been in Mykonos (and Delos) a couple of times and this will be the time to go to the beach.

[World Gallery]

Thanks John and Texan! I have printed your post and the map.

 

Wish they had a map like that for Venice Vaporetto! I can't seem to print it out big enough to see it. This tram map is great!

 

Farbster - Where did you dock in Mykonos? We dock in Tourlos, which is outside of the downtown. I have sent them a few emails to ask if they pick up from there but they haven't replied yet.

[pris993]

This is a good question to consider ahead of time.

 

We have done about 6 cruises in the Mediterranean. First one was in l989, last one was in 2011, our next will be in 2013.

 

We have learned from experience, not to do too much. Early on we were exhausted when we got off the ship in Barcelona, slept for two days at the Hotel Arts, @$300 a night.

 

Over the years, we learned not to try to do every thing. To pick a couple of important places we wanted to see. To come back to the ship early, take a nap late afternoon. We enjoy our selves more and keep going back and enjoy each cruise a lot more.

 

Allow yourself some down time.