Celebrity: Eastern Mediterranean & Rome - Very Detailed - Part X: The Ports

[CaribbeanBound]

Dang, due to the length of the port info, I just realized that it's going to take another 8 to 10 parts to post all of the ports! I'll have to figure out how to best handle this. Any suggestions?

 

General Info:

Each port has a lot to see and do --- some more than others. Therefore we can't see everything we want to see if we're going to spend time doing it, so we had to prioritize our sightseeing while leaving time to walk and enjoy the ports. We also hired tours when they offered a specialized experience or saved us from having to spend time in long lines. A good tour guide can really enrich your visit. I can't stress enough how much you can see and do between 7:00 am and 9:00 am in the morning, before the heavy crowds materialize. It's absolutely charming. I won't delve into too much detail in my descriptions of each place we visited as it could fill a novel. Instead, I'll look to just give you a quick idea and you can Google them to learn more.

 

A note about tours: We are major proponents of getting off the ship as early as possible and exploring each port. We didn't take a single ship-sponsored tour on this entire cruise. We have taken 2 or 3 ship's tours over our lifetime --- when the tour we wanted was far from the port and we were willing to pay up for the assurance we'd get back to the ship in time or when the tour we wanted was otherwise unavailable from a private tour operator.

 

Why take a private tour? We've taken over 4 dozen private tours and we have never failed to get back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. Private tours are significantly less expensive and have significantly fewer passengers. This makes them customizable, quicker, and more nimble to go places the big tours can't. All this helps (but doesn't guarantee) a better sightseeing experience. The key is to do your research to find the best tours and either join or build a group of 6 to 12 passengers to make the tour really affordable. The good news for you is that I've done a lot of the research for you.

 

A note about decorum: Proper attire (knees and shoulders must be covered) is required to enter most churches in Europe. You should remove your hat when entering. Keep your voice low and turn off both your camera's flash and the sound. Don't leave a live mass service before making an offering. And do not take pictures when it's not allowed (like "never" at the Sistine Chapel or in the tombs below St. Peter's Basilica, or during services at most other churches). Can you get away with sneaking pictures? Yes. I saw it occur. Did I want to take pictures too? You bet! Did I? No. Decent, civilized folks should respect local wishes and the sanctity of the venue.

 

G. Days At Sea

We had two days at sea. There was no lack of things to do on the ship. Sea days actually provided nice rest spites and allowed us to get reenergized. Eat, play games, port shopping briefings (basically a way to kill time watching a talking advertisement), attend shows, eat, nap, midday snack, cards, pools, bars, eat, trivia contests, read, chat with fellow passengers, eat, board games, gambling, exercise (no, not really, but there is an exercise room), eat, book your next cruise, live entertainment... the list goes on!

 

H. Ships in Port

There were no more than 2 ships with us in any port, and most of those ships were relatively small. There were no more than 6,300 passengers in any port, including our 3,000 folks. This is one of the advantages to traveling in the Spring. Visit CruiseTimeTables to see which ships are likely to be in port during your cruise. It's a really good idea to either book tours way ahead of time, or have a good plan, for any ports that are due to be crowded.

 

Complete review, parts 1 - 12 with images and port information: http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/easte...terranean.html

[CaribbeanBound]

I figured it out! I posted each port in the Ports of Call section.

 

Here is a link to each port:

1. Rome & The Vatican, Italy: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2641069
   
2. Messina & Taormina, Sicily: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2641072
   
3. Mykanos, Greece: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2641062
   
4. Rhodes, Greece: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2641065
   
5. Santorini Island, Greece: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2641066
   
6. Athens, Greece: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2641068
   
7. Valletta & Mdina, Malta: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2641074
   
8. Naples (Pompeii & Herculaneum), Italy: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2641073
   

[BriScott12]

I should have been more clear, I was curious about the Western portion of the cruise, on the website although it says Western it is all the Eastern ports.

[CaribbeanBound]

BriScott12

 

If you're referring to the link on my webpage to my Western Mediterranean review, you're right that page isn't complete yet. I should have the 8-port Western review completed in about 2 weeks. Please check back. Thank you.