Comparing itineraries

[cruisewiththekids]

Viking:   Rome, Naples, Sicily, Crotone, Bari, Sibenik, Venice

 

NCL:    Rome, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos, Naples, Livorno, Rome

 

Crotone, Bari and Sibenik are unfamiliar to me.     How would you rate those stops in particular versus the NCL ports?

 

I know Viking is a more upscale line and will be a smaller ship, but I'm more interested at this point in comparing the ports of call.    

 

[VMax1700]

How many times have you been to Europe?  Have you been to any of the ports previously?

If this is your first trip to Europe, then I would be inclined to suggest the NCL as you have a wide variety of different ports.  If you are into Game of Thrones, then I believe that Dubrovnik is a must see.  Santorini is magical (to see once) and Mykonos is fun to get lost in.

However, the Viking sail into Venice would be spectacular! (depending on time of year - i.e. not dark when you arrive).

[cruisewiththekids]

I have been to Rome, Naples and Livorno on a previous cruise.   Wouldn't mind returning though, as there were things I missed.   Never been to Greece.   Not a Game of Thrones fan.    I like the idea of sailing from Rome and then into Venice.   I would like to try Viking, but my main concern was I  wasn't sure what the ports of Crotone, Bari and Sibenik were like, if there was much there to see in comparison to the bigger ports that NCL offers.     Looking at the excursions offered by Viking in those ports, nothing really jumps out at me.

[ollienbertsmum]

As I understand it, the cruise terminal in Venice will be moving soonish and so the idea of cruising in/out through the Grand Canal will soon end.  I am doing a Greek Island cruise from Venice on the NCL Star and looking forward to it.   This was what motivated me to book.  I am not sure if sailing in will be the same.  It may well be dark.  

 

Other posters may say that moving the terminal is one of those things that should happen due to environmental concerns but just never gets done.  

 

 

As to the itinerary.  NCL looks much better.   However  I do want to go to Bari at some point, but may well fly there and stay for a week.  I want to visit the Trulli of Alberobello and Matera looks so interesting.  I am not sure if they are offered as day trips from the ship.  

 

Another consideration that I have learned from fellow CCers is that you should look at the length of  time in port when comparing cruises.  This might affect your choice. 

 

 

 

[ollienbertsmum]

I have just been trying to read about the Venice cruise terminal.   I don’t think I know how ships enter or leave anymore!!!  

[Grandma Cruising]

Sibenik is lovely. You sail into and out of Port through St Anthony’s channel, which is very pretty.

The town is very nice with some unusual shops and there’s a fortress overlooking the town that you can walk up to.

[marazul]

On 5/10/2019 at 12:20 PM, cruisewiththekids said:

I have been to Rome, Naples and Livorno on a previous cruise.   Wouldn't mind returning though, as there were things I missed.   Never been to Greece.   Not a Game of Thrones fan.    I like the idea of sailing from Rome and then into Venice.   I would like to try Viking, but my main concern was I  wasn't sure what the ports of Crotone, Bari and Sibenik were like, if there was much there to see in comparison to the bigger ports that NCL offers.     Looking at the excursions offered by Viking in those ports, nothing really jumps out at me.

Crotone is on the Gulf of Taranto and one of the newest "in" tourist regions in Italy.  From Bari (Baroque churches, etc.) you can visit Alberobello, which is extraordinary (look it up).  Sibenik is lovely, but the main visit from there would be to Split.

 

You don't say which port in Sicily you will visit, so I can't comment on that.

 

Kotor and Dubrovnik are A++ sites. 

 

I would not go to Santorini on a cruise because of the crowds.  Check how many ships would be in port that day.

[Hlitner]

On ‎5‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 5:05 AM, ollienbertsmum said:

I have just been trying to read about the Venice cruise terminal.   I don’t think I know how ships enter or leave anymore!!!  

Nothing has changed yet, but it will not be too long until the larger ships are banned from the Venice port and will have to dock over on the mainland....not too far from Mestre.   Ships still cruise up the Giudecca Canal to the port.  Cruise ships do not actually enter the Grand Canal which has never been a waterway used by large ships.  The actual date when large ships will be banned has been a moving target due to a lot of politics and court rulings.   As to the size ships that will be banned that number seems to change with the tides but there has been lots of talk about 100,000 tons.  

 

There are lots of related issues about docking large ships at Marghera (the commercial port close to Mestre) .   How they would move thousands of passengers between the mainland commercial port and Venice is one of those things that seem to have been neglected.  It would seem that they would have to use lots of shuttle buses but it is hard to imagine all those buses crossing the causeway and driving into the Piazale Roma.  Some speculate that they could drop passengers at the current cruise port (Maritima) or perhaps a spot on the nearby island of Tronchetto...both of which are connected to the Piazale Roma by the People Mover.   Being Italy we suspect all this will be worked out by the time my Great Grandchildren (who will not be born for at least another 20 years) reach maturity :).

 

Hank