Cruise - Italy - Too hectic? - Pros/Cons?

[tbmrt]

Considering Italy for next year's cruise. However, friends told me that there is too much rushing around at ports with little sightseeing time available.

 

Would appreciate your input, good and bad for such cruises. We'd be flying over from the US.

 

Thanks.

[Lois R]

Too hectic?:confused:.....yes, it is a busy itinerary but I would not say it is too

hectic. I went to the Med in May 2012 and it was the best cruise I have

ever taken:D........it blew all my other cruises out of the water;)

I have been wanting to go back again but haven't been able to........

The history and sights are simply fantastic.:) I remember when visiting

places it was all a BIG WOW:D to me.

 

I would definitely recommend it.:)in, my opinion, there is "no bad".....

well, maybe the flying part, but that is just part of the trip.

[Wine-O]

Considering Italy for next year's cruise. However, friends told me that there is too much rushing around at ports with little sightseeing time available.

 

Would appreciate your input, good and bad for such cruises. We'd be flying over from the US.

 

Thanks.

 

My wife would shoot me if I booked a 11-day, port-intensive cruise where she had to get up every morning at 6am, get dressed, have breakfast, and head out on a tour. :eek:

 

That's why we like transatlantics.

[suntan]

Too hectic?:confused:.....yes, it is a busy itinerary but I would not say it is too

hectic. I went to the Med in May 2012 and it was the best cruise I have

ever taken:D........it blew all my other cruises out of the water;)

I have been wanting to go back again but haven't been able to........

The history and sights are simply fantastic.:) I remember when visiting

places it was all a BIG WOW:D to me.

 

I would definitely recommend it.:)in, my opinion, there is "no bad".....

well, maybe the flying part, but that is just part of the trip.

 

I send Lois R's post. I went on my first Med cruise this September and it was by far the best cruise I've been on to date. We're looking at 2016 for our next Med cruise. Yes it was port intensive but you determine how much time you want to spend in the port. Some ports we were on all day excursions; at other ports we got off the ship after everyone got off for their excursions and spent a couple of leisurely hours in the town and spent the rest of the day on the ship.

[Texed]

Considering Italy for next year's cruise. However, friends told me that there is too much rushing around at ports with little sightseeing time available.Would appreciate your input, good and bad for such cruises. We'd be flying over from the US. Thanks.

 

We have done the Med a few times, and we are doing it again in June/July 2015. It is a busy itinerary, but we try to not overdo the excursions, and save some stuff for next time. ;)

[TomTN]

Avoid the summer months if possible. Too hot and too many people.

 

It is not hectic if you enjoy getting up most mornings and going on a meaningful excursion. Simply, there is nothing like seeing "David" or the Colosseum, or the Amalfi Coast, or, well the list is pretty long. The food is fantastic too.

 

If you do not want to get out every day take a day off.

 

I suspect that if you go to Italy once you will want to return.:)

[BrendaJ]

We've done several port-intensive Med cruises, the last being a couple of months ago. A lot depends on your energy level, and what your ultimate goal is. A Med cruise is definitely not relaxing if you're on an all-day tour every day. Our last Med cruise was with some people for whom it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip and they had to see everything possible, so we had a succession of all-day tours which is very exhausting.

 

My advice would be to spend a couple of nights pre-cruise in your starting port to recover from jet lag. We spent three nights in Barcelona before our cruise and it was great to see a lot but at a relaxed pace.

 

I would also suggest that you keep in mind you don't have to see absolutely everything on this trip, if there is any chance of you returning someday. Pick what is most important to you and maximize that. For example, if you're most excited about Rome, take an all-day tour with a private guide and spend as much time as you need at the sites you consider most important. Hire a guide at the Vatican who can get you past the line-ups and show you the highlights efficiently.

 

If there is a port you're not overly eager about, choose to stay on board the ship for a relaxing day, or just take a walk in the port town and spend the rest of the day recharging your batteries. You can also choose a half-day tour that departs later in the day to give you a chance to sleep in.

 

The ships I have been on were pretty quiet at night - everyone goes to bed early to prepare for the next day. Try to enjoy the nightlife on the night before a sea day, but otherwise, make sure you get plenty of rest the night before a big sightseeing day.

 

Europe is amazing and you'll never regret going there; just pace yourself and try not to do too much.

[LEtue]

A Med cruise is a wonderful opportunity to see new places. I have done 2 (just returned in October) and am planning to return in 2016. It doesn't have to be hectic and you can tour at your pace. Excursions can easily be booked independently and for the amount of time you want to spend :)

 

Go!!!!

[Adammara]

We have had 13 cruises to Italy over the years, and its my absolute favourite cruise destination. We have to sail from Southampton as my wife is not allowed to fly, so it is always a minimum of 14 days, and sometimes as long as 18. For us, the sail in to Venice (4 times!) is the probably the best sail in we have experienced, sadly no longer available on S class ships.

 

A word of advice, try avoiding a cruise that does Florence/Pisa one day, and Rome the next, we have met several passengers who said its to much. One thing I would recommend if time/money allows, is to have a day or two in Rome pre or post cruise. We have well travelled friends who say you need 2 or 3 days to really appreciate Rome.

 

And, of course, if you like it, its a good excuse for another cruise!

[4774Papa]

Considering Italy for next year's cruise. However, friends told me that there is too much rushing around at ports with little sightseeing time available.

 

Would appreciate your input, good and bad for such cruises. We'd be flying over from the US.

 

Thanks.

We have done three Med cruises. Yes, they are port intensive, but people usually go to Italy to see the wonderful historical and cultural sites.

 

If you haven't been to Italy before, especially Rome, I suggest a lengthy pre or post cruise stay there, or do a land trip instead with 6 days in Rome, 2 in Naples area, 3 in Florence, 2-3 in Venice.

 

The one disadvantage of seeing Italy via a cruise is that going to Rome and Florence from the ports wastes a lot of time on the train or highway.

 

Also, if you do go to Italy, and you love history and art, you will be in awe.

 

The Sistine Chapel alone is, in my opinion the single most amazing work of art in the World. The Vatican, Roman Forum, Coliseum, Pantheon, etc. are amazing. Then Florence with David and the amazing Renaissance city, then Venice with its unique history build on man made islands in a swamp to get away from the Huns at the end of the Western Roman Empire.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

I would do a Mediterranean cruise 10 out of 10 times over a Caribbean cruise

[RickT]

We've now done 6 med cruises. The first one was extremely hectic as we felt we wouldn't be on another Med cruise and had to see everything we could.

 

Once we booked our second one our view changed and we decided that each port day would be a relaxing day and we'd see what we could see, but put no pressure on us to do anything other than relax and sight see.

 

I'm looking forward to booking my 7th Med cruise as soon as possible.

 

Do we miss things in port? Abosolutly but our focus is on taking everything in. That way when we visit a port the second time we still have stuff to see.

 

We usually start our morning by having a latte somewhere and after touring around for the day we make sure to enjoy a drink on a patio somewhere.

 

So, if you can plan to relax a bit, you'll find it no more hectic than any other cruise.

[jelayne]

I have done the Med 3 times with a 4th soon. If you decide to go join your roll call and try and do private tours with small groups of 6-8. You can customize the day to see the sights most important to the group and avoid the lost time waiting for 60 people to gather and get on/off the bus.

[cynbar]

We have done a few European cruises at this point and we love them, it's a great chance to sample an area and then perhaps go back some other time to a place you really want to explore. But even then, we do make some concessions to the long travel time and the hectic pace. We always allow 2 or 3 days in our embarkation city, this allows for delays, gives us time to get over the jet lag and lets us explore that city in detail. Rome and Barcelona and Venice are all good choices here. Then, we look at the itinerary and decide what we most want to see ---- some ports seem to require an all day tour, but some are easy to get off the ship and explore at your leisure, especially when the ship docks close to the sights. And, we may choose a port where the plan is to just stay on the ship and take a breather. Last spring, we did a 10 day Med cruise on Reflection with my sister and her husband who had never been to Europe before. We started with 3 days in Rome (just wonderful), took organized tour in Sicily, Athens, Ephesus and Naples, booked a day resort in Mykonos to relax, and explored on our own in Santorini and Rhodes. No way would I do a full day tour in every port, but I know others feel differently. You'll find plenty of info on the Ports of Call boards to help with your planning. But I do think a European cruise is worth doing if you plan carefully and avoid exhaustion. However, I must add that our next cruise is a Caribbean one, just to relax!!

[smtcan]

We have done a few European cruises at this point and we love them, it's a great chance to sample an area and then perhaps go back some other time to a place you really want to explore. But even then, we do make some concessions to the long travel time and the hectic pace. We always allow 2 or 3 days in our embarkation city, this allows for delays, gives us time to get over the jet lag and lets us explore that city in detail. Rome and Barcelona and Venice are all good choices here. Then, we look at the itinerary and decide what we most want to see ---- some ports seem to require an all day tour, but some are easy to get off the ship and explore at your leisure, especially when the ship docks close to the sights. And, we may choose a port where the plan is to just stay on the ship and take a breather. Last spring, we did a 10 day Med cruise on Reflection with my sister and her husband who had never been to Europe before. We started with 3 days in Rome (just wonderful), took organized tour in Sicily, Athens, Ephesus and Naples, booked a day resort in Mykonos to relax, and explored on our own in Santorini and Rhodes. No way would I do a full day tour in every port, but I know others feel differently. You'll find plenty of info on the Ports of Call boards to help with your planning. But I do think a European cruise is worth doing if you plan carefully and avoid exhaustion. However, I must add that our next cruise is a Caribbean one, just to relax!!

 

Some very good points here. We have done several Mediterranean cruises and although they are not relaxing, they do not need to be too hectic. We prefer to travel in the fall, when the weather is cooler and lines are shorter, and plan our days with either independent travel or private tours. We would not go to Rome for a day, instead we have embarked there and spent several days in the city before taking the long trip to the port. We enjoyed an overnight stop in Venice where we bought a pass for the vaporettos (sp?) and loved exploring on our own.

 

The very best Mediterranean cruises we have taken were B2B with a Transatlantic - the best of both worlds, exploring then relaxing! While I enjoy an occasional Caribbean cruise, to me cruising is about visiting new places and having new experiences - Europe fits the bill, as does Asia, which will be our next adventure.

 

Sheila

[cynbar]

Some very good points here. We have done several Mediterranean cruises and although they are not relaxing, they do not need to be too hectic. We prefer to travel in the fall, when the weather is cooler and lines are shorter, and plan our days with either independent travel or private tours. We would not go to Rome for a day, instead we have embarked there and spent several days in the city before taking the long trip to the port. We enjoyed an overnight stop in Venice where we bought a pass for the vaporettos (sp?) and loved exploring on our own.

 

The very best Mediterranean cruises we have taken were B2B with a Transatlantic - the best of both worlds, exploring then relaxing! While I enjoy an occasional Caribbean cruise, to me cruising is about visiting new places and having new experiences - Europe fits the bill, as does Asia, which will be our next adventure.

 

Sheila

 

This brings up another good point. Some Med cruises, usually starting in Barcelona, dock in Rome and Florence (or more specifically their ports) on back to back days. I would avoid this, or at least be aware of what you are getting into. Both are about an hour and a half away from the city, making for a very long day, and taking up a lot of your day on the bus. This may be what the OP was talking about, because there is little time for sightseeing and you end up exhausted while having seen little. Some people take the train instead of a bus tour and do it on your own, and some join others on their roll calls for a smaller group, but there is still a lot of riding to and from. Just keep this in mind as you look at itineraries. Our cruise last spring had no long distances to travel, it really does make a difference.

Edited December 1, 2014 by cynbar

[fellesferie]

We have been to Italy, though not on a cruise. We spent 5 days in Rome, and would love to go back and spend a month or more. 3 days in Tuscany, and I need at least several more weeks there, too. The best meals of my life were on that trip! :)

 

I think a cruise would be a great way to see a little bit and decide whether you might want to come back for more. Accept straight away that you will not see everything or even most things.

 

My only advice is that I think it would be better to really try and immerse yourselves in 1-2 things rather than get a superficial glance at 5-7 things.

[CathyCruises]

I would do a Mediterranean cruise 10 out of 10 times over a Caribbean cruise

 

I remember when I thought a Caribbean cruise was the trip of a lifetime! Now the idea holds no appeal at all. No comparison between that and a Med cruise.

 

Our ideal is a TA to Rome, then renting a car and driving to the places we want to see, but for a first timer, a cruise is a great intro. I recommend starting or ending in Rome so you can spend a couple of days there pre- or post. Yes, it can be hectic--pick the main things you want to see and try to avoid more than a couple of all day excursions. We never do planned shore ex, prefer to go on our own which gives us lots of flexibility.

[gsb]

My wife would shoot me if I booked a 11-day, port-intensive cruise where she had to get up every morning at 6am, get dressed, have breakfast, and head out on a tour. :eek:

 

That's why we like transatlantics.

 

Looks like you'd be perfect candidates of the good ole' Holland American Line:p

[AntjeG]

If you love great architecture, art, nice landscapes, a bit of history and delicious Italian food this will be your cruise!

A few things to consider (most have been mentioned already):

Fly into Europe at least 3 days pre-cruise to get rid of jetlag. Choose a place near your embarkation port for some days with recovering from your flight and sightseeing at your own speed.

Compare different cruise lines/itineraries. Avoid cruises that consist of 2 or more short itineraries. Ports can be a zoo on those days. Plus, there are some cruise lines who want all passengers to repeat the muster drill - what a waste of time to do it 2 or 3 times on a cruise! Choose a cruise line which provides long time in the ports. Even if you don´t spend all the time ashore this would make it less hectic to leave the ship and get back on board as not all the people would want to leave/come back at the same time. For ports such as Rome or Florence with long travelling times to the actual sights long port times reduce your stress level and give you more time to explore.

After taking a long shore excursion such as Rome plan a day to relax. Either stay on the ship or do half day tours or just walk around a little bit. And/or treat yourself to a nice massage treatment in the ship´s spa. Many cruise lines offer discounts for spa treatments on port days.

Give yourself a variety of shore excursions. After great architecture and mass tourism in Rome why not plan your next excursion to be just a bus tour driving through the countryside with a photo stop every now and then and maybe a wine tasting? Not so much information to take in, lovely countryside to look at and if you feel tired you just have a nap on the way back to the ship without missing important things. If you had a guided tour yesterday plan a walk on your own today.

On the other hand a port intensive cruise with one full day excursion after the other can also be relaxing as you still do something completely different compared to your everyday work routine. So was my Western Med cruise - only one day at sea, did full day tours every day and came back with great memories and totally relaxed. But then, I fly less than 3 hrs and there is no jetlag for me if I go to the Med.

[Ma Bell]

Enjoy it for what it is and make the most of it. Relax when you get home.

[parallax]

We did the Adriatic Cruise in June. It was amazing.

[Can'tstopcruising]

Everyone here has posted according to their own interests and stamina.

 

You really have to decide for yourself.

 

My favourite destinations have always been the Mediterranean countries. Perhaps because I live in the cold north!

 

We have done a few cruises and we have done many land trips on our own.

 

When you cruise the Caribbean, it is very relaxing.

 

When you go to the Mediterranean, you want to see everything! Unless you spend time in a place, that is impossible.

 

So what you get is a taste. You have to be careful not to see a country through a bus window!

 

The Silhouette to the Adriatic is a good choice because most of the ports are small and easy to navigate on your own.

 

Cruises stopping in Livorno and Civitivecchia are the most difficult in my opinion because it takes a couple of hours bus ride in each direction to Florence and to Rome. That's not for us!

 

I don't know if this will be your first time to Italy and I don't know what your "must sees" are. You may want to simply stay in one or two cities and soak up the culture.

 

One sure thing about a cruise, the cruise is the culture!

[ECCruise]

Having done many cruises in Europe, most in the Med., I think you need a totally different mindset there to be comfortable.

 

Forget about "being on vacation." That is for the Caribbean where there is very little to do, the ports are same old, same old, and you have plenty of time for relaxation. If that is what your focus is, then I would not do the Med.

 

There you are a traveler, not a vacationer, and there is a huge difference. Travelers go to experience new things, savor new foods, discover ancient lands. Vacationers largely go to get away from their day-to-day existence or bad weather.

 

Yes, it can wear you out, but think about what you will be coming home with. Like Ma Bell said, enjoy yourself and relax when you get home. Or, as our guide on our Antarctic expedition said, "you can sleep when you get home!"

[cruza]

Considering Italy for next year's cruise. However, friends told me that there is too much rushing around at ports with little sightseeing time available.

 

Would appreciate your input, good and bad for such cruises. We'd be flying over from the US.

 

Thanks.

 

We went to Med cruise in September. Before the cruise we decided which ports are for leisure and which are for sighseeing (hey, it's still vacation!!!):).

We'd had great beach days in Santorini, Mykonos and Crete and great sightseeing in Athens, Napoli and Venice. Since we were in Kusadasi before we took an easy tour to Sirince village for half day with great lunch and vine tasting...

Highly recommend Med cruising, we agree with everybody it's so different expereince vs Caribbean cruise.

 

BTW - see you next week on Equinox, we are soooo ready!!!.