Aug 29, Splendor of the Seas - Greece & Turkey

[vegas82]

Hi everyone

Have just booked this cruise for our honeymoon :) We were married onboard Allure in February.

I have a few questions as that was our first cruise together-hopefully someone can help us out!

 

1)This seems a port intensive cruise and as we will be on our own (not with 60 of our nearest and dearest!) we want to explore each one. I am wondering if anyone who as been to these ports (Dubrovnik, Katakalon (Olympia), Kusadasi & Santorini) can give me an idea on what they are like.

We would like to book a max of 3 excursions, and explore one just on our own, but I can't tell which port is best for this. We'd love a day to just walk off and head to a beach for the day, and see the town.

 

So far we are looking at an excursion in Santorini and Olympia. Can anyone share if there are beaches near ports in Kusadasi or Dubrovnik? And can we walk to Old Town from port in Dubrovnik?

 

2) It says online that we dock back in Venice at 6:45am, but that disembarkment is 9:30. Can we arrange earlier checkout? We have a flight out of Venice at 11:20am.

 

Any other advice for this specific sailing is welcomed!! I have scoured the boards/net and gotten some info but it's hard to put it all together.

 

Thank you!

[CruiserBruce]

For all the port info you will ever need, check out the Ports boards, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19

 

Santorini and Dubrovnik can be done on your own pretty easily.

 

You might want to get a guide book, like Rick Steve's for example.

 

I doubt disembarking will start at 9:30, rather they usually want you off the ship no later than 9:30. But the best place for that info is the RCI board, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=83

 

You aren't a first time cruiser anymore.;)..you have to use the other features of Cruise Critic, of which there are many!

Edited March 6, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[Essiesmom]

Get a copy of the Rick Steves book mentioned above - Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports. He tells you what there is to see in each place and how much of it you can do in the time you have. Be aware that you have picked the hottest time of year for the Eastern Med. It will be blistering hot, expecxt 90's, especially in Kusadasi, particularly if you take a tour to Ephesus. And it is recommended that you do so. It does not need to be a tour offered by the ship. If you join the roll call for your cruise, there will be people organizing small group tours in most of your ports. EM

[Scrapnana]

I would recommend a tour to Ephesus (from Kusadasi) unless you don't like historical sites.

 

Hope you have a great honeymoon.

Edited March 7, 2015 by Scrapnana

[fishywood]

According to the Air Time calculator on the RCI website you should be off in time to make that flight. Be sure you enter your flight info so that you are assigned one of the first disembarkation groups.

[jocap]

Be very aware of the strength of the sun in the Med at that time of year- and especially at Ephesus, where there's no shade at all. The light reflects from the white marble roads, which have been worn smooth over the centuries, and I've seen people wilting because they've not dressed accordingly. Wear comfortable shoes, and at least a hat and something over your shoulders if you're wearing a vest top. If I had to go again in summer, I'd take an umbrella- tourist guides do this- and plenty of water. One time, I took a beach sari and wrapped it round me....but I have an extra white skin which can't take the sun. (The other time I visited it was winter, and almost empty...and it snowed...:rolleyes:)

Have a wonderful time- it's a gorgeous part of the world.

BTW, although Croatia like to take its own money at municipal sites, there's often a credit card facility if you haven't changed money.

[dolittle]

Joecap is right about the heat ,as far as Dubrovnik we walked off the ship changed some money and took the bus to old town about 80 cents ,the ship charged 10 dollars for the same thing. Hook up with your roll call there will be others doing it this way. B.T.Y. don't miss the hole in the wall bar it is $$ for a beer but worth it (look it up on you -tube).