Med. explorer or Grand Med. voyage??

[lahlah57]

I booked the Explorer voyage Jan. 10th with a stop in Naples and Sicily but the Jan. 24th voyage trades Explorer voyage above stops for a sea day (love) and Algiers. What would you choose and why?

[Vineyard View]

Well I suppose that kind of depends on whether you have been to either of those ports before? We have explored the southern part of Italy several times - on different cruises as well as a week on the Amalfi Coast. There is a lot to explore and enjoy - from amazing ruins to incredible beauty.

We have been to Sicily a couple times - there are some pretty cool places to visit (the town of Tamarindo, the mountain areas and little quaint towns, etc).

We haven't been to Algiers, so I can't comment on that port.....

[Bear_Music]

I would not want to miss Sicily... I'm sorry it's NOT a stop on the Maiden next month. Algiers, meh... doesn't do much for me, but it's all a matter of who you are and what you want.

 

Sicily: beautiful, ancient, majorly historical, a fulcrum of the ancient world. Algiers: colorful, crowded, alive and bustling, exotic. Take your pick :-)

[Vineyard View]

Completely agree with you Bear_Music on Sicily! There are a lot of great options - we would go back a third time no problem!

 

And Naples - Pompeii, Capri, Amalfi Coast, and much more. One cruise we just jumped on the transport boat that was in the harbor - went to Sorrento for some morning time, then caught the boat to Capri and spent the afternoon exploring - even though we had been before. Or hire a private tour and go to Positano, Sorrento, Amalfi, Ravello......all are so beautiful....even if you have visited before, going back....and finding more that you missed the first time...or two...or three. But get out of Naples....the museum is fairly good - and there's and Herculaneum, both we have done....but the other options are absolute repeatable!!

[lahlah57]

Boy......you guys are making it tough! I want it all:mad:

[roothy123]

I liked Sicily as well. (We stopped at Giardini-Naxos, which is the port for Taormina and the small village above that - am now forgetting the name). There was also a volcano (Mount Etna) not far away that some people went to. I haven't been to Naples, but after seeing a show on TV of a cruise ship visiting Naples, it looks pretty nice, especially to a photographer (me). I haven't been to Algiers so have no opinion. As for sea days, I prefer port days, and a lot of them, so it's pretty obvious that I would pick the itinerary with Sicily and Naples!